“They are now in the Channel; and I can not without great agitation reflect that at any instant the whole fate of the war may be decided.  I am also terrified at the approach of September, when the sea is no longer practicable.  In short, it is only on the bosom of my dearest mamma that I lay aside all my disquiet God grant that it may be groundless, but her kindness encourages me to speak to her as I think.  The king is touched, quite as he should be, with all the service you so kindly propose to render him; and I do not doubt that he will be always eager to profit by it, rather than to deliver himself up to the intrigues of those who have so frequently deceived France, and whom we must regard as our natural enemies.

“My health is completely re-established.  I am going to resume my ordinary way of life, and consequently I hope soon to be able to announce to my dearest mother fresh news such as that of last year.  She may feel quite re-assured now as to my behavior.  I feel too strongly the necessity of having more children to be careless in that.  If I have formerly done amiss, it was my youth and my levity; but now my head is thoroughly steadied, and you may reckon confidently on my properly feeling all my duties.  Besides that, I owe such conduct to the king as a reward for his tenderness, and, I will venture to say it, his confidence in me, for which I can only praise him more find more.

“...  I venture to send my dear mamma the picture of my daughter:  it is very like her.  The dear little thing begins to walk very well in her leading-strings.  She has been able to say “papa” for some days.  Her teeth have not yet come through, but we can feel them all.  I am very glad that her first word has been her father’s name.  It is one more tie for him.  He behaves to me most admirably, and nothing could be wanting to make me love him more.  My dear mamma will forgive my twaddling about the little one; but she is so kind that sometimes I abuse her kindness.”

It was well for Marie Antoinette’s happiness that her husband was one in whom, as we have seen that she told her mother, she could feel entire confidence, for during her seclusion in the measles the intriguers of the court had ventured to try and work upon him.  Mercy had reason to suspect that some were even wicked enough to desire to influence him against his wife by the same means by which the Duke de Richelieu had formerly alienated his grandfather from Marie Leczinska; and the queen herself received proof positive that Maurepas, in spite of her civilities to him and his countess, had become jealous of her political influence, and had endeavored to prevent his consulting her on public affairs.  But all manoeuvres intended to disturb the conjugal felicity of the royal pair were harmless against the honest fidelity of the king, the graceful affection of the queen, and the firm confidence of each in the other.  The people generally felt that the influence which it was now notorious that