It was indeed high time to do something, as I have before remarked.  The Parliament, we found, after passing its last decree, had named a commission to inquire into the financial edict; this commission was working in the utmost secrecy; a number of witnesses had already been examined, and preparations were quietly making to arrest Law some fine morning, and hang him three hours after within the enclosure of the Palais de justice.

Immediately this fact became known, the Duc de la Force and Fagon (Councillor of State) went to the Regent—­’twas on the 19th of August, 1718—­and spoke to him with such effect, that he ordered them to assemble with Law that very day at my house in order to see what was to be done.  They came, in fact, and this was the first intimation I had that the Regent had begun to feel the gravity of his position, and that he was ready to do something.  In this conference at my house the firmness of Law, hitherto so great, was shaken so that tears escaped him.  Arguments did not satisfy us at first, because the question could only be decided by force, and we could not rely upon that of the Regent.  The safe-conduct with which Law was supplied would not have stopped the Parliament an instant.  On every side we were embarrassed.  Law, more dead than alive, knew not what to say; much less what to do.  His safety appeared to us the most pressing matter to ensure.  If he had been taken it would have been all over with him before the ordinary machinery of negotiation (delayed as it was likely to be by the weakness of the Regent) could have been set in motion; certainly, before there would have been leisure to think of better, or to send a regiment of guards to force open the Palais de justice; a critical remedy at all times, and grievous to the last degree, even when it succeeds; frightful, if instead of Law, only his suspended corpse had been found!

I advised Law, therefore, to retire to the Palais Royal, and occupy the chamber of Nancre, his friend, then away in Spain.  Law breathed again at this suggestion (approved by de la Force and Fagon), and put it in execution the moment he left my house.  He might have been kept in safety at the Bank, but I thought the Palais Royal would be better:  that his retirement there would create more effect, and induce the Regent to hold firm to his purpose, besides allowing his Royal Highness to see the financier whenever he pleased.

CHAPTER XCI

This done I proposed, and the others approved my proposition, that a Bed of Justice should be held as the only means left by which the abrogation of the parliamentary decrees could be registered.  But while our arguments were moving, I stopped them all short by a reflection which came into my mind.  I represented to my guests that the Duc du Maine was in secret the principal leader of the Parliament, and was closely allied with Marechal de Villeroy; that both would oppose might