ons....

[Footnote 1: It was his first title before his father came to the
throne. His mother always continued to use it.]

"On the 12th he arrived about four o'clock in his country suit. We
conversed together about the health of Helene, which was a subject
of anxiety, about Clementine's marriage, which he earnestly desired;
about the elections and many other subjects, the discussion of
which he always ended with the refrain: 'In short, dear Majesty,
we finish as usual by agreeing in all important particulars.' And
it was very true.

"After dinner we took a turn in the park, he and Victoire, Clementine,
D'Aumale, and I. Never had he been so gay, so brilliant, so
affectionate. He spoke to me of his arrangements for the troops,
of the time when the king was to go with us to Ste.-Menehoulde, of
the time that he would spend there, and of his own daily occupations.
He looked forward to giving his father a representation of the
battle of Valmy. I gave him my arm, saying: 'Come, dear prop of
my old age!' And the next day he was to be alive no longer!

"We returned to the drawing-room a little late. A great many people
had arrived. He remained with us talking until ten o'clock, when
on going away he came to bid me good-night. I gave him my hand,
and said: 'You will come and see us tomorrow before going away?'
He replied: 'Perhaps so.'

"On the next day, July 13, about eleven o'clock, we were about
to get into the carriage to go to the Tuileries. As I followed
the king to the red drawing-room, I saw Troussart, the commissary
of police, with a terrified countenance whispering something to
General Gourgaud, who made a gesture of horror, and went to speak
in a low voice to the king. The king cried out: 'Oh, my God!'
Then I cried: 'Something has happened to one of my children! Let
nothing be kept from me!' The king replied: 'Yes, my dear; Chartres
has had a fall on his way here, and has been carried into a house
at Sablonville.' Hearing this, I began to run like a madwoman,
in spite of the cries of the king and the remonstrances of M. de
Chabannes, who followed me. But my strength was not equal to my
impulses, and on getting as far as the farm, I was exhausted. Happily
the king came up in the carriage with my sister, and I got in with
them. Our carriage stopped. We got out in haste, and went into the
_cabaret_, where in a small room, stretched upon a mattress on
the floor, we found Chartres, who was at that moment being bled.