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〃Has your majesty inflicted anything upon the princess？〃 cried
Madame de Campan； in agitation。
〃Yes；〃 answered Marie Antoinette； with triumphant joy。 〃I have
scourged her； I have wounded her； for I have distinctly intimated to
her that I am Queen of France； and she my subject。 I have told her；
that when she dares direct her calumnies against the queen； she is
guilty of high…treason。〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Madame de Campan； 〃the proud princess will never
pardon that。 Your majesty has now become her irreconcilable enemy；
and she will leave no stone unturned to revenge herself upon you。〃
〃She may attempt to revenge herself upon me；〃 cried the queen； whose
countenance began to brighten up once more。 〃I fear neither her nor
her whole set。 All their arrows will fall powerless at my feet； for
the love of my husband and my pure conscience form the protection
which secures me。 And what can these people accomplish against me？
They can slander me； that is all。 But their calumnies will； in the
end； prove that it is lies they tell； and no one will give them
confidence more。〃
〃Ah！ your majesty does not know the wickedness of the world；〃 sighed
Campan； sadly。 〃Your majesty believes that the good are not
cowardly； and that the bad are not reckless。 Your majesty does not
know that the bad have it in their power to corrupt public opinion；
and that then the good have not the courage to meet this corrupting
influence。 But public opinion is a monster that brings the charge；
passes judgment； pronounces the sentence； and inflicts the
punishment in one person。 Who thinks lightly of it； arrays against
himself an enemy stronger than a whole army； and less open to
entreaty than death。〃
〃Ah！〃 cried the queen； raising her head proudly； 〃I do not fear this
enemy。 She shall not dare to attack me。 She shall crouch and shrink
before my gaze as the lion does when confronted by the eye of a
virgin。 I am pure and blameless。 I pledged my troth to my husband
before he loved me； and how shall I now break it； when he does love
me； and is the father of my dear children？ And now； enough of these
disagreeable things that want to cast their vileness upon us！ And
the sun is shining so splendidly； and they are waiting for me in
Trianon！ Come； Campan； come； the queen will take the form of a happy
wife。〃
Marie Antoinette hastened before her lady…in…waiting； hurried into
her toilet…chamber in advance of her lady…in…waiting； who followed；
sighing and shaking her head； and endeavored with her own hands to
loosen the stiff corset of her robe； and to free herself from the
immense crinoline which imprisoned her noble form。
〃Off with these garments of state and royal robes；〃 said Marie
Antoinette； gliding out of the stiff apparel； and standing in a
light； white undergarment； with bare shoulders and arms。 〃Give me a
white percale dress and a gauze mantle with it。〃
〃Will your majesty appear again in this simple costume？〃 asked
Madame de Campan； sighing。
〃Certainly； I will；〃 cried she； 〃I am going to Trianon； to my much…
loved country…house。 You must know； Campan； that the king has
promised to spend every afternoon of a whole week with me at
Trianon； and that there we are going to enjoy life； nature； and
solitude。 So； for a whole week； the king will only be king in the
forenoon； and in the afternoon a respectable miller in the village
Trianon。 Now； is not that a merry thought； Campan？ And do you not
see that I cannot go to Trianon in any other than a light white
dress？〃
〃Yes； your majesty； I understand； but I was only thinking that the
trades…people of Lyons had just presented a paper to your majesty；
in which they complain of the decadence of the silk manufacture；
explaining it on the ground that your majesty has a preference for
white clothing； and stating that all the ladies feel obliged to
follow the example of their queen； and lay their silk robes aside。〃
〃And do you know； too；〃 asked Marie Antoinette； 〃that Madame
Adelaide has herself supported this ridiculous paper of the Lyonnese
merchants； giving out that I wear white percale because I want to do
my brother； the Emperor Joseph； a service； and so ordered these
white goods from the Netherlands？ Ah； let us leave these follies of
the wicked and the stupid。 They shall not prevent my wearing white
clothes and being happy in Trianon。 Give me a white dress quickly；
Campan。〃
〃Pardon； your majesty； but I must； first summon the ladies of the
robing…room；〃 answered Madame de Campan； turning to the door of the
sleeping…room。
