marie antoinette and her son-第23章

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of　his　being　sent　for。　The　matter　in　question　was　the　purchasing　of
a　set　of　jewels；　which　the　royal　jewellers；　Bohmer　and　Bassenge；　had
often　offered　to　the　queen。　Marie　Antoinette　had　seen　the　necklace；
and　had　been　enraptured　with　the　size　and　beauty　of　the　diamonds。
But　she　had　had　the　spirit　to　refuse　to　purchase　the　collar；　in
consequence　of　the　enormous　price　which　the　jewellers　demanded。　She
had；　however；　subsequently　regretted　her　refusal；　and　the　princely
set　of　gems；　the　like　of　which　did　not　exist　in　Europe；　had　awakened
the　most　intense　desire　on　the　part　of　the　queen　to　possess　it。　She
wanted　to　purchase　it　secretly；　without　the　knowledge　of　the　king；
and　to　pay　for　it　gradually　out　of　the　savings　of　her　own　purse。　But
just　then　the　jewellers　Bohmer　and　Bassenge　had　it　in　view　to　send
the　necklace　to　Constantinople　for　the　Sultan；　who　wanted　to　present
it　to　the　best…loved　of　his　wives。

But　before　completing　the　sale；　the　crown　jewellers　made　one　more
application　to　the　queen；　declaring　that　if　she　would　consent　to
take　the　necklace；　they　would　be　content　with　any　conditions　of
payment。　In　the　mean　time；　the　private　treasury　of　the　queen　was
empty。　The　severe　winter　had　induced　much　suffering　and　misfortune；
and　the　queen　had　given　all　her　funds　to　the　poor。　But　as　she
earnestly　desired　to　purchase　the　necklace；　she　would　give　her　grand
almoner　a　special　mark　of　her　favor　in　granting　to　him　the
commission　of　purchasing　it　in　her　name。　He　should　receive　a　paper
from　the　queen's　own　hand　authorizing　the　purchase；　yet　he　should
keep　this　to　himself；　and　show　it　only　to　the　court　jewellers　at　the
time　of　the　purchase。　The　first　payment　of　six　hundred　thousand
francs　the　cardinal　was　to　pay　from　his　own　purse；　the　remaining
million　the　queen　would　pay　in　instalments　of　one　hundred　thousand
francs　each；　at　the　expiration　of　every　three　months。　In　the　next
three　months；　the　six　hundred　thousand　francs　advanced　by　the
cardinal　should　be　refunded。

The　cardinal　felt　himself　highly　flattered　by　this　token　of　the
queen's　confidence；　and　desired　nothing　more　than　the　written
authorization　of　the　queen；　empowering　him　to　make　the　purchase　at
once。　This　document　was　not　waited　for　long。　Two　days　only　passed
before　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　brought　it；　dated　at　Trianon；　and
subscribed　Marie　Antoinette　of　France。　Meanwhile　some　doubts　arose
in　the　mind　of　the　cardinal。　He　turned　to　his　friend　and　adviser；
Count　Cagliostro；　for　counsel。　The　latter　had　cured　him　years　before
while　very　sick；　and　since　that　time　had　always　been　his
disinterested　friend；　and　the　prophet；　so　to　speak；　who　always
indicated　the　cardinal's　future　to　him。　This　man；　so　clear　in　his
foresight；　so　skilful　in　medicine；　was　now　taken　into　confidence；
and　his　advice　asked。　Count　Cagliostro　summoned　the　spirits　that
waited　upon　him；　before　the　cardinal；　one　solitary　night。　He　asked
these　invisible　presences　what　their　counsel　was；　and　the　oracle
answered；　that　the　affair　was　one　worthy　of　the　station　of　the
cardinal；　that　it　would　have　a　fortunate　issue；　that　it　put　the　seal
upon　the　favors　of　the　queen；　and　would　usher　in　the　fortunate　day
which　would　bring　the　great　talents　of　the　cardinal　into　employment
for　the　benefit　of　France　and　the　world。　The　cardinal　doubted　and
hesitated　no　longer。　He　went　at　once　to　the　court　jewellers　Bohmer
and　Bassenge：　he　did　not　conceal　from　them　that　he　was　going　to　buy
the　necklace　in　the　name　of　the　queen；　and　showed　them　the　written
authorization。　The　jewellers　entered　readily　into　the　transaction。
The　cardinal　made　a　deposit　of　six　hundred　thousand　francs；　and
Bohmer　and　Bassenge　gave　him　the　necklace。　It　was　the　day　before　a
great　festival；　and　at　the　festival　the　queen　wanted　to　wear　the
necklace。　In　the　evening　a　trusted　servant　of　the　queen　was　to　take
the　necklace　from　the　dwelling　of　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois。　The
countess　herself　requested　the　cardinal　to　be　present；　though
unseen；　when　the　delivery　should　take　place。

