The court wanted to send some of the king's people at once to notify a fresh request; the troops guarded all the doors, nobody could leave the Palace.
"Gentlemen," said d'Espr4mesnil at last, "it would be contrary to our honor as well as to the dignity of the Parliament to prolong this scene any further; and, besides, we cannot be the ruin of Larchier; let M.d'Agoult be shown in again." The officer was recalled, the magistrates were seated and covered.

"Sir," said M.d'Espremesnil, "I am one of those you are in search of.

The law forbids me to obey orders irregularly obtained (_surpris_) of the sovereign, and it is to be faithful to him that I have not mentioned who I am until this moment.
I call upon you to state whether, in case I should not go with you voluntarily, you have orders to drag me from this building." "Certainly, sir." D'Agoult was already striding towards the door to order in his troops.

"Enough," said M.d'Espremesnil; "I yield to force;" and, turning to his colleagues, "Gentlemen," he said, "to you I protest against the violence of which I am the object; forget me and think henceforth of nothing but the common weal; I commend to you my family; whatever may be my fate, I shall never cease to glory in professing to the last hour the principles which do honor to this court." He made a deep obeisance, and followed the major, going out by the secret staircases in order to avoid the crowd whose shouts could be heard even within the palace buildings.

Goislard de Montsabert followed his colleague's example: he was confined at Pierre-Encise; M.d'Espremesnil had been taken to the Isle of St.Marguerite.
Useless and ill-judged violence, which excited the passions of the public without intimidating opponents! The day after the scene of May 6th, at the moment when the whole magistracy of France was growing hot over the thrilling account of the arrest of the two councillors, the Parliament of Paris was sent for to Versailles (May 8, 1788).
[Illustration: Arrest of the Members----502] The magistrates knew beforehand what fate awaited them.