the memoirs of victor hugo-第23部分

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ed　to　do；　the　only　thing　that　remains　for　us　to　do　is　to　withdraw。〃

The　crowd　opened　before　us；　curious　and　inoffensive。　But　twenty　paces　from　the　column　the　man　who　had　threatened　me　with　his　rifle　came　up　with　us　and　again　levelled　his　weapon　at　me；　shouting：　〃Down　with　the　peer　of　France！〃　　〃No；　respect　the　great　man！〃　cried　a　young　workman；　who；　with　a　quick　movement；　pushed　the　rifle　downward。　　I　thanked　this　unknown　friend　with　a　wave　of　the　hand　and　passed　on。

At　the　Mairie；　M。　Ernest　Moreau；　who　it　appears　had　been　very　anxious　about　us；　received　us　with　joy　and　cordially　congratulated　me。　　But　I　knew　that　even　when　their　passions　are　aroused　the　people　are　just；　and　not　the　slightest　credit　was　due　to　me；　for　I　had　not　been　uneasy　in　the　least。



While　these　things　were　happening　in　the　Place　de　la　Bastille；　this　is　what　was　taking　place　at　the　Palais　Bourbon：

There　is　at　this　moment　a　man　whose　name　is　in　everybody's　mouth　and　the　thought　of　whom　is　in　everybody's　mind；　that　man　is　Lamartine。　　His　eloquent　and　vivid　_History　of　the　Girondins_　has　for　the　first　time　taught　the　Revolution　to　France。　　Hitherto　he　had　only　been　illustrious；　he　has　become　popular　and　may　be　said　to　hold　Paris　in　his　hand。

In　the　universal　confusion　his　influence　could　be　decisive。　This　is　what　they　said　to　themselves　in　the　offices　of　the　National；　where　the　possible　chances　of　the　Republic　had　been　weighed；　and　where　a　scheme　for　a　provisional　government　had　been　sketched；　from　which　Lamartine　had　been　left　out。　　In　1842；　at　the　time　of　the　debate　over　the　Regency　which　resulted　in　the　choice　of　the　Duke　de　Nemours；　Lamartine　had　pleaded　warmly　for　the　Duchess　d'Orleans。　　Was　he　imbued　with　the　same　ideas　to…day？　What　did　he　want？　　What　would　he　do？　　It　was　necessary　that　this　should　be　ascertained。　　M。　Armand　Marrast；　the　editor…in…chief　of　the　National；　took　with　him　three　notorious　Republicans；　M。　Bastide；　M。　Hetzel；　the　publisher；　and　M。　Bocage；　the　eminent　comedian　who　created　the　role　of　Didier　in　〃Marion　de　Lorme。〃　　All　four　went　to　the　Chamber　of　Deputies。　　They　found　Lamartine　there　and　held　a　conference　with　him　in　one　of　the　offices。

They　all　spoke　in　turn；　and　expressed　their　convictions　and　hopes。　　They　would　be　happy　to　think　that　Lamartine　was　with　them　for　the　immediate　realization　of　the　Republic。　If；　however；　he　judged　that　the　transition　of　the　Regency　was　necessary　they　asked　him　to　at　least　aid　them　in　obtaining　serious　guarantees　against　any　retrogression。　They　awaited　with　emotion　his　decision　in　this　great　matter。

Lamartine　listened　to　their　reasons　in　silence；　then　requested　them　to　allow　him　a　few　minutes　for　reflection。　He　sat　apart　from　them　at　a　table；　leaned　his　head　upon　his　hands；　and　thought。　　His　four　visitors；　standing　and　silent；　gazed　at　him　respectfully。　　It　was　a　solemn　moment。　〃We　listened　to　history　passing；〃　said　Bocage　to　me。

Lamartine　raised　his　head　and　said：　〃I　will　oppose　the　Regency。〃

A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　the　Duchess　d'Orleans　arrived　at　the　Chamber　holding　by　the　hand　her　two　sons；　the　Count　de　Paris　and　the　Duke　de　Chartres。　　M。　Odilon。　Barrot　was　not　with　her。　　The　Duke　de　Nemours　accompanied　her。

She　was　acclaimed　by　the　deputies。　　But；　the　Chamber　having　been　dissolved；　were　there　any　deputies？

