marie antoinette and her son-第5章

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are　a　lover　of　finery；　not　holding　it　beneath　your　dignity　to　spend
whole　hours　with　a　poor　milliner；　allowing　a　man　to　dress　your　hair；
and　afterward　to　go　into　the　toilet　chambers　of　the　Parisian　dames；
that　their　hair　may　be　dressed　by　the　same　hands　which　have　arranged
the　hair　of　a　queen；　and　to　imitate　the　coiffure　which　the　Queen　of
France　wears。　And　what　kind　of　a　coiffure　is　that　which；　invented　by
a　queen；　is　baptized　with　a　fantastic　name；　and　carried　through
Paris；　France；　and　all　Europe？〃

〃But；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　with　comical　pathos；　〃these　coiffures
have；　some　of　them；　horrid　names。　We　have；　for　example；　the　'hog's
bristles　coiffure；'　the　'flea…bite　coiffure；'　the　'dying　dog；'　the
'flame　of　love；'　'modesty's　cap；'　a〃

〃A　queen's　levee；〃　interrupted　the　princess；　〃a　love's　nest　of　Marie
Antoinette。　Yes；　we　have　come　to　that　pass　that　the　fashions　are
named　after　the　queen；　and　all　acquire　a　certain　frivolous
character；　so　that　all　the　men　and　all　the　honorable　women　of　Paris
are　in　despair　because　the　thoughts　of　their　daughters；　infected
with　the　millinery　tastes　of　the　queen　and　the　court；　shun　all　noble
thoughts；　and　only　busy　themselves　with　mere　affairs　of　taste。　I
have　shown　you；　and　you　will　not　be　able　to　deny　it；　madame；　that
this　decline　in　manners；　which　has　been　engendered　by　this　love　of
finery；　proceeds　from　you；　and　from　you　alone；　that　not　only　your
love　of　finery　is　to　blame；　but　also　your　coquetry；　your　joviality；
and　these　unheard…of　indescribable　orgies　to　which　the　Queen　of
France　surrenders　herself；　and　to　which　she　even　allures　her　own
husband；　the　King　of　France；　the　oldest　son　of　the　Church。〃

〃What　does　your　highness　mean？〃　asked　the　queen。

〃Of　what　entertainments　are　you　speaking？〃

〃I　am　speaking　of　the　entertainments　which　are　celebrated　in
Trianon；　to　the　perversion　of　all　usage　and　all　good　manners。　Of
those　orgies　in　which　the　queen　transforms　herself　into　a
shepherdess；　and　permits　the　ladies　of　her　court；　who　ought　to
appear　before　her　with　bended　knee　and　with　downcast　eyes；　to　clothe
themselves　like　her；　and　to　put　on　the　same　bearing　as　the　queen's！
I　speak　of　those　orgies　where　the　king；　enchanted　by　the　charms　of
his　wife；　and　allured　by　her　coquetry；　so　far　forgets　his　royal　rank
as　even　to　take　part　himself　in　this　stupid　frivolity；　and　to　bear　a
share　in　this　trivial　masquerading。　And　this　queen；　whose　loud
laughter　fills　the　groves　of　Trianon；　and　who　sometimes　finds　her
pleasure　in　imitating　the　lowing　of　cows　or　the　bleating　of　goats
this　queen　will　afterward　put　on　the　bearing　of　a　statesman；　and
will；　with　those　hands　which　have　just　got　through　arranging　an
'allegorical　head…dress；'　dip　into　the　machinery　of　state；
interrupting　the　arrangements　of　her　entertainments　to　busy　herself
with　politics；　to　set　aside　old；　cherished　ministers；　to　bring　her
friends　and　favorites　into　their　places；　and　to　make　the　king　the
mere　executor　of　her　will。〃

