the memoirs of victor hugo-第14部分

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hamper　ourselves　with　Tahiti　（the　King　pronounced　it　Ta？te）　for？　　What　to　us　was　this　pinch　of　tobacco　seeds　in　the　middle　of　the　ocean？　　What　is　the　use　of　lodging　our　honour　four　thousand　leagues　away　in　the　box　of　a　sentry　insulted　by　a　savage　and　a　madman？　Upon　the　whole　there　is　something　laughable　about　it。　When　all　is　said　and　done　it　is　a　small　matter　and　nothing　big　will　come　of　it。　　Sir　Robert　Peel　has　spoken　thoughtlessly。　　He　has　acted　with　schoolboy　foolishness。　　He　has　diminished　his　consideration　in　Europe。　　He　is　a　serious　man；　but　capable　of　committing　thoughtless　acts。　　Then　he　does　not　know　any　languages。　　Unless　he　be　a　genius　there　are　perforce　gaps　in　the　ideas　of　a　man　who　is　not　a　linguist。　　Now；　Sir　Robert　has　no　genius。　　Would　you　believe　it？　　He　does　not　know　French。　　Consequently　he　does　not　understand　anything　about　France。　　French　ideas　pass　before　him　like　shadows。　　He　is　not　malevolent；　no；　he　is　not　open；　that　is　all。　　He　has　spoken　without　reflection。　　I　judged　him　to　be　what　he　is　forty　years　ago。　It　was；　too；　forty　years　ago　that　I　saw　him　for　the　first　time。　　He　was　then　a　young　man　and　secretary　of　the　Earl　of（I　did　not　quite　catch　the　name。　　The　King　spoke　quickly）。　　I　often　visited　that　house。　　I　was　then　in　England。　　When　I　saw　young　Peel　I　felt　sure　that　he　would　go　a　long　way；　but　that　he　would　stop。　　Was　I　mistaken？　　There　are　Englishmen；　and　of　the　highest　rank；　who　do　not　understand　Frenchmen　a　bit。　　Like　that　poor　Duke　of　Clarence；　who　afterwards　was　William　IV。　　He　was　but　a　sailor。　　One　must　beware　of　the　sailor　mind；　as　I　often　say　to　my　son　Joinville。　　He　who　is　only　a　sailor　is　nothing　on　land。　　Well；　this　Duke　of　Clarence　used　to　say　to　me：　'Duke　d'Orleans；　a　war　between　France　and　England　is　necessary　every　twenty　years。　　History　shows　it。'　I　would　reply：　'My　dear　duke；　of　what　use　are　people　of　intelligence　if　they　allow　mankind　to　do　the　same　foolish　things　over　and　over　again？'　　The　Duke　of　Clarence；　like　Peel；　did　not　know　a　word　of　French。

*　The　protectorate　of　Tahiti。

〃What　a　difference　between　these　men　and　Huskisson！　You　know；　Huskisson　who　was　killed　on　a　railway。　He　was　a　masterly　man；　if　you　like。　　He　knew　French　and　liked　France。　　He　had　been　my　comrade　at　the　Jacobins'　Club。　　I　do　not　say　this　in　bad　part。　　He　understood　everything。　　If　there　were　in　England　now　a　man　like　him；　he　and　I　would　ensure　the　peace　of　the　world。Monsieur　Hugo；　we　will　do　it　without　him。　I　will　do　it　alone。　　Sir　Robert　Peel　will　reconsider　what　he　has　said。　　Egad！　he　said　that！　　Does　he　even　know　why　or　how？

〃Have　you　seen　the　English　Parliament？　　You　speak　from　your　place；　standing；　in　the　midst　of　your　own　party；　you　are　carried　away；　you　say　more　often　than　not　what　others　think　instead　of　what　you　think　yourself。　　There　is　a　magnetic　communication。　　You　are　subjected　to　it。　You　rise　（here　the　King　rose　and　imitated　the　gesture　of　an　orator　speaking　in　Parliament）。　　The　assembly　ferments　all　round　and　close　to　you；　you　let　yourself　go。　　On　this　side　somebody　says：　'England　has　suffered　a　gross　insult；'　and　on　that　side：　'with　gross　indignity。'　It　is　simply　applause　that　is　sought　on　both　sides。　　Nothing　more。　But　this　is　bad。　　It　is　dangerous。　　It　is　baleful。　　In　France　our　tribune　which　isolates　the　orator　has　many　advantages。

