o　the　intimacy　of　her　Majesty　with　the　Comtesse　Jules　de　Polignac。　　This　lady　really　interested　Marie　Antoinette。　　She　was　not　rich；　and　generally　lived　upon　her　estate　at　Claye。　　The　Queen　was　astonished　at　not　having　seen　her　at　Court　earlier。　　The　confession　that　her　want　of　fortune　had　even　prevented　her　appearance　at　the　celebration　of　the　marriages　of　the　Princes　added　to　the　interest　which　she　had　inspired。
  The　Queen　was　full　of　consideration；　and　took　delight　in　counteracting　the　injustice　of　fortune。　　The　Countess　was　induced　to　come　to　Court　by　her　husband's　sister；　Madame　Diane　de　Polignac；　who　had　been　appointed　lady　of　honour　to　the　Comtesse　d'Artois。　　The　Comtesse　Jules　was　really　fond　of　a　tranquil　life；　the　impression　she　made　at　Court　affected　her　but　little；　she　felt　only　the　attachment　manifested　for　her　by　the　Queen。　I　had　occasion　to　see　her　from　the　commencement　of　her　favour　at　Court；　she　often　passed　whole　hours　with　me；　while　waiting　for　the　Queen。　　She　conversed　with　me　freely　and　ingenuously　about　the　honour；　and　at　the　same　time　the　danger；　she　saw　in　the　kindness　of　which　she　was　the　object。　　The　Queen　sought　for　the　sweets　of　friendship；　but　can　this　gratification；　so　rare　in　any　rank；　exist　between　a　Queen　and　a　subject；　when　they　are　surrounded；　moreover；　by　snares　laid　by　the　artifice　of　courtiers？　　This　pardonable　error　was　fatal　to　the　happiness　of　Marie　Antoinette。
  The　retiring　character　of　the　Comtesse　Jules；　afterwards　Duchesse　de　Polignac；　cannot　be　spoken　of　too　favourably；　but　if　her　heart　was　incapable　of　forming　ambitious　projects；　her　family　and　friends　in　her　fortune　beheld　their　own；　and　endeavoured　to　secure　the　favour　of　the　Queen。
  ＇The　Comtesse；　afterwards　Duchesse　de　Polignac；　nee　Polastron；　　　　　　Married　the　Comte　（in　1780　the　Duc）　Jules　de　Polignac；　the　father　of　　　　　　the　Prince　de　Polignac　of　Napoleon's　and　of　Charles　X。's　time。　　She　　　　　　emigrated　in　1789；　and　died　in　Vienna　in　1793。＇
  The　Comtesse　de　Diane；　sister　of　M。　de　Polignac；　and　the　Baron　de　Besenval　and　M。　de　Vaudreuil；　particular　friends　of　the　Polignac　family；　made　use　of　means；　the　success　of　which　was　infallible。　　One　of　my　friends　（Comte　de　Moustier）；　who　was　in　their　secret；　came　to　tell　me　that　Madame　de　Polignac　was　about　to　quit　Versailles　suddenly；　that　she　would　take　leave　of　the　Queen　only　in　writing；　that　the　Comtesse　Diane　and　M。　de　Vaudreuil　had　dictated　her　letter；　and　the　whole　affair　was　arranged　for　the　purpose　of　stimulating　the　attachment　of　Marie　Antoinette。　　The　next　day；　when　I　went　up　to　the　palace；　I　found　the　Queen　with　a　letter　in　her　hand；　which　she　was　reading　with　much　emotion；　it　was　the　letter　from　the　Comtesse　Jules；　the　Queen　showed　it　to　me。　The　Countess　expressed　in　it　her　grief　at　leaving　a　princess　who　had　loaded　her　with　kindness。　　The　narrowness　of　her　fortune　compelled　her　to　do　so；　but　she　was　much　more　strongly　impelled　by　the　fear　that　the　Queen's　friendship；　after　having　raised　up　dangerous　enemies　against　her；　might　abandon　her　to　their　hatred；　and　to　the　regret　of　having　lost　the　august　favour　of　which　she　was　the　object。
