the memoirs of victor hugo-第28部分

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　and　ploughed　up　the　playbills　with　which　it　was　covered。　　I　detached　a　strip　of　paper　as　a　memento。　　The　bill　to　which　it　belonged　announced　for　that　very　Sunday　a　fête　at　the　Chateau　des　Flours；　〃with　a　thousand　lanterns。〃

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For　four　months　we　have　been　living　in　a　furnace。　What　consoles　me　is　that　the　statue　of　the　future　will　issue　from　it。　　It　required　such　a　brazier　to　melt　such　a　bronze。





VI。　CHATEAUBRIAND。



July　5；　1848。

Chateaubriand　is　dead。　　One　of　the　splendours　of　this　century　has　passed　away。

He　was　seventy…nine　years　old　according　to　his　own　reckoning；　according　to　the　calculation　of　his　old　friend　M。　Bertin；　senior；　he　was　eighty　years　of　age。　　But　he　had　a　weakness；　said　M。　Bertin；　and　that　was　that　he　insisted　that　he　was　born　not　in　1768；　but　in　1769；　because　that　was　the　year　of　Napoleon's　birth。

He　died　yesterday；　July　4；　at　8　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　For　five　or　six　months　he　had　been　suffering　from　paralysis　which　had　almost　destroyed　his　brain；　and　for　five　days　from　inflammation　of　the　lungs；　which　abruptly　snuffed　out　his　life。

M。　Ampere　announced　the　news　to　the　Academy；　which　thereupon　decided　to　adjourn。

I　quitted　the　National　Assembly；　where　a　questor　to　succeed　General　Négrier；　who　was　killed　in　June；　was　being　nominated；　and　went　to　M。　de　Chateaubriand's　house；　No。　110；　Rue　du　Bac。

I　was　received　by　M。　de　Preuille；　son…in…law　of　his　nephew。　　I　entered　Chateaubriand's　chamber。

He　was　lying　upon　his　bed；　a　little　iron　bedstead　with　white　curtains　round　it　and　surmounted　by　an　iron　curtain　ring　of　somewhat　doubtful　taste。　　The　face　was　uncovered；　the　brow；　the　nose；　the　closed　eyes；　bore　that　expression　of　nobleness　which　had　marked　him　in　life；　and　which　was　enhanced　by　the　grave　majesty　of　death。　　The　mouth　and　chin　were　hidden　by　a　cambric　handkerchief。　　On　his　head　was　a　white　cotton　nightcap　which；　however；　allowed　the　grey　hair　on　his　temples　to　be　seen。　　A　white　cravat　rose　to　his　ears。　　His　tawny　visage　appeared　more　severe　amid　all　this　whiteness。　　Beneath　the　sheet　his　narrow；　hollow　chest　and　his　thin　legs　could　be　discerned。

The　shutters　of　the　windows　giving　on　to　the　garden　were　closed。　　A　little　daylight　entered　through　the　half…opened　door　of　the　salon。　　The　chamber　and　the　face　were　illumined　by　four　tapers　which　burned　at　the　corners　of　a　table　placed　near　the　bed。　　On　this　table　were　a　silver　crucifix；　a　vase　filled　with　holy　water；　and　an　aspergillum。　　Beside　it　a　priest　was　praying。

Behind　the　priest　a　large　brown…coloured　screen　hid　the　fireplace；　above　which　the　mantel…glass　and　a　few　engravings　of　churches　and　cathedrals　were　visible。

At　Chateaubriand's　feet；　in　the　angle　formed　by　the　bed　and　the　wall　of　the　room；　were　two　wooden　boxes；　placed　one　upon　the　other。　　The　largest　I　was　told　contained　the　complete　manuscript　of　his　Memoirs；　in　forty…eight　copybooks。　　Towards　the　last　there　had　been　such　disorder　in　the　house　that　one　of　the　copybooks　had　been　found　that　very　morning　by　M。　de　Preuille　in　a　dark　and　dirty　closet　where　the　lamps　were　cleaned。

A　few　tables；　a　wardrobe；　and　a　few　blue　and　green　armchairs　in　disorder　encumbered　more　than　they　furnished　the　room。

The　adjoining　salon；　the　furniture　of　which　was　hidden　under　unbleached　covers；　contained　nothing　more　remarkable　than　a　marble　bust　of　Henry　V。　and　a　full…length　statuette　of　Chateaubriand；　which　were　on　the　mantelpiece；　and　on　each　side　of　a　window　plaster　busts　of　Mme。　de　Berri　and　her　infant　child。