〃Of　all　the　English　statesmen；　I　have　known　only　one　who　was　able　to　withstand　this　influence　of　assemblies。　He　was　M。　Pitt。　　M。　Pitt　was　a　clever　man；　although　he　was　very　tall。　　He　had　an　air　of　awkwardness　and　spoke　hesitatingly。　　His　lower　jaw　weighed　a　hundredweight。　Hence　a　certain　slowness　which　forcibly　brought　prudence　into　his　speeches。　　Besides；　what　a　statesman　this　Pitt　was！　　They　will　render　justice　to　him　one　of　these　days；　even　in　France。　　Pitt　and　Coburg　are　still　being　harped　upon。　　But　it　is　a　childish　foolishness　that　will　pass。　　M。　Pitt　knew　French。　　To　carry　on　politics　properly　we　must　have　Englishmen　who　know　French　and　Frenchmen　who　know　English。

〃Look　here；　I　am　going　to　England　next　month。　　I　shall　be　very　well　received：　I　speak　English。　　And　then；　Englishmen　appreciate　the　fact　that　I　have　studied　them　closely　enough　not　to　detest　them。　　For　one　always　begins　by　detesting　the　English。　　This　is　an　effect　of　the　surface。　I　esteem　them；　and　pride　myself　upon　the　fact。　　Between　ourselves；　there　is　one　thing　I　apprehend　in　going　to　England；　and　that　is；　a　too　warm　welcome。　　I　shall　have　to　elude　an　ovation。　　Popularity　there　would　render　me　unpopular　here。　　But　I　must　not　get　myself　badly　received　either。　　Badly　received　there；　taunted　here。　　Oh！　it　is　not　easy　to　move　when　one　is　Louis　Philippe；　is　it；　Monsieur　Hugo？

〃However；　I　will　endeavour　to　manage　it　better　than　that　big　stupid　the　Emperor　of　Russia；　who　went　riding　full　gallop　in　search　of　a　fall。　　There　is　an　addle…pate　for　you。　　What　a　simpleton！　　He　is　nothing　but　a　Russian　corporal；　occupied　with　a　boot…heel　and　a　gaiter　button。　What　an　idea　to　arrive　in　London　on　the　eve　of　the　Polish　ball！　　Do　you　think　I　would　go　to　England　on　the　eve　of　the　anniversary　of　Waterloo？　　What　is　the　use　of　running　deliberately　into　trouble？　　Nations　do　not　derange　their　ideas　for　us　princes。

〃Monsieur　Hugo！　　Monsieur　Hugo！　intelligent　princes　are　very　rare。　　Look　at　this　Pacha　of　Egypt；　who　had　a　bright　mind　and　who　abdicates；　like　Charles　V。；　who；　although　he　was　not　without　genius；　committed　the　same　foolish　action。　　Look　at　this　idiotic　King　of　Morocco！　What　a　job　to　govern　amid　this　mob　of　bewildered　Kings。　　They　won't　force　me　into　committing　the　great　mistake　of　going　to　war。　　I　am　being　pushed；　but　they　won't　push　me　over。　　Listen　to　this　and　remember　it：　the　secret　of　maintaining　peace　is　to　look　at　everything　from　the　good　side　and　at　nothing　from　the　bad　point　of　view。　Oh！　Sir　Robert　Peel　is　a　singular　man　to　speak　so　wildly。　He　does　not　know　all　our　strength。　　He　does　not　reflect！

〃The　Prince　of　Prussia　made　a　very　true　remark　to　my　daughter　at　Brussels　last　winter：　'What　we　envy　France；　is　Algeria。　　Not　on　account　of　the　territory；　but　on　account　of　the　war。　　It　is　a　great　and　rare　good　fortune　for　France　to　have　at　her　doors　a　war　that　does　not　trouble　Europe　and　which　is　making　an　army　for　her。　　We　as　yet　have　only　review　and　parade　soldiers。　　When　a　collision　occurs　we　shall　only　have　soldiers　who　have　been　made　by　peace。　　France；　thanks　to　Algiers；　will　have　soldiers　made　by　war。'　This　is　what　the　Prince　of　Prussia　said；　and　it　was　true。

〃Meanwhile；　we　are　making　children；　too。　　Last　month　it　was　my　daughter　of　Nemours；　this　month　it　is　my　daughter　of　Joinville。　　She　has　given　me　a　princess。　I　would　have　preferred　a　prince。　　But；　pish！　in　view　of　the　fact　that　they　are　trying　to　isolate　my　house　among　the　royal　houses　of　Europe　future　alliances　must　be　thought　of。　　Well；　my　grandchildren　will　marry　among　themselves。　　This　little　one　who　was　born　yesterday　will　not　lack　cousins；　nor；　consequently；　a　husband。〃