  This　step　produced　the　full　effect　that　had　been　expected　from　it。　　A　young　and　sensitive　queen　cannot　long　bear　the　idea　of　contradiction。　She　busied　herself　in　settling　the　Comtesse　Jules　near　her；　by　making　such　a　provision　for　her　as　should　place　her　beyond　anxiety。　　Her　character　suited　the　Queen；　she　had　merely　natural　talents；　no　pedantry；　no　affectation　of　knowledge。　　She　was　of　middle　size；　her　complexion　very　fair；　her　eyebrows　and　hair　dark　brown；　her　teeth　superb；　her　smile　enchanting；　and　her　whole　person　graceful。　　She　was　seen　almost　always　in　a　demi…toilet；　remarkable　only　for　neatness　and　good　taste。　　I　do　not　think　I　ever　once　saw　diamonds　about　her；　even　at　the　climax　of　her　fortune；　when　she　had　the　rank　of　Duchess　at　Court。
  I　have　always　believed　that　her　sincere　attachment　for　the　Queen；　as　much　as　her　love　of　simplicity；　induced　her　to　avoid　everything　that　might　cause　her　to　be　thought　a　wealthy　favourite。　　She　had　not　one　of　the　failings　which　usually　accompany　that　position。　　She　loved　the　persons　who　shared　the　Queen's　affections；　and　was　entirely　free　from　jealousy。　Marie　Antoinette　flattered　herself　that　the　Comtesse　Jules　and　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　would　be　her　especial　friends；　and　that　she　should　possess　a　society　formed　according　to　her　own　taste。　　〃I　will　receive　them　in　my　closet；　or　at　Trianon；〃　said　she；　〃I　will　enjoy　the　comforts　of　private　life；　which　exist　not　for　us；　unless　we　have　the　good　sense　to　secure　them　for　ourselves。〃　　The　happiness　the　Queen　thought　to　secure　was　destined　to　turn　to　vexation。　　All　those　courtiers　who　were　not　admitted　to　this　intimacy　became　so　many　jealous　and　vindictive　enemies。
  It　was　necessary　to　make　a　suitable　provision　for　the　Countess。　　The　place　of　first　equerry；　in　reversion　after　the　Comte　de　Tesse；　given　to　Comte　Jules　unknown　to　the　titular　holder；　displeased　the　family　of　Noailles。　　This　family　had　just　sustained　another　mortification；　the　appointment　of　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　having　in　some　degree　rendered　necessary　the　resignation　of　the　Comtesse　de　Noailles；　whose　husband　was　thereupon　made　a　marshal　of　France。　　The　Princesse　de　Lamballe；　although　she　did　not　quarrel　with　the　Queen；　was　alarmed　at　the　establishment　of　the　Comtesse　Jules　at　Court；　and　did　not　form；　as　her　Majesty　had　hoped；　a　part　of　that　intimate　society；　which　was　in　turn　composed　of　Mesdames　Jules　and　Diane　de　Polignac；　d'Andlau　and　de　Chalon；　and　Messieurs　de　Guignes；　de　Coigny；　d'Adhemar；　de　Besenval；　lieutenant…colonel　of　the　Swiss；　de　Polignac；　de　Vaudreuil；　and　de　Guiche；　the　Prince　de　Ligne　and　the　Duke　of　Dorset；　the　English　ambassador；　were　also　admitted。
  It　was　a　long　time　before　the　Comtesse　Jules　maintained　any　great　state　at　Court。　　The　Queen　contented　herself　with　giving　her　very　fine　apartments　at　the　top　of　the　marble　staircase。　　The　salary　of　first　equerry；　the　trifling　emoluments　derived　from　M。　de　Polignac's　regiment；　added　to　their　slender　patrimony；　and　perhaps　some　small　pension；　at　that　time　formed　the　whole　fortune　of　the　favourite。　　I　never　saw　the　Queen　make　her　a　present　of　value；　I　was　even　astonished　one　day　at　hearing　her　Majesty　mention；　with　pleasure；　that　the　Countess　had　gained　ten　thousand　francs　in　the　lottery。　　〃She　was　in　great　want　of　it；〃　added　the　Queen。
