“No，madame，“repliedthebaron，reddening，“theywelcomedwithastormofenthusiasmthemostbeautifulladyofFrance，theadoredqueen，themotherofallpoorandsufferingones。“
“Andyettherewasadissonantnotewhichmingledwithallthesejubileetones，“saidthequeen，thoughtfully。“Whileallwereshouting，therecameonevoicewhichsoundedtomyearlikethesongofthebirdofmisfortune。Believeme，Besenval，everythingisnotasitoughttobe。Thereissomethingintheairwhichfillsmewithanxietyandfear。Icannotdriveitaway；IfeelthattheswordofDamoclesishangingovermyhead，andthatmyhandsaretooweaktoremoveit。“
“AwoetothetraitorswhohavedaredtoraisetheswordofDamoclesovertheheadofthequeen!“criedthebaron，furiously。
“Woetothem，butwoetometoo!“repliedthequeen，withgentlesadness。“IhavethismorninghadastormyinterviewwithMadameAdelaide。Itappearsthatmyenemieshaveconcoctedanewwayofattackingme，andMadameAdelaidewastheheraldtoannouncethebeginningofthetournament。“
“Didsheventuretobringanyaccusationsagainstyourmajesty？“
askedBesenval。Thequeenreplyingintheaffirmativewithanod，hewenton。“Butwhatcantheysay？Whencedotheydrawthepoisonedarrowstowoundthenoblestandtruestofhearts？“
“Theydrawthemfromtheirjealousy，fromtheirhatredagainstthehouseofAustria，fromtheragewithwhichtheylookuponthemannerinwhichthekinghasbestowedhislove。’Whatcantheysay？’Theymakeoutoflittlethingsmonstrouscrimes。Theyletapebblegrowintoagreatrock，withwhichtheystrivetosmitemedown。Oh，myfriend，Ihavesufferedagreatdealto-day，and，inordertotellyouthis，Ichoseyouasmycompanion。Idarenotcomplainbeforetheking，“MarieAntoinettewenton，whiletwotearsrolledslowlydownhercheeks，“forIwillnotbethemeansofopeningabreachinthefamily，andthekingwouldcausethemtofeelhiswrathwhohavedrawntearsfromtheeyesofhiswife。Butyouaremyfriend，Besenval，andIconfideinyourfriendshipandinyourhonor。Now，tellme，youwhoknowtheworld，andwhoaremyseniorinexperienceoflife，tellmewhetherIdowrongtoliveasIdo。Aretheking’sauntsrightinchargingituponmeasacrime，thatItakepartinthesimplejoysoflife，thatItakedelightinmyyouthandamhappy？IstheCountdeProvencerightinchargingme，aswithacrime，thatIamthechiefcounselloroftheking，andthatI
venturetogivehimmyviewsregardingpoliticalmatters？AmI
reallycondemnedtostandatanunapproachabledistancefromthepeopleandthecourt，likeabeautifulstatue？Isitdeniedtometohavefeeling，toloveandtohate，likeeverybodyelse？IstheQueenofFrancenothingbutthesacrificiallambwhichthedumbidoletiquettecarriesinitsleadenarms，andcrushesbyslowlypressingittoitself？Tellme，Besenval；speaktomelikeanhonorableanduprightman，andrememberthatGodisaboveusandhearsourwords!“
“MayGodbemywitness，“saidBesenval，solemnly。“Nothingliesnearermyheartthanthatyourmajestyhearme。Formylife，myhappiness，andmymisery，allliewrappedupintheheartofyourmajesty。No，Ianswer——no；theauntsoftheking，theoldprincesses，lookwiththebasiliskeyeofenvyfromafalsepoint。
