the memoirs of victor hugo-第15部分

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Then　he　covered　his　eyes　with　his　hands；　and　leaning　his　head　back　upon　the　cushions　of　the　sofa；　remained　thus　for　a　space　pensive；　and　as　though　crushed。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



September　6；　1844。

〃I　only　met　Robespierre　in　society　once；〃　said　the　King　to　me。　　〃It　was　at　a　place　called　Mignot；　near　Poissy；　which　still　exists。　　It　belonged　to　a　wealthy　cloth　manufacturer　of　Louviers；　named　M。　Decréteau。　　It　was　in　ninety…one　or　two。　　M。　Decréteau　one　day　invited　me　to　dinner　at　Mignot。　　I　went。　　When　the　time　came　we　took　our　places　at　table。　　The　other　guests　were　Robespierre　and　Pétion；　but　I　had　never　before　seen　Robespierre。　Mirabeau　aptly　traced　his　portrait　in　a　word　when　he　said　that　his　face　was　suggestive　of　that　of　'a　cat　drinking　vinegar。'　He　was　very　gloomy；　and　hardly　spoke。　　When　he　did　let　drop　a　word　from　time　to　time；　it　was　uttered　sourly　and　with　reluctance。　　He　seemed　to　be　vexed　at　having　come；　and　because　I　was　there。

〃In　the　middle　of　the　dinner；　Pétion；　addressing　M。　Decréteau；　exclaimed：　'My　dear　host；　you　must　get　this　buck　married！'　　He　pointed　to　Robespierre。

〃'What　do　you　mean；　Pétion？'　retorted　Robespierre。

〃'Mean；'　said　Pétion；　'why；　that　you　must　get　married。　I　insist　upon　marrying　you。　　You　are　full　of　sourness；　hypochondria；　gall；　bad　humour；　biliousness　and　　atrabiliousness　I　am　fearful　of　all　this　on　our　account。　　What　you　want　is　a　woman　to　sweeten　this　sourness　and　transform　you　into　an　easy…going　old　fogey。'

〃Robespierre　tossed　his　head　and　tried　to　smile；　but　only　succeeded　in　making　a　grimace。　　It　was　the　only　time；〃　repeated　the　King；　〃that　I　met　Robespierre　in　society。　　After　that　I　saw　him　in　the　tribune　of　the　Convention。　　He　was　wearisome　to　a　supreme　degree；　spoke　slowly；　heavily　and　at　length；　and　was　more　sour；　more　gloomy；　more　bitter　than　ever。　　It　was　easy　to　see　that　Pétion　had　not　married　him。〃



September　7；　1844。

Said　the　King　to　me　last　Thursday：

〃M。　Guizot　has　great　qualities　and　immense　defects。　（Queerly　enough；　M。　Guizot　on　Tuesday　had　made　precisely　the　same　remark　to　me　about　the　King；　beginning　with　the　defects。）　　M。　Guizot　has　in　the　highest　degree；　and　I　esteem　him　for　it　profoundly；　the　courage　of　his　unpopularity　among　his　adversaries；　among　his　friends　he　lacks　it。　　He　does　not　know　how　to　quarrel　momentarily　with　his　partisans；　which　was　Pitt's　great　art。　　In　the　affair　of　Tahiti；　as　in　that　of　the　right　of　search；　M。　Guizot　is　not　afraid　of　the　Opposition；　nor　of　the　press；　nor　of　the　Radicals；　nor　of　the　Carlists；　nor　of　the　Legitimists；　nor　of　the　hundred　thousand　howlers　in　the　hundred　thousand　public　squares　of　France；　he　is　afraid　of　Jacques　Lefebvre。　What　will　Jacques　Lefebvre　say？　　And　Jacques　Lefebvre　is　afraid　of　the　Twelfth　Arrondissement。*　　What　will　the　Twelfth　Arrondissement　say？　　The　Twelfth　Arrondissement　does　not　like　the　English：　we　must　stand　firm　against　the　English；　but　it　does　not　like　war：　we　must　give　way　to　the　English。　　Stand　firm　and　give　way。　Reconcile　that。　　The　Twelfth　Arrondissement　governs　Jacques　Lefebvre；　Jacques　＇Lefebvre　governs　Guizot；　a　little　more　and　the　Twelfth　Arrondissement　will　govern　France。　　I　say　to　Guizot：　'What　are　you　afraid　of？　Have　a　little　pluck。　　Have　an　opinion。'　But　there　they　all　stand；　pale　and　motionless　and　make　no　reply。　　Oh！　fear！　Monsieur　Hugo；　it　is　a　strange　thing；　this　fear　of　the　hubbub　that　will　be　raised　outside！　　It　seizes　upon　this　one；　then　that　one；　then　that　one；　and　it　goes　the　round　of　the　table。　　I　am　not　a　Minister；　but　if　I　were；　it　seems　to　me　that　I　should　not　be　afraid。　　I　should　see　the　right　and　go　straight　towards　it。　　And　what　greater　aim　could　there　be　than　civilization　through　peace？〃

