the memoirs of victor hugo-第21部分

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ngry　crowds；　and　the　report　of　distant　firing；　the　tocsin　was　clanging　from　the　church　towers。　　I　awoke。　　It　was　the　tocsin。



The　reality　was　more　horrible　than　the　dream。

This　crowd　that　I　had　seen　marching　and　singing　so　gaily　on　the　boulevards　had　at　first　continued　its　pacific　way　without　let　or　hindrance。　　The　infantry　regiments；　the　artillery　and　cuirassiers　had　everywhere　opened　their　ranks　to　let　the　procession　pass　through。　　But　on　the　Boulevard　des　Capucines　a　mass　of　troops；　infantry　and　cavalry；　who　were　guarding　the　Ministry　of　Foreign　Affairs　and　its　unpopular　Minister；　M。　Guizot；　blocked　the　thoroughfare。　In　front　of　this　insurmountable　obstacle　the　head　of　the　column　tried　to　stop　and　turn；　but　the　irresistible　pressure　of　the　enormous　crowd　behind　pushed　the　front　ranks　on。　At　this　juncture　a　shot　was　fired；　on　which　side　is　not　known。　　A　panic　ensued；　followed　by　a　volley。　　Eighty　fell　dead　or　wounded。　　Then　arose　a　general　cry　of　horror　and　fury：　〃Vengeance！〃　The　bodies　of　the　victims　were　placed　in　a　tumbril　lighted　by　torches。　　The　crowd　faced　about　and；　amid　imprecations；　resumed　its　march；　which　had　now　assumed　the　character　of　a　funeral　procession。　　In　a　few　hours　Paris　was　bristling　with　barricades。




THE　TWENTY…FOURTH。



At　daybreak；　from　my　balcony；　I　see　advancing　a　noisy　column　of　people；　among　whom　are　a　number　of　National　Guards。　　The　mob　stops　in　front　of　the　Mairie；　which　is　guarded　by　about　thirty　Municipal　Guards；　and　with　loud　cries　demands　the　soldiers'　arms。　　Flat　refusal　by　the　Municipal　Guards；　menacing　clamours　of　the　crowd。　Two　National　Guard　officers　intervene：　〃What　is　the　use　of　further　bloodshed？　　Resistance　will　be　useless。〃　The　Municipal　Guards　lay　down　their　rifles　and　ammunition　and　withdraw　without　being　molested。

The　Mayor　of　the　Eighth　Arrondissement；　M。　Ernest　Moreau；　requests　me　to　come　to　the　Mairie。　　He　tells　me　the　appalling　news　of　the　massacre　on　the　Boulevard　des　Capucines。　　And　at　brief　intervals　further　news　of　increasing　seriousness　arrives。　　The　National　Guard　this　time　has　definitely　turned　against　the　Government；　and　is　shouting：　〃Hurrah　for　Reform！〃　　The　army；　frightened　at　what　it　did　yesterday；　appears　resolved　not　to　take　any　further　part　in　the　fratricidal　struggle。　　In　the　Rue　Sainte　Croix　la　Bretonnerie　the　troops　have　fallen　back　before　the　National　Guard。　　At　the　neighbouring　Mairie　of　the　Ninth　Arrondissement；　we　are　informed；　the　soldiers　are　fraternising　and　patrolling　with　the　National　Guard。　　Two　other　messengers　in　blouses　arrive　almost　together：　〃The　Reuilly　Barracks　has　been　taken。〃　　〃The　Minimes　Barracks　has　surrendered。〃

〃And　from　the　Government　I　have　neither　instructions　nor　news！　〃says　M。　Ernest　Moreau。　　〃What　Government；　if　any；　is　there？　　Is　the　Mole　Ministry　still　in　existence？　What　is　to　be　done？〃

〃Go　to　the　Prefecture　of　the　Seine；〃　advises　M。　Perret；　a　member　of　the　General　Council。　　〃It　isn't　far　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville。〃

〃Well；　then；　come　with　me。〃

They　go。　　I　reconnoitre　round　the　Place　Royale。　Everywhere　reign　agitation；　anxiety　and　feverish　expectation。　　Everywhere　work　is　being　actively　pushed　upon　barricades　that　are　already　formidable。　　This　time　it　is　more　than　a　riot；　it　is　an　insurrection。　　I　return　home。　　A　soldier　of　the　line；　on　sentry　duty　at　the　entrance　to　the　Place　Royale；　is　chatting　amicably　with　the　vedette　of　a　barricade　constructed　twenty　paces　from　him。



