MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV AND HIS COURT AND OF THE REGENCY

 BY THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON

VOLUME 12. 

CHAPTER LXXXVIII

The Abbe Alberoni, having risen by the means I have described, andacquired power by following in the track of the Princesse des Ursins, governed Spain like a master. He had the most ambitious projects. Oneof his ideas was to drive all strangers, especially the French, out ofthe West Indies; and he hoped to make use of the Dutch to attain thisend. But Holland was too much in the dependence of England. 

At home Alberoni proposed many useful reforms, and endeavoured todiminish the expenses of the royal household. He thought, with reason, that a strong navy was the necessary basis of the power of Spain; and tocreate one he endeavoured to economise the public money. He flatteredthe King with the idea that next year he would arm forty vessels toprotect the commerce of the Spanish Indies. He had the address to boastof his disinterestedness, in that whilst working at all manner ofbusiness he had never received any grace from the King, and lived onlyon fifty pistoles, which the Duke of Parma, his master, gave him everymonth; and therefore he made gently some complaints against theingratitude of princes. 

Alberoni had persuaded the Queen of Spain to keep her husband shut up, as had the Princesse des Ursins. This was a certain means of governing aprince whose temperament and whose conscience equally attached him to hisspouse. He was soon completely governed once more--under lock and key, as it were, night and day. By this means the Queen was jailoress andprisoner at the same time. As she was constantly with the King nobodycould come to her. Thus Alberoni kept them both shut up, with the key oftheir prison in his pocket. 

One of the chief objects of his ambition was the Cardinal's hat. Itwould be too long to relate the schemes he set on foot to attain his end. He was opposed by a violent party at Rome; but at last his inflexiblewill and extreme cunning gained the day. The Pope, no longer able toresist the menaces of the King of Spain, and dreading the vengeance ofthe all-powerful minister, consented to grant the favour that ministerhad so pertinaciously demanded. Alberoni was made Cardinal on the 12thof July, 1717. Not a soul approved this promotion when it was announcedat the consistory. Not a single cardinal uttered a word in praise of thenew confrere, but many openly disapproved his nomination. Alberoni'sgood fortune did not stop here. At the death, some little time after, of the Bishop of Malaga, that rich see, worth thirty thousand ecus ayear, was given to him. He received it as the mere introduction to thegrandest and richest sees of Spain, when they should become vacant. The King of Spain gave him also twenty thousand ducats, to be levied uponproperty confiscated for political reasons. Shortly after, CardinalArias, Archbishop of Seville, having died, Alberoni was named to thisrich archbishopric. 

In the middle of his grandeur and good luck he met with an adventure thatmust have strangely disconcerted him. 

I have before explained how Madame des Ursins and the deceased Queen hadkept the King of Spain screened from all eyes, inaccessible to all hisCourt, a very palace-hermit. Alberoni, as I have said, followed theirexample. He kept the King even more closely imprisoned than before, andallowed no one, except a few indispensable attendants, to approach him. These attendants were a small number of valets and doctors, two gentlemenof the chamber, one or two ladies, and the majordomo-major of the King. This last post was filled by the Duc d'Escalone, always called Marquis deVillena, in every way one of the greatest noblemen in Spain, and mostrespected and revered of all, and justly so, for his virtue, hisappointment, and his services. 

Now the King's doctors are entirely under the authority of the majordomo-major. He ought to be present at all their consultations; the Kingshould take no remedy that he is not told of, or that he does notapprove, or that he does not see taken; an account of all the medicinesshould be rendered to him. Just at this time the King was ill. Villenawished to discharge the duties attached to his post of majordomo-major. Alberoni caused it to be insinuated to him, that the King wished to be atliberty, and that he would be better liked if he kept at home; or had thediscretion and civility not to enter the royal chamber, but to ask at thedoor for news. This was language the Marquis would not understand. 

At the end of the grand cabinet of the mirrors was placed a bed, in whichthe King was laid, in front of the door; and as the room is vast andlong, it is a good distance from the door (which leads to the interior)to the place where the bed was. Alberoni again caused the Marquis to beinformed that his attentions were troublesome, but the Marquis did notfail to enter as before. At last, in concert with the Queen, theCardinal resolved to refuse him admission. The Marquis, presentinghimself one afternoon, a valet partly opened the door and said, with muchconfusion, that he was forbidden to let him enter. 

"Insolent fellow, " replied the Marquis, "stand aside, " and he pushed thedoor against the valet and entered. In front of him was the Queen, seated at the King's pillow; the Cardinal standing by her side, and theprivileged few, and not all of them, far away from the bed. The Marquis, who, though full of pride, was but weak upon his legs, leisurelyadvanced, supported upon his little stick. The Queen and the Cardinalsaw him and looked at each other. The King was too ill to noticeanything, and his curtains were closed except at the side where the Queenwas. Seeing the Marquis approach, the Cardinal made signs, withimpatience, to one of the valets to tell him to go away, and immediatelyafter, observing that the Marquis, without replying, still advanced, hewent to him, explained to him that the King wished to be alone, andbegged him to leave. 

"That is not true, " said the Marquis; "I have watched you; you have notapproached the bed, and the King has said nothing to you. "

The Cardinal insisting, and without success, took him by the arm to makehim go. The Marquis said he was very insolent to wish to hinder him fromseeing the King, and perform his duties. The Cardinal, stronger than hisadversary, turned the Marquis round, hurried him towards the door, bothtalking the while, the Cardinal with measure, the Marquis in no waymincing his words. Tired of being hauled out in this manner, the Marquisstruggled, called Alberoni a "little scoundrel, " to whom he would teachmanners; and in this heat and dust the Marquis, who was weak, fortunatelyfell into an armchair hard by. Angry at his fall, he raised his littlestick and let it fall with all his force upon the ears and the shouldersof the Cardinal, calling him a little scoundrel--a little rascal--a little blackguard, deserving a horsewhipping. 

The Cardinal, whom he held with one hand, escaped as well as he could, the Marquis continuing to abuse him, and shaking the stick at him. Oneof the valets came and assisted him to rise from his armchair, and gainthe door; for after this accident his only thought was to leave the room. 

The Queen looked on from her chair during all this scene, withoutstirring or saying a word; and the privileged few in the chamber did notdare to move. I learned all this from every one in Spain; and moreover Iasked the Marquis de Villena himself to give me the full details; and he, who was all uprightness and truth, and who had conceived some littlefriendship for me, related with pleasure all I have written. The twogentlemen of the chamber present also did the same, laughing in theirsleeves. One had refused to tell the Marquis to leave the room, and theother had accompanied him to the door. The most singular thing is, thatthe Cardinal, furious, but surprised beyond measure at the blows he hadreceived, thought only of getting out of reach. The Marquis cried to himfrom a distance, that but for the respect he owed to the King, and to thestate in which he was, he would give him a hundred kicks in the stomach, and haul him out by the ears. I was going to forget this. The King wasso ill that he saw nothing. 

A quarter of an hour after the Marquis had returned home, he received anorder to retire to one of his estates at thirty leagues from Madrid. Therest of the day his house was filled with the most considerable people ofMadrid, arriving as they learned the news, which made a furious sensationthrough the city. He departed the next day with his children. TheCardinal, nevertheless, remained so terrified, that, content with theexile of the Marquis, and with having got rid of him, he did not dare topass any censure upon him for the blows he had received. Five or sixmonths afterwards he sent him an order of recall, though the Marquis hadnot taken the slightest steps to obtain it. What is incredible is, thatthe adventure, the exile, the return, remained unknown to the King untilthe fall of the Cardinal! The Marquis would never consent to see him, orto hear him talked of, on any account, after returning, though theCardinal was the absolute master. His pride was much humiliated by thisworthy and just haughtiness; and he was all the more piqued because heleft nothing undone in order to bring about a reconciliation, without anyother success than that of obtaining fresh disdain, which much increasedthe public estimation in which this wise and virtuous nobleman was held. 

CHAPTER LXXXIX

I must not omit to mention an incident which occurred during the earlypart of the year 1718, and which will give some idea of the character ofM. Le Duc d'Orleans, already pretty amply described by me. 

One day (when Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans had gone to Montmartre, whichshe quitted soon after) I was walking alone with M. Le Duc d'Orleans inthe little garden of the Palais Royal, chatting upon various affairs, when he suddenly interrupted me, and turning towards me; said, "I amgoing to tell you something that will please you. "

Thereupon he related to me that he was tired of the life he led, whichwas no longer in harmony with his age or his desires, and many similarthings; that he was resolved to give up his gay parties, pass hisevenings more soberly and decently, sometimes at home, often with Madamela Duchesse d'Orleans; that his health would gain thereby, and he shouldhave more time for business; that in a little while I might rely upon it--there would be no more suppers of "roues and harlots" (these were hisown terms), and that he was going to lead a prudent and reasonable lifeadapted to his age and state. 

I admit that in my extreme surprise I was ravished, so great was theinterest I took in him. I testified this to him with overflowing heart, thanking him for his confidence. I said to him that he knew I for a longtime had not spoken to him of the indecency of his life, or of the timehe lost, because I saw that in so doing I lost my own; that I had longsince despaired of his conduct changing; that this had much grieved me;that he could not be ignorant from all that had passed between us atvarious times, how much I desired a change, and that he might judge ofthe surprise and joy his announcement gave me. He assured me more andmore that his resolution was fixed, and thereupon I took leave of him, the hour for his soiree having arrived. 

The next day I learned from people to whom the roues had just related it, that M. Le Duc d'Orleans was no sooner at table than he burst outlaughing, and applauded his cleverness, saying that he had just laid atrap for me into which I had fallen full length. He recited to them ourconversation, at which the joy and applause were marvellous. It is theonly time he ever diverted himself at my expense (not to say at his own)in a matter in which the fib he told me, and which I was foolish enoughto swallow, surprised by a sudden joy that took from me reflection, didhonour to me, though but little to him. I would not gratify him bytelling him I knew of his joke, or call to his mind what he had said tome; accordingly he never dared to speak of it. 

I never could unravel what fantasy had seized him to lead him to hoax mein this manner, since for many years I had never opened my mouthconcerning the life he led, whilst he, on his side, had said not a wordto me relating to it. Yet it is true that sometimes being alone withconfidential valets, some complaints have escaped him (but never beforeothers) that I ill-treated him, and spoke hastily to him, but all wassaid in two words, without bitterness, and without accusing me oftreating him wrongfully. He spoke truly also; sometimes, when I wasexasperated with stupidity or error in important matters which affectedhim or the State, or when he had agreed (having been persuaded andconvinced by good reasons) to do or not to do some essential thing, andwas completely turned from it by his feebleness, his easy-going nature(which he appreciated as well as I)--cruelly did I let out against him. But the trick he most frequently played me before others, one of which mywarmth was always dupe, was suddenly to interrupt an important argumentby a 'sproposito' of buffoonery. I could not stand it; sometimes beingso angry that I wished to leave the room. I used to say to him that ifhe wished to joke I would joke as much as he liked, but to mix the mostserious matters with tomfoolery was insupportable. He laughed heartily, and all the more because, as the thing often happened, I ought to havebeen on my guard; but never was, and was vexed both at the joke and atbeing surprised; then he returned to business. But princes mustsometimes banter and amuse themselves with those whom they treat asfriends. Nevertheless, in spite of his occasional banter, he entertainedreally sincere esteem and friendship for me. 

By chance I learnt one day what he really thought of me. I will say itnow, so as to leave at once all these trifles. M. Le Duc d'Orleansreturning one afternoon from the Regency Council at the Tuileries to thePalais Royal with M. Le Duc de Chartres (his son) and the Bailli deConflans (then first gentleman of his chamber) began to talk of me, passing an eulogium upon me I hardly dare to repeat. I know not what hadoccurred at the Council to occasion it. All that I can say is that heinsisted upon his happiness in having a friend so faithful, so unchangingat all times, so useful to him as I was, and always had been; so sure, sotrue, so disinterested, so firm, such as he could meet with in no oneelse, and upon whom he could always count. This eulogy lasted from theTuileries to the Palais Royal, the Regent saying to his son that hewished to teach him how to make my acquaintance, as a support and asource of happiness (all that I relate here is in his own words); such ashe had always found in my friendship and counsel. The Bailli deConflans, astonished at this abundant eloquence, repeated it to me twodays after, and I admit that I never have forgotten it. And here I willsay that whatever others might do, whatever I myself (from disgust andvexation at what I saw ill done) might do, the Regent always soughtreconciliation with me with shame, confidence, confusion, and he hasnever found himself in any perplexity that he has not opened his heart tome, and consulted me, without however always following my advice, for hewas frequently turned from it by others. 

He would never content himself with one mistress. He needed a variety inorder to stimulate his taste. I had no more intercourse with them thanwith his roues. He never spoke of them to me, nor I to him. I scarcelyever knew anything of their adventures. His roues and valets were alwayseager to present fresh mistresses to him, from which he generallyselected one. Amongst these was Madame de Sabran, who had married a manof high rank, but without wealth or merit, in order to be at liberty. There never was a woman so beautiful as she, or of a beauty more regular, more agreeable, more touching, or of a grander or nobler bearing, and yetwithout affectation. Her air and her manners were simple and natural, making you think she was ignorant of her beauty and of her figure (thislast the finest in the world), and when it pleased her she wasdeceitfully modest. With much intellect she was insinuating, merry, overflowing, dissipated, not bad-hearted, charming, especially at table. In a word, she was all M. Le Duc d'Orleans wanted, and soon became hismistress without prejudice to the rest. 

As neither she nor her husband had a rap, they were ready for anything, and yet they did not make a large fortune. One of the chamberlains ofthe Regent, with an annual salary of six thousand livres, having receivedanother appointment, Madame de Sabran thought six thousand livres a yeartoo good to be lost, and asked for the post for her husband. She caredso little for him, by the way, that she called him her "mastiff. " It wasshe, who, supping with M. Le Duc d'Orleans and his roues, wittily said, that princes and lackeys had been made of one material, separated byProvidence at the creation from that out of which all other men had beenmade. 

All the Regent's mistresses had one by one their turn. Fortunately theyhad little power, were not initiated into any state secrets, and receivedbut little money. 

The Regent amused himself with them, and treated them in other respectsexactly as they deserved to be treated. 

CHAPTER XC

It is time now that I should speak of matters of very great importance, which led to changes that filled my heart with excessive joy, such as ithad never known before. 

For a long time past the Parliament had made many encroachments upon theprivileges belonging to the Dukes. Even under the late King it had begunthese impudent enterprises, and no word was said against it; for nothinggave the King greater pleasure than to mix all ranks together in acaldron of confusion. He hated and feared the nobility, was jealous oftheir power, which in former reigns had often so successfully balancedthat of the crown; he was glad therefore of any opportunity whichpresented itself that enabled him to see our order weakened and robbed ofits dignity. 

The Parliament grew bolder as its encroachments one by one succeeded. It began to fancy itself armed with powers of the highest kind. It beganto imagine that it possessed all the authority of the English Parliament, forgetting that that assembly is charged with the legislativeadministration of the country, that it has the right to make laws andrepeat laws, and that the monarch can do but little, comparativelyspeaking, without the support and sanction of this representativechamber; whereas, our own Parliament is but a tribunal of justice, withno control or influence over the royal authority or state affairs. 

But, as I have said, success gave it new impudence. Now that the Kingwas dead, at whose name alone it trembled, this assembly thought that afine opportunity had come to give its power the rein. It had to do witha Regent, notorious for his easy-going disposition, his indifference toform and rule, his dislike to all vigorous measures. It fancied thatvictory over such an opponent would be easy; that it could successfullyovercome all the opposition he could put in action, and in due time makehis authority secondary to its own. The Chief-President of theParliament, I should observe, was the principal promoter of thesesentiments. He was the bosom friend of M. And Madame du Maine, and bythem was encouraged in his views. Incited by his encouragement, heseized an opportunity which presented itself now, to throw down the gloveto M. Le Duc d'Orleans, in the name of the Parliament, and to prepare forsomething like a struggle. The Parliament of Brittany had recentlymanifested a very turbulent spirit, and this was an additionalencouragement to that of Paris. 

At first the Parliament men scarcely knew what to lay hold of and bringforward, as an excuse for the battle. They wished of course to gain theapplause of the people as protectors of their interests--likewise thosewho for their private ends try to trouble and embroil the State--butcould not at first see their way clear. They sent for Trudaine, Prevotdes Marchand, Councillor of State, to give an account to them of thestate of the Hotel de Ville funds. He declared that they had never beenso well paid, and that there was no cause of complaint against thegovernment. Baffled upon this point, they fastened upon a edict, recently rendered, respecting the money of the realm. They deliberatedthereon, deputed a commission to examine the matter, made a great fuss, and came to the conclusion that the edict would, if acted upon, be veryprejudicial to the country. 

Thus much done, the Parliament assembled anew on Friday morning, the 17thof June, 1718, and again in the afternoon. At the end they decided uponsending a deputation to the Regent, asking him to suspend the operationof the edict, introduce into it the changes suggested by their body, andthen send it to them to be registered. The deputation was sent, and saidall it had to say. 

On the morrow the Parliament again assembled, morning and afternoon, andsent a message to the Regent, saying, it would not separate until it hadreceived his reply. That reply was very short and simple. The Regentsent word that he was tired of the meddling interference of theParliament (this was not the first time, let me add, that he experiencedit), that he had ordered all the troops in Paris, and round about, tohold themselves ready to march, and that the King must be obeyed. Suchwas in fact true. He had really ordered the soldiers to keep under armsand to be supplied with powder and shot. 

