Le collier de la reine. English

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER XIII.

  THE ONE HUNDRED LOUIS OF THE QUEEN.

  Now we have introduced the principal characters of this history to ourreaders, and have taken them both into the "petite maison" of the Comted'Artois and into the king's palace at Versailles, we will return tothat house in the Rue St. Claude where we saw the queen enter incognitowith Mademoiselle Andree de Taverney.

  We left Madame de la Motte counting over and delighted with her fiftydouble louis; next to the pleasure of having them, she knew no greaterthan that of displaying them, and having no one else, she called DameClotilde, who was still in the ante-chamber.

  When she entered, "Come and look here!" said her mistress.

  "Oh, madame!" cried the old woman, clasping her hands in astonishment.

  "You were uneasy about your wages," said the countess.

  "Oh, madame! I never said that; I only asked madame if she could pay me,as I had received nothing for three months."

  "Do you think there is enough there to pay you?"

  "Oh! madame, if I had all that, I should be rich for the rest of mylife. But in what will madame spend all that?"

  "In everything."

  "The first thing, I think, madame, will be to furnish the kitchen, foryou will have good dinners cooked now."

  "Listen!" said Madame de la Motte; "someone knocks."

  "I did not hear it," said the old woman.

  "But I tell you that I did; so go at once." She hastily gathered up hermoney, and put it into a drawer, murmuring, "Oh! if Providence will butsend me another such a visitor." Then she heard the steps of a manbelow, but could not distinguish what he said. Soon however, the dooropened, and Clotilde came in with a letter.

  The countess examined it attentively, and asked, "Was this brought by aservant?"

  "Yes, madame."

  "In livery?"

  "No, madame."

  "I know these arms, surely," said Jeanne to herself. "Who can it befrom? but the letter will soon show for itself;" and opening it, sheread: "Madame, the person to whom you wrote will see you to-morrowevening, if it be agreeable to you to remain at home for that purpose;"and that was all. "I have written to so many people," thought thecountess. "Is this a man or a woman? The writing is no guide, nor is thestyle; it might come from either. Who is it that uses these arms? Oh! Iremember now--the arms of the Rohans. Yes, I wrote to M. de Guemenee,and to M. de Rohan; it is one of them: but the shield is notquartered--it is therefore the cardinal. Ah! Monsieur de Rohan, the manof gallantry, the fine gentleman, and the ambitious one; he will come tosee Jeanne de la Motte, if it be agreeable to her. Oh, yes! M. de Rohan,it is very agreeable. A charitable lady who gives a hundred louis may bereceived in a garret, freeze in my cold room, and suffer on my hardchair; but a clerical prince, a lady's man, that is quite another thing.We must have luxury to greet him."

  Then, turning to Clotilde, who was getting her bed ready, she said: "Besure to call me early to-morrow morning;" and when she did retire torest, so absorbed was she in her expectations and plans, that it wasnearly three o'clock before she fell asleep; nevertheless, she was quiteready when Dame Clotilde called her according to her directions early inthe morning, and had finished her toilet by eight o'clock, although thisday it consisted of an elegant silk dress, and her hair was elaboratelydressed.

  She sent Clotilde for a coach, and ordered the man to drive to the PlaceRoyale, where, under one of the arcades, was the shop of M. Fingret, anupholsterer and decorator, and who had furniture always ready for saleor hire.

  She entered his immense show-rooms, of which the walls were hung withdifferent tapestries, and the ceiling completely hidden by the number ofchandeliers and lamps that hung from it. On the ground were furniture,carpets, and cornices of every fashion and description.