d be over
likewise.

In February, 1782, Franklin says that Mr. Morris supposes him to have a
sum "vastly greater than the fact," and has "given orders far beyond my
abilities to comply with." Franklin was regarded as a miraculous orange
which, if squeezed hard enough, would always yield juice! It could not
have been reassuring, either, to have one of the American agents at this
time ask to have 150,000 livres advanced to him _at once_; especially
since the frankly provident gentleman based his pressing haste upon the
avowed fear that, as business was going on, Franklin's embarrassments in
money matters were likely to increase.

February 13, 1782, Livingston wrote a letter which must have excited a
grim smile. He comforts himself, in making more "importunate demands,"
by reflecting that it is all _for the good of France!_ which thought, he
says, may enable Franklin to "press them with some degree of dignity."
Franklin's sense of humor was touched. That means, he says, that I am to
say to de Vergennes: "Help us, and we shall not be obliged to you." But
in some way or another, probably not precisely in this eccentric way, he
so managed it that in March he wheedled the French government into still
another and a large loan of 24,000,000 livres payable quarterly during
the year. March 9 he informs Morris "pretty fully of the state of our
funds here, by which you will be enabled so to regulate your drafts as
that our credit in Europe may not be ruined and your friend killed with
vexation."

He now engaged to pay all the drafts which Jay should send to him, so
that Jay could extricate himself honorably from those dread engagements
which had been giving that harassed gentleman infinite anxiety at
Madrid. Some of his acceptances had already gone to protest; but
Franklin soon took them all up. By the end of March he began to breathe
more freely; he had saved himself and his colleagues thus far and now he
hoped that the worst was over. He wrote to Morris: "Your promise that
after this month no more bills shall be drawn on me keeps up my spirits
and affords me the greatest satisfaction." By the following summer the
accounts between France and the States were in course of liquidation,
and Franklin called the attention of Livingston to the fact that the
king practically made the States a further present "to the value of near
two millions. These, added to the free gifts before made to us at
different times, form an object of at leas