ations with England, whether it were that this fatal
intelligence operated upon the bodily health of the King, or that his
hasty journey homeward had overtaxed his strength, it is certain that on
reaching Fontainebleau he had so violent an attack of fever as to be
compelled to countermand the council which had been convened for the
third day after his arrival. The Court physicians, bewildered by so
sudden and severe an illness, declared the case to be a hopeless one;
while Henry himself, believing that his end was approaching, caused a
letter to be written to Sully to desire his immediate attendance.[216]
So fully, indeed, did he appear to anticipate a fatal termination of the
attack, that while awaiting the arrival of the minister, he caused the
portrait of the Dauphin to be brought to him; and after remaining for a
few seconds with his eyes earnestly fixed upon it, he exclaimed, with a
deep sigh: "Ha! poor child, what will you have to suffer if your father
should be taken from you!" [217]

[Illustration: SULLY. Paris Richard Bentley and Son 1890.]

Sully lost no time in obeying the melancholy summons of the King; and,
on arriving at Fontainebleau, at once made his way to the royal chamber,
where he indeed found Henry in his bed, but with no symptoms of
immediate dissolution visible either in his countenance or manner. The
Queen sat beside him with one of his hands clasped in hers; and as he
remarked the entrance of the Duke, he extended the other, exclaiming:
"Come and embrace me, my friend; I rejoice at your arrival. Within two
hours after I had written to you I was in a great degree relieved from
pain; and I have since gradually recovered from the attack. Here," he
continued, turning towards the Queen, "is the most trustworthy and
intelligent of all my servants, who would have assisted you better than
any other in the preservation alike of my kingdom and of my children,
had I been taken away. I am aware that his humour is somewhat austere,
and at times perhaps too independent for a mind like yours; and that
there would not have been many wanting who might, in consequence, have
endeavoured to alienate from him the affections of yourself and of my
children; but should it ever be so, do not yield too ready a credence to
their words. I sent for him expressly that I might consult with both of
you upon the best method to avert so great an evil; but, thanks be to
God, I feel that such a precaution was in this instance
unn