her."

Madame du Barry saw the King again for a moment on the evening of the 4th,
and promised to return to Court upon his recovery. She was scarcely gone
when the King asked for her. "She is gone," was the answer. From that
moment the disorder gained ground; he thought himself a dead man, without
the possibility of recovery. The 5th and 6th passed without a word of
confession, viaticum, or extreme unction. The Duc de Fronsac threatened
to throw the Cure of Versailles out of the window if he dared to mention
them, but on the 7th, at three in the morning, the King imperatively
called for the Abbe Maudous. Confession lasted seventeen minutes. The
Ducs de la Vrillilere and d'Aiguillon wished to delay the viaticum; but La
Martiniere said to the King: "Sire, I have seen your Majesty in very
trying circumstances; but never admired you as I have done to-day. No
doubt your Majesty will immediately finish what you have so well begun."
The King had his confessor Maudoua called back; this was a poor priest who
had been placed about him for some years before because he was old and
blind. He gave him absolution.

The formal renunciation desired by the Choiseul party, in order to humble
and annihilate Madame du Barry with solemnity, was no more mentioned. The
grand almoner, in concert with the Archbishop, composed this formula,
pronounced in presence of the viaticum: "Although the King owes an account
of his conduct to none but God, he declares his repentance at having
scandalised his subjects, and is desirous to live solely for the
maintenance of religion and the happiness of his people."

On the 8th and 9th the disorder grew worse; and the King beheld the whole
surface of his body coming off piecemeal and corrupted. Deserted by his
friends and by that crowd of courtiers which had so long cringed before