limit his household expenses.

This time he acted independently; he asked no one's counsel, not
even the queen's. As his own unconstrained act, he ordered a
diminution of the court luxury, and a limitation of the great
pensions which were paid to favorites. The great stable of the king
must be reduced, the chief directorship of the post bureau must be
abolished, the high salary of the governess of the royal children as
well as that of the maid of honor of Madame Elizabeth, sister of the
king, must be reduced.

And who were the ones affected by this? Chiefly the Polignac family.
The Duke de Polignac was director of the royal mews, and next to him
the Duke de Coigny. The Duke de Polignac was also chief director of
the post department. His wife, Diana de Polignac, was also maid of
honor to Madame Elizabeth, and Julia de Polignac was governess of
the children of Prance.

They would not believe it; they held it impossible that so unheard-
of a thing should happen, that their income should be reduced. The
whole circle of intimate friends resorted to Trianon, to have an
interview with the queen, to receive from her the assurance that she
would not tolerate such a robbing of her friends, and that she would
induce the king to take back his commands.

The queen, however, for the first time, made a stand against her
friends.

"It is the will of the king," said she, "and I am too happy that the
king has a will, to dare opposing it. May the king reign! It is his