I said: “He shall be disgraced. He shall be robbed of all his posts.

Louis, you must promise to arrest him. “

“Arrest the Cardinal de Rohani But my dear …”

“He has used my name. He has lied and cheated. He shall be arrested.

Louis, you must swear it. “

Louis was uneasy.

“We must look into this matter. We are a little in the dark at the moment.”

“In the dark! We have Boehmer’s word that he went to them with this story … this lie. If you do not arrest that man it will be as though you believe this story against me.”

That I would never do, but . “

“Then arrest him.” I put my arms about his neck.

“Louis, you must arrest him. If you do not it will seem that even you are against me.

Promise me—promise me now, that you will arrest the Cardinal. “

My poor Louis! Was there ever a more clear example of a man who had the intelligence to know what was the wise thing to do and lacked the will-power to do it? Louis wanted peace. He wanted to hurt no one; he could not stand up against my blandishments even though he knew that I was acting against my own interests. He could not reason against tears and the fury of feather-brained women.

“The Cardinal shall be arrested,” he promised; and I was satisfied.

It was the 15th of August, the Feast of the Assumption. The King summoned the Baron de Breteuil, Minister of his Household, and Monsieur de Miromesnil, Keeper of the Seals, to his cabinet. I was there. The King quickly explained the reason for our presence there and added that he intended that the Cardinal de Rohan should be arrested without delay.

Monsieur de Miromesnil immediately protested: “Sire, Rohan’s rank and family entitle him to be heard before he is arrested Louis wavered, in fact agreeing with Miromesnil, but I put in hastily:

“He has forged my name. He has behaved like a common swindler. I insist that he be arrested.”

I saw Breteuil’s eyes gleam. He hated the Cardinal as much as I did, because be had followed the Cardinal as ambassador to Vienna and since then the Cardinal had made him a butt of his malicious wit.

Breteuil said: “It is clear what has happened. Rohan is the most extravagant man in France. Not only has he rebuilt the episcopal palace in Strasbourg think how much that must have cost him but he has a retinue of women on whom he lavishes a fortune. He has taken up with the sorcerer Cagliostro, who lives at his palace in luxury and who, although he is reputed to make gold and jewels for his patron, costs the Cardinal a great deal to maintain. He has been embarrassed for money for years in spite of his great revenues. He is undoubtedly in debt and this is his means of satisfying his creditors.”

“He has disgraced his cloth and his name,” I said hastily.

“He does not deserve any consideration because of them.”

I could see my husband wavering between what he considered right and what would please me, and I threw him my most appealing glance;

Monsieur de Breteuil, unable to hide his satisfaction in an enemy’s imminent downfall, came in decisively on my side.

The King decided that Rohan should be arrested.

The Feast of the Assumption happened to be my name day and there was to be a special levee at Versailles that I might receive congratulations. Thus the galleries and the Oeil de Boeuf were crowded. As Grand Almoner of France it was the Cardinal’s duty to celebrate Mass in the royal chapel. Unaware of what lay before him he came in his lace rochet and scarlet soutane. He was told that the Ring wished to see him in his cabinet at midday. He must have been surprised that neither the King nor I had appeared in State as was expected on such an occasion; but he came in blithely enough, completely unaware of what was about to break over his head.

He bowed low to the King and me; I deliberately turned my head and behaved as though I did not see him. I was aware of the effect my conduct had on him.

Louis came straight to the point.

“My dear cousin,” he said, ‘did you buy diamonds from Boehmer? “

The Cardinal turned pale, but he answered: “Yes, Sire.”

“Where are they?”

“I believe they have been given to the Queen.”

I gave an exclamation of anger, but the King went on as though he had not noticed: “Who gave you the commission to buy these diamonds?”

“A lady called the Comtesse de la Motte-Valois. She gave me a letter from Her Majesty the Queen. I thought that I should please Her Majesty by carrying out this com mission.”

I could no longer contain myself.

“Do you think. Monsieur, that I should entrust such a commission to you, to whom I have not spoken for eight years? And could you really believe that I would choose to carry through the negotiations by means of this woman?”

The Cardinal was trembling.

“I can see that I have been cruelly deceived. I will pay for the necklace.” He turned to me and his expression was one of humility as though he were begging me for a little sympathy. He would certainly not get it.

“My desire to please Your Majesty blinded me. I did not suspect fraud until now. I am deeply sorry. May I show Your Majesty how I became involved in this matter?”

The King gave his permission, and with shaking hands the Cardinal took a paper from his pocket which he handed to the King. I went swiftly to my husband’s side. There was an undoubted order to buy the necklace; it appeared to have been written by me and addressed to a Comtesse de la Motte Valois

“That is not my writing,” I cried triumphantly.

And see,” said the King, ‘it is signed ” Marie Antoinette de France”.”

He turned sternly to Rohan, who looked as though he would faint, “How could a Prince of the House of Rohan and the King’s Chaplain believe that this is how a Queen of France would sign herself? Surely you know that Queens only sign their Christian names, and that even Kings’ daughters have no other signature, and that if the Royal Family added any other name it would not be ” de France. ” I have a letter here. It is signed by you and addressed to Boehmer. Pray look at me and tell me if this is a forgery.”

