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criminals to sit in？〃
〃Be seated；〃 replied the officer。 〃The seat of the accused is ready
for you； and the chains upon it are for those who are not inclined
to take it。〃
A cry of anger escaped from her lips； and her eyes flashed an
annihilating glance upon the venturesome officer； but he did not
appear to be in the least affected by the lightning from her eyes；
but met it with perfect tranquillity。
〃If you do not take it of yourself； madame；〃 he said； 〃I shall be
compelled to summon the police； we shall then compel you to take the
seat； and in order to prevent your rising； the chains will be bound
around your arms。〃
The countess answered only with an exclamation of anger； and fixed
her inquiring looks upon the judges； the accusers； the defenders；
and then again upon the spectators。 Everywhere she encountered only
a threatening mien and suspicious looks； nowhere an expression of
sympathy。 But it was just this which seemed to give her courage and
to steel her strength。 She raised her head proudly； forced the smile
again upon her lips； and took her seat upon the chair with a grace
and dignity as if she were in a brilliant saloon； and was taking her
seat upon an elegant sofa。 The president of the court now turned his
grave； rigid face to the countess； and asked： 〃Who are you； madame？
What is your name； and how old are you？〃
The countess gave way to a loud； melodious laugh。 〃My lord
president；〃 answered she； 〃it is very clear that you are not much
accustomed to deal with ladies； or else you would not take the
liberty of asking a lady； like myself in her prime； after her age。 I
will pardon you this breach of etiquette； and I will magnanimously
pretend not to have heard that question； in order to answer the
others。 You wish to know my name？ I am the Countess Lamotte…Valois
of France； the latest descendant of the former Kings of Prance； and
if in this unhappy land； which is trodden to the dust by a stupid
king and a dissolute queen； right and justice still prevailed； I
should sit on the throne of France； and the coquette who now
occupies it would be sitting here in this criminal's chair； to
justify herself for the theft which she has committed； for it is
Marie Antoinette who possesses the diamonds of the jeweller Bohmer；
not I。〃
At the spectators' tribune a gentle bravo was heard at these words；
and this daring calumny upon the queen found no reproval even from
the judges' bench。
〃Madame；〃 said L'Aigre； after a short pause； 〃instead of simply
answering my questions you reply with a high…sounding speech； which
contains an untruth； for it is not true that you can lay any claim
to the throne of France。 The descendants of bastards have claims
neither to the name nor the rank of their fathers。 Since； in respect
to your name and rank； you have answered with an untruth； I will
tell you who and what you are。 Your father was a poor peasant in the
village of Auteuil。 He called himself Valois； and the clergyman of
the village one day told the wife of the proprietor of Auteuil；
Madame de Boulainvillier； that the peasant of Valois was in
possession of family papers； according to which it was
unquestionable that he was an illegitimate descendant of the old
royal family。
The good priest at the same time recommended the poor； hungry
children of the day…laborer Valois to the kindness of Madame de
Boulainvillier； and the old lady hastened to comply with this
recommendation。 She had the daughter of Valois called to her to ask
her how she could assist her in her misery。〃
〃Say rather to gain for herself the credit that she had shown
kindnesses to the descendants of the Kings of France；〃 interrupted
the countess； quickly。
〃This would have been a sorry credit；〃 replied President L'Aigre。
〃The Valois family had for a long time been extinct； and the last
man of that name who is known； was detected in counterfeiting；
sentenced； and executed。 Your grandfather was an illegitimate son of
the counterfeiter Valois。 That is the sum total of your relation to
the royal family of France。 It is possible that upon this very chair
on which you now sit； accused of this act of deception； your natural
great…grandfather once sat； accused like you of an act of deception；
in order； after conviction of his crime； to be punished according to
the laws of France。〃
The countess made a motion as if she wanted to rise from the
unfortunate seat； but instantly the heavy hand of the officer was
laid upon her shoulder； and his threatening voice said； 〃Sit still；
or I put on the chains！〃
