The Queen's Necklace. Александр Дюма
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that I broke over her head.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Plague, cousin! You are not going to get there by striking hard.
BEAUSIRE
Ah! Madame. Does love exist without jealousy?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
And this Oliva gave you a topic on which to exercise yours?
BEAUSIRE
On the first of January at Saint Silvester—Great Lords, the tax farmers, officers, priests, even lawyers all were good to her. The last month I surprised her with a bailiff in my dressing gown.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
What did she say?
BEAUSIRE
She insisted he had seized it. And the fact is he did seize it! But I won’t importune you any more, Countess. I am going to make a tour of the Palace Royal—the devil will indeed be in it if I don’t hunt out a pair of pistoles. And perhaps I’ll have some news of my traitress.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Good luck, Mr. Beausire!
BEAUSIRE
Ah, Madame, no—there’s what it is to give flowers to women—it brings bad luck.
(He leaves.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Let’s see—let’s resume our accounts. Total 10 crowns and I promised twenty to Mr. de la Motte to help him support his garrison at Montmedy. Poor devil—our marriage has not enriched him.
(ringing, she calls) Clothilde! Clothilde! They’re ringing! Are you going to hurry?
CLOTHILDE
On my way.
(She leaves.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
If it were the visit Mr. Cagliostro announced to me—
(she pushes her papers into a drawer and throws herself in an armchair)
ANDREA
(at the door on the landing) Does the Countess de la Motte Valois dwell here?
CLOTHILDE
Yes, Madame.
ANDREA
(to another lady who is not in view) You can come in, Madame, she’s here.
CLOTHILDE
Who shall I announce to the Countess?
ANDREA
Announce two ladies of Good Deeds—
CLOTHILDE
From Paris?
QUEEN
No, from Versailles.
(Clothilde introduces the Queen and Andrea de Taverney—who are very muffled up in their furs. Clothilde leaves. The Countess advances two armchairs and bows to her visitors, designating seats to them.)
ANDREA
They told us about your situation, Countess, things which interested us, Madame and myself, and we wanted to have some details about things which concern you.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Ladies, you see the portrait of Henry II, my ancestor, for I am truly of the blood of Valois. As to the rest, if you are pleased to question me, I am prepared to respond to you.
ANDREA
They told us your father is dead?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Yes, Madame, my father, the Count de Saint-Rémy, born of Valois, great-grandson of Henry II, died in poverty and from starvation.
ANDREA
Is it possible? Died here?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Not even here, in the poor hovel, not in his bed—that bed was a pallet! My father died side by side with the most wretched and the most vile—my father died at the Hotel Dieu—in Paris!
ANDREA
Great God!
QUEEN
And your mother?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
When my father married her, she was a rare beauty, but alas! Poverty helping, this beauty, was altered and with it, my mother’s character. At the least fault, which would make another mother smile, mine would beat me. From the power of blows, she taught me a phrase that instinctively I did not want to retain—then she tossed me into the street with the order to recite it to the first passer-by—if I didn’t want to be beaten to death.
ANDREA
Frightful! Frightful!
QUEEN
And what was this phrase?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Sir, take pity on a little orphan who’s descended in a straight line from Henry II of Valois, King of France. The cold is making you shiver, Madame and I am in despair but wood has just risen to six pounds, which puts it at seventy pounds to the cord—and my store is exhausted.
QUEEN
It’s not cold that’s making me shiver, Madame—it’s pity from listening to you. But can you furnish proof justifying your genealogy?
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Here’s what you desire, Madame.
(gives papers that the Queen examines)
QUEEN
(very kindly) You were right, Countess. These titles are perfectly in order—and with them you will no doubt obtain a pension for yourself, and an advancement for your husband. While waiting, the Office of Good Deeds authorizes me to offer you this slight assistance.
(She offers her a roll of coins.)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
When shall I have the Honor of thanking you again?
QUEEN
We will let you know within a week because I promise you news from us, but it’s beginning to get late, our sleigh is expecting us, and we must reach Versailles—come, Andrea!
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Allow me, Miladies, to light you out.
(going to take the lamp from the table, she fingers the roll of coins) Crowns of a few pounds. Fifty or perhaps a hundred.
ANDREA
(putting herself together) Goodbye, Countess—and till soon—
(they leave)
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Open, Clothilde—Miladies, I am your very humble servant.
(she makes a curtsy)
(weighing the roll) I’m not mistaken—only fifty crowns—
(she dumps the roll into a bronze cup on the table) What do I see—double crowns—fifty double crows—two thousand four hundred pounds—so these ladies are very rich! Oh! I’ll find them again.
(she trips on a box) What’s that? A candy box in gold—a woman’s portrait—it resembles the larger of these ladies—no question, a mother or an ancestor—if they were still here.
(she opens a window) No! Still there’s a chaise with porters in front of the house—but they spoke of a sleigh. Oh! How cold it is.
CLOTHILDE
Madame! Madame! It’s another visit.
COUNTESS de la MOTTE
Yet