Onthesamedaythe27thofMaythebankstoppedpaymentinspecie。LawandD’Argensonwerebothdismissedfromtheministry。Theweak，vacillating，andcowardlyRegentthrewtheblameofallthemischiefuponLaw，who，uponpresentinghimselfatthePalaisRoyal，wasrefusedadmitance。Atnightfall，however，hewassentfor，andadmittedintothepalacebyasecretdoor，[Duclos，MemoiresSecretsdelaRegence。]whentheRegentendeavouredtoconsolehim，andmadeallmannerofexcusesfortheseveritywithwhichinpublichehadbeencompelledtotreathim。Socapriciouswashisconduct，that，twodaysafterwards，hetookhimpubliclytotheopera，wherehesatintheroyalbox，alongsideoftheRegent，whotreatedhimwithmarkedconsiderationinfaceofallthepeople。ButsuchwasthehatredagainstLawthattheexperimenthadwellnighprovedfataltohim。Themobassailedhiscarriagewithstonesjustashewasenteringhisowndoor；andifthecoachmanhadnotmadeasuddenjerkintothecourt-yard，andthedomesticsclosedthegateimmediately，hewould，inallprobability，havebeendraggedoutandtorntopieces。Onthefollowingday，hiswifeanddaughterwerealsoassailedbythemobastheywerereturningintheircarriagefromtheraces。WhentheRegentwasinformedoftheseoccurrenceshesentLawastrongdetachmentofSwissguards，whowerestationednightanddayinthecourtofhisresidence。Thepublicindignationatlastincreasedsomuch，thatLaw，findinghisownhouse，evenwiththisguard，insecure，tookrefugeinthePalaisRoyal，intheapartmentsoftheRegent。
　　TheChancellor，D’Aguesseau，whohadbeendismissedin1718forhisoppositiontotheprojectsofLaw，wasnowrecalledtoaidintherestorationofcredit。TheRegentacknowledgedtoolate，thathehadtreatedwithunjustifiableharshnessandmistrustoneoftheablest，andperhapsthesolehonestpublicmanofthatcorruptperiod。Hehadretiredeversincehisdisgracetohiscountry-houseatFresnes，where，inthemidstofseverebutdelightfulphilosophicstudies，hehadforgottentheintriguesofanunworthycourt。Lawhimself，andtheChevalierdeConflans，agentlemanoftheRegent’shousehold，weredespatchedinapost-chaise，withorderstobringtheex-chancellortoParisalongwiththem。D’Aguesseauconsentedtorenderwhatassistancehecould，contrarytotheadviceofhisfriends，whodidnotapprovethatheshouldacceptanyrecalltoofficeofwhichLawwasthebearer。OnhisarrivalinParis，fivecounsellorsoftheParliamentwereadmittedtoconferwiththeCommissaryofFinance，andonthe1stofJuneanorderwaspublished，abolishingthelawwhichmadeitcriminaltoamasscointotheamountofmorethanfivehundredlivres。
　　Everyonewaspermittedtohaveasmuchspecieashepleased。Inorderthatthebank-notesmightbewithdrawn，twenty-fivemillionsofnewnoteswerecreated，onthesecurityoftherevenuesofthecityofParis，attwo-and-a-halfpercent。Thebank-noteswithdrawnwerepubliclyburnedinfrontoftheHoteldeVille。Thenewnoteswereprincipallyofthevalueoftenlivreseach；andonthe10thofJunethebankwasre-opened，withasufficiencyofsilvercointogiveinchangeforthem。
　　Thesemeasureswereproductiveofconsiderableadvantage。AllthepopulationofParishastenedtothebank，togetcoinfortheirsmallnotes；andsilverbecomingscarce，theywerepaidincopper。Veryfewcomplainedthatthiswastooheavy，althoughpoorfellowsmightbecontinuallyseentoilingandsweatingalongthestreets，ladenwithmorethantheycouldcomfortablycarry，intheshapeofchangeforfiftylivres。Thecrowdsaroundthebankweresogreat，thathardlyadaypassedthatsomeonewasnotpressedtodeath。Onthe9thofJuly，themultitudewassodenseandclamorousthattheguardsstationedattheentranceoftheMazarinGardensclosedthegate，andrefusedtoadmitanymore。Thecrowdbecameincensed，andflungstonesthroughtherailingsuponthesoldiers。Thelatter，incensedintheirturn，threatenedtofireuponthepeople。Atthatinstantoneofthemwashitbyastone，and，takinguphispiece，hefiredintothecrowd。
