The Mesmerist's Victim

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER XLIII.

  THE LAST ABSOLUTE KING.

  At eight at night, on the ninth day of May, 1774, Versailles presentedthe most curious and interesting of sights.

  Since the first day of the month, Louis XV., stricken with a sicknessof which the physicians dared not at the outset reveal the gravity, hadkept his bed, and began look around him for truth or hope.

  Two head physicians sided with the Dauphin and Dubarry severally; onesaid that the truth would kill the patient, and the other that he oughtto know so as to make a Christian end.

  But to call in Religion was to expel the favorite. When the Church comesin at one door, Satan must fly out of the other.

  While all the parties were wrangling, the disease easily rooted itselfin the old, debauched body and so strengthened itself that medicine wasnot to put it to rout.

  At the first, the King was seen between his two daughters, the favoriteand the courtiers most liked. They laughed and made light of the affair.

  Suddenly appeared at Versailles the stern and austere countenance of theeldest daughter, the Princess Louise, Lady Superior of St. Denis, cometo console her father.

  She stalked in, pale and cold as a statue of Fate. Long since she hadceased to be a daughter to her father and sister to his children. Sheresembled the prophets of woe who come in calamities to scatter ashes onthe gold and jewels. She happened in at Versailles on a day when Louiswas kissing the hands of Countess Dubarry and using them as soft brushesfor his inflamed cheeks and aching head.

  On seeing her, all fled. Her trembling sisters ran to their rooms; LadyDubarry dropped a courtsey and hastened to her apartments; theprivileged courtiers stole into the outer rooms; the two chiefphysicians alone stayed by the fireplace.

  "My daughter," muttered the monarch, opening his eyes which pain andfever had closed.

  "Your daughter," said the Lady Louise, "who comes from God, whom youhave forgotten, to remind you. Pursuant to etiquette, your malady is oneof the mortal ones which compels the Royal Family to gather around yourbedside. When one of us has the small pox, he must have the HolySacrament at once administered."

  "Mortal?" echoed the King. "Doctors, is this true?"

  The two medical attendants bowed.

  "Break with the past," continued the abbess, taking up his hand whichshe daringly covered with kisses. "And set the people an example. Had noone warned you, you ran the risk of being lost for eternity. Now,promise to live a Christian if you live: or die one, if die you must."

  She kissed the royal hand once more as she finished and stalked forthslowly.

  That evening Lady Dubarry had to retire from the Town and suburbs.

  This is why on the night in question, Versailles was in tribulation.Would the King mend and bring back Lady Dubarry, or would he die and hissuccessor send her farther than where she paused?

  On a stone bench at the corner of the street opposite the palace an oldman was seated, leaning on his cane, with his eyes bent on the place. Hewas so buried in his contemplation among the crowds in groups, that hedid not perceive a young man who crossed so as to stand by him.

  This young man had a bald forehead, a hook nose, with a twist to it,high cheekbones and a sardonic smile.

  "Taking the air?" he said as he gave a squint.

  The old man looked up.

  "Ah, my clever surgeon," he said.

  "Yes, illustrious master," and he sat by his side. "It appears that theKing is getting better? only the small pox, that so many people have.Besides, he has skillful doctors by him. I wager that Louis theWell-Beloved will scratch through; only, people will not cram thechurches this time to sing Oh, be joyful! over his recov---- "

  "Hush," said the old man, starting: "Silence, for you are jesting at aman on whom the finger of God is even now laid."

  Surprised at this language, the younger man looked at the Palace.

  "Do you see that window in which burns a shaded lamp? That representsthe life of the King. A friend of mine, Dr. Jussieu, will put it outwhen the life goes out. His successor is watching that signal, behind acurtain. This signal, warning the ambitious when their era commences,tells the poor philosopher like me when the breath of heaven blasts anage and a monarchy. Look at this night, young man, how full of storms.No doubt I shall see the dawn, for I am not so old as not to see themorrow. But you are more likely to see the end of this new reign thanI."

  "Ah!" cried the young man, as he pointed to the window shrouded indarkness.

  "The King is dead!" said the old man, rising in dread.

  Both were silent for a few instants.

  Suddenly, a coach drawn by eight horses gallopped out of the palacecourtyard, with two outriders carrying torches. In the vehicle sat theDauphin, Marie Antoinette and the King's sister, Lady Elizabeth. Thetorchlight flared ominously on their faces.

  The equipage passed close to the two spectators.

  "Long live King Louis the Sixteenth--Long live his Queen!" yelled theyoung man in a shrill voice as if he were insulting the new rulersrather than greeting them.

  The Dauphin bowed, the new Queen showed a sad, stern face, and the coachdisappeared.

