"The Royal Guard is marching towards the Hôtel!"
I have seen many spectacles, from that ofPaul et Virginie, at the Opéra-Comique, the first I ever saw and admired, down tola Barrière de Clichy, at the Cirque, one of the latest I have managed, but I never saw such a change of scene as that! One could have imagined that every deputy had been on a trap-door and had disappeared at a whistle. In the turn of a hand there was absolutely not a single person left in the salon but Laffitte, who remained still seated, without a trace of emotion apparent in his face; Béranger, who remained steadfast where he stood; M. Laroche, who came to his uncle's side; La Fayette, who raised his noble and venerable head and took one step towards the door, which meant facing danger; Georges La Fayette, who rushed towards his father; and the five officers who formed a bodyguard round M. Laffitte. All the others had disappeared by the private doors or had jumped out through the windows. M. Méchin had distinguished himself by being among the latter. I was intending to take advantage of the situation to present my compliments to the master of the house, but General La Fayette stopped me on the way.
"What the deuce is the matter?" he asked me.
"I have no idea, General," I replied; "but I can confidently affirm that neither the Swiss nor the Royal Guard are here.... I saw them leave the Tuileries, and, at the rate they were going, they must, by this time, be nearer Saint-Cloud than the Hôtel Laffitte."
"Never mind! try and find out what it is all about."
I was advancing towards the door when an officer came in and brought the solution to the riddle.
The soldiers of the 6th Regiment of the line had met those of the 53rd and had followed the example of the latter in siding with the popular cause; in sign of their joy they had discharged their rifles in the air. This explanation given, we went in search of the missing deputies whom we at last found here, there and everywhere. Only two failed to answer the roll-call. However, by dint of further hunting, they were discovered hiding in a stable. If you wish it, I am quite ready to give their names. A deputation was introduced a few minutes later; Garnier-Pagès was of its number, if I remember rightly. This deputation had taken Taschereau's placards and proclamation as genuine, and had come to entreat Generals La Fayette and Gérard to enter upon their duties. General Gérard, who had but just arrived, eluded the proposition. Gérard's dream was to become a minister of Charles X. with M. de Mortemart, and not a member of a temporary and Revolutionary Government. La Fayette's response to the deputation was nearly the same that he had given me the night before.
"My friends, if you think I can be useful to the cause of liberty, make use of me"; and he placed himself in the hands of the deputation.
The cry of "Vive La Fayette!" echoed through the salons of the Hôtel Laffitte and were taken up in the street outside. La Fayette turned towards the deputies.
"You see, gentlemen," he said, "I am being offered the command of Paris and I think I ought to accept it."
It was not the moment for dissent, and adherence was unanimous. Everybody present, including even M. Bertin de Vaux, went up to La Fayette to offer him congratulations, but I could not catch the words. I was already in the antechamber, courtyard and street shouting—
"Make room for General La Fayette, who is going to the Hôtel de Ville!"
The unanimity of the shouts of "Vive La Fayette!" proved that the hero of 1789 had not lost an atom of his popularity in 1830.
What a splendid thing is Liberty! an immortal and infallible goddess! The Convention had its day, the Directory, the Consulate, the Empire and the Restoration all passed away too and heads and crowns fell with them; but the man whom Liberty had consecrated King of the people in 1789 found himself once more King of the people in 1830.
La Fayette went out, leaning upon Carbonnel, accompanied by a deputy, whose name I did not know until I inquired: it was Audry de Puyraveau. Everybody, men, women and children, formed a procession after the illustrious old man, whom we honoured and glorified because we knew that in his person he embodied the chief principle of Revolution. And yet, although he was so advanced in his views, he was then far out-distanced by those of younger people!
At the door of theNationaloffices in the rue Neuve-Saint-Marc, La Fayette caught sight of Étienne Arago, wearing a tricolour cockade. "Monsieur Poque," he said, addressing one of the persons who accompanied him, "go and beg that young man to take off his cockade."
Arago came to La Fayette.
"I ask pardon, General," he said, "but I do not think I can have understood."
"My young friend, I beg you to take off that cockade."
"Why, General?"
"Because it is a little premature.... Later, later we will see."
"General," replied Étienne, "I have been wearing a tricolour in my buttonhole since yesterday, and in my hat since this morning. There they are and there they will remain!"
"Obstinate fellow!" murmured the general, as he went on his way.
They suggested he should have a horse from Pellier's livery stables, but he refused. So it took nearly an hour and a half to go from the rue d'Artois to the Hôtel de Ville. He reached it about half-past three.
But I must give the history of the Hôtel de Ville from eight that morning, when it had been definitely taken by the people, to the moment when General La Fayette came to occupy it at half-past three. About seven in the morning, the people noticed that the Hôtel had been evacuated by the troops. The news was instantly carried to theNationaloffices. It was important that possession should be taken of it, so Baude and Étienne Arago went. At nine o'clock they were installed inside. From that very moment, and visionary as it was, the Provisional Government was installed in office. A man had risen up who did not shrink before the terrible responsibility which made so many people hang back. That man was Baude. He constituted himself Secretary of a non-existent Government. He issued numberless orders, proclamations and decrees, which he signed
"BAUDE,Secretary to the Provisional Government."
We said that he had entered the Hôtel de Ville at nine o'clock. By eleven, the municipal safe was examined and found to contain five million francs. At eleven o'clock, the master bakers were summoned, and they declared on their own responsibility that Paris was provisioned for a month. Moreover, at eleven o'clock, commissions were set up in all the twelve arrondissements of Paris, with instructions to put themselves into communication with the Hôtel de Ville. Five or six devoted patriots rallied round Baude and were sufficient for his working staff. Étienne Arago was one of these. Reports, orders, decrees and proclamations were placed between the barrel and the ramrod of Arago's rifle and carried to theNationaloffices. He went by way of the rue de la Vannerie, the market of theInnocents, and the rue Montmartre. From ten that morning not a single obstacle had impeded his course. In accordance with Marshal Marmont's order the whole of the troops had concentrated round the Tuileries.
