"I know that it
is not the part of a queen to be happy, to love, to be loved, to
have friends. I know that you all, whom I have so tenderly loved,
feel yourselves more terrified than benefited; I know, that with
this confession, happiness has withdrawn from me. I look into the
future and see the dark clouds which are descending, and threatening
us with a tempest. I see all; I have no illusions more. The fair
days are all past--the sunshine of Trianon, and the fragrance of its
flowers."
"And will your majesty not go there to-day?" asked the duchess. "It
is such beautiful weather, the sun shines so splendidly, and we
shall have such a glorious sunset."
"A glorious sunset!" repeated Marie Antoinette, with a bitter smile.
"A queen is at least allowed to see the sun go down; etiquette has
not forbidden a queen to see the sun set and night approach. But the
poor creature is not allowed to see the sun rise, and rejoice in the
beauty of the dawn. I have once, since I was a queen, seen the sun
rise, and all the world cried 'Murder,' and counted it a crime, and
all France laughed at the epigrams and jests with which my friends
punished me for the crime that the queen of France, with her court,
had seen the sun rise. And now you want to allow me to see it set,
but I will not; I will not look at this sad spectacle of coming
night.
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