The message did not intimidate the Parliament. The next day, Sunday, theChief-President, accompanied by all the other presidents, and by severalcouncillors, came to the Palais Royal. Although, as I have said, theleader of his company, and the right-hand man of M. And Madame du Maine, he wished for his own sake to keep on good terms with the Regent, and atthe same time to preserve all authority over his brethren, so as to havethem under his thumb. His discourse then to the Regent commenced withmany praises and much flattery, in order to smooth the way for the threefine requests he wound up with. The first of these was that the edictshould be sent to the Parliament to be examined, and to suffer suchchanges as the members should think fit to introduce, and then beregistered; the second, that the King should pay attention to theirremonstrances in an affair of this importance, which they believedprejudicial to the State; the third, that the works recently undertakenat the mint for recasting the specie should be suspended!

To these modest requests the Regent replied that the edict had beenregistered at the Cour des Monnaies, which is a superior court, andconsequently sufficient for such registration; that there was only asingle instance of an edict respecting the money of the realm having beensent before the Parliament, and then out of pure civility; that thematter had been well sifted, and all its inconveniences weighed; that itwas to the advantage of the State to put in force this edict; that theworks of the Mint could not be interfered with in any way; finally, thatthe King must be obeyed! It was quite true that the edict had been sentto the Parliament out of courtesy, but at the suggestion of the Regent'sfalse and treacherous confidants, valets of the Parliament, such as theMarechals de Villeroy, and Huxelles, and Besons, Canillac, Effiat, andNoailles. 

Notwithstanding the decisive answer they had received, the Parliament metthe very next day, and passed a decree against the edict. The council ofthe regency, at its sitting on the afternoon of the same day, abrogatedthis decree. Thus, since war was in a measure declared between theRegent's authority and that of the Parliament, the orders emanating fromthe one were disputed by the other, and vice versa. A nice game ofshuttlecock this, which it was scarce likely could last long!

The Regent was determined to be obeyed. He prohibited, therefore, theprinting and posting up of the decree of the Parliament. Soldiers of theguards, too, were placed in the markets to hinder the refusal of the newmoney which had been issued. The fact is, by the edict which had beenpassed, the Louis worth thirty livres was taken at thirty-six livres, andthe crown piece, worth a hundred sous, at six livres instead of five. Bythis edict also government notes were made legal tender until the newmoney should be ready. The finances were thus relieved, and the Kinggained largely from the recasting of the coin. But private people lostby this increase, which much exceeded the intrinsic value of the metalused, and which caused everything to rise in price. Thus the Parliamenthad a fine opportunity for trumpeting forth its solicitude for the publicinterest, and did not fail to avail itself of it. 

During the night a councillor of the Parliament was surprised onhorseback in the streets tearing down and disfiguring the decree of theRegency Council, which abrogated that of the Parliament. He was taken toprison. 

On Monday, the 27th of June, the Chief-President, at the head of all theother presidents, and of forty councillors, went to the Tuileries, and inthe presence of the Regent read the wire-drawn remonstrance of theParliament upon this famous edict. The Keeper of the Seals said that ina few days the King would reply. Accordingly on Saturday, the 2nd ofJuly, the same deputation came again to the Tuileries to hear the reply. The Regent and all the Princes of the blood were there, the bastardsalso. Argenson, who from lieutenant of police had been made keeper ofthe seals, and who in his former capacity had often been ill-used--nay, even attacked by the Parliament--took good care to show his superiorityover that assembly. He answered that deputation in the name of the King, and concluded by saying that the edict would in no way be altered, butwould receive complete application. The parliamentary gentlemen did notexpect so firm a reply, and withdrew, much mortified. 

They were not, however, vanquished. They reassembled on the 11th and12th of August, and spat forth all their venom in another decreespecially aimed at the authority of the Regent. By this decree theadministration of the finances was henceforth entirely to be at the mercyof the Parliament. Law, the Scotchman, who, under the favour of M. LeDuc d'Orleans, had been allowed some influence over the State moneymatters, was to possess that influence no longer; in fact, all power onthe part of the Regent over the finances was to be taken from him. 

After this the Parliament had to take but one step in order to become theguardian of the King and the master of the realm (as in fact it madlyclaimed to be), the Regent more at its mercy than the King, and perhapsas exposed as King Charles I. Of England. Our parliamentary gentlemenbegan as humbly as those of England, and though, as I have said, theirassembly was but a simple court of justice, limited in its jurisdictionlike the other courts of the realm, to judge disputes between privatepeople, yet by dint of hammering upon the word parliament they believedthemselves not less important than their English brethren, who form thelegislative assembly, and represent all the nation. 

M. And Madame du Maine had done not a little to bring about thesefancies, and they continued in secret to do more. Madame du Maine, itmay be recollected, had said that she would throw the whole country intocombustion, in order not to lose her husband's prerogative. She was asgood as her word. Encouraged doubtless by the support they received fromthis precious pair, the Parliament continued on its mad career ofimpudent presumption, pride, and arrogance. It assembled on the 22nd ofAugust, and ordered inquiry to be made of the Regent as to what hadbecome of all the state notes that had been passed at the Chamber ofjustice; those which had been given for the lotteries that were heldevery month; those which had been given for the Mississippi or WesternCompany; finally, those which had been taken to the Mint since the changein the specie. 

These questions were communicated to the Regent by the King's officers. In reply he turned his back upon them, and went away into his cabinet, leaving these people slightly bewildered. Immediately after thisoccurrence it was rumoured that a Bed of justice would soon be held. TheRegent had not then thought of summoning such an important assembly, andhis weakness and vacillation were such that no one thought he would dareto do so. 

The memoirs of Cardinal de Retz, of Joly, of Madame Motteville, hadturned all heads. These books had become so fashionable, that in noclass was the man or woman who did not have them continually in hand. Ambition, the desire for novelty, the skill of those who circulated thesebooks, made the majority of people hope to cut a figure or make afortune, and persuaded them there was as little lack of personages as inthe last minority. People looked upon Law as the Mazarin of the day--(they were both foreign)--upon M. And Madame du Maine, as the chiefs ofthe Fronde; the weakness of M. Le Duc d'Orleans was compared to that ofthe Queen-mother, and so on. 

To say the truth, all tended towards whatever was extreme--moderationseemed forgotten--and it was high time the Regent aroused himself from asupineness which rendered him contemptible, and which emboldened hisenemies and those of the State to brave all and undertake all. Thislethargy, too, disheartened his servants, and made all healthy activityon their part impossible. It had at last led him to the very verge ofthe precipice, and the realm he governed to within an inch of thegreatest confusion. He had need, indeed, to be up and doing!

The Regent, without having the horrible vice or the favourites of HenryIII. , had even more than that monarch become notorious for his dailydebauches, his indecency, and his impiety. Like Henry III. , too, he wasbetrayed by his most intimate councillors and domestics. This treacherypleased him (as it had pleased that King) because it induced him to keepidle, now from fear, now from interest, now from disdain, and now frompolicy. This torpor was agreeable to him because it was in conformitywith his humour and his tastes, and because he regarded those whocounselled it as good, wise, and enlightened people, not blinded by theirprivate interests, but seeing clearly things as they were; while he wasimportuned with opinions and explanations which would have disclosed thetrue state of affairs and suggested remedies. 

He looked upon such people as offered these opinions and explanations asimpetuous counsellors, who hurried everything and suggested everything, who wished to discount the future in order to satisfy their ambition, their aversion, their different passions. He kept on his guard againstthem; he applauded himself for not being their dupe. Now, he laughed atthem; often he allowed them to believe he appreciated their reasoning, that he was going to act and rouse from his lethargy. He amused themthus, gained time, and diverted himself afterwards with the others. Sometimes he replied coldly to them, and when they pressed him too muchhe allowed his suspicions to peep out. 

Long since I had perceived M. Le Duc d'Orleans' mode of action. At thefirst movements of the Parliament, of the bastards, and of those who hadusurped the name of nobility, I had warned him. I had done so again assoon as I saw the cadence and the harmony of the designs in progress. Ihad pointed out to him their inevitable sequel; how easy it was to hinderthem at the commencement; how difficult after, especially for a person ofhis character and disposition. But I was not the man for such work asthis. I was the oldest, the most attached, the freest spoken of all hisservitors; I had given him the best proofs of this in the most criticaltimes of his life, and in the midst of his universal abandonment; thecounsels I had offered him in these sad days he had always found for hisgood; he was accustomed to repose in me the most complete confidence;but, whatever opinion he might have of me, and of my truth and probity, he was on his guard against what he called my warmth, and against thelove I had for my dignity, so attacked by the usurpations of thebastards, the designs of the Parliament, and the modern fancies of a shamnobility. As soon as I perceived his suspicions I told him so, and Iadded that, content with having done my duty as citizen and as hisservitor, I would say no more on the subject. I kept my word. For morethan a year I had not of myself opened my mouth thereon. If he wassometimes spoken to before me, and I could not keep quite silent withoutbeing suspected of sulking or pique, I carelessly said somethingindefinite, with as little meaning in it as possible, and calculated tomake us drop the subject. 

Judge of my surprise, therefore, when as I was working as usual oneafternoon with the Regent, he interrupted me to speak with bitterness ofthe Parliament. I replied with my accustomed coldness and pretendednegligence, and continued my business. He stopped me, and said that hesaw very well that I would not reply to him concerning the Parliament. I admitted it was true, and added that he must long since have perceivedthis. Pressed and pressed beyond measure, I coldly remarked that hecould not but remember what I had said to him of the Parliament bothbefore and after his accession to the regency, that other counsels hadprevailed over mine, and that finding my opinions were misinterpreted byhim, I had resolved to hold my tongue, and had done so. As the subjectwas now reopened I reminded him of a prophecy I had uttered long before, that he had missed the opportunity of governing the Parliament when hemight have done so with a frown, and that step by step he would allowhimself to be conducted by his easy-going disposition, until he foundhimself on the very verge of the abyss; that if he wished to recover hisposition he must begin at once to retrace his steps, or lose his footingfor ever!

Such strong words (from my mouth they had been rare of late), pronouncedwith a slow, firm coldness, as though I were indifferent to the course hemight adopt, made him feel how little capable I believed him of vigorousand sustained action, and what trifling trouble I took to make him adoptmy views. Dubois, Argenson, and Law had also spoken to him, urging himto take strong measures against the Parliament; the effect of my speechwas therefore marvellous. 

It was indeed high time to do something, as I have before remarked. The Parliament, we found, after passing its last decree, had named acommission to inquire into the financial edict; this commission wasworking in the utmost secrecy; a number of witnesses had already beenexamined, and preparations were quietly making to arrest Law some finemorning, and hang him three hours after within the enclosure of thePalais de justice. 

Immediately this fact became known, the Duc de la Force and Fagon(Councillor of State) went to the Regent--'twas on the 19th of August, 1718--and spoke to him with such effect, that he ordered them to assemblewith Law that very day at my house in order to see what was to be done. They came, in fact, and this was the first intimation I had that theRegent had begun to feel the gravity of his position, and that he wasready to do something. In this conference at my house the firmness ofLaw, hitherto so great, was shaken so that tears escaped him. Argumentsdid not satisfy us at first, because the question could only be decidedby force, and we could not rely upon that of the Regent. The safe-conduct with which Law was supplied would not have stopped the Parliamentan instant. On every side we were embarrassed. Law, more dead thanalive, knew not what to say; much less what to do. His safety appearedto us the most pressing matter to ensure. If he had been taken it wouldhave been all over with him before the ordinary machinery of negotiation(delayed as it was likely to be by the weakness of the Regent) could havebeen set in motion; certainly, before there would have been leisure tothink of better, or to send a regiment of guards to force open the Palaisde justice; a critical remedy at all times, and grievous to the lastdegree, even when it succeeds; frightful, if instead of Law, only hissuspended corpse had been found!

I advised Law, therefore, to retire to the Palais Royal, and occupy thechamber of Nancre, his friend, then away in Spain. Law breathed again atthis suggestion (approved by de la Force and Fagon), and put it inexecution the moment he left my house. He might have been kept in safetyat the Bank, but I thought the Palais Royal would be better: that hisretirement there would create more effect, and induce the Regent to holdfirm to his purpose, besides allowing his Royal Highness to see thefinancier whenever he pleased. 

CHAPTER XCI

This done I proposed, and the others approved my proposition, that a Bedof Justice should be held as the only means left by which the abrogationof the parliamentary decrees could be registered. But while ourarguments were moving, I stopped them all short by a reflection whichcame into my mind. I represented to my guests that the Duc du Maine wasin secret the principal leader of the Parliament, and was closely alliedwith Marechal de Villeroy; that both would oppose might and main theassembling of a Bed of justice, so contrary to their views, to theirschemes, to their projects; that to hinder it they, as guardians of theyoung King, would plead on his behalf, the heat, which was in factextreme, the fear of the crowd, of the fatigue, of the bad air; that theywould assume a pathetic tone in speaking of the King's health, calculatedto embarrass the Regent; that if he persisted they would protest againsteverything which might happen to His Majesty; declare, perhaps, that inorder not to share the blame, they would not accompany him; that theKing, prepared by them, would grow frightened, perhaps, and would not goto the Parliament without them; that then all would be lost, and thepowerlessness of the Regent, so clearly manifested, might rapidly lead tothe most disastrous results. 

These remarks stopped short our arguments, but I had not startedobjections without being prepared with a remedy for them. I said, "Letthe Bed of justice be held at the Tuileries; let it be kept a profoundsecret until the very morning it is to take place; and let those who areto attend it be told so only a few hours before they are to assemble. By these means no time will be allowed for anybody to object to theproceeding, to plead the health of the King, the heat of the weather, or to interfere with the arrangement of the troops which it will benecessary to make. "

We stopped at this: Law went away, and I dictated to Fagon the fulldetails of my scheme, by which secrecy was to be ensured and allobstacles provided against. We finished about nine o'clock in theevening, and I counselled Fagon to carry what he had written to the AbbeDubois, who had just returned from England with new credit over the mindof his master. 

The next day I repaired to the Palais Royal about four o'clock. A momentafter La Vrilliere came and relieved me of the company of Grancey andBroglio, two roues, whom I had found in the grand cabinet, in the cool, familiarly, without wigs. When M. Le Duc d'Orleans was free he led meinto the cabinet, behind the grand salon, by the Rue de Richelieu, and onentering said he was at the crisis of his regency, and that everythingwas needed in order to sustain him on this occasion. He added that hewas resolved to strike a heavy blow at the Parliament; that he muchapproved my proposition respecting the Bed of justice at the Tuileries, and that it would be held exactly as I had suggested. 

I was delighted at his animation, and at the firmness he appeared topossess, and after having well discussed with him all the inconveniencesof my plan, and their remedy, we came at last to a very important matter, the mechanical means, so to speak, by which that plan was to be put inforce. There was one thing to be provided for, which may appear anexceedingly insignificant matter, but which in truth was of no lightimportance. When a Bed of justice is held, seats one above another mustbe provided for those who take part in it. No room in the Tuileriespossessed such seats and how erect them without noise, without excitingremarks, without causing inquiries and suspicions, which must inevitablylead to the discovery and perhaps thereby to the failure of our project?I had not forgotten this difficulty, however, and I said to the RegentI would go in secret to Fontanieu, who controlled the crown furniture, explain all to him, and arrange matters with him so that these seatsshould be erected at the very last moment, in time for our purpose, buttoo late to supply information that could be made use of by our enemies. I hurried off accordingly, as soon as I could get away, in search ofFontanieu. 

I had already had some relations with him, for he had married hisdaughter to the son of the sister of my brother-in-law, M. De Lauzun. I had done him some little service, and had therefore every reason toexpect he would serve me on this occasion. Judge of my annoyance whenupon reaching his house I learned that he had gone almost to the otherend of the town, to the Marais, to conduct a suit at law, in whichMonsieur and Madame de Lauzun were concerned, respecting an estate atRondon they claimed!

The porter seeing me so vexed at being obliged to journey so far insearch of Fontanieu, said, that if I would go and speak to MadameFontanieu, he would see if his master was not still in the neighbourhood, at a place he intended to visit before going to the Marais. I acted uponthis suggestion and went to Madame Fontanieu, whom I found alone. I wasforced to talk to her of the suit of Monsieur and Madame de Lauzun, whichI pretended was the business I came upon, and cruelly did I rack mybrains to say enough to keep up the conversation. When Fontanieuarrived, for he was soon found, fortunately, I was thrown into anotherembarrassment, for I had all the pains in the world to get away fromMadame Fontanieu, who, aided by her husband, begged me not to take thetrouble to descend but to discuss the subject where I was as she was aswell informed upon the case as he, I thought once or twice I should neverescape her. At last, however, I led away Fontanieu, by dint ofcompliments to his wife, in which I expressed my unwillingness to wearyher with this affair. 

When Fontanieu and I were alone down in his cabinet, I remained somemoments talking to him upon the same subject, to allow the valets who hadopened the doors for us time to retire. Then, to his great astonishment, I went outside to see if there were no listeners, and carefully closedthe doors. After this I said to Fontanieu that I had not come concerningthe affair of Madame de Lauzun, but upon another very different, whichdemanded all his industry, a secrecy proof against every trial, and whichM. Le Duc d'Orleans had charged me to communicate to him; but that beforeexplaining myself he must know whether his Royal Highness could certainlycount upon him. 

