d me to stay with him. He kept me eight
days without letting me stir out of his sight. Fearing the effects of
such a close confinement on my constitution, he desired me to go and
take a walk in the garden. There I met Madame de Longueville, who
testified great joy on seeing me.

I cannot express all the kindness I met with in this house. All the
domestics served me with emulation, and applauded me on account of my
appearance, and exterior deportment. Yet I was much on my guard against
too much attention. I never entered into discourse with any man when
alone. I admitted none into my coach, not even my relations, unless my
husband were in it. There was not any rule of discretion which I did
not duly observe, to avoid giving suspicion to my husband, or subject
of calumny to others. Everyone studied there how to contribute to
divert or oblige me. Outwardly everything appeared agreeable. Chagrin
had so overcome and ruffled my husband that I had continually something
to bear. Sometimes he threatened to throw the supper out of the
windows. I said, he would then do me an injury, as I had a keen
appetite. I made him laugh and I laughed with him. Before that,
melancholy prevailed over all my endeavors, and over the love he had
for me. God both armed me with patience and gave me the grace to return
him no answer. The devil, who attempted to draw me into some offence,
was forced to retire in confusion, through the signal assistance of
that grace.

I loved my God and was unwilling to displease Him, and I was inwardly
grieved on account of that vanity, which still I found myself unable to
eradicate. Inward distresses, together with oppressive crosses, which I
had daily to encounter, at length threw me into sickness. As I was
unwilling to incommode the Hotel de Longueville I had myself moved to
another house. The disease proved violent and tedious, insomuch that
the physicians despaired of my life. The priest, a pious man, seemed
fully satisfied with the state of my mind. He said, "I should die like
a saint." But my sins were too present and too painful to my heart to
have such presumption. At midnight they administered the sacrament to
me as they hourly expected my departure. It was a scene of general
distress in the family and among all who knew me. There were none
indifferent to my death but myself. I beheld it without fear, and was
insensible to its approach. It was far otherwise with my husband. He
was inconsolable when he saw