The Queen's Necklace Part 61

"It is useless," said Beausire, who suddenly appeared; "his excellency told you to dismiss them--do it."

"But, monsieur----"

"I cannot listen," said Beausire.

The chancellor took his relation by the shoulder, and pushed him out, saying, "You have spoiled your fortune."

"Mon Dieu! how susceptible these foreigners are!"

"When one is called Souza, and has nine hundred thousand francs a year, one has a right to be anything," said Ducorneau.

"Ah!" sighed Bossange, "I told you, Boehmer, you were too stiff about it."

"Well," replied the obstinate German, "at least, if we do not get his money, he will not get our necklace."

Ducorneau laughed. "You do not understand either a Portuguese or an amba.s.sador, bourgeois that you are. I will tell you what they are: one amba.s.sador, M. de Potemkin, bought every year for his queen, on the first of January, a basket of cherries which cost one hundred thousand crowns--one thousand francs a cherry. Well, M. de Souza will buy up the mines of Brazil till he finds a diamond as big as all yours put together. If it cost him twenty years of his income, what does he care?--he has no children."

And he was going to shut the door, when Bossange said:

"Arrange this affair, and you shall have----"

"I am incorruptible," said he, and closed the door.

That evening the amba.s.sador received this letter:

"MONSEIGNEUR,--A man who waits for your orders, and desires to present you our respectful excuses, is at the door of your hotel, and at a word from your excellency he will place in the hands of one of your people the necklace of which you did us the honor to speak. Deign to receive, monseigneur, the a.s.surances of our most profound respect.

"BOEHMER AND BOSSANGE."

"Well," said Manoel, on reading this note, "the necklace is ours."

"Not so," said Beausire; "it will only be ours when we have bought it.

We must buy it; but remember, your excellency does not know French."

"Yes, I know; but this chancellor?"

"Oh, I will send him away on some diplomatic mission."

"You are wrong; he will be our security with these men."

"But he will say that you know French."

"No, he will not; I will tell him not to do so."

"Very well, then; we will have up the man."

The man was introduced: it was Boehmer himself, who made many bows and excuses, and offered the necklace for examination.

"Sit down," said Beausire; "his excellency pardons you."

"Oh, how much trouble to sell!" sighed Boehmer.

"How much trouble to steal!" thought Beausire.

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE BARGAIN.

Then the amba.s.sador consented to examine the necklace in detail. M.

Boehmer showed each individual beauty.

"On the whole," said Beausire, interpreting for Manoel, "his excellency sees nothing to complain of in the necklace, but there are ten of the diamonds rather spotted."

"Oh!" said Boehmer.

"His excellency," interrupted Beausire, "understands diamonds perfectly.

The Portuguese n.o.bility play with the diamonds of Brazil, as children do here with gla.s.s beads."

"Whatever it may be, however," said Boehmer, "this necklace is the finest collection of diamonds in all Europe."

"That is true," said Manoel.

Then Beausire went on: "Well, M. Boehmer, her majesty the Queen of Portugal has heard of this necklace, and has given M. de Souza a commission to buy it, if he approved of the diamonds, which he does.

Now, what is the price?"

"1,600,000 francs."

Beausire repeated this to the amba.s.sador.

"It is 100,000 francs too much," replied Manoel.

"Monseigneur," replied the jeweler, "one cannot fix the exact price of the diamonds on a thing like this. It has been necessary, in making this collection, to undertake voyages, and make searches and inquiries which no one would believe but myself."

"100,000 francs too dear," repeated Manoel.

"And if his excellency says this," said Beausire, "it must be his firm conviction, for he never bargains."

Boehmer was shaken. Nothing rea.s.sures a suspicious merchant so much as a customer who beats down the price. However, he said, after a minute's thought, "I cannot consent to a deduction which will make all the difference of loss or profit to myself and my partner."

Don Manoel, after hearing this translated, rose, and Beausire returned the case to the jeweler.

"I will, however, speak to M. Bossange about it," contained Boehmer.

"I am to understand that his excellency offers 1,500,000 francs for the necklace."