the memoirs of victor hugo-第25部分

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We　saluted　each　other；　M。　Albert　and　I。

The　little　waiter　showed　Lamartine　a　table　upon　which　were　some　mutton　cutlets　in　an　earthenware　dish；　some　bread；　a　bottle　of　wine　and　a　glass。　　The　whole　came　from　a　wine…shop　in　the　neighbourhood。

〃Well；〃　exclaimed　Lamartine；　〃what　about　a　knife　and　fork？〃

〃I　thought　you　had　knives　and　forks　here；〃　returned　the　boy。　　〃I　had　trouble　enough　to　bring　the　luncheon；　and　if　I　have　got　to　go　and　fetch　knives　and　forks〃

〃Pshaw！〃　said　Lamartine；　〃one　must　take　things　as　they　come！〃

He　broke　the　bread；　took　a　cutlet　by　the　bone　and　tore　the　meat　with　his　teeth。　　When　he　had　finished　he　threw　the　bone　into　the　fireplace。　　In　this　manner　he　disposed　of　three　cutlets；　and　drank　two　glasses　of　wine。

〃You　will　agree　with　me　that　this　is　a　primitive　repast！〃　he　said。　　〃But　it　is　an　improvement　on　our　supper　last　night。　We　had　only　bread　and　cheese　among　us；　and　we　all　drank　water　from　the　same　chipped　sugar…bowl。　　Which　didn't；　it　appears；　prevent　a　newspaper　this　morning　from　denouncing　the　great　orgy　of　the　Provisional　Government！〃



I　did　not　find　Victor　in　the　room　where　he　was　to　have　waited　for　me。　　I　supposed　that；　having　become　tired　of　waiting；　he　had　returned　home　alone。

When　I　issued　on　to　the　Place　de　Grève　the　crowd　was　still　excited　and　in　a　state　of　consternation　at　the　inexplicable　collision　that　had　occurred　an　hour　before。　　The　body　of　a　wounded　man　who　had　just　expired　was　carried　past　me。　　They　told　me　that　it　was　the　fifth。　　It　was　taken；　as　the　other　bodies　had　been　taken；　to　the　Salle　Saint　Jean；　where　the　dead　of　the　previous　day　to　the　number　of　over　a　hundred　had　been　exposed。

Before　returning　to　the　Place　Royale　I　made　a　tour　for　the　purpose　of　visiting　our　guard…houses。　　Outside　the　Minimes　Barracks　a　boy　of　about　fifteen　years；　armed　with　the　rifle　of　a　soldier　of　the　line；　was　proudly　mounting　guard。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　seen　him　there　in　the　morning　or　the　day　before。

〃What！〃　I　said；　〃are　you　doing　sentry　duty　again？〃

〃No；　not　again；　I　haven't　yet　been　relieved。〃

〃You　don't　say　so。　　Why；　how　long　have　you　been　here？〃

〃Oh；　about　seventeen　hours！〃

〃What！　haven't　you　slept？　Haven't　you　eaten？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　had　something　to　eat。〃

〃You　went　to　get　it；　of　course？〃

〃No；　I　didn't；　a　sentry　does　not　quit　his　post！　　This　morning　I　shouted　to　the　people　in　the　shop　across　the　way　that　I　was　hungry；　and　they　brought　me　some　bread。〃

I　hastened　to　have　the　brave　child　relieved　from　duty。

On　arriving　in　the　Place　Royale　I　inquired　for　Victor。　He　had　not　returned。　　I　was　seized　with　a　shudder　of　fear。　I　do　not　know　why　the　vision　of　the　dead　who　had　been　transported　to　the　Salle　Saint　Jean　should　have　come　into　my　mind。　　What　if　my　Victor　had　been　caught　in　that　bloody　affray？　　I　gave　some　pretext　for　going　out　again。　Vacquerie　was　there；　I　told　him　of　my　anguish　in　a　whisper；　and　he　offered　to　accompany　me。

First　of　all　we　called　upon　M。　Froment…Meurice；　whose　establishment　was　in　the　Rue　Lobau；　next　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　I　asked　him　to　have　me　admitted　to　the　Salle　Saint　Jean。　　At　first　he　sought　to　dissuade　me　from　seeing　the　hideous　sight；　he　had　seen　it　the　previous　day　and　was　still　under　the　impression　of　the　horror　it　inspired。　　I　fancied　his　reluctance　was　a　bad　sign；　that　he　was　trying　to　keep　something　from　me。　　This　made　me　insist　the　more；　and　we　went。

