Thisletterofthequeennaturallyfilledhimwithgreatdelight，particularlyashehadapersonalinterviewwithhermajestyinprospect，andhehadimploredtheCountessValoisallthemoretoprocurethismeeting，because，inspiteoftheforgivenesswhichthequeenhadgiventothecardinal，shecontinuedonalloccasions，wherehehadthehappinesstobeinherpresence，totreathimwithextremedisdain。OnoneSunday，whenhewasreadingmassbeforetheirmajesties，hetookthelibertytoentertheaudience-roomandtoaddressthequeen。MarieAntoinettebestoweduponhimonlyanannihilatinglookofangerandscorn，andturnedherbackuponhim，saying，atthesametime，withaloudvoice，totheDuchessofPolignac：“Whatashamelessact!Thesepeoplebelievetheymaydoanythingiftheywearthepurple。Theybelievetheymayrankwithkings，andevenaddressthem。“
Theseproudandcuttingwordshadnaturallydeeplywoundedthecardinal，and，forthefirsttime，thedoubtwassuggestedtohimwhether，intheend，allthecommunicationsoftheCountessValois，eventheletterofthequeen，mightnotprovetobefalse，foritappearedtohimimpossiblethatthequeencouldbesecretly，favorablyinclinedtoamanwhomsheopenlyscorned。InhisangerhesaidsototheCountessLamotte，andtoldherthatheshouldholdallthatshehadbroughthimfromthequeentobefalse，unless，withinaveryshorttime，shecouldprocurewhathehadsolongandsourgentlybesought，namely，anaudiencewiththequeen。HedesiredthisaudienceasaproofthatMarieAntoinettewasreallychanged，and，atthesametime，asaproofthattheCountessLamotte-Valoishadtoldhimthetruth。Thecountesslaughedathisdistrust，andpromisedtotryalltheartsofaddresswiththequeen，inordertogainforthecardinalthedesiredaudience。Thelatter，whothoughtherecognizedinthebeautifulandexpressivecountenanceoftheladyinnocenceandhonorableness，nowregrettedhishastywords，andsaidtoMadameLamotte，thatincasethequeenwouldreallygranthimaprivateaudience，hewouldgiveherthecountessfiftythousandfrancsasasignofhisgratitude。
Amurmurofapplauseandofastonishmentroseatthesewordsfromthespectators，comprisingsomeofthegreatestnoblefamiliesofFrance，theRohans，theGuemenes，theCountdeVergennes，andallthemostpowerfulenemiesofthequeen，whohadtakenadvantageofthisoccasioninordertoavengethemselvesontheAustrian，whohaddaredtochooseherfriendsandselecthersociety，notinaccordancewithlineage，butasherownpleasuredictated。
Thepresidentofthecourtdidnotconsiderthismurmurofapplausemarkedenoughtobereprimanded，andletitbecontinued。
“AnddidtheCountessLamotte-Valoisprocureforyouthisaudience？“