The present
king looks upon me as almost youthful; while, on the contrary,
his grandson will consider me as a specimen of the days of
Methuselah. The change of masters can be but to my disadvantage;
let us, therefore, stand firmly together, that we may be the better
enabled to resist the attacks of our enemies."
"Do you consider," inquired I, "that we may rely upon the firmness
of the duc de Duras?"
"As safely as you may on mine," answered he, "so long as he is
not attacked face to face; but if they once assail him with the
arms of etiquette, he is a lost man, he will capitulate. It is
unfortunate for him that I am not likely to be near him upon
such an occasion."
Comte Jean, who never left me, then took up the conversation,
and advised M. de Richelieu to leave him to himself as little as
possible; it was, therefore, agreed that we should cause the duc
de Duras to be constantly surrounded by persons of our party,
who should keep those of our adversaries at a distance.
We had not yet lost all hope of seeing his majesty restored to
health; nature, so languid and powerless in the case of poor
Anne, seemed inclined to make a salutary effort on the part of
the king.
Every instant of this day and the next, that I did not spend by
the sick-bed of Louis XV, were engrossed by most intimate friends,
the ducs d'Aiguillon, de Cosse, etc., mesdames de Mirepoix, de
Forcalquier, de Valentinois, de l'Hopital, de Montmorency, de
Flaracourt, and others.
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