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　the　welfare　of
  my　exalted　friends；　and　I　now　complain　of　them　that　they　have
  treated　me　unthankfully　in　this　matter。　But　they　must　bear　the
  blame；　they　alone。　Let　the　queen　show　that　she　did　not　give　the
  cardinal　a　rendezvous　in　the　park　of　Versailles；　let　her　further
  show　that　she　did　not　sign　the　promissory　note；　and　the　letters　to
  his　eminence；　and　then　I　shall　be　exposed　to　the　charge　of　being　a
  deceiver　and　a　traitor。　But　so　long　as　this　is　not　doneand　it
  cannot　be　done；　for　God　is　just；　and　will　not　permit　the　innocent　to
  suffer　for　the　guiltyso　long　will　all　France；　yes；　all　Europe；　be
  convinced　that　the　queen　is　the　guilty　one；　that　she　received　the
  jewels；　and　paid　the　cardinal　for　them　as　a　coquette　and　light…
  minded　woman　does；　with　tender　words；　with　smiles　and　loving　looks；
  and；　last　of　all；　with　a　rendezvous！〃
  〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　attorney…general；　as　the　countess　ceased；
  and　looked　around　her　with　a　victorious　smile〃you　are　quite　right；
  God　IS　just；　and　He　will　not　permit　the　innocent　to　suffer　for　the
  guilty。　He　will　not　let　your　infernal　intrigue　stand　as　truth；　He
  will　tear　away　the　mask　of　innocence　from　your　deceiver's　face；　and
  lot　you　stand　forth　in　all　your　impudence　and　deception。〃
  〃My　lord；〃　cried　the　countess；　smiling；　〃those　are　very　high…
  sounding　words；　but　they　are　no　proofs。〃
  〃We　will　now　give　the　proofs；〃　answered　the　attorney…general；
  turning　to　one　of　the　guards。　〃Let　the　lady　enter　who　is　waiting　in
  the　room　outside。〃
  The　officer　gave　a　sign　to　one　of　the　men　who　stood　near　the　door
  leading　to　the　witness…room；　he　entered　the　adjoining　apartment；　but
  soon　after　returned　alone　and　whispered　something　in　the　officer's
  ear。
  〃The　lady　asks　the　court's　indulgence　for　a　few　moments；〃　said　the
  officer；　aloud。　〃As　she　must　be　separated　some　hours　from　her　child；
  she　asks　permission　to　suckle　it　a　few　moments。〃
  The　president　cast　an　inquiring　look　at　the　judges；　who　all　nodded
  affirmatively。
  The　law　was　silent　before　the　voice　of　Nature；　all　waited
  noiselessly　till　the　witness　had　quieted　her　child。
  And　now　the　door　of　the　witness…room　opened；　and　upon　the　threshold
  was　seen　a　woman's　figure；　at　whose　unexpected　appearance　a　cry　of
  amazement　rose　from　the　lips　of　all　the　spectators　on　the　tribune；
  and　all　eyes　were　aflame　with　curiosity。
  It　was　the　queenno　one　but　the　queen　who　was　entering　the　hall！　It
  was　her　slim；　fine　figure；　it　was　her　fresh；　voting；　rosy
  countenance；　with　the　fair；　charming　oval　of　her　delicately…tinted
  cheeks；　it　was　her　finely…cut　mouth；　with　the　full；　lower　lips；
  there　were　her　large；　grayish…blue　eyes；　her　high　forehead；　her
  beautiful；　chestnut…brown　hair；　arranged　in　exactly　the　manner　that
  Leonard；　the　queen's　hair…dresser；　was　accustomed　to　dress　hers。　The
  rest　of　her　toilet；　also；　was　precisely　like　that　of　the　queen　when
  she　appeared　in　the　gardens　of　Versailles　and　dispensed　with　court
  etiquette。　A　bright　dress　of　light　linen　flowed　down　in　long；　broad
  folds　over　her　beautiful　figure；　her　chest　and　the　full　shoulders
  were　covered　by　a　short　white　robe　a　l'enfant；　and　on　the　loftily
  dressed　hair　lay　a　white　cap；　trimmed　with　lace。
  Yes；　it　was　the　queen；　as　she　had　often　been　seen　wandering　up　and
  down　in　the　broad　walks　of　Versailles；　and　even　the　ladies　on　the
  tribune；　who　often　enough　had　seen　the　monarch　close　at　hand　and　had
  spoken　with　her；　looked　in　astonishment　at　the　entering　figure；　and
  whispered；　〃It　is　she！　The　queen　herself　is　coming　to　give　her
