and high repute
which my brother afterwards attained.

M. Corneman, the banker, who was at my brother's wedding, spoke to me at
considerable length on the great dearth of money, and asked me to discuss
the matter with the comptroller-general.

He told me that one might dispose of Government securities to an
association of brokers at Amsterdam, and take in exchange the securities
of any other country whose credit was higher than that of France, and
that these securities could easily be realized. I begged him to say no
more about it, and promised to see what I could do.

The plan pleased me, and I turned it over all night; and the next day I
went to the Palais Bourbon to discuss the question with M. de Bernis. He
thought the whole idea an excellent one, and advised me to go to Holland
with a letter from M. de Choiseul for M. d'Afri, the ambassador at the
Hague. He thought that the first person I should consult with M. de
Boulogne, with whom he warned me to appear as if I was sure of my ground.

"As you do not require money in advance," said he, "you will be able to
get as many letters of recommendation as you like."

The same day I went to the comptroller-general, who approved of my plan,
and told me that M. le Duc de Choiseul would be at the Invalides the next
day, and that I should speak to him at once, and take a letter he would
write for me.

"For my part," said he, "I will credit our ambassador with twenty
millions, and if, contrary to my hopes, you do not succeed, the paper can
be sent back to France."

I answered that there would be no question of the paper being returned,
if they would be content with a fair price.

"The margin will be a small one; however, you will hear about that from
the ambassador, who will have full instructions."

I felt so flattered by this mission that I passed the night in thinking
it over. The next day I went to the Invalides, and M. de Choiseul, so
famous for taking decisive action, had no sooner read M. de Boulogne's
letter and spoken a few words to me on the subject, than he got me to
write a letter for M. d'Afri, which he signed, sealed, returned to me,
and wished me a prosperous journey.

I immediately got a passport from M. de Berkenrode, and the same day took
leave of Madame Baletti and all my friends except Madame d'Urfe, with
whom I was to spend the whole of the next day. I gave my clerk at the
lottery office full authority to sign all tickets.

About a month before