marie antoinette and her son-第14章

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realm。　France　had　had　during　the　last　years　poor　harvests。　The
people　were　suffering　from　a　want　of　the　bare　necessities　of　life。
The　taxes　could　not　be　collected。　A　reform　must　be　introduced；　and
those　who　before　had　rejoiced　in　a　superfluity　of　royal　gifts　had　to
be　contented　with　a　diminution　of　them。

It　had　been　the　queen　who　allowed　the　tokens　of　royal　favor　to　pour
upon　her　friends；　her　companions　in　Trianon；　like　a　golden　rain。　She
had　at　the　outset　done　this　out　of　a　hearty　love　for　them。　It　was　so
sweet　to　cause　those　to　rejoice　whom　she　loved；　so　pleasant　to　see
that　charming　smile　upon　the　countenance　of　the　Duchess　de　Polignac…
…that　smile　which　only　appeared　when　she　had　succeeded　in　making
others　happy。　For　herself　the　duchess　never　asked　a　favor；　her　royal
friend　could　only；　after　a　long　struggle　and　threatening　her　with
her　displeasure；　induce　her　to　take　the　gifts　which　were　offered　out
of　a　really　loving　heart。

But　behind　the　Duchess　Diana　stood　her　brother　and　sister…in…law；
the　Duke　and　Duchess　de　Polignac；　who　were　ambitious；　proud；　and
avaricious；　behind　the　Duchess　Diana　stood　the　three　favorites　of
the　royal　society　in　Trianon　Lords　Vaudreuil；　Besenval；　D'Adhemar…
…who　desired　embassies；　ministerial　posts；　orders；　and　other　tokens
of　honor。

Diana　de　Polignac　was　the　channel　through　whom　all　these　addressed
themselves　to　the　queen；　she　was　the　loved　friend　who　asked　whether
the　queen　could　not　grant　their　demands。　Louis　granted　all　the
requests　to　the　queen；　and　Marie　Antoinette　then　went　to　her　loved
friend　Diana；　in　order　to　gratify　her　wishes；　to　receive　a　kiss；　and
to　be　rewarded　with　a　smile。

The　great　noble　families　saw　with　envy　and　displeasure　this
supremacy　of　the　Polignacs　and　the　favorites　of　Trianon。　They
withdrew　from　the　court；　gave　the　〃Queen　of　Trianon〃　over　to　her
special　friends　and　their　citizen　pleasures　and　sports；　which；　as
they　asserted；　were　not　becoming　to　the　great　nobility。　They　gave
the　king　over　to　his　wife　who　ruled　through　him；　and　who；　in　turn；
was　governed　by　the　Polignacs　and　the　other　favorites。　To　them　and
to　their　friends　belonged　all　places；　all　honors；　to　them　all
applied　who　wanted　to　gain　any　thing　for　the　court；　and　even　they
who　wanted　to　get　justice　done　them。　Around　the　royal　pair　there　was
nothing　but　intrigues；　cabals；　envy；　and　hostility。　Every　one　wanted
to　be　first　in　the　favor　of　the　queen；　in　order　to　gain　influence
and　consideration；　every　one　wanted　to　cast　suspicion　on　the　one　who
was　next　to　him；　in　order　to　supplant　him　in　the　favor　of　Marie
Antoinette。

The　fair　days　of　fortune　and　peace；　of　which　the　queen　dreamed　in
her　charming　country　home；　thinking　that　her　realizations　were　met
when　the　sun　had　scarcely　risen　upon　them；　were　gone。　Trianon　was
still　there；　and　the　happy　peasant…girl　of　Trianon　had　been
unchanged　in　heart；　but　those　to　whom　she　had　given　her　heart；　those
who　had　joined　in　her　harmless　amusement　in　her　village　there；　were
changed！　They　had　cast　aside　the　idyllic　masks　with　which　the　good…
natured　and　confiding　queen　had　deceived　herself。　They　were　no
longer　friends；　no　longer　devoted　servants；　they　were　mere　place…
hunters；　intriguers；　flatterers；　not　acting　out　of　love；　but　out　of
selfishness。

Yet　the　queen　would　not　believe　this；　she　continued　to　be　the　tender
friend　of　her　friends；　trusted　them；　depended　upon　their　love；　was
happy　in　their　neighborhood；　and　let　herself　be　led　by　them　just　as
the　king　let　himself　be　led　by　her。

They　set　ministers　aside；　appointed　new　ones；　placed　their　favorites
in　places　of　power；　and　drove　their　opponents　into　obscurity。

But　there　came　a　day　when　the　queen　began　to　see　that　she　was　not
the　ruler　but　the　ruled；when　she　saw　that　she　was　not　acting　out
her　own　will；　but　was　tyrannized　over　by　those　who　had　been　made
powerful　through　her　favor。

