He was an extremely clever boy and would talk so wisely that it seemed incredible in one so young; but as I watched his deformity become more pronounced with the weeks I wept for him. He could not play as his little brother did, but would sit with his dog Moufflet always beside him, for all the children had inherited from me a love of dogs.
My husband mourned with me for the loss of our little daughter and the poor state of our Dauphin’s health. I’m sure he was more disturbed on that score than by Calonne’s suggestions to call together certain members of the nobility and clergy—the Notables—that they might give their advice as to how the country could be extricated from the alarming position into which it was falling.
Calonne’s idea was to abolish privilege and levy taxes equally. It was an idea which needed the most solemn examination.
“Only an Assembly of Notables could fulfill it.”
My husband was alarmed. He knew that the calling together of this assembly was a direct blow at the power of the Monarchy; but Calonne pointed out that the great Henri Quatre had made use of it. Vergennes was against the idea and for a time Louis wavered between his ministers, and then the alarming state of the exchequer decided him to come down in favour of Calonne’s suggestion. This assembly would consist of seven Princes of the Blood, fourteen Archbishops and Bishops, thirty-six Dukes and Peers, twelve Councillors of State, thirty-eight Magistrates, twelve Deputies of State and twenty-five Municipal Officers of large towns, and was meant to be a cross section of the people who could be most use in advising the King and Parlement.
Once he had made the decision to call the Assembly of Notables Louis was pleased.
He told me on the morning of the 30th of December, I have not slept a wink but wakefulness was due to joy. “
Poor Louis I What little grasp he had of the true state of affairs.
How he believed that everyone was of the same disinterested outlook as himself!
He went on: “The maxim of our kings has been: ” As wUleth the King so willeth the law. ” Mine shall be: ” As willeth the happiness of the people, so willeth the King”.”
He was happier than he had been since the death of Sophie Beatrix, believing that this measure would solve our problems. La Fayette, recently returned from America, was firmly in favour of the summoning of the Notables and the abolition of privilege. He had come back with ideas of a new liberty, preaching liberty. And in the Palais Royale, the domain of our old enemy the Due d’Orleans, meetings were held in the gardens at which further abolitions were talked of. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity were discussed. Frenchmen had helped to fight for these across the sea, so why not in France?
It was hardly likely that the Notables should succeed. Were the nobility of France going to agree to pay taxes? Were they going to take on a greater share of the country’s finances? The Notables were impotent. It was said that they were not in a position to impose taxes. The only assembly which could do that was a States-General.
That was the first whisper of those words. The Notables were a failure. In the streets they were using the Anglo-French ride of NotAbles. This assembly could only resign, and was a sign for the downfall of Calonne, who had been responsible for calling it.
The people were demanding the recall of Necker.
Who to replace Calonne? The Abbe Vermond was at my elbow. His friend Lomenie de Brienne, Archbishop of Toulouse, was the man for the task.
He was certain of it. I always wanted to please my friends and Vermond had been close to me since my arrival in France -and even before therefore I longed to make this appointment. The King did not wish for it; everyone was against it; he wavered; but I persisted and eventually he gave way.
Now I was caught up in state affairs. Lomenie de Brienne was not the man for the job; in fact the Pariement was against him and everything he suggested was opposed. The very fact that I had helped to make his appointment set them against him; and when in a futile effort to please me he brought forward the proposal that I should have a place at the meetings of the council and so have a say in the actual government of the country the result was naturally to make me more unpopular than ever.
In the streets the people were shouting: “Shall we be governed by Madame Deficit? Never.” They paraded with placards on which were crude drawings of me always wearing the necklace, always inscribed “Madame Deficit.”
In the Palais Royale opinion against me was steadily whipped up; at Bellevue, which Louis had given to the aunts, my wickedness and depravity were talked of and fresh stories the more fantastic the better were concocted.
“It is the Queen! was the cry.
“The Queen who is responsible for the woes of our country. Who else but the chief character in the case of the Diamond Necklace, who but the Austrian Woman, Madame Deficit.”
Brienne had no new ideas. I was fast realising that I had been wrong to ask for his appointment. He could only think of borrowing, and wanted to float new loans. The Parlement disagreed with his propositions, and the King, in a rare moment of decision, decided to support the minister. I command you to carry out the orders of Monsieur de Brienne,” cried Louis.
Orleans was on his feet reminding the King that what he had said was illegal.
Knowing that Orleans was a danger, having some notion of the nightly gatherings in the Palais Royale, Louis for once was stem, and banished Orleans to his estates at VillersCotteret.
Now there was a division between the King and the Parlement; and all the Pariements of the country stood firmly behind the Parlement of Paris.
“Brienne must go,” was the cry not only in the capital but throughout the country. There was rioting in several towns; people were demanding the recall of Necker, and he could only come back if Brienne was dismissed.
The cry went up: “The country needs the States-General I’
Madame Louise, the youngest of the aunts, died at that time. I think of her now as one of the lucky ones who did not live too long, as most of us did.
She had died in her convent sure of her place in Heaven, for as she passed away she cried in her delirium as though TO her coachman: “To Paradise, quick. Full speed ahead.”
I think she must have been the happiest of the aunts, removed from the stresses which had become so much a part of our lives.
I was spending more and more time at the Trianon, walking in the gardens, talking to my peasants at the Hameau. I felt so strongly the need to escape. I kept the children with me—my two healthy ones and my Dauphin, who was growing visibly thinner every day.
Rose Benin came with new patterns. She had an exquisite silk—and also the most delightful satin I had ever seen.
“Everything is changed now,” I told her.
“I have many dresses in my wardrobe. They must suffice.”
She looked at me incredulously, and then smiled her roguish familiar smile.
“Wait until Your Majesty sees the new blue velvet.”
I have no wish to see it,” I replied. I shall not be sending for you so often now.”
She laughed and called to one of her women to unroll the velvet, but I turned away and walked to the window.
She was angry; I saw that, as she left the apartment;
her cheeks were pink and her eyes were half-closed. I wondered why I had ever liked the woman; and I was to wonder still more when I understood that she, growing more and more angry when she realised I really meant that I should not send for her, discussed my follies and extravagances with her customers and even went into the market places to do so.
I really had no desire for new dresses. I had changed. I must set a good example. I must cut down my expenses. I told the Due de Polignac that I should have to relieve him of his post of Master of my Horse.