As I have already said, it would be impossible for me to express all the joy I felt at my deliverance from the dangers I was threatened with during the lifetime of Monseigneur.  My respect, esteem, and admiration for the Dauphin grew more and more day by day, as I saw his noble qualities blossom out in richer luxuriance.  My hopes, too, took a brighter colour from the rising dawn of prosperity that was breaking around me.  Alas! that I should be compelled to relate the cruel manner in which envious fortune took from me the cup of gladness just as I was raising it to my lips.

CHAPTER LIX

On Monday, the 18th of January, 1712, after a visit to Versailles, the King went to Marly.  I mark expressly this journey.  No sooner were we settled there than Boudin, chief doctor of the Dauphine, warned her to take care of herself, as he had received sure information that there was a plot to poison her and the Dauphin, to whom he made a similar communication.  Not content with this he repeated it with a terrified manner to everybody in the salon, and frightened all who listened to him.  The King spoke to him about it in private.  Boudin declared that this information was good, and yet that he did not know whence it came; and he stuck to this contradiction.  For, if he did not know where the information came from how could he be assured it was trustworthy?

The most singular thing is, that twenty-four hours after Boudin had uttered this warning, the Dauphin received a similar one from the King of Spain, vague, and without mentioning whence obtained, and yet also declared to be of good source.  In this only the Dauphin was named distinctly—­the Dauphine obscurely and by implication—­at least, so the Dauphin explained the matter, and I never heard that he said otherwise.  People pretended to despise these stories of origin unknown, but they were struck by them nevertheless, and in the midst of the amusements and occupations of the Court, seriousness, silence, and consternation were spread.

The King, as I have said, went to Marly on Monday, the 18th of January, 1712.  The Dauphine came there early with a face very much swelled, and went to bed at once; yet she rose at seven o’clock in the evening because the King wished her to preside in the salon.  She played there, in morning-dress, with her head wrapped up, visited the King m the apartment of Madame de Maintenon just before his supper, and then again went to bed, where she supped.  On the morrow, the 19th, she rose only to play in the salon, and see the King, returning to her bed and supping there.  On the 20th, her swelling diminished, and she was better.  She was subject to this complaint, which was caused by her teeth.  She passed the following days as usual.  On Monday, the 1st of February, the Court returned to Versailles.