the memoirs of victor hugo-第33部分

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〃He　is　rendering　you　a　service。　　He　is　doing　the　preparatory　work。　　He　is　turning　the　bill's　trousers　down。　　This　done　you　will　be　able　to　at　once〃

He　completed　the　phrase　with　the　expressive　gesture　which　consists　of　tapping　the　back　of　the　fingers　of　the　left　hand　with　the　fingers　of　the　right　hand。







LOUIS　BONAPARTE。

I。　　　　HIS　DEBUTS。　II。　　　HIS　ELEVATION　TO　THE　PRESIDENCY。　III。　　THE　FIRST　OFFICIAL　DINNER。　IV。　　　THE　FIRST　MONTH。　V。　　　　FEELING　HIS　WAY。




I。　　　HIS　DEBUTS。



Upon　his　arrival　in　Paris　Louis　Bonaparte　took　up　his　residence　in　the　Place　Vendome。　　Mlle。　Georges　went　to　see　him。　　They　conversed　at　some　length。　　In　the　course　of　the　conversation　Louis　Bonaparte　led　Mlle。　Georges　to　a　window　from　which　；the　column　with　the　statue　of　Napoleon　I。　upon　it　was　visible　and　said：

〃I　gaze　at　that　all　day　long。〃

〃It's　pretty　high！〃　observed　Mlle。　George。



September　24；　1848。

Louis　Napoleon　appeared　at　the　National　Assembly　today。　　He　seated　himself　on　the　seventh　bench　of　the　third　section　on　the　left；　between　M。　Vieillard　and　M。　Havin。

He　looks　young；　has　a　black　moustache　and　goatee；　and　a　parting　in　his　hair；　a　black　cravat；　a　black　coat　buttoned　up；　a　turned…down　collar；　and　white　gloves。　　Perrin　and　Leon　Faucher；　seated　immediately　below　him；　did　not　once　turn　their　heads。　　In　a　few　minutes　the　galleries　began　to　turn　their　opera…glasses　upon　the　prince；　and　the　prince　gazed　at　the　galleries　through　his　own　glass。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　


September　26。

Louis　Bonaparte　ascended　the　tribune　（3。15　P。M。）。　　Black　frock…coat；　grey　trousers。　　He　read　from　a　crumpled　paper　in　his　hand。　　He　was　listened　to　with　deep　attention。　　He　pronounced　the　word　〃compatriots〃　with　a　foreign　accent。　When　he　had　finished　a　few　cries　of　〃Long　live　the　Republic！〃　were　raised。

He　returned　leisurely　to　his　place。　　His　cousin　Napoleon；　son　of　Jerome；　who　so　greatly　resembles　the　Emperor；　leaned　over　M。　Vieillard　to　congratulate　him。

Louis　Bonaparte　seated　himself　without　saying　a　word　to　his　two　neighbours。　　He　is　silent；　but　he　seems　to　be　embarrassed　rather　than　taciturn。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　


October　9。

While　the　question　of　the　presidency　was　being　raised　Louis　Bonaparte　absented　himself　from　the　Assembly。　When　the　Antony　Thouret　amendment；　excluding　members　of　the　royal　and　imperial　families　was　being　debated；　however；　he　reappeared。　　He　seated　himself　at　the　extremity　of　his　bench；　beside　his　former　tutor；　M。　Vieillard；　and　listened　in　silence；　leaning　his　chin　upon　his　hand；　or　twisting　his　moustache。

All　at　once　he　rose　and；　amid　extraordinary　agitation；　walked　slowly　towards　the　tribune。　　One　half　of　the　Assembly　shouted：　〃The　vote！〃　　The　other　half　shouted：　〃Speak！〃

M。　Sarrans　was　in　the　tribune。　　The　president　said：

〃M。　Sarrans　will　allow　M。　Louis　Napoleon　Bonaparte　to　speak。〃

He　made　a　few　insignificant　remarks　and　descended　from　the　tribune　amid　a　general　laugh　of　stupefaction。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　


November　1848。

On　November　19　I　dined　at　Odilon　Barrot's　at　Bougival。

There　were　present　MM。　de　Rémusat；　de　Tocqueville；　Girardin；　Leon　Faucher；　a　member　of　the　English　Parliament　and　his　wife；　who　is　ugly　but　witty　and　has　beautiful　teeth；　Mme。　Odilon　Barrot　and　her　mother。

Towards　the　middle　of　the　dinner　Louis　Bonaparte　arrived　with　his　cousin；　the　son　of　Jerome；　and　M。　Abbatucci；　Representative。

