The man who received this salutation was the newly-appointed
minister of finance, Necker, to whom the nation was looking for a
reestablishment of its prosperity and of its credit.
Necker manifested only by a thoughtful smile, which mounted to his
earnest, thought-furrowed face, that he was conscious to whom the
garland of supreme popularity was extended at this moment.
Next, the deputation of Provence appeared, in the midst of which
towered Count Mirabeau, with his proud, erect bearing, advancing to
take the place appointed for him. His appearance was the sign for a
few hands to commence clapping in a distant part of the hall, in
honor of a man so much talked of in Prance, and of whom such strange
things were said. But at this instant the king appeared, accompanied
by the queen, followed by the princes and princesses of the royal
family.
At the entrance of the king, the whole assembly broke into a loud,
enthusiastic shout of applause and of joy. The Third Estate as well,
at a signal from Count Mirabeau, had quickly risen, but continued to
stand without bending the knee, as had been, at the last time when
all the estate were assembled, the invariable rule. Only one of the
representatives of the Third Estate, a young man with energetic,
proud face, and dark, glowing eyes, bent his knee when he saw the
queen entering behind the king.
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