CHAPTER XLVIII.
THE QUEEN'S PORTFOLIO.
The cardinal was at home when Madame de la Motte came to his hotel. Shehad herself announced, and was immediately admitted.
"You come from Versailles?" said he.
"Yes."
"Well?"
"Well, monseigneur, what do you expect?"
"Ah, countess, you say that with an air that frightens me."
"You wished me to see the queen, and I have seen her; and that I shouldspeak to her of you whom she has always so much disliked."
"And you did?"
"Yes, and her majesty listened."
"Say no more, countess, I see she will not overcome her repugnance."
"Oh! as to that, I spoke of the necklace."
"And did you dare to say that I wished----"
"To buy it for her? Yes."
"Oh, countess, you are sublime; and she listened?"
"Yes, but she refused."
"Oh, I am lost."
"Refused to accept it as a gift, but not as a loan."
"I lend to the queen! countess, it is impossible."
"It is more than giving, is it not?"
"A thousand times."
"So I thought."
The cardinal rose and came towards her. "Do not deceive me," he said.
"One does not play with the affections of a man like you, monseigneur."
"Then it is true?"
"The exact truth."
"I have a secret with the queen!" and he pressed Jeanne's hand.
"I like that clasp of the hand," she said, "it is like one man toanother."
"It is that of a happy man to a protecting angel."
"Monseigneur, do not exaggerate."
"Oh, my joy! my gratitude! impossible."
"But lending a million and a half to the queen is not all you wish for?Buckingham would have asked for more."
"Buckingham believed what I dare not even dream of."
"The queen sends you word that she will see you with pleasure atVersailles."
The cardinal looked as pale as a youth who gives his first kiss of love.
"Ah," thought she, "it is still more serious than I imagined. I can getwhat I please from him, for he acts really not from ambition but fromlove."
He quickly recovered himself, however: "My friend," said he, "how doesthe queen mean to act about this loan she talks of?"
"Ah, you think she has no money. But she will pay you as she would havepaid Boehmer. Only if she had paid him all Paris must have known it,which she would not have liked, after the credit she has had for herrefusal of it. You are a cashier for her, and a solvent one if shebecomes embarrassed. She is happy and she pays. Ask no more."
"She pays?"
"Yes, she knows you have debts; and when I told her you had advanced100,000 francs----"
"You told her?"
"Yes; why not?" Jeanne put her hand in her pocket, and drew out theportfolio. "The queen sends you this with thanks; it is all right, for Ihave counted it."
"Who cares for that? But the portfolio?"
"Well, it is not handsome."
"It pleases me, nevertheless."
"You have good taste."
"Ah, you quiz me."
"You have the same taste as the queen, at all events."
"Then it was hers?"
"Do you wish for it?"
"I cannot deprive you of it."
"Take it."
"Oh, countess, you are a precious friend; but while you have worked forme, I have not forgotten you."
Jeanne looked surprised.
"Yes," said he, "my banker came to propose to me some plan of a marsh todrain, which must be profitable. I took two hundred shares, and fifty ofthem are for you."
"Oh, monseigneur!"
"He soon returned, he had realized already on them cent. per cent. Hegave me 100,000 francs, and here is your share, dear countess;" and fromthe pocket-book she had just given him he slid 25,000 francs into herhand.
"Thanks, monseigneur. What gratifies me most is, that you thought ofme."
"I shall ever do so," said he, kissing her hand.
"And I of you, at Versailles."