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perhaps be inclined…〃
〃Come；〃 interrupted the queen； 〃let us try it at once。〃
Quickly； and with feverish impatience； she drew her black netted
gloves from her delicate white hands； and at once took her place
next to the count； on the seat already prepared for her。
〃Will not the music be too difficult for me to play？〃 asked she；
timidly。
〃Nothing is too difficult for the Queen of France。〃
〃But there is a great deal that is too difficult for the dilettante；
Marie Antoinette；〃 sighed the queen。 〃Meanwhile； we will begin and
try it。〃
And with great facility and lightness of touch； the queen began to
play the base of the piece which had been arranged by the Count de
Vaudreuil for four hands。 But the longer she played； the more the
laughter and the unrestrained gayety disappeared from the features
of the queen。 Her noble countenance assumed an expression of deep
earnestness； her eye kindled with feeling； and the cheeks which
before had become purple…red with the exercise of playing； now paled
with deep inward emotion。
All at once； in the very midst of the grand and impassioned strains；
Marie Antoinette stopped； and； under the strength of her feeling；
rose from her seat。
〃Only Gluck can have written this！〃 cried she。 〃This is the music；
the divine music of my exalted master； my great teacher； Chevalier
Gluck。〃
〃You are right； your majesty is a great musician；〃 cried Lord
Vaudreuil； in amazement； 〃the ideal pupil of the genial maestro。
Yes； this music is Gluck's。 It is the overture to his new opera of
'Alcestes；' which he sent me from Venice to submit to your majesty。
These tones shall speak for the master； and entreat for him the
protection of the queen。〃
〃You have not addressed the queen； but my own heart；〃 said Marie
Antoinette； with gentle； deeply moved voice。 〃It was a greeting from
my home； a greeting from my teacher； who is at the same time the
greatest composer of Europe。 Oh； I am proud of calling myself his
pupil。 But Gluck needs no protection； it is much more we who need
the protection which he affords us in giving us the works of his
genius。 I thank you； count；〃 continued Marie Antoinette； turning to
Vaudreuil with a pleasant smile。
〃This is a great pleasure which you have prepared for me。 But
knowing； as I now do； that this is Gluck's music； I do not dare to
play another note； for； to injure a note of his writing； seems to me
like treason against the crown。 I will practise this piece； and then
some day we will play it to the whole court。 And now； my honored
guests； if it pleases you； we go to meet the king。 Gentlemen； let
each one choose his lady； for we do not want to go in state
procession； but by different paths。〃
All the gentlemen present rushed toward the queen； each desirous to
have the honor of waiting upon her。 Marie Antoinette thanked them
all with a pleasant smile； and took the arm of the eldest gentleman
there； the Baron de Besenval。
〃Come； baron；〃 said she； 〃I know a new path； which none of these
gentry have learned； and I am sure that we shall be the first to
reach the place where the king is。〃
Resting on the arm of the baron； she left the saloon； and passed out
of the door opposite； upon the little terrace leading to the well…
shaded park。
〃We will go through the English garden。 I have had them open a path
through the thicket； which will lead us directly to our goal； while
the others will all have to go through the Italian garden； and so
make a circuit。 But look； my lord； somebody is coming therewho is
it？〃
And the queen pointed to the tall； slim figure of a man who was just
then striding along the terrace。
〃Madame；〃 answered the baron； 〃it is the Duke de Fronac。〃
〃Alas！〃 murmured Marie Antoinette； 〃he is coming to lay new burdens
upon us； and to put us in the way of meeting more disagreeable
things。〃
〃Would it be your wish that I should dismiss him？ Do you give me
power to tell him that you extend no audience to him here？〃
〃Oh！ do not do so；〃 sighed Marie Antoinette。 〃He； too； is one of my
enemies； and we must proceed much more tenderly with our dear
enemies than with our friends。〃
Just then the Duke de Fronac ascended the last terrace； and
approached the queen with repeated bows； which she reciprocated with
an earnest look and a gentle inclination of the head。
〃Well； duke； is it I with whom the chief manager of the royal
theatres wishes to speak？〃
〃Madame；〃 answered the duke； 〃I am come to beg an audience of your
majesty。〃
〃You have it； and it is； as you see； a very imposing audience； for
