me contracted, he hemmed, choked, fidgeted
about, and appeared as though he would have given every thing in the
world f or liberty to justify himself, but etiquette forbade it, and he
was only permitted to speak after the secretaries of state then present,
or if called upon by either of them.

When M. d'Aiguillon had ceased speaking, the chancellor in his turn took
up the conversation. M. de Maupeou was by nature cold and sarcastic,
delighting in annoying any person; but, on the present occasion, the
ill-nature inherent in him was still excited by the decided hatred he
bore to the unfortunate M. de Sartines. He began by saying, that
the conspiracy was evident, and was easily explained by the state of
exasperation in which the Jesuits and parliamentarians now were; both
orders looking for no other prospect of amendment in their condition
than such as might arise from some sudden convulsion of the kingdom. He
expressed his opinion of the necessity of instituting a rigorous
inquiry into the conduct of these two bodies; and then, turning to M. de
Sartines, whose cheek grew pale at the movement, he charged him to
lay before the council all those particulars which he must necessarily
possess as head of the police, either respecting the present plot, or
relating to any of the ancient members of parliament or the order of
Jesuits.

This was a dagger to the heart of M. de Sartines, who in vain sought
to frame a suitable reply: but what could he say? He did not in reality
possess any of the information for which he had received credit, and
after many awkward endeavours at explaining himself, he was compelled
frankly to confess, that he knew not a word more of the conspiracy than
he had just then heard.

It was now the turn of M. de la Vrilliere to speak. He also would fain
have attacked the unfortunate lieutenant of police; but, whether M. de
Maupeou thought that his own correction had been sufficiently strong,
or whether he begrudged any other person interfering with his vengeance
upon his personal foe, he abruptly interrupted the tirade of M. de
la Vrilliere, by observing, that a conspiracy conducted by only eight
persons might very possibly escape the eye of the police; but, furnished
as it now was with so many circumstances and particulars, it was
impossible that the plot should any longer defy their vigilant
researches.

M. d'Aiguillon fully concurred in this observation, and M. de Sartines,
recovered in some measure fr