The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-01-22
THE DIAMOND NECKLACE.
ny MRS. ANN s. STEPHENS,

by MRS. ANN s. STEPHENS.
For some time the Queen of France INDUCED
freely in her tears, then suddenly recolcciing that
her absence from the palace might be observed, she
sprang up, hastily arranged the cluster of Bourbon
lilies in her hair, Threw the broken feather away ,and
left the pavilion Pausing by one Of the fountains
she caught some offs falling drops in her little pn
and alter bathing her eyes, returned to the palace,
smiling, self possessed and graceful as she had lett
it. Among all who filed those gorgeous apartments,
not one appeared so gay as their queen. They lit
tic thought that Il new and trembling fear lay on
her heart like coed serpent; yet 1t was even so.
1t was eleven in the morning., and yet the aIiso-
cratic and reglle inmates Of Versailles were buried
in sleep The palace gardens lay halhed in flood
Of light, broken, under the trees and ahost the
th;kets, into irregular patches of cool shadowlng,
while here and there AMID the green branches bur
thened with its extinSuiShnd companions lamp
still lickering on, or Il whered garland trailing
across the terrace tod of the last nights festival
All was lone and deserted, except the little pavl-
ion we hlve already mentioned. There, seated On
the cushions, still haaped us the queen had left
them, was De Gouvon and by his side, with her
slender hand IN his, sat darii-eyed melancholy
girl, with soft. madonna cast OF features, and an
expression upon them, rs she bent her Classical
head toward him, which could not be mlsakcn.-
The Young girl bad poured her hearts love out
reckessly 10 the man by her side. lie was talking
in low, persuasive tone, which had "A kind of en-
TRAILING music in its whisperjngs still ne did not
look in her face as he spoEe-but his eyes glanced
restlessly about The room, or were fastened on the
marble table, still soied with fragments of black
cned paper. lie talked long and earnestly, and
closed by saying-'You promised Adcnc, 10 let
no opportunity escape you, 10 be ever on the alert
She made no answer bnt sat with her hands clHs-
ped in her lap, while tears rolled slowly down her
cheeks.
'Why do you not answer, Adeline y he excIuim-
ed impatlent|y -'have not promised to make You
my wife, whenever this great object is accomplish
ed ?
But you have promised so often before, she
answered ,timidy raising her swimming eyes TO his,
bat will swear now--thnt must satisfy you,
and he raised little crucIiiX mgiog about her neck
to his lips.
'AdeIne's eve frightened for an instant--hen
bursting into fresh tears, she exclaimed, Indeed,
indeed i cannot uiure hcr-shc is 50 kind; so good!
Il do not ask you 10 iuure her. have not told
you that she will return TO her own country, and
live happily at her brothers. court ?
'Are YOU certain that this is all they intend I"
Most certain
'And will you lorsoke that odious Madame La
mothe;'
when This oh iect is accomplished thcn,I
shall need her services
Swear that you will leave her.
'Scc, | do;' and again he kissed the cruelty
then holding to her lips he said, Now it is your
turn-pomse upon this, TO observe my directions,
The poor girl made motion us il to obey him,
and then shrunk irresolute.
Farewell, tn y he exclaimed, dropping the
cruciIx in her lap and rising coIdjy; Madame La
mothe purposes
Stop 20, do not 90 to hcr-scc, swear, she
cried, bending eagerly forwarcd and pressing the
cross 10 her lips with both hands.
Promised ike my own brave girl, he said, re-
turning Now 20 to the palace, and remember TO
bring me Intelligence this evening, aud hurrNing her
10 the door, he pressed her hand and returned Into
the pavilion. He hid left on the previous night for
the secret hauns of such nc ,bln' rs wer, gather
ed in the nrighborhood. there he had forced blcIi
the pride of his Uris,Ocrdc habits, and entered into
all their dcblsins pluns-ndopiing their delcslablc
measures with tn. uyidny of u s'orned man. hrs-
ting for vengeance, All the night long he had thu,
employed and the morning found hin as we have
related, tempting with empy promises the fIyorilc
waiting maid of the qucen-onc whom he hid torn
from the innocent places of her childhood, aud
whose pure spring Of affections he had sucd in is
first gushngs. AT the time of his irsr acquaintance
with AdeIinc, he was in high favor with the queen;
and it WIS that he might pace an unconscious spy
over her actions, rather hin from any pity for tn,
deluded girl, which induced him 10 interest Marie
Anloinellc in her behalf, US Tie dlughDer Of II de-
c'ased f lend of hi1 owr. Thu, fo sevcra. yea $
he had, by series Of riting attentions to the loSj
girl, excited Il cons ant hops that his heart would
again return TO her, while he had easily CLEANED
from her conversation aud letters, all the mIoru0.
ton he had wished with roglrd TO tn royal honso-
hold. But TO induce her TO become an active agent
in bclraying The secrets Of her royal mistress, hc
found more difficult than he hld anticipated, How
ever, he did succeed Us our reader i aware and
well satisfied with his success, left the royal gar
deus to prosecute his trai,orous plans elsewhere
After her interview with De Gculion, hdene
let herself into the palace by a private enieranre,
and FASTENED through several luxurious 0utl.rooms
10 the quccn's bed-chlmbcr. She listened mo.
meM-theu gently opening the door, sole softly
through the rich artificial twilight created and mel
lowed by her heavy. purple drpary sweeping over
the windows. Casting wiStiu glance toward die
royal couch, she breithed more freely on seeing,
through an opening in the curlain, the beautiful
head oflhe queen. half buried in the filled pillow,
with a hand hurst under her danasi cheek, and
her neck-rules heayng with the respiration Of
quie-s'ceper. Adeline glided noi|eleSsy To table
covered with oinmcnts hastily cast from the wear
or, and thrown in brilliant confusion among unread
petitions perumed sonnets aud empty Jewel hoses.
She was carefully searching among the plpers,
when the rose-colorcd drapery was flung suddenly
from before the bed, and looking hrslily up, she
saw with terror that the queen was leaning on her
pillow, in half sitting posture, and looking with
nstonishmcnt upon her. Before she could speak,
the queen exclaimed, more hastily than was her
won't AIodcmoiscllc Adeline, Why do You visit
my bed-chambcr without summons
Quick as thought, the waiing-woman was ready
with an excuse. Taking an ivory casket from the
table, she held it up saving The iewellc from
Paris wished me to submit this for your najesiy's
inspecion-it il necklace Of rare diamonds, very
beautfu-and he supposed your highness might
wish for the first refusal Of it,
Bring my dressing gown = exclaimed the queen
eagerly throwing back the silken quilt and thrust
ing her feet into the slippers Of tn, previous night,
draw up that curtain and give INC the Jewels =
Adcne obeyed, aud with almost clidike i'm
PATIENCE the queen being hastily ROBBED, gathered
her dressing gown and running 10 the inyaied win
dow, through which the sunbeams were pouring.
held the magnificent diamonds in The foil blaze.
Beautiful beautiful . she exclaimed eagerly
shaking them about, aud the sunlight d ishrd and