In　accordance　with　this　agreement；　the　cardinal　repaired　to　the
  palace　of　the　countess　on　the　evening　of　February　1st；　1784；
  accompanied　by　a　trusted　valet；　who　carried　the　casket　with　the
  necklace。　At　the　doorway　he　himself　took　the　collar　and　gave　it　to
  the　countess。　She　conducted　the　cardinal　to　an　alcove　adjoining　her
  sitting…room。　Through　the　door　provided　with　glass　windows　he　could
  dimly　see　the　sitting…room。
  After　some　minutes　the　main　entrance　opened；　and　a　voice　cried：　〃In
  the　service　of　the　queen！〃　A　man　in　the　livery　of　the　queen；　whom
  the　cardinal　had　often　seen　at　the　countess's；　and　whom　she　had　told
  was　a　confidential　servant　of　the　queen；　entered　and　demanded　the
  casket　in　the　name　of　the　queen。　The　Countess　Valois　took　it　and
  gave　it　to　the　servant；　who　bowed　and　took　his　leave。　At　the　moment
  when　the　man　departed；　bearing　this　costly　set　of　jewels；　the
  cardinal　experienced　an　inexpressible　sense　of　satisfaction　at
  having　had　the　happiness　of　conferring　a　service　upon　the　Queen　of
  France；　the　wife　of　the　king；　the　mother　of　the　future　king；not
  merely　in　the　purchase　of　the　diamonds　which　she　desired；　but　still
  more　in　preventing　the　young　and　impulsive　woman　from　taking　the
  unbecoming　step　of　applying　to　any　other　gentleman　of　the　court　for
  this　assistance。
  At　these　words　the　spectators　broke　into　loud　exclamations；　and　one
  of　the　veiled　ladies　cried：　〃Lords　Vaudreuil　and　Coigny　would　not
  have　paid　so　much；　but　they　would　have　demanded　more。〃　And　this
  expression；　too；　was　greeted　with　loud　acclaims。
  The　first　president　of　the　court；　Baron　de　L'Aigre；　here　cast　a
  grave　look　toward　the　tribune　where　the　spectators　sat；　but　his
  reproach　died　away　upon　lips　which　disclosed　a　faint　inclination　to
  smile。
  〃I　now　beg　your　eminence；〃　he　said；　〃to　answer　the　following
  question：　〃　Did　Queen　Marie　Antoinette　personally　thank　you　for　the
  great　service　which；　according　to　your　showing；　you　did　her？　How　is
  it　with　the　payments　which　the　queen　pledged　herself　to　make？〃
  The　cardinal　was　silent　for　a　short　time；　and　looked　sadly　before
  him。　〃Since　the　day　when　I　closed　this　unfortunate　purchase；　I　have
  experienced　only　disquietudes；　griefs；　and　humiliations。　This　is　the
  only　return　which　I　have　received　for　my　devotion。　The　queen　has
  never　bestowed　a　word　upon　me。　At　the　great　festival　she　did　not
  even　wear　the　necklace　which　she　had　sent　for　on　the　evening　before。
  I　complained　of　this　to　the　countess；　and　the　queen　had　the　goodness
  to　write　me　a　note；　saying　that　she　had　found　the　necklace　too
  valuable　to　wear　on　that　day；　because　it　would　have　attracted　the
  attention　of　the　king　and　the　court。　I　confided　in　the　words　of　the
  queen；　and　experienced　no　doubts　about　the　matter　till　the　unhappy
  day　when　the　queen　was　to　make　the　first　payment　to　the　jewellers；
  and　when　she　sent　neither　to　me　nor　to　the　jewellers　a　word。　Upon
  this　a　fearful　suspicion　began　to　trouble　me；that　my　devotion　to
  the　queen　might　have　been　taken　advantage　of；　in　order　to　deceive
  and　mislead　me。　When　this　dreadful　thought　seized　me；　I　shuddered；
