Maurice Leblanc 
The Extraordinary Adventures Of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Burglar 

One of the seven wonders of the world is the Malaquis castle, which is located on the banks of the Seine. The castle's past is turbulent and severe like its outline, much like its name suggests. Numerous battles, sieges, assaults, rapines, and massacres have taken place there. Even the strongest heart would shudder if the crimes that have been done there were listed. The Queen's Necklace was carried by the Countess of Dreux-Soubise. It was the fabled necklace that the court jewelers Bohmer and Bassenge had created for Madame Du Barry. With the assistance of their lover, Jeanne de Valois, Lupin and Rétaux de Villette split it apart in 1785. The lovely stones that Bohmer had picked with such care were strewn by the Count de la Motte and his wife to the four winds of heaven. Later, he sold the mounting to the Cardinal's nephew and heir, Gaston de Dreux-Soubise. The English jeweler Jeffreys repurchased the few diamonds that were still in his possession and added additional stones of far lower grade to them.