"A mere scratch, sire," stammered Charny, "an old wound."
"Old or new," replied Louis, "it has shown me the blood of a brave man."
"Whom a couple of hours in bed will quite restore," continued Charny, trying to rise; but his strength failed him, his head swam, and he sank back again.
"He is very ill," said the king.
"Yes, sire," said the doctor, with importance, "but I can cure him."
The king understood well that M. de Charny wished to hide some secret from him, and determined to respect it. "I do not wish," said he, "that M. de Charny should run the risk of being moved; we will take care of him here. Let M. de Suffren be called, this gentleman recompensed, and my own physician, Dr. Louis, be sent for."
While one officer went to execute these orders, two others carried Charny into a room at the end of the gallery. Dr. Louis and M. de Suffren soon arrived. The latter understood nothing of his nephew"s illness. "It is strange," said he; "do you know, doctor, I never knew my nephew ill before."
"That proves nothing," replied the doctor.
"The air of Versailles must be bad for him."
"It is his wound," said one of the officers.
"His wound!" cried M. de Suffren; "he never was wounded in his life."
"Oh, excuse me," said the officer, opening the shirt, covered with blood, "but I thought----"
"Well," said the doctor, who began to see the state of the case, "do not let us lose time disputing over the cause, but see what can be done to cure him."
"Is it dangerous, doctor?" asked M. de Suffren, with anxiety.
"Not at all," replied he.
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 a.s.sistance 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 a.s.sure 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.
"Come with me," he said.
"But, doctor, the queen waits for intelligence."
"I am going to her."
"The queen wishes----"
"The queen shall know all she wishes. I will take care of that."
CHAPTER L.
aeGRI SOMNIA
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."
"Is it a slight wound?" asked the queen.
"Slight or not, he is in a fever."
"Poor fellow!--a bad fever?"
"Terrible!"
"You frighten me; dear doctor; you, who are generally so cheering.
Besides, you look about you, as though you had a secret to tell."
"So I have."
"About the fever?"
"Yes."
"To tell me?"
"Yes."
"Speak, then, for I am curious."
"I wait for you to question me, madame."
"Well, how does the fever go on?"
"No; ask me why I have taken him away from the guard"s gallery, where the king left him, to my own room."
"Well, I ask. Indeed it is strange."
"Then, madame, I did so, because it is not an ordinary fever."
The queen looked surprised. "What do you mean?"