marie antoinette and her son-第19章

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rose　from　her；　and　the　queen　will　be　compelled　to　confess　in　the　end
that　the　necklace　is　in　her　possession。　What　blame　can　be　laid　on　me
for　this？〃

〃The　blame　of　deception；　of　defalcation；　of　forgery；　of　calumny；　of
theft；〃　replied　the　president；　with　solemn　earnestness。　〃You
deceived　Cardinal　de　Rohan　in　saying　that　you　knew　the　queen；　that
you　were　intimate　with　her；　that　she　honored　you　with　her
confidence。　You　forged；　or　got　some　one　to　forge；　the　handwriting　of
the　queen；　and　prepared　letters　which　you　gave　to　the　cardinal；
pretending　that　they　came　from　the　queen。　You　misused　the　devotion
of　the　cardinal　to　the　royal　family；　and　caused　his　eminence　to
believe　that　the　queen　desired　his　services　in　the　purchase　of　the
necklace；　and　after　the　cardinal；　full　of　pleasure；　had　been　able　to
do　a　service　to　the　queen；　had　treated　with　Bohmer　and　Bassenge；　had
paid　a　part　of　the　purchase　money；　and　gave　you　the　necklace　in
charge　to　be　put　into　the　queen's　hands；　you　were　guilty　of　theft；
for　the　queen　knows　nothing　of　the　necklace；　the　queen　never　gave
you　the　honor　of　an　audience；　the　queen　never　spoke　with　you；　and　no
one　of　the　queen's　companions　ever　saw　the　Countess　Lamotte。〃

〃That　means　they　disown　me；　they　all　disown　me！〃　cried　the　countess；
with　flaming　rage；　stamping　upon　the　floor　with　her　little　satin…
covered　foot。　〃But　the　truth　will　one　day　come　to　the　light。　The
cardinal　will　not　deny　that　the　queen　gave　him　a　rendezvous　at
Versailles；　that　she　thanked　him　personally　for　the　necklace　which
she　had　procured　through　his　instrumentality。〃

〃Yes；　the　truth　will　come　to　the　light；〃　answered　the　president。　〃I
summon　the　crown　attorney；　M。　de　Borillon；　to　present　the　charge
against　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois。〃