In　accordance　with　this　agreement；　the　cardinal　repaired　to　the
palace　of　the　countess　on　the　evening　of　February　1st；　1784；
accompanied　by　a　trusted　valet；　who　carried　the　casket　with　the
necklace。　At　the　doorway　he　himself　took　the　collar　and　gave　it　to
the　countess。　She　conducted　the　cardinal　to　an　alcove　adjoining　her
sitting…room。　Through　the　door　provided　with　glass　windows　he　could
dimly　see　the　sitting…room。

After　some　minutes　the　main　entrance　opened；　and　a　voice　cried：　〃In
the　service　of　the　queen！〃　A　man　in　the　livery　of　the　queen；　whom
the　cardinal　had　often　seen　at　the　countess's；　and　whom　she　had　told
was　a　confidential　servant　of　the　queen；　entered　and　demanded　the
casket　in　the　name　of　the　queen。　The　Countess　Valois　took　it　and
gave　it　to　the　servant；　who　bowed　and　took　his　leave。　At　the　moment
when　the　man　departed；　bearing　this　costly　set　of　jewels；　the
cardinal　experienced　an　inexpressible　sense　of　satisfaction　at
having　had　the　happiness　of　conferring　a　service　upon　the　Queen　of
France；　the　wife　of　the　king；　the　mother　of　the　future　king；not
merely　in　the　purchase　of　the　diamonds　which　she　desired；　but　still
more　in　preventing　the　young　and　impulsive　woman　from　taking　the
unbecoming　step　of　applying　to　any　other　gentleman　of　the　court　for
this　assistance。

At　these　words　the　spectators　broke　into　loud　exclamations；　and　one
of　the　veiled　ladies　cried：　〃Lords　Vaudreuil　and　Coigny　would　not
have　paid　so　much；　but　they　would　have　demanded　more。〃　And　this
expression；　too；　was　greeted　with　loud　acclaims。

The　first　president　of　the　court；　Baron　de　L'Aigre；　here　cast　a
grave　look　toward　the　tribune　where　the　spectators　sat；　but　his
reproach　died　away　upon　lips　which　disclosed　a　faint　inclination　to
smile。

〃I　now　beg　your　eminence；〃　he　said；　〃to　answer　the　following
question：　〃　Did　Queen　Marie　Antoinette　personally　thank　you　for　the
great　service　which；　according　to　your　showing；　you　did　her？　How　is
it　with　the　payments　which　the　queen　pledged　herself　to　make？〃

The　cardinal　was　silent　for　a　short　time；　and　looked　sadly　before
him。　〃Since　the　day　when　I　closed　this　unfortunate　purchase；　I　have
experienced　only　disquietudes；　griefs；　and　humiliations。　This　is　the
only　return　which　I　have　received　for　my　devotion。　The　queen　has
never　bestowed　a　word　upon　me。　At　the　great　festival　she　did　not
even　wear　the　necklace　which　she　had　sent　for　on　the　evening　before。
I　complained　of　this　to　the　countess；　and　the　queen　had　the　goodness
to　write　me　a　note；　saying　that　she　had　found　the　necklace　too
valuable　to　wear　on　that　day；　because　it　would　have　attracted　the
attention　of　the　king　and　the　court。　I　confided　in　the　words　of　the
queen；　and　experienced　no　doubts　about　the　matter　till　the　unhappy
day　when　the　queen　was　to　make　the　first　payment　to　the　jewellers；
and　when　she　sent　neither　to　me　nor　to　the　jewellers　a　word。　Upon
this　a　fearful　suspicion　began　to　trouble　me；that　my　devotion　to
the　queen　might　have　been　taken　advantage　of；　in　order　to　deceive
and　mislead　me。　When　this　dreadful　thought　seized　me；　I　shuddered；
and　had　not　power　to　look　down　into　the　abyss　which　suddenly　yawned
beneath　me。　I　at　once　summoned　the　Countess　Lamotte；　and　desired　her
solution　of　this　inexplicable　conduct　of　the　queen。　She　told　me　that
she　had　been　on　the　point　of　coming　to　me　and　informing　me；　at　the
request　of　the　queen；　that　other　necessary　outlays　had　prevented　the
queen's　paying　me　the　six　hundred　thousand　francs　that　I　had
disbursed　to　Bohmer　at　the　purchase　of　the　necklace；　and　that　she
must　be　content　with　paying　the　interest　of　this　sum；　thirty
thousand　francs。　The　queen　requested　me　to　be　satisfied　for　the
present　with　this　arrangement；　and　to　be　sure　of　her　favor。　I
trusted　the　words　of　the　countess　once　more；　took　fresh　courage；　and
sent　word　to　the　queen　that　I　should　always　count　myself　happy　to
conform　to　her　arrangements；　and　be　her　devoted　servant。　The
countess　dismissed　me；　saying　that　she　would　bring　the　money　on　the
morrow。　In　the　mean　time；　something　occurred　that　awakened　all　my
doubts　and　all　my　anxieties　afresh。　I　visited　the　Duchess　de
Polignac；　and　while　I　wa