Meanwhile, abate or not, cash must be had; and for that quite another sort of Edicts, namely ‘bursal’ or fiscal ones.  How easy were fiscal Edicts, did you know for certain that the Parlement of Paris would what they call ‘register’ them!  Such right of registering, properly of mere writing down, the Parlement has got by old wont; and, though but a Law-Court, can remonstrate, and higgle considerably about the same.  Hence many quarrels; desperate Maupeou devices, and victory and defeat;—­a quarrel now near forty years long.  Hence fiscal Edicts, which otherwise were easy enough, become such problems.  For example, is there not Calonne’s Subvention Territoriale, universal, unexempting Land-tax; the sheet-anchor of Finance?  Or, to show, so far as possible, that one is not without original finance talent, Lomenie himself can devise an Edit du Timbre or Stamp-tax,—­borrowed also, it is true; but then from America:  may it prove luckier in France than there!

France has her resources:  nevertheless, it cannot be denied, the aspect of that Parlement is questionable.  Already among the Notables, in that final symphony of dismissal, the Paris President had an ominous tone.  Adrien Duport, quitting magnetic sleep, in this agitation of the world, threatens to rouse himself into preternatural wakefulness.  Shallower but also louder, there is magnetic D’Espremenil, with his tropical heat (he was born at Madras); with his dusky confused violence; holding of Illumination, Animal Magnetism, Public Opinion, Adam Weisshaupt, Harmodius and Aristogiton, and all manner of confused violent things:  of whom can come no good.  The very Peerage is infected with the leaven.  Our Peers have, in too many cases, laid aside their frogs, laces, bagwigs; and go about in English costume, or ride rising in their stirrups,—­in the most headlong manner; nothing but insubordination, eleutheromania, confused unlimited opposition in their heads.  Questionable:  not to be ventured upon, if we had a Fortunatus’ Purse!  But Lomenie has waited all June, casting on the waters what oil he had; and now, betide as it may, the two Finance Edicts must out.  On the 6th of July, he forwards his proposed Stamp-tax and Land-tax to the Parlement of Paris; and, as if putting his own leg foremost, not his borrowed Calonne’s-leg, places the Stamp-tax first in order.

Alas, the Parlement will not register:  the Parlement demands instead a ‘state of the expenditure,’ a ‘state of the contemplated reductions;’ ‘states’ enough; which his Majesty must decline to furnish!  Discussions arise; patriotic eloquence:  the Peers are summoned.  Does the Nemean Lion begin to bristle?  Here surely is a duel, which France and the Universe may look upon:  with prayers; at lowest, with curiosity and bets.  Paris stirs with new animation.  The outer courts of the Palais de Justice roll with unusual crowds, coming and going; their huge outer hum mingles with the clang of patriotic eloquence within, and gives vigour to it.  Poor Lomenie gazes from the distance, little comforted; has his invisible emissaries flying to and fro, assiduous, without result.