26 Mae Darling 



Biauzat says, by those " who were suspiciously interested " in the 

 matter, until finally " a multitude of hats were raised, signifying 

 a desire to have the letters read." One of the assistants of the 

 dean had advanced to read them, but at this point Biauzat, ac- 

 cording to his own account, interfered. " I shouted louder than 

 the spokesman," he says, " asking permission to speak. I was 

 excited and that helped to produce silence." He then addressed 

 his colleagues, expressing his suspicion of the letters-** and urging 

 the deputies not to recognize these letters, addressed to them as 

 a separate order, when the assembly had already virtually declared 

 itself an unorganized body of deputies and had denied that it was 

 an "order" of the states general. Biauzat argued that the read- 

 ing of the letters, aside from being dangerous, would be useless, 

 since, to be consistent with their previous decision, they could 

 take no action in regard to their contents. He was successful in 

 convincing the deputies of the wisdom of his attitude and the 

 letters remained unopened. Thus the third estate, by refusing to 

 recognize these letters addressed {o it as an order of the states 

 general, had emphasized its position as an unorganized body of 

 deputies, waiting for their absent colleagues.-^ 



After this incident, according to Biauzat, Malouet again 

 brought up the proposition to send a deputation to the other 

 orders to invite them to join the third estate. He warned the 

 deputies that by taking too radical a position, they were in danger 

 of setting fire to Paris and all France." Again Mirabeau ob- 

 jected, urging the assembly to adopt a policy of absolute in- 

 activity,^^ and then Biauzat, according to his own account, pro- 



20 Biauzat (II, 34) says: " Plusieurs disaient avoir apergu dans differents 

 mouvements funestes, des tentatives qui avaient eu pour but de jeter la 

 pomme de discord entre les Frangais; qu'il faillait craindre de trouver 

 ce fruit empoisonne dans ces lettres." 



21 Biauzat, II, 24; Lettres du Conite de Mirabeau, No. 2, 17. Nothing 

 more was heard of the letters. 



22 Biauzat, II, 35. 



23 Biauzat, II, 35 ; Lettres du Comte de Mirabeau, No. i, 12. Mirabeau 

 explains why inactivity on the part of the third estate was the wise policy 

 to adopt, but he does not say that he made a speech at this time. How- 

 ever, since he was so earnest in his attempt to persuade the assembly to 



228 



