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queen； there are no subjects！ You yourself have said it； and I at
least will hold to your words； even if you yourself do not。 Let us
play billiards； madame。 I am at your service。〃
And while the Duke de Coigny said this； he seized with an angry
movement the billiard…cue of the queen。 It was a present which Marie
Antoinette had received from her brother； the Emperor Joseph。 It was
made of a single rhinoceros skin； and was adorned with golden knobs。
The king had a great regard for it； and no one before had ever
ventured to use it excepting her alone。
〃Give it to me； Coigny；〃 said she； earnestly。 〃You deceive yourself；
that is not your billiard…cue； that is mine。〃
〃Madame；〃 cried he； angrily； 〃what is mine is taken from me； and why
should I not take what is not mine？ It seems as if this were the
latest fashion； to do what one pleases with the property of others；
I shall hasten to have a share in this fashion； even were it only to
show that I have learned something from your majesty。 Let us begin。〃
Trembling with anger and excitement； he took two balls； laid them in
the middle of the table； and gave the stroke。 But it was so
passionately given； and in such rage； that the cue glided by the
balls and struck so strongly against the raised rim of the table
that it broke。
The queen uttered an exclamation of indignation； and； raising the
hand； pointed with a commanding gesture to the door。
〃My Lord Duke de Coigny；〃 said she； proudly； 〃I release you from the
duty of ever coming again to Trianon。 You are dismissed。〃
The duke； trembling with anger； muttering a few unintelligible
words； made a slight； careless obeisance to the queen； and left the
billiard…hall with a quick step。＇Footnote： This scene is historical。
See 〃Memoires de Madame de Campan；〃 vol。 ii。＇
Marie Antoinette looked after him with a long and pained look。 Then；
with a deep sigh； she took up the bits of the broken cue and went
into her little porcelain cabinet； in order to gain rest and self…
command in solitude and stillness。
Reaching that place； and now sure that no one could observe her；
Marie Antoinette sank with a deep sigh into an arm…chair； and the
long…restrained tears started from her eyes。
〃Oh；〃 sighed she； sadly； 〃they will destroy every thing I have；
every thingmy confidence； my spirit； my heart itself。 They will
leave me nothing but pain and misfortune； and not one of them whom I
till now have held to be my friends； will share it with me。〃
CHAPTER VI。
THE TRIAL。
For a whole year the preparation for the trial had lasted； and to…
day； the 31st of August； 1786； the matter would be decided。 The
friends and relatives of the cardinal had had time to manipulate not
only public opinion； but also to win over the judges； the members of
Parliament； to the cause of the cardinal； and to prejudice them
against the queen。 All the enemies of Marie Antoinette； the
legitimists even； who saw their old rights of nobility encroached
upon by the preference given to the Polignacs and other families
which had sprung from obscurity； the party of the royal princes and
princesses； whom Marie Antoinette had always offended； first because
she was an Austrian； and later because she had allowed herself to
win the love of the king； the men of the agitation and freedom
party； who thundered in their clubs against the realm； and held it
to be their sacred duty to destroy the nimbus which； had hitherto
enveloped the throne； and to show to the hungering people that the
queen who lived in luxury was nothing more than a light…minded；
voluptuous woman；all these enemies of the queen had had time to
gain over public opinion and the judges。 The trial had been a
welcome opportunity to all to give free play to their revenge； their
indignation； and their hate。 The family of the cardinal； sorely
touched by the degradation which had come upon them all in their
head； would； at the least； see the queen compromised with the
cardinal； and if the latter should really come out from the trial as
the deceived and duped one； Marie Antoinette should； nevertheless；
share in the stain。
The Rohan family and their friends set therefore all means in
motion； in order to win over public opinion and the judges。 To this
end they visited the members of Parliament； brought presents to
those of them who were willing to receive them； made use of
mercenary authors to hurl libellous pamphlets at the queen；
published brochures which； in dignified language； defended the
cardinal in advance； and exhibited him as the victim of his devotion
and love to the royal family。 Everybody read these pamphlets； and
when at last the day of decision came； public opinion had already
declared itself in favor of the cardinal and against the queen。
On the 31st of August； 1786； as already said； the trial so long in
preparation was to be decided。 The night before； the cardinal had
been transferred from the Bastile to the prison； as had also the
other prisoners who were involved in the case。
At early dawn the whole square before the prison was full of men；
and the dependants of Rohan and the Agitators of Freedom； as Marat
and his companions called themselves； were active here as ever to
turn the feeling of the people against the queen。
In the court…house； on the other side of the great square；
meanwhile； the great drama of the trial had begun。 The members of
Parliament； the judges in the case； sat in their flowing black
garments； in long rows before the green table； and their serious；
sad faces and sympathetic looks were all directed toward the
cardinal； Louis de Rohan。 But in spite of the danger of the
situation； the noble face of the cardinal was completely
undisturbed； and his bearing princely。 He appeared in his full
priestly array； substituting in place of the purple…red under…
garment one of violet； as cardinals do when they appear in mourning。
Over this he wore the short red cloak； and displayed all his orders；
the red stockings； the silk shoes with jewelled buckles； completed
his array。 While entering； he raised his hands and gave his priestly
blessing to those who should judge him； and perhaps condemn him。 He
then； in simple and dignified words； spoke as follows：
A relative of his； Madame de Boulainvillier； had； three years
before； brought a young woman to him； and requested him to maintain
her。 She was of the most exalted lineage； the last in descent from
the earlier kings of France； of the family of Valois。 She called
herself the Countess of Lamotte…Valois； her husband； the Count
Lamotte； was the royal sub…lieutenant in some little garrison city；
and his salary was not able to support them except meagrely。 The
young lady was beautiful； intellectual； of noble manners； and it was
natural that the cardinal should interest himself in behalf of the
unfortunate daughter of the kings of France。 He supported her for a
while； and after many exertions succeeded in obtaining a pension of
fifteen hundred francs from King Louis XVI。； in behalf of the last
descendant of the Valois family。 Upon this the countess went herself
to Versailles； in order to render thanks in person for this favor。
She returned the next