The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-18
A GREEK NECKLACE.
A "Reminiscences Of the
Empire.

8 times up and down the sdrawing-r0Om,
looked out of the window which opened
3 on the Tuileries garden, glanced at the
Barriere de PEtoile, and drummed the
'rappeP on the panes; then he turned
and gave vent to q loud: M
"Ahp
'You have it?o anxiously inquired
b Madame De Pont- Vale.
"Indistinctly, but it is an idea. A
week ago / was at the Rothchilds'. Those
people have some taste and worry them
xselves good deal about curious things.
The Baron, himself, was describing a
Necklace, something centuries upon CEN
&uries old, that had been shown him a
fortnight before. 1t had been offered to
Jim at certain figure, which you may
Ilepend upon was big one. It was 50
beautiful that the Cresus had made up
shis mind to take it at once, when some
Very important parsonage called upon
klim, the Minister of Finance, / think,
and the matter escaped the Baron's mind
Nor the moment. Since that time he has
oeen looking in vain for the person who
Apad the necklace, as he had forgotten the
party's name or address. If Rothschild
wanted it, of course it was unique. Now,
rauite accidentally, day or so ago visit
ed the leading Antiquary in Paris, and
bne Of the firm asked Of clerk if M. de
ERothschild had decided yet about the
aecklace. I put this and that together,
and made up my mind that this must be
the particular parure. 1found out that
samusingly enough, as it was of great
Svalue, it had been stored away by the
antiqnary merchants in the Rothschild
ssvaults. Now, that is all. I have not
Ueven seen it. Perhaps between the time
|2I was there and to-day, it has been
Thought by the banker. There is only a
gchance that it has not. Shall follow
it up and save Francew
'ft is, indeed, an inspiration. Do not
aose moment. Providing it has not
1been sacrificed on the altar Of wealth,
gsyou might save us and our reputation.
ElAbove all, not word. Austria has spies
n Go at once. There is not a moment to
Frgbe lost. Ring the bell, CASTOR"
IN, A servant entered.
'' "Have my carriage ready. Bid them
\ harness as fast as they can. 1t is a State
mission. Be quick about it. Castor,
|. you must undertake the business. Since
y the Rothschild wrnts it, that is sufficient
X guarantee that the necklace is priceless.
Get the most elegant case you can.
Money is no object. Kiss ne, and 80 you
bring me the necklace, that other horse
I. is yours. State that the Empress wants
\ to see it, and, above all, tell the people
|, who have the necklace they must be dis
\ Greet"
I Away sped M. De Nerac on his errand,
4 the carriage rattllng along at full speed
n through the streets Of Paris. From the
\ Tuilieries to a certain house near the
\ tBibiotheque Imperiale was not long
tourney. OF all establishments in the
world dealing in things rare and old, this
one in the Rue Vivienne was the most
| famous. For two centuries the business
had been carried on from fathers to sons.
There was not numismatic firm in
Europe, Asia, or Africa that they did not
know about All treasures-trove drifted
to them. 1t was the high change, the
mart for artistic objects, the mint where
the 'cachet' of authenticity was stamped
upon them. Say there was bronze,
apparently green with age, and its owner,
in the pride Of possession, exalted it. If,
at a glance, the expert of this house de-
clared it to be forgery, from an estima-
ten Of 100000 francs it fell down from
its high place to the bare worth Of old
metal. The dictum had to be accepted
as irrevocable, and was taken without a
murmur. It was in this house, from
pure love Of old wares, that peer of
France would spend his days, and, to
amusc himself, would act as clerk, buy
J. ing and selling. The merchants them
selves used very little sentimentality in
\ their business. A thing might have, Of
course, an aesthetic SIDE, but it was to
; them only as merchandise; they could
not afford to make mistakes; over-enthu'
siasm might lead to errors, for perfect
knowledge was their greatest capital. Il
they said, then, "This bodkin was Cleop
A tra's, and it is worth 1000 francs" pur
chaser took it, feeling quite certain that
a Caesar had toyed with it.
~ It was before this house that tht
/, equerry stopped.
fat Sand that necklace; the one you Of
"A fered to Rothschild7-only providing he
| Yhas not bought it" breathlessly inquired
M. De Nerac.
fd "1t has not been sent second time
III Are very glad that our clerk did not re
St peat his visit to the Baron, as we never
VI hawk about our things"
\ II am instructed to obtain it at once
for Her Majesty's inspection. Should
M the necklace please the Empress, O.
" course the price is of no consequence"
y "Her Imperial Highness will have t.
pay for it exactly the same price / asket
of M. De Rothschild. The house, as N
II De Nerac ought to know, never take
u advantage of its clients" said the heat
! of the house, gravely.
ri am aware Of that; only Let me hav'
the necklace at once"
~ am afraid that is impossible. 1t
four o'clock. The Rothschild vaults
where the necklace has been placed fo
safe keeping, are closed for to-day"
"They must be opened. Would yo'
you oblIge me by getting in my carriag