At this period M. M-----, one of the intendants of Monsieur’s household,
obtained a passport from the Assembly to join that Prince on business
relative to his domestic concerns.   The Queen selected him to be the
bearer of this letter.   She determined to give it to him herself, and to
inform him of its object.   I was astonished at her choice of this courier.  
The Queen assured me he was exactly the man for her purpose, that she
relied even upon his indiscretion, and that it was merely necessary that
the letter from the King to his brothers should be known to exist.   The
Princes were doubtless informed beforehand on the subject by the private
correspondence.   Monsieur nevertheless manifested some degree of surprise,
and the messenger returned more grieved than pleased at this mark of
confidence, which nearly cost him his life during the Reign of Terror.

Among the causes of uneasiness to the Queen there was one which was but too well founded, the thoughtlessness of the French whom she sent to foreign Courts.  She used to say that they had no sooner passed the frontiers than they disclosed the most secret matters relative to the King’s private sentiments, and that the leaders of the Revolution were informed of them through their agents, many of whom were Frenchmen who passed themselves off as emigrants in the cause of their King.

After the acceptance of the constitution, the formation of the King’s household, as well military as civil, formed a subject of attention.  The Duc de Brissac had the command of the Constitutional Guard, which was composed of officers and men selected from the regiments, and of several officers drawn from the National Guard of Paris.  The King was satisfied with the feelings and conduct of this band, which, as is well known, existed but a very short time.

The new constitution abolished what were called honours, and the prerogatives belonging to them.  The Duchesse de Duras resigned her place of lady of the bedchamber, not choosing to lose her right to the tabouret at Court.  This step hurt the Queen, who saw herself forsaken through the loss of a petty privilege at a time when her own rights and even life were so hotly attacked.  Many ladies of rank left the Court for the same reason.  However, the King and Queen did not dare to form the civil part of their household, lest by giving the new names of the posts they should acknowledge the abolition of the old ones, and also lest they should admit into the highest positions persons not calculated to fill them well.  Some time was spent in discussing the question, whether the household should be formed without chevaliers and without ladies of honour.  The Queen’s constitutional advisers were of opinion that the Assembly, having decreed a civil list adequate to uphold the splendour of the throne, would be dissatisfied at seeing the King adopting only a military household, and not forming his civil household upon the new constitutional