ThenoblerelativesoftheCountd’Hornabsolutelyblockeduptheante-chambersoftheRegent，prayingformercyonthemisguidedyouth，andallegingthathewasinsane。TheRegentavoidedthemaslongaspossible，beingdeterminedthat，inacasesoatrocious，justiceshouldtakeitscourse；buttheimportunityoftheseinfluentialsuitorswasnottobeovercomesosilently，andtheyatlastforcedthemselvesintothepresenceoftheRegent，andprayedhimtosavetheirhousetheshameofapublicexecution。TheyhintedthatthePrincesd’HornwerealliedtotheillustriousfamilyofOrleans，andaddedthattheRegenthimselfwouldbedisgracedifakinsmanofhisshoulddiebythehandsofacommonexecutioner。TheRegent，tohiscredit，wasproofagainstalltheirsolicitations，andrepliedtotheirlastargumentinthewordsofCorneille，-
　　“Lecrimefaitlahonte，etnonpasl’echafaud:“
　　adding，thatwhatevershametheremightbeinthepunishmenthewouldverywillinglysharewiththeotherrelatives。Dayafterdaytheyrenewedtheirentreaties，butalwayswiththesameresult。AtlasttheythoughtthatiftheycouldinteresttheDukedeSt。Simonintheirlayout，amanforwhomtheRegentfeltsincereesteem，theymightsucceedintheirobject。TheDuke，athorougharistocrat，wasasshockedastheywere，thatanobleassassinshoulddiebythesamedeathasaplebeianfelon，andrepresentedtotheRegenttheimpolicyofmakingenemiesofsonumerous，wealthy，andpowerfulafamily。Heurged，too，thatinGermany，wherethefamilyofD’Aremberghadlargepossessions，itwasthelaw，thatnorelativeofapersonbrokenonthewheelcouldsucceedtoanypublicofficeoremployuntilawholegenerationhadpassedaway。ForthisreasonhethoughtthepunishmentoftheguiltyCountmightbetransmutedintobeheading，whichwasconsideredalloverEuropeasmuchlessinfamous。TheRegentwasmovedbythisargument，andwasabouttoconsent，whenLaw，whofeltpeculiarlyinterestedinthefateofthemurderedman，confirmedhiminhisformerresolution，toletthelawtakeitscourse。
　　TherelativesofD’Hornwerenowreducedtothelastextremity。
　　ThePrincedeRobecMontmorency，despairingofothermethods，foundmeanstopenetrateintothedungeonofthecriminal，andofferinghimacupofpoison，imploredhimtosavethemfromdisgrace。TheCountd’Hornturnedawayhishead，andrefusedtotakeit。Montmorencypressedhimoncemore，andlosingallpatienceathiscontinuedrefusal，turnedonhisheel，andexclaiming，“Die，then，asthouwilt，mean-spiritedwretch！thouartfitonlytoperishbythehandsofthehangman！“lefthimtohisfate。
　　D’HornhimselfpetitionedtheRegentthathemightbebeheaded，butLaw，whoexercisedmoreinfluenceoverhismindthananyotherperson，withtheexceptionofthenotoriousAbbeDubois，histutor，insistedthathecouldnotinjusticesuccumbtotheself-interestedviewsoftheD’Horns。TheRegenthadfromthefirstbeenofthesameopinion，andwithinsixdaysafterthecommissionoftheircrime，D’HornandMillewerebrokenonthewheelinthePlacedeGreve。Theotherassassin，Lestang，wasneverapprehended。
　　ThispromptandseverejusticewashighlypleasingtothepopulaceofParis；evenM。deQuincampoix，astheycalledLaw，cameinforashareoftheirapprobationforhavinginducedtheRegenttoshownofavourtoapatrician。Butthenumberofrobberiesandassassinationsdidnotdiminish。Nosympathywasshownforrichjobberswhentheywereplundered:thegenerallaxityofpublicmorals，conspicuousenoughbefore，wasrenderedstillmoresobyitsrapidpervasionofthemiddleclasses，whohadhithertoremainedcomparativelypure，betweentheopenvicesoftheclassaboveandthehiddencrimesoftheclassbelowthem。Theperniciousloveofgamblingdiffuseditselfthroughsociety，andboreallpublic，andnearlyallprivate，virtuebeforeit。
