He painted further how the cardinal, attracted by
the lively spirits, amiability, and intellectual character of
Lamotte-Valois, had given her his confidence, and believed what she
told him about her favor with the queen, and her intimate relations
with her. "The cardinal," continued the attorney-general, "did not
doubt for a moment the trustworthiness of the countess; he had not
the least suspicion that he was appointed to become the victim of an
intriguer, who would take advantage of his noble spirit, his
magnanimity, to deceive him and to enrich herself. The countess knew
the boundless devotion of the cardinal to the queen; she had heard
his complaints of the proud coldness, the public slights which she
offered to him. On the other hand, she had heard of the costly
diamond necklace which Bohmer and Bassenge had repeatedly offered to
the queen, and that she had refused to take it on account of the
enormous price which they demanded for it. On this the countess
formed her plan and it succeeded perfectly. She caused the cardinal
to hope that he would soon have an audience of the queen, if he
would give solid assurances of his devotion, and when he professed
himself ready, she proposed to him, as acting under the queen's
instructions, the purchase of the necklace. The cardinal declared
himself ready to accede, and the affair took the course already
indicated with such touching frankness and lofty truthfulness by his
eminence.
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