  "My dear Rousseau, Lady Dubarry is a widow," jeeringly said the youngman.

  "She will be exiled to-morrow," added the other. "Farewell, Dr. Marat."

  How Marat, chief among the Paris revolutionists, fared, we have to tellin following pages. His career will be traced, as well as those ofAndrea, of Gilbert and their son, while we are to behold under anotherphase the remarkable figure of the arch-conspirator, Balsamo, carryingon his gigantic mission of overturning the throne of the Bourbons. Thework is entitled: "THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE."

  THE END.

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  Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:

  Andrea hear the compliment=> Andrea heard the compliment {pg 6}

  God have merey=> God have mercy {pg 8}

  Oh, dctoor=> Oh, doctor {pg 12}

  replied the young man gloomly=> replied the young man gloomily {pg 19}

  romanic=> romantic {pg 23}

  carriage-doorway=> carraige-doorway {pg 24}

  nine oclock=> nine o'clock {pg 35}

  they waned their plump hands=> they waved their plump hands {pg 36}

  servants's=> servant' {pg 39}

  It was a sui
t of anteroom and two parlors=> It was a suite of anteroomand two parlors {pg 40}

  hostility and resistence=> hostility and resistance {pg 45}

  his eyes was kindled=> his eyes were kindled {pg 47}

  But is was our sole resource=> But it was our sole resource {pg 51}

  Which would Compromise Choiseul=> Which would compromise Choiseul {pg52}

  The duchess write=> The duchess wrote {pg 53}

  Honesty not, count=> Honestly not, count {pg 54}

  nearly everbody flocked=> nearly everybody flocked {pg 61}

  empoverished nobleman's daughter=> impoverished nobleman's daughter {pg65}

  full of caressess=> full of caresses {pg 75}

  and a face rose with cautoin=> and a face rose with caution {pg 79}

  circumstancial=> circumstantial {pg 83}

  serious dilema=> serious dilemma {pg 95}

  vitrol so sharp=> vitriol so sharp {pg 96}

  some idots or knaves=> some idiots or knaves {pg 98}

  comtemporaneous=> contemporaneous {pg 102}

  Bosicrucian=> Rosicrucian {pg 106}

  it's work wherever I shall be=> its work wherever I shall be {pg 108}

  bidding us to Wait=> bidding us to wait {pg 109}

  ready to be imolated=> ready to be immolated {pg 112}

  the remans shuddering or moving=> the remains shuddering or moving {pg116}

  babarous peoples=> barbarous peoples {pg 116}

  garote=> garrote {pg 116}

  gentelmen and brothers=> gentlemen and brothers {pg 122}

  became strociously=> became atrociously {pg 126}

  droppod into the box=> dropped into the box {pg 129}

  catching a glmpse=> catching a glimpse {pg 130}

  what thay would do=> what they would do {pg 132}

  Good by, Taverney!=> Good bye, Taverney! {pg 133}

  jealously has driven her mad=> jealousy has driven her mad {pg 135}

  for nature made me you equal=> for nature made me your equal {pg 144}

  invited them into her suit=> invited them into her suite {pg 147}

  I were such jewelry=> I wear such jewelry {pg 149}

  ringing in the right for Nicole=> ringing in the night for Nicole {pg153}

  would be caught and expell=> would be caught and expelled {pg 160}

  violet and sulpher light=> violet and sulphur light {pg 163}

  is slience a word or a fact=> is silence a word or a fact {pg 164}

  to dro the name=> to drop the name {pg 169}

  You will recken on=> You will reckon on {pg 174}

  connivence=> connivance {pg 176}

  extraordinay excitement=> extraordinary excitement {pg 182}

  an in an hour=> and in an hour {pg 183}

  the wierd old man=> the weird old man {pg 185}

  my craftmanship=> my craftsmanship {pg 186}

  my Palsamo=> my Balsamo {pg 189}

  parties name in the documents=> parties named in the documents {pg 192}

  Venitian mirror=> Venetian mirror {pg 196}

  everbody will tell=> everybody will tell {pg 215}

  in the same room with your=> in the same room with you {pg 227}

  Aftert he=> After the {pg 227}

  you have pleged=> you have pledged {pg 232}

  proprieter=> proprietor {pg 233}

  he had climed down=> he had climbed down {pg 236}

  abroad the ship=> aboard the ship {pg 239}

  well attack great importance=> well attach great importance {pg 244}

  did not wish to be instrusive=> did not wish to be intrusive {pg 246}

  Philip took a gun and amunition=> Philip took a gun and ammunition {pg247}

  witholding=> withholding {pg 247}