hy　I　had　seemed　so　astonished　when　she　ordered　me　to　add　to　her　dinner；　saying　that　I　ought　instantly　to　have　seen　that　she　was　giving　the　King　of　Sweden　a　lesson　for　his　presumption。　　I　owned　to　her　that　the　scene　had　appeared　to　me　so　much　in　the　bourgeois　style；　that　I　involuntarily　thought　of　the　cutlets　on　the　gridiron；　and　the　omelette；　which　in　families　in　humble　circumstances　serve　to　piece　out　short　commons。　　She　was　highly　diverted　with　my　answer；　and　repeated　it　to　the　King；　who　also　laughed　heartily　at　it。
  The　peace　with　England　satisfied　all　classes　of　society　interested　in　the　national　honour。　　The　departure　of　the　English　commissary　from　Dunkirk；　who　had　been　fixed　at　that　place　ever　since　the　shameful　peace　of　1763　as　inspector　of　our　navy；　occasioned　an　ecstasy　of　joy。
  ＇By　the　Treaty　of　Utrecht　（1713）　it　was　stipulated　that　the　　　　　　fortifications　and　port　of　Dunkirk　should　be　destroyed。　　By　the　　　　　　Treaty　of　Paris　（1763）　a　commissary　was　to　reside　at　Dunkirk　to　see　　　　　　that　no　attempt　was　made　to　break　this　treaty。　　This　stipulation　was　　　　　　revoked　by　the　Peace　of　Versailles；　in　1783。see　DYER'S　〃Modern　　　　　　Europe；〃　1st　edition；　vol。　i。；　pp。　　205…438　and　539。＇
  The　Government　communicated　to　the　Englishman　the　order　for　his　departure　before　the　treaty　was　made　public。　　But　for　that　precaution　the　populace　would　have　probably　committed　some　excess　or　other；　in　order　to　make　the　agent　of　English　power　feel　the　effects　of　the　resentment　which　had　constantly　increased　during　his　stay　at　that　port。　　Those　engaged　in　trade　were　the　only　persons　dissatisfied　with　the　treaty　of　1783。　　That　article　which　provided　for；　the　free　admission　of　English　goods　annihilated　at　one　blow　the　trade　of　Rouen　and　the　other　manufacturing　towns　throughout　the　kingdom。　　The　English　swarmed　into　Paris。　　A　considerable　number　of　them　were　presented　at　Court。　　The　Queen　paid　them　marked　attention；　doubtless　she　wished　them　to　distinguish　between　the　esteem　she　felt　for　their　noble　nation　and　the　political　views　of　the　Government　in　the　support　it　had　afforded　to　the　Americans。　　Discontent　was；　however；　manifested　at　Court　in　consequence　of　the　favour　bestowed　by　the　Queen　on　the　English　noblemen；　these　attentions　were　called　infatuations。　　This　was　illiberal；　and　the　Queen　justly　complained　of　such　absurd　jealousy。
  The　journey　to　Fontainebleau　and　the　winter　at　Paris　and　at　Court　were　extremely　brilliant。　　The　spring　brought　back　those　amusements　which　the　Queen　began　to　prefer　to　the　splendour　of　fetes。　　The　most　perfect　harmony　subsisted　between　the　King　and　Queen；　I　never　saw　but　one　cloud　between　them。　　It　was　soon　dispelled；　and　the　cause　of　it　is　perfectly　unknown　to　me。
