“Iconjureyou，queen，foryourownsake，foryourhusband’s，foryourchildren’s，changeyourcourse；takeanewdirection；leavethepathofdangeronwhichyouarehasteningtoirretrievabledestruction。“
Thecountenanceofthequeen，beforesopleasantandanimated，nowdarkened。Hersmilegavewaytoadeepearnestness；sheraisedherheadproudlyandputonaroyalbearing。
“Madame，“saidshe，“uptothistimeIhavebeeninclinedtomeetyourbitingphilippicswiththequietindifferencewhichinnocencegives，andtoremainmindfulofthereverenceduetoage，andnottoforgettheharsheyeswithwhichtheagedalwayslookuponthedeedsofyouth。Butyoucompelmetotakethemattermoreearnestlytoheart，foryoujointomynamethatofmyhusbandandmychildren，andsoyouappealtomyheartofhearts。Now，then，tellme，madame，whatyouhavetobringagainstme。“
“Yourboundlessfrivolity，yourculpableshort-sightedness，yourfoolishpleasures，yourextravagance，yourloveoffinery，yourmixingwithpolitics，yourexcessivejovialness，yourentertainments，your——“
MarieAntoinetteinterruptedthisseriesofchargeswithloud，merrylaughter，whichmoreenragedtheprincessthanthemoststingingwordswouldhavedone。
“Yes，“shecontinued，“youarefrivolous，foryousupposethelifeofaqueenisoneclearsummer’sday，tobedevotedtonothingbutsingingandlaughing。Youareshort-sighted，foryoudonotseethattheflowersofthissummer’sdayinwhichyourejoice，onlybloomaboveanabyssintowhichyou，withyourwantondancing，areabouttoplunge。Youindulgeinfoolishpleasures，insteadof，asbecomesaQueenofFrance，passingyourlifeinseclusion，indevoutmeditation，intheexerciseofbeneficence，inpiousdeeds。Youareaspendthrift，foryougivetheincomeofFrancetoyourfavorites，tothisPolignacfamily，whichithasbeenreckonedreceivesaloneatwentiethpartofthewholeincomeofthestate；tothesegraciouslordsandladiesofyourso-called’society，’supportingthemintheirfrivolity，allowingthemtomakegoldengainoutofyou。Youarealoveroffinery，notholdingitbeneathyourdignitytospendwholehourswithapoormilliner；allowingamantodressyourhair，andafterwardtogointothetoiletchambersoftheParisiandames，thattheirhairmaybedressedbythesamehandswhichhavearrangedthehairofaqueen，andtoimitatethecoiffurewhichtheQueenofFrancewears。Andwhatkindofacoiffureisthatwhich，inventedbyaqueen，isbaptizedwithafantasticname，andcarriedthroughParis，France，andallEurope？“
“But，“saidMarieAntoinette，withcomicalpathos，“thesecoiffureshave，someofthem，horridnames。Wehave，forexample，the’hog’sbristlescoiffure，’the’flea-bitecoiffure，’the’dyingdog，’the’flameoflove，’’modesty’scap，’a——“
“Aqueen’slevee，“interruptedtheprincess；“alove’snestofMarieAntoinette。Yes，wehavecometothatpassthatthefashionsarenamedafterthequeen，andallacquireacertainfrivolouscharacter，sothatallthemenandallthehonorablewomenofParisareindespairbecausethethoughtsoftheirdaughters，infectedwiththemillinerytastesofthequeenandthecourt，shunallnoblethoughts，andonlybusythemselveswithmereaffairsoftaste。I
haveshownyou，andyouwillnotbeabletodenyit，madame，thatthisdeclineinmanners，whichhasbeenengenderedbythisloveoffinery，proceedsfromyou，andfromyoualone；thatnotonlyyourloveoffineryistoblame，butalsoyourcoquetry，yourjoviality，andtheseunheard-ofindescribableorgiestowhichtheQueenofFrancesurrendersherself，andtowhichsheevenalluresherownhusband，theKingofFrance，theoldestsonoftheChurch。“
“Whatdoesyourhighnessmean？“askedthequeen。
“Ofwhatentertainmentsareyouspeaking？“
“IamspeakingoftheentertainmentswhicharecelebratedinTrianon，totheperversionofallusageandallgoodmanners。Ofthoseorgiesinwhichthequeentransformsherselfintoashepherdess，andpermitstheladiesofhercourt，whooughttoappearbeforeherwithbendedkneeandwithdowncasteyes，toclothethemselveslikeher，andtoputonthesamebearingasthequeen’s!
