The accused and the judges
now sat on the same seats, and one would almost have suspected that
the cardinal, in his magnificent costume, with his noble, lofty
bearing, his peaceful, passionless face, and sitting in his arm-
chair, alone and separated from all others, was himself the judge of
those who, in their dark garments and troubled and oppressed
spirits, and restless mien, were sitting opposite him.
"Will your eminence have the goodness to proceed?" humbly asked the
president of the court, after a pause. The cardinal nodded as the
sign of assent, and continued his narrative.
This letter of the queen naturally filled him with great delight,
particularly as he had a personal interview with her majesty in
prospect, and he had implored the Countess Valois all the more to
procure this meeting, because, in spite of the forgiveness which the
queen had given to the cardinal, she continued on all occasions,
where he had the happiness to be in her presence, to treat him with
extreme disdain. On one Sunday, when he was reading mass before
their majesties, he took the liberty to enter the audience-room and
to address the queen. Marie Antoinette bestowed upon him only an
annihilating look of anger and scorn, and turned her back upon him,
saying, at the same time, with a loud voice, to the Duchess of
Polignac: "What a shameless act! These people believe they may do
any thing if they wear the purple.
Pages:
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141