THESE TWO WOMEN,

ONCE WHEN THE DUCHESSE DE POLIGNAC WAS IN CON-

FINEMENT AT MARLY, MARIE ANTOINETTE ACTUALLY MOVED HER ENTIRE COURT THERE TO BE WITH HER FRIEND.

SADLY ENOUGH, THE DEAR DUCHESSE WAS AN OPPORTUNIST EXTRAORDINAIRE. SHE MANAGED TO OBTAIN POSITIONS FOR HER ENTIRE FAMILY AND A POSITIVE FLOW OF WEALTH, ALL ON THE STRENGTH OF MARIE ANTOINETTE'S LOVE FOR HER. IN ALL, THE POLIGNAC CREW COST THE STATE HALF A MILLION LIVRES A YEAR, VIRTUALLY AN ENORMOUS FORTUNE. EVERY RELATIVE OF THE DUCHESSE DE POLIGNAC MANAGED TO RECEIVE A NOBLE AND LUCRATIVE POSITION.

IN HER BOOK, SECRET MEMOIRS OF THE PRINCESSE DE LAMBALLE, SHE TELLS OF TRYING TO PERSUADE THE QUEEN TO DROP THE DUCHESSE DE POLIGNAC. ALL THIS, HOWEVER, WAS TO NO AVAIL, FOR THE QUEEN TURNED A DEAF EAR TO ALL HER MINISTERS' PLEAS AND THE PLEAS OF THE DISCARDED PRINCESS DE LAMBALLE, WHILE ALL OF THE DWINDLING RESOURCES OF FRANCE WENT TO SELF-SEEKERS AND INTO PRETTY FRIPPERIES FOR THE QUEEN. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THE PEOPLE OF FRANCE HATED THEIR BEAUTIFUL BUT EXPENSIVE QUEEN.

SUCH AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION COULD NOT GO ON FOREVER, AND AFTER A FEW YEARS THE POPULACE OF FRANCE AROSE. THE REST IS HISTORY, BLOODY AND EVEN EVIL, BUT NOT WHOLLY UNJUSTIFIED. TOWARD THE END THE DUCHESSE DE POLIGNAC WAS SENT INTO EXILE, BUT NOT BY MARIE ANTOINETTE. AT THIS JUNCTURE THE FAITHFUL AND COLORLESS PRINCESS DE LAMBALLE ONCE MORE ATTENDED HER QUEEN. HER REWARD FOR HER DEVOTION WAS A HIDEOUS DEATH, AND NOT LONG THEREAFTER MARIE ANTOINETTE WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE STREETS OF PARIS TO THE GUILLOTINE.

ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT HISTORY MIGHT HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT HAD ONE SLIM, VIOLET-EYED WOMAN, THE DUCHESSE DE POLIGNAC, NEVER BEEN BORN, OR ONE QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE HAD BEEN SATISFIED WITH THE PALE DOVE, PRINCESS DE LAMBALLE.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

MARIE ANTOINETTE BY STEFAN ZWEIG, GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING CO., 1933 THE STORY OF MARIE ANTOINETTE, ANNA L. BICKNELL, CENTURY CO., 1897 IWARIE ANTOINETTE BY FRANK W. KENYON, CROWELL, NEW YORK, 1956 THE SECRET MENOIRS OF PRINCESSE LAMBALLE, WALTER DUNNE, 1901 QUEEN OF FRANCE BY ANDRE CASTELOT, HARPER, NEW YORK, 1957