Theyhavelivedatthecourtoftheirfather；theyhaveseenViceputonthetrappingsofVirtue；theyhaveseenShamelessnessarrayitselfinthegarmentsofInnocence，andtheynolongerretaintheirfaithinVirtueorInnocence。Thepurityofthequeenappearstothemtobeastudiedcoquetry，herunconstrainedcheerfulnesstobeculpablefrivolity。No，theCountdeProvenceisnotrightinbringingthechargeagainstthekingthatitiswronginhimtolovehiswifewiththeintensityandselfsurrenderwithwhichacitizenlovesthewifewhomhehashimselfselected。Heisnotrightinallegingitasanaccusationagainstyou，thatyouarethecounselloroftheking，andthatyouseektocontrolpoliticalaction。Yourwholeoffenceliesinthefactthatyourpoliticalviewsaredifferentfromhis，andthat，throughtheinfluencewhichyouhavegainedovertheheartoftheking，hisauntsaredrivenintothebackground。YourmajestyisanAustrian，afriendoftheDukedeChoiseul。Thatisyourwholeoffence。NowyouwouldnotbelessblameworthyintheeyesoftheseenemieswereyoutoliveinexactconformitywiththeetiquettebooksoftheQueenofFrance，coveredwiththedustofahundredyears。Yourmajestywouldthereforedoyourselfandthewholecourtaninjurywereyoutoallowyouryouth，yourbeauty，andyourinnocence，tobesubjectedtotheseoldlaws。Itwerefollytocondemnyourselftoennuiandsolitude。DoesnottheQueenofFranceenjoyarightwhichthemeanestofhersubjectspossesses，ofcollectingherownchosenfriendsaroundherandtakingherpleasurewiththem。Welive，I
know，inanageofrecklessacts；butmaytherenotbesomerecklessnessindealingwiththefolliesofetiquette？Theybringitasachargeagainstyourmajestythatyouadjurethegreatcourtcircles，andthestiffsetwithwhichtheroyalfamilyofFranceusedtomartyritself。Theysaythatbygivingupceremonyyouareunderminingtherespectwhichthepeopleoughttocherishtowardroyalty。Butwoulditnotbelaughabletothinkthattheobedienceofthepeopledependsuponthenumberofthehourswhicharoyalfamilymayspendinthesocietyoftediousandwearisomecourtiers？
No，myqueen，donotlistentothehissofthehostileserpentswhichsurroundyou。Go，courageously，yourownway——thewayofinnocence，guilelessness，andlove。“
“Ithankyou——oh，Ithankyou!“criedMarieAntoinette。“Youhaveliftedheavydoubtsfrommyheartandstrengthenedmycourage。I
thankyou!“
And，withbeamingeyesandasweetsmile，sheextendedbothherhandstothebaron。
Hepressedthemtightlywithinhisown，and，sinkinguponhisknee，drewtheroyalhandswithaglowtohislips。
“Oh，myqueen，mymistress!“hecried，passionately，“beholdatyourfeetyourmostfaithfulservant，yourmostdevotedslave。Receivefrommetheoathofmyeternaldevotionandlove。Youhavehonoredmewithyourconfidence，youhavecalledmeyourfriend。Butmysoulandmyheartglowforanothername。Speaktheword，MarieAntoinette，theword——“
Thequeendrewback，andthepalenessofdeathspreadoverhercheeks。Shehadattheoutsetlistenedwithamazement，thenwithhorrorandindignation，totheinsolentwordsofthebaron，andgraduallyhergentlefeaturesassumedafierceanddisdainfulexpression。
“Mylord，“shesaid，withthenobledignityofaqueen，“ItoldyoubeforethatGodisaboveus，andhearsourwords。Youhavespoken，wantonly，andGodhasheardyou。ToHimIleavethepunishmentofyourwantonness。Standup，mylord!thekingshallknownothingofaninsultwhichwouldhavebroughtyouintoignominywithhimforever。Butifyouever，byaglanceoragesture，recallthisbothwantonandridiculousscene，thekingshallhearallfromme!“
Andwhilethequeenpointed，withaproudanddignifiedgesture，totheplacewhichwastheirgoal，shesaid，withcommandingtone：
“Gobefore，mylord；Iwillfollowyoualone。“TheBarondeBesenval，theexperiencedcourtier，thepractisedmanoftheworld，wasundergoingwhatwasnewtohim；hefelthimselfperplexed，ashamed，andnolongermasterofhiswords。Hehadrisenfromhisknees，and，aftermakingastiffobeisancetothequeen，heturnedandwentwithaswiftstepandcrestfallenlookalongthepathwhichthequeenhadindicated。
