The First Revolutionary Step 17 



estate were disappointed. They had considered this invitation 

 of such vast importance and they knew that in order to bring the 

 cures to the general hall it had to be done in the heat of enthusi- 

 asm, that some of them decided not to separate until they had 

 an answer from the clergy. But the attempt once more failed. 

 Had the clergy joined at this time, the outcome would probably 

 have been the same as later, namely the union of the three orders. 

 As it was, the invitation had the effect of stirring up more en- 

 thusiasm in favor of the cause of the third estate and also of 

 frightening the privileged classes, who appealed to the king for 

 assistance, and with some success, for the next day a letter 

 from him urged the three orders to renew the conciliatory con- 

 ferences in the presence of royal commissioners. 1 Thus while 

 the commons believed themselves on the point of escaping from 

 their embarrassments-^ nd of reaching a solution of the disputed 

 question, they saw themselves cast back into a series of inex- 

 tricable difficulties. Mirabeau wrote : "This letter has become 

 the object of the most important discussion which the commons 

 have had so far." 2 Some deputies favored the continuation of 

 the conferences, "but a great number of speakers, and especially 

 the Bretons," opposed further conferences. They gave two rea- 



gaise, XXIII, 454-55 : "Le tiers a paru persuade que tous les cures et 

 meme quelques eveques etaient decides a l'adopter- sans reserve et sans 

 delai ; on attendait d'un moment a l'autre une reponse favorable du clerge 

 et Ton etait resolu de ne pas se separer sans l'avoir recue. . . . Le tiers 

 est persuade que le haut clerge a cru prudent et convenable a ses principes 

 de gagner du temps. Cette ruse ne parait pas l'alarmer. II compte 

 d'autant plus stir la fermete des cures, qu'on leur a insinue que, s'ils varia- 

 ient dans leurs principes, ils feraient sagement de ne plus paraitre dans 

 leurs benefices. On espere que dans la seance de demain (May 28) la 

 reunion du clerge et du tiers sera arretee. Que cette reunion ait lieu ou 

 non, le parti du tiers parait pris sans retour; il se constitue tout de suite 

 en corps national et s'adresse seulement au roi pour commencer la tenue 

 des etats-generaux." 



^Recit, I, 42; Conrrier de Provence, Lettre VII, 2; Duquesnoy, I, 52-53; 

 Biauzat, II, 91. Biauzat says that during the night of May 27 to 28 from 

 twenty-five to thirty bishops met and agreed to ask the king to use his au- 

 thority or his influence in favor of the continuation of the conferences. 



'Courrier de Provence, Lettre VII, 3 : "Cette lettre est devenue l'objet de 

 la plus importante deliberation qu'aient encore debattee les communes ;" Du- 

 quesnoy, I, 53 ; La revolution francaisc, XXIII, 455-57. When a commit- 

 tee of the clergy announced to the commons that the king had sent a letter, 

 the writer says : "Pour se faire une idee de la surprise du tiers-etat et des 



VJ 



