You must know, Campan, that the king has
promised to spend every afternoon of a whole week with me at
Trianon, and that there we are going to enjoy life, nature, and
solitude. So, for a whole week, the king will only be king in the
forenoon, and in the afternoon a respectable miller in the village
Trianon. Now, is not that a merry thought, Campan? And do you not
see that I cannot go to Trianon in any other than a light white
dress?"
"Yes, your majesty, I understand; but I was only thinking that the
trades-people of Lyons had just presented a paper to your majesty,
in which they complain of the decadence of the silk manufacture,
explaining it on the ground that your majesty has a preference for
white clothing, and stating that all the ladies feel obliged to
follow the example of their queen, and lay their silk robes aside."
"And do you know, too," asked Marie Antoinette, "that Madame
Adelaide has herself supported this ridiculous paper of the Lyonnese
merchants, giving out that I wear white percale because I want to do
my brother, the Emperor Joseph, a service, and so ordered these
white goods from the Netherlands? Ah, let us leave these follies of
the wicked and the stupid. They shall not prevent my wearing white
clothes and being happy in Trianon. Give me a white dress quickly,
Campan.
Pages:
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63