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This sort of etiquette； which led our Princes to be treated in private as idols； made them in public martyrs to decorum。 Marie Antoinette found in the Chateau of Versailles a multitude of established customs which appeared to her insupportable。
The ladies…in…waiting； who were all obliged to be sworn； and to wear full Court dresses； were alone entitled to remain in the room； and to attend in conjunction with the dame d'honneur and the tirewoman。 The Queen abolished all this formality。 When her head was dressed； she curtsied to all the ladies who were in her chamber； and； followed only by her own women； went into her closet； where Mademoiselle Bertin； who could not be admitted into the chamber； used to await her。 It was in this inner closet that she produced her new and numerous dresses。 The Queen was also desirous of being served by the most fashionable hairdresser in Paris。 Now the custom which forbade all persons in inferior offices； employed by royalty； to exert their talents for the public； was no doubt intended to cut off all communication between the privacy of princes and society at large； the latter being always extremely curious respecting the most trifling particulars relative to the private life of the former。 The Queen； fearing that the taste of the hairdresser would suffer if he should discontinue the general practice of his art； ordered him to attend as usual certain ladies of the Court and of Paris； and this multiplied the opportunities of learning details respecting the household； and very often of misrepresenting them。
One of the customs most disagreeable to the Queen was that of dining every day in public。 Maria Leczinska had always submitted to this wearisome practice； Marie Antoinette followed it as long as she was Dauphiness。 The Dauphin dined with her； and each branch of the family had its public dinner daily。 The ushers suffered all decently dressed people to enter； the sight was the delight of persons from the country。 At the dinner…hour there were none to be met upon the stairs but honest folks； who； after having seen the Dauphiness take her soup； went to see the Princes eat their 'bouilli'； and then ran themselves out of breath to behold Mesdames at their dessert。
Very ancient usage； too； required that the Queens of France should appear in public surrounded only by women； even at meal…times no persons of the other sex attended to serve at table； and although the King ate publicly with the Queen； yet he himself was served by women with everything which was presented to him directly at table。 The dame d'honneur； kneeling； for her own accommodation； upon a low stool； with a napkin upon her arm； and four women in full dress； presented the plates to the King and Queen。 The dame d'honneur handed them drink。 This service had formerly been the right of the maids of honour。 The Queen； upon her accession to the throne； abolished the usage altogether。 She also freed herself from the necessity of being followed in the Palace of Versailles by two of her women in Court dresses； during those hours of the day when the ladies…in… waiting were not with her。 From that time she was accompanied only by a single valet de chambre and two footmen。 All the changes made by Marie Antoinette were of the same description； a disposition gradually to substitute the simple customs of Vienna for those of Versailles was more injurious to her than she could possibly have imagined。
When the King slept in the Queen's apartment he always rose before her； the exact hour was communicated to the head femme de chambre； who entered； preceded by a servant of the bedchamber bearing a taper； she crossed the room and unbolted the door which separated the Queen's apartment from that of the King。 She there found the first valet de chambre for the quarter； and a servant of the chamber。 They entered； opened the bed curtains on the King's side； and presented him slippers generally； as well as the dressing…gown； which he put on； of gold or silver stuff。 The first valet de chambre took down a short sword which was always laid within the railing on the King's side。 When the King slept with the Queen； this sword was brought upon the armchair appropriated to the King； and which was placed near the Queen's bed； within the gilt railing which surrounded the bed。 The first femme de chambre conducted the King to the door； bolted it again； and； leaving the Queen's chamber； did not return until the hour appointed by her Majesty the evening before。 At night the Queen went to bed before the King； the first femme de chambre remained seated at the foot of her bed until the arrival of his Majesty； in order； as in the morning； to see the King's attendants out and bolt the door after them。 The Queen awoke habitually at eight o'clock； and breakfasted at nine； frequently in bed； and sometimes after she had risen； at a table placed opposite her couch。
In order to describe the Queen's private service intelligibly； it must be recollected that service of every kind was honour； and had not any other denomination。 To do the honours of the service was to present the service to a person of superior rank； who happened to arrive at the moment it was about to be performed。 Thus； supposing the Queen asked for a glass of water； the servant of the chamber handed to the first woman a silver gilt waiter； upon which were placed a covered goblet and a small decanter； but should the lady of honour come in； the first woman was obliged to present the waiter to her； and if Madame or the Comtesse d'Artois came in at the moment； the waiter went again from the lady of honour into the hands of the Princess before it reached the Queen。 It must be observed； however； that if a princess of the blood instead of a princess of the family entered； the service went directly from the first woman to the princess of the blood； the lady of honour being excused from transferring to any but princesses of the royal family。 Nothing was presented directly to the Queen； her handkerchief or her gloves were placed upon a long salver of gold or silver gilt； which was placed as a piece of furniture of ceremony upon a side…table； and was called a gantiere。 The first woman presented to her in this manner all that she asked for； unless the tirewoman； the lady of honour； or a princess were present； and then the gradation pointed out in the instance of the glass of water was always observed。
Whether the Queen breakfasted in bed or up； those entitled to the petites entrees were equally admitted； this privilege belonged of right to her chief physician； chief surgeon； physician in ordinary； reader； closet secretary； the King's four first valets de chambre and their reversioners； and the King's chief physicians and surgeons。 There were frequently from ten to twelve persons at this first entree。 The lady of honour or the superintendent； if present； placed the breakfast equipage upon the bed； the Princesse de Lamballe frequently performed that office。
As soon as the Queen rose； the wardrobe woman was admitted to take away the pillows and prepare the bed to be made by some of the valets de chambre。 She undrew the curtains； and the bed was not generally made until the Queen was gone to mass。 Generally； excepting at St。 Cloud； where the Queen bathed in an apartment below her own； a slipper bath was rolled into her room； and her bathers brought everything that was necessary for the bath。 The Queen bathed in a large gown of English flannel buttoned down to the bottom；。 its sleeves throughout； as well as the collar； were lined with linen。 When she came out of the bath the first woman held up a cloth to conceal her entirely from the sight of her women； and then threw it over her shoulders。 The bathers wrapped her in it and dried her completely。 She then put on a long and wide open chemise； entirely trimmed with lace； and afterwards a white taffety bed… gown。 The wardrobe woman warmed the bed； the slippers were of dimity； trimmed with lace。 Thus dressed； the Queen went to bed again； and the bathers and servants of the chamber took away the bathing apparatus。 The Queen； replaced in bed； took a book or her tapestry work。 On her bathing mornings she breakfasted in the bath。 The tray was placed on the cover of the bath。 These minute details are given here only to do justice to the Queen's scrupulous modesty。 Her temperance was equally remarkable； she breakfasted on coffee or chocolate； at dinner ate nothing but white meat； drank water only； and supped on broth； a wing of a fowl； and small biscuits； which she soaked in a glass of water。
The tirewoman had under her order a principal under…tirewoman； charged with the care and preservation of all the Queen's dresses； two women to fold and press such articles as required it； two valets； and a porter of the wardrobe。 The latter brought every morning into the Queen's apartments baskets covered with taffety； containing all that she was to wear during the day； and large cloths of green taffety covering the robes and the full dresses。 The valet of the wardrobe on duty presented every morning a large book to the first femme de chambre； containing patterns of the gowns； full dresses； undresses； etc。 Every pattern was marked； to show to which sort