“Willtheyventureagaintoassailthehonorofthequeen？“heasked。
“Yes，sire，“answeredBreteuil，withhisinvinciblecalmness——“yes，sire，theywillventuretodoso。Andatthistimeitissoinfernalanddeeply-laidaplanthatitwillbedifficulttogetatthetruth。Willyourmajestyallowmetounfoldthedetailsofthemattersomewhatfully？“
“Speak，baron，speak，“saidtheking，eagerly，takinghisseatuponawoodenstool，andmotioningtotheministertodothesame。
“Sire，“answeredthepremier，withabow，“Iwillventuretosit，becauseIaminfactalittleexhaustedwithmyquickrunhither。“
“Andisthemattersopressing？“mutteredtheking，drawingouthistobacco-box，andinhisimpatiencerollingitbetweenhisfingers。
“Yes，verypressing，“answeredBreteuil，takinghisseat。“Doesyourmajestyrememberthebeautifulnecklacewhichthecourtjeweller，Bohmer，sometimesincehadthehonortooffertoyourmajesty？“
“Certainly，Irememberit，“answeredtheking，quicklynodding。“Thequeenshowedherselfonthatoccasionjustasunselfishandmagnanimousasshealwaysis。ItwastoldmethathermajestyhadverymuchadmiredthenecklacewhichBohmerhadshowedtoher，andyethaddeclinedtopurchaseit，becauseitseemedtohertoodear。
Iwantedtobuyitandhavethepleasureofofferingittothequeen，butshedecisivelyrefusedit。“
“Wewellrememberthebeautifulanswerwhichhermajestygavetoherhusband，“saidBreteuil，gentlybowing。“AllParisrepeatedwithdelightthewordswhichhermajestyuttered：’Sir，wehavemorediamondsthanships。Buyashipwiththismoney!’“[Footnote：
“CorrespondenceSecretedelaCourdeLouisXVI。“]
“Youhaveagoodmemory，“saidtheking，“foritisfiveyearssincethishappened。Bohmerhastwicemadetheattemptsincethentosellthiscostlynecklacetome，butIhavedismissedhim，andatlastforbiddenhimtoalludetothematteragain。“
“Ibelievethathehas，meanwhile，venturedtotroublethequeenseveraltimesaboutthenecklace。Itappearsthathehadalmostpersuadedhimselfthatyourmajestywouldpurchaseit。YearsagohecausedstonestobeselectedthroughallEurope，wishingtomakeanecklaceofdiamondswhichshouldbealikelarge，heavy，andbrilliant。Thequeenrefusingtogivehimhispriceoftwomillionfrancs，heoffereditatlastforonemillioneighthundredthousand。“
“Ihaveheardofthat，“saidtheking。“Hermajestywasatlastwearyofthetrouble，andgavecommandthatthecourtjeweller，Bohmer，shouldnotbeadmitted。“
“Everytime，therefore，thathecametoVersailleshewasrefusedadmittance。Hethenhadrecoursetowriting，andtwoweeksagohermajestyreceivedfromhimabeggingletter，inwhichhesaidthatheshouldbeveryhappyif，throughhisinstrumentality，thequeencouldpossessthefinestdiamondsinEurope，andimploringhermajestynottoforgethercourtjeweller。Thequeenreadthisletter，laughing，toherlady-in-waiting，MadamedeCampan，andsaiditseemedasifthenecklacehaddeprivedthegoodBohmerofhisreason。Butnotwishingtopayanyfurtherattentiontohisletterortoanswerit，sheburnedthepaperinacandlewhichwasaccidentallystandingonhertable。“
“GoodHeaven!Howdoyouknowthesedetails？“askedtheking，inamazement。
“Sire，IhavelearnedthemfromMadamedeCampanherself，asIwascompelledtospeakwithheraboutthenecklace。“
“Butwhatisitaboutthisnecklace？Whathasthequeentodowiththat？“askedtheking，wipingwithalacehandkerchiefthesweatwhichstoodingreatdropsuponhisloftyforehead。
“Sire，thecourtjeweller，Bohmer，assertsthathesoldthenecklaceofbrilliantstothequeen，andnowdesirestobepaid。“
“Thequeenisright，“exclaimedtheking，“themanisoutofhishead。Ifhedidsellthenecklacetothequeen，theremusthavebeenwitnessespresenttoconfirmit，andthekeepersofhermajesty’spursewouldcertainlyknowaboutit。“
“Sire，Bohmerassertsthatthequeencausedittobeboughtofhiminsecret，throughathirdhand，andthatthisconfidentialmessengerwasempoweredtopaydownthirtythousandfrancs，andtopromisetwohundredthousandmore。“
“Whatisthenameofthisconfidentialmessenger？Whatdotheycallhim？“
“Sire，“answeredtheBarondeBreteuil，solemnly——“sire，itisthecardinalandgrandalmonerofyourmajesty，PrinceLouisdeRohan。“
Thekingutteredaloudcry，andsprangquicklyfromhisseat。
“Rohan？“askedhe。“Anddotheydaretobringthismanwhomthequeenhates，whomshescorns，intorelationswithher？Ha，Breteuil!