　　Foratime，whileconfidencelasted，animpetuswasgiventotrade，whichcouldnotfailtobebeneficial。InParis，especially，thegoodresultswerefelt。Strangersflockedintothecapitalfromeverypart，bent，notonlyuponmakingmoney，butonspendingit。TheDuchessofOrleans，motheroftheRegent，computestheincreaseofthepopulationduringthistime，fromthegreatinfluxofstrangersfromallpartsoftheworld，at305，000souls。Thehousekeeperswereobligedtomakeupbedsingarrets，kitchens，andevenstables，fortheaccommodationoflodgers；andthetownwassofullofcarriagesandvehiclesofeverydescription，thattheywereobligedintheprincipalstreetstodriveatafoot-paceforfearofaccidents。Theloomsofthecountryworkedwithunusualactivity，tosupplyrichlaces，silks，broad-cloth，andvelvets，whichbeingpaidforinabundantpaper，increasedinpricefour-fold。Provisionssharedthegeneraladvance；bread，meat，andvegetablesweresoldatpricesgreaterthanhadeverbeforebeenknown；whilethewagesoflabourroseinexactlythesameproportion。Theartisan，whoformerlygainedfifteensousperdiem，nowgainedsixty。Newhouseswerebuiltineverydirection；anillusoryprosperityshoneovertheland，andsodazzledtheeyesofthewholenationthatnonecouldseethedarkcloudonthehorizon，announcingthestormthatwastoorapidlyapproaching。
　　Lawhimself，themagicianwhosewandhadwroughtsosurprisingachange，shared，ofcourse，inthegeneralprosperity。Hiswifeanddaughterwerecourtedbythehighestnobility，andtheiralliancesoughtbytheheirsofducalandprincelyhouses。HeboughttwosplendidestatesindifferentpartsofFrance，andenteredintoanegotiationwiththefamilyoftheDukedeSullyforthepurchaseoftheMarquisateofRosny。Hisreligionbeinganobstacletohisadvancement，theRegentpromised，ifhewouldpubliclyconformtotheCatholicfaith，tomakehimcomptroller-generalofthefinances。Law，whohadnomorerealreligionthananyotherprofessedgambler，readilyagreed，andwasconfirmedbytheAbbedeTencininthecathedralofMelun，inpresenceofagreatcrowdofspectators。
　　[Thefollowingsquibwascirculatedontheoccasion:——
　　“Foindetonzeleseraphique，MalheureuxAbbedeTencin，DepuisqueLawestCatholique，ToutleroyaumeestCapucinThus，somewhatweaklyandparaphrasticallyrenderedbyJustansond，inhistranslationofthe“MemoirsofLouisXV:“——
　　“Tencin，acurseonthyseraphiczeal，WhichbypersuasionhathcontrivedthemeansTomaketheScotchmanatouraltarskneel，SincewhichweallarepoorasCapucines？]
　　OnthefollowingdayhewaselectedhonorarychurchwardenoftheparishofSt。Roch，uponwhichoccasionhemadeitapresentofthesumoffivehundredthousandlivres。Hischarities，alwaysmagnificent，werenotalwayssoostentatious。Hegaveawaygreatsumsprivately，andnotaleofrealdistresseverreachedhisearsinvain。
　　Atthistime，hewasbyfarthemostinfluentialpersonofthestate。TheDukeofOrleanshadsomuchconfidenceinhissagacity，andthesuccessofhisplans，thathealwaysconsultedhimuponeverymatterofmoment。Hewasbynomeansundulyelevatedbyhisprosperity，butremainedthesamesimple，affable，sensiblemanthathehadshownhimselfinadversity。Hisgallantry，whichwasalwaysdelightfultothefairobjectsofit，wasofanature，sokind，sogentlemanly，andsorespectful，thatnotevenalovercouldhavetakenoffenceatit。Ifuponanyoccasionheshowedanysymptomsofhaughtiness，itwastothecringingnobles，wholavishedtheiradulationuponhimtillitbecamefulsome。Heoftentookpleasureinseeinghowlonghecouldmakethemdanceattendanceuponhimforasinglefavour。TosuchofhisowncountrymenasbychancevisitedParis，andsoughtaninterviewwithhim，hewas，onthecontrary，allpolitenessandattention。WhenArchibaldCampbell，EarlofIslay，andafterwardsDukeofArgyle，calleduponhiminthePlaceVendome，hehadtopassthroughanante-chambercrowdedwithpersonsofthefirstdistinction，allanxioustoseethegreatfinancier，andhavetheirnamesputdownasfirstonthelistofsomenewsubscription。Lawhimselfwasquietlysittinginhislibrary，writingalettertothegardenerathispaternalestateofLauristonabouttheplantingofsomecabbages！TheEarlstayedforaconsiderabletime，playedagameofpiquetwithhiscountryman，andlefthim，charmedwithhisease，goodsense，andgoodbreeding。