While Étienne was carrying off the proclamation announcing the downfall of the Bourbons, signed "BAUDE,Secretary of the Provisional Government," he met a former actor namedCharlet, in the market of the Innocents, who was walking in front of an immense crowd of people which filled up the whole of the square. The two principal personages in that crowd, those who appeared to be conducting it or to be conducted by it, were a man dressed as a captain, and another in the uniform of a general. The man in captain's uniform was Évariste Dumoulin, the editor of theConstitutionnel, to whom I have referred apropos of Madame Valmonzey andChristine.The man in the general's uniform was General Dubourg. Nobody knew who General Dubourg was or where he sprang from, or whether he had been to an old-clothes shop and either borrowed or hired or bought his general's uniform. But the epaulettes were wanting, and this was too important an accessory to be neglected. Charlet, the actor, went and fetched a pair of epaulettes from the property stores of the Opéra-Comique and brought them to the general. And, thus complete, he set off at the head of his procession.
"What is all this crowd? Étienne asked of Charlet.
"It is General Dubourg's procession starting for the Hôtel de Ville."
"Who is General Dubourg?"
"General Dubourg is General Dubourg," said Charlet.
And there was indeed no other explanation to be offered.
General Dubourg had presented himself before Higonnet and Degousée at the Mairie des Petits-Pères the previous day.
"Gentlemen," he asked, "do you require a general?"
"A general?" Degousée repeated. "In Revolutionary times it only needs a tailor to make anything or anybody—and, given sufficient tailors, there will be no lack of generals."
The general made a mental note of the expression, but, instead of applying to a tailor, he did what was more economical and expeditious. He went to a second-hand clothes dealer! But then it was fitting that a general of fortune should have a makeshift for a uniform.
Well, the general and his uniform combined went to the Hôtel de Ville. Now, it is the proper thing for processions to march at a slow pace, and this particular one did not depart fromthe usual custom. Étienne had time to go and deposit his despatch at the offices of theNationaland, by hurrying slightly, he was able to return to the Hôtel de Ville before General Dubourg had effected his entrance.
"Baude," he said, "do you know what is coming?"
"No."
"A general!"
"What general?"
"General Dubourg.... Do you know the person?"
"Not from Adam or Eve! Is he in uniform?"
"Yes."
"A uniform will go down well! Hurrah for General Dubourg! We will put him in a back room and show him off when occasion offers."
General Dubourg entered to the shouts of "Vive le general Dubourg!"
They took him to the back room Baude pointed out, and when he was there—
"What do you wish, General?" they asked him.
"A bit of bread and a chamber-pot," replied the general. "I am dying of hunger, and desire to make water!"
They gave him what he wanted. Whilst he devoured his piece of bread Baude brought him two proclamations to sign. He signed one without difficulty, but refused to sign the other. Baude took it and signed it with a shrug of his shoulders—"BAUDE,Secretary to the Provisional Government."
Poor Provisional Government! It would have been curious to see what its behaviour would have been if Charles X. had returned to Paris.
Arago was on his way carrying these two proclamations, when he met a new troop near Saint-Eustache, proceeding to an attack on the Louvre. He could not refrain from joining it.
"Bah!" he said, "the proclamations will wait; let us go to the most pressing business first." And to the Louvre he went.
When the Louvre was taken, he took his proclamations to theNationaland there announced the people's victory. Itwas here that General La Fayette had seen him with a tricolour cockade and was made uneasy by his boldness.
When Étienne heard that the general was going to the Hôtel de Ville he did the same for him that he had done for General Dubourg: he ran to the Hôtel to announce to Baude the arrival of General La Fayette. In fairness to General Dubourg be it said that he did not even attempt to dispute the position of the new arrival, although he had come later than himself. He came forward to receive him on the steps and, bowing respectfully, said—
"À tout seigneur, tout honneur!"
For five hours, he had been master of Paris; and, for two of those five, his name had been on all lips. He was to reappear a second time to be hounded out of the Hôtel de Ville, and a third when he was very nearly assassinated. When he arrived, he sent for the tricolour tent and an upholsterer.
When the latter came—"Monsieur," the general said to him, "I want a flag."
"What colour?" the man asked.
"Black!" replied the general; "black shall be the colour of France until she shall have regained her liberty!"
And ten minutes afterwards a black flag floated over the Hôtel de Ville.
General La Fayette at the Hôtel de Ville—Charras and his men—"The Prunes of Monsieur"—The Municipal Commission—Its first Act—Casimir Périer's bank—General Gérard—The Duc de Choiseul—What happened at Saint-Cloud—The three negotiators—It is too late—M. d'Argout with Laffitte
General La Fayette at the Hôtel de Ville—Charras and his men—"The Prunes of Monsieur"—The Municipal Commission—Its first Act—Casimir Périer's bank—General Gérard—The Duc de Choiseul—What happened at Saint-Cloud—The three negotiators—It is too late—M. d'Argout with Laffitte
As soon as General La Fayette was installed at the Hôtel de Ville, it immediately became as full of people as it had been deserted before his arrival. In the midst of all the shouts of joy, clamouring enthusiasm and yells of triumph, the poor general did not know to whom to listen. Men of the people, students, pupils from the École polytechnique, all came with their own particular tale. The general replied—
"Very good! very good!" and shook hands with the messenger, who rushed off down the stairs, delighted, shouting—
"General La Fayette shook hands with me! Hurrah for General La Fayette!"
Charras arrived, in due course, with his hundred or hundred and fifty men.
"Here I am, General," he said.
"Ah! You, my young friend!" said La Fayette. "You are welcome"; and he embraced him.
"Yes, General, I am here, but I am not alone."
"Who have you with you?"
"My hundred and fifty men."
"And what have they done?"
"They have acted like heroes, General! They took the prison Montaigu, the barrack de l'Estrapade and the one in the rue de Babylone."
"Bravo!"
"Yes, you may indeed say so! But now there is nothing left for them to take, what must I do with them?"
"Why, tell them to return quietly to their homes."
Charras laughed.
