A dreadful conviction for the woman who loved with passion, and insupportable for one who loved with pride, as the Queen did Charny.
Being a man, all that George understood was that the Queen was unfairly jealous of his wife. Nothing pains a heart incapable of false play so much as to be suspected of it. Nothing so points attention on the person unjustly accused of inspiring an attachment than jealousy. The suspected one reflects. It looks from the jealous heart to the one believed to be its rival.
Indeed, how suppose that a noble and elevated creature should be vexed over a trifle? What has a lovely woman to be worried about? what, the powerful lady?
Charny knew that Andrea had been the bosom friend of the Queen, and wondered why their love had cooled and the confidante stood away. He had to look to her and the idol lost so much of the eye-adulation as Andrea gained. By her unfairness and anger Marie Antoinette told Charny that he must feel less a lover for her. He sought for the cause, and naturally whither the Queen was frowning.
He pitied Andrea, who had married him by royal command, and was but nominally his wife.
Marie Antoinette's burst of affection in receiving her husband on his return from Paris had opened the eyes of the count.
He began to steel himself against her, and she, while ill-treating him, resumed showering favor on Andrea.
The latter submitted, without astonishment but also with no gratitude. Long since, she reckoned herself as belonging to her royal mistress and she let the Queen do what she liked.
The result was a curious situation, such as women act and comprehend best.
Andrea felt all her husband underwent, and she pitied him and showed her pity, from her love being of the angelic kind which is not fed on hope.