JustthenthecarriageofthePrincessAdelaide，daughterofLouistheFifteenth，andauntofLouistheSixteenth，drovethroughthegreatgateintotheguardedvestibuleofthepalace；twooutridersrodeinadvance，twolackeysstoodonthestandbehindthecarriage，anduponthesteponeachside，apageinrichly-embroideredgarments。
Beforethemiddleportal，whichcouldonlybeusedbytheroyalfamily，andwhichhadneverbeendesecratedbytheentranceofonewhowas“lowly-born，“thecarriagecametoastandstill。Thelackeyshastenedtoopenthegate，andalady，advancedinyears，grossinform，withanirritablefacewellpittedwithpock-marks，andwearingnootherexpressionthansuperciliousprideandahaughtyindifference，dismountedwithsomedifficulty，leaningupontheshoulderofherpage，andtoiledupthestepswhichconductedtothegreatvestibule。
Therunnersprangbeforeherupthegreatstaircasecoveredwithitscarpets，andwithhislongstaffrappedonthedoorofthefirstantechamberthatledtotheapartmentsofthequeen。“MadameAdelaide!“shoutedhewithaloudvoice，andthelackeyrepeateditinthesametone，quicklyopeningthedoorofthesecondantechamber；andthewordwastakenupbythechamberlains，andrepeatedandcarriedalongwherethequeenwassitting。
MarieAntoinetteshruggedherselftogetheralittleatthisannouncement，whichinterruptedherwhileengagedincharmingunrestrainedconversationwiththeDuchessdePolignac，andashadowflittedacrossherloftybrow。
Withfieryquicknesssheflungherarmsaroundtheneckofherfriend，andpressedakissuponherlips。“Farewell，Julia；MadameAdelaideiscoming：thatisjustthesameasirritationandannoyance。Shemaynotbeartheleastsuspicionofthisuponherfineanddearly-lovedface，andjustbecausetheyarenotthere，I
musttellyou，mydearfriend，toleaveme。Butholdyourselfinreadiness，afterMadameAnnoyancehasleftme，toridewithmetoTrianon。Thequeenmustremainherehalfanhourstill，butshewillberewardedforit，forMarieAntoinettewillafterwardgowithherJuliatoTrianontospendahalfdayofpleasurewithherhusbandandfriends。“
“Andtoimparttoherfriendsaneternityofblissfulrecollections，“saidtheduchess，withacharmingsmile，pressingthehandofthequeentoherlips，andtakingherleavewithinimitablegrace，inordertopassoutthroughthelittleside-doorwhichenteredthecorridorthroughaporcelaincabinet，intendingthentovisittheroomsofthe’childrenofFrance。’
Atthesamemomentinwhichthelofty，dignifiedformoftheduchessdisappearedthroughtheside-door，bothwingsofthemainentrancewereflungopen，andthetwomaidsofhonorofthequeenadvancedtothethreshold，andmadesodeepareverencethattheirimmensepetticoatsexpandedlikeakettle。Thentheytookastepbackward，madeanotherreverencesoprofoundthattheirheads，bearingcoiffuresafootandahalfhigh，fellupontheirbreasts。
“MadameAdelaide!“theybothejaculatedaswithonevoice，slowlystraighteningthemselvesupandtakingtheirplacesatthesidesofthedoor。
Theprincessnowappeareduponthethreshold；behindher，hermaidsofhonorandmasterofceremonies，thegrand-chamberlain，thepages，andbothmastersofgrooms，standinginthegreatantechambers。
Attheappearanceofthemaidsofhonor，MarieAntoinettehadtakenherpositioninthemiddleofthechamber，andcouldnotrepressafaintsmile，aswitherectheadshenoticedtheconfusioninstantupontheprincess’simposingentrance。
MadameAdelaideadvancedsomesteps，forthequeendidnotchangeherpositionnorhastentowardherasshehadperhapsexpected；herirritatedlookincreasedstillmore，andshedidnottakeaseat。
“Icomeperhapsataninconvenientseasonforyourmajesty，“saidshe，withatartsmile。“ThequeenperhapswasjustuponthepointofgoingtoTrianon，whitherasIhear，thekinghasalreadyproceeded？“
“Hasyourhighnessheardthat？“askedthequeen，smiling。“IwonderwhatsharpearsMadameAdelaidealwayshastocatchsuchatriflingrumor，whilemyyoungeroneshavenevercaughttheleasthintoftheimportantapproachoftheprincess，andsoIamequallysurprisedanddelightedattheunexpectedappearanceofmygraciousandlovingaunt。“
Everyoneofthesewords，whichwerespokensocheerilyandwithsuchapleasantsmile，seemedtopiercetheprincessliketheprickofaneedle，andcausedhertopressherlipstogetherinjustsuchawayasifshewantedtocheckanoutcryofpainorsuppresssomehiddenrage。MarieAntoinette，whilespeakingofthesharpearswhichmadamealwayshad，hadhintedattheadvancedagenolessthanatthecuriosityoftheprincess，andhadbroughtheryoungandunburdenedearsintoveryadvantageouscontrastwiththem。
