The Triumphs of Eugène Valmont | Page 2

to have exerted a malign influence over everyone who had the misfortune to be
connected with it. Indeed, in a small way, I who write these words suffered dismissal and
disgrace, though I caught but one glimpse of this dazzling scintillation of jewels. The
jeweller who made the necklace met financial ruin; the Queen for whom it was
constructed was beheaded; that high-born Prince Louis René Edouard, Cardinal de Rohan,
who purchased it, was flung into prison; the unfortunate Countess, who said she acted as
go-between until the transfer was concluded, clung for five awful minutes to a London
window-sill before dropping to her death to the flags below; and now, a hundred and
eight years later, up comes this devil's display of fireworks to the light again!
Droulliard, the working man who found the ancient box, seems to have prised it open,
and ignorant though he was--he had probably never seen a diamond in his life
before--realised that a fortune was in his grasp. The baleful glitter from the combination
must have sent madness into his brain, working havoc therein as though the shafts of
brightness were those mysterious rays which scientists have recently discovered. He
might quite easily have walked through the main gate of the Château unsuspected and
unquestioned with the diamonds concealed about his person, but instead of this he crept
from the attic window on to the steep roof, slipped to the eaves, fell to the ground, and
lay dead with a broken neck, while the necklace, intact, shimmered in the sunlight beside
his body. No matter where these jewels had been found the Government would have
insisted that they belonged to the Treasury of the Republic; but as the Château de
Chaumont was a historical monument, and the property of France, there could be no

question regarding the ownership of the necklace. The Government at once claimed it,
and ordered it to be sent by a trustworthy military man to Paris. It was carried safely and
delivered promptly to the authorities by Alfred Dreyfus, a young captain of artillery, to
whom its custody had been entrusted.
In spite of its fall from the tall tower neither case nor jewels were perceptibly damaged.
The lock of the box had apparently been forced by Droulliard's hatchet, or perhaps by the
clasp knife found on his body. On reaching the ground the lid had flown open, and the
necklace was thrown out.
I believe there was some discussion in the Cabinet regarding the fate of this ill-omened
trophy, one section wishing it to be placed in a museum on account of its historical
interest, another advocating the breaking up of the necklace and the selling of the
diamonds for what they would fetch. But a third party maintained that the method to get
the most money into the coffers of the country was to sell the necklace as it stood, for as
the world now contains so many rich amateurs who collect undoubted rarities, regardless
of expense, the historic associations of the jewelled collar would enhance the intrinsic
value of the stones; and, this view prevailing, it was announced that the necklace would
be sold by auction a month later in the rooms of Meyer, Renault and Co., in the
Boulevard des Italians, near the Bank of the Crédit-Lyonnais.
This announcement elicited much comment from the newspapers of all countries, and it
seemed that, from a financial point of view at least, the decision of the Government had
been wise, for it speedily became evident that a notable coterie of wealthy buyers would
be congregated in Paris on the thirteenth (unlucky day for me!) when the sale was to take
place. But we of the inner circle were made aware of another result somewhat more
disquieting, which was that the most expert criminals in the world were also gathering
like vultures upon the fair city. The honour of France was at stake. Whoever bought that
necklace must be assured of a safe conduct out of the country. We might view with
equanimity whatever happened afterwards, but while he was a resident of France his life
and property must not be endangered. Thus it came about that I was given full authority
to ensure that neither murder nor theft nor both combined should be committed while the
purchaser of the necklace remained within our boundaries, and for this purpose the police
resources of France were placed unreservedly at my disposal. If I failed there should be
no one to blame but myself; consequently, as I have remarked before, I do not complain
of my dismissal by the Government.
The broken lock of the jewel-case had been very deftly repaired by an expert locksmith,
who in executing his task was so unfortunate as to scratch a finger on the broken