' He expected her
to die in state. Then, with all his bursts of tenderness he always
mingled his own praises, hinting that though she was a good wife he knew
he had deserved a good one, and remarking, when he extolled her
understanding, that he did not 'think it the worse for her having kept
him company so many years.' To all this Lord Hervey listened with,
doubtless, well-concealed disgust; for cabals were even then forming for
the future influence that might or might not be obtained.
The queen's life, meantime, was softly ebbing away in this atmosphere of
selfishness, brutality, and unbelief. One evening she asked Dr. Tessier
impatiently how long her state might continue.
'Your Majesty,' was the reply, 'will soon be released.'
'So much the better,' the queen calmly answered.
At ten o'clock that night, whilst the king lay at the foot of her bed,
on the floor, and the Princess Emily on a couch-bed in the room, the
fearful death-rattle in the throat was heard. Mrs. Purcell, her chief
and old attendant, gave the alarm: the Princess Caroline and Lord Hervey
were sent for; but the princess was too late, her mother had expired
before she arrived. All the dying queen said was, 'I have now got an
asthma; open the window:' then she added, '_Pray!_' That was her last
word.
Pages:
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394