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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