"Homes? You don't really mean that, General!"
"I do, really; they must be fatigued after the tasks they have performed."
"But, General, three-quarters of the brave fellows have no homes to go to, and the other quarter, if they went home, would not find either a morsel of bread or a halfpenny to buy any with."
"Ah! the deuce! that alters the case," said the general. "Then let them have a hundred sous per head."
Charras submitted the general's proposal to his men.
"Oh!... Come now!" they said, "does he think we are fighting for the sake of money?"
Baude ordered a distribution of bread and meat and, when it was done, Charras camped with his troop upon the square of the Hôtel de Ville.
Madame Guyet-Desfontaines' cup of chocolate and bottle of Bordeaux wine were now things of the past, and I felt as pressing a desire for a piece of bread to eat as had General Dubourg when he reached the Hôtel de Ville. I went to a wine merchant's at the corner of la place de Grève and the quai Pelletier and asked for some dinner. His house was riddled with bullets and he had become the possessor of a fine selection of grapeshot. He meant to set them up above his door as a future sign, with the following words inscribed above them:—
AUX PRUNES DE MONSIEUR
You know that the Comte d'Artois, as in the case of all the younger brothers of the kings of France, was styled "Monsieur" before he became Charles X. I approved the happy notion of the wine merchant, and flattered him so cleverly that I wheedled him out of a bottle of wine, a piece of bread and a sausage.
I was fully determined not to lose sight of the Hôtel de Ville and to take note of all that passed there. I found that Revolutions had an extremely amusing side. Pray excuse me, it was the first I had seen. Now that I have lived to see a third I do not find them quite so funny.
But, as we have many incidents to relate in these humble Memoirs which that arch-prude History leaves untold and as we have, therefore, no time to lose, let us say, on the one hand, what was happening at Saint-Cloud and, on the other, what was being plotted at M. Laffitte's, whilst I was drinking my bottle of wine and eating my bread and sausage at the sign of thePrunes de Monsieur, and whilst General La Fayette was busy installing himself in his dictatorial chair in the Hôtel de Ville, embracing Charras and sending his men to bed, since he thought they must badly need to rest.
Let us begin at the Hôtel Laffitte. La Fayette had scarcely left the salon to take up the dictatorship of Paris, when they began to be afraid of leaving the hero of the battle of the Federation twenty-four hours alone at the head of affairs, and set to work to discover some efficacious method of counterbalancing his power. They appointed General GérardDirector of active operations(an unknown office which they had invented for the occasion); and he was to be backed up by a Municipal Commission composed of MM. Casimir Périer, Laffitte, Odier, Lobau, Audry de Puyraveau and Mauguin. But, to form a part of a Municipal Commission was much too bold a step for M. Odier; and he refused. M. de Schonen was appointed in his stead. M. Laffitte's sprained foot was made the pretext for establishing the Commission at his house. Thus, everything was organised to combat General La Fayette's revolutionary sway. This was how the bourgeoisie began its reactionary work the very same day that popular enthusiasm and triumph was at its height.
Make friends again, rejoice, approach one another with shouts of joy, embrace, you men of the faubourgs, young people from the colleges, students, poets and artists! Raise your hands to heaven, thank God, and cry hosannahs! Yourdead are not yet buried, your wounds not yet healed; your lips are yet black with powder, your hearts still beat joyfully at the thought of liberty, and already intriguing men, financial men and those in uniforms who went and hid trembling and praying whilst you were fighting, are shamelessly approaching to snatch victory and liberty out of your hands, to wrest the palms from the one, and to clip the wings of the other; to ravish your two chaste goddesses. Whilst you are shooting a man in the place du Louvre, for having stolen a silver-gilt vase, whilst you are shooting a man under the Pont d'Arcole for stealing some silver plate, you are insulted and slandered out there in that big fine mansion, which you will some day buy back by a national subscription (you short-memoried children with hearts of gold!), and give it back to its owner when he is ruined and has only an income left of four hundred thousand francs!Audite et intelligite!Listen and learn! Here is the first Act of that Municipal Commission which had just been self-elected:—
"The deputies present in Paris have had to assemble in order to remedy the grave dangers which are threatening the security of persons and property. A Municipal Commission has been formed to watch over the interests of all in the absence of regular organisation.".
"The deputies present in Paris have had to assemble in order to remedy the grave dangers which are threatening the security of persons and property. A Municipal Commission has been formed to watch over the interests of all in the absence of regular organisation.".
Royalists, beware! there is an edict of good King Saint-Louis giving power to pierce the tongue of blasphemers with a red-hot iron! This Commission had to have a secretary at the Hôtel de Ville and Odilon Barrot was appointed. It happened that, at the same time as the Commission was signing this insulting decree, they came and announced to it that half the combatants were dying of hunger in the public squares and were asking for bread. They turned towards M. Casimir Périer with one accord—the man who had offered the Duc de Raguse four millions the previous day.
"Well, messieurs," he replied, "I am truly sorry for the poor devils, but it is past four o'clock and my cash-room is closed."
And that was a man who had been a Minister and governedthe French people—a man whose sons had been ambassadors to and representatives of the French nation!
At five o'clock, General Gérard condescended to show himself to the crowd. He still wore the white cockade in his hat, and it excited such comment that the general was forced to take it out; but no amount of persuasion could make him don the tricolour cockade in its place.
The Duc de Choiseul entered the Hôtel Laffitte as General Gérard was leaving it; the poor duke, whose complexion at ordinary times was quite yellow, now looked green. He had had enough to make him so! He had been taking part in the Provisional Government since the morning, signing proclamations and issuing decrees! Whilst fighting was going on in the streets, he had not dared to venture out of doors; he was too much in fear of being compromised and still more afraid of being killed. When the firing was stopped, M. de Choiseul had half opened his shutters, and he perceived that everybody was in the streets and that the city was in a state of rejoicing: he had descended his carpeted stairs step by step, had ventured one foot outside his Hôtel and had finally risked going as far as M. Laffitte's. What did he want to do there? By Jove! that is not a difficult question to answer: he came to protest against the abominable forger who had abused his name and who had held it in so little respect as to link it with that of M. Motié de La Fayette! True, M. de Choiseul; although descended from a good Auvergnese family, M. Motié de La Fayette did not spring from Raymond III., Count of Langres, and from Alix de Dreux, granddaughter of Louis le Gros; but I do not know that he could number among his ancestors any accused of poisoning a Dauphin of France, at the instigation of Austria. That fact should have been taken into consideration and should have made the duke more lenient to the poor gentleman and his family.
