law and rule had been wounded by the dispositions of the will, still more violated were they by those of the codicil, which left neither his life nor his liberty in safety, and placed the person of the King in the absolute dependence of those who had dared to profit by the feeble state of a dying monarch, to draw from him conditions he did not understand.  He concluded by declaring that the regency was impossible under such conditions, and that he doubted not the wisdom of the assembly would annul a codicil which could not be sustained, and the regulations of which would plunge France into the greatest and most troublesome misfortune.  Whilst this prince spoke a profound and sad silence applauded him without explaining itself.

The Duc du Maine became of all colours, and began to speak, this time being allowed to do so.  He said that the education of the King, and consequently his person, being confided to him, as a natural result, entire authority over his civil and military household followed, without which he could not properly serve him or answer for his person.  Then he vaunted his well-known attachment to the deceased King, who had put all confidence in him.

M. le Duc d’Orleans interrupted him at this word, and commented upon it.  M. du Maine wished to calm him by praising the Marechal de Villeroy, who was to assist him in his charge.  M. le Duc d’Orleans replied that it would be strange if the chief and most complete confidence were not placed in the Regent, and stranger still if he were obliged to live under the protection and authority of those who had rendered themselves the absolute masters within and without, and of Paris even, by the regiment of guards.

The dispute grew warm, broken phrases were thrown from one to the other, when, troubled about the end of an altercation which became indecent and yielding to the proposal that the Duc de la Force had just made me in front of the Duc de la Rochefoucauld, who sat between us, I made a sign with my hand to M. le Duc d’Orleans to go out and finish this discussion in another room leading out of the grand chamber and where there was nobody.  What led me to this action was that I perceived M. du Maine grew stronger, that confused murmurs for a division were heard, and that M. le Duc d’Orleans did not shine to the best advantage since he descended to plead his cause, so to speak, against that of the Duc du Maine.

M. le Duc d’Orleans was short-sighted.  He was entirely absorbed in attacking and repelling; so that he did not see the sign I made.  Some moments after I increased it, and meeting with no more success, rose, advanced some steps, and said to him, though rather distant, “Monsieur, if you passed into the fourth chamber with M. du Maine you could speak there more easily,” and advancing nearer at the same time I pressed him by a sign of the head and the eyes that he could distinguish.  He replied to me with another sign, and scarcely was I reseated