the memoirs of victor hugo-第16部分

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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　was　staying　in　the　house　next　to　his。

BARON　CHARLES　DUPIN。He　took　his　life？　　It　was　not　an　accident？

M。　FULCHIRON。Oh！　it　was　a　case　of　suicide；　sure　enough。　　He　had　been　hissed　the　previous　day。　　He　could　not　stand　that。　　It　was　in　an　opera　composed　expressly　for　him〃Polyceucte。〃　　He　threw　himself　from　a　height　of　sixty　feet。　　His　voice　did　not　please　that　particular　public。　Nourrit　was　too　much　accustomed　to　sing　Glück　and　Mozart。　　The　Neapolitans　said　of　him：　〃Vecchico　canto。〃

BARON　DUPIN。Poor　Nourrit！　why　did　he　not　wait！　Duprez　has　lost　his　voice。　　Eleven　years　ago　Duprez　demolished　Nourrit；　to…day　Nourrit　would　demolish　Duprez。

MARQUIS　DE　BOISSY。How　cold　it　is　on　this　staircase。

COUNT　PHILIPPE　DE　SEGUR。It　was　even　colder　at　the　Academy　the　other　day。　　That　poor　Dupaty　is　a　good　man；　but　he　made　a　bad　speech。

BARON　FEUTRIER。I　am　trying　to　warm　myself。　　What　a　frightful　draught！　　It　is　enough　to　drive　one　away。

BARON　CHARLES　DUPIN。M。　Fran？ais　de　Nantes　had　conceived　this　expedient　to　rid　himself　of　those　who　came　to　solicit　favours　and　abridge　their　solicitations：　he　was　given　to　receiving　people　between　two　doors。

M。　Thiers　at　this　time　had　a　veritable　court　of　deputies　about　him。　　After　the　session　he　walked　out　in　front　of　me。　A　gigantic　deputy；　whose　back　only　I　could　see；　stepped　aside；　saying：　〃Make　way　for　historical　men！〃　　And　the　big　man　let　the　little　man　pass。

Historical？　　May　be。　　In　what　way？




II。　THE　DUCHESS　D'ORLEANS。



Madame　the　Duchess　d'Orleans　is　a　rare　woman；　of　great　wit　and　common　sense。　　I　do　not　think　that　she　is　fully　appreciated　at　the　Tuileries。　　The　King；　though；　holds　her　in　high　esteem　and　often　engages　in　long　conversations　with　her。　　Frequently　he　gives　her　his　arm　to　escort　her　from　the　family　drawing…room　to　her　apartments。　　The　royal　daughters…in…law　do　not　always　appear　to　act　as　kindly　towards　her。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



February　26；　1844。

Yesterday　the　Duchess　d'Orleans　said　to　me：

〃My　son　is　not　what　one　would　call　an　amiable　child。　He　is　not　one　of　those　pretty　little　prodigies　who　are　an　honour　to　their　mothers；　and　of　whom　people　say：　'What　a　clever　child！　　What　wit！　　What　grace！'　　He　has　a　kind　heart；　I　know；　he　has　wit；　I　believe；　but　nobody　knows　and　believes　this　save　myself。　　He　is　timid；　wild；　uncommunicative；　easily　scared。　　What　will　he　become？　　I　have　no　idea。　　Often　at　his　age　a　child　in　his　position　understands　that　he　must　make　himself　agreeable；　and；　little　as　he　is；　sets　himself　to　play　his　role。　　Mine　hides　himself　in　his　mother's　skirt　and　lowers　his　eyes。　　But　I　love　him；　just　as　he　is。　　I　even　prefer　him　this　way。　　I　like　a　savage　better　than　a　comedian。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



August；　1844。

The　Count　de　Paris　has　signed　the　birth　certificate　of　the　Princess　Fran？oise　de　Joinville。　　It　was　the　first　time　that　the　little　prince　had　signed　his　name。　　He　did　not　know　what　was　wanted　of　him；　and　when　the　King　handed　him　the　certificate　and　said　〃Paris；　sign　your　name；〃　the　child　refused。　　The　Duchess　d'Orleans　took　him　on　her　knee　and　whispered　something　to　him。　　Then　the　child　took　the　pen；　and　at　the　dictation　of　his　grandfather　wrote　upon　the　certificate　L。　　P。　　d。　　O。　　He　made　the　O　much　too　large　and　wrote　the　other　letters　awkwardly；　and　was　very　much　embarrassed　and　shy。

