“Madame,” replied M. Bœhmer, “we do not come to offer anything to your majesty, we should fear to be indiscreet; but we come to fulfil a duty, and that has emboldened us——”
“A duty?”
“Concerning the necklace which your majesty did not deign to take.”
“Oh! then, the necklace has come again,” said Marie Antoinette, laughing. “It was really beautiful, M. Bœhmer.”
“So beautiful,” said Bossange, “that your majesty alone was worthy to wear it.”
“My consolation is,” said the queen, with a sigh which did not escape Jeanne, “that it cost a million and a half. Was not that the price, M. Bœhmer?”
“Yes, your majesty.”
“And in these times,” continued the queen, “there is no sovereign that can give such a sum for a necklace; so that although I cannot wear it, no one else can: and once broken up, I should care nothing about it.”
“That is an error of your majesty’s; the necklace is sold.”
“Sold!” cried the queen. “To whom?”