Now that we have seen what was passing at the Hôtel Laffitte, let us see what was happening at Saint-Cloud. They were furious against the Duc de Raguse; and they had not merely said that he had not defended Paris properly, but thathe had betrayed them. Luckless fate pursued this man, accused by all sides, even by that to which he had devoted himself! The dauphin was substituted to take command in his place. All knew what a grand general the dauphin was! Did he not conquer Spain and drive out that lucky, foolhardy fellow of a Napoleon? His repartees, too, were they not most felicitously turned? He came to the bois de Boulogne to receive the troops and went up to a captain, asking—
"How many men have you lost, Captain? How many men have you lost?"
The dauphin had a habit of saying his sentences twice over.
"Many, monseigneur!" the officer replied sorrowfully.
"But you have plenty left still—plenty left?" His Highness said, with the tactful manner that was natural to him!
The troops continued their retreat and reached Saint-Cloud depressed with fatigue, broken down with heat and dying with hunger. They were not expected and nothing was prepared for them. The Duc de Bordeaux dined, and M. de Damas ordered the dishes that came from the prince's table to be sent out to the soldiers. The child took the dishes and himself handed them to the servants-in-waiting upon him. The hour predicted by Barras had come, but the poor royal child had been taught no other trade than that of being a prince—a bad trade in our days: ask His Majesty Napoleon II. and His Highness the Duc de Bordeaux, or Monseigneur le Comte de Paris.
However, Doctor Thibaut's negotiation had produced its effects and, whilst General Gérard was sticking to his white cockade at half-past five on the afternoon of 29 July, M. de Mortemart was reaching Saint-Cloud at seven that same evening. Charles X. did not give him a warm welcome; he did not like him and, indeed, M. de Mortemart was one of those doubtful Royalists, attainted with Republicanism, like the La Fayettes and Lameths and Broglies. M. de Mortemart tried to force the king into making concessions; but the king had replied with a determination that twenty-four hours later he was to belie—
"I will give no concessions, monsieur! I witnessed theevents of 1789 and have not forgotten them. I do not wish to ride in a cart, like my brother; I choose to ride on horseback."[1]
Unfortunately for this fine resolution, the affairs of Paris changed their appearance the next morning. It was then Charles X. who urged M. de Mortemart to accept the Ministry, and M. de Mortemart who, in his turn, declined. He saw that the hour had gone by for a mixed Ministry to be effective, and made an intermittent fever, caught on the shores of the Danube, the excuse for refusing. But Charles X. had reached the point when kings no longer try to hide their fears, but openly utter cries of distress.
"Ah! Monsieur le Duc," the aged monarch exclaimed, "you refuse, then, to save my life and that of my Ministers? That is not the part of a faithful subject, monsieur!"
The duke bowed.
"Sire," he said, "if that is what you demand of me, I will accept!"
"Good—I thank you," replied the king.
Then, in a whisper—
"But it remains to be seen if the people will be satisfied with you...."
The violent measures imposed upon the old king were so bitter to him, that, even before the man who had been willing to sacrifice himself for his sake, he could not restrain his anger.
Three political personages were waiting in an adjacent room—thus, in our polite tongue, we speak of peers, deputies, senators, magistrates and councillors who take the oath of allegiance to monarchies, and who defend them so well, that, in forty years, they have allowed four to slip through their fingers! These political personages were M. de Vitrolles,—whom Doctor Thibaut had gone to look for on the evening of 27 July, to lay before him the Coalition,—Mortemart and Gérard; M. de Sémonville, the man of apocryphal flags, of whom M. de Talleyrand said, when he saw him falling away, "What interest can he take in that?" M. d'Argout who, in 1848, became so ardent a Republican that he dismissed from hisoffices my beloved and close friend Lassagne, who had obtained with him a small post at three to four thousand francs salary, because he recognised him as having been secretary to King Louis-Philippe.
"O holy discretion!" as said Brutus.
While they were waiting, M. de Polignac entered. The prince soon guessed what the three negotiators had come about; two of them were personal friends of his. They had come to ask for his dethronement. There was a greatness about the Prince de Polignac; a smaller-minded man would have attempted to prevent them gaining access to the king; but he at once introduced them into Charles X.'s cabinet. Perhaps he also reckoned upon the king's well-known aversion towards M. d'Argout. The king had just agreed to the Ministry of Mortemart. He received these gentlemen, who laid their mission before him. Charles X. did not even let them get to the end but, with a gesture at once full of bitterness and of nobility, he said—
"Gentlemen, go to the Parisians and tell them that the king revokes the Ordinances."
These gentlemen gave vent to the expression of their joy in murmurs of satisfaction. But the king went on to say—
"Allow me, at the same time, to tell you that I believe this revocation to be fatal to the interests of the Monarchy and of France!"
The interests of Monarchy and of France! Why on earth did Charles X. talk of these to such men? What did they care for beyond their own private interests? They departed in a carriage at full gallop. Upon the road they met all Paris in arms pouring out of the houses into the streets and from out the suburbs. M. de Sémonville shouted to that crowd of bare-armed men with bloodstained shirts—
"My friends, the king has revoked the Ordinances; the Ministers have been chucked out."
He thought he was speaking in the language of the people, but he was really only uttering the jargon of the lowest rabble.M. de Vitrolles was shaking hands freely all round. If the men who pressed his hands had known his name, they would have throttled him instead!
