the memoirs of victor hugo-第34部分

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When　I　found　myself　in　the　Place　de　la　Revolution；　there　were　no　longer　either　troops　or　crowd；　all　had　disappeared。　　A　few　passers…by　came　from　the　Champs…Elysees。　　The　night　was　dark　and　cold。　　A　bitter　wind　blew　from　the　river；　and　at　the　same　time　a　heavy　storm…cloud　breaking　in　the　west　covered　the　horizon　with　silent　flashes　of　lightning。　　A　December　wind　with　August　lightningsuch　were　the　omens　of　that　day。





III。　　THE　FIRST　OFFICIAL　DINNER。



December　24；　1848。

Louis　Bonaparte　gave　his　first　dinner　last　evening；　Saturday　the　23rd；　two　days　after　his　elevation　to　the　Presidency　of　the　Republic。

The　Chamber　had　adjourned　for　the　Christmas　holidays。　I　was　at　home　in　my　new　lodging　in　the　Rue　de　la　Tour　d'Auvergne；　occupied　with　I　know　not　what　bagatelles；　~totus　in　illis~；　when　a　letter　addressed　to　me　and　brought　by　a　dragoon　was　handed　to　me。　　I　opened　the　envelope；　and　this　is　what　I　read：

The　orderly　officer　on　duty　has　the　honour　to　inform　Monsieur　the　General　Changarnier　that　he　is　invited　to　dinner　at　the　Elysee…National　on　Saturday；　at　7　o'clock。

I　wrote　below　it：　〃Delivered　by　mistake　to　M。　Victor　Hugo；〃　and　sent　the　letter　back　by　the　dragoon　who　had　brought　it。　　An　hour　later　came　another　letter　from　M。　de　Persigny；　Prince　Louis's　former　companion　in　plots；　to…day　his　private　secretary。　　This　letter　contained　profuse　apologies　for　the　error　committed　and　advised　me　that　I　was　among　those　invited。　　My　letter　had　been　addressed　by　mistake　to　M。　Conti；　the　Representative　from　Corsica。

At　the　head　of　M。　de　Persigny's　letter；　written　with　a　pen；　were　the　words：　〃Household　of　the　President。〃

I　remarked　that　the　form　of　these　invitations　was　exactly　similar　to　the　form　employed　by　King　Louis　Philippe。　　As　I　did　not　wish　to　do　anything　that　might　resemble　intentional　coldness；　I　dressed；　it　was　half　past　6；　and　I　set　out　immediately　for　the　Elysee。

Half　past　7　struck　as　I　arrived　there。

As　I　passed　I　glanced　at　the　sinister　portal　of　the　Praslin　mansion　adjoining　the　Elysee。　　The　large　green　carriage　entrance；　enframed　between　two　Doric　pillars　of　the　time　of　the　Empire；　was　closed；　gloomy；　and　vaguely　outlined　by　the　light　of　a　street　lamp。　　One　of　the　double　doors　of　the　entrance　to　the　Elysee　was　closed；　two　soldiers　of　the　line　were　on　guard。　　The　court…yard　was　scarcely　lighted；　and　a　mason　in　his　working　clothes　with　a　ladder　on　his　shoulder　was　crossing　it；　nearly　all　the　windows　of　the　outhouses　on　the　right　had　been　broken；　and　were　mended　with　paper。　　I　entered　by　the　door　on　the　perron。　　Three　servants　in　black　coats　received　me；　one　opened　the　door；　another　took　my　mantle；　the　third　said：　〃Monsieur；　on　the　first　floor！〃　　I　ascended　the　grand　staircase。　　There　were　a　carpet　and　flowers　on　it；　but　that　chilly　and　unsettled　air　about　it　peculiar　to　places　into　which　one　is　moving。

On　the　first　floor　an　usher　asked：

〃Monsieur　has　come　to　dinner？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　　〃Are　they　at　table？〃

〃Yes；　Monsieur。〃

〃In　that　case；　I　am　off。〃

〃But；　Monsieur；〃　exclaimed　the　usher；　〃nearly　everybody　arrived　after　the　dinner　had　begun；　go　in。　　Monsieur　is　expected。〃

I　remarked　this　military　and　imperial　punctuality；　which　used　to　be　customary　with　Napoleon。　　With　the　Emperor　7　o'clock　meant　7　o'clock。