Louis　Bonaparte　is　distinguished；　cold；　gentle；　intelligent；　with　a　certain　measure　of　deference　and　dignity；　a　German　air　and　black　moustache；　he　bears　no　resemblance　whatever　to　the　Emperor。

He　ate　little；　spoke　little；　and　laughed　little；　although　the　party　was　a　merry　one。

Mme。　Odilon　Barrot　seated　him　on　her　left。　　The　Englishman　was　on　her　right。

M。　de　Rémusat；　who　was　seated　between　the　prince　and　myself；　remarked　to　me　loud　enough　for　Louis　Bonaparte　to　hear：

〃I　give　my　best　wishes　to　Louis　Bonaparte　and　my　vote　to　Cavaignac。〃

Louis　Bonaparte　at　the　time　was　feeding　Mme。　Odilon　Barrot's　greyhound　with　fried　gudgeons。




II。　　HIS　ELEVATION　TO　THE　PRESIDENCY。



December　1848。

The　proclamation　of　Louis　Bonaparte　as　President　of　the　Republic　was　made　on　December　20。

The　weather；　which　up　to　then　had　been　admirable；　and　reminded　one　more　of　the　approach　of　spring　than　of　the　beginning　of　winter；　suddenly　changed。　　December　20　was　the　first　cold　day　of　the　year。　　Popular　superstition　had　it　that　the　sun　of　Austerlitz　was　becoming　clouded。

This　proclamation　was　made　in　a　somewhat　unexpected　manner。　　It　had　been　announced　for　Friday。　　It　was　made　suddenly　on　Wednesday。

Towards　3　o'clock　the　approaches　to　the　Assembly　were　occupied　by　troops。　　A　regiment　of　infantry　was　massed　in　rear　of　the　Palais　d'Orsay；　a　regiment　of　dragoons　was　echeloned　along　the　quay。　　The　troopers　shivered　and　looked　moody。　　The　population　assembled　in　great　uneasiness；　not　knowing　what　it　all　meant。　　For　some　days　a　Bonapartist　movement　had　been　vaguely　spoken　of。　　The　faubourgs；　it　was　said；　were　to　turn　out　and　march　to　the　Assembly　shouting：　〃Long　live　the　Emperor！〃　　The　day　before　the　Funds　had　dropped　3　francs。　　Napoleon　Bonaparte；　greatly　alarmed；　came　to　see　me。

The　Assembly　resembled　a　public　square。　　It　was　a　number　of　groups　rather　than　a　parliament。　　In　the　tribune　a　very　useful　bill　for　regulating　the　publicity　of　the　sessions　and　substituting　the　State　Printing　Office；　the　former　Royal　Printing　Office；　for　the　printing　office　of　the　〃Moniteur；〃　was　being　discussed；　but　no　one　listened。　　M。　Bureau　de　Puzy；　the　questor；　was　speaking。

Suddenly　there　was　a　stir　in　the　Assembly；　which　was　being　invaded　by　a　crowd　of　Deputies　who　entered　by　the　door　on　the　left。　　It　was　the　committee　appointed　to　count　the　votes　and　was　returning　to　announce　the　result　of　the　election　to　the　Presidency。　　It　was　4　o'clock；　the　chandeliers　were　lighted；　there　was　an　immense　crowd　in　the　public　galleries；　all　the　ministers　were　present。　　Cavaignac；　calm；　attired　in　a　black　frock…coat；　and　not　wearing　any　decoration；　was　in　his　place。　　He　kept　his　right　hand　thrust　in　the　breast　of　his　buttoned　frock…coat；　and　made　no　reply　to　M。　Bastide；　who　now　and　then　whispered　in　his　ear。　M。　Fayet；　Bishop　of　Orleans；　occupied　a　chair　in　front　of　the　General。　　Which　prompted　the　Bishop　of　Langres；　the　Abbé　Parisis；　to　remark：　〃That　is　the　place　of　a　dog；　not　a　bishop。〃

Lamartine　was　absent。

The　~rapporteur~　of　the　committee；　M。　Waldeck…Rousseau；　read　a　cold　discourse　that　was　coldly　listened　to。　When　he　reached　the　enumeration　of　the　votes　cast；　and　came　to　Lamartine's　total；　17；910　votes；　the　Right　burst　into　a　laugh。　　A　mean　vengeance；　sarcasm　of　the　unpopular　men　of　yesterday　for　the　unpopular　man　of　to…day。

