the　silly；　simple　fool；　Marie　Antoinette；　makes　it　an　easy　thing　for
  us。　Go　on　committing　your　childish　pranks；　which；　when　the　time
  shall　threaten　a　little；　will　justify　the　most　villanous　deeds　and
  the　most　shameless　acts；　and　I　will　keep　the　run　of　all　the　turns　of
  the　times；　and　this　fine　young　queen　cannot　desire　that　we　should
  look　at　the　world　with　such　simple　eyes　as　she　does。　Yes；　fair　Queen
  Marie　Antoinette；　thou　hast　thy　Swiss　guards；　who　fight　for　thee；
  and　thou　must　pay　them；　but　I　have　only　one　soldier　who　takes　ground
  for　me　against　thee；　and　whom　I　do　not　have　to　pay　at　all。　My
  soldier's　name　is　Calumny。　I　tell　thee；　fair　queen；　with　this　ally　I
  can　overcome　all　thy　Swiss　guards；　and　the　whole　horde　of　thy
  armies。　For；　on　the　earth　there　is　no　army　corps　that　is　so　strong
  as　Calumny。　Hurrah！　long　life　to　thee；　my　sworn　ally；　Calumny！〃
  CHAPTER　II。
  MADAME　ADELAIDE。
  Queen　Marie　Antoinette　had　returned；　after　her　Paris　ride；　to　her
  own　Versailles。　She　was　silent　the　whole　of　the　way；　and　the　Duchess
  de　Polignac　had　sought　in　vain　to　cheer　her　friend　with　light　and
  pleasant　talk；　and　drive　away　the　clouds　from　her　lofty　brow。　Marie
  Antoinette　had　only　responded　by　enforced　smiles　and　half…words；　and
  then；　settling　back　into　the　carriage；　had　gazed　with　dreamy　looks
  into　the　heavens；　whose　cheerful　blue　called　out　no　reflection　upon
  the　fair　face　of　the　queen。
  As　they　drew　into　the　great　court　of　the　palace　at　Versailles；　the
  drum…beat　of　the　Swiss　guards；　presenting　arms；　and　the　general　stir
  which　followed　the　approach　of　the　queen；　appeared　to　awaken　her
  from　her　sorrowful　thoughts；　and　she　straightened　herself　up　and
  cast　her　glances　about。　They　fell　quite　accidentally　upon　the　child
  which　was　in　the　arms　of　the　nurse　opposite；　and　which；　with　great
  wide…open　eyes；　was　looking　up　to　the　heavens；　as　its　mother　had
  done　before。
  In　the　intensity　of　her　motherly　love；　the　queen　stretched　out　her
  arms　to　the　child　and　drew　it　to　her　heart；　and　pressed　a　burning
  kiss　upon　its　lips。
  〃Ah！　my　child；　my　dear　child；〃　said　she；　softly；　〃you　have　to…day；
  for　the　first　time；　made　your　entry　into　Paris；　and　heard　the
  acclamations　of　the　people。　May　you；　so　long　as　you　live；　always　be
  the　recipient　of　kindly　greetings；　and　never　again　hear　such　words
  as　that　dreadful　man　spoke　to　us　to…day！〃
  She　pressed　the　little　Duke　of　Normandy　closely　to　her　heart；　and
  quite　forgot　that　she　was　all　this　while　in　the　carriage；　that　near
  the　open　portal　the　hostlers　and　lackeys　were　awaiting　in　a
  respectful　posture　the　dismounting　of　the　queen；　that　the　drums　were
  all　the　while　beating；　and　that　the　guards　were　standing　before　the
  gates　in　the　fixed　attitude　of　presenting　arms。
  The　Duchess　de　Polignac　ventured　to　suggest　in　softly…spoken　words
  the　necessity　of　dismounting；　and　the　queen；　with　her　little　boy　in
  her　arms；　sprang　lightly　and　spiritedly；　without　accepting　the
  assistance　of　the　master　of　the　grooms；　out　of　the　carriage；　smiling
  cheerily；　greeting　the　assembled　chamberlains　as　she　passed　by；