  and　had　not　power　to　look　down　into　the　abyss　which　suddenly　yawned
  beneath　me。　I　at　once　summoned　the　Countess　Lamotte；　and　desired　her
  solution　of　this　inexplicable　conduct　of　the　queen。　She　told　me　that
  she　had　been　on　the　point　of　coming　to　me　and　informing　me；　at　the
  request　of　the　queen；　that　other　necessary　outlays　had　prevented　the
  queen's　paying　me　the　six　hundred　thousand　francs　that　I　had
  disbursed　to　Bohmer　at　the　purchase　of　the　necklace；　and　that　she
  must　be　content　with　paying　the　interest　of　this　sum；　thirty
  thousand　francs。　The　queen　requested　me　to　be　satisfied　for　the
  present　with　this　arrangement；　and　to　be　sure　of　her　favor。　I
  trusted　the　words　of　the　countess　once　more；　took　fresh　courage；　and
  sent　word　to　the　queen　that　I　should　always　count　myself　happy　to
  conform　to　her　arrangements；　and　be　her　devoted　servant。　The
  countess　dismissed　me；　saying　that　she　would　bring　the　money　on　the
  morrow。　In　the　mean　time；　something　occurred　that　awakened　all　my
  doubts　and　all　my　anxieties　afresh。　I　visited　the　Duchess　de
  Polignac；　and　while　I　was　with　her；　there　was　handed　her　a　note　from
  the　queen。　I　requested　the　duchess；　in　case　the　billet　contained　no
  secret；　to　show　it　to　me；　that　I　might　see　the　handwriting　of　the
  queen。　The　duchess　complied　with　my　request；　and〃
  The　cardinal　was　silent；　and　deep　inward　excitement　made　his　face
  pale。　He　bowed　his　head；　folded　his　hands；　and　his　lips　moved　in
  whispered　prayer。
  The　judges；　as　well　as　the　spectators；　remained　silent。　No　one　was
  able　to　break　the　solemn　stillness　by　an　audible　breath…by　a　single
  movement。
  At　length；　after　a　long　pause；　when　the　cardinal　had　raised　his　head
  again；　the　president　asked　gently：　〃And　so　your　eminence　saw　the
  note　of　the　queen；　and　was　it　not　the　same　writing　as　the　letters
  which　you　had　received？〃
  〃No；　it　was　not　the　same！〃　cried　the　cardinal；　with　pain。　〃No；　it
  was　an　entirely　different　hand。　Only　the　signature　had　any
  resemblance；　although　the　letter　to　the　duchess　was　simply
  subscribed　'Marie　Antoinette。'　I　hastened　home；　and　awaited　the
  coming　of　the　countess　with　feverish　impatience。　She　came；　smiling
  as　ever；　and　brought　me　the　thirty　thousand　francs。　With　glowing；
  passionate　words；　I　threw　my　suspicions　in　her　face。　She　appeared　a
  moment　alarmed；　confused；　and　then　granted　that　it　was　possible　that
  the　letters　were　not　from　the　hand　of　the　queen；　but　that　she　had
  dictated　them。　But　the　signatures　were　the　queen's；　she　could　take
  her　oath　of　it。　I　again　took　a　little　courage；　but　soon　after　the
  countess　had　left　me；　the　jewellers　came　in　the　highest　excitement
  to　me；　to　tell　me　that；　receiving　no　payments　from　the　queen；　they
  had　applied　in　writing　to　her　several　times；　without　receiving　any
  answer；　their　efforts　to　obtain　an　audience　were　also　all　in　vain；
  and　so　they　had　at　last　applied　to　the　first　lady…in…waiting　on　the
  queen；　Madame　de　Campan；　with　whom　they　had　just　had　an　interview。
  Madame　de　Campan　had　told　them　that　the　queen　did　not　possess　the