M。　Crémieux　ascended　the　tribune　and　flatly　proposed　a　provisional　government。　　M。　Odilon　Barrot；　who　had　been　fetched　from　the　Ministry　of　the　Interior；　made　his　appearance　at　last　and　pleaded　for　the　Regency；　but　without　éclat　and　without　energy。　　Suddenly　a　mob　of　people　and　National　Guards　with　arms　and　flags　invaded　the　chamber。　　The　Duchess　d'Orleans；　persuaded　by　her　friends；　withdrew　with　her　children。

The　Chamber　of　Deputies　then　vanished；　submerged　by　a　sort　of　revolutionary　assembly。　　Ledru…Rollin　harangued　this　crowd。　　Next　came　Lamartine；　who　was　awaited　and　acclaimed。　　He　opposed　the　Regency；　as　he　had　promised。

That　settled　it。　　The　names　for　a　provisional　government　were　proposed　to　the　people。　　And　by　shouts　of　〃yes〃　or　〃no〃　the　people　elected　successively：　Lamartine；　Dupont　de　l'Eure；　Arago；　and　Ledru…Rollin　unanimously；　Crémieux；　Gamier…Pages；　and　Marie　by　a　majority。

The　new　ministers　at　once　set　out　for　the　Hotel　de　Ville。

At　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　not　once　was　the　word　〃Republic〃　uttered　in　any　of　the　speeches　of　the　orators；　not　even　in　that　of　Ledru…Rollin。　　But　now；　outside；　in　the　street；　the　elect　of　the　people　heard　this　words　this　shout；　everywhere。　　It　flew　from　mouth　to　mouth　and　filled　the　air　of　Paris。

The　seven　men　who；　in　these　supreme　and　extreme　days；　held　the　destiny　of　France　in　their　hands　were　themselves　at　once　tools　and　playthings　in　the　hands　of　the　mob；　which　is　not　the　people；　and　of　chance；　which　is　not　providence。　Under　the　pressure　of　the　multitude；　in　the　bewilderment　and　terror　of　their　triumph；　which　overwhelmed　them；　they　decreed　the　Republic　without　having　time　to　think　that　they　were　doing　such　a　great　thing。

When；　having　been　separated　and　dispersed　by　the　violent　pushing　of　the　crowd；　they　were　able　to　find　each　other　again　and　reassemble；　or　rather　hide；　in　one　of　the　rooms　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　they　took　half　a　sheet　of　paper；　at　the　head　of　which　were　printed　the　words：　〃Prefecture　of　the　Seine。　　Office　of　the　Prefect。〃　　M。　de　Rambuteau　may　that　very　morning　have　used　the　other　half　of　the　sheet　to　write　a　love…letter　to　one　of　his　〃little　bourgeoises；〃　as　he　called　them。

Under　the　dictation　of　terrible　shouts　outside　Lamartine　traced　this　phrase：

〃The　Provisional　Government　declares　that　the　Provisional　Government　of　France　is　the　Republican　Government；　and　that　the　nation　shall　be　immediately　called　upon　to　ratify　the　resolution　of　the　Provisional　Government　and　of　the　people　of　Paris。〃

I　had　this　paper；　this　sheet　smeared　and　blotted　with　ink；　in　my　hands。　　It　was　still　stamped；　still　palpitating；　so　to　speak；　with　the　fever　of　the　moment。　　The　words　hurriedly　scribbled　were　scarcely　formed。　　~Appelée~　was　written　~appellée~。

When　these　half　dozen　lines　had　been　written　Lamartine　handed　the　sheet　to　Ledru…Rollin。

Ledru…Rollin　read　aloud　the　phrase：　〃The　Provisional　Government　declares　that　the　Provisional　Government　of　France　is　the　Republican　Government〃

〃The　word　'provisional'　occurs　twice；〃　he　commented。

〃That　is　so；〃　said　the　others。

〃One　of　them　at　least　must　be　effaced；〃　added　Ledru…Rollin。

Lamartine　understood　the　significance　of　this　grammatical　observation；　which　was　simply　a　political　revolution。

〃But　we　must　await　the　sanction　of　France；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　do　without　the　sanction　of　France'　cried　Ledru…Rollin；　〃when　I　have　the　sanction　of　the　people。〃

〃Of　the　people　of　Paris。　　But　who　knows　at　present　what　is　the　will　of　the　people　of　France？〃　observed　Lamartine。

