poundssterling。
　　Thehonestoldsoldier，MarshalVillars，wassovexedtoseethefollywhichhadsmittenhiscountrymen，thathenevercouldspeakwithtemperonthesubject。PassingonedaythroughthePlaceVendomeinhiscarriage，thecholericgentlemanwassoannoyedattheinfatuationofthepeople，thatheabruptlyorderedhiscoachmantostop，and，puttinghisheadoutofthecarriagewindow，haranguedthemforfullhalfanhourontheir“disgustingavarice。“Thiswasnotaverywiseproceedingonhispart。Hissesandshoutsoflaughterresoundedfromeveryside，andjokeswithoutnumberwereaimedathim。Therebeingatlaststrongsymptomsthatsomethingmoretangiblewasflyingthroughtheairinthedirectionofhishead，Marshalwasgladtodriveon。Heneveragainrepeatedtheexperiment。
　　Twosober，quiet，andphilosophicmenofletters，M。delaMotteandtheAbbeTerrason，congratulatedeachother，thatthey，atleast，werefreefromthisstrangeinfatuation。Afewdaysafterwards，astheworthyAbbewascomingoutoftheHoteldeSoissons，whitherhehadgonetobuysharesintheMississippi，whomshouldheseebuthisfriendLaMotteenteringforthesamepurpose。“Ha！“saidtheAbbe，smiling，“isthatyou？““Yes，“saidLaMotte，pushingpasthimasfastashewasable；“andcanthatbeyou？“Thenexttimethetwoscholarsmet，theytalkedofphilosophy，ofscience，andofreligion，butneitherhadcourageforalongtimetobreatheonesyllableabouttheMississippi。Atlast，whenitwasmentioned，theyagreedthatamanoughtnevertoswearagainsthisdoinganyonething，andthattherewasnosortofextravaganceofwhichevenawisemanwasnotcapable。
　　Duringthistime，Law，thenewPlutus，hadbecomeallatoncethemostimportantpersonageofthestate。Theante-chambersoftheRegentwereforsakenbythecourtiers。Peers，judges，andbishopsthrongedtotheHoteldeSoissons；officersofthearmyandnavy，ladiesoftitleandfashion，andeveryonetowhomhereditaryrankorpublicemploygaveaclaimtoprecedence，weretobefoundwaitinginhisante-chamberstobegforaportionofhisIndiastock。Lawwassopesteredthathewasunabletoseeone-tenthpartoftheapplicants，andeverymanoeuvrethatingenuitycouldsuggestwasemployedtogainaccesstohim。Peers，whosedignitywouldhavebeenoutragediftheRegenthadmadethemwaithalfanhourforaninterview，werecontenttowaitsixhoursforthechanceofseeingMonsieurLaw。Enormousfeeswerepaidtohisservants，iftheywouldmerelyannouncetheirnames。
　　Ladiesofrankemployedtheblandishmentsoftheirsmilesforthesameobject；butmanyofthemcamedayafterdayforafortnightbeforetheycouldobtainanaudience。WhenLawacceptedaninvitation，hewassometimessosurroundedbyladies，allaskingtohavetheirnamesputdowninhislistsasshareholdersinthenewstock，that，inspiteofhiswell-knownandhabitualgallantry，hewasobligedtotearhimselfawayparforce。Themostludicrousstratagemswereemployedtohaveanopportunityofspeakingtohim。Onelady，whohadstriveninvainduringseveraldays，gaveupindespairallattemptstoseehimathisownhouse，butorderedhercoachmantokeepastrictwatchwhenevershewasoutinhercarriage，andifhesawMr。Lawcoming，todriveagainstapost，andupsether。Thecoachmanpromisedobedience，andforthreedaystheladywasdrivenincessantlythroughthetown，prayinginwardlyfortheopportunitytobeoverturned。AtlastsheespiedMr。Law，and，pullingthestring，calledouttothecoachman，“Upsetusnow！forGod’ssake，upsetusnow！“Thecoachmandroveagainstapost，theladyscreamed，thecoachwasoverturned，andLaw，whohadseentheaccident，hastenedtothespottorenderassistance。
