et　him　to　speak　to　him　about　it；　as　if　from　the　interest　I　took　in　his　welfare。　　I　spoke　to　him　about　his　necklace；　and　he　told　me　he　had　been　very　fortunate；　having　sold　it　at　Constantinople　for　the　favourite　sultana。　　I　communicated　this　answer　to　the　Queen；　who　was　delighted　with　it；　but　could　not　comprehend　how　the　Sultan　came　to　purchase　his　diamonds　in　Paris。
  The　Queen　long　avoided　seeing　Boehmer；　being　fearful　of　his　rash　character；　and　her　valet　de　chambre；　who　had　the　care　of　her　jewels；　made　the　necessary　repairs　to　her　ornaments　unassisted。　　On　the　baptism　of　the　Duc　d'Angouleme；　in　1785；　the　King　gave　him　a　diamond　epaulet　and　buckles；　and　directed　Baehmer　to　deliver　them　to　the　Queen。　　Boehmer　presented　them　on　her　return　from　mass；　and　at　the　same　time　gave　into　her　hands　a　letter　in　the　form　of　a　petition。　　In　this　paper　he　told　the　Queen　that　he　was　happy　to　see　her　〃in　possession　of　the　finest　diamonds　known　in　Europe；〃　and　entreated　her　not　to　forget　him。　　The　Queen　read　Boehmer's　address　to　her　aloud；　and　saw　nothing　in　it　but　a　proof　of　mental　aberration；　she　lighted　the　paper　at　a　wax　taper　standing　near　her；　as　she　had　some　letters　to　seal；　saying；　〃It　is　not　worth　keeping。〃　She　afterwards　much　regretted　the　loss　of　this　enigmatical　memorial。　After　having　burnt　the　paper；　her　Majesty　said　to　me；　〃That　man　is　born　to　be　my　torment；　he　has　always　some　mad　scheme　in　his　head；　remember；　the　first　time　you　see　him；　to　tell　him　that　I　do　not　like　diamonds　now；　and　that　I　will　buy　no　more　so　long　as　I　live；　that　if　I　had　any　money　to　spare　I　would　rather　add　to　my　property　at　St。　Cloud　by　the　purchase　of　the　land　surrounding　it；　now；　mind　you　enter　into　all　these　particulars　and　impress　them　well　upon　him。〃　　I　asked　her　whether　she　wished　me　to　send　for　him；　she　replied　in　the　negative；　adding　that　it　would　be　sufficient　to　avail　myself　of　the　first　opportunity　afforded　by　meeting　him；　and　that　the　slightest　advance　towards　such　a　man　would　be　misplaced。
  On　the　1st　of　August　I　left　Versailles　for　my　country　house　at　Crespy；　on　the　3d　came　Boehmer；　extremely　uneasy　at　not　having　received　any　answer　from　the　Queen；　to　ask　me　whether　I　had　any　commission　from　her　to　him；　I　replied　that　she　had　entrusted　me　with　none；　that　she　had　no　commands　for　him；　and　I　faithfully　repeated　all　she　had　desired　me　to　say　to　him。
  〃But；〃　said　Boehmer；　〃the　answer　to　the　letter　I　presented　to　her；to　whom　must　I　apply　for　that？〃
  〃To　nobody；〃　answered　I；　〃her　Majesty　burnt　your　memorial　without　even　comprehending　its　meaning。〃
  〃Ah！　madame；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃that　is　impossible；　the　Queen　knows　that　she　has　money　to　pay　me！〃
  〃Money；　M。　Boehmer？　　Your　last　accounts　against　the　Queen　were　discharged　long　ago。〃
  〃Madame；　you　are　not　in　the　secret。　　A　man　who　is　ruined　for　want　of　payment　of　fifteen　hundred　thousand　francs　cannot　be　said　to　be　satisfied。〃
  〃Have　you　lost　your　senses？〃　said　I。　　〃For　what　can　the　Queen　owe　you　so　extravagant　a　sum？〃
  〃For　my　necklace；　madame；〃　replied　Boehmer；　coolly。
