THE DIAMOND NECKLACE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE DIAMOND NECKLACE

A STORY OF MARIE ANTOINETTE

ZINE of the most amazing scandals VF in history is that associated with the diamond necklace which Louis XV. of France ordered the crown jewellers, Bohmer and Bassenger, to make for Madame Dubarry. Europe was searched for the most magnificent gems, the jewellers spent their own money and even borrowed more in order that perfect stones should be obtained. But before the exquisite necklace was quite completed the king died. Madame Dubarry was obliged to leave the Court, and, as she could not obtain money to pay for the necklace, the jewellers were left with a well-nigh priceless ornament on their hands. The ’ almost ruined men had but one hope, which was to sell the necklace to the young Queen Marie Antoinette. They obtained an interview with her, and the story goes that she refused to consider anything so costly. She was then twenty years old. So Bassenger hawked his white elephant round Europe but failed to get rid of it. Ten years later a strange intrigue started, the truth of which will never be known. 0 The Countess Jeanne de la Motte, who began life as a beggar girl but claimed to be descended from the House of Valois, tried to interest Marie Antoinette in her peculiar story, and failed. Jeanne then went to the Cardinal De Rohan, who was in disgrace, told him that the Queen was interested in him, and would do anything for her. Thereupon the Cardinal gave Jeanne sums of money on condition that she induced the Queen to receive him back into favour. After a time the Cardinal received letters from Marie Antoinette, each a little warmer than the last; but later on Rebaux de Villettc confessed to having forged the Queen’s writing and written the letters. Then came an astonishing interview between the Queen and the Cardinal, at midnight, in the gardens of Versailles. Jeanne de la Motte took the

Cardinal to the gardens, where he met a veiled lady whom he believed to be Marie Antoinette with whom he spoke for some time. When the Queen' was accused of meeting the Cardinal a certain Mademoiselle Designy said that she impersonated Marie Antoinette on this occasion. It would take too long to relate the extraordinary results of this meeting but, briefly, the Cardinal consented to negotiate for Marie Antoinette in the purchase of the diamond necklace. He was to pay in four instalments, and the Queen signed the four bonds, also. The Cardinal was bitterly disappointed when, instead of handing the necklace to the Queen personally, he was obliged to give it to Jeanne to convey to her. He went to Court, but to his great distress, the Queen was not wearing the necklace, nor did she take any notice of him. At that moment the necklace was in the hands of Jeanne’s husband, who was selling the diamonds one by one. When the first payment became due Jeanne told the Cardinal that the Queen begged him to wait as she was unable to obtain any money. As time passed, however, Bohmer became suspicious, and eventually the whole' matter was brought before Marie Antoinette, who declared that she knew nothing ■ about it Then Parliament investigated the affair, and decided that the Queen’s signature had been forged. The Count de la Motte escaped to England; Rohan and Mademoiselle Designy were, to the Queen’s great anger, acquitted; but Jeanne was condemned to be flogged, branded with hot irons, and imprisoned for life. She escaped from prison later and joined her husband in England; he still had diamonds to dispose of. The people never believed that the unfortunate Marie Antoinette was innocent of intrigue with the Cardinal, and the affair of the diamond necklace was one of the crimes imputed to her in the lust which sent her to the guillotine.