the memoirs of victor hugo-第5部分

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derisively　drew　the　other's　attention　to　Capet's　fat　calves　and　abdomen。

The　armed　men　who　surrounded　the　scaffold　had　only　swords　and　pikes；　there　were　very　few　muskets。　　Most　of　them　wore　large　round　hats　or　red　caps。　　A　few　platoons　of　mounted　dragoons　in　uniform　were　mingled　with　these　troops　at　intervals。　　A　whole　squadron　of　dragoons　was　ranged　in　battle　array　beneath　the　terraces　of　the　Tuileries。　　What　was　called　the　Battalion　of　Marseilles　formed　one　of　the　sides　of　the　square。

The　guillotineit　is　always　with　repugnance　that　one　writes　this　hideous　wordwould　appear　to　the　craftsmen　of　to…day　to　be　very　badly　constructed。　　The　knife　was　simply　suspended　to　a　pulley　fixed　in　the　centre　of　the　upper　beam。　　This　pulley　and　a　rope　the　thickness　of　a　man's　thumb　constituted　the　whole　apparatus。　　The　knife；　which　was　not　very　heavily　weighted；　was　of　small　dimensions　and　had　a　curved　edge；　which　gave　it　the　form　of　a　reversed　Phrygian　cap。　　No　hood　was　placed　to　shelter　the　King's　head　and　at　the　same　time　to　hide　and　circumscribe　its　fall。　　All　that　crowd　could　see　the　head　of　　Louis　XVI。　drop；　and　it　was　thanks　to　chance；　thanks　perhaps　to　the　smallness　of　the　knife　which　diminished　the　violence　of　the　shock；　that　it　did　not　bound　beyond　the　basket　to　the　pavement。　　Terrible　incident；　which　often　occurred　at　executions　during　the　Terror。　　Nowadays　assassins　and　poisoners　are　decapitated　more　decently。　Many　improvements　in　the　guillotine　have　been　made。

At　the　spot　where　the　King's　head　fell；　a　long　rivulet　of　blood　streamed　down　the　planks　of　the　scaffold　to　the　pavement。　　When　the　execution　was　over；　Samson　threw　to　the　people　the　King's　coat；　which　was　of　white　molleton；　and　in　an　instant　it　disappeared；　torn　by　a　thousand　hands。

At　the　moment　when　the　head　of　Louis　XVI。　fell；　the　Abbé　Edgeworth　was　still　near　the　King。　　The　blood　spirted　upon　him。　　He　hastily　donned　a　brown　overcoat；　descended　from　the　scaffold　and　was　lost　in　the　crowd。　The　first　row　of　spectators　opened　before　him　with　a　sort　of　wonder　mingled　with　respect；　but　after　he　had　gone　a　few　steps；　the　attention　of　everybody　was　still　so　　concentrated　upon　the　centre　of　the　Place　where　the　event　had　just　been　accomplished；　that　nobody　took　any　further　notice　　of　Abbé　Edgeworth。

The　poor　priest；　enveloped　in　his　thick　coat　which　concealed　the　blood　with　which　he　was　covered；　fled　in　bewilderment；　walking　as　one　in　a　dream　and　scarcely　knowing　where　he　was　going。　　However；　with　that　sort　of　instinct　which　preserves　somnambulists　he　crossed　the　river；　took　the　Rue　du　Bac；　then　the　Rue　du　Regard　and　thus　managed　to　reach　the　house　of　Mme。　de　Lézardière；　near　the　Barrière　du　Maine。

Arrived　there　he　divested　himself　of　his　soiled　clothing　and　remained　for　several　hours；　in　a　state　of　collapse；　without　being　able　to　collect　a　thought　or　utter　a　word。

Some　Royalists　who　rejoined　him；　and　who　had　witnessed　the　execution；　surrounded　the　Abbé　Edgeworth　and　reminded　him　of　the　adieu　he　had　addressed　to　the　King：　〃Son　of　St。　Louis；　ascend　to　heaven！〃　　These　words；　however；　memorable　though　they　were；　had　left　no　trace　on　the　mind　of　him　who　had　uttered　them。　　〃We　heard　them；〃　said　the　witnesses　of　the　catastrophe；　still　moved　and　thrilled。　　〃It　is　possible；〃　he　replied；　〃but　I　do　not　remember　having　said　such　a　thing。〃

Abbé　Edgeworth　lived　a　long　life　without　ever　being　able　to　remember　whether　he　really　did　pronounce　these　words。

