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 Causes Celitbres.

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abruptly introduced into the revelations of Strange as were the denunciations of Madame de la Motte? It is almost uni Madame de la Motte, the authorities hastened versally agreed to-day that this celebrated to arrest Cagliostro and his wife. The char impostor's real name was Joseph Balsamo. latan was brought before the magistrates, Forced to leave Sicily to escape pursuit for who proceeded at once to interrogate him. certain swindling operations, he travelled From his responses it was evident that he over Europe and a part of Africa under had known of the negotiation for the pur different names, and in 1780 he arrived in chase of the necklace. New developments led to the discovery Strasbourg. Four years later he was in of new witnesses; and erelong the authori Paris, where he was treated with the great est consideration. The elite of the nobility ties believed that they had at last the true and men of letters assembled in his salon. history of this remarkable conspiracy. In it The incredulous and blase society of the Madame de la Motte figured as the central eighteenth century rejected the Gospel and figure and instigator of the plot to obtain the Catholic traditions, but it accepted with j possession of these precious jewels. The out difficulty the humbug and mummery of; cardinal, if not an active accomplice in the affair, certainly appeared to have been a a charlatan who claimed to be a contempo rary of Jesus Christ and the possessor of the most willing dupe. Various other persons of more or less prominence were implicated mysteries of old Egypt. His dupes em braced men and women of all classes, and, in the transaction. The trial of the cardinal, which speedily according to Madame de la Motte, the Cardi took place before the Court of Parliament, nal de Rohan was one of the most promi nent. She gave a long account of several excited the most profound interest. The houses of Rohan and Conde entered the stances at which the cardinal had been pres most vehement protestations. The audac ent, and which had produced a great impres sion upon him. The conclusion which she ity of the Rohans even went so far as to drew was that M. de Rohan's mind was openly accuse the queen of having drawn affected, and that his belief in the power of the cardinal into a trap to gratify her intense Cagliostro was complete; that under his hatred for him. The pope (Pius VI.) did influence the cardinal had been impelled to all in his power to sustain the cardinal, and engage in the transaction of the necklace, and declared him still worthy to enjoy all the sell, through M. de la Motte, a portion of the rights and honors of his high position. The trial, however, proceeded, and on the diamonds in England. For this M. de la Motte had received two thousand crowns, 31st of May the judges rendered their de and had paid over to the cardinal about cree. Madame de la Motte and her husband three hundred and thirty-five thousand were condemned to imprisonment for life; Cagliostro and his wife were discharged; livres, the proceeds of the sale. What had become of the greater part of the Cardinal de Rohan was acquitted, — the necklace, for the money received must a verdict which seems to have dissatisfied have represented only a comparatively small every one except his own immediate friends. portion? Madame de la Motte could not We learn from Madame de Campan the tell. Doubtless it had gone to the Comte effect produced upon the queen by this de Cagliostro. Why had the cardinal, who judgment : — "She sent for me; I found her greatly well knew that the necklace no longer ex isted, advised Boehmer and Bassange to moved. ' Congratulate me,' she said, in a address themselves to the queen? That, forced voice; ' the intriguer who wished to again, was doubtless the effect of the ruin me, who endeavored to procure money by abusing my name and forging my signa enchantments of Cagliostro.