“How!“criedthequeen，amazed，nowfirstperceivingCampan。“Whatdoyouhere？Whatdoesallthismean？“
“Yourmajesty，IcametoTrianontoinformyouabouttheconversationwhichIhadyesterdaywithBohmer。WhenIarrivedI
foundhehadjustbeenhere。“
“Andwhatdidhewant？“criedthequeen。“Didyounottellme，Campan，thathenolongerpossessesthisunfortunatenecklace，withwhichhehasbeenmakingamartyrofmeforyears？DidyounottellmethathehadsoldittotheGrandSultan，togotoConstantinople？“
“IrepeatedtoyourmajestywhatBohmersaidtome。MeanwhileIbegnowyourgraciouspermissiontorepeatmyto-day’sinterviewwithBohmer。DirectlyafteryourmajestyhadgonetoTrianonwiththeDuchessdePolignac，thecourtjewellerBohmerwasannounced。Hecamewithvisibledisquietandperplexity，andaskedmewhetheryourmajestyhadleftnocommissionforhim。Iansweredhimthatthequeenhadnotdoneso，thatinonewordshehadnocommissionforhim，andthatshewastiredofhiseternalpestering。’But，’saidBohmer，’ImusthaveananswertotheletterthatIsenttoher，andtowhommustIapply？’’Tonobody，’Ianswered。’Hermajestyhasburnedyourletterwithoutreadingit。’’Ah!madame，’criedhe，’thatisimpossible。Thequeenknowsthatsheowesmemoney。’“
“Iowehimmoney!“criedthequeen，horrified。“Howcanthemiserablemandaretoassertsuchathing？“
“ThatIsaidtohim，yourmajesty，butheanswered，withcompleteselfpossession，thatyourmajestyowedhimamillionandsomefivehundredthousandfrancs，andwhenIaskedhimincompleteamazementforwhatarticlesyourmajestyowedhimsuchamonstroussum，heanswered，’Formynecklace。’“
“Thismiserablenecklaceagain!“exclaimedthequeen。“Itseemsasifthemanmadeitonlytomakeamartyrofmewithit。YearafteryearIhearperpetuallyaboutthisnecklace，andithasbeenquiteinvainthat，withallmycareandgood-will，IhavesoughttodrivefromhimthisfixedideathatImustbuyit。HeissofargoneinhisillusionastoassertthatIhaveboughtit。“
“Madame，thismanisnotinsane，“saidtheking，seriously。“Listenfurther。Goon，Campan。“
“Ilaughed，“continuedMadamedeCampan，“andaskedhimhowhecouldassertsuchathing，whenhetoldmeonlyafewmonthsagothathehadsoldthenecklacetotheSultan。Thenherepliedthatthequeenhadorderedhimtogivethisanswertoeveryonethataskedaboutthenecklace。Thenhetoldmefurther，thatyourmajestyhadsecretlyboughtthenecklace，andthroughtheinstrumentalityoftheLordCardinaldeRohan。“
“ThroughRohan？“criedthequeen，rising。“ThroughthemanwhomI
hateanddespise？AndisthereamaninFrancewhocanbelievethis，andwhodoesnotknowthatthecardinalistheonewhostandsthelowestinmyfavor!“
“IsaidtoMr。Bohmer——Isaidtohimthathewasdeceived，thatthequeenwouldnevermakeaconfidantofCardinalRohan，andhemademethisveryanswer：’Youdeceiveyourself，madame。Thecardinalstandssohighinfavor，andmaintainssuchconfidentialrelationswithhermajesty，thatshehadsent，throughhishands，thirtythousandfrancsasafirstpayment。Thequeentookthismoneyinthepresenceofthecardinal，fromthelittlesecretaryofSevresporcelain，whichstandsneartothechimneyinherboudoir。’’Anddidthecardinalreallysaythat？’Iasked；andwhenhereaffirmedit，I
toldhimthathewasdeceived。Henowbegantobeverymuchtroubled，andsaid，’GoodHeaven!whatifyouareright，whatifI
amdeceived!Therehasalreadyasuspicioncometome；thecardinalpromisedmethatonWhit-sundaythequeenwouldwearthecollar，andshedidnotdoso；sothisdeterminedmetowritetoher。’Whennow，fullofanxiety，heaskedwhatadviceIcouldgivehim，IatoncebadehimgotoLordBreteuilandtellhimall。Hepromisedtodoso，andwent。ButIhastenedtocomehithertotellyourmajestythewholestory，butwhenIarrivedIfoundtheunhappyjewelleralreadyhere，andheonlywentawayafterIgavehimmypromisetospeakto-
daywithyourmajesty。“
Thequeenhadattheoutsetlistenedwithspeechlessamazement，andasCampanapproachedthecloseofhercommunication，hereyesopenedwiderandwider。Shehadstoodasrigidasastatue。Butnowallatoncelifeandanimationtookpossessionofthisstatue；aglowingpurple-reddiffuseditselfoverhercheeks，anddirectinghereyes，whichblazedwithwonderfulfire，totheking，shesaid，withaloudandcommandingvoice，“Sire，youhaveheardthisstory。Yourwifeisaccused，andthequeenisevenchargedwithhavingasecretunderstandingwithCardinalRohan。Idesireaninvestigation——arigid，strictinvestigation。Callatonce，LordBreteuil，thatwemaytakecounselwithhim。ButIinsistuponhavingthisdone。“
“Andyourwillislaw，madame，“saidtheking，directinganaffectionateglanceattheexcitedfaceofthequeen。“Comeout，Breteuil!“
