France -- History -- Louis XVI, 1774-1793; France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799
The Parlement is not wanting, at such juncture. In the hour of
his extreme jeopardy, the lion first incites himself by roaring,
by lashing his sides. So here the Parlement of Paris. On the
motion of D’Espréménil, a most patriotic Oath, of the One-and-all
sort, is sworn, with united throat;—an excellent new-idea, which,
in these coming years, shall not remain unimitated. Next comes
indomitable Declaration, almost of the rights of man, at least of
the rights of Parlement; Invocation to the friends of French
Freedom, in this and in subsequent time. All which, or the
essence of all which, is brought to paper; in a tone wherein
something of plaintiveness blends with, and tempers, heroic
valour. And thus, having sounded the storm-bell,—which Paris
hears, which all France will hear; and hurled such defiance in
the teeth of Loménie and Despotism, the Parlement retires as from
a tolerable first day’s work.
But how Loménie felt to see his cockatrice-egg (so essential to
the salvation of France) broken in this premature manner, let
readers fancy! Indignant he clutches at his thunderbolts (_de
Cachet_, of the Seal); and launches two of them: a bolt for
D’Espréménil; a bolt for that busy Goeslard, whose service in the
Second Twentieth and “strict valuation” is not forgotten. Such
bolts clutched promptly overnight, and launched with the early
new morning, shall strike agitated Paris if not into
requiescence, yet into wholesome astonishment.
Ministerial thunderbolts may be launched; but if they do not
_hit?_ D’Espréménil and Goeslard, warned, both of them, as is
thought, by the singing of some friendly bird, elude the Loménie
Tipstaves; escape disguised through skywindows, over roofs, to
their own Palais de Justice: the thunderbolts have _missed_.
Paris (for the buzz flies abroad) is struck into astonishment
_not_ wholesome. The two martyrs of Liberty doff their disguises;
don their long gowns; behold, in the space of an hour, by aid of
ushers and swift runners, the Parlement, with its Counsellors,
Presidents, even Peers, sits anew assembled. The assembled
Parlement declares that these its two martyrs cannot be given up,
to any sublunary authority; moreover that the “session is
permanent,” admitting of no adjournment, till pursuit of them has
been relinquished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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