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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 was with her； there was handed her a note from
the queen。 I requested the duchess； in case the billet contained no
secret； to show it to me； that I might see the handwriting of the
queen。 The duchess complied with my request； and〃
The cardinal was silent； and deep inward excitement made his face
pale。 He bowed his head； folded his hands； and his lips moved in
whispered prayer。
The judges； as well as the spectators； remained silent。 No one was
able to break the solemn stillness by an audible breath…by a single
movement。
At length； after a long pause； when the cardinal had raised his head
again； the president asked gently： 〃And so your eminence saw the
note of the queen； and was it not the same writing as the letters
which you had received？〃
〃No； it was not the same！〃 cried the cardinal； with pain。 〃No； it
was an entirely different hand。 Only the signature had any
resemblance； although the letter to the duchess was simply
subscribed 'Marie Antoinette。' I hastened home； and awaited the
coming of the countess with feverish impatience。 She came； smiling
as ever； and brought me the thirty thousand francs。 With glowing；
passionate words； I threw my suspicions in her face。 She appeared a
moment alarmed； confused； and then granted that it was possible that
the letters were not from the hand of the queen； but that she had
dictated them。 But the signatures were the queen's； she could take
her oath of it。 I again took a little courage； but soon after the
countess had left me； the jewellers came in the highest excitement
to me； to tell me that； receiving no payments from the queen； they
had applied in writing to her several times； without receiving any
answer； their efforts to obtain an audience were also all in vain；
and so they had at last applied to the first lady…in…waiting on the
queen； Madame de Campan； with whom they had just had an interview。
Madame de Campan had told them that the queen did not possess the
necklace； that no Countess Lamotte…Valois had ever had an interview
with the queen； that she had told the jewellers with extreme
indignation that some one had been deceiving them； that they were
the victims of a fraud； and that she would at once go to Trianon to
inform the queen of this fearful intrigue。 This happened on a
Thursday； on the following Sunday I repaired to Versailles to
celebrate high mass； and the rest you know。 I have nothing further
to add。〃
〃In the name of the court I thank your eminence for your open and
clear exposition of this sad history；〃 said the president； solemnly。
〃Your eminence needs refreshment； you are free to withdraw and to
return to the Bastile。〃
The cardinal rose and bowed to the court。 All the judges stood； and
respectfully returned the salutation。 ＇Footnote： 'Historical。See
〃Memoires de l'Abbe Georgel；〃 vol。 i。＇
One of the veiled ladies； sitting on the spectators' seats； cried
with trembling voice： 〃God bless the cardinal； the noble martyr of
the realm！〃
All the spectators repeated the cry； and； while the words yet rang；
the cardinal； followed by the officers who were to take him to the
Bastile； had left the hall。
〃Guards！〃 cried President de L'Aigre； with a loud voice； 〃bring in
the accused； the Countess de Lamotte…Valois！〃
All eyes directed themselves to the door which the guards now
opened； and through which the accused was to enter。
Upon the threshold of this door appeared now a lady of slim；
graceful form； in a toilet of the greatest elegance； her head
decorated with feathers； flowers； and lace； her cheeks highly
painted； and her fine ruby lips encircled by a pert； and at the same
time a mocking smile； which displayed two rows of the finest teeth。
With this smile upon her lips she moved forward with a light and
spirited step； turning her great blazing black eyes with proud；
inquisitive looks now to the stern semicircle of judges and now to
the tribune； whose occupants had not been able to suppress a
movement of indignation and a subdued hiss。
〃Gentlemen；〃 said she； with a clear； distinct voice； in which not
the faintest quiver； not the least excitement was apparent〃
gentlemen； are we here in a theatre； where the players who tread the
boards are received with audible signs of approval or of disfavor？〃
The president； to whom her dark eyes were directed； deigned to give
no answer； but turned with an expressive gesture to the officer who
stood behind the accused。
He understood this sign； and brought from the corner of the hall a
wooden seat of rough； clumsy form； to whose high back of unpolished
dirty wood two short iron chains were attached。
This seat he placed near the handsome； gaudily…dressed countess with
her air of assurance and self…confidence； and pointed to it with a
commanding gesture。
〃Be seated；〃 he said； with a loud； lordly tore。 She shrugged her
shoulders； and looked at the offered seat with an expression of
indignation。 〃How！〃 she cried； 〃who dares offer me the chair of
criminals to sit in？〃
〃Be seated；〃 replied the officer。 〃The seat of