　　Onemanfelldeadimmediately，andanotherwasseverelywounded。Itwaseveryinstantexpectedthatageneralattackwouldhavebeencommenceduponthebank；butthegatesoftheMazarinGardensbeingopenedtothecrowd，whosawawholetroopofsoldiers，withtheirbayonetsfixed，readytoreceivethem，theycontentedthemselvesbygivingventtotheirindignationingroansandhisses。
　　Eightdaysafterwardstheconcourseofpeoplewassotremendous，thatfifteenpersonsweresqueezedtodeathatthedoorsofthebank。
　　Thepeopleweresoindignantthattheytookthreeofthebodiesonstretchersbeforethem，andproceeded，tothenumberofsevenoreightthousand，tothegardensofthePalaisRoyal，thattheymightshowtheRegentthemisfortunesthatheandLawhadbroughtuponthecountry。
　　Law’scoachman，whowassittingontheboxofhismaster’scarriage，inthecourt-yardofthepalace，happenedtohavemorezealthandiscretion，and，notlikingthatthemobshouldabusehismaster，hesaid，loudenoughtobeoverheardbyseveralpersons，thattheywereallblackguards，anddeservedtobehanged。Themobimmediatelysetuponhim，and，thinkingthatLawwasinthecarriage，brokeittopieces。Theimprudentcoachmannarrowlyescapedwithhislife。Nofurthermischiefwasdone；abodyoftroopsmakingtheirappearance，thecrowdquietlydispersed，afteranassurancehadbeengivenbytheRegentthatthethreebodiestheyhadbroughttoshowhimshouldbedecentlyburiedathisownexpense。TheParliamentwassittingatthetimeofthisuproar，andthePresidenttookuponhimselftogooutandseewhatwasthematter。Onhisreturnheinformedthecouncillors，thatLaw’scarriagehadbeenbrokenbythemob。Allthemembersrosesimultaneously，andexpressedtheirjoybyaloudshout，whileoneman，morezealousinhishatredthantherest，exclaimed，“AndLawhimself，ishetorntopieces？“
　　[TheDuchessofOrleansgivesadifferentversionofthisstory；butwhicheverbethetrueone，themanifestationofsuchfeelinginalegislativeassemblywasnotverycreditable。Shesays，thatthePresidentwassotransportedwithjoy，thathewasseizedwitharhymingfit，and，returningintothehall，exclaimedtothemembers:——
　　“Messieurs！Messieurs！bonnenouvelle！
　　LecarfossedeLassestreduitencanelle！“]
　　MuchundoubtedlydependedonthecreditoftheCompanyoftheIndies，whichwasanswerableforsogreatasumtothenation。Itwas，therefore，suggestedinthecounciloftheministry，thatanyprivilegeswhichcouldbegrantedtoenableittofulfilitsengagements，wouldbeproductiveofthebestresults。Withthisendinview，itwasproposedthattheexclusiveprivilegeofallmaritimecommerceshouldbesecuredtoit，andanedicttothateffectwaspublished。Butitwasunfortunatelyforgottenthatbysuchameasureallthemerchantsofthecountrywouldberuined。Theideaofsuchanimmenseprivilegewasgenerallyscoutedbythenation，andpetitiononpetitionwaspresentedtotheParliament，thattheywouldrefusetoregisterthedecree。Theyrefusedaccordingly，andtheRegent，remarkingthattheydidnothingbutfantheflameofsedition，exiledthemtoBlois。AttheintercessionofD’Aguesseau，theplaceofbanishmentwaschangedtoPontoise，andthitheraccordinglythecouncillorsrepaired，determinedtosettheRegentatdefiance。