〃Oh； why all this parade？〃 sighed the queen。 〃Can I never be free
from the fetters of all this ceremony？ Could you not yourself；
Campan； put a simple dress upon me？〃
〃Your majesty； I am only a poor； powerless being； and I fear
enmities。 The ladies would never forgive me if I should encroach
upon their rights and separate them from the adored person of the
queen。 It is their right； it is their duty to draw the robe upon the
person of your majesty； and to secure your shoes。 I beg； therefore；
your gracious permission to allow the ladies to come in。〃
〃Well； do it then；〃 sighed the queen。 〃 Let me bear the fetters here
in Versailles until the last moment。 I shall have my compensation in
Trianon。 Be assured I shall have my compensation there。〃
A quarter of an hour later the queen was arrayed in her changed
attire； and came out from the toilet…chamber。 The stiff crinoline
had disappeared； the whalebone corset； with the long projecting
point； was cast aside； and the high coiffure； which Leonard had so
elaborately made up in the morning； was no more to be seen。 A white
robe； decorated at the bottom with a simple volante； fell in broad
artistic folds over her noble figure； whose full proportions had
been concealed by the rigid state dress。 A simple waist encircled
her bust； and was held together by a blue sash； which hung in long
ends at her left side。 Broad cuffs； held together with simple；
narrow lace； fell down as far as the wrist； but through the thin
material could be seen the fair form of her beautiful arms； and the
white triangle of gauze which she had thrown over her naked neck；
did not entirely veil the graceful lines of her full shoulders and
her noble bust。 Her hair； deprived of its unnatural disfigurement；
and almost entirely freed from powder； arched itself above her fine
forehead in a light toupet； and fell upon her shoulders in rich
brown locks； on which only a mere breath of powder had been blown。
On her arm the queen carried a great； round； straw hat； secured by
blue ribbons； and over her fair； white hands she had drawn gloves of
black netting。
Thus； with beaming countenance； with blushing cheeks； and with
smiles curling around her full red lips； thus； all innocence；
merriment； and cheerfulness； Marie Antoinette entered the sitting…
room； where the Duchess de Polignac was waiting for her； in an
attire precisely like that of the queen。
The latter flew to the duchess with the quickness of a young girl；
with the tenderness of a sister； and drew her arm within that of her
friend。
〃Come； Julia；〃 said she； 〃let us leave the world and enter
paradise。〃
〃Ah； I am afraid of paradise；〃 cried the duchess； with a merry
smile。 〃I have a horror of the serpent。〃
〃You shall find no serpents there； my Julia；〃 said the queen；
drawing the arm of the duchess to herself。 〃Lean upon me； my friend；
and be persuaded that I will defend you against every serpent； and
every low； creeping thing。〃
〃Oh； I fear the serpent more for my adored queen than for myself。
What is there in me to harm？ But your majesty is exposed on every
side to attack。〃
〃Oh； why； Julia；〃 sighed the queen…〃 why do you ad…dress me with the
stiff； formal title of majesty when we are alone together？ Why do
you not forget for a little etiquette when there is nobody by to
hear us？〃
〃Your majesty；〃 laughed the duchess； 〃we are in Versailles； and the
walls have ears。〃
〃It is true；〃 cried the queen； with quickly restored merriment； 〃 we
are here in Versailles； that is your exculpation。 Come； let us
hasten to leave this proud； royal palace； and get away to the
society of beautiful Nature； where there are no walls to hear us；
but only God and Nature。 Come； Julia。〃
She drew the duchess quickly out through the side door； which led to
the little corridor； and thence to the adjacent staircase； and over
the small court to one of the minor gates of the palace； leading to
the park。 The coupe of the queen was standing before this door； and
the master of the stole and the lackeys were awaiting the approach
of the queen。
Marie Antoinette sprang like a gazelle into the carriage； and then
extended her hand to the duchess to assist her to ascend。 〃Forward；
forward！〃 cried the queen to the coachman； 〃 and drive with all
haste； as if the horses had wings； for I long to fly。 Forward！ oh；
forward！〃
CHAPTER III。
TRIANON
Fly； ye steeds； fly！ Bear the Queen of France away from the stiff；
proud Versailles； from the palaces of kings； where every thing
breathes of exaltation； greatness； and unapproachableness； bear her
to little； simple； pretty Trianon； to the dream of paradise； where
all is in