"Madam," said he at last, "I have a painful duty to perform: in a
word, I am the bearer of a
."
"Well, sir! "said I, tranquilly.
"Madam, I must request you to believe how greatly I regret the
task imposed upon me; but my duty and obedience to the king--"
"Would enable you to strangle your nearest relative. All that is
well known; but, in the name of all that is base, cowardly, and
unmanly, could no one but be found to remind a distressed
and afflicted woman that she has lost her only friend and support?"
"Madam, I repeat, obedience--necessity--"
"Enough, sir; I pity you."
"Madam, you outrage the king in my person."
"No, sir; I respect the king too highly to believe that there could
ever be any relation between him and one who is too contemptible
to remind me that he was but a few days back the most cringing
of my servile slaves."
, boiling with rage, with an unsteady hand,
unfolded and read, in a trembling voice, the following words:
"MADAME LA COMTESSE Du Barry,--For reasons,
which have for their object the preservation of
the tranquillity of my kingdom, and the prevention
of any state secrets confided to you being
promulgated, I send this order for your immediate
removal to , accompanied by one
female attendant only, and under the escort of the
exempt who has the necessary orders. This measure
is by no means intended to be either disagreeable
or of long duration.
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