queen's confidence, and desired nothing more than the written
authorization of the queen, empowering him to make the purchase at
once. This document was not waited for long. Two days only passed
before the Countess Lamotte-Valois brought it, dated at Trianon, and
subscribed Marie Antoinette of France. Meanwhile some doubts arose
in the mind of the cardinal. He turned to his friend and adviser,
Count Cagliostro, for counsel. The latter had cured him years before
while very sick, and since that time had always been his
disinterested friend, and the prophet, so to speak, who always
indicated the cardinal's future to him. This man, so clear in his
foresight, so skilful in medicine, was now taken into confidence,
and his advice asked. Count Cagliostro summoned the spirits that
waited upon him, before the cardinal, one solitary night. He asked
these invisible presences what their counsel was, and the oracle
answered, that the affair was one worthy of the station of the
cardinal; that it would have a fortunate issue; that it put the seal
upon the favors of the queen, and would usher in the fortunate day
which would bring the great talents of the cardinal into employment
for the benefit of France and the world. The cardinal doubted and
hesitated no longer. He went at once to the court jewellers Bohmer
and Bassenge: he did not conceal from them that he was going to buy
the necklace in the name of the queen, and showed them the written
authorization. The jewellers entered readily into the transaction.
The cardinal made a deposit of six hundred thousand francs, and
Bohmer and Bassenge gave him the necklace. It was the day before a
great festival, and at the festival the queen wanted to wear the
necklace. In the evening a trusted servant of the queen was to take
the necklace from the dwelling of the Countess Lamotte-Valois. The
countess herself requested the cardinal to be present, though
unseen, when the delivery should take place.