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month of February. On the 13th of March she writes, 1680 .“ M. de la Rochefoucauld has been and is seriously ill. fEtat.He is better to-day ; but there is every appearance ofdeath : he has a high fever, an oppression, a suppressedgout. There has been question of the English doctorand other physicians : he has chosen his godfather; andfrere Ange will kill him, if God has thus disposed. M.de Marsillac is expected: madame de la Fayette is deeplyafflicted.” On the 15th of the same month she writes,
“ I fear that this time we shall lose JVI. de la Rochefou-cauld : his fever continues. He received the communionyesterday. He is in a state worthy of admiration. Heis excellently disposed with regard to his conscience,—that is clear: for the rest, it is to him as if hisneighbour were ill : he is neither moved nor troubled.
He hears the cause of the physicians pleaded beforehim with an unembarrassed head, and almost withoutdeigning to give his opinion. It reminded me of theverse,
Trop dessous de Iui, pour y prefer l’esprit.
He did not see madame de la Fayette yesterday, becauseshe wept, and he was to take the sacrament: he sent atnoon to inquire after her. Believe me that he has notmade reflections all his life to no purpose. He has in thismanner approached so near to the last moments thattheir actual presence has nothing new nor strange forhim. M. de Marsillac arrived at midnight, the daybefore yesterday, overwhelmed with grief. He was longbefore he could command his countenance and manner.He entered at last, and found his father in his chair,little different from his usual appearance. As M. deMarsillac is his friend among his children, there musthave been some internal emotion ; but he manifestednone, and forgot to speak to him of his illness. I amcontinually with madame de la Fayette , who could neverhave experienced the delights of friendship and affectionwere she less afflicted than she is.” On the 17th ofMarch the scene closed; and madame de Sevigne writes,