When the negotiators reached the quays they were obliged to abandon their carriages, as the barricades were beginning and, with them, no favouritism: locomotion was the same for all. When they reached the Hôtel de Ville and were climbing the flight of steps they met Marrast, and, recognising the three negotiators, he stopped to look at them. M. de Sémonville did not know Marrast, but, seeing a young man elegantly attired, in the midst of that ragged crowd, he addressed him.
"Young man," he said, "can we speak with General La Fayette?"
He dared not saymonsieur, and did not wish to address him ascitoyen(citizen).
Marrast directed him; and these gentlemen were introduced into the midst of the Municipal Commission. They were going to begin to declare their mission without its being thought necessary to inform General La Fayette, whom they had come to seek. It would, perhaps, have suited some members of the Municipal Commission for La Fayette not to be there; but M. de Schonen and Audry de Puyraveau, the most enthusiastic, and deeply implicated of the Commission, sent for him. They proclaimed the Ministry of Mortemart and Gérard.
"But, gentlemen," Mauguin interrupted, "two Ministers do not form a Government."
"The king," said M. de Sémonville, "willingly consents to the addition of M. Casimir Périer."
And he turned with a gracious smile towards the banker, who went terribly pale.
In the same moment, Casimir Périer received a letter which he read. All eyes were fixed upon him.... He made a gesture expressive of refusal. There was a brief moment of silence and hesitation, each trying to avoid being the first to answer, feeling the importance of his reply. Then M. de Schonen rose and broke the silence, and in firm tones uttered these terrible words:—-
"It is too late.... The throne of Charles X. has foundered in blood ...!"
Eighteen years later, these same words, repeated in the Tribune by M. de Lamartine and addressed in their turn to the envoys of King Louis-Philippe, were to hurl down the throne occupied by the Younger Branch, as they had done that of the Elder.
The negotiators wanted to press matters forward.
"Come! come!" said Audry de Puyraveau, "let us have no more of this, gentlemen, or I will call up the people, and we shall soon see what their wishes are!"
The deputies withdrew; but M. Casimir Périer went out by another door, and joined them on the staircase.
"Go and find M. Laffitte," he said to them as he passed; "perhaps something might be done from that quarter."
And he disappeared. Did he wish to transfer the negotiations to the Duc d'Orléans, or was he unwilling to detach himself entirely from King Charles X.?
M. de Sémonville shook his head and withdrew.
To go and find M. Laffitte, who was nothing but a financier, bah! La Fayette might perhaps be tolerated. He was certainly a Revolutionary, but one of a good family, who, when a boy, had worn powder and red heels, and had kissed the queen's hand at l'Œil-de-bœuf.
It was on the awful morning of 6 October that he had been granted this last grace. M. Laffitte was only a meritorious member of the proletariat, whose nobility of character and good works had made him powerful; they could not negotiate the interests of a descendant of Saint-Louis with an upstart like that! MM. de Vitrolles and d'Argout were not so proud as M. de Sémonville. Casmir Périer gave them a passport to enable them to enter Laffitte's mansion without difficulties. M. d'Argout, who was only unpopular, kept to his own name, but M. de Vitrolles, who was execrated, had his name given out as M. Arnoult. At the door the courage of M. de Vitrolles failed him: he pushed M. d'Argout inside the salon and remained behind in a kind of vestibule. M. Laffitte wasexpecting Oudard, who had been gone since five o'clock, but had not yet returned. At the sound of an opening door he raised his eyes. It was not Oudard, but M. d'Argout. On his entrance his manner, whether real or affected, was characterised by the assurance of a man who believes himself to be bringing news conciliatory to all the interests concerned.
"Well! my dear colleague," he said, "I have come to tell you some excellent news."
"Humph!" Laffitte responded, with that half—scornful manner peculiar to him, together with some of those mental endowments which he appeared to have borrowed from his friend Béranger. "Humph I what is it?"
"The Ordinances are withdrawn," said M. d'Argout.
"Ah!" remarked Laffitte with indifference.
"And we have fresh Ministers."
"Ah!" the banker again remarked, without even inquiring their names.
"Is that how you receive such news?" M. d'Argout said, with some show of disappointment.
"Surely."
"But why are you so cool over it?"
"Because it is of no importance now."
"No importance! Now!" repeated M. d'Argout.
"Yes," said Laffitte; "you are twenty-four hours too late with it, my good friend."
"But it seems to me that the interest remains the same."
"Quite possibly. Only the situation has changed in the last twenty-four hours!"
The salon door again opened at that moment. It was not, however, a negotiator this time, but a man of the people. He was in his working blouse; his beard was long and his head bound up in a bloodstained handkerchief; he held a rifle in his hand.
"Pardon, Monsieur Laffitte," he said, as he clashed his gun on the parquetry floor, "there is a rumour that they are negotiating through you with Charles X."
"Yes," said Laffitte, "and you do not want any negotiations, is that it, my friend?"
"We want no more Bourbons and no more Jesuits!" was the cry being shouted in the antechambers.
This cry was taken up even in the street outside.
"You see and hear for yourself?" said M. Laffitte.
"Then you will listen to nothing?"
"Is your business official?"
M. d'Argout hesitated.
"I must confess," he replied, "that it is not."
"Then you will plainly see that I cannot answer you, since any reply I made would lead to nothing!"
"But, if I returned with an official authorisation," urged M. d'Argout, anxious to sound the situation from every side.
"Ah!" said M. Laffitte, "we will cross that bridge when we come to it!"
M. d'Argout shook his head and withdrew.
"Well?" M. de Vitrolles asked him.
"All is lost, my dear Baron!" the future Director of the Bank replied, with a sigh.
"But suppose a final effort were made to force M. de Mortemart upon Paris?"
"Why, in desperate cases any means are worth trying."
"To Saint-Cloud, then!"
"To Saint-Cloud!"
"That devil of an Oudard is a long time bringing me the duke's answer," Laffitte murmured impatiently.
"Perhaps," replied Béranger, "the duke is somewhat long in giving it him...."
[1]Seel'Histoire de dix ans, by Louis Blanc.
[1]Seel'Histoire de dix ans, by Louis Blanc.