Cavaignac　took　leave　in　a　few　brief　and　dignified　words；　which　were　applauded　by　the　whole　Assembly。　　He　announced　that　the　Ministry　had　resigned　in　a　body；　and　that　he；　Cavaignac；　laid　down　the　power。　　He　thanked　the　Assembly　with　emotion。　　A　few　Representatives　wept。

Then　President　Marrast　proclaimed　〃the　citizen　Louis　Bonaparte〃　President　of　the　Republic。

A　few　Representatives　about　the　bench　where　Louis　Bonaparte　sat　applauded。　　The　remainder　of　the　Assembly　preserved　a　glacial　silence。　　They　were　leaving　the　lover　for　the　husband。

Armand　Marrast　called　upon　the　elect　of　the　nation　to　take　the　oath　of　office。　　There　was　a　stir。

Louis　Bonaparte；　buttoned　up　in　a　black　frock…coat；　the　decoration　of　Representative　of　the　people　and　the　star　of　the　Legion　of　Honour　on　his　breast；　entered　by　the　door　on　the　right；　ascended　the　tribune；　repeated　in　a　calm　voice　the　words　of　the　oath　that　President　Marrast　dictated　to　him；　called　upon　God　and　men　to　bear　witness；　then　read；　with　a　foreign　accent　which　was　displeasing；　a　speech　that　was　interrupted　at　rare　intervals　by　murmurs　of　approval。　He　eulogized　Cavaignac；　and　the　eulogy　was　noted　and　applauded。

After　a　few　minutes　he　descended　from　the　tribune；　not　like　Cavaignac；　amid　the　acclamations　of　the　Chamber；　but　amid　an　immense　shout　of　〃Long　live　the　Republic！〃　Somebody　shouted　〃Hurrah　for　the　Constitution！〃

Before　leaving　Louis　Bonaparte　went　over　to　his　former　tutor；　M。　Vieillard；　who　was　seated　in　the　eighth　section　on　the　left；　and　shook　hands　with　him。　　Then　the　President　of　the　Assembly　invited　the　committee　to　accompany　the　President　of　the　Republic　to　his　palace　and　have　rendered　to　him　the　honours　due　to　his　rank。　　The　word　caused　the　Mountain　to　murmur。　　I　shouted　from　my　bench：　〃To　his　functions！〃

The　President　of　the　Assembly　announced　that　the　President　of　the　Republic　had　charged　M。　Odilon　Barrot　with　the　formation　of　a　Cabinet；　and　that　the　names　of　the　new　Ministers　would　be　announced　to　the　Assembly　in　a　Message；　that；　in　fact；　a　supplement　to　the　Moniteur　would　be　distributed　to　the　Representatives　that　very　evening。

It　was　remarked；　for　everything　was　remarked　on　that　day　which　began　a　decisive　phase　in　the　history　of　the　country；　that　President　Marrast　called　Louis　Bonaparte　〃citizen〃　and　Odilon　Barrot　〃monsieur。〃

Meanwhile　the　ushers；　their　chief　Deponceau　at　their　head；　the　officers　of　the　Chamber；　the　questors；　and　among　them　General　Lebreton　in　full　uniform；　had　grouped　themselves　below　the　tribune；　several　Representatives　had　joined　them；　there　was　a　stir　indicating　that　Louis　Bonaparte　was　about　to　leave　the　enclosure。　　A　few　Deputies　rose。　There　were　shouts　of　〃Sit　down！　　Sit　down！〃

Louis　Bonaparte　went　out。　　The　malcontents；　to　manifest　their　indifference；　wanted　to　continue　the　debate　on　the　Printing　Office　Bill。　　But　the　Assembly　was　too　agitated　even　to　remain　seated。　　It　rose　in　a　tumult　and　the　Chamber　was　soon　empty。　　It　was　half　past　4。　　The　proceedings　had　lasted　half　an　hour。

As　I　left　the　Assembly；　alone；　and　avoided　as　a　man　who　had　disdained　the　opportunity　to　be　a　Minister；　I　passed　in　the　outer　hall；　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　a　group　in　which　I　noticed　Montalembert；　and　also　Changarnier　in　the　uniform　of　a　lieutenant…general　of　the　National　Guard。　Changarnier　had　just　been　escorting　Louis　Bonaparte　to　the　Elysee。　　I　heard　him　say：　〃All　passed　off　well。〃

When　I　found　myself　in　the　Place　de　la　Revolution；　there　were　no　long