In　the　large　Salle　Saint　Jean；　transformed　into　a　vast　morgue；　lay　the　long　line　of　corpses　upon　camp　bedsteads。　For　the　most　part　they　were　unrecognisable。　　And　I　held　the　dreadful　review；　quaking　in　my　shoes　when　one　of　the　dead　was　young　and　slim　with　chestnut　hair。　　Yes；　the　spectacle　of　the　poor　blood…stained　dead　was　horrible　indeed！　　But　I　could　not　describe　it；　all　that　I　saw　of　each　body　was　that　it　was　not　that　of　my　child。　　At　length　I　reached　the　last　one；　and　breathed　freely　once　more。

As　I　issued　from　the　lugubrious　place　I　saw　Victor；　very　much　alive；　running　towards　me。　　When　he　heard　the　firing　he　had　left　the　room　where　he　was　waiting　for　me；　and　not　being　able　to　find　his　way　back；　had　been　to　see　a　friend。




II。　　　EXPULSIONS　AND　ESCAPES。

May　3；　1848。



On　February　24　the　Duke　and　Duchess　Decazes　were　literally　driven　from　the　Luxembourg。　　And　by　whom？　By　the　very　denizens　of　the　palace；　all　employés　of　the　Chamber　of　Peers；　all　appointed　by　the　grand　referendary。　A　rumour　was　circulated　in　the　quarter　that　during　the　night　the　peers　would　commit　some　anti…revolutionary　act；　publish　a　proclamation；　etc。　　The　entire　Faubourg　Saint　Jacques　prepared　to　march　against　the　Luxembourg。　Hence；　great　terror。　　First　the　Duke　and　Duchess　were　begged；　then　pressed；　then　constrained　to　leave　the　palace。

〃We　will　leave　to…morrow。　　We　do　not　know　where　to　go。　　Let　us　pass　the　night　here；〃　they　said。

They　were　driven　out。

They　slept　in　a　lodging…house。　　Next　day　they　took　up　their　abode　at　9；　Rue　Verneuil。

M。　Decazes　was　very　ill。　　A　week　before　he　had　undergone　an　operation。　　Mme。　Decazes　bore　it　all　with　cheerfulness　and　courage。　　This　is　a　trait　of　character　that　women　often　display　in　trying　situations　brought　about　through　the　stupidity　of　men。



The　ministers　escaped；　but　not　without　difficulty。　　M。　Duchatel；　in　particular；　had　a　great　fright。

M。　Guizot；　three　days　previously；　had　quitted　the　Hotel　des　Capucines　and　installed　himself　at　the　Ministry　of　the　Interior。　　He　lived　there　~en　famille~　with　M。　Duchatel。

On　February　24；　MM。　Duchatel　and　Guizot　were　about　to　sit　down　to　luncheon　when　an　usher　rushed　in　with　a　frightened　air。　　The　head　of　the　column　of　rioters　was　debouching　from　the　Rue　de　Bourgogne。　　The　two　ministers　left　the　table　and　managed　to　escape　just　in　time　by　way　of　the　garden。　　Their　families　followed　them：　M。　Duchatel's　young　wife；　M。　Guizot's　aged　mother；　and　the　children。

A　notable　thing　about　this　flight　was　that　the　luncheon　of　M。　Guizot　became　the　supper　of　M。　Ledru…Rollin。　　It　was　not　the　first　time　that　the　Republic　had　eaten　what　had　been　served　to　the　Monarchy。

Meanwhile　the　fugitives　had　taken　the　Rue　Bellechasse。　M。　Guizot　walked　first；　giving　his　arm　to　Mme。　Duchatel。　His　fur…lined　overcoat　was　buttoned　up　and　his　hat　as　usual　was　stuck　on　the　back　of　his　head。　　He　was　easily　recognisable。　　In　the　Rue　Hillerin…Bertin；　Mme。　Duchatel　noticed　that　some　men　in　blouses　were　gazing　at　M。　Guizot　in　a　singular　manner；　She　led　him　into　a　doorway。　　It　chanced　that　she　knew　the　doorkeeper。　　They　hid　M。　Guizot　in　an　empty　room　on　the　fifth　floor。

