marie antoinette and her son-第20节

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me。〃

And　compelling　himself　to　a　quiet　manner；　he　went　on　with　his　story：
The　Countess　de　Valois　came　to　him　after　two　days　with　a　joyful
countenance；　and　brought　to　him　the　request　to　accompany　the
Countess　Valois　two　days　after　to　Versailles；　where；　in　the　garden；
in　a　place　indicated　by　the　countess；　the　meeting　of　the　queen　and
the　cardinal　should　take　place。　The　cardinal　was　to　put　on　the
simple；　unpretending　dress　of　a　citizen　of　Paris；　a　blue　cloth　coat；
a　round　hat；　and　high　leather　boots。　The　cardinal；　full　of
inexpressible　delight　at　this；　could；　notwithstanding；　scarcely
believe　that　the　queen　would　show　him　this　intoxicating　mark　of　her
favor；　upon　which　the　Countess　Valois；　laughing；　showed　him　a　letter
of　the　queen；　directed　to　her；　on　gold…bordered　paper；　and　signed
like　the　note　which　he　had　received　before〃　Marie　Antoinette　of
France。〃　In　this　note　the　queen　requested　her　dear　friend　to　go
carefully　to　work　to　warn　the　cardinal　to　speak　softly　during　the
interview；　because　there　were　ears　lurking　in　the　neighborhood；　and
not　to　come　out　from　the　thicket　till　the　queen　should　give　a　sign。

After　reading　this　letter；　the　cardinal　had　no　more　doubts；　but
surrendered　himself　completely　to　his　joy；　his　impatience；　and
longed　for　the　appointed　hour　to　arrive。　At　last　this　hour　came；
and；　in　company　with　the　countess；　the　cardinal；　arrayed　in　the
appointed　dress；　repaired　in　a　simple　hired　carriage　to　Versailles。
The　countess　led　him　to　the　terrace　of　the　palace；　where　she
directed　the　cardinal　to　hide　behind　a　clump　of　laurel…trees；　and
then　left　him；　in　order　to　inform　the　queen；　who　walked　every
evening　in　the　park；　in　company　with　the　Count　and　Countess
d'Artois；　of　the　presence　of　the　cardinal；　and　to　conduct　her　to
him。　The　latter　now　remained　alone；　and；　with　loud…beating　heart；
listened　to　every　sound；　and；　moving　gently　around；　looked　down　the
long　alley　which　ran　between　the　two　fountains；　in　order　to　catch
sight　of　the　approach　of　the　queen。　It　was　a　delightful　evening；　the
full　moon　shone　in　golden　clearness　from　the　deep…blue　sky；　and
illuminated　all　the　objects　in　the　neighborhood　with　a　light　like
that　of　day。　It　now　disclosed　a　tall；　noble　figure；　clad　in　a　dark…
red　robe；　and　with　large　blue　pins　in　her　hair；　hurrying　to　the
terrace；　and　followed　by　the　Countess　Valois。

To　the　present　moment　the　cardinal　had　slightly　doubted　as　to　his
unmeasurable　good　fortunenow　he　doubted　no　more。　It　was　the　queen；
Marie　Antoinette；　who　was　approaching。　She　wore　the　same　dress；　the
same　coiffure　which　she　had　worn　the　last　Sunday；　when　after　the
mass　he　had　gone　to　Versailles　to　drive。

Yes；　it　was　the　queen；　who　was　hurrying　across　the　terrace；　and
approaching　the　thicket　behind　which　the　cardinal　was　standing。

〃Come；〃　whispered　she；　softly；　and　the　cardinal　quickly　emerged　from
the　shade；　sank　upon　his　knee　before　the　queen；　and　eagerly　pressed
the　fair　hand　which　she　extended　to　him　to　his　lips。　〃Your
eminence；〃　whispered　the　queen　to　him；　〃I　can　unfortunately　spend
only　a　moment　here。　I　cherish　nothing　against　you；　and　shall　soon
show　you　marks　of　my　highest　favor。　Meantime；　accept　this　token　of
my　grace。〃　And　Marie　Antoinette　took　a　rose　from　her　bosom　and　gave
it　to　the　cardinal。　〃Accept；　also；　this　remembrancer；〃　whispered　the
queen；　again　placing　a　little　case　in　his　hand。　〃It　is　my　portrait。
Look　often　at　it；　and　never　doubt　me；　I〃

At　this　moment　the　Countess　Valois；　who　had　been　waiting　at　some
distance；　hastily　came　up。

〃Some　one　is　coming；〃　whispered　she；　〃for　God's　sake；　your　majesty；
fly！〃

Voices　were　audible　in　the　distance；　and　soon　they　approached。　The
queen　grasped　the　hand　of　the　Countess　Lamotte。

〃Come；　my　friend；〃　said　she。　〃Farewell；　cardinal；　au　revoir！〃

Full　of　joy　at　the　high　good　fortune　which　had　fallen　to　him；　and　at
the　same　time　saddened　at　the　abrupt　departure　of　the　queen；　the
cardinal　turned　back　to　Paris。　On　the　next　day　the　Countess　Valois
brought　a　billet　from　the　queen；　in　which　she　deeply　regretted　that
their　interview　yesterday　had　been　so　brief；　and　promising　a　speedy
appointment　again。　Some　days　after　this　occurrence；　which　constantly
occupied　the　mind　of　the　cardinal；　he　was　obliged　to　go　to　Alsace；
to　celebrate　a　church　festival。　On　the　very　next　day；　however；　came
the　husband　of　the　countess；　Count　Lamotte；　sent　as　a　courier　by　the
countess。　He　handed　the　cardinal　a　letter　from　the　queen；　short　and
full　of　secrecy；　like　the　earlier　ones。