  hurried　into　the　palace　and　ran　up　the　great　marble　staircase。　The
  Duchess　de　Polignac　made　haste　to　follow　her；　while　the　Princess
  Therese　and　the　dauphin　were　received　by　their　dames　of　honor　and
  led　into　their　respective　apartments。　The　Norman　nurse；　shaking　her
  head；　hurried　after　the　queen；　and　the　chamberlains　and　both　the
  maids　of　honor；　shaking　their　heads；　too；　followed　her　into　the
  great　ante…chamber。　After　riding　out；　the　queen　was　in　the　habit　of
  dismissing　them　there；　but　to…day　Marie　Antoinette　had　gone　into　her
  own　suite　of　rooms　without　saying　a　word；　and　the　door　was　already
  closed。
  〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃　asked　both　the　maids　of　honor　of　the
  cavaliers；　and　received　only　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　for　reply。
  〃We　shall　have　to　wait；〃　at　last　said　the　Marchioness　de　Mailly。
  〃Perhaps　her　majesty　will　have　the　kindness　to　remember　us　and　to
  permit　us　to　withdraw。〃
  〃And　if　she　should　happen　to　forget　it；〃　answered　the　Princess　de
  Chimay；　〃we　shall　have　to　stand　here　the　whole　day；　while　the　queen
  in　Trianon　is　amusing　herself　with　the　fantastic　pastoral　plays。〃
  〃Yes；　certainly；　there　is　a　country　festival　in　Trianon　to…day；〃
  said　the　Prince　de　Castines；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　〃and　it　might
  easily　happen　that　we　should　be　forgotten；　and；　like　the
  unforgetable　wife　of　Lot；　have　to　stand　here　playing　the　ridiculous
  part　of　pillars　of　salt。〃
  〃No；　there　comes　our　deliverance；〃　whispered　the　Marchioness　de
  Mailly；　pointing　to　a　carriage　which　just　then　came　rolling　across
  the　broad　palace…square。　〃It　was　yesterday　resolved　in　secret
  council　at　the　Count　de　Provence's；　that　Madame　Adelaide　should　make
  one　more　attempt　to　bring　the　queen　to　reason；　and　make　her
  understand　what　is　becoming　and　what　is　unbecoming　to　a　Queen　of
  France。　Now　look　you；　in　accordance　with　this　resolve；　Madame
  Adelaide　is　coming　to　Versailles　to　pay　a　visit　to　her　distinguished
  niece。〃
  Just　then　the　carriage　of　the　Princess　Adelaide；　daughter　of　Louis
  the　Fifteenth；　and　aunt　of　Louis　the　Sixteenth；　drove　through　the
  great　gate　into　the　guarded　vestibule　of　the　palace；　two　outriders
  rode　in　advance；　two　lackeys　stood　on　the　stand　behind　the　carriage；
  and　upon　the　step　on　each　side；　a　page　in　richly…embroidered
  garments。
  Before　the　middle　portal；　which　could　only　be　used　by　the　royal
  family；　and　which　had　never　been　desecrated　by　the　entrance　of　one
  who　was　〃lowly…born；〃　the　carriage　came　to　a　standstill。　The　lackeys
  hastened　to　open　the　gate；　and　a　lady；　advanced　in　years；　gross　in
  form；　with　an　irritable　face　well　pitted　with　pock…marks；　and
  wearing　no　other　expression　than　supercilious　pride　and　a　haughty
  indifference；　dismounted　with　some　difficulty；　leaning　upon　the
  shoulder　of　her　page；　and　toiled　up　the　steps　which　conducted　to　the
  great　vestibule。
  The　runner　sprang　before　her　up　the　great　staircase　covered　with　its
  carpets；　and　with　his　long　staff　rapped　on　the　door　of　the　first
  antechamber　that　led　to　the　apartments　of　the　queen。　〃Madame