　　ThecunningdamewasledintotheHoteldeSoissons，whereshesoonthoughtitadvisabletorecoverfromherfright，and，afterapologizingtoMr。Law，confessedherstratagem。Lawsmiled，andenteredtheladyinhisbooksasthepurchaserofaquantityofIndiastock。AnotherstoryistoldofaMadamedeBoucha，who，knowingthatMr。Lawwasatdinneratacertainhouse，proceededthitherinhercarriage，andgavethealarmoffire。Thecompanystartedfromtable，andLawamongtherest；but，seeingoneladymakingallhasteintothehousetowardshim，whileeverybodyelsewasscamperingaway，hesuspectedthetrick，andranoffinanotherdirection。
　　Manyotheranecdotesarerelated，whicheven，thoughtheymaybealittleexaggerated，areneverthelessworthpreserving，asshowingthespiritofthatsingularperiod。[ThecuriousreadermayfindananecdoteoftheeagernessoftheFrenchladiestoretainLawintheircompany，whichwillmakehimblushorsmileaccordingashehappenstobeverymodestorthereverse。ItisrelatedintheLettersofMadameCharlotteElizabethdeBaviere，DuchessofOrleans，vol。ii。p。274。]
　　TheRegentwasonedaymentioning，inthepresenceofD’Argenson，theAbbeDubois，andsomeotherpersons，thathewasdesirousofdeputingsomelady，oftherankatleastofaDuchess，toattenduponhisdaughteratModena；“but，“addedhe，“Idonotexactlyknowwheretofindone。““No！“repliedone，inaffectedsurprise；“IcantellyouwheretofindeveryDuchessinFrance:——youhaveonlytogotoMr。
　　Law’s；youwillseethemeveryoneinhisante-chamber。“
　　M。deChirac，acelebratedphysician，hadboughtstockatanunluckyperiod，andwasveryanxioustosellout。Stock，howevercontinuedtofallfortwoorthreedays，muchtohisalarm。Hismindwasfilledwiththesubject，whenhewassuddenlycalledupontoattendalady，whoimaginedherselfunwell。Hearrived，wasshownupstairs，andfeltthelady’spulse。“Itfalls！itfalls！goodGod！itfallscontinually！“saidhe，musingly，whiletheladylookedupinhisface，allanxietyforhisopinion。“Oh！M。deChirac，“saidshe，startingtoherfeet，andringingthebellforassistance；“Iamdying！Iamdying！itfalls！itfalls！itfalls！““Whatfalls？“
　　inquiredthedoctor，inamazement。“Mypulse！mypulse！“saidthelady；“Imustbedying。““Calmyourapprehensions，mydearMadam，“
　　saidM。deChirac；“Iwasspeakingofthestocks。Thetruthis，Ihavebeenagreatloser，andmymindissodisturbed，IhardlyknowwhatI
　　havebeensaying。“
　　Thepriceofsharessometimesrosetenortwentypercent。inthecourseofafewhours，andmanypersonsinthehumblerwalksoflife，whohadrisenpoorinthemorning，wenttobedinaffluence。Anextensiveholderofstock，beingtakenill，senthisservanttoselltwohundredandfiftyshares，ateightthousandlivreseach，thepriceatwhichtheywerethenquoted。Theservantwent，and，onhisarrivalintheJardindeSoissons，foundthatintheintervalthepricehadrisentotenthousandlivres。Thedifferenceoftwothousandlivresonthetwohundredandfiftyshares，amountingto500，000livres，or2O，000poundssterling，heverycoollytransferredtohisownuse，and，givingtheremaindertohismaster，setoutthesameeveningforanothercountry。Law’scoachmaninaveryshorttimemademoneyenoughtosetupacarriageofhisown，andrequestedpermissiontoleavehisservice。Law，whoesteemedtheman，beggedofhimasafavour，thathewouldendeavour，beforehewent，tofindasubstituteasgoodashimself。Thecoachmanconsented，andintheeveningbroughttwoofhisformercomrades，tellingMr。Lawtochoosebetweenthem，andhewouldtaketheother。Cookmaidsandfootmenwerenowandthenaslucky，and，inthefull-blownprideoftheireasily-acquiredwealth，madethemostridiculousmistakes。Preservingthelanguageandmannersoftheirold，withthefineryoftheirnewstation，theyaffordedcontinualsubjectsforthepityofthesensible，thecontemptofthesober，andthelaughterofeverybody。Butthefollyandmeannessofthehigherranksofsocietywerestillmoredisgusting。Oneinstancealone，relatedbytheDukedeSt。Simon，willshowtheunworthyavaricewhichinfectedthewholeofsociety。AmanofthenameofAndre，withoutcharacteroreducation，had，byaseriesofwell-timedspeculationsinMississippibonds，gainedenormouswealth，inanincrediblyshortspaceoftime。
