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way。 〃 You have then your duties assigned you； to he rightfully
fulfilled； and to keep your theatres in order； as if they were
troops under your care。〃
〃But； your majesty； there is a theatre which seeks to free itself
from my direction。 And by virtue of my office and my trust I must
stringently urge you that this new theatre royal be delivered into
my charge。〃
〃I do not understand you；〃 said the queen； coolly。 〃Of what new
theatre are you speaking； and where is it？〃
〃Your majesty； it is here in Trianon。 Here operettas； comedies； and
vaudevilles are played。 The stage is furnished as all stages are； it
is a permanent stage； and I can therefore ask that it be given over
into my charge； for； I repeat it again； the king has appointed me
director of all the collective theatres royal。〃
〃But； duke；〃 answered the queen with a somewhat more pliant tone；
〃you forget one thing； and that is； that the theatre in Trianon does
not belong to the theatres of his majesty。 It is my stage； and
Trianon is my realm。 Have you not read on the placards； which are at
the entrance of Trianon； that it is the queen who gives laws here？
Do you not know that the king has given me this bit of ground that I
may enjoy my freedom here； and have a place where the Queen of
France may have a will of her own？〃
〃Your majesty；〃 answered the duke with an expression of the
profoundest deference； 〃I beg your pardon。 I did not suppose that
there was a place in France where the king is not the lord
paramount； and where his commands are not imperative。〃
〃You see； then； that you are mistaken。 Here in Trianon I am king；
and my commands are binding。〃
〃That does not prevent； your majesty； the commands of the king
having equal force；〃 replied the duke； with vehemence。 〃And even if
the Queen of France disowns these laws； yet others do not dare take
the risk of following the example of the queen。 For they remain；
wherever they are； the subjects of the king。 So even here in Trianon
I am still the obedient subject of his majesty； and his commands and
my duties are bound to be respected by me。〃
〃My lord duke；〃 cried the queen with fresh impatience； 〃you are free
never to come to Trianon。 I give you my full permission to that end；
and thus you will be relieved from the possibility of ever coming
into collision with your ever…delicate conscience and the commands
of the king。〃
〃But； your majesty； there is a theatre in Trianon！〃
〃Not this indefinite phrase； duke； there is a theatre in Trianon；
but I the queen； the princess of the royal family； and the guests I
invite； support a theatre in Trianon。 Let me say this once for all：
you cannot have the direction where we are the actors。 Besides； I
have had occasion several times to give you my views respecting
Trianon。 I have no court here。 I live here as a private person。 I am
here but a land owner； and the pleasures and enjoyments which I
provide here for myself and my friends shall never be supervised by
any one but myself alone。〃 ＇Footnote： The very words of the queen。
See Goncourt； 〃Histoire de Marie Antoinette〃＇
〃Your majesty；〃 said the duke； with a cold smile； 〃it is no single
person that supervises you； it is public opinion； and I think that
this will speak on my side。〃
The duke bowed； and； without waiting for a sign from the queen to
withdraw； he turned around and began to descend the terrace。
〃He is a shameless man！〃 muttered the queen； with pale cheeks and
flashing eyes； as she followed him with her looks。
〃He is ambitious；〃 whispered Besenval； 〃he implores your majesty in
this way； and risks his life and his office； in the hope of being
received into the court society。〃
〃No； no；〃 answered Marie Antoinette； eagerly； 〃there is nothing in
me that attracts him。 The king's aunts have set him against me； and
this is a new way which their tender care has conjured up to
irritate me； and make me sick。
Yet let us leave this； baron。 Let us forget this folly； and only
remember that we are in Trianon。 See； we are now entering my dear
English garden。 Oh； look around you； baron； and then tell me is it
not beautiful here； and have I not reason to be proud of what I have
called here into being？〃
While thus speaking； the queen advanced with eager； flying steps to
the exquisite beds of flowers which beautifully variegated the
surface of the English garden。
It was in very truth the creation of the queen； this English garden；
and it formed a striking contrast to the solemn； stately hedges； the
straight alleys； the regular flower beds； the carefully walled pools
and brooks； which were habitual in the gardens of Versailles and
Trianon。 In the English garden every thing was cosy and natural。 The
waters foamed here； and there they gathered themselves together and
stood still； here and there were plants which grew just where the
wind had scattered the seed。 Hundreds of the finest treeswillows；
American oaks； acacias； firsthrew their shade abroad； and wrought
a rich diversity in the colors of the foliage。 The soil here rose
into gentle hillocks； and there sank in depressions and natural
gorges。 All things seemed without order or system； and where art had
done its work； there seemed to be the mere hand of free； unfettered
Nature。
The farther the queen advanced with her companion into the garden；
the more glowing became her countenance； and the more her eyes
beamed with their accustomed fire。
〃Is it not beautiful here？〃 asked she； of the baron； who was walking
silently by her side。
〃It is beautiful wherever your majesty is；〃 answered he； with an
almost too tender tone。 But the queen did not notice it。 Her heart
was filled with an artless joy； she listened with suspended breath
to the trilling song of the birds； warbling their glad hymns of
praise out from the thickets of verdure。 How could she have any
thought of the idle suggestions of the voice of the baron； who had
been chosen as her companion because of his forty…five years； and of
his hair being tinged with gray？
〃It seems to me； baron；〃 she said； with a charming laugh； while
looking at a bird which； its song just ended； soared from the bushes
to the heavens〃 it seems to me as if Nature wanted to send me a
greeting； and deputed this bird to bring it to me。 Ah；〃 she went on
to say； with quickly clouded brow； 〃it is really needful that I
should at times hear the friendly notes and the sweet melodies of
such a genuine welcome。 I have suffered a great deal today； baron；
and the welcome of this bird of Trianon was the balm of many a wound
that I have received since yesterday。〃
〃Your majesty was in Paris？〃 asked Besenval； hesitatingly； and with
a searching glance of his cunning； dark eyes； directed to the sad
countenance of Marie Antoinette。
〃I was in Paris；〃 answered she； with a flush of joy； 〃and the good
Parisians welcomed the wife of the king and the mother of the
children of France with a storm of enthusiasm。〃
〃No； madame；〃 replied the baron； reddening； 〃they welcomed with a
storm of enthusiasm the most beautiful lady of France； the adored
queen； the mother of all poor and suffering ones。〃
〃And yet there was a dissonant note which mingled with