The Insurrection of October, i/8p 27 



ambassador, she had learned to interest herself in affairs of state. 1 

 For it was of the highest importance to Joseph II. that anarchy 

 in France should cease. Austria's interest was in the preserva- 

 tion of the monarchy. "For this end the king and ministers 

 should stand together against the usurpations of the assembly." 

 So the queen was strongly urged by Joseph II. to sustain the 

 recalled ministers. It is not likely that she forgot her humilia- 

 tion, but she was made to feel the necessity of encouraging 

 Necker and Montmorin in attempts of resistance to the revolu- 

 tion. 2 She was probably in sympathy with the courtiers who 

 "had intentions from the beginning of September to apply to the 

 army to dissolve the assembly." The royal governess received 

 notice in September to be ready to leave at any time without 

 preparation. This has been interpreted as showing the queen's 

 hope of overcoming the king's resistance to flight. 3 



Marie Antoinette was too shallow to understand the signs of 

 the times. The revolution was to her "but a transient crisis, a 

 sort of Fronde which would end by dying out of itself." The 

 assembly was but another states general that "would pass like 

 all those which royalty had hitherto convoked, without having 

 done anything except to make a little more noise and cause a 

 little more fear." 4 Then the king would again become the abso- 

 lute master. 



That the queen was a prime mover in the Metz scheme 5 is 

 evident from a letter written to her by D'Estaing. He had heard 

 of the project from Lafayette and was much alarmed by the 

 thought that it might get out. He says the Spanish ambassador 

 "confessed to having heard from a reputable witness that the 

 proposition had been made to sign an agreement." He points 

 out the danger in such schemes and appeals to Marie Antoinette 

 not to "follow a false course that would cause the shedding of 

 blood," etc., etc. 6 



1 Revue historique, L,XVII, 276. 



*Ib>d. 



& Ibid., LXIX; 63. 



*Ibid , LXVII, 275. 



6 Capello, Dispacci degli ambasciatori Ve>nti,1Q. 



6 L y ancien moniteur, I, 521. 



293 



