It was at first deliberated whether or not to
arrest the whole body of Jesuits then in Paris, but this, although
the advice of M. d'Aiguillon, was by no means approved of by the
chancellor. M. de Sartines and M. de la Vrilliere were for
carrying the idea into execution, but the objections of M. de
Maupeou were too powerful to be overruled, and the scheme was for
the present abandoned. The chancellor maintained that the other
conspirators, warned of their own, danger by the seizure of their
friends, would either escape the vengeance of the laws by flight
or by close confinement in their houses; he greatly dreaded as
it was, that his foes, the parliamentarians, would avoid the
punishment he longed to inflict on them. Indeed, in his estimation,
it seemed as though every measure would be anticipated so long as
the female, who seemed so intimately acquainted with their design,
was at liberty; and this last opinion was unanimously concurred in.
All the delays greatly irritated me, and rendered my impatience
to witness the termination of the affair greater than it had ever
been. The stranger had promised to make her appearance on the
following day; it passed away, however, without my hearing anything
of her. On the day following she came; I immediately sent to
apprize M. d'Aiguillon, who, with M. de la Vrilliere and the
chancellor, entered my apartments ere the lady had had time to
commence the subject upon which she was there to speak.
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