"
"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.
Pages:
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79