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〃So I thought。〃
〃Well； but you musn't give up like this。 It is not only you who are at stake； but the Assembly； and not only the Assembly； but France； and not only France； but the whole of civilization。 Why did you not issue orders yesterday to have the garrisons of the towns for forty leagues round brought to Paris？ That would have given you thirty thousand men at once。〃
〃We gave the orders〃
〃Well？〃
〃The troops have not come！〃
Lamartine took my hand and said；
〃I am not Minister of War！〃
At this moment a few representatives entered noisily。 The Assembly had just voted a state of siege。 They told Ledru…Rollin and Garnier…Pages so in a few words。
Lamartine half turned towards them and said in an undertone：
〃A state of siege！ A state of siege！ Well； declare it if you think it is necessary。 I have nothing to say！〃
He dropped into a chair； repeating：
〃I have nothing to say； neither yes nor no。 Do what you like！〃
General Négrier came up to me。
〃Monsieur Victor Hugo；〃 he said； 〃I have come to reassure you； I have received news from the Place Royale。〃
〃Well； general？〃
〃Your family are safe。〃
〃Thanks！ Yes； I have just been so informed。〃
〃But your house has been burnt down。〃
〃What does that matter？〃 said I。
Négrier warmly pressed my arm：
〃I understand you。 Let us think only of one thing。 Let us save the country！〃
As I was withdrawing Lamartine quitted a group and came to me。
〃Adieu；〃 he said。 〃But do not forget this： do not judge me too hastily； I am not the Minister of War。〃
The day before； as the riot was spreading； Cavaignac； after a few measures had been taken； said to Lamartine：
〃That's enough for to…day。〃
It was 5 o'clock。
〃What！〃 exclaimed Lamartine。 〃Why； we have still four hours of daylight before us！ And the riot will profit by them while we are losing them！〃
He could get nothing from Cavaignac except：
〃That's enough for to…day！〃
On the 24th； about 3 o'clock； at the most critical moment； a Representative of the people； wearing his sail across his shoulder； arrived at the Mairie of the Second Arrondissement； in the Rue Chauchat； behind the Opera。 He was recognised。 He was Lagrange。
The National Guards surrounded him。 In a twinkling the group became menacing：
〃It is Lagrange！ the man of the pistol shot！* What are you doing here？ You are a coward！ Get behind the barricades。 That is your placeyour friends are thereand not with us！ They will proclaim you their chief； go on！ They at any rate are brave！ They are giving their blood for your follies； and you； you are afraid！ You have a dirty duty to do； but at least do it！ Get out of here！ Begone！〃
* It was popularly but erroneously believed that Lagrange fired the shot that led to the massacre in the Boulevard des Capucines on February 23。
Lagrange endeavoured to speak。 His voice was drowned by hooting。
This is how these madmen received the honest man who after fighting for the people wanted to risk his life for society。
June 25。
The insurgents were firing throughout the whole length of the Boulevard Beaumarchais from the tops of the new houses。 Several had ambushed themselves in the big house in course of construction opposite the Galiote。 At the windows they had stuck dummies；bundles of straw with blouses and caps on them。
I distinctly saw a man who had entrenched himself behind a barricade of bricks in a corner of the balcony on the fourth floor of the house which faces the Rue du Pont…aux…Choux。 The man took careful aim and killed a good many persons。
It was 3 o'clock。 The troops and mobiles fringed the roofs of the Boulevard du Temple and returned the fire of the insurgents。 A cannon had just been drawn up in front of the Gaité to demolish the house of the Galiote and sweep the whole boulevard。
I thought I ought to make an effort to put a stop to the bloodshed； if possible； and advanced to the corner of the Rue d'Angoulême。 When I reached the little turret near there I was greeted with a fusillade。 The bullets pattered upon the turret behind me； 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。〃
* * * * *
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 whe