  necklace；　that　no　Countess　Lamotte…Valois　had　ever　had　an　interview
  with　the　queen；　that　she　had　told　the　jewellers　with　extreme
  indignation　that　some　one　had　been　deceiving　them；　that　they　were
  the　victims　of　a　fraud；　and　that　she　would　at　once　go　to　Trianon　to
  inform　the　queen　of　this　fearful　intrigue。　This　happened　on　a
  Thursday；　on　the　following　Sunday　I　repaired　to　Versailles　to
  celebrate　high　mass；　and　the　rest　you　know。　I　have　nothing　further
  to　add。〃
  〃In　the　name　of　the　court　I　thank　your　eminence　for　your　open　and
  clear　exposition　of　this　sad　history；〃　said　the　president；　solemnly。
  〃Your　eminence　needs　refreshment；　you　are　free　to　withdraw　and　to
  return　to　the　Bastile。〃
  The　cardinal　rose　and　bowed　to　the　court。　All　the　judges　stood；　and
  respectfully　returned　the　salutation。　＇Footnote：　'Historical。See
  〃Memoires　de　l'Abbe　Georgel；〃　vol。　i。＇
  One　of　the　veiled　ladies；　sitting　on　the　spectators'　seats；　cried
  with　trembling　voice：　〃God　bless　the　cardinal；　the　noble　martyr　of
  the　realm！〃
  All　the　spectators　repeated　the　cry；　and；　while　the　words　yet　rang；
  the　cardinal；　followed　by　the　officers　who　were　to　take　him　to　the
  Bastile；　had　left　the　hall。
  〃Guards！〃　cried　President　de　L'Aigre；　with　a　loud　voice；　〃bring　in
  the　accused；　the　Countess　de　Lamotte…Valois！〃
  All　eyes　directed　themselves　to　the　door　which　the　guards　now
  opened；　and　through　which　the　accused　was　to　enter。
  Upon　the　threshold　of　this　door　appeared　now　a　lady　of　slim；
  graceful　form；　in　a　toilet　of　the　greatest　elegance；　her　head
  decorated　with　feathers；　flowers；　and　lace；　her　cheeks　highly
  painted；　and　her　fine　ruby　lips　encircled　by　a　pert；　and　at　the　same
  time　a　mocking　smile；　which　displayed　two　rows　of　the　finest　teeth。
  With　this　smile　upon　her　lips　she　moved　forward　with　a　light　and
  spirited　step；　turning　her　great　blazing　black　eyes　with　proud；
  inquisitive　looks　now　to　the　stern　semicircle　of　judges　and　now　to
  the　tribune；　whose　occupants　had　not　been　able　to　suppress　a
  movement　of　indignation　and　a　subdued　hiss。
  〃Gentlemen；〃　said　she；　with　a　clear；　distinct　voice；　in　which　not
  the　faintest　quiver；　not　the　least　excitement　was　apparent〃
  gentlemen；　are　we　here　in　a　theatre；　where　the　players　who　tread　the
  boards　are　received　with　audible　signs　of　approval　or　of　disfavor？〃
  The　president；　to　whom　her　dark　eyes　were　directed；　deigned　to　give
  no　answer；　but　turned　with　an　expressive　gesture　to　the　officer　who
  stood　behind　the　accused。
  He　understood　this　sign；　and　brought　from　the　corner　of　the　hall　a
  wooden　seat　of　rough；　clumsy　form；　to　whose　high　back　of　unpolished
  dirty　wood　two　short　iron　chains　were　attached。
  This　seat　he　placed　near　the　handsome；　gaudily…dressed　countess　with
  her　air　of　assurance　and　self…confidence；　and　pointed　to　it　with　a
  commanding　gesture。
  〃Be　seated；〃　he　said；　with　a　loud；　lordly　tore。　She　shrugged　her
  shoulders；　and　looked　at　the　offered　seat　with　an　expression　of
  indignation。　〃How！〃　she　cried；　〃who　dares　offer　me　the　chair　of
  criminals　to　sit　in？〃
  〃Be　seated；〃　replied　the　officer。　〃The　seat　of