〃I　have　been　compelled　to　take　part　in　political　affairs；〃　said　she；
〃because　the　king；　in　his　noble；　good…humored　way；　has　too　little
confidence　in　himself；　and；　out　of　his　self…distrust；　lets　himself
be　controlled　by　the　opinions　of　others。　And　so　it　is　best　that　I
should　be　his　first　confidante；　and　that　he　should　take　me　to　be　his
chief　adviser；　for　his　interests　are　mine；　and　these　children　are
mine；　and　surely　no　one　can　speak　more　truly　and　honestly　to　the
King　of　France　than　his　queen；　his　wife；　the　mother　of　his　children！
And　so　if　the　king　is　not　perfectly　independent；　and　feels　himself
too　weak　to　stand　alone；　and　independently　to　exert　power；　he　ought
to　rest　on　me；　I　will　bear　a　part　in　his　government；　his　business；
that　at　any　rate　they　who　control　be　not　my　opponents；　my　enemies！〃

For　a　while　she　yielded　to　her　friends　and　favorites　who　wanted　to
stand　in　the　same　relation　to　the　queen　that　she　did　to　the　king
she　yielded；　not　like　Louis；　from　weakness；　but　from　the　very　power
of　her　love　for　them。

She　yielded　at　the　time　when　Diana　de　Polignac；　urged　by　her
brother…in…law；　Polignac；　and　by　Lord　Besenval；　conjured　the　queen
to　nominate　Lord　Calonne　to　be　general　comptroller　of　the　finances。
She　yielded；　and　Calonne；　the　flatterer；　the　courtier　of　Polignac；
received　the　important　appointment；　although　Marie　Antoinette
experienced　twinges　of　conscience　for　it；　and　did　not　trust　the　man
whom　she　herself　advanced　to　this　high　place。　Public　opinion；
meanwhile；　gave　out　that　Lord　Calonne　was　a　favorite　of　the　queen；
and；　while　she　bore　him　no　special　favor；　and　considered　his
appointment　as　a　misfortune　to　France；　she　who　herself　promoted　him
became　the　object　of　public　indignation。

Meanwhile　the　nomination　of　Lord　Calonne　was　to　be　productive　of
real　good。　It　gave　rise　to　the　publication　of　a　host　of　libels　and
pamphlets　which　discussed　the　financial　condition　of　France；　and；　in
biting　and　scornful　words；　in　the　language　of　sadness　and　despair；
developed　the　need　and　the　misfortune　of　the　land。　The　king　gave　the
chief　minister　of　police　strict　injunctions　to　send　him　all　these
ephemeral　publications。　He　wanted　to　read　them　all；　wanted　to　find
the　kernel　of　wheat　which　each　contained；　and；　from　his　enemies；　who
assuredly　would　not　flatter；　he　wanted　to　learn　how　to　be　a　good
king。　And　the　first　of　his　cares　he　saw　to　be　a　frugal　king；　and　to
limit　his　household　expenses。

This　time　he　acted　independently；　he　asked　no　one's　counsel；　not
even　the　queen's。　As　his　own　unconstrained　act；　he　ordered　a
diminution　of　the　court　luxury；　and　a　limitation　of　the　great
pensions　which　were　paid　to　favorites。　The　great　stable　of　the　king
must　be　reduced；　the　chief　directorship　of　the　post　bureau　must　be
abolished；　the　high　salary　of　the　governess　of　the　royal　children　as
well　as　that　of　the　maid　of　honor　of　Madame　Elizabeth；　sister　of　the
king；　must　be　reduced。

And　who　were　the　ones　affected　by　this？　Chiefly　the　Polignac　family。
The　Duke　de　Polignac　was　director　of　the　royal　mews；　and　next　to　him
the　Duke　de　Coigny。　The　Duke　de　Polignac　was　also　chief　director　of
the　post　department。　His　wife；　Diana　de　Polignac；　was　also　maid　of
honor　to　Madame　Elizabeth；　and　Julia　de　Polignac　was　governess　of
the　children　of　Prance。

They　would　not　believe　it；　they　held　it　impossible　that　so　unheard…
of　a　thing　should　happen；　that　their　income　should　be　reduced。　The
whole　circle　of　intimate　friends　resorted　to　Trianon；　to　have　an
interview　with　the　queen；　to　receive　from　her　the　assurance　that　she
would　not　tolerate　such　a　robbing　of　her　friends；　and　that　she　would
induce　the　king　to　take　back　his　commands。