Mme。　de　Lézardière；　who　had　been　seriously　ill　for　more　than　a　month；　was　unable　to　support　the　shock　of　the　death　of　Louis　XVI。　　She　died　on　the　very　night　of　January　21。




II。　ARRIVAL　OF　NAPOLEON　IN　PARIS。

March　20；　1815。



History　and　contemporaneous　memoirs　have　truncated；　or　badly　related；　or　even　omitted　altogether；　certain　details　of　the　arrival　of　the　Emperor　in　Paris　on　March　20；　1815。　But　living　witnesses　are　to　be　met　with　who　saw　them　and　who　rectify　or　complete　them。

During　the　night　of　the　19th；　the　Emperor　left　Sens。　He　arrived　at　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　at　Fontainebleau。　Towards　five　o'clock；　as　day　was　breaking；　he　reviewed　the　few　troops　he　had　taken　with　him　and　those　who　had　rallied　to　him　at　Fontainebleau　itself。　　They　were　of　every　corps；　of　every　regiment；　of　all　arms；　a　little　of　the　Grand　Army；　a　little　of　the　Guard。　　At　six　o'clock；　the　review　being　over；　one　hundred　and　twenty　lancers　mounted　their　horses　and　went　on　ahead　to　wait　for　him　at　Essonnes。　　These　lancers　were　commanded　by　Colonel　Galbois；　now　lieutenant　general；　and　who　has　recently　distinguished　himself　at　Constantine。

They　had　been　at　Essonnes　scarcely　three…quarters　of　an　hour；　resting　their　horses；　when　the　carriage　of　the　Emperor　arrived。　　The　escort　of　lancers　were　in　their　　saddles　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　and　surrounded　the　carriage；　which　immediately　started　off　again　without　having　changed　horses。　　The　Emperor　stopped　on　the　way　at　the　large　villages　to　receive　petitions　from　the　inhabitants　and　the　submission　of　the　authorities；　and　sometimes　to　listen　to　harangues。　　He　was　on　the　rear　seat　of　the　carriage；　with　General　Bertrand　in　full　uniform　seated　on　his　left。　Colonel　Galbois　galloped　beside　the　door　on　the　Emperor's　side；　the　door　on　Bertrand's　side　was　guarded　by　a　quartermaster　of　lancers　named　Ferrès；　to…day　a　wineshop　keeper　at　Puteaux；　a　former　and　very　brave　hussar　whom　the　Emperor　knew　personally　and　addressed　by　name。　No　one　on　the　road　approached　the　Emperor。　　Everything　that　was　intended　for　him　passed　through　General　　Bertrand's　hands。

Three　or　four　leagues　beyond　Essonnes　the　imperial　cortege　found　the　road　suddenly　barred　by　General　　Colbert；　at　the　head　of　two　squadrons　and　three　regiments　echelonned　towards　Paris。

General　Colbert　had　been　the　colonel　of　the　regiment　of　lancers　from　which　the　detachment　that　escorted　the　Emperor　had　been　drawn。　　He　recognised　his　lancers　and　his　lancers　recognised　him。　　They　cried：　〃General；　come　over　to　us！〃　　The　General　answered：　〃My　children；　do　your　duty；　I　am　doing　mine。〃　　Then　he　turned　rein　and　went　off　to　the　right　across　country　with　a　few　mounted　men　who　followed　him。　　He　could　not　have　resisted；　the　regiments　behind　him　were　shouting：　〃Long　live　the　Emperor！〃

This　meeting　only　delayed　Napoleon　a　few　minutes。　He　continued　on　his　way。　　The　Emperor；　surrounded　only　by　his　one　hundred　and　twenty　lancers；　thus　reached　Paris。　He　entered　by　the　Barrière　de　Fontainebleau；　took　the　large　avenue　of　trees　which　is　on　the　left；　the　Boulevard　dim　Mont…Parnasse；　the　other　boulevards　to　the　Invalides；　then　the　Pont　do　la　Concorde；　the　quay　along　the　river　and　the　gate　of　the　Louvre。

At　a　quarter　past　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　he　was　at　the　Tuileries。






VISIONS　OF　THE　REAL。　I。　　　THE　HOVEL。　II。　　PILLAGE。　III。　A　DREAM。　IV。　　THE　PANEL　WITH　THE　COAT　OF　ARMS。　V。　　　THE　EASTER　DAISY。




