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I felt rather jarred when I arrived at the Hotel Courville the paving across the river is bad; but I found my way to the Duchesse's own sitting room on the first floor the only room apparently left not a ward and somehow the smell of carbolic had not penetrated here. It was too hot, and only a little window was open. How wonderfully beautiful these eighteenth century rooms are!
Thence I away over the Park it being now night, to White Hall: and there in the Duchesse's chamber do find the Duke of York; and upon my offer to speak with him, he did come to me and withdrew to his closet, and there did hear and approve my paper of the Administration of the Navy, only did bid me alter these words, "upon the rupture between the late King and the Parliament," to these, "the beginning of the late Rebellion;" giving it me as but reason to show that it was with the Rebellion that the Navy was put by out of its old good course into that of a Commission.
But already Crystal had torn her hands out of Mme. la Duchesse's grasp and now was struggling to free herself from Jeanne's terrified and clinging embrace. "Father!" she cried wildly. "Maurice! Maurice! Help! Let me go, Jeanne! They are hurting him!"
Her expression was contemptuously haughty. "Of course you can count upon me for this afternoon," and she turned and went out of the room again. And now I am waiting for her to come back dressed for the Duchesse's reception, it is ten minutes to four o'clock. The volcano upon which we are living cannot go on simmering much longer, there is bound to be an explosion soon!
You know the rest: I was discovered by the Duc and by the agents of police in the cabinet in which the Duchesse's jewels were kept. The key that admitted me into the cabinet was found in my possession." De Mauleon's voice here faltered, and he covered his face with a convulsive hand. Almost in the same breath he recovered from visible sign of emotion, and went on with a half laugh.
Over this protracted and unseemly duel, in which blows were exchanged, entrance was forced, and Princes and ministers crowded indecently around the King's bed; over the Duchesse's tearful pleadings with the confessor to spare her the disgrace of dismissal, we must hasten to the crowning moment when Louis, feeling that he was dying, hastily summoned a confessor, who, a few moments later, flung open the door of the closet in which the Duchesse was waiting and weeping, and pronounced the fatal words, "The King commands you to leave his presence immediately."
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