marie antoinette and her son-第13节

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〃Every　time；　therefore；　that　he　came　to　Versailles　he　was　refused
admittance。　He　then　had　recourse　to　writing；　and　two　weeks　ago　her
majesty　received　from　him　a　begging　letter；　in　which　he　said　that　he
should　be　very　happy　if；　through　his　instrumentality；　the　queen
could　possess　the　finest　diamonds　in　Europe；　and　imploring　her
majesty　not　to　forget　her　court　jeweller。　The　queen　read　this
letter；　laughing；　to　her　lady…in…waiting；　Madame　de　Campan；　and　said
it　seemed　as　if　the　necklace　had　deprived　the　good　Bohmer　of　his
reason。　But　not　wishing　to　pay　any　further　attention　to　his　letter
or　to　answer　it；　she　burned　the　paper　in　a　candle　which　was
accidentally　standing　on　her　table。〃

〃Good　Heaven！　How　do　you　know　these　details？〃　asked　the　king；　in
amazement。

〃Sire；　I　have　learned　them　from　Madame　de　Campan　herself；　as　I　was
compelled　to　speak　with　her　about　the　necklace。〃

〃But　what　is　it　about　this　necklace？　What　has　the　queen　to　do　with
that？〃　asked　the　king；　wiping　with　a　lace　handkerchief　the　sweat
which　stood　in　great　drops　upon　his　lofty　forehead。

〃Sire；　the　court　jeweller；　Bohmer；　asserts　that　he　sold　the　necklace
of　brilliants　to　the　queen；　and　now　desires　to　be　paid。〃

〃The　queen　is　right；〃　exclaimed　the　king；　〃the　man　is　out　of　his
head。　If　he　did　sell　the　necklace　to　the　queen；　there　must　have　been
witnesses　present　to　confirm　it；　and　the　keepers　of　her　majesty's
purse　would　certainly　know　about　it。〃

〃Sire；　Bohmer　asserts　that　the　queen　caused　it　to　be　bought　of　him
in　secret；　through　a　third　hand；　and　that　this　confidential
messenger　was　empowered　to　pay　down　thirty　thousand　francs；　and　to
promise　two　hundred　thousand　more。〃

〃What　is　the　name　of　this　confidential　messenger？　What　do　they　call
him？〃

〃Sire；〃　answered　the　Baron　de　Breteuil；　solemnly〃sire；　it　is　the
cardinal　and　grand　almoner　of　your　majesty；　Prince　Louis　de　Rohan。〃

The　king　uttered　a　loud　cry；　and　sprang　quickly　from　his　seat。

〃Rohan？〃　asked　he。　〃And　do　they　dare　to　bring　this　man　whom　the
queen　hates；　whom　she　scorns；　into　relations　with　her？　Ha；　Breteuil！
you　can　go；　the　story　is　too　foolishly　put　together　for　any　one　to
believe　it。〃

〃Your　majesty；　Bohmer　has；　in　the　mean　while；　believed　it；　and　has
delivered　the　necklace　to　the　cardinal；　and　received　the　queen's
promise　to　pay；　written　with　her　own　hand。〃

〃Who　says　that？　　How　do　you　know　all　the　details？〃

〃Sire；　I　know　it　by　a　paper　of　Bohmer's；　who　wrote　to　me　after
trying　in　vain　several　times　to　see　me。　The　letter　was　a　tolerably
confused　one；　and　I　did　not　understand　it。　But　as　he　stated　in　it
that　the　queen's　lady…in…waiting　advised　him　to　apply　to　me　as　the
minister　of　the　royal　house；　I　considered　it　best　to　speak　with
Madame　de　Campan。　What　I　learned　of　her　is　so　important　that　I
begged　her　to　accompany　me　to　Trianon；　and　to　repeat　her　statement
before　your　majesty。〃

〃Is　Campan　then　in　Trianon？〃　asked　the　king。

〃Yes；　sire；　and　on　our　arrival　we　learned　that　Bohmer　had　just　been
there；　and　was　most　anxious　to　speak　to　the　queen。　He　had　been
denied　admission　as　always；　and　had　gone　away　weeping　and　scolding。〃

〃Come；〃　said　the　king；　〃let　us　go　to　Trianon；　I　want　to　speak　with
Campan。〃

And　with　quick；　rapid　steps　the　king；　followed　by　the　minister
Breteuil；　left　the　mill；　and　shunning　the　main　road　in　order　not　to
be　seen　by　the　queen；　struck　into　the　little　side…path　that　led
thither　behind　the　houses。

〃Campan；〃　said　the　king；　hastily　entering　the　little　toilet…room　of
the　queen；　where　the　lady…in…waiting　was〃Campan；　the　minister　has
just　been　telling　me　a　singular　and　incredible　history。　Yet　repeat
to　me　your　last　conversation　with　Bohmer。〃

〃Sire；〃　replied　Madame　de　Campan；　bowing　low；　〃does　your　majesty
command　that　I　speak　before　the　queen　knows　of　the　matter？〃

〃Ah；〃　said　the　king；　turning　to　the　minister；　〃you　see　I　am　right。
The　queen　knows　nothing　of　this；　else　she　would　certainly　have
spoken　to　me　about　it。　Thank　God；　the　queen　withholds　no　secrets
from　me！　I　thank　you　for　your　question；　Campan。　It　is　better　that
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　Sult