It is strange what an impression the wildest absurdities leave if theyare spread abroad with art. The first thing Fontanieu did was to trembleviolently all over and become whiter than his shirt. With difficulty hestammered out a few words to the effect that he would do for M. Le Ducd'Orleans as much as his duty would permit him to do. I smiled, lookingfixedly at him, and this smile warned him apparently that he owed me anexcuse for not being quite at ease upon any affair that passed through myhands; he directly made me one, at all events, and with the confusion ofa man who sees that his first view has dazzled the second, and who, fullof this first view, does not show anything, yet lets all be seen. 

I reassured him as well as I could, and said that I had answered for himto M. Le Duc d'Orleans, and afterwards that a Bed of justice was wanted, for the construction of which we had need of him. 

Scarcely had I explained this, than the poor fellow began to take breath, as though escaping from stifling oppression, or a painful operation forthe stone, and asked me if that was what I wanted?

He promised everything, so glad was he to be let off thus cheaply, and intruth he kept to his word, both as to the secret and the work. He hadnever seen a Bed of justice, and had not the slightest notion what it waslike. I sat down on his bureau, and drew out the design of one. Idictated to him the explanations in the margin, because I did not wishthem to be in my handwriting. I talked more than an hour with him; Idisarranged his furniture, the better to show to him the order of theassembly, and explained to him what was to be done, so that all might becarried to the Tuileries and erected in a very, few moments. When Ifound I had made everything sufficiently clear, and he had understood me, I returned to the Palais Royal as though recollecting something, beingalready in the streets, to deceive my people. 

A servant awaited me at the top of the staircase, and the concierge ofthe Palais Royal at the door of M. Le Duc d'Orleans' room, with orders tobeg me to write. It was the sacred hour of the roues and the supper, at which all idea of business was banished. I wrote, therefore, to theRegent in his winter cabinet what I had just done, not without somelittle indignation that he could not give up his pleasure for an affairof this importance. I was obliged to beg the concierge not to give mynote to M. Le Duc d'Orleans unless he were in a state to read it and toburn it afterwards. 

Our preparations for the Bed of justice continued to be actively butsilently made during the next few days. In the course of the numberlessdiscussions which arose upon the subject, it was agreed, after muchopposition on my part, to strike a blow, not only at the Parliament, butat M. Du Maine, who had fomented its discontent. M. Le Duc, who had beenadmitted to our councils, and who was heart and soul against thebastards, proposed that at the Bed of justice the education of the youngKing should be taken out of the control of M. Du Maine and placed in hishands. He proposed also that the title of Prince of the Blood should betaken from him, with all the privileges it conferred, and that he shouldbe reduced to the rank of a simple Duke and Peer, taking his place amongthe rest according to the date of his erection; thus, at a bound, goingdown to the bottom of the peerage!

Should these memoirs ever see the light, every one who reads them will beable to judge how such a proposition as this harmonised with my personalwishes. I had seen the bastards grow in rank and importance with anindignation and disgust I could scarcely contain. I had seen favourafter favour heaped upon them by the late King, until he crowned all byelevating them to the rank of Princes of the Blood in defiance of alllaw, of all precedent, of all decency, if I must say the word. What Ifelt at this accumulation of honours I have more than once expressed;what I did to oppose such monstrous innovations has also been said. Noman could be more against M. Du Maine than I, and yet I opposed thisproposition of M. Le Duc because I thought one blow was enough at a time, and that it might be dangerous to attempt the two at once. M. Du Mainehad supporters, nay; he was at the head of a sort of party; strip him ofthe important post he held, and what might not his rake, hisdisappointment, and his wounded ambition lead him to attempt? Civil war, perhaps, would be the result of his disgrace. 

Again and again I urged these views, not only upon M. Le Duc d'Orleans, but upon M. Le Duc. Nay, with this latter I had two long stoleninterviews in the Tuileries Gardens, where we spoke without constraint, and exhausted all our arguments. But M. Le Duc was not to be shaken, andas I could do no more than I had done to move him, I was obliged at lastto give in. It was resolved, however, that disgrace should fall upon M. Du Maine alone; that his brother, the Comte de Toulouse, an account ofthe devotion to the State he had ever exhibited, and his excellentconduct since the death of the late King, should, when stripped of histitle like the other, receive it back again the moment after, inacknowledgment of the services he had rendered to the Regent asCouncillor of State, and as an expression of personal good feelingtowards him, which his excellent qualities so justly merited. 

I returned home from my last interview with M. Le Duc, and went to massat the Jacobins, to which I entered from my garden. It was not without adistracted mind. But I prayed to God sincerely and earnestly to guide mysteps, so that I might labour for His glory and the good of the Statewithout private ends. My prayer was heard, and in the sequel I hadnothing to reproach myself with. I followed the straight road withoutturning to the right or to the left. 

Fontanieu was waiting for me in my house as I returned home from mass, and I was obliged to listen to his questions and to reply to them, asthough I had nothing on my mind. I arranged my chamber like a Bed ofJustice, I made him understand several things; connected with theceremonial that he had not under stood before, and that it was essentialhe should in no way omit. Thus everything went on satisfactorily, and Ibegan to count the hours, by day as well as by night, until the great daywas to arrive on which the arrogant pride of the Parliament was toreceive a check, and the false plumage which adorned the bastards was tobe plucked from them. 

In the midst of the sweet joy that I felt, no bitterness entered. I wassatisfied with the part I had played in this affair, satisfied that I hadacted sincerely, honestly, that I had not allowed my own private motivesto sway me; that in the interests of the State, as opposed to my owninterests, I had done all in my power to save the Duc du Maine. And yetI did not dare to give myself up to the rosy thoughts suggested by thegreat event, now so rapidly approaching. I toyed with them instead ofallowing myself to embrace them. I shrunk from them as it were like acold lover who fears the too ardent caresses of his mistress. I couldnot believe that the supreme happiness I had so long pined for was atlast so near. Might not M. Le Duc d'Orleans falter at the last moment?Might not all our preparations, so carefully conducted, so cleverlyplanned, weigh upon his feebleness until they fell to the ground? It wasnot improbable. He was often firm in promises. How often was he firm incarrying them out? All these questions, all these restless doubts--natural as it appears to me under the circumstances--winged their waythrough my mind, and kept me excited and feverish as though life anddeath were hanging on one thread. 

In the midst of my reflections, a messenger from M. Le Duc d'Orleans, Millain by name, arrived at my house. It was on the afternoon ofThursday, the 25th of August, 1718. His message was simple. M. Le Ducd'Orleans was in the same mood as ever, and I was to join him at thePalais Royal, according to previous agreement, at eight o'clock in theevening. The Bed of justice was to be held on the morrow. 

Never was kiss given to a beautiful mistress sweeter than that which Iimprinted upon the fat old face of this charming messenger! A closeembrace, eagerly repeated, was my first reply, followed afterwards by anoverflow of feeling for M. Le Duc, and for Millain even, who had worthilyserved in this great undertaking. 

The rest of the day I passed at home with the Abbe Dubois, Fagon, and theDuc de la Force, one after the other finishing up our work. We providedagainst everything: If the Parliament refused to come to the Tuileries, its interdiction was determined on: if any of the members attempted toleave Paris they were to be arrested; troops were to be assembled inorder to carry out the Regent's orders; we left no accident without itsremedy. 

The Abbe Dubois arranged a little code of signals, such as crossing thelegs, shaking a handkerchief, or other simple gestures, to be given thefirst thing in the morning to the officers of the body-guards chosen tobe in attendance in the room where the Bed of Justice was to be held. They were to fix their eyes upon the Regent, and when he made any of theabove signals, immediately to act upon it according to their writteninstructions. The Abbe Dubois also drew out a sort of programme for M. Le Duc d'Orleans, of the different orders he was to give during thenight, fixing the hour for each, so that they might not arrive a minutetoo soon or a minute too late, and secrecy thus be maintained to the verylatest moment. 

Towards eight o'clock in the evening I went to they Palais Royal. I washorror-struck to find M. Le Duc d'Orleans in bed with fever, as he said;I felt his pulse. Fever, he had, sure enough; perhaps from excitementcaused by the business in hand. I said to him it was only fatigue ofbody and mind, of which he would be quit in twenty-four hours; he, on hisside, protested that whatever it might be, he would hold the Bed ofjustice on the morrow. M. Le Duc, who had just entered, was at hispillow; the chamber lighted by a single wax candle. We sat down, M. LeDuc and I, and passed in review the orders given and to give, not withoutmuch apprehension on account of this fever, come so strangely out ofseason to the healthiest man in the world, and who had never had itbefore. 

I exhorted the Regent to take as much repose as he could, so that hemight be fully able to execute the great work of the morrow, the safetyof the Regency itself being at stake. After this I felt his pulse again, not without fear. I assured him, however, his illness would be nothing;without, it is true, being too sure of it myself. I took my leave aboutten o'clock, and went out of the room with Millain. When I found myselfalone with him in the cabinet, through which we passed, I embraced himwith an extreme pleasure. We had entered by the backstairs; we descendedby the same, so as not to be observed. It was dark, so that on bothoccasions we were obliged to grope our way. Upon arriving at the bottomI could not refrain from again embracing Millain, so great was mypleasure, and we separated each to his home. 

The arrangements respecting the troops and for summoning the Parliament, etc. , were all carried out to the letter during the night and earlymorning. At the hours agreed upon M. Le Duc d'Orleans gave the variousorders. About four o'clock in the morning the Duc du Maine, as colonel-general of the Swiss guards, was aroused. He had not been in bed abovean hour, having just returned from a fete given at the arsenal by Madamedu Maine. He was doubtless much astonished, but contained himself, hidhis fear, and sent at once to instruct his companies of Swiss guards ofthe orders they were to execute. I don't think he slept very well afterthis, uncertain as he must have been what was going to happen. But Inever knew what he or Madame du Maine did after being thus rudelydisturbed. 

Towards five o'clock in the morning drums began to be heard throughoutthe town, and soon soldiers were seen in movement. At six o'clock amessage was sent to the Parliament requesting it to attend at theTuileries. The reply was that the request should be obeyed. The membersthereupon debated whether they should go to the Tuileries in coaches oron foot. The last mode was adopted as being the most ordinary, and inthe hope of stirring the people and arriving at the Tuileries with ayelling crowd. What happened will be related in its place. 

At the same time, horsemen went to all the Peers and officers of theCrown, and to all the chevaliers of the order, the governors andlieutenant-governors of the provinces (who were to accompany the King), informing them of the Bed of Justice. The Comte de Toulouse had been tosupper at the house of M. De Nevers, near Saint-Denis, and did not returnuntil late into the night. The French and Swiss guards were under armsin various quarters; the watch, the light horse, and the two companies ofmusketeers all ready in their barracks; the usual guard at the Tuileries. 

If I had slept but little during the last eight days, I slept still lessthat night, so near to the most considerable events. I rose before sixo'clock, and shortly after received my summons to the Bed of justice, onthe back of which was a note that I was not to be awakened, a piece ofpoliteness due to the knowledge of the bearer, who was aware that thissummons would teach me nothing I did not know. All the others had beenawakened, surprised thereby to an extent that may be imagined. 

Towards eight o'clock in the morning a messenger from M. Le Duc d'Orleanscame to remind me of the Regency Council at eight o'clock, and to attendit in my mantle. I dressed myself in black, because I had only that suitwith a mantle, and another, a magnificent one in cloth of gold, which Idid not wish to wear lest it should cause the remark to be made, thoughmuch out of season, that I wished to insult the Parliament and M. DuMaine. I took two gentlemen with me in my coach, and I went in order towitness all that was to take place. I was at the same time full of fear, hope, joy, reflection, and mistrust of M. Le Duc d'Orleans' weakness, andall that might result from it. I was also firmly resolved to do my best, whatever might happen, but without appearing to know anything, andwithout eagerness, and I resolved to show presence of mind, attention, circumspection, modesty, and much moderation. 

Upon leaving my house I went to Valincourt, who lived behind the hotel ofthe Comte de Toulouse. He was a very honourable man, of much intellect, moving among the best company, secretary-general of the navy, devoted tothe Comte de Toulouse ever since his early youth, and possessing all hisconfidence. I did not wish to leave the Comte de Toulouse in anypersonal fear, or expose him to be led away by his brother. I senttherefore for Valincourt, whom I knew intimately, to come and speak tome. He came half-dressed, terrified at the rumours flying over the town, and eagerly asked me what they all meant. I drew him close to me andsaid, "Listen attentively to me, and lose not a word. Go immediately toM. Le Comte de Toulouse, tell him he may trust in my word, tell him to bediscreet, and that things are about to happen to others which maydisplease him, but that not a hair of his head shall be touched. I hopehe will not have a moment's uneasiness. Go! and lose not an instant. "

Valincourt held me in a tight embrace. "Ah, Monsieur, " said he, "weforesaw that at last there would be a storm. It is well merited, but notby M. Le Comte, who will be eternally obliged to you. " And, he wentimmediately with my message to the Comte de Toulouse, who never forgotthat I saved him from the fall of his brother. 

CHAPTER XCII

Arrived at the grand court of the Tuileries about eight o'clock withouthaving remarked anything extraordinary on the way. The coaches of theDuc de Noailles, of Marechal de Villars, of Marechal d'Huxelles, and ofsome others were already there. I ascended without finding many peopleabout, and directed the two doors of the Salle des Gardes, which wereclosed, to be opened. The Bed of justice was prepared in the grand ante-chamber, where the King was accustomed to eat. I stopped a short time tosee if everything was in proper order, and felicitated Fontanieu in a lowvoice. He said to me in the same manner that he had arrived at theTuileries with his workmen and materials at six o'clock in the morning;that everything was so well constructed and put up that the King had notheard a sound; that his chief valet de chambre, having left the room forsome commission about seven o'clock in the morning, had been muchastonished upon seeing this apparatus; that the Marechal de Villeroy hadonly heard of it through him, and that the seats had been erected withsuch little noise that nobody had heard anything. After having wellexamined everything with my eyes I advanced to the throne, then beingfinished; wishing to enter the second ante-chamber, some servants came tome, saying that I could not go in, all being locked up. I asked where Iwas to await the assembling of the Council, and was admitted to a roomupstairs, where I found a good number of people already congregated. 

After chatting some time with the Keeper of the Seals, the arrival of M. Le Duc d'Orleans was announced. We finished what we had to say, and wentdownstairs separately, not wishing to be seen together. 

The Council was held in a room which ever since the very hot weather theKing had slept in. The hangings of his bed, and of the Marechal deVilleroy's were drawn back. The Council table was placed at the foot ofone of the beds. Upon entering the adjoining chamber I found many peoplewhom the first rumours of such an unexpected occurrence had no doubt ledthere, and among the rest some of the Council. M. Le Duc d'Orleans wasin the midst of a crowd at the end of the room, and, as I afterwardslearned, had just seen the Duc du Maine without speaking to him, or beingspoken to. 

After a passing glance upon this crowd I entered the Council chamber. Ifound scattered there the majority of those who composed the Council withserious and troubled looks, which increased my seriousness. Scarcelyanybody spoke; and each, standing or seated here and there, kept himselfin his place. The better to examine all, I joined nobody. A momentafter M. Le Duc d'Orleans entered with a gay, easy, untroubled air, andlooked smilingly upon the company. I considered this of good augury. Immediately afterwards I asked him his news. He replied aloud that hewas tolerably well; then approaching my ear, added that, except whenaroused to give his orders, he had slept very well, and that he wasdetermined to hold firm. This infinitely pleased me, for it seemed to meby his manner that he was in earnest, and I briefly exhorted him toremain so. 

Came, afterwards, M. Le Duc, who pretty soon approached me, and asked ifI augured well from the Regent, and if he would remain firm. M. Le Duchad an air of exceeding gaiety, which was perceptible to those behind thescenes. The Duc de Noailles devoured everything with his eyes, whichsparkled with anger because he had not been initiated into the secret ofthis great day. 

In due time M. Du Maine appeared in his mantle, entering by the King'slittle door. Never before had he made so many or such profoundreverences as he did now--though he was not usually very stingy of them--then standing alone, resting upon his stick near the Council table, helooked around at everybody. Then and there, being in front of him, withthe table between us, I made him the most smiling bow I had ever givenhim, and did it with extreme volupty. He repaid me in the same coin, andcontinued to fix his eyes upon everybody in turn; his face agitated, andnearly always speaking to himself. 

A few minutes after M. Le Duc came to me, begging me to exhort M. Le Ducd'Orleans to firmness: then the Keeper of the Seals came forth for thesame purpose. M. Le Duc d'Orleans himself approached me to say somethinga moment afterwards, and he had no sooner quitted my side than M. Le Duc, impatient and troubled, came to know in what frame of mind was theRegent. I told him good in a monosyllable, and sent him away. 

I know not if these movements, upon which all eyes were fixed, began tofrighten the Duc du Maine, but no sooner had M. Le Duc joined the Regent, after quitting me, than the Duc du Maine went to speak to the Marechal deVilleroy and to D'Effiat, both seated at the end of the room towards theKing's little door, their backs to the wall. They did not rise for theDuc du Maine, who remained standing opposite, and quite near them, allthree holding long discourses, like people who deliberate withembarrassment and surprise, as it appeared to me by the faces of the twoI saw, and which I tried not to lose sight of. 

