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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 t