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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 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
purp