During this time M. Le Duc d'Orleans and M. Le Duc spoke to each othernear the window and the ordinary entrance door; the Keeper of the Seals, who was near, joined them. At this moment M. Le Duc turned round alittle, which gave me the opportunity to make signs to him of the otherconference, which he immediately saw. I was alone, near the Counciltable, very attentive to everything, and the others scattered about beganto become more so. A little while after the Duc du Maine placed himselfwhere he had been previously: the two he quitted remained as before. M. Du Maine was thus again in front of me, the table between us: Iobserved that he had a bewildered look, and that he spoke to himself morethan ever. 

The Comte de Toulouse arrived as the Regent had just quitted the twopersons with whom he had been talking. The Comte de Toulouse was in hismantle, and saluted the company with a grave and meditative manner, neither accosting nor accosted: M. Le Duc d'Orleans found himself infront of him and turned towards me, although at some distance, as thoughto testify his trouble. I bent my head a little while looking fixedly athim, as though to say, "Well, what then?"

A short time afterwards the Comte de Toulouse had a conversation with hisbrother, both speaking with agitation and without appearing to agree verywell. Then the Count approached M. Le Duc d'Orleans, who was talkingagain to M. Le Duc, and they spoke at some length to each other. Astheir faces were towards the wall, nothing but their backs could be seen, no emotion and scarcely a gesture was visible. 

The Duc du Maine had remained where he had spoken to his brother. Heseemed half dead, looked askance upon the company with wandering eyes, and the troubled agitated manner of a criminal, or a man condemned todeath. Shortly afterwards he became pale as a corpse, and appeared to meto have been taken ill. 

He crawled to the end of the table, during which the Comte de Toulousecame and said a word to the Regent, and began to walk out of the room. 

All these movements took place in a trice. The Regent, who was near theKing's armchair, said aloud, "Now, gentlemen, let us take our places. "Each approached to do so, and as I looked behind mine I saw the, twobrothers at the, door as though about to leave the room. I leaped, so tospeak, between the King's armchair and M. Le Duc d'Orleans, and whisperedin the Regent's ear so as not to be heard by the Prince de Conti:

"Monsieur, look at them. They are going. "

"I know it, " he replied tranquilly. 

"Yes, " I exclaimed with animation, "but do you know what they will dowhen they are outside. "

"Nothing at all, " said he: "the Comte de Toulouse has asked me forpermission to go out with his brother; he has assured me that they willbe discreet. "

"And if they are not?" I asked. 

"They will be. But if they are not, they will be well looked after. "

"But if they commit some absurdity, or leave Paris?"

"They will be arrested. Orders have been given, and I will answer fortheir execution. "

Therefore, more tranquil, I sat down in my place. Scarcely had I gotthere than the Regent called me back, and said that since they had leftthe room, he should like to tell the Council what was going to be donewith respect to them. I replied that the only objection to this, theirpresence, being now removed--I thought it would be wrong not to do so. He asked M. Le Duc in a whisper, across the table, afterwards called tothe Keeper of the Seals; both agreed, and then we really seatedourselves. 

These movements had augmented the trouble and curiosity of every one. The eyes of all, occupied with the Regent, had been removed from thedoor, so that the absence of the bastards was by no means generallyremarked. As soon as it was perceived, everybody looked inquiringlyaround, and remained standing in expectation. I sat down in the seat ofthe Comte de Toulouse. The Duc de Guiche, who sat on the other side ofme, left a seat between us, and still waited for the bastards. He toldme to approach nearer to him, saying I had mistaken my place. I repliednot a word, looking on at the company, which was a sight to see. At thesecond or third summons, I replied that he, on the contrary, mustapproach me. 

"And M. Le Comte de Toulouse?" replied he. 

"Approach, " said I, and seeing him motionless with astonishment, lookingtowards the Duc du Maine's seat, which had been taken by the Keeper ofthe Seals, I pulled him by his coat (I was seated), saying to him, "Comehere and sit down. "

I pulled him so hard that he seated himself near me without understandingaught. 

"But what is the meaning of all this?" he demanded; "where are thesegentlemen?"

"I don't know, " replied I, impatiently; "but they are not here. "

At the same time, the Duc de Noailles, who sat next to the Duc de Guiche, and who, enraged at counting for nothing in preparations for such a greatday, had apparently divined that I was in the plot, vanquished by hiscuriosity, stretched over the table in front of the Duc de Guiche, andsaid to me:

"In the name of Heaven, M. Le Duc, do me the favour to say what all thismeans?"

I was at daggers-drawn with him, as I have explained, and had no mercyfor him. I turned, therefore, towards him with a cold and disdainfulair, and, after having heard him out, and looked at him, I turned awayagain. That was all my reply. The Duc de Guiche pressed me to saysomething, even if it was only that I knew all. I denied it, and yeteach seated himself slowly, because intent only upon looking around, anddivining what all this could mean, and because it was a long time beforeany one could comprehend that we must proceed to business without thebastards, although nobody opened his mouth. 

When everybody was in his place M. Le Duc d'Orleans after having far amoment looked all around, every eye fixed upon him, said that he hadassembled this Regency Council to hear read the resolutions adopted atthe last; that he had come to the conclusion that there was no othermeans of obtaining the registration of the finance edict recently passedthan that of holding a Bed of justice; that the heat rendering itunadvisable to jeopardise the King's health in the midst of the crowd ofthe Palais de justice, he had thought it best to follow the example ofthe late King, who had sometimes sent for the Parliament to theTuileries; that, as it had become necessary to hold this Bed of justice, he had thought it right to profit by the occasion, and register the'lettres de provision' of the Keeper of the Seals at the commencement ofthe sitting; and he ordered the Keeper of the Seals to read them. 

During this reading, which had no other importance than to seize anoccasion of forcing the Parliament to recognize the Keeper of the Seals, whose person and whose commission they hated, I occupied myself inexamining the faces. 

I saw M. Le Duc d'Orleans with an air of authority and of attention, sonew that I was struck with it. M. Le Duc, gay and brilliant, appearedquite at his ease, and confident. The Prince de Conti, astonished, absent, meditative, seemed to see nothing and to take part in nothing. The Keeper of the Seals, grave and pensive, appeared to have too manythings in his head; nevertheless, with bag, wax, and seals near him, helooked very decided and very firm. The Duc de la Force hung his head, but examined on the sly the faces of us all. Marechal Villeroy andMarechal de Villars spoke to each other now and then; both had irritatedeyes and long faces. Nobody was more composed than the Marechal deTallard; but he could not hide an internal agitation which often peepedout. The Marechal d'Estrees had a stupefied air, as though he sawnothing but a mist before him. The Marechal de Besons, enveloped morethan ordinarily in his big wig, appeared deeply meditative, his look castdown and angry. Pelletier, very buoyant, simple, curious, looking ateverything. Torcy, three times more starched than usual, seemed to lookat everything by stealth. Effiat, meddlesome, piqued, outraged, ready toboil over, fuming at everybody, his look haggard, as it passedprecipitously, and by fits and starts, from side to side. Those on myside I could not well examine; I saw them only by moments as they changedtheir postures or I mine; and then not well or for long. I have alreadyspoken of the astonishment of the Duc de Guiche, and of the vexation andcuriosity of the Duc de Noailles. D'Antin, usually of such easycarriage, appeared to me as though in fetters, and quite scared. TheMarechal d'Huxelles tried to put a good face on the matter, but could nothide the despair which pierced him. Old Troyes, all abroad, showednothing but surprise and embarrassment, and did not appear to know wherehe was. 

From the first moment of this reading and the departure of the bastards, everybody saw that something was in preparation against them. What thatsomething was to be, kept every mind in suspense. A Bed of justice, too, prepared in secret, ready as soon as announced, indicated a strongresolution taken against the Parliament, and indicated also so muchfirmness and measure in a Prince, usually supposed to be entirelyincapable of any, that every one was at sea. All, according as they wereallied to the Parliament or to the bastards, seemed to wait in fear whatwas to be proposed. Many others appeared deeply wounded because theRegent had not admitted them behind the scenes, and because they werecompelled to share the common surprise. Never were faces so universallyelongated; never was embarrassment more general or more marked. In thesefirst moments of trouble I fancy few people lent an ear to the lettersthe Keeper of the Seals was reading. When they were finished, M. Le Ducd'Orleans said he did not think it was worth while to take the votes oneby one, either upon the contents of these letters or their registration;but that all would be in favour of commencing the Bed of justice at once. 

After a short but marked pause, the Regent developed, in few words, thereasons which had induced the Council at its last sitting, to abrogatethe decree of the Parliament. He added, that judging by the conduct ofthat assembly, it would have been to jeopardise anew the King'sauthority, to send for registration this act of abrogation to theParliament, which would assuredly have given in public a proof of formaldisobedience, in refusing to register; that there being no other remedythan a Bed of justice, he had thought it best to assemble one, but insecret, so as not to give time or opportunity to the ill-disposed toprepare for disobedience; that he believed, with the Keeper of the Seals, the frequency and the manner of the parliamentary remonstrances were suchthat the Parliament must be made to keep within the limits of its duty, which, long since, it seemed to have lost sight of; that the Keeper ofthe Seals would now read to the Council the act of abrogation, and therules that were to be observed in future. Then, looking at the Keeper ofthe Seals, "Monsieur, " said he, "you will explain this better than I. Have the goodness to do so before reading the decree. "

The Keeper of the Seals then spoke, and paraphrased what his RoyalHighness had said more briefly; he explained in what manner theParliament had the right to remonstrate, showed the distinction betweenits power and that of the Crown; the incompetence of the tribunals in allmatters of state and finance; and the necessity of repressing theremonstrances of Parliament by passing a code (that was the term used), which was to serve as their inviolable guide. All this explained withoutlengthiness, with grace and clearness, he began to read the decree, as ithas since been printed and circulated everywhere, some triflingalteration excepted. 

The reading finished, the Regent, contrary to his custom, showed hisopinion by the, praises he gave to this document: and then, assuming theRegent's tone and air he had never before put on, and which completed theastonishment of the company, he added, "To-day, gentlemen, I shalldeviate from the usual rule in taking your votes, and I think it will bewell to do so during all this Council. "

Then after a slight glance upon both sides of the table, during which youmight have heard a worm crawl, he turned towards M. Le Duc and asked himhis opinion. M. Le Duc declared for the decree, alleging several shortbut strong reasons. The Prince de Conti spoke in the same sense. Ispoke after, for the Keeper of the Seals had done so directly his readingwas finished. My opinion was given in more general terms so as not tofall too heavily upon the Parliament, or to show that I arrogated tomyself the right to support his Royal Highness in the same manner as aprince of the blood. The Duc de la Force was longer. All spoke, but themajority said but little, and some allowed their vexation to be seen, butdid not dare to oppose, feeling that it would be of no use. Dejectionwas painted upon their faces; it was evident this affair, of theParliament was not what they expected or wished. Tallard was the onlyone whose face did not betray him; but the suffocated monosyllable of theMarechal d'Huxelles tore off the rest of the mask. The Duc de Noaillescould scarcely contain himself, and spoke more than he wished, withanguish worthy of Fresnes. M. Le Duc d'Orleans spoke last, and withunusual force; then made a pause, piercing all the company with his eyes. 

At this moment the Marechal de Villeroy, full of his own thoughts, muttered between his teeth, "But will the Parliament come?" This wasgently taken up. M. Le Duc d'Orleans replied that he did not doubt it;and immediately afterwards, that it would be as well to know when theyset out. The Keeper of the Seals said he should be informed. M. Le Ducd'Orleans replied that the door-keepers must be told. Thereupon up jumpsM. De Troyes. 

I was seized with such a sudden fear lest he should go and chatter at thedoor with some one that I jumped up also, and got the start of him. As Ireturned, D'Antin, who had turned round to lay wait for me, begged me formercy's sake to tell him what all this meant. I sped on saying that Iknew nothing. "Tell that to others! Ho, ho!" replied he. When he hadresumed his seat, M. Le Duc d'Orleans said something, I don't know what, M. De Troyes still standing, I also. In passing La Vrilliere, I askedhim to go to the door every time anything was wanted, for fear of thebabbling of M. De Troyes; adding, that distant as I was from the door, going there looked too peculiar. La Vrilliere did as I begged him allthe rest of the sitting. 

As I was returning to my place, D'Antin, still in ambush, begged me inthe name of heaven, his hands joined, to tell him something. I keptfirm, however, saying, "You will see. " The Duc de Guiche pressed me asresolutely, even saying, it was evident I was in the plot. I remaineddeaf. 

These little movements over, M. Le Duc d'Orleans, rising a little in hisseat, said to the company, in a tone more firm, and more like that of amaster than before, that there was another matter now to attend to, muchmore important than the one just heard. This prelude increased thegeneral astonishment, and rendered everybody motionless. After a momentof silence the Regent said, that the peers had had for some time goodgrounds of complaint against certain persons, who by unaccustomed favour, had been allowed to assume rank and dignity to which their birth did notentitle them; that it was time this irregularity should be stopped short, and that with this view, an instrument had been drawn up, which theKeeper of the Seals would read to them. 

A profound silence followed this discourse, so unexpected, and whichbegan to explain the absence of the bastards. Upon many visages a sombrehue was painted. As for me I had enough to do to compose my, own visage, upon which all eyes successively passed; I had put upon it an extra coatof gravity and of modesty; I steered my eyes with care, and only lookedhorizontally at most, not an inch higher. As soon as the Regent openedhis mouth on this business, M. Le Duc cast upon me a triumphant lookwhich almost routed my seriousness, and which warned me to increase it, and no longer expose myself to meet his glance. Contained in thismanner, attentive in devouring the aspect of all, alive to everything andto myself, motionless, glued to my chair, all my body fixed, penetratedwith the most acute and most sensible pleasure that joy could impart, with the most charming anxiety, with an enjoyment, so perseveringly andso immoderately hoped for, I sweated with agony at the captivity of mytransport, and this agony was of a voluptuousness such as I had neverfelt before, such as I have never felt since. How inferior are thepleasures of the senses to those of the mind! and how true it is that thebalance-weight of misfortunes, is the good fortune that finishes them!

A moment after the Regent had ceased speaking, he told the Keeper of theSeals to read the declaration. During the reading, which was more thanmusic to my ears, my attention was again fixed on the company. I saw bythe alteration of the faces what an immense effect this document, whichembodied the resolutions I have already explained, produced upon some ofour friends. The whole of the reading was listened to with the utmostattention, and the utmost emotion. 

When it was finished, M. Le Duc d'Orleans said he was very sorry for thisnecessity, but that justice must be done to the peers as well as to theprinces of the blood: then turning to the Keeper of the Seals asked himfor his opinion. 

This latter spoke briefly and well; but was like a dog running over hotashes. He declared for the declaration. His Royal Highness then calledupon M. Le Duc for his opinion. It was short, but nervous, and polite tothe peers. M. Le Prince de Conti the same. Then the Regent asked me myopinion. I made, contrary to my custom, a profound inclination, butwithout rising, and said, that having the honour to find myself theeldest of the peers of the Council, I offered to his Royal Highness myvery humble thanks and those of all the peers of France, for the justiceso ardently desired, and touching so closely our dignity and our persons, that he had resolved to render us; that I begged him to be persuaded ofour gratitude, and to count upon our utmost attachment to his person foran act of equity so longed for, and so complete; that in this sincereexpression of our sentiments consisted all our opinion, because, beingpleaders, we could not be judges also. I terminated these few words witha profound inclination, without rising, imitated by the Duc de la Forceat the same moment; all the rest of the Council briefly gave theiropinions, approving what the majority of them evidently did not approveat all. 

I had tried to modulate my voice, so that it should be just heard and nomore, preferring to be indistinct rather than speak too loudly; andconfined all my person to express as much as possible, gravity, modesty, and simple gratitude. M. Le Duc maliciously made signs to me in smiling, that I had spoken well. But I kept my seriousness, and turned round toexamine all the rest. 

It would be impossible to describe the aspect of the company. Nothingwas seen but people, oppressed with surprise that overwhelmed them, meditative, agitated, some irritated, some but ill at ease, like La Forceand Guiche, who freely admitted so to me. 

The opinions taken almost as soon as demanded, M. Le Duc d'Orleans said, "Gentlemen, it is finished, then justice is done, and the rights ofMessieurs the Peers are in safety. I have now an act of grace to proposeto you, and I do so with all the more confidence, because I have takencare to consult the parties interested, who support me; and because, Ihave drawn up the document in a manner to wound no one. What I am goingto explain to you, regards the Comte de Toulouse alone. 

"Nobody is ignorant how he has disapproved all that has been done infavour of him and his brother, and that he has sustained it since theregency only out of respect for the wishes of the late King. Everybodyknows also his virtue, his merit, his application, his probity, hisdisinterestedness. Nevertheless, I could not avoid including him in thedeclaration you have just heard. Justice furnishes no exception in hisfavour, and the rights of the Peers must be assured. Now that they areno longer attacked, I have thought fitly to render to merit what fromequity I have taken from birth; and to make an exception of M. Le Comtede Toulouse, which (while confirming the rule), will leave him in fullpossession of all the honours he enjoys to the exclusion of every other. Those honours are not to pass to his children, should he marry and haveany, or their restitution be considered as a precedent to be made use ofat any future time. 

