Le collier de la reine. English

by Alexandre Dumas

  CHAPTER LXXVII.

  THE ARREST.

  "Sire," cried the queen, "here is M. de Rohan, who says incrediblethings, which I wish him to repeat to you."

  At these unexpected words the cardinal turned pale. Indeed, it was astrange position to hear himself called upon to repeat to the king andthe husband all the claims which he believed he had over the queen andthe wife.

  But the king, turning towards him, said, "About a certain necklace, isit not, sir?"

  M. de Rohan took advantage of the king's question, and chose the leastof two evils. "Yes, sire," he murmured, "about the necklace."

  "Then, sir, you have brought the necklace?"

  "Sire----"

  "Yes, or no, sir."

  The cardinal looked at the queen, and did not reply.

  "The truth, sir," said the queen, answering his look. "We want nothingbut the truth."

  M. de Rohan turned away his head, and did not speak.

  "If M. de Rohan will not reply, will you, madame, explain?" said theking. "You must know something about it; did you buy it?"

  "No."

  M. de Rohan smiled rather contemptuously.

  "You say nothing, sir," said the king.

  "Of what am I accused, sire?"

  "The jewelers say they sold the necklace either to you or the queen.They show a receipt from her majesty----"

  "A forged one," interrupted the queen.

  "The jewelers," continued the king, "say that in case the queen does notpay, you are bound to do so by your engagements."

  "I do not refuse to pay, sire. It must be the truth, as the queenpermits it to be said." And a second look, still more contemptuous thanthe first, accompanied this speech.

  The queen trembled, for she began to think his behavior like theindignation of an honest man.

  "Well, M. le Cardinal, some one has imitated the signature of the Queenof France," said the king.

  "The queen, sire, is free to attribute to me whatever crimes shepleases."

  "Sir," said the king, "instead of justifying yourself, you assume theair of an accuser."

  The cardinal paused a moment, and then cried, "Justifymyself?--impossible!"

  "Monsieur, these people say that this necklace has been stolen under apromise to pay for it; do you confess the crime?"

  "Who would believe it, if I did?" asked the cardinal, with a haughtydisdain.

  "Then, sir, you think they will believe----"

  "Sire, I know nothing of what is said," interrupted the cardinal; "allthat I can affirm is, that I have not the necklace; some one has it whowill not produce it; and I can but say, let the shame of the crime fallon the person who knows himself guilty."

  "The question, madame, is between you two," said the king. "Once more,have you the necklace?"

  "No, by the honor of my mother, by the life of my son."

  The king joyfully turned towards the cardinal. "Then, sir, the affairlies between you and justice, unless you prefer trusting to myclemency."

  "The clemency of kings is for the guilty, sire; I prefer the justice ofmen!"

  "You will confess nothing?"

  "I have nothing to say."

  "But, sir, your silence compromises my honor," cried the queen.

  The cardinal did not speak.

  "Well, then, I will speak," cried she. "Learn, sire, that M. de Rohan'schief crime is not the theft of this necklace."

  M. de Rohan turned pale.

  "What do you mean?" cried the king.

  "Madame!" murmured the cardinal.

  "Oh! no reasons, no fear, no weakness shall close my mouth. I wouldproclaim my innocence in public if necessary."

  "Your innocence," said the king. "Oh, madame, who would be rash enough,or base enough, to compel you to defend that?"

  "I beg you, madame," said the cardinal.

  "Ah! you begin to tremble. I was right: such plots bear not the light.Sire, will you order M. de Rohan to repeat to you what he has just saidto me."

  "Madame," cried the cardinal, "take care; you pass all bounds."

  "Sir," said the king, "do you dare to speak thus to the queen?"

  "Yes, sire," said Marie Antoinette; "this is the way he speaks to me,and pretends he has the right to do so."

  "You, sir!" cried the king, livid with rage.

  "Oh! he says he has letters----"

  "Let us see them, sir," said the king.

  "Yes, produce them," cried the queen.

  The cardinal passed his hands over his burning eyes, and asked himselfhow heaven could ever have created a being so perfidious and soaudacious; but he remained silent.

  "But that is not all," continued the queen, getting more and moreexcited: "M. le Cardinal says he has obtained interviews----"

  "Madame, for pity's sake," cried the king.

  "For modesty's sake," murmured the cardinal.

  "One word, sir. If you are not the basest of men; if you hold anythingsacred in this world; if you have proofs, produce them."

  "No, madame," replied he, at length, "I have not."

  "You said you had a witness."

  "Who?" asked the king.

  "Madame de la Motte."

  "Ah!" cried the king, whose suspicions against her were easily excited;"let us see this woman."

  "Yes," said the queen, "but she has disappeared. Ask monsieur what hehas done with her."

  "Others have made her disappear who had more interest in doing so than Ihad."

  "But, sir, if you are innocent, help us to find the guilty."

  The cardinal crossed his hands and turned his back.

  "Monsieur," cried the king, "you shall go to the Bastile."

  "As I am, sire, in my robes? Consider, sire, the scandal will commence,and will fall heavily on whomsoever it rests."

  "I wish it to do so, sir."

  "It is an injustice, sire."

  "It shall be so." And the king looked round for some one to execute hisorders. M. de Breteuil was near, anticipating the fall of his rival; theking spoke to him, and he cried immediately, "Guards! arrest M. leCardinal de Rohan."

  The cardinal passed by the queen without saluting her; then, bowing tothe king, went towards the lieutenant of the guards, who approachedtimidly, seeming to wait for a confirmation of the order he hadreceived.

  "Yes, sir," said M. de Rohan, "it is I whom you are to arrest."

  "Conduct monsieur to his apartment until I have written the order;" saidthe king.

  When they were alone, the king said, "Madame, you know this must lead toa public trial, and that scandal will fall heavily on the heads of theguilty."

  "I thank you, sire; you have taken the only method of justifying me."

  "You thank me."

  "With all my heart; believe me, you have acted like a king, and I as aqueen."

  "Good," replied the king, joyfully; "we shall find out the truth atlast, and when once we have crushed the serpent, I hope we may live inmore tranquillity." He kissed the queen, and left her.

  "Monsieur," said the cardinal to the officer who conducted him, "can Isend word home that I have been arrested?"

  "If no one sees, monseigneur."

  The cardinal wrote some words on a page of his missal, then tore it out,and let it fall at the feet of the officer.

  "She ruins me," murmured the cardinal; "but I will save her, for yoursake, oh! my king, and because it is my duty to forgive."