and which was of good augury to me.  The Chief-President, insolently crest-fallen, the other presidents disconcerted, and attentive to all, furnished me the most agreeable spectacle.  The simply curious (among which I rank those who had no vote) appeared to me not less surprised (but without the bewilderment of the others), calmly surprised; in a word, everybody showed much expectation and desire to divine what had passed at the Council.

I had but little leisure for this examination, for the King immediately arrived.  The hubbub which followed his entrance, and which lasted until his Majesty and all who accompanied him were in their places, was another singularity.  Everybody sought to penetrate the Regent, the Keeper of the Seals, and the principal personages.  The departure of the bastards from the cabinet of the Council had redoubled attention, but everybody did not know of that departure; now everybody perceived their absence.  The consternation of the Marechals—­of their senior—­(the governor of the King) was evident.  It augmented the dejection of the Chief-President, who not seeing his master the Duc du Maine, cast a terrible glance upon M. de Sully and me, who exactly occupied the places of the two brothers.  In an instant all the eyes of the assembly were cast, at the same time, upon us; and I remarked that the meditativeness and expectation increased in every face.  That of the Regent had an air of gentle but resolute majesty completely new to it, his eyes attentive, his deportment grave, but easy.  M. le Duc, sage, measured, but encircled by I know not what brilliancy, which adorned all his person and which was evidently kept down.  M. le Prince de Conti appeared dull, pensive, his mind far away perhaps.  I was not able during the sitting to see them except now and then, and under pretext of looking at the King, who was serious, majestic, and at the same time as pretty as can be imagined; grave, with grace in all his bearing, his air attentive, and not at all wearied, playing his part very well and without embarrassment.

When all was ready, Argenson, the Keeper of the Seals, remained some minutes at his desk motionless, looking down, and the fire which sprang from his eyes seemed to burn every breast.  An extreme silence eloquently announced the fear, the attention, the trouble, and the curiosity of all the expectants.  The Parliament, which under the deceased King had often summoned this same Argenson, and as lieutenant of police had often given him its orders, he standing uncovered at the bar of the house; the Parliament, which since the regency had displayed its ill-will towards him so far as to excite public remark, and which still detained prisoners and papers to vex him; this Chief President so superior to him, so haughty, so proud of his Duc du Maine; this Lamoignon, who had boasted he would have him hanged at his Chamber of justice, where he had so completely dishonoured himself:  this Parliament