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〃I a Socialist！ Well； I never！〃 ejaculated Prudhon。
〃Well； what in the name of goodness； are you； then？〃
〃I am a financier。〃
BLANQUI。
Blanqui got so that ho no longer wore a shirt。 For twelve years he had worn the same clotheshis prison clothesrags； which he displayed with sombre pride at his club。 He renewed only his boots and his gloves； which were always black。
At Vincennes during his eight months of captivity for the affair of the 15th of May； he lived only upon bread and raw potatoes； refusing all other food。 His mother alone occasionally succeeded in inducing him to take a little beef…tea。
With this； frequent ablutions； cleanliness mingled with cynicism； small hands and feet； never a shirt； gloves always。
There was in this man an aristocrat crushed and trampled upon by a demagogue。
Great ability； no hypocrisy； the same in private as in public。 Harsh； stern； serious； never laughing； receiving respect with irony； admiration with sarcasm； love with disdain； and inspiring extraordinary devotion。
There was in Blanqui nothing of the people； everything of the populace。
With this； a man of letters； almost erudite。 At certain moments he was no longer a man； but a sort of lugubrious apparition in which all degrees of hatred born of all degrees of misery seemed to be incarnated。
LAMARTINE。
February 23； 1850。
During the session Lamartine came and sat beside me in the place usually occupied by M。 Arbey。 While talking； he interjected in an undertone sarcastic remarks about the orators in the tribune。
Thiers spoke。 〃Little scamp；〃 murmured Lamartine。
Then Cavaignac made his appearance。 〃What do you think about him？〃 said Lamartine。 〃For my part； these are my sentiments： He is fortunate； he is brave； he is loyal； he is volubleand he is stupid。〃
Cavaignac was followed by Emmanuel Arago。 The Assembly was stormy。 〃This man；〃 commented Lamartine； 〃has arms too small for the affairs he undertakes。 He is given to joining in mêlées and does not know how to get out of them again。 The tempest tempts him； and kills him。〃
A moment later Jules Favre ascended the tribune。 〃I do not know how they can see a serpent in this man；〃 said Lamartine。 〃He is a provincial academician。〃
Laughing the while； he took a sheet of paper from my drawer； asked me for a pen； asked Savatier…Laroche for a pinch of snuff； and wrote a few lines。 This done he mounted the tribune and addressed grave and haughty words to M。 Thiers； who had been attacking the revolution of February。 Then he returned to our bench； shook hands with me while the Left applauded and the Right waxed indignant； and calmly emptied the snuff in Savatier…Laroche's snuffbox into his own。
BOULAY DE LA MEURTHE。
M。 Boulay de la Meurthe was a stout； kindly man； bald； pot…bellied； short； enormous； with a short nose and a not very long wit。 He was a friend of Hard； whom he called ~mon cher~； and of Jerome Bonaparte； whom he addressed as 〃your Majesty。〃
The Assembly； on January 20； made him Vice…President of the Republic。
It was somewhat sudden； and unexpected by everybody except himself。 This latter fact was evident from the long speech learned by heart that he delivered after being sworn in。 At its conclusion the Assembly applauded； then a roar of laughter succeeded the applause。 Everybody laughed； including himself； the Assembly out of irony； he in good faith。
Odilon Barrot； who since the previous evening had been keenly regretting that he did not allow himself to be made Vice…President； contemplated the scene with a shrug of the shoulders and a bitter smile。
The Assembly followed Boulay de la Meurthe； congratulated and gratified； with its eyes； and in every look could be read this： 〃Well； I never！ He takes himself seriously！〃
When he was taking the oath； in a voice of thunder which made everybody smile； Boulay de la Meurthe looked as if he were dazzled by the Republic； and the Assembly did not look as if it were dazzled by Boulay de la Meurthe。
DUPIN。
Dupin has a style of wit that is peculiar to himself。 It is Gaulish； tinged with the wit of a limb of the law and with jovial grossness。 When the vote upon the bill against universal suffrage was about to be taken some member of the majority； whose name I have forgotten； went to him and said：
〃You are our president； and moreover a great legist。 You know more about it than I do。 Enlighten me； I am undecided。 Is it true that the bill violates the Constitution？〃
Dupin appeared to think for a moment and then replied：
〃No； it doesn't violate it； but it lifts its clothes up as high as possible！〃
This reminds me of what he said to me the day I spoke upon the Education Bill。 Baudin had permitted me to take his turn to speak； and I went up to the presidential chair to notify Dupin。
〃Ah！ you are going to speak！ So much the better！〃 said he； and pointing to M。 Barthélemy Saint Hilaire； who was then occupying the tribune and delivering a long and minute technical speech against the measure； added：
〃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。