The Story of the Diamond Necklace by Henry Vizetelly

1786–1866.

To render our narrative complete, it is necessary we should inform the reader how it fared with the crown jewellers-Böhmer and Bassenge, "Au Grand Balcon," Rue Vendôme-and what was the final upshot of the famous Necklace case. In the first place the jewellers never received a single _sou_ of the rich revenues of the abbey of Saint Waast-computed to produce 300,000 livres a year, and really yielding 225,000 livres, which had been assigned to them. Among their many creditors was M. Nicolas Deville, the king's secretary, to whom they owed 900,602 livres, and to whom they re-assigned the aforesaid revenues for the liquidation of their debt; but unfortunately the Revolution came, and with it the sale of the property of the church for the benefit of the nation, so M. Nicolas Deville in his turn did not receive a _sou_. Meanwhile, Böhmer and Bassenge became bankrupt. The Cardinal de Rohan at his death left behind him a will by which he appointed the Princess Charlotte de Rohan-Rochefort his residuary legatee, and she accepted administration of the estate on condition that she should not be held responsible to the creditors for any deficiency that might exist.