The princesses
were loud in their anger, and accused me publicly of having
conspired against virtue itself! The virtue of such a sister and
brother! I ask you, my friend, is not the idea truly ludicrous?
The dauphiness bewailed his fall with many tears; at least, so I
was informed by a lady of her suite, madame de Campan. This
lady was a most loquacious person; she frequently visited my
sister-in-law; and, thanks to her love of talking, we were always
well-informed of all that was passing in the household of Marie
Antoinette. However, the dauphin was far from sharing the grief
Of his illustrious spouse. When informed of the dismissal of the
duke, he cried out, "Well, madame du Barry has saved me an infinity
of trouble--that of getting rid of so dangerous a man, in the event
of my ever ascending the throne." The prince did not usually
speak of me in the most flattering terms, but I forgave him on
the present occasion, so much was I charmed with his expression
relative to the late minister; it afforded me the certainty that
I should not have to dread the possibility of his recalling de Choiseul.
Whilst many were bewailing the downfall of the des Choiseuls,
others, who had an eye more to self-interest, presented themselves
to share in the spoils of his fortune. There were the princes
de Soubise and de Conde, the duc de la Vauguyon, the comtes de
Broglie, de Maillebois, and de Castries, the marquis de Monteynard
and many others, equally anxious for a tempting slice of the
ministry, and who would have made but one mouthful of the finest
and best.
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