This respectable lady, who was placed near her as a minister of the laws of etiquette, instead of alleviating their weight, rendered their yoke intolerable to her.
"Madame de Noailles," says Madame Campan, "abounded in virtues.

Her piety, charity, and irreproachable morals rendered her worthy of praise; but etiquette was to her a sort of atmosphere; at the slightest derangement of the consecrated order, one would have thought the principles of life would forsake her frame.
"One day I unintentionally threw this poor lady into a terrible agony.

The Queen was receiving I know not whom,--some persons just presented, I believe; the lady of honour, the Queen's tirewoman, and the ladies of the bedchamber, were behind the Queen.

I was near the throne, with the two women on duty.

All was right,--at least I thought so.