Dr. Boudreaux arrived precisely at 3:00 that afternoon. After brief introductions all around, Genevieve led him into the parlor of the house. Since this room was seldom used, it was rather cold and smelled strongly of lemon furniture polish. They gathered around a green baize-covered table in the center of the room. Genevieve brought in the blue velvet sack and handed it wordlessly to Dr. Boudreaux. He slowly pulled it open and shook the contents out on the table.

Taking a jeweler's loop from his coat pocket, he examined one piece after another. Then he opened his briefcase and took out a small notebook. Nikita could see that it contained a list of some kind. With a pencil, he placed tiny checks beside more than a dozen of the items on that list. The whole process took nearly an hour. They had stood around him the entire time, caught up in the suspense. When he had finished, Dr. Boudreaux gestured toward the parlor chairs..

"You will want to sit down, I'm sure," he said. "I know I do."

He sat and took a handkerchief from his breast pocket. He removed his glasses and wiped his eyes, then took a tremulous breath. After collecting himself, he addressed them.

"I don't know how you obtained these items. I don't care to know. All I care about is that you have recovered the most valuable - the most historically significant collection I have seen since the war. Do you have any idea what you have here?"

Emil, Genevieve and Nikita all shook their heads. Dr. Boudreaux fixed his gaze on Michael.

"You know, do you not, Monsieur?"

The others all looked at him then.

"I suspected, but I was not certain. You agree, then, that this is the original collection?"

"There is no doubt," replied Dr. Boudreaux.

"WHAT collection? WHOSE jewelry is it?" they cried simultaneously.

"It belonged originally to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. After they were beheaded, it disappeared for several years. It resurfaced in 1795. As a gift from Napoleon to his fiancee."

Emil and Genevieve gasped. "Mon Dieu!"

"He must have loved her very much. What was her name?"

Dr. Boudreaux and the Beaullieus stared at Nikita as though she had grown another head. They were speechless at her ignorance. She turned to Michael for enlightenment. He gave her an ironic smile.

"Josephine."

FIN

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