Madame de la Motte remained, therefore, as before.
“Madame,” replied M. Bœhmer, “we do not come to offer anything to your majesty1, we should fear to be indiscreet; but we come to fulfil a duty, and that has emboldened2 us——”
“A duty?”
“Concerning the necklace which your majesty did not deign3 to take.”
“Oh! then, the necklace has come again,” said Marie Antoinette, laughing. “It was really beautiful, M. Bœhmer.”
“So beautiful,” said Bossange, “that your majesty alone was worthy4 to wear it.”
“My consolation5 is,” said the queen, with a sigh which did not escape Jeanne, “that it cost a million and a half. Was not that the price, M. Bœhmer?”
“Yes, your majesty.”
“And in these times,” continued the queen, “there is no sovereign that can give such a sum for a necklace; so that although I cannot wear it, no one else can: and once broken up, I should care nothing about it.”
“That is an error of your majesty’s; the necklace is sold.”
“Sold!” cried the queen. “To whom?”
“Ah! madame, that is a state secret.”
“Oh!” said the queen, “I think I am safe. A state secret means that there is nothing to tell.”
“With your majesty,” continued Bœhmer, as gravely as ever, “we do not act as with others. The necklace is sold, but in the most secret manner, and an ambassador——”
“I really think he believes it himself!” interrupted the queen, laughing again. “Come, M. Bœhmer, tell me at least the country he comes from, or, at all events, the first letter of his name.”
“Madame, it is the ambassador from Portugal,” said Bœhmer, in a low voice, that Madame de la Motte might not hear.
“The ambassador from Portugal!” said the queen. “There is none here, M. Bœhmer.”
“He came expressly for this, madame.”
“Do you imagine so?”
“Yes, madame.”
“What is his name?”
“M. de Souza.”
The queen did not reply for a few minutes, and then said, “Well, so much the better for the Queen of Portugal. Let us speak of it no more.”
“But allow us one moment, madame,” said Bœhmer.
“Have you ever seen those diamonds?” said the queen to Jeanne.
“No, madame.”
“They are beautiful. It is a pity these gentlemen have not brought them.”
“Here they are,” said Bœhmer, opening the case.
“Come, countess, you are a woman, and these will please you.”
Jeanne uttered a cry of admiration6 when she saw them, and said, “They are indeed beautiful.”
“1,500,000 francs, which you hold in the palm of your hand,” said the queen.
“Monsieur was right,” said Jeanne, “when he said that no one was worthy to wear these diamonds but your majesty.”
“However, my majesty will not wear them.”
“We............