de Villars spoke to each other now and then; both had irritated eyes and long faces.  Nobody was more composed than the Marechal de Tallard; but he could not hide an internal agitation which often peeped out.  The Marechal d’Estrees had a stupefied air, as though he saw nothing but a mist before him.  The Marechal de Besons, enveloped more than ordinarily in his big wig, appeared deeply meditative, his look cast down and angry.  Pelletier, very buoyant, simple, curious, looking at everything.  Torcy, three times more starched than usual, seemed to look at everything by stealth.  Effiat, meddlesome, piqued, outraged, ready to boil over, fuming at everybody, his look haggard, as it passed precipitously, and by fits and starts, from side to side.  Those on my side I could not well examine; I saw them only by moments as they changed their postures or I mine; and then not well or for long.  I have already spoken of the astonishment of the Duc de Guiche, and of the vexation and curiosity of the Duc de Noailles.  D’Antin, usually of such easy carriage, appeared to me as though in fetters, and quite scared.  The Marechal d’Huxelles tried to put a good face on the matter, but could not hide the despair which pierced him.  Old Troyes, all abroad, showed nothing but surprise and embarrassment, and did not appear to know where he was.

From the first moment of this reading and the departure of the bastards, everybody saw that something was in preparation against them.  What that something was to be, kept every mind in suspense.  A Bed of justice, too, prepared in secret, ready as soon as announced, indicated a strong resolution taken against the Parliament, and indicated also so much firmness and measure in a Prince, usually supposed to be entirely incapable of any, that every one was at sea.  All, according as they were allied to the Parliament or to the bastards, seemed to wait in fear what was to be proposed.  Many others appeared deeply wounded because the Regent had not admitted them behind the scenes, and because they were compelled to share the common surprise.  Never were faces so universally elongated; never was embarrassment more general or more marked.  In these first moments of trouble I fancy few people lent an ear to the letters the Keeper of the Seals was reading.  When they were finished, M. le Duc d’Orleans said he did not think it was worth while to take the votes one by one, either upon the contents of these letters or their registration; but that all would be in favour of commencing the Bed of justice at once.

After a short but marked pause, the Regent developed, in few words, the reasons which had induced the Council at its last sitting, to abrogate the decree of the Parliament.  He added, that judging by the conduct of that assembly, it would have been to jeopardise anew the King’s authority, to send for registration this act of abrogation to the Parliament, which would assuredly have given in public a proof of formal disobedience,