Theymadeeveryarrangementforrenderingtheirtemporaryexileasagreeableaspossible。ThePresidentgavethemostelegantsuppers，towhichheinvitedallthegayestandwittiestcompanyofParis。Everynighttherewasaconcertandballfortheladies。Theusuallygraveandsolemnjudgesandcouncillorsjoinedincardsandotherdiversions，leadingforseveralweeksalifeofthemostextravagantpleasure，fornootherpurposethantoshowtheRegentofhowlittleconsequencetheydeemedtheirbanishment，andthatwhentheywilledit，theycouldmakePontoiseapleasanterresidencethanParis。
　　OfallthenationsintheworldtheFrencharethemostrenownedforsingingovertheirgrievances。Ofthatcountryithasbeenremarkedwithsometruth，thatitswholehistorymaybetracedinitssongs。WhenLaw，bytheutterfailureofhisbest-laidplans，renderedhimselfobnoxious，satireofcourseseizedholduponhim，and，whilecaricaturesofhispersonappearedinalltheshops，thestreetsresoundedwithsongs，inwhichneitherhenortheRegentwasspared。
　　Manyofthesesongswerefarfromdecent；andoneoftheminparticularcounselledtheapplicationofallhisnotestothemostignobleusetowhichpapercanbeapplied。Butthefollowing，preservedinthelettersoftheDuchessofOrleans，wasthebestandthemostpopular，andwastobeheardformonthsinallthecarrefoursofParis。Theapplicationofthechorusishappyenough:——
　　AussitotqueLassarrivaDansnotrebonneville，MonsieurleRegentpubliaQueLassseraitutilePourretablirlanation。
　　Lafaridondaine！lafaridondon。
　　Maisilnousatousenrich！，Biribi！
　　AlafacondeBarbari，Mortami！
　　Ceparpaillot，pourattirerToutl’argentdelaFrance，Songead’abordas’assurerDenotreconfiance。
　　Ilfitsonabjuration。
　　Lafaridondaine！lafaridondon！
　　Maislefourbes’estconverti，Biribi！
　　AlafacondeBarbari，Monami！
　　Lass，lefilsainedeSatanNousmettousal’aumone，IlnousapristoutnotreargentEtn’enrendapersonne。
　　MaisleRegent，humainetbon，Lafaridondaine！lafaridondon！
　　Nousrendracequ’onnousapris，Biribi！
　　AlafacondeBarbari，Monami！
　　Thefollowingsmartepigramisofthesamedate:——
　　Lundi，j’achetaidesactions；
　　Mardi，jegagnaidesmillions；
　　Mercredi，j’arrangeaimonmenage，Jeudi，jeprisunequipage，Vendredi，jem’enfusaubal，EtSamedi，al’Hopital。
　　Amongthecaricaturesthatwereabundantlypublished，andthatshowedasplainlyasgravermatters，thatthenationhadawakenedtoasenseofitsfolly，wasone，afac-simileofwhichispreservedinthe“MemoiresdelaRegence。“Itwasthusdescribedbyitsauthor:“The’GoddessofShares，’inhertriumphalcar，drivenbytheGoddessofFolly。ThosewhoaredrawingthecarareimpersonationsoftheMississippi，withhiswoodenleg，theSouthSea，theBankofEngland，theCompanyoftheWestofSenegal，andofvariousassurances。Lestthecarshouldnotrollfastenough，theagentsofthesecompanies，knownbytheirlongfox-tailsandtheircunninglooks，turnroundthespokesofthewheels，uponwhicharemarkedthenamesoftheseveralstocks，andtheirvalue，sometimeshighandsometimeslow，accordingtotheturnsofthewheel。Uponthegroundarethemerchandise，day-booksandledgersoflegitimatecommerce，crushedunderthechariotofFolly。Behindisanimmensecrowdofpersons，ofallages，sexes，andconditions，clamoringafterFortune，andfightingwitheachothertogetaportionoftheshareswhichshedistributessobountifullyamongthem。Inthecloudssitsademon，blowingbubblesofsoap，whicharealsotheobjectsoftheadmirationandcupidityofthecrowd，whojumpupononeanother’sbackstoreachthemeretheyburst。