I。　　THE　HOVEL。



You　want　a　description　of　this　hovel？　　I　hesitated　to　inflict　it　upon　you。　　But　you　want　it。　　I'　faith；　here　it　is！　You　will　only　have　yourself　to　blame；　it　is　your　fault。

〃Pshaw！〃　you　say；　〃I　know　what　it　is。　　A　bleared；　bandy　ruin。　　Some　old　house！〃

In　the　first　place　it　is　not　an　old　house；　it　is　very　much　worse；　it　is　a　new　house。

Really；　now；　an　old　house！　　You　counted　upon　an　old　house　and　turned　up　your　nose　at　it　in　advance。　　Ah！　yes；　old　houses；　don't　you　wish　you　may　get　them！　　A　dilapidated；　tumble…down　cottage！　　Why；　don't　you　know　that　a　dilapidated；　tumble…down　cottage　is　simply　charming；　a　thing　of　beauty？　　The　wall　is　of　beautiful；　warm　and　strong　colour；　with　moth　holes；　birds'　nests；　old　nails　on　which　the　spider　hangs　his　rose…window　web；　a　thousand　amusing　things　that　break　its　evenness。　　The　window　is　only　a　dormer；　but　from　it　protrude　long　poles　on　which　all　sorts　of　clothing；　of　all　sorts　of　colours；　hang　and　dry　in　the　wind…white　tatters；　red　rags；　flags　of　poverty　that　give　to　the　hut　an　air　of　gaiety　and　are　resplendent　in　the　sunshine。　The　door　is　cracked　and　black；　but　approach　and　examine　it；　you　will　without　doubt　find　upon　it　a　bit　of　antique　ironwork　of　the　time　of　Louis　XIII。；　cut　out　like　a　piece　of　guipure。　　The　roof　is　full　of　crevices；　but　in　each　crevice　there　is　a　convolvulus　that　will　blossom　in　the　spring；　or　a　daisy　that　will　bloom　in　the　autumn。　　The　tiles　are　patched　with　thatch。　　Of　course　they　are；　I　should　say　so！　　It　affords　the　occasion　to　have　on　one's　roof　a　colony　of　pink　dragon　flowers　and　wild　marsh…mallow。　　A　fine　green　grass　carpets　the　foot　of　this　decrepit　wall；　the　ivy　climbs　joyously　up　it　and　cloaks　its　barenessits　wounds　and　its　leprosy　mayhap；　moss　covers　with　green　velvet　the　stone　seat　at　the　door。　　All　nature　takes　pity　upon　this　degraded　and　charming　thing　that　you　call　a　hovel；　and　welcomes　it。　　0　hovel！　honest　and　peaceful　old　dwelling；　sweet　and　good　to　see！　rejuvenated　every　year　by　April　and　May！　perfumed　by　the　wallflower　and　inhabited　by　the　swallow！

No；　it　is　not　of　this　that　I　write；　it　is　not；　I　repeat；　of　an　old　house；　it　is　of　a　new　house；of　a　new　hovel；　if　you　will。

This　thing　has　not　been　built　longer　than　two　years。　　The　wall　has　that　hideous　and　glacial　whiteness　of　fresh　plaster。　The　whole　is　wretched；　mean；　high；　triangular；　and　has　the　shape　of　a　piece　of　Gruyère　cheese　cut　for　a　miser　a　dessert。　　There　are　new　doors　that　do　not　shut　properly；　window　frames　with　white　panes　that　are　already　spangled　here　and　there　with　paper　stars。　　These　stars　are　cut　coquettishly　and　pasted　on　with　care。　　There　is　a　frightful　bogus　sumptuousness　about　the　place　that　causes　a　painful　impressionbalconies　of　hollow　iron　badly　fixed　to　the　wall；　trumpery　locks；　already　rotten　round　the　fastenings；　upon　which　vacillate；　on　three　nails；　horrible　ornaments　of　embossed　brass　that　are　becoming　covered　with　verdigris；　shutters　painted　grey　that　are　getting　out　of　joint；　not　because　they　are　worm…eaten；　but　because　they　were　made　of　green　wood　by　a　thieving　cabinet　maker。

A　chilly　feeling　comes　over　you　as　you　look　at　the　house。　On　entering　it　you　shiver。　　A　greenish　humidity　leaks　at　the　foot　of　the　wall。　　This　building　of　yesterday　is　already　a　ruin；　it　is　more　than　a　ruin；　it　is　a　disaster；　one　feels　that　the　proprietor　is　bankrupt　and　tha