now she will tread the Church under foot also。〃
〃Be still！〃 was the cry on all sides。 〃The carbineers and gendarmes
are coming。 Be still； Marat； be still！ You must not be arrested。 We
do not want all our friends to be taken to the Bastile。〃
And really just at that instant； at the entrance of the street that
led to the square on the side of the Tuileries； appeared a division
of carbineers； advancing at great speed。
Marat jumped with the speed of a cat down from the huge form of the
brewer。 The crowd opened and made way for him； and before the
carbineers had approached； Marat had disappeared。
With this day began the investigations respecting the necklace which
Messrs。 Bohmer and Bassenge had wanted to sell the queen through the
agency of Cardinal Bohan。 The latter was still a prisoner in the
Bastile。 He was treated with all the respect due to his rank。 He had
a whole suite of apartments assigned to him； he was allowed to
retain the service of both his chamberlains； and at times was
permitted to see and converse with his relatives； although； it is
true； in the presence of the governor of the Bastile。 But Foulon was
a very pious Catholic； and kept a respectful distance from the lord
cardinal； who never failed on such occasions to give him his
blessing。 In the many hearings which the cardinal had to undergo；
the president of the committee of investigation treated him with
extreme consideration； and if the cardinal felt himself wearied； the
sitting was postponed till another day。 Moreover； at these hearings
the defender of the cardinal could take part； in order to summon
those witnesses or accused persons who could contribute to the
release of the cardinal； and show that he had been the victim of a
deeply…laid plot； and had committed no other wrong than that of
being too zealous in the service of the queen。
News spread abroad of numerous arrests occurring in Paris。 It had
been known from the royal decree that the Countess Lamotte…Valois
had likewise been arrested and imprisoned in the Bastile； but people
were anxious to learn decisively whether Count Cagliostro； the
wonder…doctor； had been seized。 The story ran that a young woman in
Brussels； who had been involved in the affair； and who had an
extraordinary resemblance to the Queen Marie Antoinette； had been
arrested； and brought to Paris for confinement in the Bastile。
All Paris； all France watched this contest with eager interest；
which； after many months； was still far from a conclusion； and
respecting which so much could be said。
The friends of the queen asserted that her majesty was completely
innocent； that she had never spoken to the Countess Lamotte…Valois；
and only once through her chamberlain。 Weber had never sent her any
assistance。 But these friends of the queen were not numerous； and
their number diminished every day。
The king had seen the necessity of making great reductions in the
cost of maintaining his establishment； and in the government of the
realm。 France had had during the last years poor harvests。 The
people were suffering from a want of the bare necessities of life。
The taxes could not be collected。 A reform must be introduced； and
those who before had rejoiced in a superfluity of royal gifts had to
be contented with a diminution of them。
It had been the queen who allowed the tokens of royal favor to pour
upon her friends； her companions in Trianon； like a golden rain。 She
had at the outset done this out of a hearty love for them。 It was so
sweet to cause those to rejoice whom she loved； so pleasant to see
that charming smile upon the countenance of the Duchess de Polignac…
…that smile which only appeared when she had succeeded in making
others happy。 For herself the duchess never asked a favor； her royal
friend could only； after a long struggle and threatening her with
her displeasure； induce her to take the gifts which were offered out
of a really loving heart。
But behind the Duchess Diana stood her brother and sister…in…law；
the Duke and Duchess de Polignac； who were ambitious； proud； and
avaricious； behind the Duchess Diana stood the three favorites of
the royal society in Trianon Lords Vaudreuil； Besenval； D'Adhemar…
…who desired embassies； ministerial posts； orders； and other tokens
of honor。
Diana de Polignac was the channel through whom all these addressed
themselves to the queen； she was the loved friend who asked whether
the queen could not grant their demands。 Louis granted all the
requests to the queen； and Marie Antoinette then went to her loved
friend Diana； in order to gratify her wishes； to receive a kiss； and
to be rewarded with a smile。
The great noble families saw with envy and displeasure this
supremacy of the Polignacs and the favorites of Trianon。 They
withdrew from the court； gave the 〃Queen of Trianon〃 over to her
special friends and their citizen pleasures and sports； which； as
they asserted； were not becoming to the great nobility。 They gave
the king over to his wife who ruled through him； and who； in turn；
was governed by the Polignacs and the other favorites。 To them and
