ore oppressed. The
sister hastened to inform the superior, who sent for Doctor
David, who administered a cordial; but it was useless, the pulse
was scarcely perceptible. He saw with despair that the
reiterated emotions having probably exhausted the little
strength of the Princess Amelie, there was not a hope of saving
her left. Monseigneur arrived at this moment. The Princess
Amelie had just received the last sacrament; a slight degree of
consciousness remained. In one hand, crossed over her chest, she
held the remains of her little rose-tree.

Monseigneur fell on his knees at the foot of the bed, and
sobbed, "My child! My beloved child!" in a voice of piercing
agony. The Princess Amelie heard him, turned her head a little
towards him, opened her eyes, tried to smile, and said, in a
faint voice, "My dearest father, pardon!--Henry, too!--and my
beloved mother!--pardon!"

These were her last words. After a slight struggle of one hour,
she rendered her soul to God.

When his daughter had breathed her last sigh, monseigneur did
not say a word; his calmness and silence were frightful. He
closed the eyelids of the princess, kissed her forehead several
times, took piously from her hands the relics of the little
rose-tree, and left the cell. I followed him, and he returned to
the house outside the cloister, when, showing me the letter he
had commenced writing to your royal highness, and to which he in
vain endeavoured to add a few words, for his hand trembled too
convulsively, he said to me, "I cannot write! I am crushed! My
senses are gone! Write to the grand duchess that I have no
longer a daughter!"

I have executed the orders of monseigneur. May I be allowed, as
his old servant, to entreat your royal highness to hasten your
return as soon as the health of M. d'Orbigny will permit?
Nothing but the presence of your royal highness can calm
monseigneur's despair. He will watch his daughter's remains
every night until the day when she is to be buried in the
grand-ducal chapel.

I have accomplished my sad task, madame. Deign, to excuse the
incoherence of this letter, and to receive the expression of
respectful devotion with which I have the honour to be

Your royal highness's most obedient servant,
WALTER MUR