THE KIHG'S HEALTH. 345

in Madame de Maintenon's rooms, and appeared to everybody
very ill. On Sunday, the eleventh of August, he lield the
Council of State, walked after dinner to Trianon, never more
to go out again during life.

On the morrow, the 12th of August, he took medicine as
usual, and lived as usual the following days. It was known
that he complained of sciatica in the leg and thigh. He had
never before had sciatica, or rheumatism, or a cold; and for a
long time no touch of gout. In the evening there was a little
concert in Madame de Maintenon's rooms. This was the last
time in his life that he walked alone.

On Tuesday, the 13th of August, he made a violent effort,
and gave a farewell audience to a sham Persian ambassador,
whom Pontchartrain had imposed upon him; this was the
last public action of his life. The audience, which was long,
fatigued the King. He resisted the desire for sleep which
came over him, held the finance council, dined, had Mmself
carried to Madame de Maintenon's, where a little concert was.
given, and on leaving his cabinet stopped for the Ductesse de
la Kochefoucauld,-who presented to him the Duchesse de la
Kocheguyon, her daughter-in-law, who was the last lady pre-
sented to him. She took her tabouret that evening at the
King's grand supper, which was the last he ever gave. On the
morrow he sent some precious stones to the Persian ambassador
just alluded to. It was on this day that the Princesse des
Ursins set off for Lyons, terrified at the state of the King as I
have already related.

For more than a year the health of the King had diminished.
His valets noticed this first, and followed the progress of the
malady, without one of them daring to open his mouth. The
bastards, or to speak exactly, M. du Maine saw it; Madame de
Maintenon also; but they did nothing. Fagon, the cbief phy-
sician, much fallen off in mind and body, was the only one^of
the King s intimates who saw nothing. Marshal, also chief
physician, spoke to him (Fagon) several times, but was always
harshly repulsed. Pressed at last by his duty and bis attach-
ment, he made bold one morning towards Whitsuntide to go to