Towards　the　close　of　his　life　Chateaubriand　was　almost　in　his　second　childhood。　　His　mind　was　only　lucid　for　about　two　or　three　hours　a　day；　at　least　so　M。　Pilorge；　his　former　secretary；　told　me。

When　in　February　he　was　apprised　of　the　proclamation　of　the　Republic　he　merely　remarked：　〃Will　you　be　any　the　happier　for　it？〃

When　his　wife　died　he　attended　the　funeral　service　and　returned　laughing　heartilywhich；　said　Pilorge；　was　a　proof　that　he　was　of　weak　mind。　　〃A　proof　that　he　was　in　his　right　mind！〃　　affirmed　Edouard　Bertin。

Mme。　de　Chateaubriand's　benevolence　was　official；　which　did　not　prevent　her　from　being　a　shrew　at　home。　　She　founded　a　hospicethe　Marie　Thérèse　Infirmaryvisited　the　poor；　succoured　the　sick；　superintended　crêches；　gave　alms　and　prayed；　at　the　same　time　she　was　harsh　towards　her　husband；　her　relatives；　her　friends；　and　her　servants；　and　was　sour…tempered；　stern；　prudish；　and　a　backbiter。　　God　on　high　will　take　these　things　into　account。

She　was　ugly；　pitted　with　small…pox；　had　an　enormous　mouth；　little　eyes；　was　insignificant　in　appearance；　and　acted　the　~grande　dame~；　although　she　was　rather　the　wife　of　a　great　man　than　of　a　great　lord。　　By　birth　she　was　only　the　daughter　of　a　ship…owner　of　Saint　Malo。　　M。　de　Chateaubriand　feared；　detested；　and　cajoled　her。

She　took　advantage　of　this　to　make　herself　insupportable　to　mere　human　beings。　　I　have　never　known　anybody　less　approachable　or　whose　reception　of　callers　was　more　forbidding。　　I　was　a　youth　when　I　went　to　M。　de　Chateaubriand's。　　She　received　me　very　badly；　or　rather　she　did　not　receive　me　at　all。　　I　entered　and　bowed；　but　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand　did　not　see　me。　　I　was　scared　out　of　my　wits。　　These　terrors　made　my　visits　to　M。　de　Chateaubriand　veritable　nightmares　which　oppressed　me　for　fifteen　days　and　fifteen　nights　in　advance。　　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand　hated　whoever　visited　her　husband　except　through　the　doors　that　she　opened。　　She　had　not　presented　me　to　him；　therefore　she　hated　me。　　I　was　perfectly　odious　to　her；　and　she　showed　it。

Only　once　in　my　life　and　in　hers　did　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand　receive　me　graciously。　　One　day　I　entered；　poor　little　devil；　as　usual　most　unhappy；　with　affrighted　schoolboy　air　and　twisting　my　hat　about　in　my　hands。　　M。　de　Chateaubriand　at　that　time　still　lived　at　No。　27；　Rue　Saint　Dominique。

I　was　frightened　at　everything　there；　even　at　the　servant　who　opened　the　door。　　Well；　I　entered。　　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand　was　in　the　salon　leading　to　her　husband's　study。　　It　was　a　summer　morning。　　There　was　a　ray　of　sunshine　on　the　floor；　and　what　dazzled　and　astonished　me　much　more　than　the　ray　of　sunshine　was　a　smile　on　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand's　face。　　〃Is　that　you；　Monsieur　Victor　Hugo？〃　she　said。　　I　thought　I　was　in　the　midst　of　a　dream　of　the　_Arabian　Nights_。　　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand　smiling！　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand　knowing　my　name；　addressing　me　by　name！　It　was　the　first　time　that　she　had　deigned　to　notice　my　existence。　　I　bowed　so　low　that　my　head　nearly　touched　the　floor。　　She　went　on：　〃I　am　delighted　to　see　you。〃　I　could　not　believe　my　ears。　〃I　was　expecting　you；〃　she　continued。　　〃It　is　a　long　time　since　you　called。〃　I　thought　then　that　there　certainly　must　be　something　the　matter　either　with　her　or　myself。　However；　she　pointed　to　a　rather　large　object　of　some　kind　on　a　little　table；　and　added：　〃I　reserved　this　for　you。　　I　felt　sure　you　would　like　to　have　it。　　You　know　what　it　is？〃　It　was　a　pile　of　packets　of　chocolate　made　by　some　religious　institution。　　She　had　taken　the　stuff　under　her　protection　and　the　proceeds　of　its　sale　were　to　be　devoted　to　charitable　works。　　I　took　it　and　paid　for　it。　　At　that　time　I　had　to　live　for　fifteen　months　on　800　francs。　　The　Catholic　chocolate　and　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand's　smile　cost　me　15　francs；　that　is　to　say；　a　fortnight's　board。　　Fifteen　francs　meant　as　much　to　me　then　as　1；500　francs　does　now。

