Versailles 141 



in the council, the Count d'Artois carries his point, Monsieur 

 Necker, the Count de Montmorin, and Monsieur de St. Priest will 

 resign ; in which case Monsieur Necker's return to power, and in 

 triumph, will inevitably happen. Such a turn, however, must 

 depend on events.— Evening — The Count d'Artois" plan accepted; 

 the king will declare it in his speech to-morrow. Monsieur 

 Necker demanded to resign, but was refused by the king. All 

 is now anxiet)^ to know what the plan is. 



2yd. The important day is over; in the morning Versailles 

 seemed filled with troops: the streets, about ten o'clock, were 

 lined with, the French guards and some Swiss regiments, etc. : 

 the hall of the states was surrounded and sentinels fixed in all the 

 passages and at the doors, and none but deputies admitted. 

 This military preparation was ill-judged, for it seemed admitting 

 the impropriety and unpopularity of the intended measure, and 

 the expectation, perhaps fear, of popular commotions. They 

 pronounced, before the king left the chateau, that his plan was 

 adverse to the people, from the military parade with which it was 

 ushered in. The contrary, however, proved to be the fact; the 

 propositions are known to all the world : the plan was a good one; 

 much was granted to the people in great and essential points; 

 and as it was granted before they had provided for those public 

 necessities of finance, which occasioned the states being called 

 together; and consequently left them at full power in future to 

 procure for the people all that opportunity might present, they 

 apparently ought to accept them, provided some security is given 

 for the future meetings of the states, without which all the rest 

 would be insecure; but as a little negoiiation may easily secure 

 this, I apprehend the deputies will accept them conditionally: 

 the use of soldiers, and some imprudencies in the manner of 

 forcing the king's system, relative to the interior constitution, 

 and assembling of the deputies, as well as the ill-blood which had 

 had time to brood for three days past in their minds, prevented 

 the commons from receiving the king with any expressions of 

 applause; the clergy, and some of the nobility, cried vive le Roi ! 

 but treble the number of mouths being silent took off all effect. 

 It seems they had previously determined to submit to no 

 violence: when the king was gone, and the clergy and nobility 

 retired, the j\Iarquis de Breze waiting a moment to see if they 

 meant to obey the king's express orders to retire also to another 

 chamber prepared for them, and perceiving that no one moved, 

 addressed them, — Messieurs, vous connoissez les intentions dii Roi. 

 A dead silence ensued; and then it was that superior talents 