we stand in the throne room of God； and the canopy of Heaven arches
over us。 Now say； duke； what brings you to me？〃
〃Your majesty； I am come to file an accusation！〃
〃And of course against me？〃 asked the queen； with a haughty smile。
The duke pretended not to hear the question； and went on： 〃I am come
to bring a charge and to claim my rights。 His majesty has had the
grace to appoint me manager…in…chief of all the royal theatres； and
to give me their supreme control。〃
〃Well； what has that to do with me？〃 asked the queen in her coldest
way。 〃 You have then your duties assigned you； to he rightfully
fulfilled； and to keep your theatres in order； as if they were
troops under your care。〃
〃But； your majesty； there is a theatre which seeks to free itself
from my direction。 And by virtue of my office and my trust I must
stringently urge you that this new theatre royal be delivered into
my charge。〃
〃I do not understand you；〃 said the queen； coolly。 〃Of what new
theatre are you speaking； and where is it？〃
〃Your majesty； it is here in Trianon。 Here operettas； comedies； and
vaudevilles are played。 The stage is furnished as all stages are； it
is a permanent stage； and I can therefore ask that it be given over
into my charge； for； I repeat it again； the king has appointed me
director of all the collective theatres royal。〃
〃But； duke；〃 answered the queen with a somewhat more pliant tone；
〃you forget one thing； and that is； that the theatre in Trianon does
not belong to the theatres of his majesty。 It is my stage； and
Trianon is my realm。 Have you not read on the placards； which are at
the entrance of Trianon； that it is the queen who gives laws here？
Do you not know that the king has given me this bit of ground that I
may enjoy my freedom here； and have a place where the Queen of
France may have a will of her own？〃
〃Your majesty；〃 answered the duke with an expression of the
profoundest deference； 〃I beg your pardon。 I did not suppose that
there was a place in France where the king is not the lord
paramount； and where his commands are not imperative。〃
〃You see； then； that you are mistaken。 Here in Trianon I am king；
and my commands are binding。〃
〃That does not prevent； your majesty； the commands of the king
having equal force；〃 replied the duke； with vehemence。 〃And even if
the Queen of France disowns these laws； yet others do not dare take
the risk of following the example of the queen。 For they remain；
wherever they are； the subjects of the king。 So even here in Trianon
I am still the obedient subject of his majesty； and his commands and
my duties are bound to be respected by me。〃
〃My lord duke；〃 cried the queen with fresh impatience； 〃you are free
never to come to Trianon。 I give you my full permission to that end；
and thus you will be relieved from the possibility of ever coming
into collision with your ever…delicate conscience and the commands
of the king。〃
〃But； your majesty； there is a theatre in Trianon！〃
〃Not this indefinite phrase； duke； there is a theatre in Trianon；
but I the queen； the princess of the royal family； and the guests I
invite； support a theatre in Trianon。 Let me say this once for all：
you cannot have the direction where we are the actors。 Besides； I
have had occasion several times to give you my views respecting
Trianon。 I have no court here。 I live here as a private person。 I am
here but a land owner； and the pleasures and enjoyments which I
provide here for myself and my friends shall never be supervised by
any one but myself alone。〃 ＇Footnote： The very words of the queen。
See Goncourt； 〃Histoire de Marie Antoinette〃＇
〃Your majesty；〃 said the duke； with a cold smile； 〃it is no single
person that supervises you； it is public opinion； and I think that
this will speak on my side。〃
The duke bowed； and； without waiting for a sign from the queen to
withdraw； he turned around and began to descend the terrace。
〃He is a shameless man！〃 muttered the queen； with pale cheeks and
flashing eyes； as she followed him with her looks。
〃He is ambitious；〃 whispered Besenval； 〃he implores your majesty in
this way； and risks his life and his office； in the hope of being
received into the court society。〃
〃No； no；〃 answered Marie Antoinette； eagerly； 〃there is nothing in
me that attracts him。 The king's aunts have set him against me； and
this is a new way which their tender care has conjured up to
irritate me； and make me sick。
Yet let us leave this； baron。 Let us forget this folly； and only
remember that we are in Trianon。 See； we are now entering my dear
English garden。 Oh； look around you； baron； and then