insists; then, melting into
smiles, "My only desire," she adds, "was to be of service to you."

And upon that she departs, leaving them profoundly impressed by her
graciousness and still more by her refusal to accept a valuable jewel.

On the morrow the great nobleman she had heralded, the Cardinal himself,
alighted at the Grand Balcon, coming, on the Queen's behalf, to see the
necklace and settle the terms. By the end of the week the bargain was
concluded. The price was fixed at 1,600,000 livres, which the Queen was
to pay in four instalments extending over two years, the first falling
due on the following August 1st.

These terms the Cardinal embodied in a note which he forwarded to Madame
de la Motte, that they might be ratified by the Queen.

The Countess returned the note to him next day.

"Her Majesty is pleased and grateful," she announced, "and she approves
of all that you have done. But she does not wish to sign anything."

On that point, however, the Cardinal was insistent. The magnitude of
the transaction demanded it, and he positively refused to move further
without Her Majesty's signature.

The Countess departed to return again on the last day of the month
with the document completed as the Cardinal required, bearing now the
signature "Marie Antoinette de France," and the terms marked "approved"
in the Queen's hand.

"The Queen," Madame de la Motte informed him, "is making this purchase
secretly, without the King's knowledge, and she particularly begs that
this note shall not leave Your Eminence's hands. Do not, therefore,
allow any one to see it."

Rohan gave the required promise, but, not conceiving that the Bohmers
were included in it, he showed them the note and the Queen's signature
when they came to wait upon him with the necklace on the morrow.

In the dusk of evening a closed carriage drew up at the door of Madame
de la Motte Valois's lodging on the Place Dauphine at Versailles. Rohan
alighted, and went upstairs with a casket under his arm.

Madame awaited him in a white-panelled, indifferently lighted room, to
which there was an alcove with glass doors.

"You have brought the necklace?"

"It is here," he replied, tapping the box with his gloved hand.

"Her Majesty is expecting it to-night. Her messenger should arrive at
any moment. She will be pleased with Your Eminence."

"That is all that I can desire," he answered gravely; and sat down in
answer to her invitation, the precious