dress was the one unfailing talisman and charm used for keeping all things in their places. everybody was dressed for a fancy ball that was never to leave off. from the palace of the tuileries, through monseigneur and the whole court, through the chambers, the tribunals of justice, and all society (except the scarecrows), the fancy ball descended to the common executioner: who, in pursuance of the charm, was required to officiate "frizzled, powdered, in a gold-laced coat, pumps, and white silk stockings." at the gallows and the wheel the axe was a rarity monsieur paris, as it was the episcopal mode among his brother professors of the provinces, monsieur orleans, and the rest, to call him, presided in this dainty dress. and who among the company at monseigneur's reception in that seventeen hundred and eightieth year of our lord, could possibly doubt, that a system rooted in a frizzled hangman, powdered, gold-laced, pumped, and white-silk stockinged, would see the very stars out!