"In other words, you come hither to complain of the dauphiness-consort; again to renew the unpleasant topics which have been the cause of my repeated refusals to see you here."
"No, your majesty, no. I deem it my sacred duty to speak confidentially to the mother of the dauphiness."
"If the mother of the dauphiness-consort will listen," cried the proud empress, sharply emphasizing the word "consort."
"Pardon me, your majesty, the apparent oversight," said De ROhan, with a smile. "But as a prince of the church, it behooves me, above all things, to be truthful, and the Dauphiness of France is not yet dauphiness-consort. Your majesty knows that as well as I do."
"I know that my daughter's enemies and mine have succeeded so far in keeping herself and her husband asunder," said the empress bitterly.
"But the dauphiness possesses, in her beauty, worth, and sweetness, weapons wherewith to disarm her enemies, if she would but use them," said De Rohan, with a shrug. "Unhappily, she makes no attempt to disarm them."
"Come—say what you have to say without so much circumlocution," cried Maria Theresa, imperiously. "What new complaint have the French against my daughter?"
"Your majesty is the only person that can influence the proud spirit of the dauphiness. Marie Antoinette adores her mother, and your majesty's advice will have great weight with her."
"What advice shall I give her?"
"Advise her to give less occasion to her enemies to censure her levity and her contempt of conventional forms."