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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； peevi