Onthistheattorney-general，Borillon，rose，andamidthebreathlesssilenceoftheassemblybegantospeak。Hepaintedthecountessasacrafty，skilfuladventuress，whohadcometoPariswiththedeterminedpurposeofmakingherfortuneinwhateverwayitcouldbedone。Hethenspokeofthedestitutioninwhichshehadlivedatfirst，ofthebeggingletterswhichsheaddressedtoallpeopleofdistinction，andespeciallytoCardinaldeRohan，inconsequenceofhiswell-knownliberality。Hepaintedinlivelyandtouchingcolorsthescenewherethecardinal，struckbythenameofthesuppliant，wentinpersontotheattictoconvincehimselfwhetheritwerereallytruethatadescendantoftheKingsofFrancehadbeendriventosuchpovertyandhumiliation，andtogiveherassistanceforthesakeoftheroyalhouse，towhichhewasdevotedheartandsoul。Hepaintedfurtherhowthecardinal，attractedbythelivelyspirits，amiability，andintellectualcharacterofLamotte-Valois，hadgivenherhisconfidence，andbelievedwhatshetoldhimaboutherfavorwiththequeen，andherintimaterelationswithher。“Thecardinal，“continuedtheattorney-general，“didnotdoubtforamomentthetrustworthinessofthecountess；hehadnottheleastsuspicionthathewasappointedtobecomethevictimofanintriguer，whowouldtakeadvantageofhisnoblespirit，hismagnanimity，todeceivehimandtoenrichherself。Thecountessknewtheboundlessdevotionofthecardinaltothequeen；shehadheardhiscomplaintsoftheproudcoldness，thepublicslightswhichsheofferedtohim。Ontheotherhand，shehadheardofthecostlydiamondnecklacewhichBohmerandBassengehadrepeatedlyofferedtothequeen，andthatshehadrefusedtotakeitonaccountoftheenormouspricewhichtheydemandedforit。Onthisthecountessformedherplananditsucceededperfectly。Shecausedthecardinaltohopethathewouldsoonhaveanaudienceofthequeen，ifhewouldgivesolidassurancesofhisdevotion，andwhenheprofessedhimselfready，sheproposedtohim，asactingunderthequeen’sinstructions，thepurchaseofthenecklace。Thecardinaldeclaredhimselfreadytoaccede，andtheaffairtookthecoursealreadyindicatedwithsuchtouchingfranknessandloftytruthfulnessbyhiseminence。Hebroughtthepurchasetoaconclusion；hepaidthefirstinstalmentofsixhundredthousandfrancs，andgavethenecklacetothefriendofthequeen，theCountessLamotte-Valois，afterhehadavailedhimselfofherassistanceinreceivingfromthelipsandhandofthequeeninthegardenofVersaillestheassuranceoftheroyalfavor。Thecountessatoncebroughtthecardinalapaperfromthequeen，statingthatshehadreceivedthenecklace，andconveyingtohimthewarmthanksofhisqueen。Thecardinalfelthimselfrichlyrewardedbythisforallhispainsandoutlays，andinthejoyofhisheartwantedtorepayherwho，insoprudentandwiseamanner，hadeffectedhisreconciliationwiththequeen。Hesettleduponherayearlypensionoffourthousandfrancs，payableherwholelife，andthecountessaccepteditwithtearsofemotion，andsworeeternalgratitudetothecardinal。Butwhileutteringthisveryoathshewasconspiringagainstherbenefactor，andlaughinginhersleeveatthecredulousprincewhohadfallenintotheverynetwhichshehadpreparedforhim。Hermostactiveallywasherhusband，whomshehadlongbeforesummonedtoParis，andwhowastheabetterofherintrigue。Thecountesshadnowbecomearichlady，andwasabletoindulgeallhercravingsforsplendorandluxury。
Shewho，downtothattime，hadstoodasasupplicantbeforethedoorsoftherich，couldherselfhaveaprincelydwelling，andcoulddevotegreatsumstoitsadornment。Themostcelebratedmakerswerecalledon，tofurnishthefurnitureandthedecorations，and，asifbyatouchofmagic，shewassurroundedbyfabulousluxury；thefairestequipagesstoodreadyforher，thefinesthorsesinherstable，andatroopoflackeyswaiteduponthebeckofthefairladywhodisplayedherprincelysplendorbeforethem。Achoicesilverserviceglittereduponhertable，andshepossessedvaluablesworthmorethanahundredthousandfrancs。Morethanthis，sheenjoyedthebestofall，atenderanddevotedhusband，whooverloadedherwithpresents；fromLondon，whitherhewascalledbypressingfamilyaffairs，hesenthiswifeamedallionofdiamonds，whichwassubsequentlyestimatedattwohundredandthirtylouis-d’ors，andapearlbraceletworthtwohundredlouis-d’ors。Returningfromhisjourney，hesurprisedhiswifewithanewandsplendidpresent。HehadpurchasedapalaceinBar-sur-Aube，andthitherthewholecostlyfurnitureofhishiredhousewascarried。Wouldyouknowwherealltheseraregiftsworedrawn？TheCountessLamottehadbrokenthenecklace，andtakenthestonesfromtheirsetting。Forthegoldalonewhichwasusedinthesettingshereceivedfortythousandfrancs；foroneofthediamonds，whichshesoldinParis，shereceivedfiftythousandfrancs；foranother，thirty-sixthousand。
ThediamondsofuncommonsizeandimmenseworthshedidnotdaretodisposeofinParis，andherhusbandwascompelledtojourneytoLondontosellaportionofthemthere。OnhisreturnthencehewasabletobuyforhiswifethehouseinBar-sur-Aube，forthesumreceivedinLondonwasfourhundredthousandfrancsingold，inadditiontothepearlsandthediamondmedallionwhichhebroughthiswifefromLondon。Andofallthisluxury，thisextravagance，CardinaldeRohanhadnaturallynosuspicion。Whenhevisitedher，wheredidthecountessreceivehim？Inapoorly-furnishedattic-
chamberofthehousehiredbyher。Insimple，modestattire，Shemethimthereandtoldhimwithtremblingvoicethattherichcountesswholivedinthetwolowerstoriesofthehousehadallowedhertohavethissuitenexttotheroofgratis。Butwhendangerapproached，andLamottebegantofearthatBohmerandBassenge，inclaimingtheirpayfromthequeen，wouldbringthehistoryofthenecklacetothelight，thecountesscametothecardinaltopayherpartingrespects，asshewasgoingintothecountrytoafriendtoliveinthegreatestprivacy。SheleftParismerelytorepairtoBar-sur-
Aubeandliveinhermagnificentpalace。ShetarriedtheresolongastoallowthepolicedetectivestodiscoverintherichandelegantladytheintriguerLamotte-Valois，andtoeffecttheimprisonmentofherhusbandandhisfriend，theso-calledCountCagliostro。Herotherabettershadputthemselvesoutofsight，andwerenottobediscovered。However，theirarrestwasnotspeciallynecessary，forthefactswerealreadysufficientlystrongandclear。