The king was removed from Trianon, followed by all the persons
belonging to his suite. The marechale insisted upon deferring
her departure till I quitted the place. We set out a few minutes
after his majesty, and my coachman had orders to observe the
same slow pace at which the royal carriage travelled. Scarcely
had we reached Versailles, when mechanically directing my eyes
towards the iron gate leading to the garden, a sudden paleness
overspread my countenance, and a cry of terror escaped me, for,
leaning against the gate in question, I perceived that singular
being, who, after having foretold my elevation, had engaged to
present himself before me, when a sudden reverse was about to
overtake me. This unexpected fulfilment of his promise threw me
into the most cruel agitation, and I could not refrain from
explaining the cause of my alarm to those who were with me. No
sooner had I made myself understood than Comte Jean stopped the
carriage, and jumped out with the intention of questioning this
mysterious visitor. We waited with extreme impatience the return
of my brother- in-law, but he came back alone, nor had he been
able to discover the least trace of the object of his search. In
vain had he employed the two footmen from behind the carriage
to examine the different avenues by which he might have retired.
Nothing could be heard of him, and I remained, more than ever,
convinced that the entire fulfilment of the prophecy was at hand,
and that the fatal hour would shortly strike, which would witness
my fall from all my pomp and greatness.
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