Duke of Orleans, when regent of France during the minority of Louis XV.
A very different story, however, is told by Saint-Simon, who professes to speak of his own personal knowledge.
He
says that the diamond was stolen by a person employed in the diamond
mines, who escaped to Europe with it, and after showing it to several
princes, and among the rest the King of England, passed over to Paris
and showed it to the somewhat notorious Law. Law proposed to the regent
that it should be bought for the king, but the state of the finances
was such that the duke hesitated to spend such a large sum in that way.
Saint-Simon lent his influence in favour of the purchase, representing
that the diamond was peerless in Europe, and would well become the
crown of France, and that the purchase of it would shed glory on the
regency of the duke. The latter at last consented, and the diamond was
bought for $384,000, the seller receiving also the fragments resulting
from the cutting, with interest on the price until the whole was paid.
From
that time the Regent became identified with the fortunes of France, and
a chapter of historic details belongs to its career. It has passed
through many revolutions, and it has passed—very literally—through many
hands; for in the days