At　a　quarter　past　eight　M。　Ernest　Moreau　returns　from　the　Hotel　de　Ville。　　He　has　seen　M。　de　Rambuteau　and　brings　slightly　better　news。　　The　King　has　entrusted　the　formation　of　a　Cabinet　to　Thiers　and　Odilon　Barrot。　Thiers　is　not　very　popular；　but　Odilon　Barrot　means　reform。　　Unfortunately　the　concession　is　coupled　with　a　threat：　Marshal　Bugeaud　has　been　invested　with　the　general　command　of　the　National　Guard　and　of　the　army。　Odilon　Barrot　means　reform；　but　Bugeaud　means　repression。　The　King　is　holding　out　his　right　hand　and　clenching　his　left　fist。

The　Prefect　requested　M。　Moreau　to　spread　and　proclaim　the　news　in　his　quarter　and　in　the　Faubourg　Saint　Antoine。

〃This　is　what　I　will　do；〃　says　the　Mayor。

〃　Very　good；〃　I　observe；　〃but　believe　me；　you　will　do　well　to　announce　the　Thiers…Barrot　Ministry　and　say　nothing　about　Marshal　Bugeaud。〃

〃You　are　right。〃



The　Mayor　requisitions　a　squad　of　National　Guards；　takes　with　him　his　two　deputies　and　the　Municipal　Councillors　present；　and　descends　into　the　Place　Royale。　　The　roll　of　drums　attracts　the　crowd。　　He　announces　the　new　Cabinet。　The　people　applaud　and　raise　repeated　shouts　of　〃Hurrah　for　Reform！〃　　The　Mayor　adds　a　few　words　recommending　harmony　and　the　preservation　of　order；　and　is　universally　applauded。

〃The　situation　is　saved！〃　he　says；　grasping　my　hand。

〃Yes；〃　I　answer；　〃if　Bugeaud　will　give　up　the　idea　of　being　the　saviour。〃

M。　Ernest　Moreau；　followed　by　his　escort；　goes　off　to　repeat　his　proclamation　in　the　Place　de　la　Bastille　and　the　faubourg；　and　I　return　home　to　reassure　my　family。

Half　an　hour　later　the　Mayor　and　his　cortege　return　greatly　agitated　and　in　disorder　to　the　Mairie。　　This　is　what　had　happened：

The　Place　de　la　Bastille　was　occupied　at　its　two　extremities　by　troops；　leaning　on　their　rifles。　　The　people　moved　freely　and　peaceably　between　the　two　lines。　　The　Mayor；　arrived　at　the　foot　of　the　July　column；　made　his　proclamation；　and　once　again　the　crowd　applauded　vigorously。　　M。　Moreau　started　towards　the　Faubourg　Saint　Antoine。　　At　this　moment　a　number　of　workingmen　accosted　the　soldiers　amicably　and　said：　〃Your　arms；　give　up　your　arms。〃　　In　obedience　to　the　energetic　orders　of　their　captain　the　soldiers　refused。　　Suddenly　a　shot　was　fired；　it　was　followed　by　other　shots；　the　terrible　panic　of　the　previous　day　was　perhaps　about　to　be　renewed。　　M。　Moreau　and　his　escort　were　pushed　about；　thrown　down。　The　firing　on　both　sides　lasted　over　a　minute；　and　five　or　six　persons　were　killed　or　wounded。

Fortunately；　this　time　the　affray　occurred　in　broad　daylight。　　At　the　sight　of　the　blood　they　had　shed　there　was　a　revulsion　of　feeling　on　the　part　of　the　troops；　and　after　a　moment　of　surprise　and　horror　the　soldiers；　prompted　by　an　irresistible　impulse；　raised　the　butts　of　their　rifles　in　the　air　and　shouted：　〃Long　live　the　National　Guard！〃　　The　general　in　command；　being　powerless　to　control　his　men；　went　off　to　Vincennes　by　way　of　the　quays　and　the　people　remained　masters　of　the　Bastille　and　of　the　faubourg。

〃It　is　a　result　that　might　have　cost　more　dear；　in　my　case　especially；〃　remarks　M。　Moreau　and　he　shows　us　his　hat　which　has　been　pierced　by　a　bullet。　　〃A　brand　new　hat；〃　he　adds　with　a　laugh。