Alexandre de la Borde—Odilon Barrot—Colonel Dumoulin—Hippolyte Bonnelier—My study—A note in Oudard's handwriting—The Duc de Chartres is arrested at Montrouge—The danger he incurred and how he was saved—I propose to go to Soissons to fetch gunpowder—I procure my commission from General Gérard—La Fayette draws up a proclamation for me—The painter bard—M. Thiers to the fore once more
Alexandre de la Borde—Odilon Barrot—Colonel Dumoulin—Hippolyte Bonnelier—My study—A note in Oudard's handwriting—The Duc de Chartres is arrested at Montrouge—The danger he incurred and how he was saved—I propose to go to Soissons to fetch gunpowder—I procure my commission from General Gérard—La Fayette draws up a proclamation for me—The painter bard—M. Thiers to the fore once more
The foregoing incidents were all taking place at the time I was finishing my repast at the inn of thePrunes de Monsieur.I crossed through all the crowds encamped in the place de l'Hôtel de Ville, resting so quietly and cheerfully, in ignorance that the political Cyclops had set to work again and was busy forging a fresh chain out of the old broken one—an eloquent metaphor M. Odilon Barrot might have made use of in speaking at the Tribunal, had there been a Tribunal left.
Alexandre de la Borde was entering the great hall of the Hôtel de Ville at the same time that I was. Some men of the type that are for ever shouting out something, cried—
"Vive le préfet de la Seine!"
Odilon Barrot, whose name I have just jotted down in reference to Parliamentary eloquence, was writing at a table, dressed in the uniform of a National Guardsman. He raised his head in surprise that the former préfet of the Seine, M. de Chabrol de Volvic, could excite so much enthusiasm. He recognised Alexandre de la Borde and made a gesture of astonishment.
"Well, yes, it is I," the author ofl'Itinéraire en Espagnesaid, with that bright, almost childish naïveté which was one of the chief characteristics of his personality; "they have just nominated me préfet of the Seine."
"You?"
"Yes, me."
"Who has done that?"
"How should I know?... Some monsieur with a plumed hat, a large sabre and a long scarf."
This "monsieur" was Colonel Dumoulin, who reappeared at every Revolution in exactly the same plumed hat, sabre and scarf, till one began to think he was the cause of all the misfortune.
Odilon Barrot shrugged his shoulders.
"You," he said, "you will belong to the Commune of Paris with us...."
And in a whisper he added—
"And yet!"
Only one who, like myself, was leaning over the back of his arm-chair, could have caught these last two words.
I could see from my position another secretary, who had just come and taken his place opposite, as a rival power. It was M. Hippolyte Bonnelier, La Fayette's secretary; he was, indeed, the counterpart to Odilon Barrot, secretary of the Municipal Commission. I shall never forget how peculiarly M. Hippolyte Bonnelier was accoutred. He wore his powder-horn slung round him on a red ribbon. In his belt he had stuck a tiny poniard of four inches in length. Did he load his poniard with the powder-horn or did he fill his powder-flask with his poniard? It was a problem I was never able to solve.
"I have felled eighteen trees along the boulevards!" he said to Étienne Arago.
"With your poniard?" Étienne laughingly asked.
"No," Bonnelier replied, laughing in his turn; "I meant to say that I marked them out with my poniard and that the people felled them."
And, meanwhile, he was secretary to La Fayette. It was from him that I learned what had passed between MM. de Vitrolles, Sémonville, and Argout and the Municipal Commission.
The situation was becoming more and more interesting. Ifelt certain that Oudard had gone to Neuilly; and I believed the answer would soon be given, so I made up my mind to spend the night at the Hôtel de Ville. I put myself under Bonnelier's protection and he took me to a kind of private office where was a mahogany desk and arm-chairs upholstered in green velvet. Upon the mantelpiece were five-branched candelabras but without candles in them. I should say that M. de Chabrol was a great and practical economist seeing he had five millions in his safe and no candles in his candlesticks.
I began my operations by putting the key of the cabinet in my pocket, then I went down and bought five candles, went up again, took pencil and paper from Bonnelier's desk and begged him, if any news came from Neuilly, to communicate it to me, which he promised to do. I returned to my room, put in my candles, of which I lighted two, and began to make notes of all I had seen during the day. I had not written more than four lines before I felt my eyes closing in spite of myself. As there was no reason for struggling to resist sleep and I was just dropping with fatigue, I arranged two arm-chairs like a camp bedstead and slept, in spite of the horrible tumult going all round, under and above me. I woke in broad daylight. Except for two or three alarms and the firing of a few shots, the night had been perfectly quiet. I looked into a glass and saw the need there was for me to return home. I had not changed my linen for three days, or shaved for two; my face was covered with freckles and half my drill-waistcoat buttons had been torn off by the weight of the bullets that had drawn it to one side; lastly, one of my gaiters and one of my shoes were covered with the blood of the poor fellow I had helped to lift to the Institut fountain. I left my cabinet and found Bonnelier at his post. He signed to me that he wanted to show me something. I went to him and he slipped a paper into my hands.
"Take a copy of that, if you care to," he said; "but whatever you do, don't lose my copy!"
"What is it?"
"Neuilly, 3.15 a.m.... Oudard, messenger.... Rubrique Laffitte."
"Good!"
I took a pen and copied the following note, word for word. By itself that note would be a curiosity, but, put into juxtaposition with the letter that will be given later, it rises to the dignity of a historic document, like those articles of furniture which are recognised as genuine and pass from an old curiosity shop to a museum. Here is the note:—
"The Duc d'Orléans is at Neuilly with all his family. The royal troops are near him at Puteaux. It only needs an order emanating from the Court to remove him from the nation which may find in him a powerful security for its future safety. It is proposed to approach him in the name of constituted authorities, suitably accompanied, and to offer him the crown. If he raises scruples of delicacy of feeling with regard to his family connection, he will be informed that his residence in Paris is essential to the tranquillity of the capital of France and that he must be put in safety. The absolute certainty of this measure can be relied upon, and there is, moreover, no doubt that the Duc d'Orléans will not lose any time in associating himself heart and soul with the wishes of the nation."
