The Emperor's name he repeated with peculiar emphasis: "Take notice, father," he said to the confessor, "that I forgive the Emperor with all my heart." It may perhaps seem strange that he should have found this the hardest of all exercises of Christian charity.
But it must be remembered that the Emperor was the only Roman Catholic Prince still living who had been accessory to the Revolution, and that James might not unnaturally consider Roman Catholics who had been accessory to the Revolution as more inexcusably guilty than heretics who might have deluded themselves into the belief that, in violating their duty to him, they were discharging their duty to God.
While James was still able to understand what was said to him, and make intelligible answers, Lewis visited him twice.

The English exiles observed that the Most Christian King was to the last considerate and kind in the very slightest matters which concerned his unfortunate guest.

He would not allow his coach to enter the court of Saint Germains, lest the noise of the wheels should be heard in the sick room.
In both interviews he was gracious, friendly, and even tender.

But he carefully abstained from saying anything about the future position of the family which was about to lose its head.

Indeed he could say nothing, for he had not yet made up his own mind.