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〃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 king hastened to the door； opened it； and called；
〃Are any of the queen's servants here？〃
The voice of the king was so loud and violent that the chamberlain；
Weber； who was in the little outer antechamber； heard it； and at
once rushed in。
〃Weber；〃 cried the king to him； 〃hasten at once to Little Trianon。
Beg the queen； in my name； to have the goodness to come to the
palace within a quarter of an hour； to consult about a weighty
matter that allows no delay。 But take care that the queen be not
alarmed； and that she do not suspect that sad news has come
regarding her family。 Hasten； Weber！ And now； baron；〃 continued the
king； closing the door； 〃now you shall be convinced by your own eyes
and ears that the queen will be as amazed and as little acquainted
with all these things as I myself。 I wish； therefore； that you would
be present at the interview which I shall have with my wife and
Campan； without the queen's knowing that you are near。 You will be
convinced at once in this way of the impudent and shameless
deception that they have dared to play。 Where does that door lead
to； Campan？〃 asked the king； pointing to the white； gold…bordered
door； at whose side two curtains of white satin； wrought with roses；
were secured。
〃Sire； it leads to the small reception room。〃
〃Will the queen pass that way when she comes？〃
〃No； your majesty； she is accustomed to take the same way which your
majesty took； through the antechamber。〃
〃Good。 Then； baron； go into the little saloon。 Leave the door open；
and do you； Campan； loosen the curtains and let them fall over the
door； that the minister may hear without being seen。〃
A quarter of an hour had scarcely elapsed when the queen entered the
toilet…chamber； with glowing cheeks； and under visible excitement。
The king went hastily to her； took her hand and pressed it to his
lips。
〃Forgiveness； Marie； that I have disturbed you in the midst of your
pleasures。〃
〃Tell me； quickly；〃 cried the queen； impatiently。 〃What is it？ Is it
a great misfortune？〃
〃No； Marie； but a great annoyance； which is so far a misfortune in
that the name of your majesty is involved in a disagreeable and
absurd plot。 The court jeweller； Bohmer； asserts that he has sold a
necklace to your majesty for one million eight hundred thousand
francs。〃
〃But the man is crazy；〃 cried the queen。 〃Is that all your majesty
had to say to me？〃
〃I beg that Campan will repeat the conversation which she had
yesterday with Bohmer。〃
And the king beckoned with his hand to the lady…in…waiting； who； at
the entrance of the queen； had modestly taken her seat at the back
part of the room。
〃How！〃 cried the queen； amazed； now first perceiving Campan。 〃What
do you here？ What does all this mean？〃
〃Your majesty； I came to Trianon to inform you about the
conversation which I had yesterday with Bohmer。 When I arrived I
found he had just been here。〃
〃And what did he want？〃 cried the queen。 〃Did you not tell me；
Campan； that he no longer possesses this unfortunate necklace； with
which he has been making a martyr of me for years？ Did you not tell
me that he had sold it to the Grand Sultan； to go to
Constantinople？〃
〃I repeated to your majesty what Bohmer said to me。 Meanwhile I beg
now your gracious permission to repeat my to…day's interview with
Bohmer。 Directly after your majesty had gone to Trianon with the
Duchess de Polignac； the court jeweller Bohmer was announced。 He
came with visible disquiet and perplexity； and asked me whether your
majesty had left no commission for him。 I answered him that the
queen had not done so； that in one word she had no commission for
him； and that she was tired of his eternal pestering。 ' But；' said
Bohmer； 'I must have an answer to the letter that I sent to her； and
to whom must I apply？' 'To nobody；' I answered。 'Her majesty has
burned your letter without reading it。' 'Ah！ madame；' cried he；
'that is impossible。 The queen knows that she owes me money。' 〃
〃I owe him money！〃 cried the queen； horrified。 〃How can the
miserable man dare to assert such a thing？〃
〃That I said to him； your majesty； but he answered； with complete
self possession； that your majesty owed him a million and some five
hundred thousand francs； and when I asked him in complete amazement
for what articles your majesty owed him such a monstrous sum； he
answered； 'For my necklace。'〃
〃This miserable necklace again！〃 exclaimed the queen。 〃It seems as
if the man made it only to make a martyr of me with it。 Year after
year I hear perpetually about this necklace； and it has been quite
in vain that； with all my care and good…will； I have sought to drive
from him this fixed idea that I must buy it。 He is so far gone in
his illusion as to assert that I have bought it。〃
〃Madame； this man is not insane；〃 said the king； seriously。 〃Listen
further。 Go on； Campan。〃
〃I laughed；〃 continued Madame de Campan； 〃and asked him how he could
assert such a thing； when he told me only a few months ago that he
had sold the necklace to the Sult