had　sold　the　necklace　to　the　Sultan。　Then　he　replied　that　the　queen
  had　ordered　him　to　give　this　answer　to　every　one　that　asked　about
  the　necklace。　Then　he　told　me　further；　that　your　majesty　had
  secretly　bought　the　necklace；　and　through　the　instrumentality　of　the
  Lord　Cardinal　de　Rohan。〃
  〃Through　Rohan？〃　cried　the　queen；　rising。　〃Through　the　man　whom　I
  hate　and　despise？　And　is　there　a　man　in　France　who　can　believe　this；
  and　who　does　not　know　that　the　cardinal　is　the　one　who　stands　the
  lowest　in　my　favor！〃
  〃I　said　to　Mr。　BohmerI　said　to　him　that　he　was　deceived；　that　the
  queen　would　never　make　a　confidant　of　Cardinal　Rohan；　and　he　made　me
  this　very　answer：　'You　deceive　yourself；　madame。　The　cardinal　stands
  so　high　in　favor；　and　maintains　such　confidential　relations　with　her
  majesty；　that　she　had　sent；　through　his　hands；　thirty　thousand
  francs　as　a　first　payment。　The　queen　took　this　money　in　the　presence
  of　the　cardinal；　from　the　little　secretary　of　Sevres　porcelain；
  which　stands　near　to　the　chimney　in　her　boudoir。'　'And　did　the
  cardinal　really　say　that？'　I　asked；　and　when　he　reaffirmed　it；　I
  told　him　that　he　was　deceived。　He　now　began　to　be　very　much
  troubled；　and　said；　'Good　Heaven！　what　if　you　are　right；　what　if　I
  am　deceived！　There　has　already　a　suspicion　come　to　me；　the　cardinal
  promised　me　that　on　Whit…sunday　the　queen　would　wear　the　collar；　and
  she　did　not　do　so；　so　this　determined　me　to　write　to　her。'　When　now；
  full　of　anxiety；　he　asked　what　advice　I　could　give　him；　I　at　once
  bade　him　go　to　Lord　Breteuil　and　tell　him　all。　He　promised　to　do　so；
  and　went。　But　I　hastened　to　come　hither　to　tell　your　majesty　the
  whole　story；　but　when　I　arrived　I　found　the　unhappy　jeweller　already
  here；　and　he　only　went　away　after　I　gave　him　my　promise　to　speak　to…
  day　with　your　majesty。〃
  The　queen　had　at　the　outset　listened　with　speechless　amazement；　and
  as　Campan　approached　the　close　of　her　communication；　her　eyes　opened
  wider　and　wider。　She　had　stood　as　rigid　as　a　statue。　But　now　all　at
  once　life　and　animation　took　possession　of　this　statue；　a　glowing
  purple…red　diffused　itself　over　her　cheeks；　and　directing　her　eyes；
  which　blazed　with　wonderful　fire；　to　the　king；　she　said；　with　a　loud
  and　commanding　voice；　〃Sire；　you　have　heard　this　story。　Your　wife　is
  accused；　and　the　queen　is　even　charged　with　having　a　secret
  understanding　with　Cardinal　Rohan。　I　desire　an　investigationa
  rigid；　strict　investigation。　Call　at　once；　Lord　Breteuil；　that　we
  may　take　counsel　with　him。　But　I　insist　upon　having　this　done。〃
  〃And　your　will　is　law；　madame；〃　said　the　king；　directing　an
  affectionate　glance　at　the　excited　face　of　the　queen。　〃Come　out；
  Breteuil！〃
  And　as　between　the　curtains　appeared　the　serious；　sad　face　of　the
  minister；　the　king　turned　to　his　wife　and　said：　〃I　wished　that　he
  might　be　a　secret　witness　of　this　interview；　and　survey　the　position
  which　you　should　take　in　this　matter。〃
  〃Oh；　sire！〃　exclaimed　Marie　Antoinette；　extending　her　hand　to　him；
  〃so　you　did　not　for　an　instant　doubt　my　innocence？〃
