"But, perhaps, there is some contagion in my present complaint?"
exclaimed he, as though labouring under some painful idea.
"Certainly not," replied I; "it is but a temporary eruption of
the skin, which will, no doubt, carry off the fever you have
suffered with."
"I feared it was of a more dangerous nature," answered the king.
"You torment yourself needlessly, sire," said I; "why should
you thus create phantoms for your own annoyance and alarm?
Tranquillize yourself, and leave the task of curing you to us."
I easily penetrated the real import of his words; he evidently
suspected the truth, and was filled with the most cruel dread
of having his suspicions confirmed. During the whole of this
day he continued in the same state of uncertainty; the strictest
watch was set around him that no imprudent confession should
reveal to him the real nature of his situation. I continued
sitting beside him in a state of great constraint, from the
knowledge of my being closely observed by the princesses, of
whose vicinity we durst not inform him, in the fear of exciting
his fears still more.
The courier, who had been despatched to madame Louise, returned,
bringing a letter from that princess to her sisters, under cover to
madame Adelaide, in which she implored of them not to suffer any
consideration to prevent their immediately acquainting their father
with the dangerous condition he was in.
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