The Cardinal swayed slightly. Louis thrust the letter into his hand.

“I … I have no recollection of writing this,” he said.

“It bears your signature. Is that your signature?”

“Yes, Sire. It must be authentic if it bears my signature.”

“I must have an immediate explanation of these matters,” said the King. I could see that he was feeling sorry for Rohan. Such a proud arrogant man, accustomed to making fun of others: now he was about to be brought low. That would seem pathetic to Louis, no matter how villainous the fellow was.

He said gently: “My cousin, I do not want to find you guilty. I should like you to justify your behaviour. Now explain to me the meaning of all this.”

“Sire,” stammered the Cardinal, “I am too distressed to reply to Your Majesty at present…. I am not in the condition …”

The King said kindly: “Try to calm yourself. Monsieur Ie Cardinal, and go into my study. There you will find paper, pens and ink. Write what you have to tell me He left us.

“He is a very guilty man,” said Breteuil; but the King was silent. An affair like this distressed him greatly.

We waited for a quarter of an hour. Outside in the Oeil de Boeuf the crowds must be becoming restive. They would know there was something wrong. The King sat at his table frowning now and then glancing at the dock. Miromesnil looked very uneasy.

It was fifteen minutes later when the Cardinal appeared with a paper on which he appeared to have written very little.

I stood beside the King and read it with him. It was only about fifteen lines and seemed very confused. All I could gather was that a woman calling herself the Comtesse de la Motte-Valois had persuaded him that the necklace was to be bought for me, and that he knew now that this woman had deceived him.

The King sighed and laid down the paper. I would not look in Rohan’s direction but I was aware how his eyes kept turning towards me. I had never hated him so much.

Where is this woman? ” asked the King.

I do not know. Sire. “

Where is the necklace? “

In the hands of this woman. Sire. “

“Where are the documents purporting to be signed by the Queen?”

“I have them. Sire. They are forged.”

We well know they are forged !’ I will bring them to Your Majesty.”

I want to warn you. Cousin,” said the King, ‘that you are about to be arrested.”

He looked stricken.

“Your Majesty knows I shall always obey your orders, but I beg you spare me the pain of being arrested in these pontifical robes.”

I saw my husband waver. He wanted to spare the man this disgrace. I clenched my hands. Louis glanced at me almost apologetically and my lips tightened. He was going to allow his pity for my enemy to overcome his desire to please me.

I showed him by my expression how I should regard such an action, and he said: “I fear it must be so.”

“Your Majesty will remember the close ties of our families,” went on Rohan.

I could see that my husband was visibly moved, and the tears of rage filled my eyes. He saw those tears and he said:

“Monsieur, I shall console your family as best I can. I should be extremely pleased if you can prove yourself innocent. But I must do my duty as a King and a husband.”

Monsieur de Breteuil was on my side. He signed to the Cardinal to make his way to the door which opened on to the Salon de la Pendule. On such an occasion this was naturally crowded; all members of the Court were present, some in the Oeil de Boeuf, others in the long gallery, in the council and state rooms.

Breteuil shouted to the captain of the bodyguard the extraordinary command, it echoed through the Galerie des Glaces:

“Arrest the Cardinal de Rohan.

I was triumphant—triumphantly blind.

“There,” I said, ‘that matter is settled. This wicked man will be proved to be a cheat and be punished for all his sins. “

I sat down to write to my brother Joseph:

“As far as I am concerned I am delighted at the thought of not having to hear this miserable business talked of again.”

I do not understand now how I could have deceived myself and whether I actually believed that, or, deep in my heart, realising the enormity of this affair, refused to see it. I have come to believe I was adept at deceiving myself.

I expected congratulations from my friends. I expected them to say how pleased they were to see that wicked man brought to an account of his sins at last. But there was an odd brooding silence in my apartments.

Gabrielle did not visit me; it did not occur to me that her family might be advising her to keep away. Madame de Campan was quiet and restrained as though she were involved in the affair. I should have been warned. She really cared for me, and when I was in danger her love for me would make her anxious while her intelligence would not allow her to deceive herself. The Princesse de Lamballe agreed with me that it was a good thing, but then as Vermond had once pointed out, she had a reputation for stupidity; and Elisabeth was sad, but then she was so pious that she always deplored trouble of any sort even for those who she knew deserved it. My sisters-in-law seemed smugly pleased. But there was so much to think of. What of The Barber of Seville! Nothing must interfere with that production.

I decided to leave Versailles at once for the Petit Trianon. We must continue with the rehearsals this ridiculous affair of the necklace has interrupted,” I declared.

So I went to the Trianon and thought of nothing else but my part.

When Campan told me that Rohan’s family were furious because he had been arrested and sent to the Bastille I merely laughed.

“It is where he should have been long ago,” I retorted. ‘now hear me in the first act. “

How strange that the dialogue in this very play was like a grim warning. I remember now Basile’s speech on calumny, but strangely enough I took no heed of it then. Now it comes back to me:

“Calumny! You don’t know what you are disdaining when you disdain that. I have seen people of the utmost probity laid low by it. Believe me, there is no false report however crude, no abomination, no ridiculous falsehood, which the idlers in a great city cannot, if they take the trouble, make universally believed—and here we have little-tattlers who are past-masters of the art….”