  Thus　the　Polignacs　were　not　settled　at　Court　in　any　degree　of　splendour　which　could　justify　complaints　from　others；　and　the　substantial　favours　bestowed　upon　that　family　were　less　envied　than　the　intimacy　between　them　and　their　proteges　and　the　Queen。　　Those　who　had　no　hope　of　entering　the　circle　of　the　Comtesse　Jules　were　made　jealous　by　the　opportunities　of　advancement　it　afforded。
  However；　at　the　time　I　speak　of；　the　society　around　the　Comtesse　Jules　was　fully　engaged　in　gratifying　the　young　Queen。　　Of　this　the　Marquis　de　Vaudreuil　was　a　conspicuous　member；　he　was　a　brilliant　man；　the　friend　and　protector　of　men　of　letters　and　celebrated　artists。
  The　Baron　de　Besenval　added　to　the　bluntness　of　the　Swiss　all　the　adroitness　of　a　French　courtier。　　His　fifty　years　and　gray　hairs　made　him　enjoy　among　women　the　confidence　inspired　by　mature　age；　although　he　had　not　given　up　the　thought　of　love　affairs。　　He　talked　of　his　native　mountains　with　enthusiasm。　　He　would　at　any　time　sing　the　〃Ranz　des　Vaches〃　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　and　was　the　best　story…teller　in　the　Comtesse　Jules's　circle。　　The　last　new　song　or　'bon　mot'　and　the　gossip　of　the　day　were　the　sole　topics　of　conversation　in　the　Queen's　parties。　Wit　was　banished　from　them。　　The　Comtesse　Diane；　more　inclined　to　literary　pursuits　than　her　sister…in…law；　one　day；　recommended　her　to　read　the　〃Iliad〃　and　〃Odyssey。〃　　The　latter　replied；　laughing；　that　she　was　perfectly　acquainted　with　the　Greek　poet；　and　said　to　prove　it：
  〃Homere　etait　aveugle　et　jouait　du　hautbois。〃
  （Homer　was　blind　and　played　on　the　hautboy。）
  ＇This　lively　repartee　of　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac　is　a　droll　　　　　　imitation　of　a　line　in　the　〃Mercure　Galant。〃　　In　the　quarrel　scene　　　　　　one　of　the　lawyers　says　to　his　brother　quill：　'Ton　pere　etait　　　　　　aveugle　et　jouait　du　hautbois。〃＇
  The　Queen　found　this　sort　of　humour　very　much　to　her　taste；　and　said　that　no　pedant　should　ever　be　her　friend。
  Before　the　Queen　fixed　her　assemblies　at　Madame　de　Polignac's；　she　occasionally　passed　the　evening　at　the　house　of　the　Duc　and　Duchesse　de　Duras；　where　a　brilliant　party　of　young　persons　met　together。　　They　introduced　a　taste　for　trifling　games；　such　as　question　and　answer；　'guerre　panpan'；　blind　man's　buff；　and　especially　a　game　called　'descampativos'。　　The　people　of　Paris；　always　criticising；　but　always　imitating　the　customs　of　the　Court；　were　infected　with　the　mania　for　these　childish　sports。　　Madame　de　Genlis；　sketching　the　follies　of　the　day　in　one　of　her　plays；　speaks　of　these　famous　'descampativos'；　and　also　of　the　rage　for　making　a　friend；　called　the　'inseparable'；　until　a　whim　or　the　slightest　difference　might　occasion　a　total　rupture。
  CHAPTER　VIII。
  The　Duc　de　Choiseul　had　reappeared　at　Court　on　the　ceremony　of　the　King's