Seated in my elevated place, and with nothing before me, I was able to glance over the whole assembly.  I did so at once, piercing everybody with my eyes.  One thing alone restrained me; it was that I did not dare to fix my eyes upon certain objects.  I feared the fire and brilliant significance of my looks at that moment so appreciated by everybody:  and the more I saw I attracted attention, the more anxious was I to wean curiosity by my discreetness.  I cast, nevertheless, a glittering glance upon the Chief-President and his friends, for the examination of whom I was admirably placed.  I carried my looks over all the Parliament, and saw there an astonishment, a silence, a consternation, such as I had not expected, 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.