to the presence of a medical man at his bedside. Generally speaking,
he appeared to be in a delicate state of health. His nervous
system was out of order--he was at once timid and contradictory.
When I spoke to him in English, he answered in Italian;
and when I tried him in Italian, he went back to English.
It mattered little--the malady had already made such progress
that he could only speak a few words at a time, and those in
a whisper.

'"I at once applied the necessary remedies. Copies of my prescriptions
(with translation into English) accompany the present statement,
and are left to speak for themselves.

'"For the next three days I was in constant attendance on my patient.
He answered to the remedies employed--improving slowly, but decidedly.
I could conscientiously assure Lady Montbarry that no danger was
to be apprehended thus far. She was indeed a most devoted wife.
I vainly endeavoured to induce her to accept the services of a
competent nurse; she would allow nobody to attend on her husband
but herself. Night and day this estimable woman was at his bedside.
In her brief intervals of repose, her brother watched the sick man
in her place. This brother was, I must say, very good company,
in the intervals when we had time for a little talk. He dabbled
in chemistry, down in the horrid under-water vaults of the palace;
and he wanted to show me some of his experiments. I have enough of
chemistry in writing prescriptions--and I declined. He took it quite
good-humouredly.

'"I am straying away from my subject. Let me return to the sick lord.