# Once a Week (magazine)/Series 1/Volume 11/Madame la Baronne de V's diamond bracelets

MADAME LA BARONNE DE V———’S DIAMOND BRACELETS. (A TRUE INCIDENT.)
The evening of the fifteenth of February, 183— was a gala night in Paris. “Don Giovanni” was to be performed at the opera by an assemblage of talent rarely announced for one night, even at the opera-house of Paris or in the great opera of “Don Giovanni.”
Yet it was not the names of the artistes that most attracted the attention as one read the bills—nobler and more celebrated names caught the eye. They were those of the reigning king and queen—Louis Philippe and Marie Amelie. The affiches announced that they would honour the opera with their presence on that evening. They had been but a short time restored to their native land, and this was their first appearance at the opera since the “three days” of July had placed them on the throne; for this reason as many Orleanists as could obtain tickets had secured them for the opera of the 15th February to hear “Don Giovanni” and to see their king and queen. About six o’clock (for be it remembered, the Paris opera did not begin at the present London hours) carriages were to be seen conveying their gaily-dressed occupants to the classic building. An unusually handsome equipage stood at the door of a large house in the Rue des Champs Élysées, evidently also for the purpose of taking some fashionables to the opera. This carriage and house belonged to the Baron de V———, who was just then standing at the bottom of the noble staircase inside the mansion, calling playfully to his wife, telling her that the carriage was waiting.
“I’m coining, I’m coming,” was the answer to this appeal; “don’t be in such a hurry!”
As the last piece of advice was proffered the speaker appeared at the top of the stairs.
She was a dark beauty of about one and twenty, and was dressed purely in white. She came fluttering downstairs, chattering meanwhile to her handsome husband, who stood looking admiringly at her.
“Now I’m quite ready, so please don’t scold. I’ve only got my bracelets to put on, and those I want you to clasp for me. Here’s the esse, if you’ll take them out, and here’s my wrist. Now, suppose I were to lose them in the crowd, what would our good mother say?”
A smile was the only answer the baron vouchsafed, as he took the bracelets out of their case and clasped them on the fair white arm of his bride.
They were very costly, being each composed ​of three rows of valuable table diamonds, whilst in the centre of either glittered a spray of heartsease, artistically formed of smaller diamonds. The bracelets were rendered more precious to their possessors by the fact of their having been in the De V——— family for three generations. They now by right belonged to the dowager baronne, but she had insisted on giving them to her son for his bride, who, therefore, wore them on such occasions as the one we are describing.
The Baron and Baronne de V——— stepped into their carriage, and in a few minutes were entering their box at the opera. The house was already full, although it still wanted fifteen minutes to the time announced for the overture to begin. At length the members of the orchestra took their places, and the peculiar, subdued sound of tuning stringed instruments was heard. Still the royal box was empty, and all eyes were turned towards it in eager expectation. In another moment applause burst from the pit and gallery and the entire house, as Louis Philippe and Queen Marie Amélie, at tended by a large suite of officers and ladies and gentlemen of the court, appeared. The king and queen bowed graciously in return for the homage paid them, and then took their seats, at which the rest of the company did the same, and the overture commenced.
The queen looked unusually happy, and seemed to take a lively interest in all around her. She not only gazed at the stage, but the boxes also came in for a share of her penetrating observation.
Suddenly she bent slightly forward and looked in the direction of the box that contained the lovely young Baronne de V———. The latter was leaning forward, her right hand raised, a finger of which touched one of her dimpled cheeks, deeply interested in the fate of “Don Giovanni,” and quite absorbed in the beautiful music.
Her husband had noticed the queen’s gesture, and was aware that she had observed his wife, and when the queen turned away he laughingly told her of it.
“Nonsense,” cried the bride, “don’t fancy such absurdities.”
The truth of what her husband had said, however, soon forced itself on her mind, for at that moment an officer, dressed in the same uniform as those attending the royal party, drew back the curtain behind their box, and stepping forward, said, “Pardon, madame, but her majesty’s admiration and curiosity has been so roused by the sight of the beautiful bracelets you wear, that she has commissioned me to come and request you to spare me one for a few moments for her closer inspection.” The pretty baronne blushed, looked up to her husband for his approval, then unclasped one of the bracelets and handed it to the officer, feeling not a little flattered at the attention and distinction the queen had conferred on her.
