_May 21._

The King had a bad night. The private letter gave a bad account. He has
been _drinking again_, very irritable, _intolerably_ so. Halford says,
would neither sit in a chair nor lie in a bed, &c. Halford at last held
strong language, and I believe told him his life depended on his obeying
his physician.

I am very much disappointed indeed at this. I hoped he was really getting
better and would live.

Aberdeen is to allow the instalments of the loan guaranteed to Leopold to
be paid in four instead of eight years if he can keep him to his
principality by doing so.

The French were off on the 18th. There is a partial change in their
Ministry.

_May 23._

Rode to the Cabinet at three from Roehampton. The bulletin is that the King
had had embarrassments in his breathing.

The Duke waited two and a half hours before he saw him yesterday. The King
signed the two messages, and then said 'the Duke has just caught me in
time!' and in an instant there was a gurgling in his throat. He seized
Knighton's arm. The Duke ran for Halford, went out into the gallery where
he did not find him, then into another room where he was. Halford
immediately took a bottle from the table and gave the King something which
seemed to relieve him.

The Duke thinks the King was in pain three or four seconds; but it was a
minute and a half before he was relieved. He then did not speak; but made a
motion with his hand for the Duke to go.

He had just before been talking of going to Ascot and then to Aix-la-
Chapelle.

The King was perfectly satisfied with the proposed arrangement for the
stamp.

He asked the news, was told Leopold was behaving very ill, and agreed.

As to Algiers he was told the note of the French Minister was
unsatisfactory, and that it was under consideration whether a note should
not be presented. He thought it right.

The Duke's opinion is that if the King should be seized with one of those
attacks when no one was with him, he would die.

The opinion of Halford and the others is that the disorder is mortal; but
he may live six weeks or two months.

The punctures are healed. They are afraid of opening them again for fear of
mortification, and can only proceed by medicines.

The King's state seems distressing. He can neither remain quiet in his
chair or in his bed. He is in a state of constant restlessness.

The Duke of Cumberland was there to-day, but the King had desired he might
not see him.

Le