marie antoinette and her son-第14章

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is　come　to　seek　the　miller　of　Little　Trianon；　and　to　beseech　him
even　there　to　be　the　king　again。




CHAPTER　IV。

THE　QUEEN'S　NECKLACE。


Directly　after　a　page；　arrayed　in　the　attire　of　a　miller's　boy；　had
announced　the　Baron　de　Breteuil；　the　king　with　drew　into　his　chamber
and　resumed　his　own　proper　clothing。　He　drew　on　the　long；　gray　coat；
the　short　trousers　of　black　velvet；　the　long；　gold　embroidered
waistcoat　of　gray　satin；　and　over　this　the　bright；　thin　ribbon　of
the　Order　of　Louis…the　attire　in　which　the　king　was　accustomed　to
present　himself　on　gala…days。

With　troubled；　disturbed　countenance；　he　then　entered　the　little
apartment　where　his　chief　minister；　the　Baron　de　Breteuil；　was
awaiting　him。

〃Tell　me　quickly；〃　ejaculated　the　king；　〃do　you　bring　bad　news？　Has
any　thing　unexpected　occurred？〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　the　minister；　respectfully；　〃something　unexpected
at　all　events；　but　whether　something　bad　will　be　learned　after
further　investigation。〃

〃Investigation！〃　cried　the　king。　〃Then　do　you　speak　of　a　crime？〃

〃Yes；　sire；　of　a　crime…the　crime　of　a　base　deception；　and；　as　it
seems；　of　a　defalcation　involving　immense　sums　and　objects　of　great
value。〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　king；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　〃then　the　trouble　is
only　one　of　money。〃

〃No；　sire；　it　is　one　which　concerns　the　honor　of　the　queen。〃

Louis　arose；　while　a　burning　flush　of　indignation　passed　over　his
face。

〃Will　they　venture　again　to　assail　the　honor　of　the　queen？〃　he
asked。

〃Yes；　sire；〃　answered　Breteuil；　with　his　invincible　calmness〃yes；
sire；　they　will　venture　to　do　so。　And　at　this　time　it　is　so　infernal
and　deeply…laid　a　plan　that　it　will　be　difficult　to　get　at　the
truth。　Will　your　majesty　allow　me　to　unfold　the　details　of　the
matter　somewhat　fully？〃

〃Speak；　baron；　speak；〃　said　the　king；　eagerly；　taking　his　seat　upon
a　wooden　stool；　and　motioning　to　the　minister　to　do　the　same。

〃Sire；〃　answered　the　premier；　with　a　bow；　〃I　will　venture　to　sit；
because　I　am　in　fact　a　little　exhausted　with　my　quick　run　hither。〃

〃And　is　the　matter　so　pressing？〃　muttered　the　king；　drawing　out　his
tobacco…box；　and　in　his　impatience　rolling　it　between　his　fingers。

〃Yes；　very　pressing；〃　answered　Breteuil；　taking　his　seat。　〃Does　your
majesty　remember　the　beautiful　necklace　which　the　court　jeweller；
Bohmer；　some　time　since　had　the　honor　to　offer　to　your　majesty？〃

〃Certainly；　I　remember　it；〃　answered　the　king；　quickly　nodding。　〃The
queen　showed　herself　on　that　occasion　just　as　unselfish　and
magnanimous　as　she　always　is。　It　was　told　me　that　her　majesty　had
very　much　admired　the　necklace　which　Bohmer　had　showed　to　her；　and
yet　had　declined　to　purchase　it；　because　it　seemed　to　her　too　dear。
I　wanted　to　buy　it　and　have　the　pleasure　of　offering　it　to　the
queen；　but　she　decisively　refused　it。〃

〃We　well　remember　the　beautiful　answer　which　her　majesty　gave　to　her
husband；〃　said　Breteuil；　gently　bowing。　〃All　Paris　repeated　with
delight　the　words　which　her　majesty　uttered：　'Sir；　we　have　more
diamonds　than　ships。　Buy　a　ship　with　this　money！'〃　＇Footnote：
〃Correspondence　Secrete　de　la　Cour　de　Louis　XVI。〃＇

〃You　have　a　good　memory；〃　said　the　king；　〃for　it　is　five　years　since
this　happened。　Bohmer　has　twice　made　the　attempt　since　then　to　sell
this　costly　necklace　to　me；　but　I　have　dismissed　him；　and　at　last
forbidden　him　to　allude　to　the　matter　again。〃

〃I　believe　that　he　has；　meanwhile；　ventured　to　trouble　the　queen
several　times　about　the　necklace。　It　appears　that　he　had　almost
persuaded　himself　that　your　majesty　would　purchase　it。　Years　ago　he
caused　stones　to　be　selected　through　all　Europe；　wishing　to　make　a
necklace　of　diamonds　which　should　be　alike　large；　heavy；　and
brilliant。　The　queen　refusing　to　give　him　his　price　of　two　million
francs；　he　offered　it　at　last　for　one　million　eight　hundred
thousand。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　that；〃　said　the　king。　〃Her　majesty　was　at　last
weary　of　the　trouble；　and　gave　command　that　the　court　jeweller；
Bohmer；　should　not　be　admitted。〃

