Meanwhile, the dauphin hastened to the sick room of his beloved
relative, anxious to bestow upon him the cares and attentions of
a son; but in the anteroom his progress was stopped by the duc
de la Vrilliere, who informed him, that the interests of the
throne would not permit his royal highness to endanger his life
by inhaling the contagious atmosphere of a room loaded with the
venom of the small-pox. He adjured him, in the name of the king
and his country, not to risk such fearful chances. The lords in
attendance, who did not partake the heroism the young prince,
added their entreaties to those of
, and succeeded,
at length, in prevailing upon him to return to his apartments, to
the great joy of Marie Antoinette, who could not endure the
prospect of being separated from her husband at so important
a juncture.
No sooner had the princesses learned the danger of their august
parent, than without an instant's hesitation they hurried to him.
I was in his chamber when they arrived; they saluted me with
great gentleness and affability. When the king saw them, he
inquired what had brought them thither at so unusual an hour.
"We are come to see you, my dearest father," replied madame
Adelaide; "we have heard of your indisposition, and trifling as
it is said to be, we could not rest without satisfying our anxious
wish to know how you found yourself."
The other sisters expressed themselves in similar terms.
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