I　crossed　the　ante…chamber；　then　a　salon；　and　entered　the　dining…room。　　It　was　a　square　room　wainscotted　in　the　Empire　style　with　white　wood。　　On　the　walls　were　engravings　and　pictures　of　very　poor　selection；　among　them　〃Mary　Stuart　listening　to　Rizzio；〃　by　the　painter　Ducis。　Around　the　room　was　a　sideboard。　　In　the　middle　was　a　long　table　with　rounded　ends　at　which　about　fifteen　guests　were　seated。　　One　end　of　the　table；　that　furthest　from　the　entrance；　was　raised；　and　here　the　President　of　the　Republic　was　seated　between　two　women；　the　Marquise　de　Hallays…Co？tquen；　née　Princess　de　Chimay　（Tallien）　being　on　his　right；　and　Mme。　Conti；　mother　of　the　Representative；　on　his　left。

The　President　rose　when　I　entered。　　I　went　up　to　him。　We　grasped　each　other's　hand。

〃I　have　improvised　this　dinner；〃　he　said。　　〃I　invited　only　a　few　dear　friends；　and　I　hoped　that　I　could　comprise　you　among　them。　　I　thank　you　for　coming。　　You　have　come　to　me；　as　I　went　to　you；　simply。　　I　thank　you。〃

He　again　grasped　my　hand。　　Prince　de　la　Moskowa；　who　was　next　to　General　Changarnier；　made　room　for　me　beside　him；　and　I　seated　myself　at　the　table。　　I　ate　quickly；　for　the　President　had　interrupted　the　dinner　to　enable　me　to　catch　up　with　the　company。　　The　second　course　had　been　reached。

Opposite　to　me　was　General　Rulhières；　an　ex…peer；　the　Representative　Conti　and　Lucien　Murat。　　The　other　guests　were　unknown　to　me。　　Among　them　was　a　young　major　of　cavalry；　decorated　with　the　Legion　of　Honour。　　This　major　alone　was　in　uniform；　the　others　wore　evening　dress。　　The　Prince　had　a　rosette　of　the　Legion　of　Honour　in　his　buttonhole。

Everybody　conversed　with　his　neighbour。　　Louis　Bonaparte　appeared　to　prefer　his　neighbour　on　the　right　to　his　neighbour　on　the　left。　　The　Marquise　de　Hallays　is　thirty…six　years　old；　and　looks　her　age。　　Fine　eyes；　not　much　hair；　an　ugly　mouth；　white　skin；　a　shapely　neck；　charming　arms；　the　prettiest　little　hands　in　the　world；　admirable　shoulders。　At　present　she　is　separated　from　M。　de　Hallays。　　She　has　had　eight　children；　the　first　seven　by　her　husband。　　She　was　married　fifteen　years　ago。　　During　the　early　period　of　their　marriage　she　used　to　fetch　her　husband　from　the　drawing…room；　even　in　the　daytime；　and　take　him　off　to　bed。　Sometimes　a　servant　would　enter　and　say：　〃Madame　the　Marquise　is　asking　for　Monsieur　the　Marquis。〃　　The　Marquis　would　obey　the　summons。　　This　made　the　company　who　happened　to　be　present　laugh。　　To…day　the　Marquis　and　Marquise　have　fallen　out。

〃She　was　the　mistress　of　Napoleon；　son　of　Jerome；　you　know；〃　said　Prince　de　la　Moskowa　to　me；　sotto　voce；　〃now　she　is　Louis's　mistress。〃

〃Well；〃　I　answered；　〃changing　a　Napoleon　for　a　Louis　is　an　everyday　occurrence。〃

These　bad　puns　did　not　prevent　me　from　eating　and　observing。

The　two　women　seated　beside　the　President　had　square…topped　chairs。　　The　President's　chair　was　surmounted　with　a　little　round　top。　　As　I　was　about　to　draw　some　inference　from　this　I　looked　at　the　other　chairs　and　saw　that　four　or　five　guests；　myself　among　them；　had　chairs　similar　to　that　of　the　President。　　The　chairs　were　covered　with　red　velvet　with　gilt　headed　nails。　　A　more　serious　thing　I　noticed　was　that　everybody　addressed　the　President　of　the　Republic　as　〃Monseigneur〃　and　〃your　Highness。〃　　I　who　had　called　him　〃Prince；〃　had　the　air　of　a　demagogue。

When　we　rose　from　table　the　Prince　asked　after　my　wife；　and　then　apologized　profusely　for　the　rusticity　of　the　service。