The Countess Lamotte…Valois of France sank back with a loud sob upon
the chair； and for the first time a death…like paleness diffused
itself over her hitherto rosy cheeks。
〃So Madame de Boulainvillier had the children of the day…laborer
Valois called；〃 continued the president； with his imperturbable
self…possession。 〃The oldest daughter； a girl of twelve years；
pleased her in consequence of her lively nature and her attractive
exterior。 She took her to herself； she gave her an excellent
education； she was resolved to provide for her whole future； when
one day the young Valois disappeared from the chateau of Madame de
Boulainvillier。 She had eloped with the sub…lieutenant； Count
Lamotte； and announced to her benefactress； in a letter which she
left behind； that she was escaping from the slavery in which she had
hitherto lived； and that she left her curse to those who wanted to
hinder her marrying the man of her choice。 But in order to
accomplish her marriage； she confessed that she had found it
necessary to rob the casket of Madame de Boulainvillier； and that
out of this money she should defray her expenses。 It was a sum of
twenty thousand francs which the fugitive had robbed from her
benefactress。〃
〃I take the liberty of remarking to you； Mr。 President； that you are
there making use of a totally false expression；〃 interrupted the
countess。 〃It cannot be said that I robbed this sum。 It was the
dowry which Madame de Boulainvillier had promised to give me in case
of my marriage； and I only took what was my own； as I was upon the
point of marrying。 Madame de Boulainvillier herself justified me in
taking this sum； for she never asked me to return it or filed an
accusation against me。〃
〃Because she wanted to prevent the matter becoming town…talk；〃
remarked the president； quietly。 〃Madame de Boulainvillier held her
peace； and relinquished punishment to the righteous Judge who lives
above the stars。〃
〃And who surely has not descended from the stars to assume the
president's chair of this court；〃 cried Lamotte； with a mocking
laugh。
President L'Aigre； without heeding the interruption； continued：
〃The daughter of the laborer Valois married the sub…lieutenant
Lamotte； who lived in a little garrison city of the province； and
sought to increase his meagre salary by many ingenious devices。 He
not merely gave instruction in fencing and riding； but he was also a
very skilful card…playerso skilful； that fortune almost always
accompanied him。〃
〃My lord；〃 cried the countess； springing up；〃 you seem to want to
hint that Count Lamotte played a false game。 You surely would not
venture to say this if the count were free； for he would challenge
you for this insult； and it is well known that his stroke is fatal
to those who stand in the way of his dagger。〃
〃I hint at nothing； and I merely call things by their right names；〃
replied the president； smiling。 〃In consequence of strong suspicions
of false play； Count Lamotte was driven out of his regiment； and as
the young pair had in the meantime consumed the stolen wedding…
money； they must discover some new way of making a living。 The young
husband repaired to the south of France to continue his card…
playing； the young wife； having for her fortune her youth and the
splendor of her name； repaired to Paris； both resolved de corriger
la fortune wherever and however they could。 〃This； madame；〃
continued the president； after a pause； 〃this is the true answer to
my question； how you are called； and who you are。〃
〃The answer is； however； not yet quite satisfactory；〃 replied
Lamotte； in an impudent tone。 〃You have forgotten to add that I am
the friend of the cardinal； Prince Louis de Rohan； the confidante
and friend of Queen Marie Antoinette； and that both now want to do
me the honor to make me their bete de souffrance； and to let me
suffer for what they have done and are guilty of。 My whole crime
lies in this； that I helped the Queen of France gain the jewels for
which her idle and trivial soul longed； that I helped the amorous
and light…minded cardinal approach the object of his love； and
procured for him an interview with the queen。 That is all that can
be charged upon me； I procured for the queen the fine necklace of
Messrs。 Bohmer and Bassenge； I gave the cardinal； as the price of a
part of the necklace； a tender tete…a…tete with the queen。 The
cardinal will not deny that in the garden of Versailles he had a
rendezvous with the queen； that he kissed her hand and received a
rose from her； and the queen will be compelled to confess in the end
that the necklace is in her possession。 What blame can be laid on me