“Wouldyourmajestygrantmethefavorofaninterview？“askedMadameAdelaide，whodidnotpossessthepowerofenteringonacontestwithherexaltedniece，withsharpyetgracefulwords。
“Iampreparedwithallpleasure，“answeredthequeen，cheerfully；
“anditdependsentirelyuponmadamewhethertheaudienceshallbeprivateorpublic。“
“Ibegforahalfhourofentireprivacy，“saidMadameAdelaide，withcholer。
“Aprivateaudience，ladies!“calledthequeentohermaidsofhonor，asmotioningwithherhandshedismissedthem。Thenshedirectedhergreatbrillianteyestothedooroftheantechamber。
“Mylordgrooms，inhalfanhourIshouldliketohavemycarriagereadyforTrianon。“
Themaidsofhonorwithdrewintothegreatantechamber，andclosedthedoorsbehindthem。
ThequeenandMadameAdelaidewerealone。
“Letussit，ifitpleasesyou，“saidMarieAntoinette，motioningtheprincesstoanarm-chair，whileshetookherownplaceuponasimpleottoman。“Youhavesomethingtosaytome，andIamentirelyreadytohearyou。“
“WouldtoGod，madame，thatyouwouldnotonlyhearmywords，“saidMadameAdelaide，withasigh，“butthatyouwouldtakethemtoheartaswell!“
“Iftheydeserveit，Icertainlyshall，“saidthequeen，smiling。
“Theycertainlydodeserveit，“saidtheprincess，“forwhatIaimatinmywordsconcernsthepeace，thesecurity，thehonorofourfamily。Madame，allowmefirsttodisburdenmyselfofsomethingthathasbeencommittedtome。Mynobleandpioussister，MadameLouise，hasgivenmethisletterforyourmajesty，andinhernameIaskourroyalniecetoreadthesameatonceandinmypresence。“
Shedrewfromthegreatreticule，whichwasattachedtoherarmbyitssilkencords，asealedletter，andhandedittothequeen。
ButMarieAntoinettedidnotraiseherhandtoreceiveit，butshookherheadasifinrefusal，andyetwithsoeageramotionthatherelaboratecoiffurefairlytrembled。
“Ibegyourpardon，madame，“saidshe，earnestly，“butIcannotreceivethisletterfromtheprioressoftheCarmeliteconventatSt。Denis；foryouwellknowthatwhenMadameLouisesentmesomeyearsago，throughyourhighness，aletterwhichIread，thatI
neveragainwillreceiveandreadlettersfromtheprioress。Havethegoodness，then，totakethisbacktothesender。“
“Youknow，madame，thatthisisanaffrontdirectedagainstaprincessofFrance!“wastheemphaticreply。
“Iknow，madame，thatthatletterwhichIthenreceivedfromMadameLouisewasanaffrontdirectedbytheprincessagainsttheQueenofFrance，andIshallprotectthemajestyofmystationfromasimilaraffront。Unquestionablythisletterissimilarintonetothatone。
Thatonecontainedchargeswhichwentsofarastoinvolveopencondemnation，andcontainedproffersofcounselwhichmeantlittlelessthancalumny。[Footnote：Gondrecourt，“HistoiredeMarieAntoinette，“p。59。]Andwhatwouldthisbelikelytocontaindifferent，whichyourhighnesstakesthetroubletobringtome？“
“Well，“criedMadameAdelaide，angrily，“itspurportmaybesimilartothatoftheformerletter；for，unfortunately，thecausesarethesame，andwemaynotwonderiftheeffectsarealsothesame。“
“Ah!onecaneasilyseethatyourhighnessknowsthecontentsoftheletter，“saidMarieAntoinette，smiling，“andyouwillthereforecertainlypardonmefornotreadingit。Itwasunquestionablywritteninthepresenceofyourhighness，inthepiouscelloftheprioress。Shegaveoverforawhileherprayersforthereposeofthedepartedking，inordertobusyherselfalittlewithworldlythings，andtolistentothecalumnieswhichMadameAdelaide，ortheCountdeProvence，ortheCardinaldeKohan，orsomeotheroftheenemiesofmyperson，havesoughttohurlagainsttheQueenofFrance。“
“Calumnies!“repliedMadameAdelaide，withanangryflashinhereyes。“WouldtoGod，madame，thatitwerecalumnieswithwhichwehavetodo，andthatallthesethingswhichtroubleanddisturbuswereonlymaliciouscalumnies，andnotsoberfacts!“
“Andwillyourhighnessnothavethegoodnesstocommunicatethesefactstome？“saidthequeen，undisturbed，butsmiling，andsoonlyincreasingtheangeroftheprincess。
“Thesefactsareofsovariedkindsthatitwouldbeadifficultthingtochooseoutanyseparateonesamongthem，“criedshe，withfierytone。“Everyday，everyhourofthelifeofyourmajesty，bringsnewfactstolight。“
“Oh!“saidMarieAntoinette，“Ihadnoideathatyourhighnesshadsuchtendercareforme。“
“AndIhadnoidea，madame，thatyourfrivolitywentsofarascontinuallytowoundthelaws，thecustoms，andthehallowedorderofthings。Youdoit——youdoit，scorningeverythingestablishedwiththerandomwantonnessofachildthatplayswithfire，anddoesnotknowthatthewaveswillflareupandconsumeit。Madame，Ihavecomeheretowarnyouoncemore，andforthelasttime。“
“Godbethanked，forthelasttime!“criedthequeen，withacharmingglanceofhereyes。