"I have the pleasure to announce that the Princes of the Blood consent tothis, and that such of the Peers to whom I have been able to explainmyself, share my sentiments. I doubt not that the esteem he has acquiredhere will render this proposition agreeable to you. " And then turning tothe Keeper of the Seals, "Monsieur, will you read the declaration?"

It was read at once. 

I had, during the discourse of his Royal Highness, thrown all myattention into an examination of the impression it made upon theassembly. The astonishment it caused was general; it was such, that tojudge of those addressed, it seemed that they understood nothing; andthey did not recover themselves during all the reading. I inwardlyrejoiced at success so pleasingly demonstrated and did not receive toowell the Duc de Guiche, who testified to me his disapprobation. Villeroyconfounded, Villars raging, Effiat rolling his eyes, Estrees besidehimself with surprise, were the most marked. Tallard, with his headstretched forward, sucked in, so to speak, all the Regent's words as theywere proffered, and those of the declaration, as the Keeper of the Sealsread them. Noailles, inwardly distracted, could not hide hisdistraction; Huxelles, entirely occupied in smoothing himself, forgot tofrown. I divided my attention between the declaration and these persons. 

The document read, M. Le Duc d'Orleans praised it in two words, andcalled upon the Keeper of the Seals to give his opinion. He did sobriefly, in favour of the Comte de Toulouse. M. Le Duc the same; M. LePrince de Conti the same. After him, I testified to his Royal Highnessmy joy at seeing him conciliate the justice and the safety of the peerswith the unheard-of favour he had just rendered to the virtue of M. LeComte de Toulouse, who merited it by his moderation, his truthfulness, his attachment to the State; thus the more he had recognised theinjustice of his elevation to the rank to which he was raised, the morehe had rendered himself worthy of it, and the more it was advantageous tothe peers to yield to merit, (when this exception was confined solely tohis person, with formal and legal precautions, so abundantly supplied bythe declaration) and voluntarily contribute thus to an elevation withoutexample, (so much the more flattering because its only foundation wasvirtue), so as to incite that virtue more and more to the service andutility of the state; that I declared therefore with joy for thedeclaration, and did not fear to add the very humble thanks of the peers, since I had the honour to be the oldest present. 

As I closed my mouth I cast my eyes in front of some, and plainly sawthat my applause did not please, and, perhaps, my thanks still less. Theothers gave their opinion with heavy heart, as it were, to so terrible ablow, some few muttered I know not what between their teeth, but thethunderbolt upon the Duc du Maine's cabal was more and more felt, and asreflection succeeded to the first feeling of surprise, so a bitter andsharp grief manifested itself upon their faces in so marked a manner, that it was easy to see it had become high time to strike. 

All opinions having been expressed, M. Le Duc cast a brilliant leer atme, and prepared to speak; but the Keeper of the Seals, who, from hisside of the table did not see this movement, wishing also to saysomething, M. Le Duc d'Orleans intimated to him that M. Le Duc had thestart of him. Raising himself majestically from his seat, the Regentthen said: "Gentlemen, M. Le Duc has a proposition to make to you. Ihave found it just and reasonable; I doubt not, you will find it so too. "Then turning towards M. Le Duc, he added, "Monsieur, will you explainit?"

The movement these few words made among the company is inexpressible. 'Twas as though I saw before me people deprived of all power, andsurprised by a new assembly rising up from the midst of them in an asylumthey had breathlessly reached. 

"Monsieur, " said M. Le Duc, addressing himself to the Regent, as usual;"since you have rendered justice to the Dukes, I think I am justified inasking for it myself. The deceased King gave the education of hisMajesty to M. Le Duc du Maine. I was a minor then, and according to theidea of the deceased King, M. Du Maine was prince of the blood, capableof succeeding to the crown. Now I am of age, and not only M. Du Maine isno longer prince of the blood, but he is reduced to the rank of hispeerage. M. Le Marechal de Villeroy is now his senior, and precedes himeverywhere; M. Le Marechal can therefore no longer remain governor of theKing, under the superintendence of M. Du Maine. I ask you, then, for M. Du Maine's post, that I think my age, my rank, my attachment to the Kingand the State, qualify me for. I hope, " he added, turning towards hisleft, "that I shall profit by the lessons of M. Le Marechal de Villeroy, acquit myself of my duties with distinction, and merit his friendship. "

At this discourse the Marechal de Villeroy almost slipped off his chair. As soon, at least, as he heard the Words, "Superintendence of the King'seducation, " he rested his forehead upon his stick, and remained severalmoments in that posture. He appeared even to understand nothing of therest of the speech. Villars and D'Effiat bent their backs like peoplewho had received the last blow. I could see nobody on my own side exceptthe Duc de Guiche, who approved through all his prodigious astonishment. Estrees became master of himself the first, shook himself, brightened up, and looked at the company like a man who returns from the other world. 

As soon as M. Le Duc had finished, M. Le Duc d'Orleans reviewed all thecompany with his eyes, and then said, that the request of M. Le Duc wasjust; that he did not think it could be refused; that M. Le Marechal deVilleroy could not be allowed to remain under a person whom he precededin rank; that the superintendence of the King's education could not bemore worthily filled than by M. Le Duc; and that he was persuaded allwould be of one voice in this matter. Immediately afterwards, he askedM. Le Prince de Conti to give his opinion, who did so in two words; thenhe asked the Keeper of the Seals, whose reply was equally brief; then heasked me. 

I simply said, looking at M. Le Duc, that I was for the change with allmy heart. The rest, M. De la Force excepted (who said a single word), voted without speaking, simply bowing; the Marshals and D'Effiat scarcelymoved their eyes, and those of Villars glistened with fury. 

The opinions taken, the Regent turning towards M. Le Duc, said, "Monsieur, I think you would like to read what you intend to say to theKing at the Bed of Justice. "

Therefore M. Le Duc read it as it has been printed. Some moments of sadand profound silence succeeded this reading, during which the Marechal deVilleroy, pale and agitated, muttered to himself. At last, like a manwho has made up his mind, he turned with bended head, expiring eyes, andfeeble voice, towards the Regent, and said, "I will simply say these twowords; here are all the dispositions of the late king overturned, Icannot see it without grief. M. Du Maine is very unfortunate. "

"Monsieur, " replied the Regent, in a loud and animated tone, "M. Du Maineis my brother-in-law, but I prefer an open enemy to a hidden one. "

At this great declaration several lowered their heads. The Marechal deVilleroy nearly swooned; sighs began to make themselves heard near me, asthough by stealth; everybody felt by this that the scabbard was thrownaway. 

The Keeper of the Seals, to make a diversion; proposed to read the speechhe had prepared to serve as preface to the decree to be read at the Bedof justice, abrogating the Parliament decrees; as he was finishing it, some one entered to say he was asked for at the door. 

He went out, returning immediately afterwards, not to his place, but toM. Le Duc d'Orleans, whom he took into a window, meditative silencereigning around. The Regent having returned back to his place, said tothe company, he had received information that the Chief-President of theParliament, notwithstanding the reply previously made, had proposed thatthe Parliament should not go to the Tuileries, asking, "What it was to doin a place where it would not be free?" that he had proposed to send amessage to the King, stating that "his Parliament would hear his wishesin their ordinary place of meeting, whenever it should please him to comeor to send. " The Regent added that these propositions had madeconsiderable sensation, and that the Parliament were at that momentdebating upon them. The Council appeared much astounded at this news, but M. Le Duc d'Orleans said, in a very composed manner, that he did notexpect a refusal; he ordered the Keeper of the Seals, nevertheless, topropose such measures as it would be best to take, supposing the motionof the Chief-President should be carried. 

The Keeper of the Seals declared that he could not believe the Parliamentwould be guilty of this disobedience, contrary to all law and usage. He showed at some length that nothing was so pernicious as to expose theKing's authority to a formal opposition, and decided in favour of theimmediate interdiction of the Parliament if it fell into this fault. M. Le Duc d'Orleans added that there was no other course open, and tookthe opinion of M. Le Duc, which was strongly in his favour. M. Le Princede Conti the same, mine also, that of M. De la Force and of M. De Guichestill more so. The Marechal de Villeroy, in a broken voice, seeking bigwords, which would not come in time to him, deplored this extremity, anddid all he could to avoid giving a precise opinion. Forced at last bythe Regent to explain himself, he did not dare to oppose, but added thathe assented with regret, and wished to explain the grievous results ofthe proposed measure. But the Regent, interrupting him, said he need nottake the trouble: everything had been foreseen; that it would be muchmore grievous to be disobeyed by the Parliament than to force it intoobedience; and immediately after asked the Duc de Noailles his opinion, who replied that it would be very sad to act thus, but that he was forit. Villars wished to paraphrase, but contained himself, and said hehoped the Parliament would obey. Pressed by the Regent, he proposed towait for fresh news before deciding; but, pressed more closely, hedeclared for the interdiction, with an air of warmth and vexation, extremely marked. Nobody after this dared to hesitate, and the majorityvoted by an inclination of the head. 

A short time afterwards it was announced to M. Le Duc d'Orleans that theParliament had set out on foot, and had begun to defile through thepalace. This news much cooled the blood of the company, M. Le Ducd'Orleans more than that of any one else. 

After this the Regent, in a cheerful manner, called upon the Presidentsof the Councils to bring forward any business they might have on hand, but not one had any. The Marechal de Villars said, however, that he hada matter to produce, and he produced it accordingly, but with a clearnesswhich, under the circumstances, was extraordinary. I fancy, however, that very few knew what he was talking about. We were all too muchoccupied with more interesting matters, and each voted without speaking. Bad luck to those who had had business to bring forward this day; theywho conducted it would have known but little what they said: they wholistened, still less. 

The Council finished thus, from lack of matter, and a movement was madeto adjourn it as usual. I stepped in front of M. Le Prince de Conti toM. Le Duc d'Orleans, who understood me, and who begged the company tokeep their seats. La Vrilliere went out by order for news, but there wasnothing fresh. 

CHAPTER XCIII

It was now a little after ten. We remained a good half-hour in ourplaces, talking a little with each other, but on the whole rather silent. At the end some grew fidgety and anxious, rose and went to the windows. M. Le Duc d'Orleans restrained them as well as he could; but at lengthDesgranges entered to say that the Chief-President had already arrived, in his coach, and that the Parliament was near. So soon as he hadretired, the Council rose by groups, and could no longer be kept seated. M. Le Duc d'Orleans himself at last rose, and all he could do was toprohibit everybody from leaving the room under any pretext, and thisprohibition he repeated two or three times. 

Scarcely had we risen when M. Le Duc came to me, rejoiced at the successthat had hitherto been had, and much relieved by the absence of thebastards. Soon after I quitted him the Duc d'Orleans came to me, overpowered with the same sentiment. I said what I thought of theconsternation of every one; and painted the expression of M. D'Effiat, atwhich he was not surprised. He was more so about Besons. I asked if hewas not afraid the bastards would come to the Bed of justice; but he wascertain they would not. I was resolved, however, to prepare his mindagainst that contingency. 

I walked about, slowly and incessantly without fixing myself on any one, in order that nothing should escape me, principally attending to thedoors. I took advantage of the opportunity to say a word here and a wordthere, to pass continually near those who were suspected, to skim andinterrupt all conversations. D'Antin was often joined by the Duc deNoailles, who had resumed his habit of the morning, and continuallyfollowed me with his eyes. He had an air of consternation, was agitatedand embarrassed in countenance--he commonly so free and easy! D'Antintook me aside to see whether he could not, considering his position, beexcused from attending the Bed of Justice. He received permission fromthe Regent on certain conditions. 

I went then to break in upon the colloquy of D'Effiat and his friends, and taking them by surprise, caused D'Effiat to say that he had justheard strange resolutions, that he did not know who had advised them, that he prayed that M. D'Orleans would find them advantageous. I replied, agreeing with him. The Marechal de Villeroy sighed, muttered, and shook his wig, Villars spoke more at length, and blamed sharply whathad been done. I assented to everything, being there not to persuade butto watch. 

Nevertheless we grew weary of the slowness of the Parliament, and oftensent out for news. Several of the Council tried to leave the room, perhaps to blab, but the Regent would allow no one but La Vrilliere to goout, and seeing that the desire to leave increased, stood at the doorhimself. I suggested to him that Madame d'Orleans would be in a greatstate of uneasiness, and suggested that he should write to her; but hecould not be persuaded to do it, though he promised. 

At last the Parliament arrived, and behold us! like children, all at thewindows. The members came in red robes, two by two, by the grand door ofthe court, which they passed in order to reach the Hall of theAmbassadors, where the Chief-President, who had come in his carriage withthe president Haligre, awaited them. 

The Parliament being in its place, the peers having arrived, and thepresidents having put on their furs behind the screens arranged for thatpurpose in an adjoining room, a messenger came to inform us that all wasready. The question had been agitated, whether the King should dinemeanwhile, and I had it carried in the negative, fearing lest comingimmediately after to the Bed of justice, and having eaten before hisusual hour, he might be ill, which would have been a grievousinconvenience. As soon as it was announced to the Regent that we couldset out, his Royal Highness sent word to the Parliament, to prepare thedeputation to receive the King; and then said aloud to the company, thatit was time to go in search of his Majesty. 

At these words I felt a storm of joy sweep over me, at the thought of thegrand spectacle that was going to pass in my presence, which warned me tobe doubly on my guard. I tried to furnish myself with the strongest doseof seriousness, gravity, and modesty. I followed M. Le Duc d'Orleans, who entered the King's room by the little door, and who found the King inhis cabinet. On the way the Duc d'Albret made me some very markedcompliments, with evident desire to discover something. I put him offwith politeness, complaints of the crowd, of the annoyance of my dress, and gained thus the King's cabinet. 

The King was dressed as usual. When the Duc d'Orleans had been a fewmoments with him, he asked him if he would be pleased to go: and the waywas instantly' cleared, a procession formed, and the King moved towardsthe Hall of the Swiss Guard. 

I now hastened to the chamber, where the Bed of justice was to be held. The passage to it was tolerably, free. The officers of the body-guardmade place for me and for the Duc de la Force, and Marechal de Villars, who followed me, one by one. I stopped a moment in the passage at theentrance to the room, seized with joy upon seeing this grand spectacle, and at the thought of the grand movement that was drawing nigh, I neededa pause in order to recover myself sufficiently to see distinctly whatI looked at, and to put on a new coat of seriousness and of modesty. I fully expected I should be well examined by a company which had beencarefully taught not to like me, and by the curious spectators waiting tosee what was to be hatched out of so profound a secret, in such animportant assembly, summoned so hastily. Moreover, nobody was ignorantthat I knew all, at least from the Council of the Regency I had justleft. 

I did not deceive myself. As soon as I appeared, all eyes were fixedupon me. I slowly advanced towards the chief greffier, and introducingmyself between the two seats, I traversed the length of the room, infront of the King's people, who saluted me with a smiling air, and Iascended over three rows of high seats, where all the peers were in theirplaces, and who rose as I approached the steps. I respectfully salutedthem from the third row. 

Seated in my elevated place, and with nothing before me, I was able toglance over the whole assembly. I did so at once, piercing everybodywith my eyes. One thing alone restrained me; it was that I did not dareto fix my eyes upon certain objects. I feared the fire and brilliantsignificance of my looks at that moment so appreciated by everybody: andthe more I saw I attracted attention, the more anxious was I to weancuriosity by my discreetness. I cast, nevertheless, a glittering glanceupon the Chief-President and his friends, for the examination of whom Iwas admirably placed. I carried my looks over all the Parliament, and saw there an astonishment, a silence, a consternation, such as I hadnot expected, and which was of good augury to me. The Chief-President, insolently crest-fallen, the other presidents disconcerted, and attentiveto all, furnished me the most agreeable spectacle. The simply curious(among which I rank those who had no vote) appeared to me not lesssurprised (but without the bewilderment of the others), calmly surprised;in a word, everybody showed much expectation and desire to divine whathad passed at the Council. 

I had but little leisure for this examination, for the King immediatelyarrived. The hubbub which followed his entrance, and which lasted untilhis Majesty and all who accompanied him were in their places, was anothersingularity. Everybody sought to penetrate the Regent, the Keeper of theSeals, and the principal personages. The departure of the bastards fromthe cabinet of the Council had redoubled attention, but everybody did notknow of that departure; now everybody perceived their absence. Theconsternation of the Marechals--of their senior--(the governor of theKing) was evident. It augmented the dejection of the Chief-President, who not seeing his master the Duc du Maine, cast a terrible glance uponM. De Sully and me, who exactly occupied the places of the two brothers. In an instant all the eyes of the assembly were cast, at the same time, upon us; and I remarked that the meditativeness and expectation increasedin every face. That of the Regent had an air of gentle but resolutemajesty completely new to it, his eyes attentive, his deportment grave, but easy. M. Le Duc, sage, measured, but encircled by I know not whatbrilliancy, which adorned all his person and which was evidently keptdown. M. Le Prince de Conti appeared dull, pensive, his mind far awayperhaps. I was not able during the sitting to see them except now andthen, and under pretext of looking at the King, who was serious, majestic, and at the same time as pretty as can be imagined; grave, withgrace in all his bearing, his air attentive, and not at all wearied, playing his part very well and without embarrassment. 

