Le collier de la reine. English

  CHAPTER XXXVIII.

  M. DE CROSNE.

  M. de Crosne had felt himself in no slight degree embarrassed since hisinterview with the king and queen. It was no light matter to have thecare of the interests of a crown and of the fame of a queen; and hefeared that he was about to encounter all the weight of a woman's angerand a queen's indignation. He knew, however, that he had but done hisduty, and he entered, therefore, tranquilly, with a smile on his face.

  "Now, M. de Crosne," said the queen, "it is our turn for anexplanation."

  "I am at your majesty's orders."

  "You ought to know the cause of all that has happened to me, sir."

  M. de Crosne looked round him rather frightened.

  "Never mind these ladies," said the queen; "you know them both; you knowevery one."

  "Nearly," said the magistrate; "and I know the effects, but not thecause, of what has happened to your majesty."

  "Then I must enlighten you, although it is a disagreeable task. I mighttell you in private, but my thoughts and words are always open as theday; all the world may know them. I attribute the attacks that have beenmade upon me to the misconduct of some one who resembles me, and whogoes everywhere; and thus your agents have made these mistakes."

  "A resemblance!" cried M. de Crosne, too much occupied with the idea toobserve the unquiet look which Jeanne could not for a moment preventappearing.

  "Well, sir, do you think this impossible; or do you prefer to think thatI am deceiving you?"

  "Oh no, madame! but surely, however strong a resemblance may be, theremust be some points of difference to prevent people being so deceived."

  "It seems not, sir; some are deceived."

  "Oh! and I remember," said Andree, "when we lived at Taverney MaisonRouge, we had a servant who very strongly----"

  "Resembled me?"

  "Most wonderfully, your majesty."

  "And what became of her?"

  "We did not then know the great generosity of your majesty's mind, andmy father feared that this resemblance might be disagreeable to you; andwhen we were at Trianon we kept her out of sight."

  "You see, M. de Crosne. Ah! this interests you."

  "Much, madame."

  "Afterwards, dear Andree?"

  "Madame, this girl, who was of an ambitious disposition and troublesometemper, grew tired of this quiet life, and had doubtless made badacquaintances, for one night when I went to bed I was surprised not tosee her; we sought her in vain, she had disappeared."

  "Did she steal anything?"

  "Nothing, madame."

  "You did not know all this, M. de Crosne?"

  "No, madame."

  "Thus, then, there is a woman whose resemblance to me is striking, andyou do not know her. I fear your police is badly organized."

  "No, madame; a police magistrate is but a man, and though the vulgar mayrate his power as something almost superhuman, your majesty is morereasonable."

  "Still, sir, when a man has secured all possible powers for penetratingsecrets, when he pays agents and spies, and to such an extent as to knowevery movement I make, he might prevent this sort of thing."

  "Madame, when your majesty passed the night out, I knew it, the day youwent to see madame at the Rue St. Claude; therefore my police is notbad. When you went to M. Mesmer's, my agents saw you. When you went tothe Opera----"

  The queen started.

  "Pardon me, madame, if I saw you; but if your own brother-in-law mistookyou, surely an agent at a crown a day may be pardoned for having doneso. They thought they saw you, and reported accordingly; therefore mypolice is not bad. They also knew this affair of the journalist, so wellpunished by M. de Charny."

  "M. de Charny!" cried the queen and Andree in a breath.

  "Yes, madame: his blows are yet fresh on the shoulders of thejournalist."

  "M. de Charny committed himself with this fellow!"

  "I know it by my calumniated police, madame; and also, which was moredifficult, the duel which followed."

  "A duel! M. de Charny fought?"

  "With the journalist?" asked Andree.

  "No, madame; the journalist was too well beaten to give M. de Charny thesword-thrust which made him faint here just now."

  "Wounded!" cried the queen; "how and when? He was here just now."

  "Oh!" said Andree, "I saw that he suffered."

  "What do you say?" cried the queen, almost angrily; "you saw that hesuffered, and did not mention it!"

  Andree did not reply.

  Jeanne, who wished to make a friend of her, came to her aid, saying, "Ialso, madame, saw that M. de Charny had difficulty in standing up whileyour majesty spoke to him."

  "Monsieur," said the queen again to M. de Crosne, "with whom and why didM. de Charny fight?"

  "With a gentleman who---- But really, madame, it is useless now. The twoadversaries are friends again, for they spoke just now in your majesty'spresence."

  "In my presence!"

  "Yes, madame; the conqueror left about twenty minutes ago."

  "M. de Taverney!" cried the queen.

  "My brother!" murmured Andree.

  "I believe," said M. de Crosne, "that it was he with whom M. de Charnyfought."

  The queen made an angry gesture. "It is not right," she said; "these areAmerican manners brought to Versailles. It is not because one has foughtunder M. Lafayette and Washington that my court should be disgraced bysuch proceedings. Andree, did you know your brother had fought?"

  "Not till this moment, madame."

  "Why did he fight?"

  "If my brother fought," said Andree, "it was in your majesty'sservice."

  "That is to say, that M. de Charny fought against me."

  "Your majesty, I spoke only of my brother, and of no one else."

  The queen tried hard to remain calm. She walked once or twice up anddown the room, and then said, "M. de Crosne, you have convinced me: Iwas much disturbed by these rumors and accusations; your police isefficient, but I beg you not to forget to investigate this resemblanceof which I have spoken. Adieu!" and she held out her hand to him withher own peculiar grace.

  Andree made a movement to depart. The queen gave her a careless adieu.

  Jeanne also prepared to leave, when Madame de Misery entered.

  "Madame," said she to the queen, "did your majesty appoint this hour toreceive MM. Boehmer and Bossange?"

  "Oh, yes, it is true; let them come in. Remain a little longer, Madamede la Motte; I want the king to make a full peace with you." Perhaps shewished to pique Andree by this favor to a newcomer, but Andree did notseem to heed.

  "All these Taverneys are made of iron," thought the queen. "Ah,gentlemen, what do you bring me now? you know I have no money."