Out of this number the general could only rely upon twenty battalions of German troops and a few cavalry regiments; the remainder were in favour of the Revolution: and the influence of the clubs had spread amongst them the spirit of insubordination and hatred for the king; the regiments obeyed the municipalities rather than their generals.
IV.
Since the month of February, 1791, the king, who had the most entire confidence in M.de Bouille, had written to this general that he wished him to make overtures to Mirabeau, and through the intervention of the Count de Lamarck, a foreign nobleman, the intimate and confidential friend of Mirabeau.

"Although these persons are not over estimable," said the king in his letter, "and although I have paid Mirabeau very dearly, I yet think he has it in his power to serve me.

Hear all he has to say, without putting yourself too much in his hands." The Count de Lamarck arrived soon after at Metz.

He mentioned to M.de Bouille the object of his mission, confessed to him that the king had recently given Mirabeau 600,000f.

(24,000_l._), and that he also allowed him 50,000f.