He brought the purchase to a conclusion; he paid the first
instalment of six hundred thousand francs, and gave the necklace to
the friend of the queen, the Countess Lamotte-Valois, after he had
availed himself of her assistance in receiving from the lips and
hand of the queen in the garden of Versailles the assurance of the
royal favor. The countess at once brought the cardinal a paper from
the queen, stating that she had received the necklace, and conveying
to him the warm thanks of his queen. The cardinal felt himself
richly rewarded by this for all his pains and outlays, and in the
joy of his heart wanted to repay her who, in so prudent and wise a
manner, had effected his reconciliation with the queen. He settled
upon her a yearly pension of four thousand francs, payable her whole
life, and the countess accepted it with tears of emotion, and swore
eternal gratitude to the cardinal. But while uttering this very oath
she was conspiring against her benefactor, and laughing in her
sleeve at the credulous prince who had fallen into the very net
which she had prepared for him. Her most active ally was her
husband, whom she had long before summoned to Paris, and who was the
abetter of her intrigue. The countess had now become a rich lady,
and was able to indulge all her cravings for splendor and luxury.
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