He　is　charming；　though；　and　adores　his　mother；　but　he　hardly　knows　that　his　name　is　Louis　Philippe　d'Orleans。　He　writes　to　his　comrades；　to　his　tutor；　and　to　his　mother；　but　he　signs　his　little　missives　〃Paris。〃　It　is　the　only　name　he　knows　himself　by。

This　evening　the　King　sent　for　M。　Regnier；　the　prince's　tutor；　and　gave　him　orders　to　teach　the　Count　de　Paris　to　sign　his　name。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



1847。

The　Count　de　Paris　is　of　a　grave　and　sweet　disposition；　he　learns　well。　　He　is　imbued　with　a　natural　tenderness；　and　is　kind　to　those　who　suffer。

His　young　cousin　of　Wurtemberg；　who　is　two　months　older；　is　jealous　of　him；　as　his　mother；　the　Princess　Marie；　was　jealous　of　the　mother　of　the　Count　de　Paris。　　During　the　lifetime　of　the　Duke　d'Orleans　little　Wurtemberg　was　long　the　object　of　the　Queen's　preferences；　and；　in　the　little　court　of　the　corridors　and　bedchambers；　it　was　the　custom　to　flatter　the　Queen　by　comparisons　between　the　one　and　the　other　that　were　always　favourable　to　Wurtemberg。　To…day　that　inequality　has　ceased。　　The　Queen；　by　a　touching　sentiment；　inclined　towards　little　Wurtemberg　because　he　had　lost　his　mother；　now　there　is　no　reason　why　she　should　not　lean　towards　the　Count　de　Paris；　seeing　that　he　has　lost　his　father。

Little　Michel　Ney　plays　with　the　two　princes　every　Sunday。　　He　is　eleven　years　old；　and　the　son　of　the　Duke　d'Elchingen。　　The　other　day　he　said　to　his　mother：

〃Wurtemberg　is　an　ambitious　fellow。　　When　we　play　he　always　wants　to　be　the　leader。　　Besides；　he　insists　upon　being　called　Monseigneur。　　I　don't　mind　calling　him　Monseigneur；　but　I　won't　let　him　be　leader。　　One　day　I　invented　a　game；　and　I　said　to　him：　'No；　Monseigneur；　you　are　not　going　to　be　the　leader。　　I　will　be　leader；　for　I　invented　the　game；　and　Chabannes　will　be　my　lieutenant。　You　and　the　Count　de　Paris　will　be　soldiers。'　　Paris　was　willing；　but　Wurtemberg　walked　away。　　He　is　an　ambitious　fellow。〃

Of　these　young　mothers　of　the　Chateau；　apart　from　the　Duchess　d'Orleans；　Mme。　de　Joinville　is　the　only　one　who　does　not　spoil　her　children。　　At　the　Tuileries；　everybody；　even　the　King　himself；　calls　her　little　daughter　〃Chiquette。〃　　The　Prince　of　Joinville　calls　his　wife　〃Chicarde〃　since　the　pierrots'　ball；　hence　〃Chiquette。〃　　At　this　pierrots'　ball　the　King　exclaimed：　〃How　Chicarde　is　amusing　herself！〃　　The　Prince　de　Joinville　danced　all　the　risquée　dances。　　Mme。　de　Montpensier　and　Mme。　Liadères　were　the　only　ones　who　were　not　decolletees。　　〃It　is　not　in　good　taste；〃　said　the　Queen。　　〃But　it　is　pretty；〃　observed　the　King。




III。　　THE　PRINCES。

1847。



At　the　Tuileries　the　Prince　de　Joinville　passes　his　time　doing　all　sorts　of　wild　things。　　One　day　he　turned　on　all　the　taps　and　flooded　the　apartments。　　Another　day　he　cut　all　the　bell　ropes。　　A　sign　that　he　is　bored　and　does　not　know　what　to　do　with　himself。

And　what　bores　these　poor　princes　most　is　to　receive　and　talk　to　people　ceremoniously。　　This　is　almost　a　daily　obligation。　　They　call　itfor　princes　have　their　slang〃performing　the　function。〃　　The　Duke　de　Montpensier　is　the　only　one　who　performs　it　gracefully。　　One　day　the　Duchess　d'Orleans　asked　him　the　reason。　　He　replied：　'It　amuses　me。〃

He　is　twenty　years　old；　he　is　beginning。

When　the　marriage　of　M。　de　Montpensier　with　the　Infanta　was　published；　the　King　of　the　Belgians　was　sulky　with　the　Tuileries。　　He　is　an　Orleans；　but　he　is　a　Coburg。　It　was　as　though　his　left　hand　had　smitten　his　right　cheek。