〃Madame；〃　said　the　queen；　as　glowing　with　anger　and　with　eyes　of
flame　she　rose　from　her　seat〃madame；　this　is　going　too　far；　this
oversteps　the　bounds　that　every　one；　even　the　princesses　of　the
royal　house；　owe　to　their　sovereign。　I　have　allowed　you　to　subject
to　your　biting　criticism　my　outer　life；　my　pleasures；　and　my　dress；
but　I　do　not　allow　you　to　take　in　hand　my　inner　lifemy　relations
to　my　husband　and　my　personal　honor。　You　presume　to　speak　of　my
favorites。　I　demand　of　you　to　name　them；　and　if　you　can　show　that
there　is　one　man　to　whom　I　show　any　other　favor　than　a　gracious
queen　may　show　to　a　servant；　a　subject　whom　she　can　honor　and　trust；
I　desire　that　you　would　give　his　name　to　the　king；　and　that　a　close
investigation　be　made　into　the　case。　I　have　friends；　yes；　thank
Heaven！　I　have　friends　who　prize　me　highly；　and　who　are　every　hour
prepared　to　give　their　life　for　their　queen。　I　have　true　and
faithful　servants；　but　no　one　will　appear　and　give　evidence　that
Marie　Antoinette　has　ever　had　an　illicit　lover。　My　only　lover　has
been　the　king；　my　husband；　and　I　hope　before　God　that　he　will　always
remain　so；　so　long　as　I　live。　But　this　is　exactly　what　the　noble
princesses　my　aunts；　what　the　Count　de　Provence；　and　the　whole　party
of　the　old　court；　never　will　forgive　me　for。　I　have　had　the　good
fortune　to　win　the　love　of　my　husband。　The　king；　despite　all
calumnies　and　all　intrigues；　lowered　his　glance　to　the　poor　young
woman　who　stood　solitary　near　him；　and　whom　he　had　been　taught　to
prize　lightly　and　to　despise；　and　then　he　found　that　she　was　not　so
simple；　stupid；　and　ugly；　as　she　had　been　painted。　He　began　to　take
some　notice　of　her；　and　then；　God　be　thanked；　he　overlooked　the　fact
that　she　was　of　Austrian　blood；　and　that　the　policy　of　his
predecessor　had　urged　her　upon　him；　his　heart　warmed　to　her　in　love；
and　Marie　Antoinette　received　this　love　as　a　gracious　gift　of　God；
as　the　happiness　of　her　life。　Yes；　madame；　I　may　say　it　with　pride
and　joy；　the　king　loves　me；　he　trusts　me；　and　therefore　his　wife
stands　nearer　to　him　than　even　his　exalted　aunts；　and　I　am　the　one
whom　he　most　trusts　and　whom　he　selects　to　be　his　chief　adviser。　But
this　is　just　the　offence　which　will　never　be　forgiven　me：　it　has
fallen　to　my　lot　to　take　from　my　enemies　and　opponents　their
influence　over　my　husband。　The　time　has　gone　by　when　Madame　Adelaide
could　gain　an　attentive　ear　when　she　came　to　the　king；　and　in　her
passionate　rage　charged　me　with　unheard　of　crimes；　which　had　no
basis　excepting　that　in　some　little　matters　I　had　loosened　the
ancient　chains　of　etiquette；　the　time　is　past　when　Madame　Louise
could　presume　to　drive　me　with　her　flashing　anger　from　her　pious
cell　and　make　me　kneel　in　the　dust；　and　when　it　was　permitted　to　the
Count　de　la　Morch　to　accuse　the　queen　before　the　king　of　having
risen　in　time　to　behold　the　rising　of　the　sun　at　Versailles；　in
company　with　her　whole　court。　The　king　loves　me；　and　Madame　Adelaide
is　no　longer　the　political　counsellor　of　the　king；　the　ministers
will　no　longer　be　appointed　according　to　her　dictate；　and　the　great
questions　of　the　cabinet　are　decided　without　appealing　to　her！　I
know　that　this　is　a　new　offence　which　you　lay　to　my　charge；　and　that
by　your　calumniations　and　suspicions　you　make　me　suffer　the　penalty
for　it。　I　know　that　the　Count　de　Provence　stoops　to　direct　epigrams
and　pamphlets　against　his　sister…in…law；　his　sovereign；　and　through
the　agency　of　his　creatures　to　scatter　them　through　Paris。　I　know
that　in　his　saloons　all　the　enemies　of　the　queen　are　welcome；　and
that　charges　against　me　are　made　without　rebuke；　and　that　there　the
weapons　are　forged　with　which　I　am　assailed。　But　take　care　lest　some
day　these　weapons　be　turned　against　you！　It　is　you　who　are
imperilling　the　kingdom；　and　undermining　the　throne；　for　you　do　not
hesitate　setting　before　the　people　an　example　that　nothing　is　sacred
to　you；　that　the　dignity　of　the　throne　no　longer　has　an　existence；
but　that　it　may　be　denied　with　vile　insinuations；　and　the　most
poisonous　arrows　directed　against　those　who　wear　the　crown　of　St。
Louis　on　their　head。　But　all　you；　the　aunts；　the　brothers　of　the
king；　and　the　whole　swarm　of　their　intimates　and　dependents；　you　are
all　undermining　the　monarchy；　for　you　forget　that　the　foreigner；　the
Austrian；　as　you　call　herthat　she　is　Queen　of　France；　your
sovereign；　your　lord；　and　that　you　are　nothing　better　than　her
subjects。　You　are　criminals；　you　are　high　traitors！〃

