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Updated: June 8, 2025
Jeanne fainted again under the eyes of the Queen, who never noticed her. Her plan was to persuade small suitors that she could get them what they wanted by her backstairs influence with her royal cousin; she had a lover, Retaux de Villette, who was an expert forger, and by April 1784, relying on his skill, she began to hint to Rohan that she could win for him the Queen's forgiveness.
It was, indeed, the famous necklace, the legendary necklace that Bohmer and Bassenge, court jewelers, had made for Madame Du Barry; the veritable necklace that the Cardinal de Rohan-Soubise intended to give to Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France; and the same that the adventuress Jeanne de Valois, Countess de la Motte, had pulled to pieces one evening in February, 1785, with the aid of her husband and their accomplice, Retaux de Villette.
"Yes," answered Retaux, with a sigh, "I do know about it, for I wrote it at the direction of the countess, and added the signature." "Had you a copy?" "Yes, the signature of the fac-simile." "In the printed letter was there the subscription which you inserted?"
Boehmer and Bassange were only too happy to bargain with the great and wealthy church and state dignitary. A memorandum of terms and time of payment was drawn up, and was submitted to the Queen. That is, swindling Jeanne carried it off, and brought it back, with an entry made by Villette de Rétaux in the margin, thus: "Bon, bon Approuvé, Marie Antoinette de France." That is, "Good, good I approve.
Retaux took the pen, and with a rapid hand wrote some words, which he gave to the officer to be carried to the president. The latter took the paper and compared it with the words which were written on the promissory note. He then passed the two to the attorney-general, and he to the judge next to him.
To tell the truth, the mounting alone was genuine. Retaux de Villette had kept it, whilst the Count de la Motte and his wife scattered to the four winds of heaven the beautiful stones so carefully chosen by Bohmer.
De Rohan was arrested and put in the Bastile, having barely been able to send a message in German to his hotel to a trusty secretary, who instantly destroyed all the papers relating to the affair. Jeanne was also imprisoned, and Miss Gay d'Oliva and Villette de Rétaux, being caught at Brussels and Amsterdam, were in like manner secured.
"What did the countess desire of you?" asked the president. "What did you do in her service?" "I wrote the letters which were intended for the cardinal," answered Retaux de Vilette. "The countess composed them, and I wrote them in the handwriting of the queen." "How did you know her handwriting?"
Reform, the necessity of, generally admitted; granted by Louis XVI.. Rejoicings, general, in France at the birth of the princess; at the birth of the dauphin. Republic declared. "Restorer of French Liberty," title given to the king. Rétaux de Villette. Retrenchment in court expenditure. Reveillon, M., and the Paris riot. Revolution of 1789 commenced. Revolutionary tribunal; trial of the queen.
My heart only shuddered when I saw this man enter, whom I have saved from hunger, overwhelmed with kindness, and whom my enemies have now brought up to make him testify against me! But it is over I am now ready to see new lies, new infamies heaped upon me: M. Retaux de Vilette may now speak on, his calumnies will only drop from the undented mail of my conscience!"
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