On　this　the　attorney…general；　Borillon；　rose；　and　amid　the
breathless　silence　of　the　assembly　began　to　speak。　He　painted　the
countess　as　a　crafty；　skilful　adventuress；　who　had　come　to　Paris
with　the　determined　purpose　of　making　her　fortune　in　whatever　way　it
could　be　done。　He　then　spoke　of　the　destitution　in　which　she　had
lived　at　first；　of　the　begging　letters　which　she　addressed　to　all
people　of　distinction；　and　especially　to　Cardinal　de　Rohan；　in
consequence　of　his　well…known　liberality。　He　painted　in　lively　and
touching　colors　the　scene　where　the　cardinal；　struck　by　the　name　of
the　suppliant；　went　in　person　to　the　attic　to　convince　himself
whether　it　were　really　true　that　a　descendant　of　the　Kings　of　France
had　been　driven　to　such　poverty　and　humiliation；　and　to　give　her
assistance　for　the　sake　of　the　royal　house；　to　which　he　was　devoted
heart　and　soul。　He　painted　further　how　the　cardinal；　attracted　by
the　lively　spirits；　amiability；　and　intellectual　character　of
Lamotte…Valois；　had　given　her　his　confidence；　and　believed　what　she
told　him　about　her　favor　with　the　queen；　and　her　intimate　relations
with　her。　〃The　cardinal；〃　continued　the　attorney…general；　〃did　not
doubt　for　a　moment　the　trustworthiness　of　the　countess；　he　had　not
the　least　suspicion　that　he　was　appointed　to　become　the　victim　of　an
intriguer；　who　would　take　advantage　of　his　noble　spirit；　his
magnanimity；　to　deceive　him　and　to　enrich　herself。　The　countess　knew
the　boundless　devotion　of　the　cardinal　to　the　queen；　she　had　heard
his　complaints　of　the　proud　coldness；　the　public　slights　which　she
offered　to　him。　On　the　other　hand；　she　had　heard　of　the　costly
diamond　necklace　which　Bohmer　and　Bassenge　had　repeatedly　offered　to
the　queen；　and　that　she　had　refused　to　take　it　on　account　of　the
enormous　price　which　they　demanded　for　it。　On　this　the　countess
formed　her　plan　and　it　succeeded　perfectly。　She　caused　the　cardinal
to　hope　that　he　would　soon　have　an　audience　of　the　queen；　if　he
would　give　solid　assurances　of　his　devotion；　and　when　he　professed
himself　ready；　she　proposed　to　him；　as　acting　under　the　queen's
instructions；　the　purchase　of　the　necklace。　The　cardinal　declared
himself　ready　to　accede；　and　the　affair　took　the　course　already
indicated　with　such　touching　frankness　and　lofty　truthfulness　by　his
eminence。　He　brought　the　purchase　to　a　conclusion；　he　paid　the　first
instalment　of　six　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　gave　the　necklace　to
the　friend　of　the　queen；　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois；　after　he　had
availed　himself　of　her　assistance　in　receiving　from　the　lips　and
hand　of　the　queen　in　the　garden　of　Versailles　the　assurance　of　the
royal　favor。　The　countess　at　once　brought　the　cardinal　a　paper　from
the　queen；　stating　that　she　had　received　the　necklace；　and　conveying
to　him　the　warm　thanks　of　his　queen。　The　cardinal　felt　himself
richly　rewarded　by　this　for　all　his　pains　and　outlays；　and　in　the
joy　of　his　heart　wanted　to　repay　her　who；　in　so　prudent　and　wise　a
manner；　had　effected　his　reconciliation　with　the　queen。　He　settled
upon　her　a　yearly　pension　of　four　thousand　francs；　payable　her　whole
life；　and　the　countess　accepted　it　with　tears　of　emotion；　and　swore
eternal　gratitude　to　the　cardinal。　But　while　uttering　this　very　oath
she　was　conspiring　against　her　benefactor；　and　laughing　in　her
sleeve　at　the　credulous　prince　who　had　fallen　into　the　very　net
which　she　had　prepared　for　him。　Her　most　active　ally　was　her
husband；　whom　she　had　long　before　summoned　to　Paris；　and　who　was　the
abetter　of　her　intrigue。　The　countess　had　now　become　a　rich　lady；
and　was　able　to　indulge　all　her　cravings　for　splendor　and　luxury。
She　who；　down　to　that　time；　had　stood　as　a　supplicant　before　the
doors　of　the　rich；　could　herself　have　a　princely　dwelling；　and　could
devote　great　sums　to　its　adornment。　The　most　celebrated　makers　were
called　on；　to　furnish　the　furniture　and　the　decorations；　and；　as　if
by　a　touch　of　magic；　she　was　surrounded　by　fabulous　luxury；　the
fairest　equipages　stood　ready　for　her；　the　finest　horses　in　her
stable；　and　a　troop　of　lackeys　waited　upon　the　beck　of　the　fair　lady
who　displayed　her　princely　splendor　before　them。　A　choice　silver
service　glittered　upon　her　table；　and　she　possessed　valuables　worth
more　than　a　hundred　thousand　francs。　More　than　this；　she　enjoyed　the
best　of　all；　a　tender　and　devoted　husband；　who　overloaded　her　with
presents；　from　London；　whither　he　was　called　by　pressing　family
affairs；　he　sent　his　wife　a　medallion　of　diamonds；　which　was
subsequently　estimated　at　two　hundred　and　thirty　louis…d'ors；　and　a
pearl　bracelet　worth　two　hundred　louis…d'ors。　Returning　from　his
journey；　he　surprised　his　wife　with　a　new　and　splendid　present。　He
had　purchased　a　palace　in　Bar…sur…Aube；　and　thither　the　whole　costly
furniture　of　his　hired　house　was　carried。　Would　you　know　where　all
these　rare　gifts　wore　drawn？　The　Countess　Lamotte　had　broken　the
necklace；　and　taken　the　stones　from　their　setting。　For　the　gold
alone　which　was　used　in　the　setting　she　received　forty　thousand
francs；　for　one　of　the　diamonds；　which　she　sold　in　Paris；　she
received　fifty　thousand　francs；　for　another；　thirty…six　thousand。
The　diamonds　of　uncommon　size　and　immense　worth　she　did　not　dare　to
dispose　of　in　Paris；　and　her　husband　was　compelled　to　journey　to
London　to　sell　a　portion　of　them　there。　On　his　return　thence　he　was
able　to　buy　for　his　wife　the　house　in　Bar…sur…Aube；　for　the　sum
received　in　London　was　four　hundred　thousand　francs　in　gold；　in
addition　to　the　pearls　and　the　diamond　medallion　which　he　brought
his　wife　from　London。　And　of　all　this　luxury；　this　extravagance；
Cardinal　de　Rohan　had　naturally　no　suspicion。　When　he　visited　her；
where　did　the　countess　receive　him？　In　a　poorly…furnished　attic…
chamber　of　the　house　hired　by　her。　In　simple；　modest　attire；　She　met
him　there　and　told　him　with　trembling　voice　that　the　rich　countess
who　lived　in　the　two　lower　stories　of　the　house　had　allowed　her　to
have　this　suite　next　to　the　roof　gratis。　But　when　danger　approached；
and　Lamotte　began　to　fear　that　Bohmer　and　Bassenge；　in　claiming
their　pay　from　the　queen；　would　bring　the　history　of　the　necklace　to
the　light；　the　countess　came　to　the　cardinal　to　pay　her　parting
respects；　as　she　was　going　into　the　country　to　a　friend　to　live　in
the　greatest　privacy。　She　left　Paris　merely　to　repair　to　Bar…sur…
Aube　and　live　in　her　magnificent　palace。　She　tarried　there　so　long
as　to　allow　the　police　detectives　to　discover　in　the　rich　and
elegant　lady　the　intriguer　Lamotte…Valois；　and　to　effect　the
imprisonment　of　her　husband　and　his　friend；　the　so…called　Count
Cagliostro。　Her　other　abetters　had　put　themselves　out　of　sight；　and
were　not　to　be　discovered。　However；　their　arrest　was　not　specially
necessary；　for　the　facts　were　already　sufficiently　strong　and　clear。
Some　of　the　diamonds　which　Lamotte　had　sold　in　London　were　brought
back　to　Paris；　and　had　been　recognized　by　Bohmer　and　Bassenge　as
belonging　to　the　necklace　which　they　had　sold　to　the　queen。　The
goldsmith　had　been　discovered　to　whom　the　countess　had　sold　the
golden　setting　of　the　necklace；　and　Bohmer　and　Bassenge　had
recognized　in　the　fragments　which　remained　their　own　work。　It　is
unquestionable　that　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois；　through　her
intrigues　and　cunning；　had　been　able　to　gain　possession　of　the
necklace；　and　that　she　had　appropriated　it　to　her　own　use。　The
countess　is　therefore　guilty　of　theft　and　deception。　She　is；
moreover；　guilty　of　forgery；　for　she　has　imitated　the　handwriting　of
the　queen；　and　subscribed　it　with　the　royal　name。　But　the　hand　is
neither　that　of　the　queen；　nor　does　the　queen　ever　subscribe　herself
'Marie　Antoinette　of　France。'　This　makes　Lamotte　open　to　the　charge
of　both　forgery　and　contempt　of　majesty；　for　she　has　even　dared　to
drag　the　sacred　person　of　the　Queen　of　France　into　her　mesh　of　lies；
and　to　make　her　majesty　the　heroine　of　a　dishonorable　love…
adventure。〃

