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hat the reading be for a cannon。
Visit from M。 Charles Floquet。 He has a post at the Hotel de Ville。 I commissioned him to tell the Government to call the Mont Valérien 〃Mont Strasbourg。〃
October 24。Visit from General Le Flo。 Various deputations received。
October 25。There is to be a public reading of _Les Chatiments_ for a cannon to be called 〃Le Chatiment。〃 We are preparing for it。
Brave Rostan；* whom I treated harshly one day； and who likes me because I did right； has been arrested for indiscipline in the National Guard。 He has a little motherless boy six years old who has nobody else to take care of him。 What was to be done； the father being in prison？ I told him to send the youngster to me at the Pavilion de Rohan。 He sent him to…day。
* A workingman； friend of Victor Hugo。
October 26。…At 6。30 o'clock Rostan； released from prison； came to fetch his little Henri。 Great joy of father and son。
October 28。Edgar Quinet came to see me。
Schoelcher and Commander Farcy； who gave his name
to his gunboat； dined with me。 After dinner； at half past 8 I went with Schoelcher to his home at 16； Rue de la Chaise。 We found there Quinet； Ledru…Rollin； Mathé； Gambon； Lamarque； and Brives。 This was my first meeting with Ledru…Rollin。 We engaged in a very courteous argument over the question of founding a club； he being for and I against it。 We shook hands。 I returned home at midnight。
October 29。Visits from the Gens de Lettres committee； Frédérick Lemaitre； MM。 Berton and Lafontaine and Mlle。 Favart for a third cannon to be called the 〃Victor Hugo。〃 I oppose the name。
I have authorised the fourth edition of 3；000 copies of _Les Chatiments_； which will make to date 11；000 copies for Paris alone。
October 30。I received the letter of the Société des Gens de Lettres asking me to authorise a public reading of Les Chatiments； the proceeds of which will give to Paris another cannon to be called the 〃Victor Hugo。〃 I gave the authorisation。 In my reply written this morning I demanded that instead of 〃Victor Hugo〃 the gun be called the 〃Chateaudun。〃 The reading will take place at the Porte Saint Martin。
M。 Berton came。 I read to him _L'Expiation_； which he is to read。 M。 and Mme。 Meurice and d'Alton…Shée were present at the reading。
News has arrived that Metz has capitulated and that Bazaine's army has surrendered。
Bills announcing the reading of _Les Chatiments_ have been posted。 M。 Raphael Felix came to tell me the time at which the rehearsal is to take place tomorrow。 I hired a seven…seat box for this reading； which I placed at the disposal of the ladies。
On returning home this evening I met in front of the Mairie； M。 Chaudey； who was at the Lausanne Peace Conference and who is Mayor of the Sixth Arrondissement。 He was with M。 Philibert Audebrand。 We talked sorrowfully about the taking of Metz。
October 31。Skirmish at the Hotel de Ville。 Blanqui； Flourens and Delescluze want to overthrow the provisional power； Trochu and Jules Favre。 I refuse to associate myself with them。
An immense crowd。 My name is on the lists of members for the proposed Government。 I persist in my refusal。
Flourens and Blanqui held some of the members of the Government prisoners at the Hotel de Ville all day。
At midnight some National Guards came from the Hotel de Ville to fetch me 〃to preside；〃 they said； 〃over the new Government。〃 I replied that I was most emphatically opposed to this attempt to seize the power and refused to go to the Hotel de Ville。
At 3 o'clock in the morning Flourens and Blanqui quitted the Hotel de Ville and Trochu entered it。
The Commune of Paris is to be elected。
November 1。We have postponed for a few days the reading of _Les Chatiments_； which was to have been given at the Porte Saint Martin to…day； Tuesday。
Louis Blanc came this morning to consult me as to what ought to be the conduct of the Commune。
The newspapers unanimously praise the attitude I took yesterday in rejecting the advances made to me。
November 2。The Government demands a 〃yes〃 or a 〃no。〃
Louis Blanc and my sons came to talk to me about it。
The report that Alexandre Dumas is dead is denied。
November 4。I have been requested to be Mayor of the Third； also of the Eleventh； Arrondissement。 I refused。
I went to the rehearsal of _Les Chatiments_ at the Porte Saint Martin。 Frédérick Lemaitre and Mmes。 Laurent； Lia Felix and Duguéret were present。
November 5。To…day the public reading of _Les Chatiments_； the proceeds of which are to purchase a cannon for the defence of Paris； was given。
The Third； Eleventh and Fifteenth Arrondissements want me to stand for Mayor。 I refuse。
Mérimée has died at Cannes。 Dumas is not dead； but he is paralyzed。
November 7。The 24th Battalion waited upon me and wanted me to give them a cannon。
November 8。Last night； on returning from a visit to General Le Flo； I for the first time crossed the Pont des Tuileries； which has been built since my departure from France。
November 9。The net receipts from the reading of _Les Chatiments_ at the Porte Saint Martin for the gun which I have named the 〃Chateaudun〃 amounted to 7；000 francs； the balance going to pay the attendants； firemen； and lighting； the only expenses charged。
At the Cail works mitrailleuses of a new model； called the Gatling model； are being made。
Little Jeanne is beginning to chatter。
A second reading of _Les Chatiments_ for another cannon will be given at the 〃Théatre Fran？ais〃。
November 11。Mlle。 Periga called today to rehearse _Pauline Roland_； which she will read at the second reading of _Les Chatiments_； announced for to…morrow at the Porte Saint Martin。 I took a carriage； dropped Mlle。 Périga at her home； and then went to the rehearsal of to…morrow's reading at the theatre。 Frederick Lemaitre； Berton； Maubart； Taillade； Lacressonnière； Charly； Mmes。 Laurent； Lia Felix； Rousseil； M。 Raphael Felix and the committee of the Société des Gens de Lettres were there。
After the rehearsal the wounded of the Porte Saint Martin ambulance asked me； through Mme。 Laurent； to go and see them。 I said： 〃With all my heart；〃 and I went。
They are lying in several rooms； chief of which is the old green…room of the theatre with its big round mirrors； where in 1831 I read to the actors 〃Marion de Lorme〃。 M。 Crosnier was then director。 （Mme。 Dorval and Bocage were present at that reading。） On entering I said to the wounded men： 〃Behold one who envies you。 I desire nothing more on earth but one of your wounds。 I salute you； children of France； favourite sons of the Republic； elect who suffer for the Fatherland。〃
They seemed to be greatly moved。 I shook hands with each of them。 One held out his mutilated wrist。 Another had lost his nose。 One had that very morning undergone two painful operations。 A very young man had been decorated with the military medal a few hours before。 A convalescent said to me： 〃I am a Franc…Comtois。〃 〃Like myself；〃 said I。 And I embraced him。 The nurses； in white aprons； who are the actresses of the theatre； burst into tears。
November 13。I had M。 and Mme。 Pa