he Princess
Marcelline Czartoryska: she never left him, guessing his most
secret wishes, nursing him like a sister of mercy with a
serene countenance, which did not betray her deep sorrow.
Other friends gave a helping hand or relieved her, everyone
according to his power; but most of them stayed in the two
adjoining rooms. Everyone had assumed a part; everyone helped
as much as he could: one ran to the doctors, to the
apothecary; another introduced the persons asked for; a third
shut the door on the intruders. To be sure, many who had
anything but free entrance came, and called to take leave of
him just as if he were about to start on a journey. This
anteroom of the dying man, where every one of us hopelessly
waited and watched, was like a guard-house or a camp.

M. Gavard probably exaggerates the services of the Princess Czartoryska,
but certainly forgets those of the composer's sister. Liszt, no doubt,
comes nearer the truth when he says that among those who assembled
in the salon adjoining Chopin's bedroom, and in turn came to him and
watched his gestures and looks when he had lost his speech, the Princess
Marcelline Czartoryska was the most assiduous.

She passed every day a couple of hours with the dying man. She
left him at the last only after having prayed for a long time
beside him who had just then fled from this world of illusions
and sorrows....

After a bad night Chopin felt somewhat better on the morning of the
16th. By several authorities we are informed that on this day, the day
after the Potocka episode, the artist received the sacrament which a
Polish priest gave him in the presence of many friends. Chopin got worse
again in the evening. While the priest was reading the prayers for
the dying, he rested silently and with his eyes closed upon Gutmann's
shoulder; but at the end of the prayers he opened his eyes wide and said
with a loud voice: "Amen."

The Polish priest above mentioned was the Abbe Alexander Jelowicki.
Liszt relates that in the absence of the Polish priest who was formerly
Chopin's confessor, the Abbe called on his countryman when he heard of
his condition, although they had not been on good terms for years. Three
times he was sent away by those about Chopin without seeing him. But
when he had succeeded in informing Chopin of his wish to see him, the
artist received him without delay. After that the Abbe became a daily
visitor. One day Chopin told hi