the House as usual, found
the doors shut and guarded, and a proclamation posted up for holding
a _seance royale_ on the 22nd, and a suspension of their meetings till
then. They presumed, in the first moment, that their dissolution
was decided, and repaired to another place, where they proceeded to
business. They there bound themselves to each other by an oath, never to
separate of their own accord, till they had settled a constitution for
the nation on a solid basis, and if separated by force, that they would
re-assemble in some other place. It was intimated to them, however, that
day, privately, that the proceedings of the _seance royale_ would be
favorable to them. The next day they met in a church, and were joined by
a majority of the Clergy. The heads of the aristocracy saw that all was
lost without some violent exertion. The King was still at Marly. Nobody
was permitted to approach him but their friends. He was assailed by lies
in all shapes. He was made to believe that the Commons were going to
absolve the army from their oath of fidelity to him, and to raise their
pay.

*****

They procured a committee to be held, consisting of the King and his
ministers, to which Monsieur and the Count d'Artois should be admitted.
At this committee, the latter attacked Mr. Necker personally, arraigned
his plans, and proposed one which some of his engines had put into his
hands. Mr. Necker, whose characteristic is the want of firmness, was
browbeaten and intimidated, and the King shaken. He determined that the
two plans should be deliberated on the next day, and the _seance royale_
put off a day longer. This encouraged a fiercer attack on Mr. Necker
the next day; his plan was totally dislocated, and that of the Count
d'Artois inserted into it. Himself and Monsieur de Montmorin offered
their resignation, which was refused; the Count d'Artois saying to
Mr. Necker, 'No, Sir, you must be kept as the hostage; we hold you
responsible for all the ill which shall happen.' This change of plan was
immediately whispered without doors. The nobility were in triumph, the
people in consternation. When the King passed, the next day, through the
lane they formed from the Chateau to the _Hotel des Etats_ (about half
a mile), there was a dead silence. He was about an hour in the House,
delivering his speech and declaration, copies of which I enclose you.
On his coming out, a feeble cry of 'Vive le Roy' was raised by some
children, but the people