When all was ready, Argenson, the Keeper of the Seals, remained someminutes at his desk motionless, looking down, and the fire which sprangfrom his eyes seemed to burn every breast. An extreme silence eloquentlyannounced the fear, the attention, the trouble, and the curiosity of allthe expectants. The Parliament, which under the deceased King had oftensummoned this same Argenson, and as lieutenant of police had often givenhim its orders, he standing uncovered at the bar of the house; theParliament, which since the regency had displayed its ill-will towardshim so far as to excite public remark, and which still detained prisonersand papers to vex him; this Chief President so superior to him, sohaughty, so proud of his Duc du Maine; this Lamoignon, who had boasted hewould have him hanged at his Chamber of justice, where he had socompletely dishonoured himself: this Parliament and all saw him clad inthe ornaments of the chief office of the robe, presiding over them, effacing them, and entering upon his functions to teach them their duty, to read them a public lesson the first time he found himself at theirhead! These vain presidents were seen turning their looks from a man whoimposed so strongly upon their pride, and who annihilated their arrogancein the place even whence they drew it, and rendered them stupid byregards they could not sustain. 

After the Keeper of the Seals (according to the manner of the preachers)had accustomed himself to this august audience, he uncovered himself, rose, mounted to the King, knelt before the steps of the throne, by theside of the middle of the steps, where the grand chamberlain was lyingupon cushions, and took the King's orders, descended, placed himself inhis chair and covered himself. Let us say it once for all, he performedthe same ceremony at the commencement of each business, and likewisebefore and after taking the opinion upon each; at the bar of justiceneither he nor the chamberlain ever speaks otherwise to the King; andevery time he went to the King on this occasion the Regent rose andapproached him to hear and suggest the orders. Having returned back intohis place, he opened, after some moments of silence, this great scene bya discourse. The report of the Bed of justice, made by the Parliamentand printed, which is in the hands of everybody, renders it unnecessaryfor me to give the discourse of the Keeper of the Seals, that of theChief-President, those of the King's people, and the different papersthat were read and registered. I will simply content myself with someobservations. This first discourse, the reading of the letters of theKeeper of the Seals, and the speech of the Advocate-General Blancmesnilwhich followed, the opinions taken, the order given, sometimes reiteratedto keep the two double doors open, did not surprise anybody; served onlyas the preface to all the rest; to sharpen curiosity more and more as themoment approached in which it was to be satisfied. 

This first act finished, the second was announced by the discourse of theKeeper of the Seals, the force of which penetrated all the Parliament. General consternation spread itself over their faces. Scarcely one ofthe members dared to speak to his neighbour. I remarked that the AbbePucelle, who, although only counsellor-clerk, was upon the forms in frontof me, stood, so that he might hear better every time the Keeper of theSeals spoke. Bitter grief, obviously full of vexation, obscured thevisage of the Chief-President. Shame and confusion were painted there. 

After the vote, and when the Keeper of the Seals had pronounced, I sawthe principal members of the Parliament in commotion. The Chief-President was about to speak. He did so by uttering the remonstrance ofthe Parliament, full of the most subtle and impudent malice against theRegent, and of insolence against the King. The villain trembled, nevertheless, in pronouncing it. His voice broken, his eyes constrained, his flurry and confusion, contradicted the venomous words he uttered;libations he could not abstain from offering to himself and his company. This was the moment when I relished, with delight utterly impossible toexpress, the sight of these haughty lawyers (who had dared to refuse usthe salutation), prostrated upon their knees, and rendering, at our feet, homage to the throne, whilst we sat covered upon elevated seats, at theside of that same throne. These situations and these postures, so widelydisproportioned, plead of themselves with all the force of evidence, thecause of those who are really and truly 'laterales regis' against this'vas electum' of the third estate. My eyes fixed, glued, upon thesehaughty bourgeois, with their uncovered heads humiliated to the level ofour feet, traversed the chief members kneeling or standing, and the amplefolds of those fur robes of rabbit-skin that would imitate ermine, whichwaved at each long and redoubled genuflexion; genuflexions which onlyfinished by command of the King. 

The remonstrance being finished, the Keeper of the Seals mentioned to theKing their wishes, asking further opinions; took his place again; casthis eyes on the Chief-President, and said: The King wishes to be obeyed, and obeyed immediately. 

This grand speech was a thunder-bolt which overturned councillors andpresidents in the most marked manner. All of them lowered their heads, and the majority kept them lowered for a long time. The rest of thespectators, except the marshals of France, appeared little affected bythis desolation. 

But this--an ordinary triumph--was nothing to that which was to follow. After an interval of some few minutes, the Keeper of the Seals went upagain to the King, returned to his place, and remained there in silencesome little time. Then everybody clearly saw that the Parliamentaryaffair being finished, something else must be in the wind. Some thoughtthat a dispute which the Dukes had had with the Parliament, concerningone of its usurpations, was now to be settled in our favour. Others whohad noticed the absence of the bastards, guessed it was something thataffected them; but nobody divined what, much less its extent. 

At last the Keeper of the Seals opened his mouth, and in his firstsentence announced the fall of one brother and the preservation of theother. The effect of this upon every one was inexpressible. Howeveroccupied I might be in containing mine, I lost nothing. Astonishmentprevailed over every other sentiment. Many appeared glad, either fromhatred to the Duc du Maine, or from affection for the Comte de Toulouse;several were in consternation. The Chief-President lost all countenance;his visage, so self-sufficient and so audacious, was seized with aconvulsive movement; the excess alone of his rage kept him from swooning. It was even worse at the reading of the declaration. Each word waslegislative and decreed a fresh fall. The attention was general; everyone was motionless, so as not to lose a word; all eyes were fixed uponthe 'greffier' who was reading. A third of this reading over, the Chief-President, gnashing the few teeth left in his head, rested his foreheadupon his stick that he held in both hands, and in this singular andmarked position finished listening to the declaration, so overwhelmingfor him, so resurrectionary for us. 

Yet, as for me, I was dying with joy. I was so oppressed that I feared Ishould swoon; my heart dilated to excess, and no longer found room tobeat. The violence I did myself, in order to let nothing escape me, wasinfinite; and, nevertheless, this torment was delicious. I compared theyears and the time of servitude; the grievous days, when dragged at thetail of the Parliamentary car as a victim, I had served as a triumph forthe bastards; the various steps by which they had mounted to the summitabove our heads; I compared them, I say, to this court of justice and ofrule, to this frightful fall which, at the same time, raised us by theforce of the shock. I thanked myself that it was through me this hadbeen brought about. I had triumphed, I was revenged; I swam in myvengeance; I enjoyed the full accomplishment of desires the most vehementand the most continuous of all my life. I was tempted to fling away allthought and care. Nevertheless, I did not fail to listen to thisvivifying reading (every note of which sounded upon my heart as the bowupon an instrument), or to examine, at the same time, the impressions itmade upon every one. 

At the first word the Keeper of the Seals said of this affair, the eyesof the two bishop-peers met mine. Never did I see surprise equal totheirs, or so marked a transport of joy. I had not been able to speak tothem on account of the distance of our places; and they could not resistthe movement which suddenly seized them. I swallowed through my eyes adelicious draught of their joy, and turned away my glance from theirs, lest I should succumb beneath this increase of delight. I no longerdared to look at them. 

The reading finished, the other declaration in favour of the Comte deToulouse was immediately commenced by the 'greffier', according to thecommand of the Keeper of the Seals, who had given them to him bothtogether. It seemed to complete the confusion of the Chief-President andthe friends of the Duc du Maine, by the contrast between the treatment ofthe two brothers. 

After the Advocate-General had spoken, the Keeper of the Seals mounted tothe King, with the opinions of the Princes of the Blood; then came to theDuc de Sully and me. Fortunately I had more memory than he had, orwished to have; therefore it was exactly my affair. I presented to himmy hat with a bunch of feathers in the front, in an express manner verymarked, saying to him loudly enough: "No, Monsieur, we cannot be judges;we are parties to the cause, and we have only to thank the King for thejustice he renders us. "

He smiled and made an excuse. I pushed him away before the Duc de Sullyhad time to open his mouth; and looking round I saw with pleasure that myrefusal had been marked by everybody. The Keeper of the Seals retired ashe came, and without taking the opinions of the peers, or of the bishop-peers, went to the marshals of France; thence descended to the Chief-President and to the 'presidents a mortier', and so to the rest of thelower seats; after which, having been to the King and returned to hisplace, he pronounced the decree of registration, and thus put thefinishing touch to my joy. 

Immediately after M. Le Duc rose, and having made his reverences to theKing forgot to sit down and cover himself to speak, according to theuninterrupted right and usage of the peers of France; therefore not oneof us rose. He made, then, slowly and uncovered, the speech which hasbeen printed at the end of the preceding ones, and read it not veryintelligibly because his organ was not favourable. As soon as he hadfinished, M. Le Duc d'Orleans rose, and committed the same fault. Hesaid, also standing and uncovered, that the request of M. Le Duc appearedto him just; and after some praises added, that M. Le Duc du Maine wasnow reduced to the rank given to him by his peerage, M. Le Marechal deVilleroy, his senior, could no longer remain under him, which was a newand very strong reason in addition to those M. Le Duc had alleged. Thisrequest had carried to the highest point the astonishment of the assemblyand the despair of the Chief-President, and the handful of people whoappeared by their embarrassment to be interested in the Duc du Maine. The Marechal de Villeroy, without knitting his brow, had a disturbedlook, and the eyes of the chief accuser oftener were inundated withtears. I was not able to distinguish well his cousin and intimate friendthe Marechal d'Huxelles, who screened himself beneath the vast brim ofhis hat, thrust over his eyes, and who did not stir. The Chief-President, stunned by this last thunder-bolt, elongated his face sosurprisingly, that I thought for a moment his chin had fallen upon hisknees. 

However, the Keeper of the Seals having called upon the King's people tospeak, they replied that they had not heard the proposition of M. Le Duc, therefore his paper was passed to them from hand to hand, during whichthe Keeper of the Seals repeated very kindly what the Regent had addedupon the seniority of the Marechal de Villeroy over the Duc du Maine. Blancmesnil merely threw his eyes upon the paper of M. Le Duc, and spoke, after which the Keeper of the Seals put it to the vote. I gave mine loudenough, and said, "As for this affair I vote with all my heart for givingthe superintendence of the King's education to M. Le Duc. "

The votes being taken, the Keeper, of the Seals called the chief'greffier', ordered him to bring his paper and his little bureau nearhis, so as to do all at once; and in presence of the King registereverything that had been read and resolved, and signed also. This wasdone without any difficulty, according to forms, under the eyes of theKeeper of the Seals, who never raised them: but as there were five or sixdocuments to register they took up a long time. 

I had well observed the King when his education was in question, and Iremarked in him no sort of alteration, change, or constraint. This wasthe last act of the drama: he was quite lively now the registrationscommenced. However, as there were no more speeches to occupy him, helaughed with those near, amused himself with everything, even remarkingthat the Duc de Louvigny had on a velvet coat, and laughed at the heat hemust feel, and all this with grace. This indifference for M. Du Mainestruck everybody, and publicly contradicted what his partisans tried topublish, viz. , that his eyes had been red, but that neither at the Bed ofjustice, nor since, he had dared to show his trouble. The truth is hehad his eyes dry and serene the whole time, and pronounced the name ofthe Duc du Maine only once since, which was after dinner the same day, when he asked where he had gone, with a very indifferent air, withoutsaying a word more, then or since, or naming his children, who tooklittle trouble to see him; and when they went it was in order to haveeven in his presence their little court apart, and to divert themselvesamong themselves. As for the Duc du Maine, either from policy or becausehe thought it not yet time, he only, saw the King in the morning, sometimes in his bed, and not at all during the rest of the day, exceptwhen obliged by his functions. 

During the registration I gently passed my eyes over the whole assembly. , and though I constantly constrained them, I could not resist thetemptation to indemnify myself upon the Chief-President; I perseveringlyoverwhelmed him, therefore, a hundred different times during the sitting, with my hard-hitting regards. Insult, contempt, disdain, triumph, weredarted at him from my eyes, --and pierced him to the very marrow often helowered his eyes when he caught my gaze once or twice he raised his uponme, and I took pleasure in annoying him by sly but malicious smiles whichcompleted his vexation. I bathed myself in his rage, and amused myselfby making him feel it. I sometimes played with him by pointing him outto my two neighbours when he could perceive this movement; in a word, Ipressed upon him without mercy, as heavily as I could. 

At last the registration finished, the King descended the throne, and wasfollowed by the Regent, the two Princes of the Blood, and the necessarygentlemen of the suite. At the same time the Marshals of Francedescended, and while the King traversed the room, accompanied by thedeputation which had received him, they passed between the seats of thecouncillors opposite us, to follow him to the door by which his Majestydeparted; and at the same time the two bishop-peers, passing before thethrone, came to put themselves at our head, and squeezed my hands andmy head (in passing before me) with warm gratification. 

We followed them two by two according to seniority, and went straightforward to the door. The Parliament began to move directly afterwards. Place was made for us to the steps. The crowd, the people, the displaycontrasted our conversation and our joy. I was sorry for it. 

I immediately gained my coach, which I found near, and which took meskilfully out of the court, so that I met with no check, and in a quarterof an hour after leaving the sitting, I was at home. 

I had need of a little rest, for pleasure even is fatigue, and happiness, pure and untroubled as it may be, wearies the spirit. I entered myhouse, then, at about two o'clock in the afternoon, intending to reposemyself, and in order to do so in security, I closed my door to everybody. 

Alas! I had not been many minutes at home when I was called away toperform one of the most painful and annoying commissions it was ever myill fortune to be charged with. 

CHAPTER XCIV. 

A little while before leaving the Cabinet of the Council for the Bed ofJustice, M. Le Duc d'Orleans had begged me to go to the Palais Royal withthe Keeper of the Seals immediately after the ceremony had ended. As Isaw that nothing had been undertaken, I thought myself free of thisconference, and was glad to avoid a new proof that I had been in asecret which had excited envy. I went, therefore, straight home, arriving between two and three. I found at the foot of the stepsthe Duc d'Humieres, Louville, and all my family, even my mother, whomcuriosity had drawn from her chamber, which she had not left since thecommencement of the winter. We remained below in my apartment, where, while changing my coat and my shirt, I replied to their eager questions;when, lo! M. De Biron, who had forced my door which I had closed againsteverybody, in order to obtain a little repose, was announced. 

Biron put his head in at my door, and begged to be allowed to say a wordto me. I passed, half-dressed, into my chamber with him. He said thatM. Le Duc d'Orleans had expected me at the Palais Royal immediately afterthe Bed of justice, and was surprised I had not appeared. He added thatthere was no great harm done; and that the Regent wished to see me now, in order that I might execute a commission for him. I asked Biron whatit was? He replied that it was to go to Saint-Clerc to announce what hadtaken place to Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans!

This was a thunder-bolt for me. I disputed with Biron, who exhorted meto lose no time, but to go at once to the Palais Royal, where I wasexpected with impatience. I returned into my cabinet with him, sochanged in aspect that Madame de Saint-Simon was alarmed. I explainedwhat was the matter, and after Biron had chatted a moment, and againpressed me to set out at once, he went away to eat his dinner. Ours wasserved. I waited a little time in order to recover myself, determinednot to vex M. Le Duc d'Orleans by dawdling, took some soup and an egg, and went off to the Palais Royal. 

It was in vain that, using all the eloquence I could command and all theliberty I dared employ, I protested against being employed for this duty. I represented to the Regent what an ill-chosen messenger I should be tocarry to Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans news of the disgrace of her brotherthe Duc du Maine; I, who had always been such an open and declared enemyto the bastards! I represented to him that people would say I went onpurpose to triumph over her at what had been done, and that she herselfwould look upon my presence as a kind of insult. In vain! in vain! weremy arguments, my entreaties, my instances. M. Le Duc d'Orleans haddetermined that I should go on this errand, and go I must. 

As I left his house to execute my luckless commission, I found one ofMadame la Duchesse d'Orleans' pages, booted and spurred, who had justarrived from Saint-Cloud. I begged him to return at once, at a gallop, and say, on arriving, to the Duchesse Sforze (one of Madame la Duchessed'Orleans' ladies) that I should be there soon with a message from M. LeDuc d'Orleans, and to ask her to meet me as I descended from my coach. My object was to charge her with the message I had to deliver, and not tosee Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans at all. But my poor prudence wasconfounded by that of the page, who had not less than I. He took goodcare not to be the bearer of such ill news as he had just learned at thePalais Royal, and which was now everywhere public. He contented himselfwith saying that I was coming, sent by M. Le Duc d'Orleans, spoke not aword to the Duchesse Sforze, and disappeared at once. This is what Iafterwards learned, and what I saw clearly enough on arriving at Saint-Cloud. 

I went there at a gentle trot, in order to give time to the page toarrive before me, and to the Duchesse Sforze to receive me. During thejourney I applauded myself for my address, but feared lest I should beobliged to see Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans after Madame Sforze. I couldnot imagine that Saint-Cloud was in ignorance of what had occurred, and, nevertheless, I was in an agony that cannot be expressed, and thisincreased as I approached the end of my journey. If it is disagreeableto announce unpleasant news to the indifferent, how much more is it toannounce them to the deeply interested!

