Le collier de la reine. English

  CHAPTER LXXXVI.

  HOW IT CAME TO PASS THAT M. BEAUSIRE WAS TRACKED BY THE AGENTS OF M. DECROSNE.

  Madame de la Motte was imprisoned as the queen had threatened, and thewhole affair created no little talk and excitement through France. M. deRohan lived at the Bastile like a prince: he had everything but liberty.He demanded to be confronted with Madame de la Motte as soon as he heardof her arrest. This was done. She whispered to him, "Send every oneaway, and I will explain." He asked this, but was refused; they said hiscounsel might communicate with her. She said to this gentleman that shewas ignorant of what had become of the necklace, but that they mightwell have given it to her in recompense for the services she hadrendered the queen and the cardinal, which were well worth a million anda half. The cardinal turned pale on hearing this repeated, and felt howmuch they were in Jeanne's power. He was determined not to accuse thequeen, although his friends endeavored to convince him that it was hisonly way to prove his innocence of the robbery. Jeanne said that shedid not wish to accuse either the queen or the cardinal, but that, ifthey persisted in making her responsible for the necklace, she would doso to show that they were interested in accusing her of falsehood. ThenM. de Rohan expressed all his contempt for her, and said that he beganto understand much of Jeanne's conduct, but not the queen's. All thiswas reported to Marie Antoinette. She ordered another privateexamination of the parties, but gained nothing from it. Jeanne deniedeverything to those sent by the queen; but when they were gone shealtered her tone, and said, "If they do not leave me alone I will tellall." The cardinal said nothing, and brought no accusations; but rumorsbegan to spread fast, and the question soon became, not "Has the queenstolen the necklace?" but "Has she allowed some one else to steal itbecause she knew all about her amours?" Madame de la Motte had involvedher in a maze, from which there seemed no honorable exit; but shedetermined not to lose courage. She began to come to the conclusion thatthe cardinal was an honest man, and did not wish to ruin her, but wasacting like herself, only to preserve his honor. They strove earnestlybut ineffectually to trace the necklace. All opinions were againstJeanne, and she began to fear that, even if she dragged down the queenand cardinal, she should be quite overwhelmed under the ruins she hadcaused; and she had not even at hand the fruits of her dishonesty tocorrupt her judges with. Affairs were in this state when a new episodechanged the face of things. Oliva and M. Beausire were living, happy andrich, in a country house, when one day Beausire, going out hunting, fellinto the company of two of the agents of M. de Crosne, whom he hadscattered all over the country. They recognized Beausire immediately,but, as it was Oliva whom they most wanted, they did not arrest himthere, but only joined the chase. Beausire, seeing two strangers, calledthe huntsman, and asked who they were. He replied that he did not know,but, if he had permission, would send them away. On his questioningthem, they said they were friends of that gentleman, pointing to M.Beausire. Then the man brought them to him, saying, "M. de Linville,these gentlemen say they are friends of yours."

  "Ah, you are called De Linville now, dear M. Beausire!"

  Beausire trembled; he had concealed his name so carefully. He sent awaythe huntsman, and asked them who they were.

  "Take us home with you, and we will tell you."

  "Home?"

  "Yes; do not be inhospitable." Beausire was frightened, but still fearedto refuse these men who knew him.