The Penguin Book of Gaslight Crime - Michael Sims [38]
No matter where these jewels had been found, the Government had doubtless the first claim upon them; but as the Château de Chaumont was an historical monument, and the property of France, there could be no question to whom the necklace belonged. 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 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 was 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 collected 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 Italiens, 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, 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. Whatever happened afterwards we might view with equanimity, 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 insure 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 metal, whereupon blood poisoning set in, and although his life was saved, he was dismissed from the hospital with one arm gone, and his usefulness destroyed.
When the jeweller Boehmer made the necklace, he asked a hundred and sixty thousand pounds for it, but after years of disappointment he was content to sell it to Cardinal de Rohan for sixty-four thousand pounds, to be liquidated in three instalments, not one of which was ever paid. This latter amount was probably somewhere near the value of the five hundred and sixteen separate stones, one of which was of tremendous size, a very monarch of diamonds, holding its court among seventeen brilliants each as large