d'Argenson, the lady said, 'You want to give ME the second volume in
your romance of compromising Madame de Montbazon [his cousin] with
your two pistol-shots.' No more is known of this adventure. But
Charles was popular both in Court and town: his resistance to
expulsion was applauded. De Gevres was sent by the King to entreat
Charles to leave France; 'he received de Gevres gallantly, his hand
on his sword-hilt.' D'Argenson saw him at the opera on December 3,
1748, 'fort gai et fort beau, admire de tout le public.'

On December 10, 1748, Charles was arrested at the door of the opera
house, bound hand and foot, searched, and dragged to Vincennes. The
deplorable scene is too familiar for repetition. One point has
escaped notice. Charles (according to d'Argenson) had told de Gevres
that he would die by his own hand, if arrested. Two pistols were
found on him; he had always carried them since his Scottish
expedition. But a PAIR OF COMPASSES was also found. Now it was with
a pair of compasses that his friend, Lally Tollendal, long afterwards
attempted to commit suicide in prison. The pistols were carried in
fear of assassination, but what does a man want with a pair of
compasses at the opera? {40a}

After some days of detention at Vincennes, Charles was released, was
conducted out of French territory, and made his way to Avignon, where
he resided during January and February 1749. He had gained the
sympathy of the mob, both in Paris and in London. Some of the French
Court, including the Dauphin, were eager in his cause. Songs and
poems were written against Louis XV, D'Argenson, as we know, being
out of office, composed a play on Charles's martyrdom. So much
contempt for Louis was excited, that a nail was knocked into the
coffin of French royalty. The King, at the dictation of England, had