him. The king resumed his
agitated walk about his chamber, and consulted, as he walked, several
papers drawn from a casket of which he alone had the key. A third time
the nurse returned. M. de Mazarin had just uttered a joke, and had
ordered his "Flora," by Titian, to be revarnished. At length, towards
two o'clock in the morning, the king could no longer resist his
weariness: he had not slept for twenty-four hours. Sleep, so powerful
at his age, overcame him for about an hour. But he did not go to bed for
that hour; he slept in a _fauteuil_. About four o'clock his nurse awoke
him by entering the room.

"Well?" asked the king.

"Well, my dear sire," said the nurse, clasping her hands with an air of
commiseration. "Well; he is dead!"

The king arose at a bound, as if a steel spring had been applied to his
legs. "Dead!" cried he.

"Alas! yes."

"Is it quite certain?"

"Yes."

"Official?"

"Yes."

"Has the news been made public?"

"Not yet."

"Who told you, then, that the cardinal was dead?"

"M. Colbert."

"M. Colbert?"

"Yes."

"And he was sure of what he said?"

"He came out of the chamber, and had held a glass for some minutes
before the cardinal's lips."

"Ah!" said the king. "And what is become of M. Colbert?"

"He has just left his eminence's chamber."

"Where is he?"

"He followed me."

"So that he is--"

"Sire, waiting at your door, till it shall be your good pleasure to
receive him."

Louis ran to the door, opened it himself, and perceived Colbert standing
waiting in the passage. The king started at sight of this statue, all
clothed in black. Colbert, bowing with profound respect, advanced two
steps towards his majesty. Louis re-entered his chamber, making Colbert
a sign to follow. Colbert entered; Louis dismissed the nurse, who closed
the door as she went out. Colbert remained modestly standing near that
door.

"What do you come to announce to me, monsieur?" said Louis, very much
troubled at being thus surprised in his private thoughts, which he could
not completely conceal.

"That monsieur le cardinal has just expired, sire; and that I bring your
majesty his last adieu."

The king remained pensive for a minute; and during that minute he looked
attentively at Colbert;--it was evident that the cardinal's last words
were in his mind. "Are you, then, M. Colbert?" asked he.

"Yes, sire."

"His faithful servant, as his eminence himself told me?"

"Yes, sire."

"The depos