kind as build, out of its tumultuous drift-wood, an Ark of Escape for him!  In these cases, not invitation but command has usually proved serviceable.—­The Queen stood, that evening, pensive, in a window, with her face turned towards the Garden.  The Chef de Gobelet had followed her with an obsequious cup of coffee; and then retired till it were sipped.  Her Majesty beckoned Dame Campan to approach:  “Grand Dieu!” murmured she, with the cup in her hand, “what a piece of news will be made public to-day!  The King grants States-General.”  Then raising her eyes to Heaven (if Campan were not mistaken), she added:  “’Tis a first beat of the drum, of ill-omen for France.  This Noblesse will ruin us.” (Campan, iii. 104, 111.)

During all that hatching of the Plenary Court, while Lamoignon looked so mysterious, Besenval had kept asking him one question:  Whether they had cash?  To which as Lamoignon always answered (on the faith of Lomenie) that the cash was safe, judicious Besenval rejoined that then all was safe.  Nevertheless, the melancholy fact is, that the royal coffers are almost getting literally void of coin.  Indeed, apart from all other things this ‘invitation to thinkers,’ and the great change now at hand are enough to ‘arrest the circulation of capital,’ and forward only that of pamphlets.  A few thousand gold louis are now all of money or money’s worth that remains in the King’s Treasury.  With another movement as of desperation, Lomenie invites Necker to come and be Controller of Finances!  Necker has other work in view than controlling Finances for Lomenie:  with a dry refusal he stands taciturn; awaiting his time.

What shall a desperate Prime Minister do?  He has grasped at the strongbox of the King’s Theatre:  some Lottery had been set on foot for those sufferers by the hailstorm; in his extreme necessity, Lomenie lays hands even on this. (Besenval, iii. 360.) To make provision for the passing day, on any terms, will soon be impossible.—­On the 16th of August, poor Weber heard, at Paris and Versailles, hawkers, ’with a hoarse stifled tone of voice (voix etouffee, sourde)’ drawling and snuffling, through the streets, an Edict concerning Payments (such was the soft title Rivarol had contrived for it):  all payments at the Royal Treasury shall be made henceforth, three-fifths in Cash, and the remaining two-fifths—­in Paper bearing interest!  Poor Weber almost swooned at the sound of these cracked voices, with their bodeful raven-note; and will never forget the effect it had on him. (Weber, i. 339.)

But the effect on Paris, on the world generally?  From the dens of Stock-brokerage, from the heights of Political Economy, of Neckerism and Philosophism; from all articulate and inarticulate throats, rise hootings and howlings, such as ear had not yet heard.  Sedition itself may be imminent!  Monseigneur d’Artois, moved by Duchess Polignac, feels called to wait upon her Majesty; and explain frankly what crisis matters stand in.  ‘The Queen wept;’ Brienne himself wept;—­for it is now visible and palpable that he must go.