[Madame Clotilde of France, a sister of the King, was extraordinarily fat for her height and age.  One of her playfellows, having been indiscreet enough even in her presence to make use of the nickname given to her, received a severe reprimand from the Comtesse de Marsan, who hinted to her that she would do well in not making her appearance again before the Princess.  Madame Clotilde sent for her the next day:  “My governess,” said she, “has done her duty, and I will do mine; come and see me as usual, and think no more of a piece of inadvertence, which I myself have forgotten.”  This Princess, so heavy in body, possessed the most agreeable and playful wit.  Her affability and grace rendered her dear to all who came near her.—­Note by the editor]

The second Princess was the pious Elisabeth, the victim of her respect and tender attachment for the King, her brother.  She was still scarcely out of her leading-strings at the period of the Dauphin’s marriage.  The Dauphiness showed her marked preference.  The governess, who sought to advance the Princess to whom nature had been least favourable, was offended at the Dauphiness’s partiality for Madame Elisabeth, and by her injudicious complaints weakened the friendship which yet subsisted between Madame Clotilde and Marie Antoinette.  There even arose some degree of rivalry on the subject of education; and that which the Empress Maria Theresa bestowed on her daughters was talked of openly and unfavourably enough.  The Abbe de Vermond thought himself affronted, took a part in the quarrel, and added his complaints and jokes to those of the Dauphiness on the criticisms of the governess; he even indulged himself in his turn in reflections on the tuition of Madame Clotilde.  Everything becomes known at Court.  Madame de Marsan was informed of all that had been said in the Dauphiness’s circle, and was very angry with her on account of it.

From that moment a centre of intrigue, or rather gossip, against Marie Antoinette was established round Madame de Marsan’s fireside; her most trifling actions were there construed ill; her gaiety, and the harmless amusements in which she sometimes indulged in her own apartments with the more youthful ladies of her train, and even with the women in her service, were stigmatised as criminal.  Prince Louis de Rohan, sent through the influence of this clique ambassador to Vienna, was the echo there of these unmerited comments, and threw himself into a series of culpable accusations which he proffered under the guise of zeal.  He ceaselessly represented the young Dauphiness as alienating all hearts by levities unsuitable to the dignity of the French Court.  The Princess frequently received from the Court of Vienna remonstrances, of the origin of which she could not long remain in ignorance.  From this period must be dated that aversion which she never ceased to manifest for the Prince de Rohan.