"  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  could  not  let  them  leave  France  without  express-
ing our  regret  to  your  majesty.  It  is  a  necklace  which  is
now  known  all  over  Europe,  and  we  wished  to  know
definitively  that  your  majesty  really  refused  it  before  we
parted  with  it."

"  My  refusal  has  been  made  public,"  said  the  queen,
"  and  has  been  too  much  applauded  for  me  to  repent  of
it."

"  Oh,  madame  ! "  said  Bcehmer,  "  if  the  people  found
it  admirable  that  your  majesty  preferred  a  ship  of  war  to
a  necklace,  the  nobility  at  least  would  not  think  it  sur-
prising if  you  bought  the  necklace  after  all."

"  Do  not  speak  of  it  any  more,"  said  Marie  Antoinette,
casting  at  the  same  time  a  longing  look  at  the  casket.
Jeanne  sighed.  "  Ah,  you  sigh,  countess  ;  in  my  place
you  would  act  differently."

"I  do  not  know,  madame."

"  Have  you  looked  enough  ?  "

"  Oh  no  !  I  could  look  forever."

"  Let  her  look,  gentlemen  ;  that  takes  nothing  from
the  value.  Unfortunately,  they  are  still  worth  1,500,000
francs."


250  THE  QUEEN'S  NECKLACE.
