“Hasyourmajestyinflictedanythingupontheprincess？“criedMadamedeCampan，inagitation。
“Yes，“answeredMarieAntoinette，withtriumphantjoy。“Ihavescourgedher，Ihavewoundedher，forIhavedistinctlyintimatedtoherthatIamQueenofFrance，andshemysubject。Ihavetoldher，thatwhenshedaresdirecthercalumniesagainstthequeen，sheisguiltyofhigh-treason。“
“Oh!“exclaimedMadamedeCampan，“theproudprincesswillneverpardonthat。Yourmajestyhasnowbecomeherirreconcilableenemy，andshewillleavenostoneunturnedtorevengeherselfuponyou。“
“Shemayattempttorevengeherselfuponme，“criedthequeen，whosecountenancebegantobrightenuponcemore。“Ifearneitherhernorherwholeset。Alltheirarrowswillfallpowerlessatmyfeet，fortheloveofmyhusbandandmypureconscienceformtheprotectionwhichsecuresme。Andwhatcanthesepeopleaccomplishagainstme？
Theycanslanderme，thatisall。Buttheircalumnieswill，intheend，provethatitisliestheytell，andnoonewillgivethemconfidencemore。“
“Ah!yourmajestydoesnotknowthewickednessoftheworld，“sighedCampan，sadly。“Yourmajestybelievesthatthegoodarenotcowardly，andthatthebadarenotreckless。Yourmajestydoesnotknowthatthebadhaveitintheirpowertocorruptpublicopinion；
andthatthenthegoodhavenotthecouragetomeetthiscorruptinginfluence。Butpublicopinionisamonsterthatbringsthecharge，passesjudgment，pronouncesthesentence，andinflictsthepunishmentinoneperson。Whothinkslightlyofit，arraysagainsthimselfanenemystrongerthanawholearmy，andlessopentoentreatythandeath。“
“Ah!“criedthequeen，raisingherheadproudly，“Idonotfearthisenemy。Sheshallnotdaretoattackme。Sheshallcrouchandshrinkbeforemygazeastheliondoeswhenconfrontedbytheeyeofavirgin。Iampureandblameless。Ipledgedmytrothtomyhusbandbeforehelovedme，andhowshallInowbreakit，whenhedoesloveme，andisthefatherofmydearchildren？Andnow，enoughofthesedisagreeablethingsthatwanttocasttheirvilenessuponus!Andthesunisshiningsosplendidly，andtheyarewaitingformeinTrianon!Come，Campan，come；thequeenwilltaketheformofahappywife。“
MarieAntoinettehastenedbeforeherlady-in-waiting，hurriedintohertoilet-chamberinadvanceofherlady-in-waiting，whofollowed，sighingandshakingherhead，andendeavoredwithherownhandstoloosenthestiffcorsetofherrobe，andtofreeherselffromtheimmensecrinolinewhichimprisonedhernobleform。
“Offwiththesegarmentsofstateandroyalrobes，“saidMarieAntoinette，glidingoutofthestiffapparel，andstandinginalight，whiteundergarment，withbareshouldersandarms。“Givemeawhitepercaledressandagauzemantlewithit。“
“Willyourmajestyappearagaininthissimplecostume？“askedMadamedeCampan，sighing。
“Certainly，Iwill，“criedshe；“IamgoingtoTrianon，tomymuch-
lovedcountry-house。Youmustknow，Campan，thatthekinghaspromisedtospendeveryafternoonofawholeweekwithmeatTrianon，andthattherewearegoingtoenjoylife，nature，andsolitude。So，forawholeweek，thekingwillonlybekingintheforenoon，andintheafternoonarespectablemillerinthevillageTrianon。Now，isnotthatamerrythought，Campan？AnddoyounotseethatIcannotgotoTrianoninanyotherthanalightwhitedress？“
“Yes，yourmajesty，Iunderstand；butIwasonlythinkingthatthetrades-peopleofLyonshadjustpresentedapapertoyourmajesty，inwhichtheycomplainofthedecadenceofthesilkmanufacture，explainingitonthegroundthatyourmajestyhasapreferenceforwhiteclothing，andstatingthatalltheladiesfeelobligedtofollowtheexampleoftheirqueen，andlaytheirsilkrobesaside。“
“Anddoyouknow，too，“askedMarieAntoinette，“thatMadameAdelaidehasherselfsupportedthisridiculouspaperoftheLyonnesemerchants，givingoutthatIwearwhitepercalebecauseIwanttodomybrother，theEmperorJoseph，aservice，andsoorderedthesewhitegoodsfromtheNetherlands？Ah，letusleavethesefolliesofthewickedandthestupid。TheyshallnotpreventmywearingwhiteclothesandbeinghappyinTrianon。Givemeawhitedressquickly，Campan。“
“Pardon，yourmajesty，butImust；firstsummontheladiesoftherobing-room，“answeredMadamedeCampan，turningtothedoorofthesleeping-room。
“Oh，whyallthisparade？“sighedthequeen。“CanIneverbefreefromthefettersofallthisceremony？Couldyounotyourself，Campan，putasimpledressuponme？“
“Yourmajesty，Iamonlyapoor，powerlessbeing，andIfearenmities。TheladieswouldneverforgivemeifIshouldencroachupontheirrightsandseparatethemfromtheadoredpersonofthequeen。Itistheirright，itistheirdutytodrawtherobeuponthepersonofyourmajesty，andtosecureyourshoes。Ibeg，therefore，yourgraciouspermissiontoallowtheladiestocomein。“
“Well，doitthen，“sighedthequeen。“LetmebearthefettershereinVersaillesuntilthelastmoment。IshallhavemycompensationinTrianon。BeassuredIshallhavemycompensationthere。“
