The duc d'Aiguillon's first letter--The marechale de Mirepoix --A second letter from the duc d'Aiguillon--Numerous visitors"My much esteemed friend，--I promised you upon your departure to inform you of all that transpired， and although the task is a mournful one， I will do my best to acquit myself with zeal and sincerity， and each evening I will write you an exact detail of all that has occurred during the day. The king remains much as you left him， and you must know that already his medical attendants differ in their opinion respecting him--Lemonnier utterly despairing of his recovery， while Bordeu is most sanguine that he shall be enabled to restore him to health. La Martiniere persists in his assertion that the attention of the king should be immediately directed to his spiritual concerns.
The archbishop of Paris remains until called for in the ante-chamber， and the princesses never leave the bedside of their august parent.
"The king spoke with me concerning you for some time this morning， and I can assure you， you are the first object in his thoughts； he has begged of me never to forsake you， and has deigned to repose in me the enviable post of your future protector.
'I bequeath my beloved friend to your fidelity，'
added the suffering prince. I took advantage of this opportunity to remark that I looked upon your quitting Versailles as too precipitate and premature a step. 'No， no，' replied the king， "I have acted for the best； I have once been deceived as to my condition， and I would willingly prevent being again taken by surprise. Tell my beloved and excellent countess how truly I love her'； and hearing the prince de Soubise mention his design of supping at Ruel， he charged him to embrace you for him.
"The dauphin still remains secluded in his apartment， but I know that he keeps up a regular correspondence with madame Victoire， whose letters， after being immersed in vinegar， are carried to the comte de Muy， who fumigates them previously to allowing them to reach the hands of the dauphin.
"I am， etc.， etc.
"VERSAILLES， May 5， 1774， nine o'clock， evening."Upon awaking the following morning I again received news of the king， who was stated to have passed a good night， and even La Martiniere seemed inclined to hope. As yet， then， there were no safe grounds for abandoning me， and about two o'clock in the afternoon I was favoured with a visit from madame de Mirepoix， who， running up to me， exclaimed with her usual vivacity，"Oh， my dear creature， how I longed to see you！" and then leading me into another chamber， she added，"Do you know I quite missed you？ As I wrote you， my time hung heavily on my hands. What in the world will become of me if I am compelled to resign the delightful hours granted to the envied few who are permitted the < entrée > to the <petits appartements>？
