the memoirs of marie antoinette-第47节

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phant's　tooth；　the　butt　was　of　gold　and　very　tastefully　wrought。　　〃There；〃　said　she；　〃that　is　the　way　M。　de　Vaudreuil　has　treated　a　thing　I　valued　highly。　　I　had　laid　it　upon　the　couch　while　I　was　talking　to　the　Duchess　in　the　salon；　he　had　the　assurance　to　make　use　of　it；　and　in　a　fit　of　passion　about　a　blocked　ball；　he　struck　the　cue　so　violently　against　the　table　that　he　broke　it　in　two。　　The　noise　brought　me　back　into　the　billiard…room；　I　did　not　say　a　word　to　him；　but　my　looks　showed　him　how　angry　I　was。　　He　is　the　more　provoked　at　the　accident；　as　he　aspires　to　the　post　of　Governor　to　the　Dauphin。　　I　never　thought　of　him　for　the　place。　　It　is　quite　enough　to　have　consulted　my　heart　only　in　the　choice　of　a　governess；　and　I　will　not　suffer　that　of　a　Governor　to　the　Dauphin　to　be　at　all　affected　by　the　influence　of　my　friends。　　I　should　be　responsible　for　it　to　the　nation。　The　poor　man　does　not　know　that　my　determination　is　taken；　for　I　have　never　expressed　it　to　the　Duchess。　　Therefore；　judge　of　the　sort　of　an　evening　he　must　have　passed！〃




CHAPTER　XIII。

Shortly　after　the　public　mind　had　been　thrown　into　agitation　by　the　performance　of　the　〃Mariage　de　Figaro；〃　an　obscure　plot；　contrived　by　swindlers；　and　matured　in　a　corrupted　society；　attacked　the　Queen's　character　in　a　vital　point　and　assailed　the　majesty　of　the　throne。

I　am　about　to　speak　of　the　notorious　affair　of　the　necklace　purchased；　as　it　was　said；　for　the　Queen　by　Cardinal　de　Rohan。　　I　will　narrate　all　that　has　come　to　my　knowledge　relating　to　this　business；　the　most　minute　particulars　will　prove　how　little　reason　the　Queen　had　to　apprehend　the　blow　by　which　she　was　threatened；　and　which　must　be　attributed　to　a　fatality　that　human　prudence　could　not　have　foreseen；　but　from　which；　to　say　the　truth；　she　might　have　extricated　herself　with　more　skill。

I　have　already　said　that　in　1774　the　Queen　purchased　jewels　of　Boehmer　to　the　value　of　three　hundred　and　sixty　thousand　franca；　that　she　paid　for　them　herself　out　of　her　own　private　funds；　and　that　it　required　several　years　to　enable　her　to　complete　the　payment。　　The　King　afterwards　presented　her　with　a　set　of　rubies　and　diamonds　of　a　fine　water；　and　subsequently　with　a　pair　of　bracelets　worth　two　hundred　thousand　francs。　The　Queen；　after　having　her　diamonds　reset　in　new　patterns；　told　Boehmer　that　she　found　her　jewel　case　rich　enough；　and　was　not　desirous　of　making　any　addition　to　it。

