rs; but, unhappily, a complication of evils, which had long been
lurking in his veins, burst forth with a violence which, united to his
cruel complaint, bade defiance to surgical or medical skill.

Yet, spite of the terror with which the august sufferer contemplated his
approaching end, he did not lose sight of the interests of the nation as
vested in the person of the dauphin, whom he positively prohibited, as
well as his other grandsons, from entering his chamber or even visiting
the part of the chateau he occupied. After this he seemed to divest
himself of all further care for sublunary things; no papers were brought
for his inspection, nor did he ever more sign any official document.

The next request made by Louis XV was for his daughters, who presented
themselves bathed in tears, and vainly striving to repress that grief
which burst forth in spite of all their endeavours. The king replied to
their sobs, by saying, "My children, I have the small-pox; but weep not.
These gentlemen [pointing towards the physicians] assure me they can
cure me." But, while uttering this cheerful sentence, his eye caught the
stern and iron countenance of La Martiniere, whose look of cool
disbelief seemed to deny the possibility of such an event.

With a view to divert her father from the gloom which all at once came
over his features, the princess Adelaide informed him that she had a
letter addressed to him by her sister, madame Louise.

"Let me hear it," cried the king; "it is, no doubt, some heavenly
mission with which she is charged. But who knows?" He stopped, but it
was easy to perceive that to the fear of death was added a dread of his
well-being in another world. Madame Adelaide then read the letter with
a low voice, while the attendants retired to a respectful distance.
All eyes were directed to the countenance of the king, in order to read
there the nature of its contents; but already had the ravages of his
fatal disease robbed his features of every expression, save that of pain
and suffering.

The princesses now took their stations beside their parent, and
established themselves as nurses, an office which, I can with truth
affirm, they continued to fill unto the last with all the devotion of
the purest filial piety.

On this same day Louis XV caused me to be sent for. I ran to
his bedside trembling with alarm. The various persons engaged in his
apartment retired when they saw me, and we were left alone.

"My beloved f