  〃What！〃　I　exclaimed；　〃that　necklace　again；　which　you　have　teased　the　Queen　about　so　many　years！　　Did　you　not　tell　me　you　had　sold　it　at　Constantinople？〃
  〃The　Queen　desired　me　to　give　that　answer　to　all　who　should　speak　to　me　on　the　subject；〃　said　the　wretched　dupe。　　He　then　told　me　that　the　Queen　wished　to　have　the　necklace；　and　had　had　it　purchased　for　her　by　Monseigneur；　the　Cardinal　de　Rohan。
  〃You　are　deceived；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃the　Queen　has　not　once　spoken　to　the　Cardinal　since　his　return　from　Vienna；　there　is　not　a　man　at　her　Court　less　favourably　looked　upon。〃
  〃You　are　deceived　yourself；　madame；〃　said　Boehmer；　〃she　sees　him　so　much　in　private　that　it　was　to　his　Eminence　she　gave　thirty　thousand　francs；　which　were　paid　me　as　an　instalment；　she　took　them；　in　his　presence；　out　of　the　little　secretaire　of　Sevres　porcelain　next　the　fireplace　in　her　boudoir。〃
  〃And　the　Cardinal　told　you　all　this？〃
  〃Yes；　madame；　himself。〃
  〃What　a　detestable　plot！〃　　cried　I。
  〃Indeed；　to　say　the　truth；　madame；　I　begin　to　be　much　alarmed；　for　his　Eminence　assured　me　that　the　Queen　would　wear　the　necklace　on　Whit…　Sunday；　but　I　did　not　see　it　upon　her；　and　it　was　that　which　induced　me　to　write　to　her　Majesty。〃
  He　then　asked　me　what　he　ought　to　do。　　I　advised　him　to　go　on　to　Versailles；　instead　of　returning　to　Paris；　whence　he　had　just　arrived；　to　obtain　an　immediate　audience　from　the　Baron　de　Breteuil；　who；　as　head　of　the　King's　household；　was　the　minister　of　the　department　to　which　Boehmer　belonged；　and　to　be　circumspect；　and　I　added　that　he　appeared　to　me　extremely　culpable；not　as　a　diamond　merchant；　but　because　being　a　sworn　officer　it　was　unpardonable　of　him　to　have　acted　without　the　direct　orders　of　the　King；　the　Queen；　or　the　Minister。　　He　answered；　that　he　had　not　acted　without　direct　orders；　that　he　had　in　his　possession　all　the　notes　signed　by　the　Queen；　and　that　he　had　even　been　obliged　to　show　them　to　several　bankers　in　order　to　induce　them　to　extend　the　time　for　his　payments。　　I　urged　his　departure　for　Versailles；　and　he　assured　me　he　would　go　there　immediately。　　Instead　of　following　my　advice；　he　went　to　the　Cardinal；　and　it　was　of　this　visit　of　Boehmer's　that　his　Eminence　made　a　memorandum；　found　in　a　drawer　overlooked　by　the　Abbe　Georgel　when　he　burnt；　by　order　of　the　Cardinal；　all　the　papers　which　the　latter　had　at　Paris。　　The　memorandum　was　thus　worded：　〃On　this　day；　3d　August；　Boehmer　went　to　Madame　Campan's　country　house；　and　she　told　him　that　the　Queen　had　never　had　his　necklace；　and　that　he　had　been　deceived。〃
  When　Boehmer　was　gone；　I　wanted　to　follow　him；　and　go　to　the　Queen；　my　father…in…law　prevented　me；　and　ordered　me　to　leave　the　minister　to　elucidate　such　an　important　affair；　observing　that　it　was　an　infernal　plot；　that　I　had　given　Boehmer　the　best　advice；　and　had　nothing　more　to　do　with　the　business。　　Boehmer　never　said　one　word　to　me　about　the　woman　De　Lamotte；　and　her　name　was　mentioned　for　the　first　time　by　the　Cardinal　in　his　answers　to　the　interrogatories　put　to　him　before　the　King。　　