"The Duc d'Orléans is at Neuilly with all his family. The royal troops are near him at Puteaux. It only needs an order emanating from the Court to remove him from the nation which may find in him a powerful security for its future safety. It is proposed to approach him in the name of constituted authorities, suitably accompanied, and to offer him the crown. If he raises scruples of delicacy of feeling with regard to his family connection, he will be informed that his residence in Paris is essential to the tranquillity of the capital of France and that he must be put in safety. The absolute certainty of this measure can be relied upon, and there is, moreover, no doubt that the Duc d'Orléans will not lose any time in associating himself heart and soul with the wishes of the nation."
The original note was in Oudard's handwriting.
Strange coincidence! whilst the father was founding a throne the son was incurring the danger of death.
Now we will see what happened.
Bohain and Nestor Roqueplan expected Étienne Arago to breakfast at Gobillard's, in the place de la Bourse. As Arago left theNationalon his way to the café he met Bohain's, servant looking for his master.
"Ah! monsieur," said the worthy fellow, when he caught sight of Étienne, "do you know where my master is?"
"He should be at Gobillard's," replied Étienne. "What do you want him for?"
"I am sent by his brother-in-law, M. Lhuillier, to tell him I that the Duc de Chartres has been arrested at Montrouge."
"Who had him arrested?"
"M. Lhuillier—he is the mayor of the village. He wants to know what he should do with the prince."
"Humph!" said a man sitting on the pavement, with a rifle between his legs, munching a piece of bread; "what he should do with him? We'll tell him what to do with him!..." Then, rising—"Here, friends!" he cried out loudly, "the Duc de Chartres has been arrested at Montrouge. Those who would like to taste a bite of prince's flesh come with me!"
"What did you say, my fine fellow?" exclaimed Étienne, laying a hand on the man's shoulder.
"I said that they killed my brother and that I will myself go and kill the Duc de Chartres this very day!"
There was no time to be lost. Étienne flew into the café.
"Look here!" he said to Bohain, "your servant has made a fine mess of it!"
"What has he done?"
"He went and spread the news that the Duc de Chartres was a prisoner in the hands of your brother-in-law, and a score of rascals have started off to kill the prince."
"The devil!" Nestor and Bohain exclaimed in a breath; "that must not be allowed."
"What shall we do?"
"Take upon yourself to lead them, put yourself at their head; keep them back as long as ever you can, and one of us will go and give General La Fayette warning of the danger the prince is in.... A man shall be sent off post-haste to M. Lhuillier, and the Duc de Chartres set at liberty before you and your men reach Montrouge."
"Good!" said Étienne; "but do not lose any time!"
Then, throwing himself at the head of a group of thirty men—
"To Montrouge!" cried Étienne Arago; "to Montrouge, my friends!"
Each one took up the cry, "To Montrouge!" and they started for the Maine barrière, whilst Nestor Roqueplan—as far I can recollect it was Nestor—ran to the place de Grève.
The Vaudeville lay on the route to the Maine barrière; they went across the Palais-Royal gardens, then crossed the squareand threaded their way along the rue de Chartres. A scene-shifter was standing at the theatre door, Arago made a sign with his eyes for him to come up to him; the man understood and did so. Arago pretended to be receiving some confidence from the man.
"Good! my friends," he said; "here is a fresh business. You don't know what I have just heard! He says there is a Royalist conspiracy to come and burn down the Vaudeville, and, as you are aware, the insurrection started from the Vaudeville: had we not better begin by searching the theatre first?"
No objections were raised. Besides, many of those honest fellows were not at all displeased at the thought of seeing the inside of a theatre; only the man who had proposed the journey to Montrouge, who was a cooper from the quartier du Roule, tried to raise objections; but nobody listened to him. So they stopped at the Vaudeville, and Arago, lantern in hand, conducted his men from the lowest pit to the galleries; he did not spare them a single post, or trap-door, or side-scene. A whole hour was wasted over this visit. They then continued their course towards the Maine barrière.
Meanwhile, General La Fayette had been warned and had sent off to Montrouge M. Comte, one of the most brilliant students of the École polytechnique, who has since written a capital work on Positive Philosophy. M. Comte was the bearer of a letter couched in the following terms:—
"In a free country, every man should be allowed to circulate wherever he likes; permit M. le Duc de Chartres to return to Joigny, at the head of his Hussars, and await the orders of the Government.LA FAYETTE"HÔTEL DE VILLE, 30July1830"
"In a free country, every man should be allowed to circulate wherever he likes; permit M. le Duc de Chartres to return to Joigny, at the head of his Hussars, and await the orders of the Government.LA FAYETTE
"HÔTEL DE VILLE, 30July1830"
When I learnt the danger the Duc de Chartres was incurring, I wanted at once to return home and have my horse saddled to gallop off to Montrouge; but it was pointed out to me that, before I could reach the rue de l'Université, M. Comte would be at Montrouge and that it would be much better to await news at the Hôtel de Ville, so I waited. The hours, I must,confess, passed very slowly, from eight in the morning till two in the afternoon. At two, Étienne returned, covered with sweat and dust. The Duc de Chartres was saved. Thanks to the delay at the Vaudeville, and to a second incident which we will relate in due course, the messenger arrived in time.
The Duc de Chartres had with him General Baudrand and M. de Boismilon. M. Lhuillier made the aide-de-camp and the secretary get into the prince's carriage, and asked them to drive off and wait for the Duc de Chartres at la Crois-de-Berny, whilst he himself undertook to bring the prince to the same place safe and sound. Whilst General Baudrand and M. de Boismilon left in a barouche by the front entrance and took the main high road, M. le Duc de Chartres and M. Lhuillier went out by a back door, and left in a cab by a cross-country road, rejoining the road to Joigny, a quarter of a league below the place where M. Baudrand and M. de Boismilon were waiting for the prince.