  evidence。　What　folly；　what　thoughtlessness！〃
  While　all　eyes　were　directed　upon　this　unexpected　figure；　no　one　had
  thought　of　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois；　no　one　had　noticed　how　she
  shrank　back；　and　then　started　from　her　seat；　as　if　she　wanted　to　fly
  from　the　horror　which　so　suddenly　confronted　her。
  No；　the　officer　who　stood　near　her　chair　had　noticed　this　movement；
  and　with　a　quick　and　strong　grasp　seized　her　arm。
  〃What　do　you　want；　madame？　Why　do　you　rise　from　your　chair　after
  being　told　to　sit　still；　if　you　do　not　want　to　be　chained？〃
  At　the　touch　of　the　officer；　Lamotte　had；　as　it　appeared；　regained
  her　whole　composure；　and　had　conquered　her　alarm。
  〃I　rose；〃　she　said　calmly；　〃to　pay　my　respects　to　the　Queen　of
  France；　like　a　good　subject；　but　as　I　see　that　no　one　else　stands
  up；　and　that　they　allow　the　queen　to　enter　without　rising　from　their
  seats；　I　will　take　mine　again。〃　And　the　countess　slowly　sank　into
  her　chair。
  〃Come　nearer；〃　cried　President　de　L'Aigre　to　the　royal　personage；
  and　she　stepped　forward；　allowing　her　eyes　to　wander　unconstrainedly
  through　the　hall；　and　then；　as　she　approached　the　table；　behind
  which　the　president　and　the　judges　sat；　greeting　them　with　a
  friendly　nod　and　smile　which　caused　her　lips　to　part。　Again　there
  passed　through　the　hall　a　wave　of　amazement；　for　now；　when　the　lady
  opened　her　mouth；　the　first　dissimilarity　to　the　queen　appeared。
  Behind　her　cherry…red　lips　there　were　two　rows　of　poor；　broken
  teeth；　with　gaps　between　them；　whereas　Marie　Antoinette　had；　on
  account　of　her　faultless　teeth；　been　the　object　of　admiration　and
  envy　to　all　the　ladies　of　her　court。
  〃Who　are　you；　madame；　and　what　are　you　called？〃　asked　the　president。
  〃Who　am　I；　sir？〃　replied　the　lady；　with　a　slight　flush；　〃Good　Lord！
  that　is　hard　to　answer。　I　was　a　light…minded　and　idle　girl；　that　did
  not　like　to　work；　but　did　like　to　live　well；　and　had　no　objection　to
  dress；　and　led　a　tolerably　easy　life；　till　one　day　my　heart　was
  surprised　by　love。　After　being　enamoured　of　my　Sergeant　George；　I
  resolved　to　lead　an　honorable　and　virtuous　life；　and　since　my　little
  son　was　born　I　have　tried　to　be　merely　a　good　mother　and　a　good
  wife。　Do　you　now　want　to　know　what　I　am　called？　Down　to　the　present
  time　I　am　called　Mademoiselle　Oliva。　You　had　me　arrested　in　Brussels
  and　brought　here　exactly　nine　days　before　the　appointed　time　of　my
  marriage　with　my　dear　George。　He　had　promised　me　that　our　child
  should　be　able　to　regard　us　as　regularly　married　people；　and　he
  wanted　to　keep　his　promise；　but　you　prevented　him；　and　it　is　your
  fault　that　my　dear　little　boy　was　born　in　prison；　and　that　his
  father　was　not　there　to　greet　him。　But　you　will　confess　that　I　am
  guilty　of　no　crime；　and　then　you　will　fulfil　my　wish；　and　give　me　a
  written　certificate　of　my　innocencethat　is；〃　she　corrected
  herself；　blushing；　〃of　my　innocence　in　this　matter；　that　I　may　be
  able　to　justify　myself　to　my　son；　when　I　have　to　tell　him　that　he
  was　born　in　prison。　It　is　such　a　dreadful　thing　for　a　mother　to　have
  anything　that　she　is　ashamed　to　confess　to　her　child！〃
  A　murmur　of　applause　ran　through　the　hall；　and　the　ladies　upon　the
  tribune　looked　with　sympathy　upon　this　fair　woman；　whose　faithful
  love　made　her　beautiful；　and　whose　mother…feeling　gave　her　dignity。
  〃So　your　name　is　Mademoiselle　Oliva？〃　asked　the　president。
  〃Yes；　sir；　that　unfortunately　is　the　name　I　am　called　by；〃　answered
  she；　sighing；　〃but　as　soon　as　I　leave　the　prison　I　shall　be　married；
  and　then　I　shall　be　called　Madame　George。　For　my　child's