RUMOURS OF POISON.

289

He repeated this the next day, and never once varied afterwards;
saying to me on the third day, that none of the doctors who
attended the Prince were of a different opinion, or hid from
him what they thought.

On Tuesday, the 1st of May, the Prince was bled in the foot
at seven o'clock in the morning, after a very had night; took
emetics twice, which had a good effect; then some manna; but
still there were two accesses. The King went to the sick room
afterwards, held a finance council, would not go shooting, as he
had arranged, but walked in his gardens. The doctors, con-
trary to their custom, never reassured him. The night was
cruel. On Wednesday, the 2nd of May, the King went, after
Mass, to M. le Due de Berry, who had been again bled in the
foot. The King held the Council of State, as usual, dined in
Madame de Maintenon's rooms, and afterwards reviewed his
Guards. Coettenfao, chevalier d'honneur of Madame la Duchesse
de Berry, came during the morning to beg the King, in her name,
that Chirac, a famous doctor of M. d'Orleans, should be allowed
to see M. le Due de Berry. The King refused, on the ground
that all the other doctors were in accord, and that Chirac, who
might differ with them, would embarrass them. After dinner
Mesdames de Pompadour and La Vieuville arrived, on the part
of Madame la Duchesse de Berry, to beg the King that she
might be allowed to come and see her husband, saying that she
would come on foot rather than stay away. It would have
been better, surely, for her to come in a coach, if she so much
wished, and, before alighting, to send to the King for permission
so to do. But the fact is, she had no more desire to come than
M. de Berry had to see her. He never once mentioned her
name, or spoke of her, even indirectly. The Kong replied to
those ladies by saying that he would not close the door against
Madame la Duchesse de Berry, but, considering the state she
was in, he thought it would be very imprudent on her part to
come. He afterwards told M. le Due and Madame la Duchesse
d'Orleans to go to Versailles and hinder her from coming.
Upon returning from the review the King went again to see
M. le Due de Berry. He had been once more bled in the arm,

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