  My　father…in…law；　whose　penetration　and　experience　I　respected　greatly；　recommended　me；　when　he　saw　me　placed　in　the　service　of　a　young　queen；　to　shun　all　kinds　of　confidence。　　〃It　procures；〃　said　he；　〃but　a　very　fleeting；　and　at　the　same　time　dangerous　sort　of　favour；　serve　with　zeal　to　the　best　of　your　judgment；　but　never　do　more　than　obey。　　Instead　of　setting　your　wits　to　work　to　discover　why　an　order　or　a　commission　which　may　appear　of　consequence　is　given　to　you；　use　them　to　prevent　the　possibility　of　your　knowing　anything　of　the　matter。〃　　I　had　occasion　to　act　on　this　wise　advice。　　One　morning　at　Trianon　I　went　into　the　Queen's　chamber；　there　were　letters　lying　upon　the　bed；　and　she　was　weeping　bitterly。　　Her　tears　and　sobs　were　occasionally　interrupted　by　exclamations　of　〃Ah！　that　I　were　dead！wretches！　monsters！　What　have　I　done　to　them？〃　　I　offered　her　orange…flower　water　and　ether。　　〃Leave　me；〃　said　she；　〃if　you　love　me；　it　would　be　better　to　kill　me　at　once。〃　　At　this　moment　she　threw　her　arm　over　my　shoulder　and　began　weeping　afresh。　I　saw　that　some　weighty　trouble　oppressed　her　heart；　and　that　she　wanted　a　confidant。　　I　suggested　sending　for　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac；　this　she　strongly　opposed。　　I　renewed　my　arguments；　and　her　opposition　grew　weaker。　　I　disengaged　myself　from　her　arms；　and　ran　to　the　antechamber；　where　I　knew　that　an　outrider　always　waited；　ready　to　mount　and　start　at　a　moment's　warning　for　Versailles。　　I　ordered　him　to　go　full　speed；　and　tell　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac　that　the　Queen　was　very　uneasy；　and　desired　to　see　her　instantly。　　The　Duchess　always　had　a　carriage　ready。　　In　less　than　ten　minutes　she　was　at　the　Queen's　door。　　I　was　the　only　person　there；　having　been　forbidden　to　send　for　the　other　women。　　Madame　de　Polignac　came　in；　the　Queen　held　out　her　arms　to　her；　the　Duchess　rushed　towards　her。　　I　heard　her　sobs　renewed　and　withdrew。
  A　quarter　of　an　hour　afterwards　the　Queen；　who　had　become　calmer；　rang　to　be　dressed。　　I　sent　her　woman　in；　she　put　on　her　gown　and　retired　to　her　boudoir　with　the　Duchess。　　Very　soon　afterwards　the　Comte　d'Artois　arrived　from　Compiegne；　where　he　had　been　with　the　King。　　He　eagerly　inquired　where　the　Queen　was；　remained　half　an　hour　with　her　and　the　Duchess；　and　on　coming　out　told　me　the　Queen　asked　for　me。　　I　found　her　seated　on　the　couch　by　the　side　of　her　friend；　her　features　had　resumed　their　usual　cheerful　and　gracious　appearance。　　She　held　out　her　hand　to　me；　and　said　to　the　Duchess；　〃I　know　I　have　made　her　so　uncomfortable　this　morning　that　I　must　set　her　poor　heart　at　ease。〃　　She　then　added；　〃You　must　have　seen；　on　some　fine　summer's　day；　a　black　cloud　suddenly　appear　and　threaten　to　pour　down　upon　the　country　and　lay　it　waste。　　The　lightest　wind　drives　it　away；　and　the　blue　sky　and　serene　weather　are　restored。　　This　is　just　the　image　of　what　has　happened　to　me　this　morning。〃　　She　afterwards　told　me　that　the　King　would　return　from　Compiegne　after　hunting　there；　and　sup　with　her；　that　I　must　send　for　her　purveyor；　to　select　with　him　from　his　bills　of　fare　all　such　dishes　as　the　King　liked　best；　that　she　would　have　no　others　served　up　in　the　evening　at　her　table；　and　that　this　was　a　mark　of　attention　that　she　wished　the　King　to　notice。　　The　Duchesse　de　Polignac　also　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　told　me　how　happy　she　was　that　she　had　been　with　the　Queen　at　a　moment　when　she　stood　in　need　of　a　friend。　　I　never　knew　what　could　have　created　in　the　Queen　so　lively　and　so　transient　an　alarm；　but　I　guessed　from　the　particular　care　she　took　respecting　the　King　that　attempts　had　been　made　to　irritate　him　against　her；　that　the　malice　of　her　enemies　had　been　promptly　discovered　and　counteracted　by　the　King's　penetration　and　attachment；　and　that　the　Comte　d'Artois　had　hastened　to　bring　her　intelligence　of　it。