　　Amongthenobleswho，bymeansofthepubliccredulityatthistime，gainedsumssufficienttorepairtheirruinedfortunes，maybementionedthenamesoftheDukesdeBourbon，deGuiche，delaForce[TheDukedelaForcegainedconsiderablesums，notonlybyjobbinginthestocks，butindealinginporcelain，spices，&c。ItwasdebatedforalengthoftimeintheParliamentofPariswhetherhehadnot，inhisqualityofspice-merchant，forfeitedhisrankinthepeerage。Itwasdecidedinthenegative。Acaricatureofhimwasmade，dressedasastreetporter，carryingalargebaleofspicesonhisback，withtheinscription，“AdmirezLaForce。“]，deChaulnes，andd’Antin；theMarechald’Estrees，thePrincesdeRohan，dePoix，anddeLeon。TheDukedeBourbon，sonofLouisXIVbyMadamedeMontespan，waspeculiarlyfortunateinhisspeculationsinMississippipaper。
　　HerebuilttheroyalresidenceofChantillyinastyleofunwontedmagnificence，and，beingpassionatelyfondofhorses，heerectedarangeofstables，whichwerelongrenownedthroughoutEurope，andimportedahundredandfiftyofthefinestracersfromEngland，toimprovethebreedinFrance。HeboughtalargeextentofcountryinPicardy，andbecamepossessedofnearlyallthevaluablelandslyingbetweentheOiseandtheSomme。
　　Whenfortunessuchastheseweregained，itisnowonderthatLawshouldhavebeenalmostworshippedbythemercurialpopulation。Neverwasmonarchmoreflatteredthanhewas。Allthesmallpoetsandlitterateursofthedaypouredfloodsofadulationuponhim。Accordingtothemhewasthesaviourofthecountry，thetutelarydivinityofFrance；witwasinallhiswords，goodnessinallhislooks，andwisdominallhisactions。Sogreatacrowdfollowedhiscarriagewheneverhewentabroad，thattheRegentsenthimatroopofhorseashispermanentescort，toclearthestreetsbeforehim。
　　Itwasremarkedatthistime，thatParishadneverbeforebeensofullofobjectsofeleganceandluxury。Statues，pictures，andtapestrieswereimportedingreatquantitiesfromforeigncountries，andfoundareadymarket。AllthoseprettytriflesinthewayoffurnitureandornamentwhichtheFrenchexcelinmanufacturing，werenolongertheexclusiveplay-thingsofthearistocracy，butweretobefoundinabundanceinthehousesoftradersandthemiddleclassesingeneral。JewelleryofthemostcostlydescriptionwasbroughttoParisasthemostfavourablemart。Amongtherest，thefamousdiamond，boughtbytheRegent，andcalledbyhisname，andwhichlongadornedthecrownofFrance。Itwaspurchasedforthesumoftwomillionsoflivres，undercircumstanceswhichshowthattheRegentwasnotsogreatagainerassomeofhissubjects，bytheimpetuswhichtradehadreceived。Whenthediamondwasfirstofferedtohim，herefusedtobuyit，althoughhedesired，aboveallthings，topossessit，allegingashisreason，thathisdutytothecountryhegovernedwouldnotallowhimtospendsolargeasumofthepublicmoneyforamerejewel。Thisvalidandhonourableexcusethrewalltheladiesofthecourtintoalarm，andnothingwasheardforsomedaysbutexpressionsofregret，thatsorareagemshouldbeallowedtogooutofFrance；noprivateindividualbeingrichenoughtobuyit。TheRegentwascontinuallyimportunedaboutit；butallinvain，untiltheDukedeSt。Simon，who，withallhisability，wassomethingofatwaddler，undertooktheweightybusiness。Hisentreaties，beingsecondedbyLaw，thegood-naturedRegentgavehisconsent，leavingtoLaw’singenuitytofindthemeanstopayforit。Theownertooksecurityforthepaymentofthesumoftwomillionsoflivreswithinastatedperiod，receiving，inthemeantime，theinterestoffivepercent。uponthatamount，andbeingallowed，besides，allthevaluableclippingsofthegem。St。Simon，inhisMemoirs，relates，withnolittlecomplacency，hisshareinthistransaction。Afterdescribingthediamondtobeaslargeasagreengage，ofaformnearlyround，perfectlywhite，andwithoutflaw，andweighingmorethanfivehundredgrains，heconcludeswithachuckle，bytellingtheworld，“thathetakesgreatcredittohimselfforhavinginducedtheRegenttomakesoillustriousapurchase。“Inotherwords，hewasproudthathehadinducedhimtosacrificehisduty，andbuyabaubleforhimself，atanextravagantprice，outofthepublicmoney。