Sophie Piper

Count Axel Von Fersen and his younger sister were devoted to one another and in the flowery, emotional style of the day, exchanged passionate letters. He confided in her his feelings for Marie Antoinette, without naming her. Fersen ended them "Love me as I love you." or "Farewell my dear and sweet sister, my true and only friend. Love your brother as he loves you." or some such. In 1783, Axel was preparing to visit his sister in Sweden and wrote, "How delighted I shall be to see you, my dear sister, and to talk to your and to tell you what an ardent, deep affection I always feel for you!... In spite of all the pleasure of seeing you again, I cannot leave Paris without regret. You will think it quite natural when you learn the cause of this regret. And I will tell you, for from you I will have no secrets."

Four months later, upon his return from Sweden, he writes Sophie "I begin to be a little happier, for from time to time, I see my friend freely in her own apartments; and that somewhat consoles us for all the trials she is enduring, poor woman. She is an angel of goodness, a heroine of courage and deep feeling..." Later, in January 1785, he replies to a request from his sister to send him some of the Queen's hair which she wished to arrange in a bracelet: "Here is the hair you asked me for. If there be not enough, I will send you some more. It is she herself who gives it to you, and your desire in this matter touched her deeply. She is so kind, so perfect; and I seem to love her all the more since she loves you."