Antoinette is easily swayed by Beltin Dressmakers into spending an extravagant amount of money on their finery. She spends more time entertaining herself than attending to her duties as Queen. Despite her earlier worries, Oscar decides to let Antoinette do what she wants because she senses that Fersen's leaving has left her very lonely. Guemenee and Orleans try to manipulate the King and Queen into canceling audiences with peasants, but Oscar advises Antoinette against this, and she listens. Oscar and Guemenee get into a fight over each other's behavior, so Guemenee challenges her to a duel. Orleans and Guemenee decide to hold the duel in a place where Oscar would be temporarily blinded by the rising sun at a crucial moment. The night before the duel, Oscar confides to Andre that though she is not afraid of Guemenee, she still does not wish to take human life. During the duel, she maneuvers around Guemenee's trick and shoots him in the hand to spare him. Upon seeing the injured Guemenee, Antoinette sentences Oscar to a month's confinement because the alternatives for opposing a powerful duke were even harsher. (Source: Wikipedia)

Aired on: 12/25/1979