  〃No；　truly；　not　a　moment；〃　answered　the　king；　with　a　smile。　〃But　now
  come；　madame；　we　will　consider　with　Breteuil　what　is　to　be　done；　and
  then　we　will　summon　the　Abbe　de　Viermont；　that　he　may　take　part　in
  our　deliberations。〃
  On　the　next　day；　the　15th　of　August；　a　brilliant；　select　company　was
  assembled　in　the　saloons　of　Versailles。　It　was　a　great　holiday；
  Ascension…day；　and　the　king　and　the　queen；　with　the　entire　court；
  intended　to　be　present　at　the　mass；　which　the　cardinal　and　the　grand
  almoner　would　celebrate　in　the　chapel。
  The　entire　brilliant　court　was　assembled；　the　cardinal　arrayed　in
  his　suitable　apparel；　and　wearing　all　the　tokens　of　his　rank；　had
  entered　the　great　reception　room；　and　only　awaited　the　arrival　of
  the　royal　pair；　to　lead　them　into　the　church。　The　fine　and　much
  admired　face　of　the　cardinal　wore　today　a　beaming　expression；　and
  his　great　black　eyes　were　continually　directed；　while　he　was　talking
  with　the　Duke　de　Conti　and　the　Count　d'Artois；　toward　the　door
  through　which　the　royal　couple　would　enter。　All　at　once　the　portal
  opened；　a　royal　page　stepped　in　and　glanced　searchingly　around；　and
  seeing　the　towering　figure　of　the　cardinal　in　the　middle　of　the
  hall；　he　at　once　advanced　through　the　glittering　company；　and
  approached　the　cardinal。　〃Monseigneur；〃　he　whispered　to　him；　〃his
  majesty　is　awaiting　your　eminence's　immediate　appearance　in　the
  cabinet。〃
  The　cardinal　broke　off　abruptly　his　conversation　with　Lord　Conti；
  hurried　through　the　hall　and　entered　the　cabinet。
  No　one　was　there　except　the　king　and　queen；　and　in　the　background　of
  the　apartment；　in　the　recess　formed　by　a　window；　the　premier；　Baron
  Breteuil；　the　old　and　irreconcilable　enemy　of　the　proud　cardinal；
  who　in　this　hour　would　have　his　reward　for　his　year　long　and
  ignominious　treatment　of　the　prince。
  The　cardinal　had　entered　with　a　confident；　dignified　bearing；　but
  the　cold　look　of　the　king　and　the　flaming　eye　of　the　queen　appeared
  to　confuse　him　a　little；　and　his　proud　eye　sank　to　the　ground。
  〃You　have　been　buying　diamonds　of　Bohmer？〃　asked　the　king；
  brusquely。
  〃Yes；　sire；〃　answered　the　cardinal。
  〃What　have　you　done　with　them？　Answer　me；　I　command　you。〃
  〃Sire；〃　said　the　cardinal；　after　a　pause；　〃I　supposed　that　they　were
  given　to　the　queen。〃
  〃Who　intrusted　you　with　this　commission？〃
  〃Sire；　a　lady　named　Countess　Lamotte…Valois。　She　gave　me　a　letter
  from　her　majesty；　and　I　believed　that　I　should　be　doing　the　queen　a
  favor　if　I　should　undertake　the　care　of　the　commission　which　the
  queen　had　the　grace　to　intrust　to　me。〃
  〃I！〃　cried　the　queen；　with　an　expression　of　intense　scorn；　〃should　I
  intrust　you　with　a　commission　in　my　behalf？　I；　who　for　eight　years
  have　never　deigned　to　bestow　a　word　upon　you？　And　I　should　employ
  such　a　person　as　you；　a　beggar　of　places？〃
  〃I　see　plainly；〃　cried　the　cardinal；　〃I　see　plainly　that　some　one
  has　deceived　you　grievously　about　me。　I　will　pay　for　the　necklace。
  The　earnest　wish　to　please　your　majesty　has　blinded　your　eyes
  regarding　me。　I　have　planned　no　deception；　and　am　now　bitterly
  undeceived。　But　I　will　pay　for　the　necklace。〃