　　　　　＇Except　on　those　days　when　the　assemblies　at　Court　were　particularly　　　　　　attended；　such　as　the　1st　of　January　and　the　2d　of　February；　devoted　　　　　　to　the　procession　of　the　Order　of　the　Holy　Ghost；　and　on　the　　　　　　festivals　of　Easter；　Whitsuntide；　and　Christmas；　the　Queen　no　longer　　　　　　wore　any　dresses　but　muslin　or　white　Florentine　taffety。　　Her　head…　　　　　　dress　was　merely　a　hat；　the　plainest　were　preferred；　and　her　　　　　　diamonds　never　quitted　their　caskets　but　for　the　dresses　of　　　　　　ceremony；　confined　to　the　days　I　have　mentioned。　　Before　the　Queen　　　　　　was　five　and　twenty　she　began　to　apprehend　that　she　might　be　induced　　　　　　to　make　too　frequent　use　of　flowers　and　of　ornaments；　which　at　that　　　　　　time　were　exclusively　reserved　for　youth。　　Madame　Bertin　having　　　　　　brought　a　wreath　for　the　head　and　neck；　composed　of　roses；　the　Queen　　　　　　feared　that　the　brightness　of　the　flowers　might　be　disadvantageous　　　　　　to　her　complexion。　　She　was　unquestionably　too　severe　upon　herself；　　　　　　her　beauty　having　as　yet　experienced　no　alteration；　it　is　easy　to　　　　　　conceive　the　concert　of　praise　and　compliment　that　replied　to　the　　　　　　doubt　she　had　expressed。　　The　Queen；　approaching　me；　said；　〃I　charge　　　　　　you；　from　this　day；　to　give　me　notice　when　flowers　shall　cease　to　　　　　　become　me。〃〃I　shall　do　no　such　thing；〃　I　replied；　immediately；　　　　　　〃I　have　not　read　'Gil　Bias'　without　profiting　in　some　degree　from　　　　　　it；　and　I　find　your　Majesty's　order　too　much　like　that　given　him　by　　　　　　the　Archbishop　of　Granada；　to　warn　him　of　the　moment　when　he　should　　　　　　begin　to　fall　off　in　the　composition　of　his　homilies。〃〃Go；〃　said　　　　　　the　Queen；　〃You　are　less　sincere　than　Gil　Blas；　and　I　world　have　　　　　　been　more　amenable　than　the　Archbishop。〃　MADAME　CAMPAN。＇

Still；　this　jeweller　busied　himself　for　some　years　in　forming　a　collection　of　the　finest　diamonds　circulating　in　the　trade；　in　order　to　compose　a　necklace　of　several　rows；　which　he　hoped　to　induce　her　Majesty　to　purchase；　he　brought　it　to　M。　Campan；　requesting　him　to　mention　it　to　the　Queen；　that　she　might　ask　to　see　it；　and　thus　be　induced　to　wish　to　possess　it。　　This　M。　Campan　refused　to　do；　telling　him　that　he　should　be　stepping　out　of　the　line　of　his　duty　were　he　to　propose　to　the　Queen　an　expense　of　sixteen　hundred　thousand　francs；　and　that　he　believed　neither　the　lady　of　honour　nor　the　tirewoman　would　take　upon　herself　to　execute　such　a　commission。　　Boehmer　persuaded　the　King's　first　gentleman　for　the　year　to　show　this　superb　necklace　to　his　Majesty；　who　admired　it　so　much　that　he　himself　wished　to　see　the　Queen　adorned　with　it；　and　sent　the　case　to　her；　but　she　assured　him　she　should　much　regret　incurring　so　great　an　expense　for　such　an　article；　that　she　had　already　very　beautiful　diamonds；　that　jewels　of　that　description　were　now　worn　at　Court　not　more　than　four　or　five　times　a　year；　that　the　necklace　must　be　returned；　and　that　the　money　would　be　much　better　employed　in　building　a　man…of…war。

　　　　　＇Messieurs　Boehmer　and　Bassange；　jewellers　to　the　Crown；　were　　　　　　proprietors　of　a　superb　diamond　necklace；　which　had；　as　it　was　said；　　　　　　been　intended　for　the　Comtesse　du　Barry。　　Being　under　the　necessity　　　　　　of　selling　it；　they　offered　it；　during　the　last　war；　to　the　king　and　　　　　　Queen；　but　their　Majesties　made　the　following　prudent　answer：　〃We　　　　　　stand　more　in　need　of　ships　than　of　jewels。〃〃Secret　Correspondence　　　　　　of　the　Court　of　Louis　XVI。〃＇

Boehmer；　in　sad　tribulation　at　finding　his　expectations　delusive；　endeavoured　for　some　time；　it　is　said；　to　dispose　of　his　necklace　among　the　various　Courts　of　Europe。