Aquarterofanhourlaterthequeenwasarrayedinherchangedattire，andcameoutfromthetoilet-chamber。Thestiffcrinolinehaddisappeared；thewhalebonecorset，withthelongprojectingpoint，wascastaside；andthehighcoiffure，whichLeonardhadsoelaboratelymadeupinthemorning，wasnomoretobeseen。Awhiterobe，decoratedatthebottomwithasimplevolante，fellinbroadartisticfoldsoverhernoblefigure，whosefullproportionshadbeenconcealedbytherigidstatedress。Asimplewaistencircledherbust，andwasheldtogetherbyabluesash，whichhunginlongendsatherleftside。Broadcuffs，heldtogetherwithsimple，narrowlace，felldownasfarasthewrist，butthroughthethinmaterialcouldbeseenthefairformofherbeautifularms；andthewhitetriangleofgauzewhichshehadthrownoverhernakedneck，didnotentirelyveilthegracefullinesofherfullshouldersandhernoblebust。Herhair，deprivedofitsunnaturaldisfigurement，andalmostentirelyfreedfrompowder，archeditselfaboveherfineforeheadinalighttoupet，andfelluponhershouldersinrichbrownlocks，onwhichonlyamerebreathofpowderhadbeenblown。
Onherarmthequeencarriedagreat，round，strawhat，securedbyblueribbons，andoverherfair，whitehandsshehaddrawnglovesofblacknetting。
Thus，withbeamingcountenance，withblushingcheeks，andwithsmilescurlingaroundherfullredlips；thus，allinnocence，merriment，andcheerfulness，MarieAntoinetteenteredthesitting-
room，wheretheDuchessdePolignacwaswaitingforher，inanattirepreciselylikethatofthequeen。
Thelatterflewtotheduchesswiththequicknessofayounggirl，withthetendernessofasister，anddrewherarmwithinthatofherfriend。
“Come，Julia，“saidshe，“letusleavetheworldandenterparadise。“
“Ah，Iamafraidofparadise，“criedtheduchess，withamerrysmile。“Ihaveahorroroftheserpent。“
“Youshallfindnoserpentsthere，myJulia，“saidthequeen，drawingthearmoftheduchesstoherself。“Leanuponme，myfriend，andbepersuadedthatIwilldefendyouagainsteveryserpent，andeverylow，creepingthing。“
“Oh，Ifeartheserpentmoreformyadoredqueenthanformyself。
Whatisthereinmetoharm？Butyourmajestyisexposedoneverysidetoattack。“
“Oh，why，Julia，“sighedthequeen-“whydoyouad-dressmewiththestiff，formaltitleofmajestywhenwearealonetogether？Whydoyounotforgetforalittleetiquettewhenthereisnobodybytohearus？“
“Yourmajesty，“laughedtheduchess，“weareinVersailles，andthewallshaveears。“
“Itistrue，“criedthequeen，withquicklyrestoredmerriment，“wearehereinVersailles；thatisyourexculpation。Come，letushastentoleavethisproud，royalpalace，andgetawaytothesocietyofbeautifulNature，wheretherearenowallstohearus，butonlyGodandNature。Come，Julia。“
Shedrewtheduchessquicklyoutthroughthesidedoor，whichledtothelittlecorridor，andthencetotheadjacentstaircase，andoverthesmallcourttooneoftheminorgatesofthepalace，leadingtothepark。Thecoupeofthequeenwasstandingbeforethisdoor，andthemasterofthestoleandthelackeyswereawaitingtheapproachofthequeen。
MarieAntoinettespranglikeagazelleintothecarriage，andthenextendedherhandtotheduchesstoassisthertoascend。“Forward，forward!“criedthequeentothecoachman，“anddrivewithallhaste，asifthehorseshadwings，forIlongtofly。Forward!oh，forward!“
Fly，yesteeds，fly!BeartheQueenofFranceawayfromthestiff，proudVersailles；fromthepalacesofkings，whereeverythingbreathesofexaltation，greatness，andunapproachableness；bearhertolittle，simple，prettyTrianon，tothedreamofparadise，whereallisinnocence，simplicity，andpeace；wherethequeenmaybeawoman，andahappyone，too，andwhereMarieAntoinettehastherighttobanishetiquette，andliveinaccordancewithherinclinations，wishes，andhumors。
Yes，truly，thefierysteedshavetransformedthemselvesintobirds；
theycuttheair，theyscarcelytouchtheground，andhardlycanthedriverrestrainthemwhentheyreachthefencewhichseparatesthegardenofTrianonfromVersailles。
Lightasagazelle，happyasayounggirlthatknowsnothingofthecaresandburdensoflife，MarieAntoinettesprangoutofthecarriagebeforethechamberlainhadtimetoopenthegatewithitsdoublewings，toletthequeenpassinasaqueenought。Laughing，sheglidedthroughthelittlesidegate，whichsufficedforthemoreunpretendingvisitorofTrianon，andtookthearmofherfriendtheDuchessdePolignac，inordertoturnwithherintooneofthesidealleys。But，beforedoingso，sheturnedtothechamberlain，who，standinginarespectfulattitude，wasawaitingthecommandsofhismistress。
“Weber，“saidshetohim，inthepleasantAustriandialect，thelanguageofherearlyhome“Weber，thereisnoneedforyoutofollowus。Thedayisyours。Youarefree，asIamtoo。Meanwhile，ifyonmeethismajesty，tellhimthatIhavegonetothesmallpalace，andthat，ifitpleaseshismajesty，hemayawaitmeinmylittlevillageatthemill。