marie antoinette and her son-第5部分

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same；　and　we　may　not　wonder　if　the　effects　are　also　the　same。〃

〃Ah！　one　can　easily　see　that　your　highness　knows　the　contents　of　the
letter；〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　smiling；　〃and　you　will　therefore
certainly　pardon　me　for　not　reading　it。　It　was　unquestionably
written　in　the　presence　of　your　highness；　in　the　pious　cell　of　the
prioress。　She　gave　over　for　a　while　her　prayers　for　the　repose　of
the　departed　king；　in　order　to　busy　herself　a　little　with　worldly
things；　and　to　listen　to　the　calumnies　which　Madame　Adelaide；　or　the
Count　de　Provence；　or　the　Cardinal　de　Kohan；　or　some　other　of　the
enemies　of　my　person；　have　sought　to　hurl　against　the　Queen　of
France。〃

〃Calumnies！〃　replied　Madame　Adelaide；　with　an　angry　flash　in　her
eyes。　〃Would　to　God；　madame；　that　it　were　calumnies　with　which　we
have　to　do；　and　that　all　these　things　which　trouble　and　disturb　us
were　only　malicious　calumnies；　and　not　sober　facts！〃

〃And　will　your　highness　not　have　the　goodness　to　communicate　these
facts　to　me？〃　said　the　queen；　undisturbed；　but　smiling；　and　so　only
increasing　the　anger　of　the　princess。

〃These　facts　are　of　so　varied　kinds　that　it　would　be　a　difficult
thing　to　choose　out　any　separate　ones　among　them；〃　cried　she；　with
fiery　tone。　〃Every　day；　every　hour　of　the　life　of　your　majesty；
brings　new　facts　to　light。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Marie　Antoinette；　〃I　had　no　idea　that　your　highness　had
such　tender　care　for　me。〃

〃And　I　had　no　idea；　madame；　that　your　frivolity　went　so　far　as
continually　to　wound　the　laws；　the　customs；　and　the　hallowed　order
of　things。　You　do　ityou　do　it；　scorning　every　thing　established
with　the　random　wantonness　of　a　child　that　plays　with　fire；　and　does
not　know　that　the　waves　will　flare　up　and　consume　it。　Madame；　I　have
come　here　to　warn　you　once　more；　and　for　the　last　time。〃

〃God　be　thanked；　for　the　last　time！〃　cried　the　queen；　with　a
charming　glance　of　her　eyes。

〃I　conjure　you；　queen；　for　your　own　sake；　for　your　husband's；　for
your　children's；　change　your　course；　take　a　new　direction；　leave　the
path　of　danger　on　which　you　are　hastening　to　irretrievable
destruction。〃

The　countenance　of　the　queen；　before　so　pleasant　and　animated；　now
darkened。　Her　smile　gave　way　to　a　deep　earnestness；　she　raised　her
head　proudly　and　put　on　a　royal　bearing。

〃Madame；〃　said　she；　〃up　to　this　time　I　have　been　inclined　to　meet
your　biting　philippics　with　the　quiet　indifference　which　innocence
gives；　and　to　remain　mindful　of　the　reverence　due　to　age；　and　not　to
forget　the　harsh　eyes　with　which　the　aged　always　look　upon　the　deeds
of　youth。　But　you　compel　me　to　take　the　matter　more　earnestly　to
heart；　for　you　join　to　my　name　that　of　my　husband　and　my　children；
and　so　you　appeal　to　my　heart　of　hearts。　Now；　then；　tell　me；　madame；
what　you　have　to　bring　against　me。〃

〃Your　boundless　frivolity；　your　culpable　short…sightedness；　your
foolish　pleasures；　your　extravagance；　your　love　of　finery；　your
mixing　with　politics；　your　excessive　jovialness；　your
entertainments；　your〃

Marie　Antoinette　interrupted　this　series　of　charges　with　loud；　merry
laughter；　which　more　enraged　the　princess　than　the　most　stinging
words　would　have　done。

〃Yes；〃　she　continued；　〃you　are　frivolous；　for　you　suppose　the　life
of　a　queen　is　one　clear　summer's　day；　to　be　devoted　to　nothing　but
singing　and　laughing。　You　are　short…sighted；　for　you　do　not　see　that
the　flowers　of　this　summer's　day　in　which　you　rejoice；　only　bloom
above　an　abyss　into　which　you；　with　your　wanton　dancing；　are　about
to　plunge。　You　indulge　in　foolish　pleasures；　instead　of；　as　becomes
a　Queen　of　France；　passing　your　life　in　seclusion；　in　devout
meditation；　in　the　exercise　of　beneficence；　in　pious　deeds。　You　are
a　spendthrift；　for　you　give　the　income　of　France　to　your　favorites；
to　this　Polignac　family；　which　it　has　been　reckoned　receives　alone　a
twentieth　part　of　the　whole　income　of　the　state；　to　these　gracious
lords　and　ladies　of　your　so…called　'society；'　supporting　them　in
their　frivolity；　allowing　them　to　make　golden　gain　out　of　you。　You
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