ful in his manner of
evincing it than ever.

We supped together without form or ceremony, the party consisting of
mesdames d'Aiguillon, de Forcalquier, and myself, mademoiselle du Barry,
and the vicomtesse Adolphe, the prince de Soubise and the duc de Cosse.
But the meal passed off in sorrowful silence; each of us seemed to
abstain from conversation as though the slightest remark might come
fraught with some painful allusion. On the following day I received the
letter from the duc d'Aiguillon which you will find in the following
chapter.

CHAPTER XLV

The duc d'Aiguillon's first letter--The marechale de
Mirepoix--A second letter from the duc d'Aiguillon--Numerous
visitors

"My much esteemed friend,--I promised you upon your departure to inform
you of all that transpired, and although the task is a mournful one,
I will do my best to acquit myself with zeal and sincerity, and each
evening I will write you an exact detail of all that has occurred during
the day. The king remains much as you left him, and you must know
that already his medical attendants differ in their opinion respecting
him--Lemonnier utterly despairing of his recovery, while Bordeu is
most sanguine that he shall be enabled to restore him to health. La
Martiniere persists in his assertion that the attention of the king
should be immediately directed to his spiritual concerns. The archbishop
of Paris remains until called for in the ante-chamber, and the
princesses never leave the bedside of their august parent.

"The king spoke with me concerning you for some time this morning, and I
can assure you, you are the first object in his thoughts; he has begged
of me never to forsake you, and has deigned to repose in me the enviable
post of your future protector. 'I bequeath my beloved friend to
your fidelity,' added the suffering prince. I took advantage of this
opportunity to remark that I looked upon your quitting Versailles as too
precipitate and premature a step. 'No, no,' replied the king, 'I have
acted for the best; I have once been deceived as to my condition, and I
would willingly prevent being again taken by surprise. Tell my beloved
and excellent countess how truly I love her'; and hearing the prince de
Soubise mention his design of supping at Ruel, he charged him to embrace
you for him.

"The dauphin still remains secluded in his apartment, but I know that he
keeps up a regular correspondence with madame Victoire, whose le