The　queen；　however；　for　the　first　time；　made　a　stand　against　her
friends。

〃It　is　the　will　of　the　king；〃　said　she；　〃and　I　am　too　happy　that　the
king　has　a　will；　to　dare　opposing　it。　May　the　king　reign！　It　is　his
duty　and　his　right；　as　it　is　the　duty　and　right　of　all　his　subjects
to　conform　to　his　wish　and　be　subject　to　his　will。〃

〃But；〃　cried　Lord　Besenval；　〃it　is　horrible　to　live　in　a　country
where　one　is　not　sure　but　he　may　lose　tomorrow　what　he　holds　to…day；
down　to　this　time　that　has　always　been　the　Turkish　fashion。〃
＇Footnote：　His　very　words。　See　Goncourt's　〃Histoire　de　Marie
Antoinette；〃　p。　181。＇

The　queen　trembled　and　raised　her　great　eyes　with　a　look　full　of
astonishment　and　pain　to　Besenval；　then　to　the　other　friends；　she
read　upon　all　faces　alienation　and　unkindly　feeling。　The　mask　of
devoted　courtiers　and　true　servants　had　for　the　first　time　fallen
from　their　faces；　and　Marie　Antoinette　discovered　these　all　at　once
wholly　estranged　and　unknown　countenances；　eyes　without　the　beam　of
friendship；　lips　without　the　smile　of　devotion。

The　queen　sought　to　put　her　hand　to　her　heart。　It　seemed　to　her　as
if　she　had　been　wounded　with　a　dagger。　She　felt　as　if　she　must　cry
aloud　with　pain　and　grief。　But　she　commanded　herself　and　only　gave
utterance　to　a　faint　sigh。

〃You　are　not　the　only　ones　who　will　lose；　my　friends；〃　said　she；
gently。　〃The　king　is　a　loser；　too；　for　if　he　gives　up　the　great
stables；　he　sacrifices　to　the　common　good　his　horses；　his　equipages；
and；　above　all；　his　true　servants。　We　must　all　learn　to　put　up　with
limitations　and　a　reduction　of　outlay。　But　we　can　still　remain　good
friends；　and　here　in　Trianon　pass　many　pleasant　days　with　one
another　in　harmless　gayety　and　happy　contentment。　Come；　my　friends；
let　us　forget　these　cares　and　these　constraints；　let　us；　despite　all
these　things；　be　merry　and　glad。　Duke　de　Coigny；　you　have　been　for　a
week　my　debtor　in　billiards；　to…day　you　must　make　it　up。　Come；　my
friends；　let　us　go　into　the　billiard…room。〃

And　the　queen；　who　had　found　her　gayety　again；　went　laughing　in
advance　of　her　friends　into　the　next　apartment；　where　the　billiard…
table　stood。　She　took　up　her　cue；　and；　brandishing　it　like　a
sceptre；　cried；　〃Now；　my　friends；　away　with　care〃

She　ceased；　for　as　she　looked　around　her　she　saw　that　her　friends
had　not　obeyed　her　call。　Only　the　Duke　de　Coigny；　whom　she　had
specially　summoned；　had　followed　the　queen　into　the　billiard…room。

A　flash　of　anger　shot　from　the　eyes　of　the　queen。

〃How！〃　cried　she；　aloud；　〃did　my　companions　not　hear　that　I
commanded　them　to　follow　me　hither？〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　answered　the　Duke　de　Coigny；　peevishly；　〃the　ladies
and　gentlemen　have　probably　recalled　the　fact　that　your　majesty　once
made　it　a　rule　here　in　Trianon　that　every　one　should　do　as　he
pleases；　and　your　majesty　sees　that　they　hold　more　strictly　to　the
laws　than　others　do。〃

〃My　lord；〃　sighed　the　queen；　〃do　you　bring　reproaches　against　me
too？　Are　you　also　discontented？〃

〃And　why　should　I　be　contented；　your　majesty？〃　asked　the　duke；　with
choler。　〃I　am　deprived　of　a　post　which　hitherto　has　been　held　for
life；　and　does　your　majesty　desire　that　I　should　be　contented？　No；　I
am　not　contented。　No；　I　do　as　the　others　do。　I　am　full　of　anger　and
pain　to　see　that　nothing　is　secure　more；　that　nothing　is　stable
more；　that　one　can　rely　upon　nothing　morenot　even　upon　the　word　of
kings。〃

〃My　lord　duke；〃　cried　Marie　Antoinette；　with　flashing　anger；　〃you　go
too　far；　you　forget　that　you　are　speaking　to　your　queen。〃

〃Madame；〃　cried　he；　still　louder；　〃here　in　Trianon　there　is　no
queen；　there　are　no　subjects！　You　yourself　have　said　it；　a