Half　past　ten　o'clock。Three　students　from　the　Ecole　Polytechnique　have　arrived　at　the　Mairie。　　They　report　that　the　students　have　broken　out　of　the　school　and　have　come　to　place　themselves　at　the　disposition　of　the　people。　　A　certain　number　have　therefore　distributed　themselves　among　the　mairies　of　Paris。

The　insurrection　is　making　progress　every　hour。　　It　now　demands　that　Marshal　Bugeaud　be　replaced　and　the　Chamber　dissolved。　　The　pupils　of　the　Ecole　Polytechnique　go　further　and　talk　about　the　abdication　of　the　King。

What　is　happening　at　the　Tuileries？　　There　is　no　news；　either；　from　the　Ministry；　no　order　from　the　General　Staff。　I　decide　to　go　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　by　way　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　M。　Ernest　Moreau　is　kind　enough　to　accompany　me。

We　find　the　Rue　Saint　Antoine　bristling　with　barricades。　We　make　ourselves　known　and　the　insurgents　help　us　to　clamber　over　the　heaps　of　paving…stones。　　As　we　draw　near　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　from　which　the　roar　of　a　great　crowd　reaches　our　ears；　and　as　we　cross　some　ground　on　which　are　buildings　in　course　of　erection；　we　see　coming　towards　us　with　hurried　steps　M。　de　Rambuteau；　the　Prefect　of　the　Seine。

〃Hi！　　Monsieur　the　Prefect；　what　brings　you　here？〃　I　cry。

〃Prefect！　　Do　I　know　whether　I　am　still　Prefect？〃　he　replies　with　a　surly　air。

A　crowd；　which　looks　anything　but　benevolent；　has　already　begun　to　gather。　　M。　Moreau　notices　a　house　that　is　to　let。　　We　enter　it；　and　M。　de　Rambuteau　recounts　his　misadventure。

〃I　was　in　my　office　with　two　or　three　Municipal　Councillors；〃　he　says；　〃when　we　heard　a　great　noise　in　the　corridor。　　The　door　was　thrown　violently　open；　and　there　entered　unto　me　a　big　strapping　captain　of　the　National　Guard　at　the　head　of　an　excited　body　of　troops。

〃'Monsieur；'　said　the　man；　'you　must　get　out　of　here。'

〃'Pardon　me；　Monsieur；　here；　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville　I　am　at　home；　and　here　I　propose　to　stay。'

〃'Yesterday　you　were　perhaps　at　home　in　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　to…day　the　people　are　at　home　in　it。'

〃'Ah！　But'

〃'Go　to　the　window　and　look　out　on　the　square。'

〃The　square　had　been　invaded　by　a　noisy；　swarming　crowd　in　which　workingmen；　National　Guards　and　soldiers　were　mingled　pell…mell。　　And　the　rifles　of　the　soldiers　wore　in　the　hands　of　the　men　of　the　people。　　I　turned　to　the　intruders　and　said：

〃'You　are　right；　messieurs；　you　are　the　masters　here。'

〃'Well；　then；'　said　the　captain；　'instruct　your　employés　to　recognise　my　authority。'

〃That　was　too　much。　　I　replied：　'What　do　you　take　me　for？'　I　gathered　up　a　few　papers；　issued　a　few　orders；　and　here　I　am。　　Since　you　are　going　to　the　Chamber；　if　there　is　still　a　Chamber；　tell　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　if　the　Ministry　still　exists；　that　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville　there　is　no　longer　either　Prefect　or　Prefecture。〃



It　is　with　great　difficulty　that　we　make　our　way　through　the　human　ocean　that　with　a　noise　as　of　a　tempest　covers　the　Place　de　Hotel　de　Ville。　　At　the　Quai　de　la　Mégisserie　is　a　formidable　barricade；　thanks　to　the　Mayor's　sash　shown　by　my　companion　we　are　allowed　to　clamber　over　it。　　Beyond　this　the　quays　are　almost　deserted。　　We　reach　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　by　the　left　bank　of　the　river。

The　Palais　Bourbon　is　encumbered　by　a　buzzing　crowd　of　deputies；　peers　and　high　functionaries。　　From　a　rather　large　group　comes　the　sharp　voice　of　M。　Thiers：　〃Ah！　here　is　Victor　Hugo！〃　　He　comes　to　us　and　asks　for　news　about　the　Faubourg　Saint　Antoine。　　We　add　that　about　the　Hotel　de　Ville。　　He　shakes　his　head　gloomily。

〃And　how　are　things　here？〃　I　question　in　turn。　　〃But　fi