Andasbetweenthecurtainsappearedtheserious，sadfaceoftheminister，thekingturnedtohiswifeandsaid：“Iwishedthathemightbeasecretwitnessofthisinterview，andsurveythepositionwhichyoushouldtakeinthismatter。“
“Oh，sire!“exclaimedMarieAntoinette，extendingherhandtohim，“soyoudidnotforaninstantdoubtmyinnocence？“
“No，truly，notamoment，“answeredtheking，withasmile。“Butnowcome，madame，wewillconsiderwithBreteuilwhatistobedone，andthenwewillsummontheAbbedeViermont，thathemaytakepartinourdeliberations。“
Onthenextday，the15thofAugust，abrilliant，selectcompanywasassembledinthesaloonsofVersailles。Itwasagreatholiday，Ascension-day，andthekingandthequeen，withtheentirecourt，intendedtobepresentatthemass，whichthecardinalandthegrandalmonerwouldcelebrateinthechapel。
Theentirebrilliantcourtwasassembled；thecardinalarrayedinhissuitableapparel，andwearingallthetokensofhisrank，hadenteredthegreatreceptionroom，andonlyawaitedthearrivaloftheroyalpair，toleadthemintothechurch。Thefineandmuchadmiredfaceofthecardinalworetodayabeamingexpression，andhisgreatblackeyeswerecontinuallydirected，whilehewastalkingwiththeDukedeContiandtheCountd’Artois，towardthedoorthroughwhichtheroyalcouplewouldenter。Allatoncetheportalopened，aroyalpagesteppedinandglancedsearchinglyaround；andseeingthetoweringfigureofthecardinalinthemiddleofthehall，heatonceadvancedthroughtheglitteringcompany，andapproachedthecardinal。“Monseigneur，“hewhisperedtohim，“hismajestyisawaitingyoureminence’simmediateappearanceinthecabinet。“
ThecardinalbrokeoffabruptlyhisconversationwithLordConti，hurriedthroughthehallandenteredthecabinet。
Noonewasthereexceptthekingandqueen，andinthebackgroundoftheapartment，intherecessformedbyawindow，thepremier，BaronBreteuil，theoldandirreconcilableenemyoftheproudcardinal，whointhishourwouldhavehisrewardforhisyearlongandignominioustreatmentoftheprince。
Thecardinalhadenteredwithaconfident，dignifiedbearing；butthecoldlookofthekingandtheflamingeyeofthequeenappearedtoconfusehimalittle，andhisproudeyesanktotheground。
“YouhavebeenbuyingdiamondsofBohmer？“askedtheking，brusquely。
“Yes，sire，“answeredthecardinal。
“Whathaveyoudonewiththem？Answerme，Icommandyou。“
“Sire，“saidthecardinal，afterapause，“Isupposedthattheyweregiventothequeen。“
“Whointrustedyouwiththiscommission？“
“Sire，aladynamedCountessLamotte-Valois。Shegavemealetterfromhermajesty，andIbelievedthatIshouldbedoingthequeenafavorifIshouldundertakethecareofthecommissionwhichthequeenhadthegracetointrusttome。“
“I!“criedthequeen，withanexpressionofintensescorn，“shouldI
intrustyouwithacommissioninmybehalf？I，whoforeightyearshaveneverdeignedtobestowaworduponyou？AndIshouldemploysuchapersonasyou，abeggarofplaces？“
“Iseeplainly，“criedthecardinal，“Iseeplainlythatsomeonehasdeceivedyougrievouslyaboutme。Iwillpayforthenecklace。
Theearnestwishtopleaseyourmajestyhasblindedyoureyesregardingme。Ihaveplannednodeception，andamnowbitterlyundeceived。ButIwillpayforthenecklace。“
“Andyousupposethatthatendsall!“saidthequeen，withaburstofanger。“Youthinkthat，withapitifulpayingforthebrilliants，youcanatoneforthedisgracewhichyouhavebroughtuponyourqueen？No，no，sir；Idesirearigidinvestigation。Iinsistuponitthatallwhohavetakenpartinthisignominiousdeceptionbebroughttoarelentlessinvestigation。Givemetheproofsthatyouhavebeendeceived，andthatyouarenotmuchratherthedeceiver。“
“Ah，madame，“criedthecardinal，withalookatoncesofullofreproachandconfidence，thatthequeenfairlyshookwithanger。
“Herearetheproofsofmyinnocence，“continuedhe，drawingasmallportfoliofromhispocket，andtakingfromitafoldedpaper。“ThereistheletterofthequeentotheCountessLamotte，inwhichhermajestyempoweredmetopurchasethediamonds。“
Thekingtookthepaper，lookedoverithastily，readthesignature，andgaveit，withasuspiciousshrugoftheshoulders，tohiswife。
Thequeenseizedtheletterwiththewildfuryofatigress，whichhasatlastfounditsprey，andwithbreathlesshasteranoverthepaper。Thenshebrokeoutintoloud，scornfullaughter，and，pointingtotheletter，shelookedatthecardinalwithglancesofflame。
“Thatisnotmyhandwriting，thatisnotmysignature!“criedshe，furiously。“Howareyou——sir，aprinceandgrandalmonerofFrance——
howareyousoignorant，sofoolish，astobelievethatIcouldsubscribemyself’MarieAntoinetteofFrance？’Everybodyknowsthatqueenswriteonlytheirbaptismalnamesassignatures，andyoualonehavenotknownthat？“