Here　the　King　laughed；　and　I　rose。　　He　had　spoken　almost　without　interruption　for　an　hour　and　a　quarter。　I　had　only　said　a　few　words　here　and　there。　　During　this　sort　of　long　monologue　Madame　Adelaide　passed　as　she　retired　to　her　apartments。　　The　King　said　to　her：　〃I　will　join　you　directly；〃　and　he　continued　his　conversation　with　me。　　It　was　nearly　half…past　eleven　when　I　quitted　the　King。



It　was　during　this　conversation　that　the　King　said　to　me：

〃Have　you　ever　been　to　England？〃

〃No；　sire。〃

〃Well；　when　you　do　gofor　you　will　goyou　will　see　how　strange　it　is。　　It　resembles　France　in　nothing。　　Over　there　are　order；　arrangement；　symmetry；　cleanliness；　wellmown　lawns；　and　profound　silence　in　the　streets。　　The　passers…by　are　as　serious　and　mute　as　spectres。　　When；　being　French　and　alive；　you　speak　in　the　street；　these　spectres　look　back　at　you　and　murmur　with　an　inexpressible　mixture　of　gravity　and　disdain：　'French　people！'　When　I　was　in　London　I　was　walking　arm…in…arm　with　my　wife　and　sister。　　We　were　conversing；　not　in　a　too　loud　tone　of　voice；　for　we　are　well…bred　persons；　you　know；　yet　all　the　passers…by；　bourgeois　and　men　of　the　people；　turned　to　gaze　at　us　and　we　could　hear　them　growling　behind　us：　'French　people！　　French　people！'〃



September　5；　1844。

The　King　rose；　paced　to　and　fro　for　a　few　moments；　as　though　violently　agitated；　then　came　and　sat　beside　me　and　said：


〃Look　here；　you　made　a　remark　to　Villemain　that　he　repeated　to　me。　　You　said　to　him：

〃'The　trouble　between　France　and　England　a　propos　of　Tahiti　and　Pritchard　reminds　me　of　a　quarrel　in　a　café　between　a　couple　of　sub…lieutenants；　one　of　whom　has　looked　at　the　other　in　a　way　the　latter　does　not　like。　　A　duel　to　the　death　is　the　result。　　But　two　great　nations　ought　not　to　act　like　a　couple　of　musketeers。　　Besides；　in　a　duel　to　the　death　between　two　nations　like　England　and　France；　it　is　civilization　that　would　be　slain。'

〃This　is　really　what　you　said；　is　it　not？〃

〃Yes；　Sire。〃

〃I　was　greatly　struck　by　your　observation；　and　this　very　evening　I　reproduced　it　in　a　letter　to　a　crowned　head；　for　I　frequently　write　all　night　long。　　I　pass　many　a　night　doing　over　again　what　others　have　undone。　　I　do　not　say　anything　about　it。　　So　far　from　being　grateful　to　me　they　would　only　abuse　me　for　it。　　Oh！　yes；　mine　is　hard　work　indeed。　　At　my　age；　with　my　seventy…one　years；　I　do　not　get　an　instant　of　real　repose　either　by　day　or　by　night。　　I　am　always　unquiet；　and　how　can　it　be　otherwise　when　I　feel　that　I　am　the　pivot　upon　which　Europe　revolves？〃



September　6；　1844。

The　King　said　to　me　yesterday：

〃What　makes　the　maintenance　of　peace　so　difficult　is　that　there　are　two　things　in　Europe　that　Europe　detests；　France　and　myselfmyself　even　more　than　France。　　I　am　talking　to　you　in　all　frankness。　　They　hate　me　because　I　am　Orleans；　they　hate　me　because　I　am　myself。　　As　for　France；　they　dislike　her；　but　would　tolerate　her　in　other　hands。　　Napoleon　was　a　burden　to　them；　they　overthrew　him　by　egging　him　on　to　war　of　which　he　was　so　fond。　I　am　a　burden　to　them；　they　would　like　to　throw　me　down　by　forcing　me　to　break　that　peace　which　I　love。〃

Then　he　covered　his　eyes　with　his　hands；　and　leaning　his　head　back　upon　the　cushions　of　the　sofa；　remained　thus　for　a　space　pens