Yet it was not all sunshine with this famous foreigner, for the sky above him was heavy with threatening clouds.  In the midst of the flourishing success of his Mississippi, it was discovered that there was a plot to kill him.  Thereupon sixteen soldiers of the regiment of the Guards were given to him as a protection to his house, and eight to his brother, who had come to Paris some little time before.

Law had other enemies besides those who were hidden.  He could not get on well with Argenson, who, as comptroller of the finances, was continually thrown into connection with him.  The disorder of the finances increased in consequence every day, as well as the quarrels between Law and Argenson, who each laid the blame upon the other.  The Scotchman was the best supported, for his manners were pleasing, and his willingness to oblige infinite.  He had, as it were, a finance tap in his hand, and he turned it on for every one who helped him.  M. le Duc, Madame la Duchesse, Tesse, Madame de Verue, had drawn many millions through this tap, and drew still.  The Abbe Dubois turned it on as he pleased.  These were grand supports, besides that of M. le Duc d’Orleans, who could not part with his favourite.

Argenson, on the contrary, was not much liked.  He had been at the head of the police so long that he could not shake off the habits he had acquired in that position:  He had been accustomed to give audiences upon all sorts of police matters at dead of night, or at the small hours of the morning, and he appeared to see no reason why he should not do the same now that he was Keeper of the Seals.  He irritated people beyond all bearing, by making appointments with them at these unreasonable hours, and threw into despair all who worked under him, or who had business with him.  The difficulty of the finances, and his struggles with Law, had thrown him into ill-humour, which extended through all his refusals.  Things, in fact, had come to such a pass, that it was evident one or the other must give up an administration which their rivalry threw into confusion.

Argenson saw the storm coming, and feeling the insecurity of his position, wished to save himself.  He had too much sense and too much knowledge of the world not to feel that if he obstinately clung to the finances he should not only lose them but the seals also.  He yielded therefore to Law, who was at last declared comptroller-general of the finances, and who, elevated to this (for him) surprising point, continued to visit me as usual every Tuesday morning, always trying to persuade me into belief of his past miracles, and of those to come.

Argenson remained Keeper of the Seals, and skilfully turned to account the sacrifice he had made by obtaining through it the permission to surrender his appointment of Chancellor of the Order of Saint-Louis to his eldest son, and the title, effectively, to his younger son.  His place of Conseiller d’Etat, that he had retained,—­he also gave to his eldest son, and made the other lieutenant of police.  The murmur was great upon seeing a foreigner comptroller-general, and all abandoned to a finance system which already had begun to be mistrusted.  But Frenchmen grow accustomed to everything, and the majority were consoled by being no longer exposed to the sharp humour of Argenson, or his strange hours of business.