physician. His Majesty may recover in spite of the doctor."
"And sin again in spite of his confessor," added the Abbé. "Nevertheless, I think both have foreseen a crisis for some time past. Fagon has called in Marechal to help him; and Père Tellier has been asking for every vacant benefice during the last three weeks."
"It was very polite of you, my cousin," observed the Marquise, after a pause, "to come and tell me at once; though the only immediate result of all this confusion to me is, that I suppose I may undress and go to bed. I have had a fatiguing day."
"Pardon again," answered the Abbé. "I fear you must attend as usual in the gallery; and, indeed, it would be a thousand pities that such a toilette should be wasted, for you look beautiful, and are charmingly dressed. You know, besides, that only the king's own order can rescind the daily regulations for the Court."
"We had better proceed, then," said Madame de Montmirail. "Célandine has revised me thoroughly, and the sooner I go the sooner I shall get it over. Believe me, it would require some excitement stronger than common to keep me awake to-night."
"One instant, madame," replied the Abbé. "I will not detain you longer; but at a crisis like the present what I have to say merits your most earnest attention. In the first place, will you permit Célandine to examine if the outer door be shut?"
The scowl on the quadroon's brow grew deeper, while, in obedience to a sign from her mistress, she retired into the outer chamber. The Marquise seated herself on a couch near the toilet-table, spreading her skirts out carefully, lest their freshness might sustain damage in that position, and prepared to receive her cousin's confidences, as he stood near, cool, polished, smiling, but obviously repressing, with an effort, the strong agitation under which he laboured.
While she sat in that graceful attitude, her head turned up towards his face, one beautifully moulded arm and hand resting in her lap, the other yet ungloved holding a closed fan against her lips, it may have occurred to the Abbé that so many charms of person and manner might be applied to