MarieAntoinettefollowedhimwithhereyessolongasheremainedinsight，thenlookedwithalong，sadglancearoundher。
“AndsoIamaloneagain，“shewhispered，“andpoorerbyoneillusionmore。Ah，andisitthentruethatthereisnofriendshipforme；musteveryfriendbeanenvierorelsealover？Eventhisman，whomIhonoredwithmyconfidence，towardwhomIcherishedthefeelingofapupiltowardateacher，eventhismanhasdaredtoinsultme!Ah，mustmyheartencounteranewwondereveryday，andmustmyhappinessbepurchasedwithsomanypains？“
Andwithadeepcryofpainthequeendrewherhandstoherface，andweptbitterly。Allaroundwasstill。Onlyhereandtherewereheardthesongsofthebirdsinthebushes，lightanddreamy；whilethetrees，swayedbythewind，gentlywhispered，asiftheywantedtoquietthegriefofthequeen，anddryupthosetearswhichfellupontheflowers。
Allatonce，afterashortpause，thequeenletherhandsfallagain，andraisedherheadwithproudanddefiantenergy。
“Awaywithtears!“shesaid。“Whatwouldmyfriendssayweretheytoseeme？Whatbuzzingandwhisperingwouldtherebe，weretheytoseethatthegentlequeen，thealwayshappyandcarelessMarieAntoinette，hadshedtears？Oh，myGod!“shecried，raisingherlargeeyestoheaven，“Ihavetodaypaidinterestenoughformyhappiness；preserveformeatleastthecapital，andIwillcheerfullypaytheworldthehighestrates，suchasonlyamiserlyusurercandesire。“
Andwithaproudspirit，andaloftycarriage，thequeenstrodeforwardalongthepath。Thebushesbegantoletthelightthrough，andthequeenemergedfromtheEnglishgardenintothesmallplain，inwhosemidstMarieAntoinettehaderectedherArcadia，herdreamofparadise。Thequeenstoodstill，andwithacountenancewhichquicklykindledwithjoy，andwitheyeswhichbeamedwithpleasure，lookedatthelovelyviewwhichhadbeencalledintobeingbytheskillofherarchitect，HubertRobert。
Andthequeenmightwellrejoiceinthiscreation，thispoeticidyl，whicharoseoutofthesplendorofpalaceslikeavioletinthesand，andamongthevariegatedtropicalflowerswhichadornthetableofaking。Closelyadjoiningeachotherwerelittlehouseslikethoseinwhichpeasantslive，thepeasantwomenbeingtheproudladiesoftheroyalcourt。Alittlebrookbabbledbehindthehouses，andturnedwithitsfoamingtorrentthewhitewheelofthemillwhichwasattheextremityofthevillage。Nearthemill，fartheron，stoodentirelyalonealittlepeasant’shouse，especiallytastefulandelegant。Itwassurroundedbyflowerbeds，vineyards，andlaurelpaths。Theroofwascoveredwithstraw；thelittlepaneswereheldbyleadstothesashes。ItwasthehomeofMarieAntoinette。Thequeenherselfmadethedrawings，andwroughtouttheplan。Itwasherchoicethatitshouldbesmall，simple，andmodest；
thatitshouldhavenottheslightestappearanceofnewness，andthatrentsandfissuresshouldberepresentedonthewallbyartificialcontrivances，soastogivethehouseanoldlook，andanappearanceofhavingbeeninjured。Shehadlittlethoughthowspeedilytimecoulddemolishthesimplepastimesofaqueen。Closebystoodastillsmallerhouse，knownasthemilkroom。Itwasclosetothebrook。AndwhenMarieAntoinette，withherpeasantwomen，hadmilkedthecows，theyborethemilkthroughthevillageinwhitebuckets，withsilverhandles，tothemilkroom，whereitwaspouredoutintopretty，whitepansstandingontablesofwhitemarble。Ontheothersideoftheroadwasthehouseofthechiefmagistrateofthevillage，andclosebylivedtheschoolmaster。