214 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book iv.

confiscated, has become ruinous. The order had foiu*millions of francs from France alone, of which onehalf went in expenses, chiefly in France; so that its nethere might be valued at one and a half. The Frenchconfiscation must soon have ruined you, without anysedition—nor was it I who ruined, but I am he whowould have prevented the rain of oui - order; for Iwouldhave reformed it, to be worthy of the glorious era webegin, of liberty and equality, and of the holy rights ofman. Papal bulls, electioneering broils and pecuniarydistresses,all diminished or ceasing, it is not quite im-possible but we might have found out how it might beemployed in some way not unworthy of the new-bornglories of our age.”—“ Hold yom- peace, most infa-mous Eansj at. Would that your eloquence could ex-cuse you ! But words cannot; not even yours. Nonecessity for hushing to hear the shouts and shotsoutside. They cry for om- blood, you know. Why,behold the Eussian ambassador who put his life ingreat danger in endeavouring to save an inn ocent,man from those revolutionary furies; nor did hesucceed, for they murdered several before his eyes . 1But it is revolution outside ; here we are shut in,and nearly every one of us armed. Why should wenot defend ourselves and the state ? The capitulationis all a sham. All on one side, as invalid for us, asunbinding on them. Who has signed it ? None of us but1 MS. Coll.