*　Twelfth　District　of　Paris。



The　Duke　d'Orleans；　a　few　years　ago；　recounted　to　me　that　during　the　period　which　followed　immediately　upon　the　revolution　of　July；　the　King　gave　him　a　seat　at　his　council　table。　　The　young　Prince　took　part　in　the　deliberations　of　the　Ministers。　　One　day　M。　Merilhou；　who　was　Minister　of　Justice；　fell　asleep　while　the　King　was　speaking。

〃Chartres；〃　said　the　King　to　his　son；　〃wake　up　Monsieur　the　Keeper　of　the　Seals。〃

The　Duke　d'Orleans　obeyed。　　He　was　seated　next　to　M。　Merilhou；　and　nudged　him　gently　with　his　elbow。　The　Minister　was　sleeping　soundly；　the　Prince　recommenced；　but　the　Minister　slept　on。　　Finally　the　Prince　laid　his　hand　upon　M。　Merilhou's　knee。　　The　Minister　awoke　with　a　start　and　exclaimed：

〃Leave　off；　Sophie；　you　are　tickling　me！〃

This　is　how　the　word　〃subject〃　came　to　be　eliminated　from　the　preamble　of　laws　and　ordinances。

M。　Dupont　de　l'Eure；　in　1830；　was　Minister　of　Justice。　On　August　7；　the　very　day　the　Duke　d'Orleans　took　the　oath　as　King；　M。　Dupont　de　l'Eure　laid　before　him　a　law　to　sign。　　The　preamble　read：　〃Be　it　known　and　decreed　to　all　our　subjects；〃　etc。　　The　clerk　who　was　instructed　to　copy　the　law；　a　hot…headed　young　fellow；　objected　to　the　word　〃subjects；〃　and　did　not　copy　it。

The　Minister　of　Justice　arrived。　　The　young　man　was　employed　in　his　office。

〃Well；〃　said　the　Minister；　〃is　the　copy　ready　to　be　taken　to　the　King　for　signature？〃

〃No；　Monsieur　the　Minister；〃　replied　the　clerk。

Explanations。　　M。　Dupont　de　l'Eure　listened；　then　pinching　the　young　man's　ear　said；　half　smilingly；　half　angrily：

〃Nonsense；　Monsieur　the　Republican；　you　just　copy　it　at　once。〃

The　clerk　hung　his　head；　like　a　clerk　that　he　was；　and　copied　it。

M。　Dupont；　however；　laughingly　told　the　King　about　it。　The　King　did　not　laugh。　　Everything　appeared　to　be　a　serious　matter　at　that　time。　　M。　Dupin　senior；　Minister　without　a　portfolio；　had　entered　the　council　chamber。　　He　avoided　the　use　of　the　word　and　got　round　the　obstacle。　　He　proposed　this　wording；　which　was　agreed　to　and　has　always　been　used　since：　〃Be　it　known　and　decreed　to　all。〃



1847。

The　State　carriage　of　Louis　Philippe　was　a　big　blue　coach　drawn　by　eight　horses。　　The　interior　was　of　gold　coloured　damask。　　On　the　doors　was　the　King's　monogram　surmounted　by　a　crown；　and　on　the　panels　were　royal　crowns。　　The　roof　was　bordered　by　eight　little　silver　crowns。　　There　was　a　gigantic　coachman　on　the　box　and　three　lackeys　behind。　　All　wore　silk　stockings　and　the　tri…colour　livery　of　the　d'Orleans。

The　King　would　enter　the　carriage　first　and　seat　himself　in　the　right　hand　corner。　　Then　the　Duke　de　Nemours　would　take　his　place　beside　the　King。　　The　three　other　princes　would　follow　and　seat　themselves；　M。　de　Joinville　opposite　the　King；　M。　de　Montpensier　opposite　M。　de　Nemours；　and　M。　d'Aumale　in　the　middle。