Here　M。　Guizot　passed　the　day；　but　he　could　not　stay　there。　　One　of　his　friends　remembered　a　bookseller；　a　great　admirer　of　M。　Guizot；　who　in　better　days　had　often　declared　that　he　would　devote　himself　to　and　give　his　life　for　him　whom　he　called　〃a　great　man；〃　and　that　he　only　hoped　the　opportunity　for　doing　so　might　present　itself。　　This　friend　called　upon　him；　reminded　him　of　what　he　had　said；　and　told　him　that　the　hour　had　come。　　The　brave　bookseller　did　not　fail　in　what　was　expected　of　him。　　He　placed　his　house　at　M。　Guizot's　disposal　and　hid　him　there　for　ten　whole　days。　　At　the　end　of　that　time　the　eight　places　in　a　compartment　of　a　carriage　on　the　Northern　Railway　were　hired。　　M。　Guizot　made　his　way　to　the　station　at　nightfall。　The　seven　persons　who　were　aiding　in　his　escape　entered　the　compartment　with　him。　　They　reached　Lille；　then　Ostend；　whence　M。　Guizot　crossed　over　to　England。

M。　Duchatel's　escape　was　more　complicated。

He　managed　to　secure　a　passport　as　an　agent　of　the　Republic　on　a　mission。　　He　disguised　himself；　dyed　his　eye…brows；　put　on　blue　spectacles；　and　left　Paris　in　a　post…chaise。　Twice　he　was　stopped　by　National　Guards　in　the　towns　through　which　he　passed。　　With　great　audacity　he　declared　that　he　would　hold　responsible　before　the　Republic　those　who　delayed　him　on　his　mission。　　The　word　〃Republic〃　produced　its　effect。　　They　allowed　the　Minister　to　pass。　The　Republic　saved　M。　Duchatel。

In　this　way　he　reached　a　seaport　（Boulogne；　I　think）；　believing　that　he　was　being　hotly　pursued；　and　very　nervous　in　consequence。　　A　Channel　steamer　was　going　to　England。　He　went　on　board　at　night。　　He　was　installing　himself　for　the　voyage　when　he　was　informed　that　the　steamer　would　not　leave　that　night。　　He　thought　that　he　had　been　discovered　and　that　he　was　a　lost　man。　　The　steamer　had　merely　been　detained　by　the　English　Consul；　probably　to　facilitate；　if　necessary；　the　flight　of　Louis　Philippe。　　　M。　Duchatel　landed　again　and　spent　the　night　and　next　day　in　the　studio　of　a　woman　painter　who　was　devoted　to　him。

Then　he　embarked　on　another　steamer。　　He　went　below　at　once　and　concealed　himself　as　best　he　could　pending　the　departure　of　the　vessel。　　He　scarcely　dared　to　breathe；　fearing　that　at　any　moment　he　might　be　recognised　and　seized。　　At　last　the　steamer　got　under　way。　　Hardly　had　the　paddle　wheels　begun　to　revolve；　however；　when　shouts　of　〃Stop　her！　Stop　her！〃　　were　raised　on　the　quay　and　on　the　boat；　which　stopped　short。　　This　time　the　poor　devil　of　a　Minister　thought　it　was　all　up　with　him。　　The　hubbub　was　caused　by　an　officer　of　the　National　Guard；　who；　in　taking　leave　of　friends；　had　lingered　too　long　on　deck；　and　did　not　want　to　be　taken　to　England　against　his　will。　　When　he　found　that　the　vessel　had　cast　off　he　had　shouted　〃Stop　her！　〃　and　his　family　on　the　quay　had　taken　up　the　shout。　　The　officer　was　put　ashore　and　the　steamer　finally　started。

This　was　how　M。　Duchatel　left　France　and　reached　England。




III。　　LOUIS　PHILIPPE　IN　EXILE。

May　3；　1848。



The　Orleans　family　in　England　are　literally　in　poverty；　they　are　twenty…two　at　table　and　drink　water。　　There　is　not　the　slightest　exaggeration　in　this。　　Absolutely　all　they　have　to　live　upon　is　an　income　of　about　40；000　francs　made　up　as　follows：　24；000　francs　a　year　from　Naples；　which　came　from　Queen　Marie　Amélie；　and　the　interest　on　a　sum　of　340；000　francs　which　Louis　Philippe　had　forgotten　under　the　following　circumstances：　During　his　last　triumphal　voyage　made　in　October；　1844；　with　the　Prince　de　Joinville；　he　had　a　credit　of　500；000　francs　opened　for　him　with　a　London　banker。　　Of　this　sum　he　spent　only　160；000　francs。　　He　was　greatly　amazed　and　ver