THE DUKK DE MOUTEMAUTs ADMINISTRATION. 



cheval.' ( I believe, sire/ I replied, f that the moment is not far distant, 

 when you will be obliged to do so.' ' Nous verrons, nous verrons,' the 

 king rejoined as he gave me my leave. 



" I rejoined my company and remained constantly with it, sending 

 detachments wherever they were asked for. About three o'clock in 

 the afternoon I received a message from the Prince de Polignac, whom 

 I was greatly surprised to find at St. Cloud, requesting an interview. 

 M. de Polignac informed me that M. deX<emonville, and M. de Vitrolles 

 had come on a conciliatory mission, to announce that the composition 

 of a new ministry, of which M. de Mortemart should be the chief, 

 might lead to an arrangement. The king has, in consequence, decided 

 on naming you the chief of a new cabinet. Have the goodness, I 

 answered, to assure his majesty that I will defend him, at the head of 

 my company, with the last drop of my blood, but that I will not mix 

 myself with politics, and least of all in a matter like this. 



" With these words I left him, and without losing an instant took the 

 road to the yellow gate, which is the extremity of the Trocadero. I had 

 been told that the insurgents were about to attack it ; a part of my 

 company was already there for its defence, and I was desirous while 

 sharing their danger, to withdraw myself from the solicitations of M. 

 de Polignac. I had not yet reached the Porte Jaime, when I heard 

 myself called by several of the king's valets, who came running after 

 me to intimate to me that his majesty required my instant attendance 

 on his person. I obeyed with a groan. The king was quite changed, 

 not in physiogomy, for he never lost his tranquillity, but in sentiment. 

 ' You were right/ he said, ' the situation is more difficult than I thought 

 it this morning ; it is thought that a ministry, of which you should be 

 the chief, might arrange every thing ; I have named you.' ' I do not 

 think myself capable, sire/ I replied, ' of fulfilling your wishes ; I 

 beseech your majesty to choose some other person/ 



" The king did not accept my refusal : I insisted for a quarter of an 

 hour. He then drew a paper from his pocket, and said, ' Here is your 

 nomination counter-signed by M. de Chautelauze ; from this moment 

 you are minister for foreign affairs, and president of the Council.' I 

 refused to take the paper ; the king pressed it on me, and approached 

 me to place it in my hand ; I drew back several times, until I was 

 touching the tapestry. The king still followed me, and having put me 

 literally to the wall, while I kept my arms pressed against my body, 

 he put the paper into my girdle. I hastily withdrew it, to return it 

 to him. ( You refuse then, sir/ he said ' to save my crown and the 

 heads of my ministers !' ' I cannot resist such language as this, I keep 

 my nomination. But let not your majesty forget what I have now the 

 honour to say to you. If I succeed in re-establishing the royal authority 

 in Paris, it will only be by means of the most painful concessions which 

 necessity has exacted. I shall doubtless be made responsible for all 

 the consequences. If I fail in my negociation, I shall not be less 

 upbraided, and shall be but too happy if I be not called a traitor !' It 

 was thus that I was invested with the dignity of premier, which is 

 generally so much an object of envy and jealousy." 



Thus it appears that it was not until late in the day, on Thursday the 

 29th of July, that the king began to feel that his crown and the heads 

 of his ministers were in danger. He was still confident, however, that 

 all might be saved by recalling the Ordinances, and submitting to the 



