按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
terrogate us：
〃What's the news？ What is going on？〃 And they follow us。 I hear my name mentioned coupled with various sentiments： 〃Victor Hugo！ It's Victor Hugo！〃 A few salute me。 When we reach the Column of July we are surrounded by a considerable gathering。 In order that I may be heard I mount upon the base of the column。
I will only repeat the words which it was possible for me to make my turbulent audience hear。 It was much less a speech than a dialogue； but the dialogue of one voice with ten； twenty； a hundred voices more or less hostile。
I began by announcing at once the abdication of Louis Philippe； and； as in the Place Royale； applause that was practically unanimous greeted the news。 There were also； however； cries of 〃No！ no abdication； deposition！ deposition！〃 Decidedly； I was going to have my hands full。
When I announced the Regency violent protests arose：
〃No！ no！ No Regency！ Down with the Bourbons！ Neither King nor Queen！ No masters！〃
I repeated： 〃No masters！ I don't want them any more than you do。 I have defended liberty all my life。〃
〃Then why do you proclaim the Regency？〃
〃Because a Queen…Regent is not a master。 Besides； I have no right whatever to proclaim the Regency； I merely announce it。〃
〃No！ no！ No Regency！〃
A man in a blouse shouted： 〃Let the peer of France be silent。 Down with the peer of France！〃 And he levelled his rifle at me。 I gazed at him steadily； and raised my voice so loudly that the crowd became silent： 〃Yes； I am a peer of France； and I speak as a peer of France。 I swore fidelity； not to a royal personage； but to the Constitutional Monarchy。 As long as no other government is established it is my duty to be faithful to this one。 And I have always thought that the people approved of a man who did his duty； whatever that duty might be。〃
There was a murmur of approbation and here and there a few bravos。 But when I endeavoured to continue： 〃If the Regency〃 the protests redoubled。 I was permitted to take up only one of these protests。 A workman had shouted： 〃We will not be governed by a woman。〃 I retorted quickly：
〃Well； neither will I be governed by a woman； nor even by a man。 It was because Louis Philippe wanted to govern that his abdication is to…day necessary and just。 But a woman who reigns in the name of a child！ Is that not a guarantee against all thought of personal government？ Look at Queen Victoria in England〃
〃We are French； we are！〃 shouted several voices。 〃No Regency！〃
〃No Regency？ Then； what？ Nothing is ready； nothing！ It means a total upheaval； ruin； distress； civil war； perhaps； in any case； it is the unknown。〃
One voice； a single voice； cried： 〃Long live the Republic！〃
No other voice echoed it。 Poor； great people； irresponsible and blind！ They know what they do not want； but they do not know what they do want。
From this moment the noise； the shouts； the menaces became such that I gave up the attempt to get myself heard。 My brave Launaye said： 〃You have done what you wanted to； what you promised 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；