It　was　the　most　costly　smile　of　a　woman　that　ever　was　sold　to　me。



M。　de　Chateaubriand；　at　the　beginning　of　1847；　was　a　paralytic；　Mme。　Récamier　was　blind。　　Every　day　at　3　o'clock　M。　de　Chateaubriand　was　carried　to　Mme。　Recamier's　bedside。　　It　was　touching　and　sad。　　The　woman　who　could　no　longer　see　stretched　forth　her　hands　gropingly　towards　the　man　who　could　no　longer　feel；　their　hands　met。　　God　be　praised！　　Life　was　dying；　but　love　still　lived。




VII。　　DEBATES　IN　THE　NATIONAL　ASSEMBLY　ON　THE　DAYS　OF　JUNE。



SESSION　OF　NOVEMBER　25；　1848。


What　had　to　be　determined　before　the　Assembly　and　the　country　was　upon　whom　devolved　the　heavy　responsibility　for　the　painful　days　of　June。　　The　Executive　Committee　was　then　in　power；　ought　it　not　to　have　foreseen　and　provided　against　the　insurrection？　　General　Cavaignac；　Minister　of　War；　and；　moreover；　invested　with　dictatorial　powers　by　the　National　Assembly；　had　alone　issued　orders。

Had　he　issued　them　in　time？　　Could　he　not　have　crushed　the　riot　at　the　outset　instead　of　permitting　it　to　gain　strength；　spread　and　develop　into　an　insurrection？　　And；　finally；　had　not　the　repression　which　followed　victory　been　unnecessarily　bloody；　if　not　inhuman？

As　the　time　for　rendering　an　account　approached　Cavaignac　became　thoughtful　and　his　ill…humour　was　manifest　even　in　the　Chamber。

One　day　Crémieux　took　his　seat　on　the　ministerial　bench；　whence　he　approved　with　an　occasional　〃Hear！　　Hear！〃　the　remarks　of　the　orator　who　occupied　the　tribune。　　The　speaker　chanced　to　belong　to　the　Opposition。

〃Monsieur　Crémieux；〃　said　Cavaignac；　〃you　are　making　a　good　deal　of　noise。〃

〃What　does　that　matter　to　you？〃　　replied　Crémieux。

〃It　matters　that　you　are　on　the　ministerial　bench。〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to　leave　it？〃

〃Well〃

Cremieux　rose　and　quitted　his　bench；　saying　as　he　did　so：

〃General；　you　compel　me　to　leave　the　Cabinet；　and　it　was　through　me　that　you　entered　it。〃

Crémieux；　in　point　of　fact；　had；　as　a　member　of　the　Provisional　Government；　had　Cavaignac　appointed　Minister　of　War。

During　the　three　days　that　preceded　the　debate；　which　had　been　fixed　for　the　25th；　the　Chamber　was　very　nervous　and　uneasy。　　Cavaignac's　friends　secretly　trembled　and　sought　to　make　others　tremble。　　They　said：　〃You　will　see！〃　　They　affected　assurance。　　Jules　Favre　having　alluded　in　the　tribune　to　the　〃great　and　solemn　debate〃　which　was　to　take　place；　they　burst　into　a　laugh。　　M。　Coquerel；　the　Protestant　pastor；　happening　to　meet　Cavaignac　in　the　lobby；　said　to　him：　〃Keep　yourself　in　hand；　General！〃　　〃In　a　quarter　of　an　hour；〃　replied　Cavaignac　with　flashing　eyes；　〃I　shall　have　swept　these　wretches　away！〃　　These　wretches　were　Lamartine；　Gamier…Pages；　and　Arago。　　There　was　some　doubt　about　Arago；　however。　It　was　said　that