When everybody was in his place M. le Duc d’Orleans after having far a moment looked all around, every eye fixed upon him, said that he had assembled this Regency Council to hear read the resolutions adopted at the last; that he had come to the conclusion that there was no other means of obtaining the registration of the finance edict recently passed than that of holding a Bed of justice; that the heat rendering it unadvisable to jeopardise the King’s health in the midst of the crowd of the Palais de justice, he had thought it best to follow the example of the late King, who had sometimes sent for the Parliament to the Tuileries; that, as it had become necessary to hold this Bed of justice, he had thought it right to profit by the occasion, and register the ‘lettres de provision’ of the Keeper of the Seals at the commencement of the sitting; and he ordered the Keeper of the Seals to read them.

During this reading, which had no other importance than to seize an occasion of forcing the Parliament to recognize the Keeper of the Seals, whose person and whose commission they hated, I occupied myself in examining the faces.

I saw M. le Duc d’Orleans with an air of authority and of attention, so new that I was struck with it.  M. le Duc, gay and brilliant, appeared quite at his ease, and confident.  The Prince de Conti, astonished, absent, meditative, seemed to see nothing and to take part in nothing.  The Keeper of the Seals, grave and pensive, appeared to have too many things in his head; nevertheless, with bag, wax, and seals near him, he looked very decided and very firm.  The Duc de la Force hung his head, but examined on the sly the faces of us all.  Marechal Villeroy and Marechal 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.