By the way, I came to the conclusion that many lies had been told about Gabrielle de Polignac. The same misadventure occured to her as to the queen: she was decried and traduced by jealous people. Marie-Antoinette had a great affection for her, so great that it envolved her whole family. She helped all the Polignacs the best she could, "loving them with all her heart", she wrote, and considered Gabrielle's children hers by adoption. Many courtiers told Gabrielle was made governess only because of her lazyness, that would allow the queen to raise her children alone ! I on the contrary think they both raised their children together, recreating the warmth of a big family Marie-Antoinette so much missed. Madame Campan, who was close to Marie-Antoinette, appreciated Madame de Polignac, she even liked and respected her as a sweet woman and a devoted friend to the queen. In my view, we may believe her. Gabrielle de Polignac, forced to leave Versailles by anxious Marie-Antoinette, got ill while hearing of the king's execution. She didn't survive on Antoinette's one. She died on December 9th, 1793, was buried in Vienna with the epitaph "died from sorrow".
Nowadays, her sad reputation seems immovable. Historians, repeating words of their predecessors from generation to generation, have done their works ! But I persit on prefering to follow Marie-Antoinette, who wrote to her "dear heart" she would only find peace when the purity of Gabrielle's heart will be recognized.