　　AsSt。Simonexpressesit，“hehadamassedmountainsofgold。“Ashebecamerich，hegrewashamedofthelownessofhisbirth，andanxiousaboveallthingstobealliedtonobility。Hehadadaughter，aninfantonlythreeyearsofage，andheopenedanegotiationwiththearistocraticandneedyfamilyofD’Oyse，thatthischildshould，uponcertainconditions，marryamemberofthathouse。TheMarquisd’Oyse，tohisshame，consented，andpromisedtomarryherhimselfonherattainingtheageoftwelve，ifthefatherwouldpayhimdownthesumofahundredthousandcrowns，andtwentythousandlivreseveryyear，untilthecelebrationofthemarriage。TheMarquiswashimselfinhisthirty-thirdyear。Thisscandalousbargainwasdulysignedandsealed，thestockjobberfurthermoreagreeingtosettleuponhisdaughter，onthemarriage-day，afortuneofseveralmillions。TheDukeofBrancas，theheadofthefamily，waspresentthroughoutthenegotiation，andsharedinalltheprofits。St。Simon，whotreatsthematterwiththelevitybecomingwhathethoughtsogoodajoke，adds，“thatpeopledidnotsparetheiranimadversionsonthisbeautifulmarriage，“andfurtherinformsus，“thattheprojectfelltothegroundsomemonthsafterwardsbytheoverthrowofLaw，andtheruinoftheambitiousMonsieurAndre。“Itwouldappear，however，thatthenoblefamilyneverhadthehonestytoreturnthehundredthousandcrowns。
　　Amideventslikethese，which，humiliatingthoughtheybe，partakelargelyoftheludicrous，othersoccurredofamoreseriousnature。
　　Robberiesinthestreetswereofdailyoccurrence，inconsequenceoftheimmensesums，inpaper，whichpeoplecarriedaboutwiththem。
　　Assassinationswerealsofrequent。OnecaseinparticularfixedtheattentionofthewholeofFrance，notonlyonaccountoftheenormityoftheoffence，butoftherankandhighconnexionsofthecriminal。
　　TheCountd’Horn，ayoungerbrotherofthePrinced’Horn，andrelatedtothenoblefamiliesofD’Aremberg，DeLigne，andDeMontmorency，wasayoungmanofdissipatedcharacter，extravaganttoadegree，andunprincipledashewasextravagant。Inconnexionwithtwootheryoungmenasrecklessashimself，namedMille，aPiedmontesecaptain，andoneDestampes，orLestang，aFleming，heformedadesigntorobaveryrichbroker，whowasknown，unfortunatelyforhimself，tocarrygreatsumsabouthisperson。TheCountpretendedadesiretopurchaseofhimanumberofsharesintheCompanyoftheIndies，andforthatpurposeappointedtomeethiminacabaret，orlowpublic-house，intheneighbourhoodofthePlaceVendome。Theunsuspectingbrokerwaspunctualtohisappointment；soweretheCountd’Hornandhistwoassociates，whomheintroducedashisparticularfriends。Afterafewmoments’conversation，theCountd’Hornsuddenlyspranguponhisvictim，andstabbedhimthreetimesinthebreastwithaponiard。Themanfellheavilytotheground，and，whiletheCountwasemployedinriflinghisportfolioofbondsintheMississippiandIndianschemestotheamountofonehundredthousandcrowns，Mille，thePiedmontese，stabbedtheunfortunatebrokeragainandagain，tomakesureofhisdeath。Butthebrokerdidnotfallwithoutastruggle，andhiscriesbroughtthepeopleofthecabarettohisassistance。Lestang，theotherassassin，whohadbeensettokeepwatchatastaircase，sprangfromawindowandescaped；butMilleandtheCountd’Hornwereseizedintheveryact。
　　Thiscrime，committedinopenday，andinsopublicaplaceasacabaret，filledPariswithconsternation。Thetrialoftheassassinscommencedonthefollowingday，andtheevidencebeingsoclear，theywerebothfoundguiltyandcondemnedtobebrokenaliveonthewheel。