〃Every　time；　therefore；　that　he　came　to　Versailles　he　was　refused
admittance。　He　then　had　recourse　to　writing；　and　two　weeks　ago　her
majesty　received　from　him　a　begging　letter；　in　which　he　said　that　he
should　be　very　happy　if；　through　his　instrumentality；　the　queen
could　possess　the　finest　diamonds　in　Europe；　and　imploring　her
majesty　not　to　forget　her　court　jeweller。　The　queen　read　this
letter；　laughing；　to　her　lady…in…waiting；　Madame　de　Campan；　and　said
it　seemed　as　if　the　necklace　had　deprived　the　good　Bohmer　of　his
reason。　But　not　wishing　to　pay　any　further　attention　to　his　letter
or　to　answer　it；　she　burned　the　paper　in　a　candle　which　was
accidentally　standing　on　her　table。〃

〃Good　Heaven！　How　do　you　know　these　details？〃　asked　the　king；　in
amazement。

〃Sire；　I　have　learned　them　from　Madame　de　Campan　herself；　as　I　was
compelled　to　speak　with　her　about　the　necklace。〃

〃But　what　is　it　about　this　necklace？　What　has　the　queen　to　do　with
that？〃　asked　the　king；　wiping　with　a　lace　handkerchief　the　sweat
which　stood　in　great　drops　upon　his　lofty　forehead。

〃Sire；　the　court　jeweller；　Bohmer；　asserts　that　he　sold　the　necklace
of　brilliants　to　the　queen；　and　now　desires　to　be　paid。〃

〃The　queen　is　right；〃　exclaimed　the　king；　〃the　man　is　out　of　his
head。　If　he　did　sell　the　necklace　to　the　queen；　there　must　have　been
witnesses　present　to　confirm　it；　and　the　keepers　of　her　majesty's
purse　would　certainly　know　about　it。〃

〃Sire；　Bohmer　asserts　that　the　queen　caused　it　to　be　bought　of　him
in　secret；　through　a　third　hand；　and　that　this　confidential
messenger　was　empowered　to　pay　down　thirty　thousand　francs；　and　to
promise　two　hundred　thousand　more。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　this　confidential　messenger？　What　do　they　call
him？〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　the　Baron　de　Breteuil；　solemnly〃sire；　it　is　the
cardinal　and　grand　almoner　of　your　majesty；　Prince　Louis　de　Rohan。〃

The　king　uttered　a　loud　cry；　and　sprang　quickly　from　his　seat。

〃Rohan？〃　asked　he。　〃And　do　they　dare　to　bring　this　man　whom　the
queen　hates；　whom　she　scorns；　into　relations　with　her？　Ha；　Breteuil！
you　can　go；　the　story　is　too　foolishly　put　together　for　any　one　to
believe　it。〃

〃Your　majesty；　Bohmer　has；　in　the　mean　while；　believed　it；　and　has
delivered　the　necklace　to　the　cardinal；　and　received　the　queen's
promise　to　pay；　written　with　her　own　hand。〃

〃Who　says　that？　　How　do　you　know　all　the　details？〃

〃Sire；　I　know　it　by　a　paper　of　Bohmer's；　who　wrote　to　me　after
trying　in　vain　several　times　to　see　me。　The　letter　was　a　tolerably
confused　one；　and　I　did　not　understand　it。　But　as　he　stated　in　it
that　the　queen's　lady…in…waiting　advised　him　to　apply　to　me　as　the
minister　of　the　royal　house；　I　considered　it　best　to　speak　with
Madame　de　Campan。　What　I　learned　of　her　is　so　important　that　I
begged　her　to　accompany　me　to　Trianon；　and　to　repeat　her　statement
before　your　majesty。〃

〃Is　Campan　then　in　Trianon？〃　asked　the　king。

〃Yes；　sire；　and　on　our　arrival　we　learned　that　Bohmer　had　just　been
there；　and　was　most　anxious　to　speak　to　the　queen。　He　had　been
denied　admission　as　always；　and　had　gone　away　weeping　and　scolding。〃

〃Come；〃　said　the　king；　〃let　us　go　to　Trianon；　I　want　to　speak　with
Campan。〃

And　with　quick；　rapid　steps　the　king；　followed　by　the　minister
Breteuil；　left　the　mill；　and　shunning　the　main　road　in　order　not　to
be　seen　by　the　queen；　struck　into　the　little　side…path　that　led
thither　behind　the　houses。

〃Campan；〃　said　the　king；　hastily　entering　the　little　toilet…room　of
the　queen；　where　the　lady…in…waiting　was〃Campan；　the　minister　has
just　been　telling　me　a　singular　and　incredible　history。　Yet　repeat
to　me　your　last　conversation　with　Bohmer。〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　Madame　de　Campan；　bowing　low；　〃does　your　majesty
command　that　I　speak　before　the　queen　knows　of　the　matter？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　king；　turning　to　the　minister；　〃you　see　I　am　right。
The　queen　knows　nothing　of　this；　else　she　would　certainly　have
spoken　to　me　about　it。　Thank　God；　the　queen　withholds　no　secrets
from　me！　I　thank　you　for　your　question；　Campan。　It　is　better　that
the　queen　be　present　at　our　interview。　I　will　send　for　her　to　come
here。〃　And　the　ki