  It　was；　I　think；　in　the　summer　of　1787；　during　one　of　the　Trianon　excursions；　that　the　Queen　of　Naples＇Caroline；　sister　of　Marie　Antoinette。＇　sent　the　Chevalier　de　Bressac　to　her　Majesty　on　a　secret　mission　relative　to　a　projected　marriage　between　the　Hereditary　Prince；　her　son；　and　Madame；　the　King's　daughter；　in　the　absence　of　the　lady　of　honour　he　addressed　himself　to　me。　　Although　he　said　a　great　deal　to　me　about　the　close　confidence　with　which　the　Queen　of　Naples　honoured　him；　and　about　his　letter　of　credit；　I　thought　he　had　the　air　of　an　adventurer。＇He　afterwards　spent　several　years　shut　up　in　the　Chateau　de　l'Oeuf。＇　　He　had；　indeed；　private　letters　for　the　Queen；　and　his　mission　was　not　feigned；　he　talked　to　me　very　rashly　even　before　his　admission；　and　entreated　me　to　do　all　that　lay　in　my　power　to　dispose　the　Queen's　mind　in　favour　of　his　sovereign's　wishes；　I　declined；　assuring　him　that　it　did　not　become　me　to　meddle　with　State　affairs。　He　endeavoured；　but　in　vain；　to　prove　to　me　that　the　union　contemplated　by　the　Queen　of　Naples　ought　not　to　be　looked　upon　in　that　light。
  I　procured　M。　de　Bressac　the　audience　he　desired；　but　without　suffering　myself　even　to　seem　acquainted　with　the　object　of　his　mission。　　The　Queen　told　me　what　it　was；　she　thought　him　a　person　ill…chosen　for　the　occasion；　and　yet　she　thought　that　the　Queen；　her　sister；　had　done　wisely　in　not　sending　a　man　worthy　to　be　avowed；it　being　impossible　that　what　she　solicited　should　take　place。　　I　had　an　opportunity　on　this　occasion；　as　indeed　on　many　others；　of　judging　to　what　extent　the　Queen　valued　and　loved　France　and　the　dignity　of　our　Court。　　She　then　told　me　that　Madame；　in　marrying　her　cousin；　the　Duc　d'Angouleme；　would　not　lose　her　rank　as　daughter　of　the　Queen；　and　that　her　situation　would　be　far　preferable　to　that　of　queen　of　any　other　country；　and　that　there　was　nothing　in　Europe　to　be　compared　to　the　Court　of　France；　and　that　it　would　be　necessary；　in　order　to　avoid　exposing　a　French　Princess　to　feelings　of　deep　regret；　in　case　she　should　be　married　to　a　foreign　prince；　to　take　her　from　the　palace　of　Versailles　at　seven　years　of　age；　and　send　her　immediately　to　the　Court　in　which　she　was　to　dwell；　and　that　at　twelve　would　be　too　late；　for　recollections　and　comparisons　would　ruin　the　happiness　of　all　the　rest　of　her　life。　　The　Queen　looked　upon　the　destiny　of　her　sisters　as　far　beneath　her　own；　and　frequently　mentioned　the　mortifications　inflicted　by　the　Court　of　Spain　upon　her　sister；　the　Queen　of　Naples；　and　the　necessity　she　was　under　of　imploring　the　mediation　of　the　King　of　France。
  She　showed　me　several　letters　that　she　had　received　from　the　Queen　of　Naples　relative　to　her　differences　with　the　Cour