Ispeakofthoseorgieswheretheking，enchantedbythecharmsofhiswife，andalluredbyhercoquetry，sofarforgetshisroyalrankaseventotakeparthimselfinthisstupidfrivolity，andtobearashareinthistrivialmasquerading。Andthisqueen，whoseloudlaughterfillsthegrovesofTrianon，andwhosometimesfindsherpleasureinimitatingthelowingofcowsorthebleatingofgoats——
thisqueenwillafterwardputonthebearingofastatesman，andwill，withthosehandswhichhavejustgotthrougharrangingan’allegoricalhead-dress，’dipintothemachineryofstate，interruptingthearrangementsofherentertainmentstobusyherselfwithpolitics，tosetasideold，cherishedministers，tobringherfriendsandfavoritesintotheirplaces，andtomakethekingthemereexecutorofherwill。“
“Madame，“saidthequeen，asglowingwithangerandwitheyesofflamesherosefromherseat——“madame，thisisgoingtoofar，thisoverstepstheboundsthateveryone，eventheprincessesoftheroyalhouse，owetotheirsovereign。Ihaveallowedyoutosubjecttoyourbitingcriticismmyouterlife，mypleasures，andmydress，butIdonotallowyoutotakeinhandmyinnerlife——myrelationstomyhusbandandmypersonalhonor。Youpresumetospeakofmyfavorites。Idemandofyoutonamethem，andifyoucanshowthatthereisonemantowhomIshowanyotherfavorthanagraciousqueenmayshowtoaservant，asubjectwhomshecanhonorandtrust，Idesirethatyouwouldgivehisnametotheking，andthatacloseinvestigationbemadeintothecase。Ihavefriends；yes，thankHeaven!Ihavefriendswhoprizemehighly，andwhoareeveryhourpreparedtogivetheirlifefortheirqueen。Ihavetrueandfaithfulservants；butnoonewillappearandgiveevidencethatMarieAntoinettehaseverhadanillicitlover。Myonlyloverhasbeentheking，myhusband，andIhopebeforeGodthathewillalwaysremainso，solongasIlive。Butthisisexactlywhatthenobleprincessesmyaunts，whattheCountdeProvence，andthewholepartyoftheoldcourt，neverwillforgivemefor。Ihavehadthegoodfortunetowintheloveofmyhusband。Theking，despiteallcalumniesandallintrigues，loweredhisglancetothepooryoungwomanwhostoodsolitarynearhim，andwhomhehadbeentaughttoprizelightlyandtodespise，andthenhefoundthatshewasnotsosimple，stupid，andugly，asshehadbeenpainted。Hebegantotakesomenoticeofher，andthen，Godbethanked，heoverlookedthefactthatshewasofAustrianblood，andthatthepolicyofhispredecessorhadurgedheruponhim；hisheartwarmedtoherinlove，andMarieAntoinettereceivedthisloveasagraciousgiftofGod，asthehappinessofherlife。Yes，madame，Imaysayitwithprideandjoy，thekinglovesme，hetrustsme，andthereforehiswifestandsnearertohimthanevenhisexaltedaunts，andIamtheonewhomhemosttrustsandwhomheselectstobehischiefadviser。Butthisisjusttheoffencewhichwillneverbeforgivenme：ithasfallentomylottotakefrommyenemiesandopponentstheirinfluenceovermyhusband。ThetimehasgonebywhenMadameAdelaidecouldgainanattentiveearwhenshecametotheking，andinherpassionateragechargedmewithunheardofcrimes，whichhadnobasisexceptingthatinsomelittlemattersIhadloosenedtheancientchainsofetiquette；thetimeispastwhenMadameLouisecouldpresumetodrivemewithherflashingangerfromherpiouscellandmakemekneelinthedust；andwhenitwaspermittedtotheCountdelaMorchtoaccusethequeenbeforethekingofhavingrisenintimetobeholdtherisingofthesunatVersailles，incompanywithherwholecourt。Thekinglovesme，andMadameAdelaideisnolongerthepoliticalcounselloroftheking；theministerswillnolongerbeappointedaccordingtoherdictate，andthegreatquestionsofthecabinetaredecidedwithoutappealingtoher!I
