it. Deputation of them arrives, with dolorous
message about the 'dearth of grains,' and the necessity there is of
casting aside vain formalities, and deliberating on this. An insidious
proposal; which, however, the Commons (moved thereto by seagreen
Robespierre) dexterously accept as a sort of hint, or even pledge,
that the Clergy will forthwith come over to them, constitute
the States-General, and so cheapen grains! (Bailly, Memoires, i.
114.)--Finally, on the 27th day of May, Mirabeau, judging the time
now nearly come, proposes that 'the inertia cease;' that, leaving the
Noblesse to their own stiff ways, the Clergy be summoned, 'in the
name of the God of Peace,' to join the Commons, and begin. (Histoire
Parlementaire, i. 413.) To which summons if they turn a deaf ear,--we
shall see! Are not one Hundred and Forty-nine of them ready to desert?

O Triumvirate of Princes, new Garde-des-Sceaux Barentin, thou
Home-Secretary Breteuil, Duchess Polignac, and Queen eager to
listen,--what is now to be done? This Third Estate will get in
motion, with the force of all France in it; Clergy-machinery with
Noblesse-machinery, which were to serve as beautiful counter-balances
and drags, will be shamefully dragged after it,--and take fire along
with it. What is to be done? The Oeil-de-Boeuf waxes more confused than
ever. Whisper and counter-whisper; a very tempest of whispers! Leading
men from all the Three Orders are nightly spirited thither; conjurors
many of them; but can they conjure this? Necker himself were now
welcome, could he interfere to purpose.

Let Necker interfere, then; and in the King's name! Happily that
incendiary 'God-of-Peace' message is not yet answered. The Three Orders
shall again have conferences; under this Patriot Minister of theirs,
somewhat may be healed, clouted up;--we meanwhile getting forward Swiss
Regiments, and a 'hundred pieces of field-artillery.' This is what the
Oeil-de-Boeuf, for its part, resolves on.

But as for Necker--Alas, poor Necker, thy obstinate Third Estate has
one first-last word, verification in common, as the pledge of voting and
deliberating in common! Half-way proposals, from such a tried friend,
they answer with a stare. The tardy conferences speedily break up;
the Third Estate, now ready and resolute, the whole world backing
it, returns to its Hall of the Three Orders; and Necker to the
Oeil-de-Boeuf, with the character of a disconjured conjuror there--fit
only for dismissal.