Cécile: Gates of Gold

Sleeping Child

As the night wears on, everybody starts to drift to sleep. Only Cécile and Madame de Ventadour, who paces the room, remain awake. Then, Cécile notices that Anjou’s breathing becomes less intense and less labored. The red spots on his cheeks fade to light pink. Only when Cécile is sure, she calls Madame de Ventadour over to inspect his receding fever. When they are both sure Anjou will survive, they open the door.

Upon return to Versailles, the King keeps the palace open for anybody who wishes to visit the bodies of the Prince, Princess, and little Bretagne. Cécile stands in line for an endless time to wait because the lines are so long. The crowds are so big that carpenters must construct barriers to protect the bodies.

After three days pass, a long procession is formed to escort the three coffins to the cathedral of Saint-Denis in Paris. French and Swiss guards fill the courtyard with a mournful, muffled drumbeat. Candles, carried by footmen, soldiers, and guards on horseback, light the way. The coffins are placed in a towering coach draped in black and decorated with the wreathed coat of arms. The scene is very tragic, and inside, Cécile feels as black as the night. The only glimmering light is the thought that she helped to save little, frail Anjou.