Now, getting to pers' so interesting posts !
Also it will be WONDERFUL if we develop the necessary technology to be able to read the parts of the correspondence that Axel Fersen's nephew crossed out.
Sorry, dear, we actually don't know who crossed out these passages. You seem to have rather the idea that it was Klinckowström. To protect the queen's reputation, maybe ? Is that it ?
Many historians have other interpretations. Let's mention the Girault de Coursac couple, Philippe Delorme or Chalon, for instance. They suggest these crossings out could have been made by Fersen himself. The man was extremely proud of his so sepcial fame. He adored to be seen as the tragical lover of the former queen of France. There are a lot of evidences of this, quotations from his diary can prove it. You can find these quotations
here. These come from Kunstler's "Fersen et son secret", Hachette, 1947, p. 222 sqq.
If one reads his correspondence and extracts out of his Journal Intime, I think one can sense that there was great love that existed between them and deep down, (we are all human after all!) I cannot think that one will not follow up on such feelings...
Did you read Fersen's diary, pers ? I read large parts of it, and I agree with his biographer, Françoise Kermina, these writings are rather shallow and uninteresting. You find many references to innumerable women, sometimes quite contemptuous.
For instance, when he met Marie Antoinette at this masked ball, he only wrote a few words, from which it is obvious that this young man was flattered to have a little conversation with the dauphine. It goes like "I met a VIP !!!" On the other hand, he stayed a long time with a charming young lady, very pretty, and describes what she said, what he said, how he and his friend kissed her... Fersen seems more interested in this adventure than in Marie Antoinette !
They next met in August 1778. On 26 August 1778, Axel wrote to his father “This past Wednesday, I went to Versailles to be presented to the Royal Family. The Queen who is charming said on seeing me: ‘Ah this is an old acquaintance!’ The rest of the Royal Family did not say a word to me”.
Do you find this quotation relevant, pers ?
You are right. It is a perfect illustration of Marie Antoinette's human delicacy and political intelligence. King Gustav was at that moment trying to make the links beween France and Sweden closer. But what did the royal family ? They did not even notice count Fersen... How sad... Then, queen Marie Antoinette had these kind few words to him.
Do you pay attention to Creutz's letter to Gustav ? This information would be relevant, indeed, should it be mentioned by other ambassadors to their courts. But it is not. Count Creutz, ambassador of Sweden in France, is just flattering his king's national pride, by telling how a Swedish noble man was noticed in Versailles.
Let's take a look at Marie Antoinette's real close entourage. Madame Campan writes nothing about count Fersen, not a single word. Neither did Mercy. And be sure that, should any danger exist, the Austrian spy would immediately report it to Marie Therese ! And Madame Mere would at once scold her daughter ! Indeed, Marie Therese talks about Guines, Besenval, Polignac, Lamballe, Coigny, Lignes, Lauzun... but Fersen, no, she did not. What does this silence mean ? That is was nothing to talk about, maybe ? *lol*