〃I　am　not　yet　installed；〃　he　said。　　〃The　day　before　yesterday；　when　I　arrived　here；　there　was　hardly　a　mattress　for　me　to　sleep　upon。〃



The　dinner　was　a　very　ordinary　one；　and　the　Prince　did　well　to　excuse　himself。　　The　service　was　of　common　white　china　and　the　silverware　bourgeois；　worn；　and　gross。　　In　the　middle　of　the　table　was　a　rather　fine　vase　of　craquelé；　ornamented　with　ormolu　in　the　bad　taste　of　the　time　of　Louis　XVI。

However；　we　heard　music　in　an　adjoining　hall。

〃It　is　a　surprise；〃　said　the　President　to　us；　〃they　are　the　musicians　from　the　Opera。〃

A　minute　afterwards　programmes　written　with　a　pen　were　handed　round。　　They　indicated　that　the　following　five　selections　were　being　played：

　　　　1。　　Priere　de　la　〃Muette。〃　　　　　2。　　Fantaisie　sur　des　airs　favoris　de　la　〃Reine　Hortense。〃　　　　　3。　　Final　de　〃Robert　Bruce〃。　　　　　4。　　〃Marche　Republicaine。〃　　　　　5。　　〃La　Victoire；〃　pas　redoublé。

In　the　rather　uneasy　state　of　mind　I；　like　the　whole　of　France；　was　in　at　that　moment；　I　could　not　help　remarking　this　〃Victory〃　piece　coming　after　the　〃Republican　March。〃

I　rose　from　table　still　hungry。

We　went　into　the　grand　salon；　which　was　separated　from　the　dining…room　by　the　smaller　salon　that　I　had　passed　through　on　entering。

This　grand　salon　was　extremely　ugly。　　It　was　white；　with　figures　on　panels；　after　the　fashion　of　those　of　Pompeii；　the　whole　of　the　furniture　being　in　the　Empire　style　with　the　exception　of　the　armchairs；　which　were　in　tapestry　and　gold　and　in　fairly　good　taste。　　There　were　three　arched　windows　to　which　three　large　mirrors　of　the　same　shape　at　the　other　end　of　the　salon　formed　pendants　and　one　of　which；　the　middle　one；　was　a　door。　　The　window　curtains　were　of　fine　white　satin　richly　flowered。

While　the　Prince　de　la　Moskowa　and　I　were　talking　Socialism；　the　Mountain；　Communism；　etc。；　Louis　Bonaparte　came　up　and　took　me　aside。

He　asked　me　what　I　thought　of　the　situation。　　I　was　reserved。　I　told　him　that　a　good　beginning　had　been　made；　that　the　task　was　a　difficult　but　a　grand　one；　that　what　he　had　to　do　was　to　reassure　the　bourgeoisie　and　satisfy　the　people；　to　give　tranquillity　to　the　former；　work　to　the　latter；　and　life　to　all；　that　after　the　little　governments；　those　of　the　elder　Bourbons；　Louis　Philippe；　and　the　Republic　of　February；　a　great　one　was　required；　that　the　Emperor　had　made　a　great　government　through　war；　and　that　he　himself　ought　to　make　a　great　one　through　peace；　that　the　French　people　having　been　illustrious　for　three　centuries　did　not　propose　to　become　ignoble；　that　it　was　his　failure　to　appreciate　this　high…mindedness　of　the　people　and　the　national　pride　that　was　the　chief　cause　of　Louis　Philippe's　downfall；　that；　in　a　word；　he　must　decorate　peace。

〃How？〃　　asked　Louis　Napoleon。

〃By　all　the　greatness　of　art；　literature　and　science；　by　the　victories　of　industry　and　progress。　　Popular　labour　can　accomplish　miracles。　　And　then；　France　is　a　conquering　nation；　when　she　does　not　make　conquests　with　the　sword；　she　wants　to　make　them　with　the　mind。　　Know　this　and　act　accordingly。　　Ignore　it　and　you　will　be　lost。〃

He　looked　thoughtful　and　went　away。　　Then　he　returned；　thanked　me　warmly；　and　we　continued　to　converse。

We　spoke　about　the　press。　　I　advised　him　to　respect　it　profoundly　and　at　the　same　time　to　establish　a　State　press。　〃The　State　without　a　newspaper；　in　the　midst　of　newspapers；〃　I　observed；　〃restricting　itself　to　governing　while　publicity　and　polemics　are　the　rule；　reminds　one　of　the　k