〃The　moment；〃　wrote　the　queen〃　the　moment　which　I　desired　is　not
yet　come。　But　I　beg　you　to　return　at　once　to　Paris；　because　I　am　in
a　secret　affair；　which　concerns　me　personally；　and　which　I　shall
intrust　to　you　alone；　and　in　which　I　need　your　assistance。　The
Countess　Lamotte…Valois　will　give　you　the　key　to　this　riddle。〃

As　if　on　the　wings　of　birds；　the　cardinal　returned　to　Paris；　and　at
once　repaired　to　the　little　palace　which　the　countess　had　purchased
with　the　fruits　of　his　liberality。　Here　he　learned　of　her　the　reason
of　his　being　sent　for。　The　matter　in　question　was　the　purchasing　of
a　set　of　jewels；　which　the　royal　jewellers；　Bohmer　and　Bassenge；　had
often　offered　to　the　queen。　Marie　Antoinette　had　seen　the　necklace；
and　had　been　enraptured　with　the　size　and　beauty　of　the　diamonds。
But　she　had　had　the　spirit　to　refuse　to　purchase　the　collar；　in
consequence　of　the　enormous　price　which　the　jewellers　demanded。　She
had；　however；　subsequently　regretted　her　refusal；　and　the　princely
set　of　gems；　the　like　of　which　did　not　exist　in　Europe；　had　awakened
the　most　intense　desire　on　the　part　of　the　queen　to　possess　it。　She
wanted　to　purchase　it　secretly；　without　the　knowledge　of　the　king；
and　to　pay　for　it　gradually　out　of　the　savings　of　her　own　purse。　But
just　then　the　jewellers　Bohmer　and　Bassenge　had　it　in　view　to　send
the　necklace　to　Constantinople　for　the　Sultan；　who　wanted　to　present
it　to　the　best…loved　of　his　wives。

But　before　completing　the　sale；　the　crown　jewellers　made　one　more
application　to　the　queen；　declaring　that　if　she　would　consent　to
take　the　necklace；　they　would　be　content　with　any　conditions　of
payment。　In　the　mean　time；　the　private　treasury　of　the　queen　was
empty。　The　severe　winter　had　induced　much　suffering　and　misfortune；
and　the　queen　had　given　all　her　funds　to　the　poor。　But　as　she
earnestly　desired　to　purchase　the　necklace；　she　would　give　her　grand
almoner　a　special　mark　of　her　favor　in　granting　to　him　the
commission　of　purchasing　it　in　her　name。　He　should　receive　a　paper
from　the　queen's　own　hand　authorizing　the　purchase；　yet　he　should
keep　this　to　himself；　and　show　it　only　to　the　court　jewellers　at　the
time　of　the　purchase。　The　first　payment　of　six　hundred　thousand
francs　the　cardinal　was　to　pay　from　his　own　purse；　the　remaining
million　the　queen　would　pay　in　instalments　of　one　hundred　thousand
francs　each；　at　the　expiration　of　every　three　months。　In　the　next
three　months；　the　six　hundred　thousand　francs　advanced　by　the
cardinal　should　be　refunded。

The　cardinal　felt　himself　highly　flattered　by　this　token　of　the
queen's　confidence；　and　desired　nothing　more　than　the　written
authorization　of　the　queen；　empowering　him　to　make　the　purchase　at
once。　This　document　was　not　waited　for　long。　Two　days　only　passed
before　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　brought　it；　dated　at　Trianon；　and
subscribed　Marie　Antoinette　of　France。　Meanwhile　some　doubts　arose
in　the　mind　of　the　cardinal。　He　turned　to　his　friend　and　adviser；
Count　Cagliostro；　for　counsel。　The　latter　had　cured　him　years　before
while　very　sick；　and　since　that　time　had　always　been　his
disinterested　friend；　and　the　prophet；　so　to　speak；　who　always
indicated　the　cardinal's　future　to　him。　This　man；　so　clear　in　his
foresight；　so　skilful　in　medicine；　was　now　taken　into　confidence；
and　his　advice　asked。　Count　Cagliostro　summoned　the　spirits　that
waited　upon　him；　before　the　cardinal；　one　solitary　night。　He　asked
these　invisible　presences　what　their　counsel　was；　and　the　oracle
answered；　that　the　affair　was　one　worthy　of　the　station　of　the
cardinal；　that　it　would　have　a　fortunate　issue；　that　it　put　the　seal
upon　the　favors　of　the　queen；　and　would　usher　in　the　fortunate　day
which　would　bring　the　great　talents　of　the　cardinal　into　employment
for　the　benefit　of　France　and　the　world。　The　cardinal　doubted　and
hesitated　no　longer。　He　went　at　once　to　the　court　jewellers　Bohmer
and　Bassenge：　he　did　not　conceal　from　them　that　he　was　going　to　buy
the　necklace　in　the　name　of　the　queen；　and　showed　them　the　written
authorization。　The　jewellers　entered　readily　into　the　transaction。
The　cardinal　made　a　deposit　of　six　hundred　thousand　francs；　and
Bohmer　and　Bassenge　gave　him　the　necklace。　It　was　the　day　before　a
great　festival；　and　at　the　festival　the　queen　wanted　to　wear　the
necklace。　In　the　evening　a　trusted　servant　of　the　queen　was　to　take
the　necklace　from　the　dwelling　of　the　Countess　Lamotte…Valois。　The
countess　herself　requested　the　cardinal　to　be　present；　though
unseen；　when　the　delivery　should　take　place。

In　accordance　with　this　agreement；　the　cardinal　repaired　to　the
palace　of　the　countess　on　the　evening　of　February　1st；　1784；
accompan