THE TYPHUS FEVER--DEATH OF THE PAGE--THE QUEEN'S VISIT--SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS--DR. ZIMMERMANN--PASTOR LEHZEN--CAROLINE MATILDA'S GOODNESS OF HEART--HER DEATH--THE FUNERAL--GENERAL GRIEF--THE MONUMENTS--LETTER TO GEORGE III.--PROOFS OF CAROLINE MATILDA'S INNOCENCE--THE QUEEN'S CHARACTER. We have seen that in the early part of 1775 the queen of Denmark appeared the picture of blooming health. Her _entourage_, and all who were of the same age with her, consequently felt the most confident expectations that they would long enjoy her pleasant and gracious society. But the news from Altona, the hope of a justification in the sight of the world, and of a reunion with her children, and at the same time apprehensions as to the decisive result of Mr. Wraxall's mission to her obstinate brother, kept her in a constant state of excitement, while she was obliged to place a restraint on the feelings that disturbed her mind, in order not to arouse any suspicion among her suite, or with her ever-watching sister. Therefore, it was not surprising that her constitution, thus rendered susceptible to external dangers, met a catastrophe half way, which destroyed all the hopes of her friends about the apparently blooming princess enjoying a long life. A dangerous scarlet fever had spread over the neighbourhood after the severe and tempestuous winter, and one of the queen's young pages was attacked by it, and died in a few days. When he was dead, and laid in his coffin for interment, her Majesty expressed a great desire to see him. The ladies opposed this wish, and requested her not to do it. She still persisted in her resolution, and went down to the apartment in which he lay. Mantel, the queen's valet, had purposely locked the door and taken the key, and when Caroline Matilda asked him for it, he answered her that it could not be found. After several vain endeavours, therefore, she went up-stairs again. Mantel carried in the tea to her Majesty. In a few minutes the queen suddenly got up, and before any of her ladies could stop or prevent her, she ran down to the chamber where the corpse lay. Unfortunately, the door was then open. She stepped in, and stayed about a minute--not more--looking at it. She expressed no particular horror or emotion, more than was natural on looking at such an object.[56]