A　year　after　his　fruitless　attempts；　Boehmer　again　caused　his　diamond　necklace　to　be　offered　to　the　King；　proposing　that　it　should　be　paid　for　partly　by　instalments；　and　partly　in　life　annuities；　this　proposal　was　represented　as　highly　advantageous；　and　the　King；　in　my　presence；　mentioned　the　matter　once　more　to　the　Queen。　　I　remember　the　Queen　told　him　that；　if　the　bargain　really　was　not　bad；　he　might　make　it；　and　keep　the　necklace　until　the　marriage　of　one　of　his　children；　but　that；　for　her　part；　she　would　never　wear　it；　being　unwilling　that　the　world　should　have　to　reproach　her　with　having　coveted　so　expensive　an　article。　　The　King　replied　that　their　children　were　too　young　to　justify　such　an　expense；　which　would　be　greatly　increased　by　the　number　of　years　the　diamonds　would　remain　useless；　and　that　he　would　finally　decline　the　offer。　Boehmer　complained　to　everybody　of　his　misfortune；　and　all　reasonable　people　blamed　him　for　having　collected　diamonds　to　so　considerable　an　amount　without　any　positive　order　for　them。　　This　man　had　purchased　the　office　of　jeweller　to　the　Crown；　which　gave　him　some　rights　of　entry　at　Court。　　After　several　months　spent　in　ineffectual　attempts　to　carry　his　point；　and　in　idle　complaints；　he　obtained　an　audience　of　the　Queen；　who　had　with　her　the　young　Princess；　her　daughter；　her　Majesty　did　not　know　for　what　purpose　Boehmer　sought　this　audience；　and　had　not　the　slightest　idea　that　it　was　to　speak　to　her　again　about　an　article　twice　refused　by　herself　and　the　King。

Boehmer　threw　himself　upon　his　knees；　clasped　his　hands；　burst　into　tears；　and　exclaimed；　〃Madame；　I　am　ruined　and　disgraced　if　you　do　not　purchase　my　necklace。　　I　cannot　outlive　so　many　misfortunes。　　When　I　go　hence　I　shall　throw　myself　into　the　river。〃

〃Rise；　Boehmer；〃　said　the　Queen；　in　a　tone　sufficiently　severe　to　recall　him　to　himself；　〃I　do　not　like　these　rhapsodies；　honest　men　have　no　occasion　to　fall　on　their　knees　to　make　their　requests。　　If　you　were　to　destroy　yourself　I　should　regret　you　as　a　madman　in　whom　I　had　taken　an　interest；　but　I　should　not　be　in　any　way　responsible　for　that　misfortune。　Not　only　have　I　never　ordered　the　article　which　causes　your　present　despair；　but　whenever　you　have　talked　to　me　about　fine　collections　of　jewels　I　have　told　you　that　I　should　not　add　four　diamonds　to　those　which　I　already　possessed。　　I　told　you　myself　that　I　declined　taking　the　necklace；　the　King　wished　to　give　it　to　me；　but　I　refused　him　also；　never　mention　it　to　me　again。　　Divide　it　and　try　to　sell　it　piecemeal；　and　do　not　drown　yourself。　　I　am　very　angry　with　you　for　acting　this　scene　of　despair　in　my　presence　and　before　this　child。　　Let　me　never　see　you　behave　thus　again。　　Go。〃　　Baehmer　withdrew；　overwhelmed　with　confusion；　and　nothing　further　was　then　heard　of　him。

When　Madame　Sophie　was　born　the　Queen　told　me　M。　de　Saint…James；　a　rich　financier；　had　apprised　her　that　Boehmer　was　still　intent　upon　the　sale　of　his　necklace；　and　that　she　ought；　for　her　own　satisfaction；　to　endeavour　to　learn　what　the　man　had　done　with　it；　she　desired　me　the　first　time　I　should　meet　him　to　speak　to　him　about　it；　as　if　from　the　interest　I　took　in　his　welfare。　　I　spoke　to　him　abou