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what sharp ears Madame Adelaide always has to catch such a trifling
rumor； while my younger ones have never caught the least hint of the
important approach of the princess； and so I am equally surprised
and delighted at the unexpected appearance of my gracious and loving
aunt。〃
Every one of these words； which were spoken so cheerily and with
such a pleasant smile； seemed to pierce the princess like the prick
of a needle； and caused her to press her lips together in just such
a way as if she wanted to check an outcry of pain or suppress some
hidden rage。 Marie Antoinette； while speaking of the sharp ears
which madame always had； had hinted at the advanced age no less than
at the curiosity of the princess； and had brought her young and
unburdened ears into very advantageous contrast with them。
〃Would your majesty grant me the favor of an interview？〃 asked
Madame Adelaide； who did not possess the power of entering on a
contest with her exalted niece； with sharp yet graceful words。
〃I am prepared with all pleasure；〃 answered the queen； cheerfully；
〃and it depends entirely upon madame whether the audience shall be
private or public。〃
〃I beg for a half hour of entire privacy；〃 said Madame Adelaide；
with choler。
〃A private audience； ladies！〃 called the queen to her maids of
honor； as motioning with her hand she dismissed them。 Then she
directed her great brilliant eyes to the door of the antechamber。
〃My lord grooms； in half an hour I should like to have my carriage
ready for Trianon。〃
The maids of honor withdrew into the great antechamber； and closed
the doors behind them。
The queen and Madame Adelaide were alone。
〃Let us sit； if it pleases you；〃 said Marie Antoinette； motioning
the princess to an arm…chair； while she took her own place upon a
simple ottoman。 〃You have something to say to me； and I am entirely
ready to hear you。〃
〃Would to God； madame； that you would not only hear my words；〃 said
Madame Adelaide； with a sigh； 〃but that you would take them to heart
as well！〃
〃If they deserve it； I certainly shall；〃 said the queen； smiling。
〃They certainly do deserve it；〃 said the princess； 〃for what I aim
at in my words concerns the peace； the security； the honor of our
family。 Madame； allow me first to disburden myself of something that
has been committed to me。 My noble and pious sister； Madame Louise；
has given me this letter for your majesty； and in her name I ask our
royal niece to read the same at once and in my presence。〃
She drew from the great reticule； which was attached to her arm by
its silken cords； a sealed letter； and handed it to the queen。
But Marie Antoinette did not raise her hand to receive it； but shook
her head as if in refusal； and yet with so eager a motion that her
elaborate coiffure fairly trembled。
〃I beg your pardon； madame；〃 said she； earnestly； 〃but I cannot
receive this letter from the prioress of the Carmelite convent at
St。 Denis； for you well know that when Madame Louise sent me some
years ago； through your highness； a letter which I read； that I
never again will receive and read letters from the prioress。 Have
the goodness； then； to take this back to the sender。〃
〃You know； madame； that this is an affront directed against a
princess of France！〃 was the emphatic reply。
〃I know； madame； that that letter which I then received from Madame
Louise was an affront directed by the princess against the Queen of
France； and I shall protect the majesty of my station from a similar
affront。 Unquestionably this letter is similar in tone to that one。
That one contained charges which went so far as to involve open
condemnation； and contained proffers of counsel which meant little
less than calumny。 ＇Footnote： Gondrecourt； 〃Histoire de Marie
Antoinette；〃 p。 59。＇ And what would this be likely to contain
different； which your highness takes the trouble to bring to me？〃
〃Well；〃 cried Madame Adelaide； angrily； 〃its purport may be similar
to that of the former letter； for； unfortunately； the causes are the
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 que