The Fate Of Royalty
"Here a sensible emotion pervaded the whole company, and the countenance
of the host was dark and lowering--they began to feel that the joke was
becoming too serious. Madame de Grammont, in order to dissipate the
cloud, took no notice of the last reply, and contented herself with
saying in a careless tone: 'You see, he will not leave me even a
confessor!' 'No, madame!' replied Cazotte, 'you will not have
one--neither you, nor any one besides. The last victim to whom this
favor will be afforded will be--' Here he stopped for a moment. 'Well,
who then will be the happy mortal to whom this prerogative will be
given?' Cazotte replied: 'It is the only one which he will have then
retained--and that will be the King of France!' This last startling
prediction caused the company to disband in something like terror and
dismay, for the mere mention of such things was akin to treason."