Penetrated with this dolorous sentiment I arrived in the grand court ofSaint-Cloud, and saw everybody at the windows, running from all parts. I alighted, and asked the first comer to lead me to the Duchesse Sforze, the position of whose apartments I am unacquainted with. I was told thatMadame Sforze was in the chapel with Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans. ThenI asked for the Marechale de Rochefort, and after a time she arrived, hobbling along with her stick. I disputed with her, wishing to seeMadame Sforze, who was not to be found. I was anxious at all events togo to her room and wait, but the inexorable Marechale pulled me by thearm, asking what news I brought. Worn out at last, I said, "News? newsthat you are acquainted with. "

"How, acquainted with?" she asked. "We know nothing, except that a Bedof justice has been held, and we are expiring to know why, and what haspassed there. "

My astonishment at this ignorance was extreme, and I made her swear andrepeat four times over that nothing was known at Saint-Cloud. I told herthereupon what had happened, and she, in her turn, astonished, almostfell backwards! But where was Madame Sforze? she came not, and do whatI must, say what I might, I was forced to carry, my message to Madame laDuchesse d'Orleans. I was sorely loth to do so, but was dragged by thehand almost as a sheep is led to the slaughter. 

I stood before Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans after having passed throughan apartment filled with her people, fear painted upon all their faces. I saluted her; but, oh! how differently from my usual manner! She didnot perceive this at first, and begged me, with a cheerful natural air, to approach her; but seeing my trouble, she exclaimed, "Good Heavens, Monsieur, what a face you wear! What news bring you?"

Seeing that I remained silent and motionless, she became more moved, andrepeated her questions. I advanced a few steps towards her, and at herthird appeal, I said: "Madame, you know nothing then?"

"No, Monsieur; I simply know that there has been a Bed of justice: whathas passed there I am quite ignorant of. "

"Ah, Madame, " I replied, half turning away; "I am more unhappy, then, than I thought to be. "

"What is the matter?" exclaimed she; "what has happened?" (rising andsitting bolt upright on the sofa she was stretched upon. ) "Come near andsit down!"

I approached; stated that I was in despair. She, more and more moved, said to me, "But speak; better to learn bad news from one's friend thanfrom others. "

This remark pierced me to the heart, and made me sensible of the grief Iwas going to inflict upon her. I summoned up courage, and I told herall. 

The tears of Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans flowed abundantly at myrecital. She did not answer a word, uttered no cry, but wept bitterly. She pointed to a seat and I sat down upon it, my eyes during severalinstants fixed upon the floor. Afterwards I said that M. Le Ducd'Orleans, who had rather forced upon me this commission, than charged mewith it, had expressly commanded me to tell her that he had very strongproofs in his hands against M. Du Maine; that he had kept them back along time, but could no longer do so now. She gently replied to me thather brother was very unfortunate and shortly afterwards asked if I knewwhat his crime was. I said that M. Le Duc d'Orleans had not told me; andthat I had not dared to question him upon a subject of this nature, seeing that he was not inclined to talk of it. 

More tears shortly afterwards filled her eyes. Her brother must be verycriminal, she said, to be so treated. 

I remained some time upon my seat, not daring to raise my eyes, in themost painful state possible, and not knowing whether to remain or goaway. At last I acquainted her with my difficulty; said I fancied shewould like to be alone some little time before giving me her orders, butthat respect kept me equally in suspense as to whether I should go orstay. After a short silence, she said she should like to see her women. I rose, sent them to her, and said to them, if her Royal Highness askedfor me, I should be with the Duchesse Sforze, or the Marechale Rochefort;but I could find neither of these two ladies, so I went up to Madame. 

She rose as soon as I appeared, and said to me, with eagerness, "Well, Monsieur, what news?" At the same time her ladies retired, and I was leftalone with her. 

I commenced by an excuse for not coming to see her first, as was my duty, on the ground that M. Le Duc d'Orleans had assured me she would notobject to my commencing with Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans. She did notobject, in fact, but asked me for my news with much eagerness. I toldher what had happened. Joy spread over her face. She replied with amighty, "At last!" which she repeated, saying, her son long since oughtto have struck this blow, but that he was too good. I mentioned to herthat she was standing, but for politeness she remained so. After somefurther talk she begged me to state all the details of this celebratedmorning. 

I again recalled to her mind that she was standing, and represented thatwhat she desired to learn would take a long time to relate; but her ardorto know it was extreme. I began then my story, commencing with the verymorning. At the end of a quarter of an hour, Madame seated herself, butwith the greatest politeness. I was nearly an hour with her, continuallytelling and sometimes replying to her questions. She was delighted atthe humiliation of the Parliament, and of the bastards, and that her sonhad at last displayed some firmness. 

At this point the Marechale de Rochefort entered, and summoned me back toMadame la Duchesse d'Orleans. I found that princess extended upon thesofa where I had left her, an inkstand upon her knees and a pen in herhand. She had commenced a reply to M. Le Duc d'Orleans, but had not beenable to finish it. Looking at me with an air of gentleness and offriendship, she observed, "Tears escape me; I have begged you to descendin order to render me a service; my hand is unsteady, I pray you finishmy writing for me;" and she handed to me the inkstand and her letter. Itook them, and she dictated to me the rest of the epistle, that I at onceadded to what she had written. 

I was infinitely amazed at the conciseness and appropriateness of theexpressions she readily found, in the midst of her violent emotion, hersobs, and her tears. She finished by saying that she was going toMontmartre to mourn the misfortunes of her brother, and pray God for hisprosperity. I shall regret all my life I did not transcribe this letter. All its expressions were so worthy, so fitting, so measured, everythingbeing according to truth and duty; and the letter, in fact, being soperfectly well written, that although I remember it roughly, I dare notgive it, for fear of spoiling it. What a pity that a mind capable ofsuch self-possession, at such a moment, should have become valueless fromits leaning towards illegitimacy. 

After this I had another interview with Madame, and a long talk with mysure and trusty friend Madame Sforze. Then I set out for Paris, wentstraight to the Palais Royal, and found M. Le Duc d'Orleans with Madamela Duchesse de Berry. He was delighted when he heard what Madame hadsaid respecting him; but he was not particularly pleased when he foundthat Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans (who after telling me she would go toMontmartre, had changed her mind), was coming to the Palais Royal. 

I learned afterwards that she came about half an hour after I left. Atfirst she was all humility and sorrow, hoping to soften the Regent bythis conduct. Then she passed to tears, sobs, cries, reproaches, expecting to make him by these means undo what he had done, and reinstateM. Du Maine in the position he had lost. But all her efforts provingvain, she adopted another course: her sorrow turned to rage, --her tearsto looks of anger. Still in vain. She could gain nothing; vex and annoyM. Le Duc d'Orleans as she might by her conduct. At last, finding therewas no remedy to be had, she was obliged to endure her sorrow as best shemight. 

As for me, I was erased entirely from her books. She looked upon me asthe chief cause of what had occurred, and would not see me. I remainedever afterwards at variance with her. I had nothing to reproach myselfwith, however, so that her enmity did not very deeply penetrate me. 

CHAPTER XCV

It was scarcely to be expected, perhaps, that M. Du Maine would remainaltogether quiet under the disgrace which had been heaped upon him by theproceedings at the Bed of Justice. Soon indeed we found that he had beensecretly working out the most perfidious and horrible schemes for a longtime before that assembly; and that after his fall, he gave himself upwith redoubled energy to his devilish devices. 

Towards the end of this memorable year, 1718, it was discovered thatAlberoni, by means of Cellamare, Spanish Ambassador at our Court, waspreparing a plot against the Regent. The scheme was nothing less than tothrow all the realm into revolt against the government of M. Le Ducd'Orleans; to put the King of Spain at the head of the affairs of France, with a council and ministers named by him, and a lieutenant, who would infact have been regent; this self-same lieutenant to be no other than theDuc du Maine!

This precious plot was, fortunately, discovered before it had come tomaturity. Had such not happened, the consequences might have been veryserious, although they could scarcely have been fatal. The conspiratorscounted upon the Parliaments of Paris and of Brittany, upon all the oldCourt accustomed to the yoke of the bastards, and to that of Madame deMaintenon; and they flung about promises with an unsparing hand to allwho supported them. After all, it must be admitted, however, that themeasures they took and the men they secured, were strangely unequal tothe circumstances of the case, when the details became known; in fact, there was a general murmur of surprise among the public, at thecontemptible nature of the whole affair. 

But let me relate the circumstances accompanying the discovery of M. DuMaine's pitiable treachery. 

Cellamare, as I have said, was Spanish Ambassador at our Court. He hadbeen one of the chief movers in the plot. He had excited, as much as layin his power, discontent against the Regent's government; he had done hisbest to embroil France with Spain; he had worked heart and soul with M. Du Maine, to carry out the common end they had in view. So muchpreparation had been made; so much of the treason train laid, that atlast it became necessary to send to Alberoni a full and clear account ofall that had been done, so as to paint exactly the position of affairs, and determine the measures that remained to be taken. But how to sendsuch an account as this? To trust it to the ordinary channels ofcommunication would have been to run a great risk of exposure anddetection. To send it by private hand would have been suspicious, if thehand were known, and dangerous if it were not: Cellamare had long sinceprovided for this difficulty. 

He had caused a young ecclesiastic to be sent from Spain, who came toParis as though for his pleasure. There he was introduced to youngMonteleon, son of a former ambassador at our Court, who had been muchliked. The young ecclesiastic was called the Abbe Portocarrero, a nameregarded with favour in France. Monteleon came from the Hague, and wasgoing to Madrid. Portocarrero came from Madrid, and was going backthere. What more natural than that the two young men should travel incompany? What less natural than that the two young men, meeting eachother by pure accident in Paris, should be charged by the ambassador withany packet of consequence, he having his own couriers, and the use, forthe return journey, of those sent to him from Spain? In fact, it may bebelieved that these young people themselves were perfectly ignorant ofwhat they were charged with, and simply believed that, as they were goingto Spain, the ambassador merely seized the occasion to entrust them withsome packet of no special importance. 

They set out, then, at the commencement of December, furnished withpassports from the King--(for Alberoni had openly caused almost a rupturebetween the two Courts)--with a Spanish banker, who had been establishedin England, where he had become bankrupt for a large amount, so that theEnglish government had obtained permission from the Regent to arrest him, if they could, anywhere in France. It will sometimes be perceived that Iam ill-instructed in this affair; but I can only tell what I know: and asfor the rest, I give my conjectures. In fact, the Abbe Dubois kepteverybody so much in the dark, that even M. Le Duc d'Orleans was notinformed of all. 

Whether the arrival of the Abbe Portocarrero in Paris, and his short staythere, seemed suspicious to the Abbe Dubois and his emissaries, orwhether he had corrupted some of the principal people of the SpanishAmbassador and this Court, and learned that these young men were chargedwith a packet of importance; whether there was no other mystery than thebad company of the bankrupt banker, and that the anxiety of Dubois tooblige his friends the English, induced him to arrest the threetravellers and seize their papers, lest the banker should have confidedhis to the young men, I know not: but however it may have been, it iscertain that the Abbe Dubois arrested the three travellers at Poitiers, and carried off their papers, a courier bringing these papers to himimmediately afterwards. 

Great things sometimes spring from chance. The courier from Poitiersentered the house of the Abbe Dubois just as the Regent entered theopera. Dubois glanced over the papers, and went and related the news ofthis capture to M. Le Duc Orleans, as he left his box. This prince, whowas accustomed to shut himself up with his roues at that hour, did sowith a carelessness to which everything yielded, under pretext thatDubois had not had sufficient time to examine all the papers. The firstfew hours of the morning he was not himself. His head, still confused bythe fumes of the wine and by the undigested supper of the previous night, was not in a state to understand anything, and the secretaries of statehave often told me that was the time they could make him sign anything. This was the moment taken by Dubois to acquaint the Regent with as muchor as little of the contents of the papers as he thought fit. The upshotof their interview was, that the Abbe was allowed by the Duc d'Orleans tohave the control of this matter entirely in his own hands. 

The day after the arrival of the courier from Poitiers, Cellamare, informed of what had occurred, but who flattered himself that thepresence of the banker had caused the arrest of the young men, and theseizure of their papers, hid his fears under a very tranquil bearing, andwent, at one o'clock in the day, to M. Le Blanc, to ask for a packet ofletters he had entrusted to Portocarrero and Monteleon on their return toSpain. Le Blanc (who had had his lesson prepared beforehand by the AbbeDubois) replied that the packet had been seen; that it containedimportant things, and that, far from being restored to him, he himselfmust go back to his hotel under escort, to meet there M. L'Abbe Dubois. The ambassador, who felt that such a compliment would not be attemptedwith out means having been prepared to put it in execution, made nodifficulty, and did not lose for a moment his address or histranquillity. 

During the three hours, at least, passed in his house, in the examinationof all his bureaux and his boxes, and his papers, Cellamare, like a manwho fears nothing, and who is sure of his game, treated M. Le Blanc verycivilly; as for the Abbe Dubois, with whom he felt he had no measure tokeep (all the plot being discovered), he affected to treat him with theutmost disdain. Thus Le Blanc, taking hold of a little casket, Cellamarecried, "M. Le Blanc, M. Le Blanc, leave that alone; that is not for you;that is for the Abbe Dubois" (who was then present). Then looking athim, he added, "He has been a pander all his life, and there are nothingbut women's letters there. "

[Illustration: Search Of The Spanish Ambassador--Painted by Maurice Leloir--front3]

The Abbe Dubois burst out laughing, not daring to grow angry. 

When all was examined, the King's seal, and that of the ambassador, wereput upon all the bureaux and the caskets which contained papers. TheAbbe Dubois and Le Blanc went off together to give an account of theirproceedings to the Regent, leaving a company of musketeers to guard theambassador and his household. 

I heard of the capture effected at Poitiers, at home, the morning afterit occurred, without knowing anything of those arrested. As I was attable, a servant came to me from M. Le Duc d'Orleans, summoning me to acouncil of the regency, at four o'clock that day. As it was not theusual day for the council, I asked what was the matter. The messengerwas surprised at my ignorance and informed me that the Spanish ambassadorwas arrested. As soon as I had eaten a morsel, I quitted my company, andhastened to the Palais Royal, where I learnt from M. Le Duc d'Orleans allthat I have just related. Our conversation took up time, and, when itwas over, I went away to the Tuileries. I found there astonishmentpainted upon several faces; little groups of two, three, and four peopletogether; and the majority struck by the importance of the arrest, andlittle disposed to approve it. 

M. Le Duc d'Orleans arrived shortly after. He had, better than any man Ihave ever known, the gift of speech, and without needing any preparationhe said exactly what he wanted to say, neither more nor less; hisexpressions were just and precise, a natural grace accompanied them withan air of proper dignity, always mixed with an air of politeness. Heopened the council with a discourse upon the people and the papers seizedat Poitiers, the latter proving that a very dangerous conspiracy againstthe state was on the eve of bursting, and of which the Ambassador ofSpain was the principal promoter. His Royal Highness alleged thepressing reasons which had induced him to secure the person of thisambassador, to examine his papers, and to place them under guard. Heshowed that the protection afforded by the law of nations did not extendto conspiracies, that ambassadors rendered themselves unworthy of thatprotection when they took part in them, still more when they excitedpeople against the state where they dwelt. He cited several examples ofambassadors arrested for less. He explained the orders he had given soas to inform all the foreign ministers in Paris of what had occurred, andhad ordered Dubois to render an account to the council of what he haddone at the ambassador's, and offered to read the letters from Cellamareto Cardinal Alberoni, found among the papers brought from Poitiers. 

The Abbe Dubois stammered out a short and ill-arranged recital of what hehad done at the ambassador's house, and dwelt upon the importance of thediscovery and upon that of the conspiracy as far as already known. Thetwo letters he read left me no doubt that Cellamare was at the head ofthis affair, and that Alberoni had entered into it as far as he. We weremuch scandalised with the expressions in these letters against M. Le Ducd'Orleans, who was in no way spared. 

This prince spoke again, to say he did not suspect the King or Queen ofSpain to be mixed up in this affair, but that he attributed it all to thepassion of Alberoni, and that of his ambassador to please him, and thathe would ask for justice from their Catholic Majesties. He showed theimportance of neglecting no means in order to clear up an affair socapital to the repose and tranquillity of the kingdom, and finished bysaying, that until he knew more he would name nobody who was mixed up inthe matter. All this speech was much applauded, and I believe there weresome among the company who felt greatly relieved when they heard theRegent say he would name nobody nor would he allow suspicions to becirculated until all was unravelled. 

Nevertheless the next day, Saturday, the 10th of December, more than onearrest was made. Others took place a few days afterwards. 

On Tuesday, the 13th of December, all the foreign ministers went to thePalais Royal, according to custom; not one made any complaint of what hadhappened. A copy of the two letters read at the council was given tothem. In the afternoon, Cellamare was placed in a coach with a captainof cavalry and a captain of dragoons, chosen to conduct him: to Blois, until Saint-Aignan, our ambassador in Spain, should arrive in France. 