There　was　an　interval　of　silence。　　The　noise　of　the　multitude　without　sounded　like　the　murmuring　of　the　ocean。　Ledru…Rollin　went　on：

〃What　the　people　want　is　the　Republic　at　once；　the　Republic　without　waiting。〃

〃The　Republic　without　any　delay？〃　said　Lamartine；　covering　an　objection　in　this　interpretation　of　Ledru…Rollin's　words。

〃We　are　provisional；〃　returned　Ledru…Rollin；　〃but　the　Republic　is　not！〃

M。　Crémieux　took　the　pen　from　Lamartine's　hands；　scratched　out　the　word　〃provisional〃　at　the　end　of　the　third　line　and　wrote　beside　it：　〃actual。〃

〃The　actual　government？　　Very　well！〃　said　Ledru…Rollin；　with　a　slight　shrug　of　the　shoulder。

The　seal　of　the　City　of　Paris　was　on　the　table。　　Since　1830　the　vessel　sailing　beneath　a　sky　starred　with　fleurs…de…lys　and　with　the　device；　~Proelucent　clarius　astris~；　had　disappeared　from　the　seal　of　the　City。　　The　seal　was　merely　a　circle　with　the　words　〃Ville　de　Paris〃　in　the　centre。　Crémieux　took　the　seal　and　stamped　the　paper　so　hastily　with　it　that　the　words　appeared　upside　down。

But　they　did　not　sign　this　rough　draught。　　Their　whereabouts　had　been　discovered；　an　impetuous　stream　was　surging　against　the　door　of　the　office　in　which　they　had　taken　refuge。　　The　people　were　calling；　ordering；　them　to　go　to　the　meeting…hall　of　the　Municipal　Council。

There　they　were　greeted　by　this　clamour：　〃The　Republic！　　Long　live　the　Republic！　　Proclaim　the　Republic！〃　　Lamartine；　who　was　at　first　interrupted　by　the　cries；　succeeded　at　length　with　his　grand　voice　in　calming　this　feverish　impatience。

The　members　of　the　Provisional　Government　were　thus　enabled　to　return　and　resume　their　session　and　lively　discussion。　　The　more　ardent　ones　wanted　the　document　to　read：　〃The　Provisional　Government　proclaims　the　Republic。〃　The　moderates　proposed：　〃The　Provisional　Government　desires　the　Republic。〃　　A　compromise　was　reached　on　the　proposition　of　M。　Crémieux；　and　the　sentence　was　made　to　read：　〃The　Provisional　Government　〃is　for〃　the　Republic。〃　　To　this　was　added：　〃subject　to　the　ratification　of　the　people；　who　will　be　immediately　consulted。〃

The　news　was　at　once　announced　to　the　crowds　in　the　meeting…hall　and　in　the　square　outside；　who　would　listen　to　nothing　but　the　word　〃republic；〃　and　saluted　it　with　tremendous　cheering。

The　Republic　was　established。　　~Alea　jacta~；　as　Lamartine　observed　later。




THE　TWENTY…FIFTH。



During　the　morning　everything　at　and　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Mairie　of　the　Eighth　Arrondissement　was　relatively　calm；　and　the　steps　to　maintain　order　taken　the　previous　day　with　the　approval　of　M。　Ernest　Moreau　appeared　to　have　assured　the　security　of　the　quarter。*　　I　thought　I　might　leave　the　Place　Royale　and　repair　towards　the　centre　of　the　city　with　my　son　Victor。　　The　restlessness　and　agitation　of　a　people　（of　the　people　of　Paris！）　on　the　morrow　of　a　revolution　was　a　spectacle　that　had　an　irresistible　attraction　for　me。

*　　On　the　evening　of　the　24th；　there　had　been　reason　to　apprehend　　disturbances　in　the　Eighth　Arrondissement；　disturbances　particularly　serious　in　that　they　would　not　have　been　of　a　political　character。　　The　prowlers　and　evil…doers　with　hang…dog　mien　who　seem　to　issue　from　the　earth　in　times　of　trouble　were　very　much　in　evidence　in　the　streets。　　At　the　Prison　of　La　Force；　in　the　Rue　Saint　Antoine；　the　common　law　criminals　had　begun　a　revolt　by　locking　up　their　keepers。　　To　what　public