〃Madame；〃　cried　the　Princess　Adelaide；　〃Madame；　what　language　is
this　that〃

〃It　is　the　language　of　a　woman　in　reply　to　a　calumniator；　the
language　of　a　queen　to　a　rebellious　subject。　Madame；　have　the
goodness　not　to　answer　me　again。　You　have　come　into　the　palace　of
your　sovereign　to　accuse　her；　and　she　has　answered　you　as　becomes
her　station。　Now　we　have　nothing　more　to　say　to　each　other。　You
requested　a　half…hour's　private　audience　with　me；　and　the　time　has
gone。　Farewell；　madame；　my　carriage　stands　ready；　and　I　go　to
Trianon。　I　shall；　however；　say　nothing　to　the　king　respecting　the
new　attack　which　you　have　made　upon　me；　and　I　promise　you　that　I
shall　forget　it　and　forgive　it。〃

She　nodded　lightly；　turned　herself　around；　and；　with　lofty　carriage
and　proud　self…possession；　left　the　apartment。

Princess　Adelaide　looked　after　her　with　an　expression　of　the　deepest
hate；　and　entirely　forgetful　of　her　lofty　station；　even　raised　her
hand　threateningly　in　the　direction　of　the　door　through　which　the
noble　figure　of　the　queen　had　just　vanished。　〃I　shall　not　forget　nor
forgive；〃　muttered　she。　〃I　shall　have　my　revenge　on　this　impudent
person　who　dares　to　threaten　me　and　even　to　defy　me；　and　who　calls
herself　my　sovereign。　This　Austrian；　a　sovereign　of　the　princess
royal　of　France！　We　will　show　her　where　are　the　limits　of　her　power；
and　where　are　the　limits　of　France！　She　shall　go　back　to　Austria；　we
want　her　not；　this　Austrian　who　dares　to　defy　us。〃

Proud　and　erect　though　the　bearing　was　with　which　the　queen　left
Madame　Adelaide；　she　had　hardly　entered　her　own　room　and　closed　the
door　which　separated　her　from　her　enemy；　when　she　sank　groaning　upon
a　seat；　and　a　flood　of　tears　streamed　from　her　eyes。

〃Oh；　Campan；　Campan！　what　have　I　been　compelled　to　hear？〃　cried　she；
bitterly。　〃With　what　expressions　have　they　ventured　to　address　the
Queen　of　France！〃　Madame　de　Campan；　the　first　lady…in…waiting　on　the
queen；　who　had　just　then　entered　the　porcelain　room；　hastened　to　her
mistress；　and；　sinking　upon　her　knees；　pressed　the　fallen　hand　of
the　queen　to　her　lips。　〃Your　majesty　is　weeping！〃　she　whispered　with
her　mild；　sympathetic　voice。　〃　Your　majesty　has　given　the　princess
the　satisfaction　of　knowing　that　she　has　succeeded　in　drawing　tears
from　the　Queen　of　France；　and　reddening　her　beautiful　eyes。〃

〃No；　I　will　not　give　her　this　pleasure；〃　said　the　queen；　quickly
raising　herself　up　and　drying　her　eyes。　〃I　will　be　merry；　and　why　do
I　weep？　She　sought　to　make　me　sick；　she　sought　to　wound　me；　but　I
have　given　back　the　sickness；　and　the　wounds　which　I　have　inflicted
upon　her　will　not　so　soon　heal。〃

〃Has　your　majesty　inflicted　anything　upon　the　princess？〃　cried
Madame　de　Campan；　in　agitation。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Marie　Antoinette；　with　triumphant　joy。　〃I　have
scourged　her；　I　have　wounded　her；　for　I　have　distinctly　intimated　to
her　that　I　am　Queen　of　France；　and　she　my　subject。　I　have　told　her；
that　when　she　dares　direct　her　calumnies　against　the　queen；　she　is
guilty　of　high…treason。〃

〃Oh！〃　exclaimed　Madame　de　Campan；　〃the　proud　princess　will　never
pardon　that。　Your　majesty　has　now　become　her　irreconcilable　enemy；
and　she　will　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　revenge　herself　upon　you。〃

〃She　may　attempt　to　revenge　herself　upon　me；〃　cried　the　queen；　whose
countenance　began　to　brighten　up　once　more。　〃I　fear　neither　her　nor
her　whole　set。　All　their　arrows　will　fall　powerless　at　my　feet；　for
the　love　of　my　husband　and　my　pure　conscience　form　the　protection
which　secures　me。　And　what　can　these　people　accomplish　against　me？
They　can　slander　me；　that　is　all。　But　their　calumnies　will；　in　the
end；　prove　that　it　is　lies　they　tell；　and　no　one　will　give　them
confidence　more。〃

〃Ah！　your　majesty　does　not　know