In accordance with this agreement, the cardinal repaired to the
palace of the countess on the evening of February 1st, 1784,
accompanied by a trusted valet, who carried the casket with the
necklace. At the doorway he himself took the collar and gave it to
the countess. She conducted the cardinal to an alcove adjoining her
sitting-room. Through the door provided with glass windows he could
dimly see the sitting-room.

After some minutes the main entrance opened, and a voice cried: "In
the service of the queen!" A man in the livery of the queen, whom
the cardinal had often seen at the countess's, and whom she had told
was a confidential servant of the queen, entered and demanded the
casket in the name of the queen. The Countess Valois took it and
gave it to the servant, who bowed and took his leave. At the moment
when the man departed, bearing this costly set of jewels, the
cardinal experienced an inexpressible sense of satisfaction at
having had the happiness of conferring a service upon the Queen of
France, the wife of the king, the mother of the future king,--not
merely in the purchase of the diamonds which she desired, but still
more in preventing the young and impulsive woman from taking the
unbecoming step of applying to any other gentleman of the court for
this assistance.

At these words the spectators broke into loud exclamations, and one
of the veiled ladies cried: "Lords Vaudreuil and Coigny would not
have paid so much, but they would have demanded more." And this
expression, too, was greeted with loud acclaims.

The first president of the court, Baron de L'Aigre, here cast a