to their friends belonged all places； all honors； to them all
applied who wanted to gain any thing for the court； and even they
who wanted to get justice done them。 Around the royal pair there was
nothing but intrigues； cabals； envy； and hostility。 Every one wanted
to be first in the favor of the queen； in order to gain influence
and consideration； every one wanted to cast suspicion on the one who
was next to him； in order to supplant him in the favor of Marie
Antoinette。
The fair days of fortune and peace； of which the queen dreamed in
her charming country home； thinking that her realizations were met
when the sun had scarcely risen upon them； were gone。 Trianon was
still there； and the happy peasant…girl of Trianon had been
unchanged in heart； but those to whom she had given her heart； those
who had joined in her harmless amusement in her village there； were
changed！ They had cast aside the idyllic masks with which the good…
natured and confiding queen had deceived herself。 They were no
longer friends； no longer devoted servants； they were mere place…
hunters； intriguers； flatterers； not acting out of love； but out of
selfishness。
Yet the queen would not believe this； she continued to be the tender
friend of her friends； trusted them； depended upon their love； was
happy in their neighborhood； and let herself be led by them just as
the king let himself be led by her。
They set ministers aside； appointed new ones； placed their favorites
in places of power； and drove their opponents into obscurity。
But there came a day when the queen began to see that she was not
the ruler but the ruled；when she saw that she was not acting out
her own will； but was tyrannized over by those who had been made
powerful through her favor。
〃I have been compelled to take part in political affairs；〃 said she；
〃because the king； in his noble； good…humored way； has too little
confidence in himself； and； out of his self…distrust； lets himself
be controlled by the opinions of others。 And so it is best that I
should be his first confidante； and that he should take me to be his
chief adviser； for his interests are mine； and these children are
mine； and surely no one can speak more truly and honestly to the
King of France than his queen； his wife； the mother of his children！
And so if the king is not perfectly independent； and feels himself
too weak to stand alone； and independently to exert power； he ought
to rest on me； I will bear a part in his government； his business；
that at any rate they who control be not my opponents； my enemies！〃
For a while she yielded to her friends and favorites who wanted to
stand in the same relation to the queen that she did to the king
she yielded； not like Louis； from weakness； but from the very power
of her love for them。
She yielded at the time when Diana de Polignac； urged by her
brother…in…law； Polignac； and by Lord Besenval； conjured the queen
to nominate Lord Calonne to be general comptroller of the finances。
She yielded； and Calonne； the flatterer； the courtier of Polignac；
received the important appointment； although Marie Antoinette
experienced twinges of conscience for it； and did not trust the man
whom she herself advanced to this high place。 Public opinion；
meanwhile； gave out that Lord Calonne was a favorite of the queen；
and； while she bore him no special favor； and considered his
appointment as a misfortune to France； she who herself promoted him
became the object of public indignation。
Meanwhile the nomination of Lord Calonne was to be productive of
real good。 It gave rise to the publication of a host of libels and
pamphlets which discussed the financial condition of France； and； in
biting and scornful words； in the language of sadness and despair；
developed the need and the misfortune of the land。 The king gave the
chief minister of police strict injunctions to send him all these
ephemeral publications。 He wanted to read them all； wanted to find
the kernel of wheat which each contained； and； from his enemies； who
assuredly would not flatter； he wanted to learn how to be a good
king。 And the first of his cares he saw to be a frugal king； and to
limit his household expenses。
This time he acted independently； he asked no one's counsel； not
even the queen's。 As his own unconstrained act； he ordered a
diminution of the court luxury； and a limitation of the great
pensions which were paid to favorites。 The great stable of the king
must be reduced； the chief directorship of the post bureau must be
abolished； the high salary of the governess of the royal children as
well as that of the maid of honor of Madame Elizabeth； sister of the
king； must be reduced。
And who were the ones affected by this？ Chiefly the Polignac family。
The Duke de Polignac was director of the royal mews； and next to him
the Duke de Coigny。 The Duke de Polignac was also chief director of
the post department。 His wife； Diana de Polignac； was also maid of
honor to Madame Elizabeth； and Julia de Polignac was governess of
the children of Prance。
They would not believe it； they held it impossible that