New-York tribune., 1901-12-06

THE DIAMOND NECKLACE. Being the True
Bohan % From the New Documents Recently
Discovered in Paris. BY Frantz i ~ IN Snfier-
land Edwards With y Full Page IllqsTationS;
octave. PIP 35o-~ Philadelphia: J. D. i-'Pf
& Co.
To obaricb tbe conviction that the story OF
Marie Antoinette the Cardinal de Roman anu
the diamond necklace has been written ro
death is to reckon without NJ Funck-Bren'aiio-
That industrious and clever archlvlst mas way
with him and can make old stories 1resh- III
his dealings with old French prisoners ana with
the legends OF the Bastie-including the lesehu
of the Man in the Iron Mask-he has shown
rare faculty for combining historical accuracy
with piouant narrative THE Diamond Neck
lace" his latest publication. makes almost as
raadab ble a book as though the theme had not
been treated innurnera BILE times before one
reason for this is that, on this occasion hloie
than at other times. NJ. Funck-Brentano mas So
to say let himself GO He is from time TO
time zravely reflective, befts an historian
but generally he writes with something not ul-
like romantic fervor He abounds in anecdote,
and he uses that literary eXpedient for the ex-
ceilent purpose Of helping to realize the char
acters and personalities of the actors in the
drama Thus in order to keep the reader from
developine toe antagonistic an attitude toward
the Cardinal he portrays him in his own house
keeping open table for unexpected guests ana
treating them ne treated the poor knight
Of Saint Louis whose failure to tip the servant
had got him into had odor with that individual
Rohan. who was interested in magic, said alb
ruptly to this guest:
How many devils do you know"
Three my lord
Three
Yes poor devil who manages TO dine at
the table of a good devil, and whom bad devil
wishes TO place in awkward position
Rohan. charmed with the answer, gave orders
that henceforth the knights cover should be
placed for him every day. 1t is pretty story.
and there is much else OF the same sort TO be
put to Rohan's credit. But his plea. when the
whole naisera bic business Of the necklace came
out that I completely blinded by the i'm
rnense desire / had to regain the good graces OF
the Queen not only discloses his extraordinary
credulity but leaves untouched the essential
conternptibleness of his conduct in the affair
The head and front of his offending resided in
his willingness TO engage in the shabby transac-
tion at all in his readiness TO forget what he
owed 10 the Queen and to her fair name. Yet, IL
there is one point more than another which NJ
Funck- Brentano makes plain. it is that the
King himself must share the responsibility for
the disastrous issue of the trouble started by
Rohan. Napoleon aid at St Helena: The
Queen was innocent, and. to give greater pub
Iicity TO her innocence. she desired the Parha-
1nent TO Judge the case Inc result was tiloI
the Queen was thought guilty. and that dis
credit was thrown on the court" In his opinion
Louis XVI should have decided the affair him.
self NJ. Funck- Brentano says:
He held in his hand an instrument which. in
the circumstances. WAS marvellously adapted 10
the object for which il was desiSned-the Iettre
de cachet. BY custom and by law the King was
tee first and if he desired il. the only. judge OF
his subjects Parliament only sat in judgment
in virtue of a delegation OF the judiciary power
Of which the King the sole source. Ana
Louis XVI intrIsts to this assembly, which ad-
ministers Justice only because he has empowered
it 10 do SO. case in which the honor OF his
wife and that of his crown was Immediately con-
cerned.
Parliament being largely animated, as NJ
Funck-Brentano reminds u.s. with Z spirit IN
imical to the dignity OF the throne, and having
for its immediate desire. in fact, one thing only
to humiliate the crown" was only too glad to
lei the Cardinal off with a verdict which popular
feeling demanded and received with acclaim
The Queen of course, was stung by what was
really an insult to her; the King made bad
matter worse by exiling the Cardinal, and so the
dfsaffection and unrest already affecting the
country were deepened. and court scandal cul-
minated in a national calamity that shook the
world NJ Funck- -Brentano supports his argu-
rnent with abundance of documentary evidence
His book is freely enbellished with opposite
illustrations It constitutes. in short, authori-
tative monograph on episode Of singular in
terest in the history Of France