Ask  monsieur  what  he  has  done  with  her."

"  Others  have  made  her  disappear  who  had  more  interest
in  doing  so  than  I  had."

"  But,  sir,  if  you  are  innocent,  help  us  to  find  the
guilty."

The  cardinal  crossed  his  hands  and  turned  his  back.
"  Monsieur,"  cried  the  king,  "  you  shall  go  to  the  Bas-
tile."

"  As  I  am,  sire,  in  my  robes?  Consider,  sire,  the  scan-
dal will  commence,  and  will  fall  heavily  on  whomsoever  it
rests."

"  I  wish  it  to  do  so,  sir."

"It  is  an  injustice,  sire."

"  It  shall  be  so."  And  the  king  looked  round  for  some
one  to  execute  his  orders.  M.  de  Breteuil  was  near,  antic-
ipating the  fall  of  his  rival ;  the  king  spoke  to  him,  and
he  cried  immediately,  "  Guards  !  arrest  M.  le  Cardinal  de
Rohan. "

The  cardinal  passed  by  the  queen  without  saluting  her  ;
then,  bowing  to  the  king,  went  towards  the  lieutenant  of


380  THE  QUEEN'S  NECKLACE.
the  guards,  who  approached  timidly,  seeming  to  wait  for
a  confirmation  of  the  order  he  had  received.
"  Yes,  sir,"  said  M.  de  Rohan,  "  it  is  I  whom  you  are  to
arrest."

"  Conduct  monsieur  to  his  apartment  until  I  have
written  the  order  ;  "  said  the  king.
