“Is it dangerous, doctor?” asked M. de Suffren, with anxiety.
M. de Suffren took his leave, and left Charny with the doctor. Fever commenced, and before long he was delirious. Three hours after the doctor called a servant, and told him to take Charny in his arms, who uttered doleful cries. “Roll the sheet over his head,” said the doctor.
“But,” said the man, “he struggles so much that I must ask assistance from one of the guards.”
“Are you afraid of a sick man, sir? If he is too heavy for you, you are not strong enough for me. I must send you back to Auvergne.” This threat had its effect. Charny, crying, fighting, and gesticulating, was carried by the man through the guards.
Some of the officers questioned the doctor.
“Oh! gentlemen,” said he, “this gallery is too far off for me; I must have him in my own rooms.”
“But I assure you, doctor, we would all have looked after him here. We all love M. de Suffren.”
“Oh yes, I know your sort of care! The sick man is thirsty, and you give him something to drink, and kill him.”
“Now there remains but one danger,” said the doctor to himself, as he followed Charny, “that the king should want to visit him, and if he hear him—— Diable! I must speak to the queen.” The good doctor, therefore, having bathed the head and face of his patient with cold water, and seen him safe in bed, went out and locked the door on him, leaving his servant to look after him. He went towards the queen’s apartments, and met Madame de Misery, who had just been despatched to ask after the patient.
“But, doctor, the queen waits for intelligence.”
“The queen shall know all she wishes. I will take care of that.”
The queen was expecting the return of Madame de Misery. The doctor entered with his accustomed familiarity. “Madame,” he said, “the patient in whom your majesty and the king are interested is as well as any one can be who has a fever.”
“You frighten me; dear doctor; you, who are generally so cheering. Besides, you look about you, as though you had a secret to tell.”
“No; ask me why I have taken him away from the guard’s gallery, where the king left him, to my own room.”
“Then, madame, I did so, because it is not an ordinary fever.”
The queen looked surprised. “What do you mean?”