The position of our ambassador, Saint-Aignan, at Madrid, was, as may beimagined, by no means agreeable. The two courts were just upon the pointof an open rupture, thanks to the hatred Alberoni had made it a principleto keep up in Spain against M. Le Duc d'Orleans, by crying down hisactions, his government, his personal conduct, his most innocent acts, and by rendering suspicious even his favourable proceedings with regardto Spain. Alberoni for a long time had ceased to keep on even decentterms with Saint-Aignan, scandalising thus even the most unfavourablydisposed towards France. Saint-Aignan only maintained his position bythe sagacity of his conduct, and he was delighted when he received ordersto return to France. He asked for his parting audience, and meanwhilebade adieu to all his friends and to all the Court. Alberoni, who everymoment expected decisive news from Cellamare respecting the conspiracy, wished to remain master of our ambassador, so as, in case of accident, to have a useful hostage in his hands as security for his own ambassador. He put off therefore this parting audience under various pretexts. Atlast, Saint-Aignan, pressed by his reiterated orders (orders all the morepositive because suspicion had already begun to foresee a disturbanceever alarming), spoke firmly to the Cardinal, and declared that if thisaudience were not at once accorded to him, he would do without it!Therefore the Cardinal, in anger, replied with a menace, that he knewwell enough how to hinder, him, from acting thus. 

Saint-Aignan wisely contained himself; but seeing to what sort of a manhe was exposed, and judging rightly why he was detained at Madrid, tookhis measures so secretly and so well, that he set out the same night, with his most necessary equipage, gained ground and arrived at the footof the Pyrenees without being overtaken and arrested; two occurrenceswhich he expected at every moment, knowing that Alberoni was a man whowould stick at nothing. 

Saint-Aignan, already so far advanced, did not deem it advisable toexpose himself any longer, bothered as he would be among the mountains byhis carriages. He and the Duchess, his wife, followed by a waiting-womanand three valets, with a very trusty guide, mounted upon mules and rodestraight for Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port without stopping a moment more onthe road than was necessary. He sent on his equipages to Pampeluna at agentle pace, and placed in his carriage an intelligent valet de chambreand a waiting-woman, with orders to pass themselves off as the ambassadorand ambassadress of France, and in case they were arrested to cry out agood deal. The arrest did not fail to happen. The people despatched byAlberoni soon came up with the carriage. The pretended ambassador andambassadress played their parts very well, and they who had arrested themdid not doubt for a moment they had made a fine capture, sending news ofit to Madrid, and keeping the prisoners in Pampeluna, to which the partyreturned. 

This device saved M. And Madame de Saint-Aignan, and gave them means toreach Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; as soon as they arrived there they sentfor assistance and carriages to Bayonne, which they gained in safety, andreposed after their fatigue. The Duc de Saint-Aignan sent word of allthis to M. Le Duc d'Orleans by a courier, and, at this arrival inBayonne, despatched a message to the Governor of Pampeluna, begging himto send on his equipages. Alberoni's people were very much ashamed ofhaving been duped, but Alberoni when he heard of it flew into a furiousrage, and cruelly punished the mistake. The equipages were sent on toBayonne. 

CHAPTER XCVI

To return now to what took place at Paris. 

On Sunday, the 25th of December, Christmas Day, M. Le Duc d'Orleans sentfor me to come and see him at the Palais Royal, about four o'clock in theafternoon. I went accordingly, and after despatching some business withhim, other people being present, I followed him into his little wintercabinet at the end of the little gallery, M. Le Duc being present. 

After a moment of silence, the Regent told me to see if no one wasoutside in the gallery, and if the door at the end was closed. I wentout, found the door shut, and no one near. 

This being ascertained, M. Le Duc d'Orleans said that we should not besurprised to learn that M. And Madame du Maine had been mixed up allalong with this affair of the Spanish Ambassador Cellamare; that he hadwritten proofs of this, and that the project was exactly that which Ihave already described. He added, that he had strictly forbidden theKeeper of the Seals, the Abbe Dubois, and Le Blanc, who alone knew ofthis project, to give the slightest sign of their knowledge, recommendedto me the same secrecy, and the same precaution; and finished by sayingthat he wished, above all things, to consult M. Le Duc and me upon thecourse he ought to adopt. 

M. Le Duc at once went to the point and said M. And Madame du Maine mustat once be arrested and put where they could cause no apprehension. Isupported this opinion, and showed the perilous annoyances that mightarise if this step were not instantly taken; as much for the purpose ofstriking terror into the conspirators, as for disconcerting theirschemes. I added that there was not a moment to lose, and that it wasbetter to incur uncertain danger than to wait for that which was certain. 

Our advice was accepted by M. Le Duc d'Orleans, after some little debate. But now the question arose, where are the prisoners to be put? TheBastille and Vincennes both seemed to me too near to Paris. Severalplaces were named without one appearing to suit. At lasts M. Le Ducd'Orleans mentioned Dourlens. I stopped him short at the name, andrecommended it warmly. I knew the governor, Charost, and his son to bemen of probity, faithful, virtuous, and much attached to the state. Uponthis it was agreed to send M. Du Maine to Dourlens. 

Then we had to fix upon a place for his wife, and this was moredifficult; there were her sex, her fiery temper, her courage; herdaring, --all to be considered; whereas, her husband, we knew, sodangerous as a hidden enemy, was contemptible without his mask, and wouldfall into the lowest state of dejection in prison, trembling all overwith fear of the scaffold, and attempting nothing; his wife, on thecontrary, being capable of attempting anything:

Various places discussed, M. Le Duc d'Orleans smiled, and proposed thechateau of Dijon! Now, the joke of this suggestion was, that Dijonbelonged to M. Le Duc, and that he was nephew of Madame du Maine, whomthe Regent proposed to lock up there! M. Le Duc smiled also, and said itwas a little too bad to make him the gaoler of his aunt! But all thingsconsidered, it was found that a better choice than Dijon could not bemade, so M. Le Duc gave way. I fancy he had held out more for form'ssake than for any other reason. These points settled, we separated, tomeet another time, in order to make the final arrangements for thearrest. 

We met accordingly, the Monday and Tuesday following, and deliberatedwith the same secrecy as before. On Wednesday we assembled again to putthe final touch to our work. Our conference was long, and the result ofit was, that M. And Madame du Maine were to be arrested on the morrow;all the necessary arrangements were made, and, as we thought, with theutmost secrecy. Nevertheless, the orders given to the regiment of theguards, and to the musketeers somehow or other transpired during theevening, and gave people reason to believe that something considerablewas in contemplation. On leaving the conference, I arranged with LeBlanc that, when the blow was struck, he should inform me by simplysending a servant to inquire after my health. 

The morrow, about ten o'clock in the morning, having noiselessly andwithout show placed the body-guard around Sceaux, La Billardiere, lieutenant of the regiment, entered there, and arrested the Duc du Maineas he was leaving his chapel after hearing mass, and very respectfullybegged him not to re-enter the house, but to mount immediately into acoach which he had brought. M. Du Maine, who had expected this arrest, and who had had time to put his papers in order, mad not the slightestresistance. He replied that he had anticipated this compliment for somedays, and at once moved into the coach. La Billardiere placed himself byhis side, and in front was an exempt of the bodyguards, and Favancourt, brigadier in the first company of musketeers, destined to guard him inhis prison. 

As these two latter persons did not appear before the Duc du Maine untilthe moment he entered the coach, be appeared surprised and moved to seeFavancourt. 

He would not have been at the exempt, but the sight of the otherdepressed him. He asked La Billardiere what this meant. Billardierecould not dissimulate that Favancourt had orders to accompany him, and toremain with him in the place to which they were going. Favancourthimself took this moment to pay his compliments as best he might to theDuc du Maine, to which the Duke replied but little, and that in a civiland apprehensive manner. These proceedings conducted them to the end ofthe avenue of Sceaux, where the bodyguards appeared. The sight of themmade the Duc du Maine change colour. 

Silence was but little interrupted in the coach. Now and then M. DuMaine would say that he was very innocent of the accusation which hadbeen formed against him; that he was much attached to the King, and notless so to M. Le Duc d'Orleans, who could not but recognise it; and thatit was very unfortunate his Royal Highness should put faith in hisenemies (he never named anybody). All this was said in a broken manner, and amid many sighs; from time to time signs of the cross; low mumblingsas of prayers; and plunges at each church or each cross they passed. Hetook his meals in the coach, ate very little, was alone at night, butwith good precautions taken. He did not know until the morrow that hewas going to Dourlens. He showed no emotion thereupon. All thesedetails I learnt from Favancourt, whom I knew very well, and who was inthe Musketeers when I served in that corps. 

At the moment of the arrest of M. Du Maine, Ancenis, captain of the body-guard, arrested the Duchesse du Maine in her house in the Rue St. Honore. A lieutenant, and an exempt of the foot body-guards, with othertroops, took possession of the house at the same time, and guarded thedoors. The compliment of the Duc d'Ancenis was sharply received. Madamedu Maine wished to take away some caskets. Ancenis objected. Shedemanded, at the least, her jewels; altercations very strong on one side, very modest on the other: but she was obliged to yield. She raged at theviolence done to a person of her rank, without saying anything toodisobliging to M. D'Ancenis, and without naming anybody. She delayed herdeparture as long as she could, despite the instances of d'Ancenis, whoat last presented his hand to her, and politely, but firmly, said shemust go. She found at her door two six-horse coaches, the sight of whichmuch shocked her. She was obliged, however, to mount. Ancenis placedhimself by her side, the lieutenant and the exempt of the guard in front, two chambermaids whom she had chosen were in the other coach, with herapparel, which had been examined. The ramparts were followed, theprincipal streets avoided; there was no stir, and at this she could notrestrain her surprise and vexation, or check a tear, declaiming by fitsand starts against the violence done her. She complained of the roughcoach, the indignity it cast upon her, and from time to time asked whereshe was being led to. She was simply told that she would sleep atEssonne, nothing more. Her three guardians maintained profound silence. At night all possible precautions were taken. When she set out the nextday, the Duc d'Ancenis took leave of her, and left her to the lieutenantand to the exempt of the body-guards, with troops to conduct her. Sheasked where they were leading her to: he simply replied, "To Fontainebleau. " The disquietude of Madame du Maine augmented as sheleft Paris farther behind, but when she found herself in Burgundy, andknew at last she was to go to Dijon, she stormed at a fine rate. 

It was worse when she was forced to enter the castle, and found herselfthe prisoner of M. Le Duc. Fury suffocated her. She raged against hernephew, and the horrible place chosen for her. Nevertheless, after herfirst transports, she returned to herself, and began to comprehend thatshe was in no place and no condition to play the fury. Her extreme rageshe kept to herself, affected nothing but indifference for all, anddisdainful security. The King's lieutenant of the castle, absolutelydevoted to M. Le Duc, kept her fast, and closely watched her and herchambermaids. The Prince de Dombes and the Comte d'Eu (her sons) were atthe same time exiled to Eu, where a gentleman in ordinary always was nearthem; Mademoiselle du Maine was sent to Maubuisson. 

Several other people were successively arrested and placed either in theBastille or Vincennes. The commotion caused by the arrest andimprisonment of M. And Madame du Maine was great; many faces, alreadyelongated by the Bed of justice, were still further pulled out by theseevents. The Chief-President, D'Effiat, the Marechal de Villeroy, theMarechal de Villars, the Marechal d'Huxelles, and other devoted friendsof M. Du Maine, were completely terrified; they did not dare to say aword; they kept out of the way; did not leave their houses except fromnecessity; fear was painted upon their faces. All their pride was putaside; they became polite, caressing, would have eaten out of your hand;and by this sudden change and their visible embarrassment betrayedthemselves. 

As for the Comte de Toulouse he remained as upright and loyal as ever. The very day of the double arrest he came to M. Le Duc d'Orleans and saidthat he regarded the King, the Regent, and the State as one and the samething; that he should never be wanting in his duty or in his fidelitytowards them; that he was very sorry at what had happened to his brother, but that he was in no way answerable for him. The Regent stated this tome the same day, and appeared, with reason, to be charmed with suchstraightforward honesty. 

This arrest of M. And Madame du Maine had another effect. For some timepast, a large quantity of illicit salt had been sold throughout thecountry. The people by whom this trade was conducted, 'faux sauniers', as they were called, travelled over the provinces in bands well armed andwell organized. So powerful had they become that troops were necessaryin order to capture them. There were more than five thousand fauxsaumers, who openly carried on their traffic in Champagne and Picardy. They had become political instruments in the hands of others, beingsecretly encouraged and commanded by those who wished to sow trouble inthe land. It could not be hidden that these 'faux sauniers' wereredoubtable by their valour and their arrangements; that the people werefavourable to them, buying as they did from them salt at a low price, andirritated as they were against the gabelle and other imposts; that these'faux sauniers' spread over all the realm, and often marching in largebands, which beat all opposed to them, were dangerous people, who incitedthe population by their examples to opposition against the government. 

I had proposed on one occasion the abolition of the salt tax to theRegent, as a remedy for these evils; but my suggestion shared the fate ofmany others. It was favourably listened to, and nothing more. Andmeanwhile the 'faux sauniers' had gone on increasing. I had nodifficulty in discovering by whom they were encouraged, and the eventshowed I was right. Directly after the arrest of M. And Madame du Maine, the 'faux sauniers' laid down their arms, asked, and obtained pardon. This prompt submission showed dearly enough by whom they had beenemployed, and for what reason. I had uselessly told M. Le Duc d'Orleansso long before, who admitted that I was right, but did nothing. It washis usual plan. 

Let me finish at once with all I shall have to say respecting M. AndMadame du Maine. 

They remained in their prisons during the whole of the year 1719, supplied with all the comforts and attentions befitting their state, andmuch less rigorously watched than at first, thanks to the easydisposition of M. Le Duc d'Orleans, whose firmness yielded even morerapidly than beauty to the effects of time. The consequence of hisindulgence towards the two conspirators was, that at about thecommencement of the following year, 1720, they began to play a veryridiculous comedy, of which not a soul was the dupe; not even the public, nor the principal actors, nor the Regent. 

The Duc and Duchesse du Maine, thanks to the perfidy of the Abbe Dubois, had had time to hide away all their papers, and to arrange together thedifferent parts they should play. Madame du Maine, supported by her sexand birth, muffled herself up in her dignity, when replying to thequestions addressed to her, of which just as many, and no more, were readto the replying counsel as pleased the Abbe Dubois; and strongly accusingCellamare and others; protected as much as possible her friends, herhusband above all, by charging herself with all; by declaring that whatshe had done M. Du Maine had no knowledge of; and that its object went nofarther than to obtain from the Regent such reforms in his administrationas were wanted. 

The Duc du Maine, shorn of his rank and of his title of prince of theblood, trembled for his life. His crimes against the state, against theblood royal, against the person of the Regent, so long, so artfully, andso cruelly offended, troubled him all the more because he felt theydeserved severe punishment. He soon, therefore, conceived the idea ofscreening himself beneath his wife's petticoats. His replies, and allhis observations were to the same tune; perfect ignorance of everything. Therefore when the Duchess had made her confessions, and they werecommunicated to him, he cried out against his wife, --her madness, herfelony, --his misfortune in having a wife capable of conspiring, anddaring enough to implicate him in everything without having spoken tohim; making him thus a criminal without being so the least in the world;and keeping him so ignorant of her doings, that it was out of his powerto stop them, to chide her, or inform M. Le Duc d'Orleans if things hadbeen pushed so far that he ought to have done so!

From that time the Duc du Maine would no longer hear talk of a woman who, without his knowledge, had cast him and his children into this abyss; andwhen at their release from prison, they were permitted to write and sendmessages to each other, he would receive nothing from her, or give anysigns of life. Madame du Maine, on her side, pretended to be afflictedat this treatment; admitting, nevertheless, that she had acted wrongfullytowards her husband in implicating him without his knowledge in herschemes. They were at this point when they were allowed to come nearParis. M. Du Maine went to live at Clagny, a chateau near Versailles, built for Madame de Montespan. Madame du Maine went to Sceaux. Theycame separately to see M. Le Duc d'Orleans at Paris, without sleepingthere; both played their parts, and as the Abbe Dubois judged the timehad come to take credit to himself in their eyes for finishing theirdisgrace, he easily persuaded M. Le Duc d'Orleans to, appear convinced ofthe innocence of M. Du Maine. 

During their stay in the two country-houses above named, where they sawbut little company, Madame du Maine made many attempts at reconciliationwith her husband, which he repelled. This farce lasted from the month ofJanuary (when they arrived at Sceaux and at Clagny) to the end of July. Then they thought the game had lasted long enough to be put an end to. They had found themselves quit of all danger so cheaply, and counted somuch upon the Abbe Dubois, that they were already thinking of returningto their former considerations; and to work at this usefully, they mustbe in a position to see each other, and commence by establishingthemselves in Paris, where they would of necessity live together. 

The sham rupture had been carried to this extent, that the two sons ofthe Duc du Maine returned from Eu to Clagny a few days after him, did notfor a long time go and see Madame du Maine, and subsequently saw her butrarely, and without sleeping under her roof. 

At last a resolution being taken to put an end to the comedy, this is howit was terminated by another. 

Madame la Princesse made an appointment with the Duc du Maine, atVaugirard on the last of July, and in the house of Landais, treasurer ofthe artillery. She arrived there a little after him with the Duchesse duMaine, whom she left in her carriage. She said to M. Du Maine she hadbrought a lady with her who much desired to see him. The thing was notdifficult to understand; the piece had been well studied. The Duchessedu Maine was sent for. The apparent reconcilement took place. The threewere a long time together. To play out the comedy, M. And Madame duMaine still kept apart, but saw and approached each other by degrees, until at last the former returned to Sceaux, and lived with his wife asbefore. 

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He was often firm in promises