knowthatthisisanewoffencewhichyoulaytomycharge，andthatbyyourcalumniationsandsuspicionsyoumakemesufferthepenaltyforit。IknowthattheCountdeProvencestoopstodirectepigramsandpamphletsagainsthissister-in-law，hissovereign，andthroughtheagencyofhiscreaturestoscatterthemthroughParis。Iknowthatinhissaloonsalltheenemiesofthequeenarewelcome，andthatchargesagainstmearemadewithoutrebuke，andthattheretheweaponsareforgedwithwhichIamassailed。Buttakecarelestsomedaytheseweaponsbeturnedagainstyou!Itisyouwhoareimperillingthekingdom，andunderminingthethrone，foryoudonothesitatesettingbeforethepeopleanexamplethatnothingissacredtoyou；thatthedignityofthethronenolongerhasanexistence，butthatitmaybedeniedwithvileinsinuations，andthemostpoisonousarrowsdirectedagainstthosewhowearthecrownofSt。
Louisontheirhead。Butallyou，theaunts，thebrothersoftheking，andthewholeswarmoftheirintimatesanddependents，youareallunderminingthemonarchy，foryouforgetthattheforeigner，theAustrian，asyoucallher——thatsheisQueenofFrance，yoursovereign，yourlord，andthatyouarenothingbetterthanhersubjects。Youarecriminals，youarehightraitors!“
“Madame，“criedthePrincessAdelaide，“Madame，whatlanguageisthisthat——“
“Itisthelanguageofawomaninreplytoacalumniator，thelanguageofaqueentoarebellioussubject。Madame，havethegoodnessnottoanswermeagain。Youhavecomeintothepalaceofyoursovereigntoaccuseher，andshehasansweredyouasbecomesherstation。Nowwehavenothingmoretosaytoeachother。Yourequestedahalf-hour’sprivateaudiencewithme，andthetimehasgone。Farewell，madame；mycarriagestandsready，andIgotoTrianon。Ishall，however，saynothingtothekingrespectingthenewattackwhichyouhavemadeuponme，andIpromiseyouthatI
shallforgetitandforgiveit。“
Shenoddedlightly，turnedherselfaround，and，withloftycarriageandproudself-possession，lefttheapartment。
PrincessAdelaidelookedafterherwithanexpressionofthedeepesthate，andentirelyforgetfulofherloftystation，evenraisedherhandthreateninglyinthedirectionofthedoorthroughwhichthenoblefigureofthequeenhadjustvanished。“Ishallnotforgetnorforgive，“mutteredshe。“Ishallhavemyrevengeonthisimpudentpersonwhodarestothreatenmeandeventodefyme，andwhocallsherselfmysovereign。ThisAustrian，asovereignoftheprincessroyalofFrance!Wewillshowherwherearethelimitsofherpower，andwherearethelimitsofFrance!SheshallgobacktoAustria；wewanthernot，thisAustrianwhodarestodefyus。“
ProudanderectthoughthebearingwaswithwhichthequeenleftMadameAdelaide，shehadhardlyenteredherownroomandclosedthedoorwhichseparatedherfromherenemy，whenshesankgroaninguponaseat，andafloodoftearsstreamedfromhereyes。
“Oh，Campan，Campan!whathaveIbeencompelledtohear？“criedshe，bitterly。“WithwhatexpressionshavetheyventuredtoaddresstheQueenofFrance!“MadamedeCampan，thefirstlady-in-waitingonthequeen，whohadjustthenenteredtheporcelainroom，hastenedtohermistress，and，sinkinguponherknees，pressedthefallenhandofthequeentoherlips。“Yourmajestyisweeping!“shewhisperedwithhermild，sympatheticvoice。“YourmajestyhasgiventheprincessthesatisfactionofknowingthatshehassucceededindrawingtearsfromtheQueenofFrance，andreddeningherbeautifuleyes。“
“No，Iwillnotgiveherthispleasure，“saidthequeen，quicklyraisingherselfupanddryinghereyes。“Iwillbemerry，andwhydoIweep？Shesoughttomakemesick；shesoughttowoundme，butI
havegivenbackthesickness，andthewoundswhichIhaveinflicteduponherwillnotsosoonheal。“