And here I must remark, that this prince, avaricious as he naturally
was, was yet always ready to perform a good action, and, indeed,
in this respect, he possessed many excellent qualities to which no
one has ever yet done justice.
When I next saw the chancellor--"Do you know, my fair cousin,"
said he, "that if I wished to set you and the parliament quarreling
together I need only just whisper in what manner you treat our laws?"
"Your laws," exclaimed I, "are barbarous edicts, made rather for
tigers than for men. Your punishments are atrocious, nor do I
see their application to correct a single malefactor; particularly
in the case of this young girl it is abominable, and if the king
would listen to me such savage edicts should not long remain unrepealed."
"That may do very well," replied M. de Maupeou, "some time hence,
but not just now; ere our penal code can be revised we must have
magistrates more supple than those who now dispute our slightest
innovation; and if, by the grace of God, we can manage to make a clear
house of them, why we may confidently anticipate the noblest results."
By these and similar insinuations the chancellor bespoke that aid
and assistance which I afterwards so largely rendered him when he
commenced the ruin of parliaments.
Upon another occasion my credit and influence were employed with
equal success. The objects of my present exertions were the
comte and comtesse de Louerne.
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