and to which he could not reply.  He was bewitched by Dubois, who panted to become Cardinal, and who built all his hopes of success upon England.  The English saw his ambition, and took advantage of it for their own interests.  Dubois’ aim was to make use of the intimacy between the King of England and the Emperor, in order that the latter might be induced by the former to obtain a Cardinalship from the Pope, over whom he had great power.  It will be seen, in due time, what success has attended the intrigues of the scheming and unscrupulous Abbe.

CHAPTER LXXXVII

Courson, Intendant, or rather King of Languedoc, exercised his authority there so tyrannically that the people suffered the most cruel oppressions at his hands.  He had been Intendant of Rouen, and was so hated that more than once he thought himself in danger of having his brains beaten out with stones.  He became at last so odious that he was removed; but the credit of his father saved him, and he was sent as Intendant to Bordeaux.  He was internally and externally a very animal, extremely brutal, extremely insolent, his hands by no means clean, as was also the case with those of his secretaries, who did all his work for him, he being very idle and quite unfit for his post.

Amongst other tyrannic acts he levied very violent and heavy taxes in Perigueux, of his own good will and pleasure, without any edict or decree of the Council; and seeing that people were not eager to satisfy his demands, augmented them, multiplied the expenses, and at last threw into dungeons some sheriffs and other rich citizens.  He became so tyrannical that they sent a deputation to Paris to complain of him.  But the deputies went in vain the round of all the members of the council of the regency, after having for two months kicked their heels in the ante-chamber of the Duc de Noailles, the minister who ought to have attended to their representations.

The Comte de Toulouse, who was a very just man, and who had listened to them, was annoyed that they could obtain no hearing of the Duc de, Noailles, and spoke to me on the subject.  I was as indignant as he.  I spoke to M. le Duc d’Orleans, who only knew the matter superficially.  I showed him the necessity of thoroughly examining into complaints of this nature; the injustice of allowing these deputies to wear out hope, patience, and life, in the streets of Paris, without giving some audience; the cruelty of suffering honest citizens to languish in dungeons, without knowing why or by what authority they were there.  He agreed with me, and promised to speak to the Duc de Noailles.  At the first finance council after this, I apprised the Comte de Toulouse, and we both asked the Duc de Noailles when he meant to bring forward the affair of these Perigueux people.

He was utterly unprepared for this question, and wished to put us off.  I said to him that for a long time some of these people had been in prison, and others had wandered the streets of Paris; that this was shameful, and could not be longer endured.  The Comte de Toulouse spoke very firmly, in the same sense.  M. le Duc d’Orleans arrived and took his place.