  Adelaide！〃　shouted　he　with　a　loud　voice；　and　the　lackey　repeated　it
  in　the　same　tone；　quickly　opening　the　door　of　the　second
  antechamber；　and　the　word　was　taken　up　by　the　chamberlains；　and
  repeated　and　carried　along　where　the　queen　was　sitting。
  Marie　Antoinette　shrugged　herself　together　a　little　at　this
  announcement；　which　interrupted　her　while　engaged　in　charming
  unrestrained　conversation　with　the　Duchess　de　Polignac；　and　a　shadow
  flitted　across　her　lofty　brow。
  With　fiery　quickness　she　flung　her　arms　around　the　neck　of　her
  friend；　and　pressed　a　kiss　upon　her　lips。　〃Farewell；　Julia；　Madame
  Adelaide　is　coming：　that　is　just　the　same　as　irritation　and
  annoyance。　She　may　not　bear　the　least　suspicion　of　this　upon　her
  fine　and　dearly…loved　face；　and　just　because　they　are　not　there；　I
  must　tell　you；　my　dear　friend；　to　leave　me。　But　hold　yourself　in
  readiness；　after　Madame　Annoyance　has　left　me；　to　ride　with　me　to
  Trianon。　The　queen　must　remain　here　half　an　hour　still；　but　she　will
  be　rewarded　for　it；　for　Marie　Antoinette　will　afterward　go　with　her
  Julia　to　Trianon　to　spend　a　half　day　of　pleasure　with　her　husband
  and　friends。〃
  〃And　to　impart　to　her　friends　an　eternity　of　blissful
  recollections；〃　said　the　duchess；　with　a　charming　smile；　pressing
  the　hand　of　the　queen　to　her　lips；　and　taking　her　leave　with
  inimitable　grace；　in　order　to　pass　out　through　the　little　side…door
  which　entered　the　corridor　through　a　porcelain　cabinet；　intending
  then　to　visit　the　rooms　of　the　'children　of　France。'
  At　the　same　moment　in　which　the　lofty；　dignified　form　of　the　duchess
  disappeared　through　the　side…door；　both　wings　of　the　main　entrance
  were　flung　open；　and　the　two　maids　of　honor　of　the　queen　advanced　to
  the　threshold；　and　made　so　deep　a　reverence　that　their　immense
  petticoats　expanded　like　a　kettle。　Then　they　took　a　step　backward；
  made　another　reverence　so　profound　that　their　heads；　bearing
  coiffures　a　foot　and　a　half　high；　fell　upon　their　breasts。
  〃Madame　Adelaide！〃　they　both　ejaculated　as　with　one　voice；　slowly
  straightening　themselves　up　and　taking　their　places　at　the　sides　of
  the　door。
  The　princess　now　appeared　upon　the　threshold；　behind　her；　her　maids
  of　honor　and　master　of　ceremonies；　the　grand…chamberlain；　the　pages；
  and　both　masters　of　grooms；　standing　in　the　great　antechambers。
  At　the　appearance　of　the　maids　of　honor；　Marie　Antoinette　had　taken
  her　position　in　the　middle　of　the　chamber；　and　could　not　repress　a
  faint　smile；　as　with　erect　head　she　noticed　the　confusion　instant
  upon　the　princess's　imposing　entrance。
  Madame　Adelaide　advanced　some　steps；　for　the　queen　did　not　change
  her　position　nor　hasten　toward　her　as　she　had　perhaps　expected；　her
  irritated　look　increased　still　more；　and　she　did　not　take　a　seat。
  〃I　come　perhaps　at　an　inconvenient　season　for　your　majesty；〃　said
  she；　with　a　tart　smile。　〃The　queen　perhaps　was　just　upon　the　point
  of　going　to　Trianon；　whither　as　I　hear；　the　king　has　already
  proceeded？〃
  〃Has　your　highness　heard　that？〃　asked　the　queen；　smiling。　〃I　wonder
  what　sharp　ears　Madame　Adelaide　always　has　to　catch　such　a　trifling