what they would have us to do. The reply to this came through the
French Secretary of State to our hands. They declared themselves
unable to say anything till they should see what turn affairs would
take on so great an event as the death of the King, the report of
which had reached them.

Such a declaration shut our mouths and tied our hands. I confess I
knew neither how to solicit, nor what to solicit; this last message
suspending the project on which we had acted before, and which I
kept as an instruction constantly before my eyes. It seemed to me
uncertain whether you intended to go on, or whether your design was
to stifle, as much as possible, all past transactions; to lie
perfectly still; to throw upon the Court the odium of having given a
false alarm; and to wait till new accidents at home, and a more
favourable conjuncture abroad, might tempt you to resume the
enterprise. Perhaps this would have been the wisest game you could
have played: but then you should have concerted it with us who
acted for you here. You intended no such thing, as appeared
afterwards: and therefore those who acted for the party at London,
whoever they were, must be deemed inexcusable for leaving things on
the foot of this message, and giving us no advice fit to be depended
upon for many weeks. Whilst preparations were to be made, and the
work was to be set a-going by assistance from hence, you might
reasonably expect to hear from us, and to be determined by us: but
when all hopes of this kind seemed to be gone, it was your part to
determine us; and we could take no resolution here but that of
conforming ourselves to whatever should come prescribed from
England.

Whilst we were in this condition, the most desperate that can be