After　seeing　the　Cardinal；　Boehmer　went　to　Trianon；　and　sent　a　message　to　the　Queen；　purporting　that　I　had　advised　him　to　come　and　speak　to　her。　　His　very　words　were　repeated　to　her　Majesty；　who　said；　〃He　is　mad；　I　have　nothing　to　say　to　him；　and　will　not　see　him。〃　　Two　or　three　days　afterwards　the　Queen　sent　for　me　to　Petit　Trianon；　to　rehearse　with　me　the　part　of　Rosina；　which　she　was　to　perform　in　the　〃Barbier　de　Seville。〃　I　was　alone　with　her；　sitting　upon　her　couch；　no　mention　was　made　of　anything　but　the　part。　　After　we　had　spent　an　hour　in　the　rehearsal；　her　Majesty　asked　me　why　I　had　sent　Boehmer　to　her；　saying　he　had　been　in　my　name　to　speak　to　her；　and　that　she　would　not　see　him。　　It　was　in　this　manner　I　learnt　that　he　had　not　followed　my　advice　in　the　slightest　degree。　　The　change　of　my　countenance；　when　I　heard　the　man's　name；　was　very　perceptible；　the　Queen　perceived　it；　and　questioned　me。　　I　entreated　her　to　see　him；　and　assured　her　it　was　of　the　utmost　importance　for　her　peace　of　mind；　that　there　was　a　plot　going　on；　of　which　she　was　not　aware；　and　that　it　was　a　serious　one；　since　engagements　signed　by　herself　were　shown　about　to　people　who　had　lent　Boehmer　money。　　Her　surprise　and　vexation　were　great。　　She　desired　me　to　remain　at　Trianon；　and　sent　off　a　courier　to　Paris；　ordering　Boehmer　to　come　to　her　upon　some　pretext　which　has　escaped　my　recollection。　　He　came　next　morning；　in　fact　it　was　the　day　on　which　the　play　was　performed；　and　that　was　the　last　amusement　the　Queen　allowed　herself　at　that　retreat。
  The　Queen　made　him　enter　her　closet；　and　asked　him　by　what　fatality　it　was　that　she　was　still　doomed　to　hear　of　his　foolish　pretence　of　selling　her　an　article　which　she　had　steadily　refused　for　several　years。　　He　replied　that　he　was　compelled；　being　unable　to　pacify　his　creditors　any　longer。　　〃What　are　your　creditors　to　me？〃　　said　her　Majesty。　　Boehmer　then　regularly　related　to　her　all　that　he　had　been　made　to　believe　had　passed　between　the　Queen　and　himself　through　the　intervention　of　the　Cardinal。　　She　was　equally　incensed　and　surprised　at　each　thing　she　heard。　　In　vain　did　she　speak；　the　jeweller；　equally　importunate　and　dangerous；　repeated　incessantly；　〃Madame；　there　is　no　longer　time　for　feigning；　condescend　to　confess　that　you　have　my　necklace；　and　let　some　assistance　be　given　to　me；　or　my　bankruptcy　will　soon　bring　the　whole　to　light。〃
  It　is　easy　to　imagine　how　the　Queen　must　have　suffered。　　On　Boehmer's　going　away；　I　found　her　in　an　alarming　condition；　the　idea　that　any　one　could　have　believed　that　such　a　man　as　the　Cardinal　possessed　her　full　confidence；　that　she　should　have　employed　him　to　deal　with　a　tradesman　without　the　King's　knowledge；　for　a　thing　which　she　had　refused　to　accept　from　the　King　himself；　drove　her　to　desperation。　　She　sent　first　for　the　Abbe　de　Vermond；　and　then　for　the　Baron　de　Breteuil。　　Their　hatred　and　contempt　for　the　Cardinal　made　them　too　easily　forget　that　the　lowest　faults　do　not　prevent　the　higher　orders　of　the　empire　from　being　defended　by　those　to　whom　they　have　the　honour　to　belong；　that　a　Rohan；　a　Prince　of　the　Church；　however　culpable　he　might　be；　would