〃My　lord；〃　cried　Countess　Lamotte；　with　a　loud　laugh；　〃you　are　not
driven　to　the　necessity　of　involving　the　queen　in　dishonorable　love…
adventures。　The　queen　is　in　reality　the　heroine　of　so　many
adventures　of　this　character；　that　you　can　have　your　choice　of　them。
A　queen　who　visits　the　opera…house　balls　incognito；　drives　thither
masked　and　in　a　fiacre；　and　who　appears　incognito　on　the　terraces　of
Versailles　with　strange　soldiers；　exchanging　jocose　words　with　them…
…a　queen　of　the　type　of　this　Austrian　may　not　wonder　to　find　her
name　identified　with　the　heroine　of　a　love…adventure。　But　we　are
speaking　now　not　of　a　romance；　but　of　a　reality；　and　I　am　not　to　be
accused　of　forgery　and　contempt　of　majesty　without　having　the　proofs
brought　forward。　This　cannot；　however；　be　done；　for　I　have　the
proofs　of　my　innocence。　The　cardinal　had　an　interview　with　the
queen；　and　she　gave　him　a　receipt　for　the　diamonds。　If　she　wrote　her
signature　differently　from　her　usual　manner；　it　is　not　my　fault。　It
only　shows　that　the　queen　was　cunning　enough　to　secure　an　alibi；　so
to　speak；　for　her　signature；　and　to　leave　a　rear　door　open　for
herself；　through　which　she　could　slip　with　her　exalted　name；　in　case
the　affair　was　discovered；　and　leave　me　to　be　her　bete　de
souffrance。　But　I　am　by　no　means　disposed　to　accept　this　part；　for　I
declare　here　solemnly；　before　God　and　man；　that　I　am　innocent　of　the
crime　laid　to　my　charge。　I　was　only　a　too　true　and　devoted　friend；
that　is　all！　I　sacrificed　my　own　safety　and　peace　to