The last act of the opera began, and at length the last scene ended, yet the bracelet was not returned. Its owners thought the officer had doubtless forgotten it, and the baron said he would go and make inquiries concerning it. He did so, and in a few moments returned, though without the bracelet.
“Adèle,” said he to his wife, “it is very strange, but not seeing the officer who took your bracelet, I asked one of the others, who has been in the royal box the whole evening, and he says your bracelet was neither sent for nor fetched.”
The baronne looked aghast. “François,” she said, “that man must have been an impostor. He was no officer, but an affreux thief.”
The baron smiled as his little wife jumped so speedily at such a conclusion, and persisted that the bracelet was safe and had really been sent for by the queen, and that the officer whom he had consulted was misinformed.
But woman’s penetration had guessed rightly, as the morrow proved.
As the bracelet was not forthcoming the next morning, M. de V——— spoke to the Chief Inspector of the police on the subject, who quite coincided with madame’s opinion as to the valuable ornament having been artfully stolen. The baron was greatly annoyed, and ordered the inspector to advertise for it in every direction, offering a reward of 3000 francs to the person who should restore it. The inspector promised to do all in his power towards the recovery of the bracelet, as well for the sake of society at large as the satisfaction of his employers.
But three months passed away—350 francs had been spent in advertising—and still the missing bracelet was not found.
It was growing dusk one evening in May, when a servant informed Madame de V——— that monsieur the Inspector wished to speak to her or monsieur the Baron. As the latter was out, Madame de V——— went downstairs to speak to the inspector, with whom she had had many previous interviews on the subject of the diamond bracelet. As she entered the room he bowed in the respectful manner peculiar to him. “I believe I have some good news for madame, this evening,” he said. His voice was rather singular, somewhat resembling a boy’s when changing. Madame de V——— had often remarked this peculiarity before, so it did not strike her that evening. “The detectives,” ​he continued, “engaged in the business, have met with a bracelet in a Jew’s second-hand shop at Lyons, so exactly the same as madame’s that it only remains for it to be identified before we can claim it as madame’s property. My object in coming this evening is to ask madame to allow me to look at the other that I may be able to swear to the one at Lyons being its fellow.”
The baronne, overjoyed at the idea of recovering her lost property, tripped out of the room, and soon returned with the remaining bracelet. The inspector took it carefully in his hand and proceeded to examine it minutely.
“The bracelets are exactly alike?” he inquired of Madame de V———.
“Exactly,” repeated the baronne.
“I believe I have learnt the pattern thoroughly,” said the inspector, musingly, “yet there may be some difficulty in not having both bracelets together to compare them one with another.”
“Why not take this to Lyons, then?” suggested the baronne.
“Ah, madame, it would scarcely do to trust even a police inspector after having been deceived by an officer in disguise.”
“Oh!” laughed Madame de V———, “do you not think I would trust you, monsieur Inspecteur, after all the interest and trouble you have taken in the matter? Take the bracelet, and I hope you will bring me both back ere many days have passed.”
The inspector still hesitated, but at length consented to do as the baronne wished him, and went away, bearing the sparkling ornament with him. On her husband’s return the baronne, of course, told him of the joyful discovery.
A week, however, passed away without the inspector’s arriving with the stolen property. One morning, therefore, the baron called on the inspector to make inquiries respecting it. The latter seemed very much surprised on being asked if the bracelet had been brought from Lyons. “What does monsieur mean? never heard anything about the bracelet having been found at Lyons—it is surely a mistake. Monsieur has misunderstood madame la baronne.”
“You had better come yourself and have this strange mystery cleared up, M. Inspecteur,” answered the baron, sternly. “Madame is at home, and will be happy to assure you herself that it is no mistake, that you called and informed her of the diamonds’ having been traced to Lyons.”
The baron and the inspector repaired to the Rue des Champs Elysées, where they found Madame de V——— at home, as her husband had said. She confirmed what he had already said about the inspector having called one night at dusk and having informed her that the bracelet was supposed to be at a Jew’s second-hand shop at Lyons.
The inspector smiled incredulously as he said, “Does madame really think that I called at dusk, after business hours, when all the world is out, or enjoying itself with company at home? Bah! I do my business in business hours. The disguised officer most probably thought he could do another little stroke of business in an official uniform of another cut—the villain! Mais—I am afraid madame will never see either of her bracelets again after this.”
The inspector’s words came but too true. From that day to this madame la Baronne de V———’s diamond bracelets have never been heard of.
Mariet.
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