  〃And　you　suppose　that　that　ends　all！〃　said　the　queen；　with　a　burst
  of　anger。　〃You　think　that；　with　a　pitiful　paying　for　the　brilliants；
  you　can　atone　for　the　disgrace　which　you　have　brought　upon　your
  queen？　No；　no；　sir；　I　desire　a　rigid　investigation。　I　insist　upon　it
  that　all　who　have　taken　part　in　this　ignominious　deception　be
  brought　to　a　relentless　investigation。　Give　me　the　proofs　that　you
  have　been　deceived；　and　that　you　are　not　much　rather　the　deceiver。〃
  〃Ah；　madame；〃　cried　the　cardinal；　with　a　look　at　once　so　full　of
  reproach　and　confidence；　that　the　queen　fairly　shook　with　anger。
  〃Here　are　the　proofs　of　my　innocence；〃　continued　he；　drawing　a　small
  portfolio　from　his　pocket；　and　taking　from　it　a　folded　paper。　〃There
  is　the　letter　of　the　queen　to　the　Countess　Lamotte；　in　which　her
  majesty　empowered　me　to　purchase　the　diamonds。〃
  The　king　took　the　paper；　looked　over　it　hastily；　read　the　signature；
  and　gave　it；　with　a　suspicious　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　to　his　wife。
  The　queen　seized　the　letter　with　the　wild　fury　of　a　tigress；　which
  has　at　last　found　its　prey；　and　with　breathless　haste　ran　over　the
  paper。　Then　she　broke　out　into　loud；　scornful　laughter；　and；
  pointing　to　the　letter；　she　looked　at　the　cardinal　with　glances　of
  flame。
  〃That　is　not　my　handwriting；　that　is　not　my　signature！〃　cried　she；
  furiously。　〃How　are　yousir；　a　prince　and　grand　almoner　of　France
  how　are　you　so　ignorant；　so　foolish；　as　to　believe　that　I　could
  subscribe　myself　'Marie　Antoinette　of　France？'　Everybody　knows　that
  queens　write　only　their　baptismal　names　as　signatures；　and　you　alone
  have　not　known　that？〃
  〃I　see　into　it；〃　muttered　the　cardinal；　pale　under　the　look　of　the
  queen；　and　so　weak　that　he　had　to　rest　upon　the　table　for　support；
  〃I　see　into　it；　I　have　been　dreadfully　deceived。〃
  The　king　took　a　paper　from　his　table　and　gave　it　to　the　cardinal。
  〃Do　you　confess　that　you　wrote　this　letter　to　Bohmer；　in　which　you
  send　him　thirty　thousand　francs　in　behalf　of　the　queen；　in　part
  payment　for　the　necklace？〃
  〃Yes；　sire；　I　confess　it；〃　answered　the　cardinal；　with　a　low　voice；
  which　seemed　to　contradict　what　he　uttered。
  〃He　confesses　it；〃　cried　the　queen；　gnashing　her　teeth；　and　making
  up　her　little　hand　into　a　clinched　fist。　〃He　has　held　me　fit　for
  such　infamyme；　his　queen！〃
  〃You　assert　that　you　bought　the　jewels　for　the　queen。　Did　you
  deliver　them　in　person？〃
  〃No；　sire；　the　Countess　Lamotte　did　that。〃
  〃In　your　name；　cardinal？〃
  〃Yes；　in　my　name；　sire；　and　she　gave　at　the　same　time　a　receipt　to
  the　queen　for　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs；　which　I　lent
  the　queen　toward　the　purchase。〃
  〃And　what　reward　did　you　have　from　the　queen？〃
  The　cardinal　hesitated；　then；　as　he　felt　the　angry；　cold；　and
  contemning　look　of　the　queen　resting　upon　him；　the　red　blood　mounted
  into　his　face；　and　with　a　withering　glance　at　Marie　Antoinette；　he
  said：
  〃You　wish；　madame；　that　I　should　speak　the　whole　truth！　Sire；　the
  queen　rewarded　me　for　this　little　work　of　love　in