ASPECT OF THE COURT. 181

Marly, and that she was to meet Mm as he passed through, the
avenue between the two stables.

The spectacle before me attracted all the attention I could
bestow. The two Princes and the two Princesses were in the
little cabinet behind the bed. The bed toilette was as usual in
the chamber of the Duchesse de Bourgogne, which was filled
with all the Court in confusion. She came and went from the
cabinet to the chamber, waiting for the moment when she was
to meet the King; and her demeanour, always distinguished by
the same graces, was one of trouble and compassion, which the
trouble and compassion of others induced them to take for
grief. Now and then, in passing, she said a few rare words.
All present were in truth expressive personages. Whoever had
eyes, without any knowledge of the Court, could see the
interests of all interested painted on their faces, and the in-
difference of the indifferent; these tranquil, the former pene-
trated with griof, or gravely attentive to themselves to hide
their emancipation and their joy.

For my part, my first care was to inform myself thoroughly
of the state of affairs, fearing lest there might bo too much
alarm for too trifling a cause; then, recovering myself, I
reflected upon, the misery common to all men, and that I my-
self should find myself some day at the gates of death. Joy,
nevertheless, found its way through the momentary reflections
of religion and of humanity, by which I tried to master myself.
My own privato deliverance seemed so great and so unhoped
for, that it appeared to me that the State must gain everything
by such a loss. And with those thoughts I felt, in spite of my-
self, a lingering fear lest the sick man should recover, and was
extremely ashamed of it.

"Wrapped up thus in myself, I did not fail, nevertheless, to
cast clandestine looks upon each face, to see what was passing
there. I saw Madame la Duchcsso cl'Orldans arrive, but her
countenance, majestic and constrained, said nothing. Sho went
into the littlo cabinet, whence she presently issued with the
Due d'Orldans, whoso activity and turbulent air marked his
•emotion at the spectacle more than any other sentiment. They