It was not long ere the duc
d'Aiguillon arrived; he had seen M. de Maupeou during the night,
and learned from him the exile of the late minister, but beyond
that fact he knew nothing. He inquired of me, with much uneasiness,
whether anything had been decided in his behalf. I replied, that
the king was as yet undecided in his choice of ministers, but
that, if the duc d'Aiguillon came into office, he would, in all
probability, be nominated to the administration of foreign affairs:
the direction of the war-office had been my noble friend's
ardent desire.
Whilst we were thus conversing together on the 24th of December,
1770, eleven o'clock struck; and we could, from the windows,
perceive M. de la Vrilliere taking his way towards that part of
the building occupied by M. de Choiseul when at the castle. This
latter was in conversation with M. Conzie, bishop of Arras, when
the arrival of the duc de la Vrilliere, bearing the king's commands,
was signified to him. The prelate, not doubting but the mission
related to affairs of importance, took his leave; de la Vrilliere
then presented the
, accompanying it with some
remarks of his own upon the talents of the minister, and his regret
at being selected for so unpleasant an office. "A truce to your
feigned regrets, my lord duke," replied the disgraced minister,
sarcastically, "I am well assured my dismissal could not have been
brought me by hands more ready to discharge the trust than yours.
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