The　wedding　over；　while　the　young　couple　were　making　their　way　from　Madrid　to　Paris；　King　Leopold　arrived　at　Saint　Cloud；　where　King　Louis　Philippe　was　staying。　　The　King　of　the　Belgians　wore　an　air　of　coldness　and　severity。　Louis　Philippe；　after　dinner；　took　him　aside　into　a　recess　of　the　Queen's　drawing…room；　and　they　conversed　for　fully　an　hour。　　Leopold's　face　preserved　its　thoughtful　and　*English*　expression。　　However　at　the　conclusion　of　the　conversation；　Louis　Philippe　said　to　him：

〃See　Guizot。〃

〃He　is　precisely　the　man　I　do　not　want　to　see。〃

〃See　him；〃　urged　the　King。　　〃We　will　resume　this　conversation　when　you　have　done　so。〃

The　next　day　M。　Guizot　waited　upon　King　Leopold。　　He　had　with　him　an　enormous　portfolio　filled　with　papers。　The　King　received　him。　　His　manner　was　cold　in　the　extreme。　　Both　were　reserved。　　It　is　probable　that　M。　Guizot　communicated　to　the　King　of　the　Belgians　all　the　documents　relative　to　the　marriage　and　all　the　diplomatic　papers。　　No　one　knows　what　passed　between　them。　　What　is　certain　is　that　when　M。　Guizot　left　the　King's　room　Leopold's　air　was　gracious；　though　sad；　and　that　he　was　heard　to　say　to　the　Minister　as　he　took　leave　of　him：　〃I　came　here　greatly　dissatisfied　with　you。　　I　shall　go　away　satisfied。　　You　have；　in　fact；　in　this　affair　acquired　a　new　title　to　my　esteem　and　to　our　gratitude。　　I　intended　to　scold　you；　I　thank　you。〃

These　were　the　King's　own　words。



The　Prince　de　Joinville's　deafness　increases。　　Sometimes　it　saddens　him；　sometimes　he　makes　light　of　it。　　One　day　he　said　to　me：　〃Speak　louder；　I　am　as　deaf　as　a　post。〃　On　another　occasion　he　bent　towards　me　and　said　with　a　laugh：

〃~J'abaisse　le　pavillion　de　l'oreille。~〃

〃It　is　the　only　one　your　highness　will　ever　lower；〃　I　replied。

M。　de　Joinville　is　of　somewhat　queer　disposition。　　Now　he　is　joyous　to　the　point　of　folly；　anon　gloomy　as　a　hypochondriac。　　He　is　silent　for　three　days　at　a　time；　or　his　bursts　of　laughter　are　heard　in　the　very　attics　of　the　Tuileries。　When　he　is　on　a　voyage　he　rises　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　wakes　everybody　up　and　performs　his　duties　as　a　sailor　conscientiously。　　It　is　as　though　he　were　to　win　his　epaulettes　afterwards。

He　loves　France　and　feels　all　that　touches　her。　　This　explains　his　fits　of　moodiness。　　Since　he　cannot　talk　as　he　wants　to；　he　keeps　his　thoughts　to　himself；　and　this　sours　him；　He　has　spoken　more　than　once；　however；　and　bravely。　　He　was　not　listened　to　and　he　was　not　heeded。　〃They　needn't　talk　about　me；〃　he　said　to　me　one　day；　〃it　is　they　who　are　deaf！〃

Unlike　the　late　Duke　d'Orleans；　he　has　no　princely　coquettishness；　which　is　such　a　victorious　grace；　and　has　no　desire　to　appear　agreeable。　　He　rarely　seeks　to　please　individuals。　　He　loves　the　nation；　the　country；　his　profession；　the　sea。　　His　manner　is　frank；　he　has　a　taste　for　noisy　pleasures；　a　fine　appearance；　a　handsome　face；　with　a　kind　heart；　and　a　few　feats　of　arms　to　his　credit　that　have　been　exaggerated；　he　is　popular。

M。　de　Nemours　is　just　the　contrary。　　At　court　they　say：　〃There　is　something　unlucky　about　the　Duke　de　Nemours。〃

M。　de　Montpensier　has　the　good　sense　to　love；　to　esteem　and　to　honour　profoundly　the　Duchess　d'Orleans。

The　other　day　there　was　a　masked　and　costumed　ball；　but　only　for　the　family