The gentleman-usher stared in awe at His Majesty’s ashy grey face and twitching lips.
“Did—did any one pass out?” Louis stammered.
“Sire?”
“Did any one pass out, out from here?” Louis repeated.
“No, Sire.” The man’s face was both puzzled and frightened. His royal master put his hand on a chair to support himself.
“You are sure?”
“I heard voices in the room, Sire, but——”
“You heard voices, ah!”
“But I can swear no one either entered or left since your Majesty gave orders for—ah! Au secours! Hola there! hola! au secours!” the gentleman-usher’s voice had become a shriek. “Au secours! Le Roi, le Roi!”
Louis had fallen in a dead faint on the floor.