The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-18

TWO or three times a year, on
the occasion OF important func-

This was really the historic neck
lace which BONNER and Basscnge, thu
crown jewelers., had designed for tht
Du Barry, which the Cardinal de-
Rohan-Soubisc believed himself tc
be presenting to Queen Maric-An
toinette, and which Jeanne de Nalois
Comtessc dc La Motto, the advcn'
turc>s, took TO pieces, one evening in
February, 1855, with the assistance
OF her husband and their accomplish
Rctaux dc \illcttc.
As matter OF fact, the setting
alone was genuine. RctauN de Vii
lcttc had preserved it. while Sieur de
La Motto and his wife dispersed to
the four winds OF heaven the stones
so brutallv unmountcd, the admirable
stones once so carefully chosen by
Bohmcr Later, Rctaux sold it, in
Italy. 10 Castor dc DrcuXSoubise
the cardinals nephew and heir. who
had been saved by his uncle at the
time OF the notorious bankruptcy OF
the acknowledgements family, and
who. in grateful memory OF this kind
ness, bought up the few diamonds
that remained in the possession OF
IefTreys. the English jewcller, COM
rlctcd them with others of much
SMALLER value, but of identical dimen-
>iou>. and thus succeeded in recon-
~rructiug the wonderful necklace in
the form in which il had LETT BONNER
and Bas>cngc'S hands.
Ono evening, at the PalaiS dc Cas-
tile. then occupied by Isabella III OF
Spain, the countess had a great sue
cess. and King Christian OF Denmark,
in whose honor the reception was
given, remarked upon her magniti-
cent beauty. The gems strcamcd
round her slender neck. The thou
sand facets OF the diamonds shonc
and sparkled like flames in the light
OF tho brilliantly illuminated rooms.
None but she could have carried with
such case and dignity the burden OF
that marvellous jewel.
She took tho necklace from her
shoulders. not without regret, and
handed it 10 her husband, who cN-
sunincL it with admiring eyes. as
though hc had never seen it before.
Thcu. after replacing it in its red
morocco case, stamped with the car
dmaI> arms. he went into an adJOin-
ing linen closet. originally a sort OF
alcovc, which had been cut off from
the room. and which had only one en-
trauCc-a door at tic loot OF the bed.
lie hid II, according to his custom,
among the bandboxc> and stacks OF
linen on ono OF the upper shelves,
tic returned, closed the door behind
HIM. and uudrcsscd himself.
In the morning he rose at o o'clock,
with tho intention OF going TO the
Credit Lyonnais before lunch. He
dressed, drank his coffee, and went
down to the stables, where he gave
his orders for the day. One OF the
horses seemed out OF condition. He
made the groom walk and trot it up
and down before him in tho yard
Then nc went back 10 his wife
She had not lett the room. and was
having her hair dressed by her maid.
She said:
Are We; going out
ives, TO take it back
"Oh, OF course, yes, that will be
Safest
lie entered the linen closet But
in few seconds he asked, without,
however. displaying the least aston
ishlucmt:
Have Won taken it out, dcar?"
She replied:
What do you mean: No. I've
taken nothing"
But you've moved it
Not at ALI | haven't even opened |
the door"
He appeared in the doorway with |
a bcwildcrcd air, and stammcrcd, in
hardly intclliGihlc accents:
You havcn't-you didn't-but
then"
She ran to join linn. and they made
4 fcvcrISh search. throwing the band .
boxes to tho floor and dcInOliShing
the stacks OF linen. And the count
kept on saving:
ITS useless. All that VIC arc do
ing is quite useless. | put it up here,
on this shelf"
'lo gu may have forgotten"
NO, no; 1t was here. on this shell,
and nowhere else"
They lit a candle. for the light in
the little room was bad. and removed
all the linen and all the different
things with which it was crowded.
And when the closet was quite empty
they were compelled to admit, in de-
SPAR, that the famous necklace, the
Queens Necklace. was gone
The countess, who was noted for
her determined character. wasted no
time in vain lamentations. but sent
for the CommiSSary of police, NJ.
\ alorbe whose sagacity and insight
they had already had occasion TO APP
prcciatc. He was put in possession
Of the details, and his first question
was:
Are YOU sure, monsieur lie comic,
that no one can have passed through
your room at night?'
Quite sure. ! am very light
sleeper, and, besides, the bedroom ,,
door was bolted. ! had to unfastcn