youcango；thestoryistoofoolishlyputtogetherforanyonetobelieveit。“
“Yourmajesty，Bohmerhas，inthemeanwhile，believedit，andhasdeliveredthenecklacetothecardinal，andreceivedthequeen’spromisetopay，writtenwithherownhand。“
“Whosaysthat？Howdoyouknowallthedetails？“
“Sire，IknowitbyapaperofBohmer’s，whowrotetomeaftertryinginvainseveraltimestoseeme。Theletterwasatolerablyconfusedone，andIdidnotunderstandit。Butashestatedinitthatthequeen’slady-in-waitingadvisedhimtoapplytomeastheministeroftheroyalhouse，IconsidereditbesttospeakwithMadamedeCampan。WhatIlearnedofherissoimportantthatI
beggedhertoaccompanymetoTrianon，andtorepeatherstatementbeforeyourmajesty。“
“IsCampantheninTrianon？“askedtheking。
“Yes，sire；andonourarrivalwelearnedthatBohmerhadjustbeenthere，andwasmostanxioustospeaktothequeen。Hehadbeendeniedadmissionasalways，andhadgoneawayweepingandscolding。“
“Come，“saidtheking，“letusgotoTrianon；IwanttospeakwithCampan。“
Andwithquick，rapidstepstheking，followedbytheministerBreteuil，leftthemill，andshunningthemainroadinordernottobeseenbythequeen，struckintothelittleside-paththatledthitherbehindthehouses。
“Campan，“saidtheking，hastilyenteringthelittletoilet-roomofthequeen，wherethelady-in-waitingwas——“Campan，theministerhasjustbeentellingmeasingularandincrediblehistory。YetrepeattomeyourlastconversationwithBohmer。“
“Sire，“repliedMadamedeCampan，bowinglow，“doesyourmajestycommandthatIspeakbeforethequeenknowsofthematter？“
“Ah，“saidtheking，turningtotheminister，“youseeIamright。
Thequeenknowsnothingofthis，elseshewouldcertainlyhavespokentomeaboutit。ThankGod，thequeenwithholdsnosecretsfromme!Ithankyouforyourquestion，Campan。Itisbetterthatthequeenbepresentatourinterview。Iwillsendforhertocomehere。“Andthekinghastenedtothedoor，openedit，andcalled，“Areanyofthequeen’sservantshere？“
Thevoiceofthekingwassoloudandviolentthatthechamberlain，Weber，whowasinthelittleouterantechamber，heardit，andatoncerushedin。
“Weber，“criedthekingtohim，“hastenatoncetoLittleTrianon。
Begthequeen，inmyname，tohavethegoodnesstocometothepalacewithinaquarterofanhour，toconsultaboutaweightymatterthatallowsnodelay。Buttakecarethatthequeenbenotalarmed，andthatshedonotsuspectthatsadnewshascomeregardingherfamily。Hasten，Weber!Andnow，baron，“continuedtheking，closingthedoor，“nowyoushallbeconvincedbyyourowneyesandearsthatthequeenwillbeasamazedandaslittleacquaintedwithallthesethingsasImyself。Iwish，therefore，thatyouwouldbepresentattheinterviewwhichIshallhavewithmywifeandCampan，withoutthequeen’sknowingthatyouarenear。Youwillbeconvincedatonceinthiswayoftheimpudentandshamelessdeceptionthattheyhavedaredtoplay。Wheredoesthatdoorleadto，Campan？“askedtheking，pointingtothewhite，gold-bordereddoor，atwhosesidetwocurtainsofwhitesatin，wroughtwithroses，weresecured。
“Sire，itleadstothesmallreceptionroom。“
“Willthequeenpassthatwaywhenshecomes？“
“No，yourmajesty，sheisaccustomedtotakethesamewaywhichyourmajestytook，throughtheantechamber。“
“Good。Then，baron，gointothelittlesaloon。Leavethedooropen，anddoyou，Campan，loosenthecurtainsandletthemfalloverthedoor，thattheministermayhearwithoutbeingseen。“
Aquarterofanhourhadscarcelyelapsedwhenthequeenenteredthetoilet-chamber，withglowingcheeks，andundervisibleexcitement。
Thekingwenthastilytoher，tookherhandandpressedittohislips。
“Forgiveness，Marie，thatIhavedisturbedyouinthemidstofyourpleasures。“
“Tellme，quickly，“criedthequeen，impatiently。“Whatisit？Isitagreatmisfortune？“
“No，Marie，butagreatannoyance，whichissofaramisfortuneinthatthenameofyourmajestyisinvolvedinadisagreeableandabsurdplot。Thecourtjeweller，Bohmer，assertsthathehassoldanecklacetoyourmajestyforonemillioneighthundredthousandfrancs。“
“Butthemaniscrazy，“criedthequeen。“Isthatallyourmajestyhadtosaytome？“
“IbegthatCampanwillrepeattheconversationwhichshehadyesterdaywithBohmer。“
Andthekingbeckonedwithhishandtothelady-in-waiting，who，attheentranceofthequeen，hadmodestlytakenherseatatthebackpartoftheroom。