han, what suffering or oppressed petitioner am I to
thank for this visit? for I know you never come to me empty-handed when
you come unexpectedly!" The Princess, on these occasions, often had the
petitioners waiting in an adjoining apartment, that they might instantly
avail themselves of any inclination the Queen might show to see them.

Once the Princess was deceived by a female painter of doubtful character,
who supplicated her to present a work she had executed to the Queen. I
myself afterwards returned that work to its owner. Thenceforward, the
Princess became very rigid in her inquiries, previous to taking the least
interest in any application, or consenting to present any one personally
to the King or Queen. She required thoroughly to be informed of the
nature of the request, and of the merit and character of the applicant,
before she would attend to either. Owing to this caution Her Highness
scarcely ever after met with a negative. In cases of great importance,
though the Queen's compassionate and good heart needed no stimulus to
impel her to forward the means of justice, the Princess would call the
influence of the Princesse Elizabeth to her aid; and Elizabeth never sued
in vain.

Marie Antoinette paid the greatest attention to all memorials. They were
regularly collected every week by Her Majesty's private secretary, the
Abbe Vermond. I have myself seen many of them, when returned from the
Princesse de Lamballe, with the Queen's marginal notes in her own
handwriting, and the answers dictated by Her Majesty to the different,
officers of the departments relative to the nature of the respective
demands. She always recommended the greatest attention to all public
documents, and annexed notes to such as passed through her hands to
prevent their being thrown aside or lost.

One of those who were least satisfied with the appointment of the
Princesse de Lamballe to the office of superintendent was her
brother-in-law, the Duc d'Orleans, who, having attempted her virtue on
various occasions and been repulsed, became mortified and alarmed at her
situation as a check to his future enterprise.

At one time the Duc and Duchesse d'Orleans were most constant and
assiduous in their attendance on Marie Antoinette. They were at all her
parties. The Queen was very fond of the Duchess. It is supposed that
the interest Her Majesty took in that lady, and the steps to which some
time afterwards that interest led, planted the first