The　day　the　King　attended　Parliament；　the　grand　deputations　from　both　Houses；　twelve　peers　and　twenty…five　deputies　chosen　by　lot；　awaited　him　on　the　grand　staircase　of　the　Palais　Bourbon。　　As　the　sessions　were　nearly　always　held　in　winter；　it　was　very　cold　on　the　stairs；　a　biting　wind　made　all　these　old　men　shiver；　and　there　are　old　generals　of　the　Empire　who　did　not　die　as　the　result　of　having　been　at　Austerlitz；　at　Friedland；　at　the　cemetery　at　Eylau；　at　the　storming　of　the　grand　redoubt　at　Moskowa　and　under　the　fire　of　the　Scottish　squares　at　Waterloo；　but　of　having　waited　in　the　cold　upon　these　stairs。

The　peers　stood　to　the　right　and　the　deputies　to　the　left；　leaving　the　middle　of　the　stairs　clear。　　The　staircase　was　partitioned　off　with　hangings　of　white　drill　with　blue　stripes；　which　was　a　poor　protection　against　draughts。　Where　are　the　good　and　magnificent　tapestries　of　Louis　XIV。？　　They　were　indeed　royal；　wherefore　they　were　taken　down。　　Drill　is　a　common　material　and　more　pleasing　to　the　deputies。　　It　charms　and　it　freezes　them。

The　Queen　arrived　first　with　the　princesses；　but　without　the　Duchess　d'Orleans；　who　came　separately　with　the　Count　de　Paris。　　These　ladies　walked　quickly　upstairs；　bowing　to　right　and　left；　without　speaking；　but　graciously；　followed　by　a　swarm　of　aides…de…camp　and　grim　turbaned　old　women　whom　M。　de　Joinville　called　〃the　Queen's　Turks〃Mmes。　de　Dolokieu；　de　Chanaleilles；　etc。

At　the　royal　session　of　1847；　the　Queen　gave　her　arm　to　the　Duchess　de　Montpensier。　　The　princess　was　muffled　up　on　account　of　the　cold。　　I　could　see　only　a　big　red　nose。　The　three　other　princesses　walked　behind；　chatting　and　laughing。　　M。　Anatole　de　Montesquiou　came　next　in　the　much　worn　uniform　of　a　major…general。

The　King　arrived　about　five　minutes　after　the　Queen；　he　walked　upstairs　even　more　quickly　than　she　had　done；　followed　by　the　princes　running　like　schoolboys；　and　bowed　to　the　peers　on　the　right　and　the　deputies　on　the　left。　　He　tarried　a　moment　in　the　throne…room　and　exchanged　a　few　greetings　with　the　members　of　the　two　deputations。　　Then　he　entered　the　large　hall。

The　speech　from　the　throne　was　written　on　parchment；　on　both　sides　of　the　sheet；　and　usually　filled　four　pages。　The　King　read　it　in　a　firm；　well　modulated　voice。

Marshal　Soult　was　present；　resplendent　with　decorations；　sashes；　and　gold　lace；　and　complaining　of　his　rheumatism。　M。　Pasquier；　the　Chancellor；　did　not　put　in　an　appearance。　He　had　excused　himself　on　the　plea　of　the　cold　and　of　his　eighty　years。　　He　had　been　present　the　year　before。　　It　was　the　last　time。



In　1847　I　was　a　member　of　the　grand　deputation。　　While　I　strolled　about　the　waiting　room；　conversing　with　M。　Villemain　about　Cracow；　the　Vienna　treaties　and　the　frontier　of　the　Rhine；　I　could　hear　the　buzzing　of　the　groups　around　me；　and　scraps　of　conversation　reached　my　ears。

COUNT　DE　LAGRANGE。Ah！　here　comes　the　Marshal　（Soult）。

BARON　PEDRE　LACAZE。He　is　getting　old。

VISCOUNT　CAVAIGNAC。Sixty…nine　years！

MARQUIS　DR　RAIGECOURT。Who　is　the　dean　of　the　Chamber　of　Peers　at　present？

DUKE　DE　TREVISE。M。　de　Pontecoulant；　is　he　not？

MARQUIS　DE　LAPLACE。NO；　President　Boyer。　　He　is　ninety…two。

PRESIDENT　BARTHE。He　is　older　than　that。

BARON　D'OBERLIN。He　no　longer　comes　to　the　Chamber。

M。　VIENNET。They　say　that　M。　Rossi　is　returning　from　Rome。

DUKE　DE　FESENZAC。Well；　I　pity　him　for　quitting　Rome。　　It　is　the　finest　and　most　amiable　city　in　the　world。　I　hope　to　end　my　days　there。

COUNT　DE　MONTALEMBERT。And　Naples！

BARON　THENARD。I　prefer　Naples。

M。　FULCHIRON。Yes；　Naples；　that's　the　place。　　By　the　by；　I　was　there　when　poor　Nourrit　killed　himself。　　I　w