One circumstance in particular had helped to expedite the flight and Arago's good intentions on the prince's behalf. When they reached the Maine barrière the men were stopped; no armed troops whatever were to be allowed to leave Paris. Their first instinct was towards forcing the obstacle in their way, but they consented to parley with the sentries on duty, and finally ended by fraternising with them. Some of the men even went inside the guard-house itself, while the rest sat down in the ditches hollowed out between the trees to catch rain-water. Arago ordered bread and some bottles of wine for them and I himself undertook to go in search of information. An hour later, he reached Montrouge. M. le Duc de Chartres had just left. He took a copy of General La Fayette's letter to justify the prince's release and carried it back to his men. They took the news in very ill humour, and Étienne could only manage to calm them down by promising that he would take them back to the Hôtel de Ville and give them powder to their hearts' content. Étienne had thus come back with this twofold object in view, of reporting the news of the flight of the Duc de Chartres to General La Fayette, and of giving his mentheir promised powder. But he had some difficulty in keeping his promise; there had been such a waste of powder that no one knew where to obtain any.
"I give you my word of honour," La Fayette, who could not believe in such a lack of ammunition, said to Étienne, "that if Charles X. were to return to Paris, we should not have four thousand rounds to fire with!"
I heard this answer, and did not let it fall to the ground.
When Arago had gone away, I went up to La Fayette.
"General," I said to him, "did I not hear you tell Arago just now that you were short of powder?"
"Quite true," the general said; "but perhaps I was wrong in mentioning it."
"Will you let me go and fetch some?"
"You?"
"I, myself, certainly."
"Wherefrom?"
"Wherever there may chance to be any, either at Soissons or at la Fère."
"They will not give you any."
"Then I will take it."
"What! you? You will take it?"
"Yes."
"By force?"
"Why not? The Louvre has been taken by force, surely!"
"You are certainly mad, my friend," the general replied.
"Not so, I swear it; I am sane enough!"
"Come, come, go home; you are tired out, past talking almost. They tell me you spent the night here."
"General, give me an order to get powder."
"Nothing of the kind."
"Do you really mean you do not wish me to go?"
"I do not wish to have you shot."
"Thank you; but pray be good enough to give me a free pass to General Gérard's presence."
"Why, yes, I will do that willingly. Monsieur Bonnelier, draw up a passport for M. Dumas."
"Bonnelier is busy, general; I will do it myself, and you can sign it immediately.... You are quite right, I must go home, for I am quite done up!"
I went to a table and drew up the following passport:—
"30July1830, 1 o'clock"Allow M. Alexandre Dumas access to General Gérard."
"30July1830, 1 o'clock
"Allow M. Alexandre Dumas access to General Gérard."
I presented the paper in one hand and a pen in the other to General La Fayette, and he signed it.
I had got my order.
"Thanks, general," I said.
And, as the passport was in my writing, I added after the two words "General Gérard" the phrase, "To whom we recommend the proposition he has just communicated to us."
Furnished with this pass, I at once went to Laffitte's hotel and gained access to the general. He had seen me at M. Collard's when I was a child, and recognised me when I gave him my name.
"Ah! so it is you, Monsieur Dumas!" he said. "Well, what is this proposition?"
"This is it, general.... M. de La Fayette said in my hearing a few minutes ago, at the Hôtel de Ville, that he was short of powder, and that, in the event of Charles X. returning to Paris, there would probably not be four thousand rounds of shot left."
"It is a fact, and, as you will recognise, a sufficiently disquieting one."
"Well, I offered General La Fayette to go and obtain some powder."
"Wherefrom?"
"Soissons."
"How are you going to get hold of it?"
"How? Why, there are not two ways of taking things, surely? I shall ask politely for it, to be sure."
"From whom?"
"The commanding officer, of course."
"And suppose he refuses?"
"I shall take it without his leave."
"I have been waiting for that.... Once more tell me how you are going to take it?"
"Oh! that is my affair!"
"Is that the proposition recommended to me by General La Fayette?"
"You see it for yourself, the sentence reads clearly enough: 'To General Gérard, to whom we recommend the proposition he has just communicated to us.'"
"Did he not think your suggestion a mad one?"
"I must say, to be quite truthful, that we had just a little discussion about it."
"Did he not tell you that there are twenty chances to one that you will be shot in such an undertaking?"
"I fancy he did express some such opinion."
"In spite of that, he still recommended your proposal to me."
I succeeded in convincing him.
"Why did he not himself issue the order you come to ask of me?"
"Because he maintained, general, that orders to be given to the military authorities are your business, and not his."
General Gérard bit his lips.
"Hum!" he exclaimed.
"Well, general?"
"Well, I say it is impossible!"
"Why so?"
"I cannot compromise myself so far as to issue such an order."
I looked him straight in the face.
"Why not, general?" I said. "I am willing enough to compromise myself to the extent of carrying it out!"
The general shuddered and stared at me in return.
"No, no!" he said, "I cannot.... Apply to the Provisional Government."
"Ah! yes, that Provisional Government of yours! it will be an easy matter if I can find it, but I have been looking all over for it. I have asked all sorts of people to point it out tome, and when I have gone where I was directed, I have only found a large empty hall with a table in the middle, on which stood empty bottles of wine and beer, and in one corner a desk and a sort of minute book on it.... Believe in me, general, since I believe in reality and not shadows, and sign the order I want."
"Do you really want it?" he said.
"I do indeed, general."
"And you are ready to bear the responsibility yourself of whatever harm may come of it?"
"Would you like me to give you a repudiation of all responsibility with respect to my person before I go?"
"You can write the order yourself."
"On condition, general, that you will copy it completely in your own handwriting after ... it will have more weight if it is autograph."
"Very well."
I took up a piece of paper and wrote this rough draft of an order:—
"The military authorities of the town of Soissons are asked to hand over immediately to M. Alexandre Dumas all the powder that can be found either in the powder magazine or in the town."PARIS, 30July1830"
"The military authorities of the town of Soissons are asked to hand over immediately to M. Alexandre Dumas all the powder that can be found either in the powder magazine or in the town.
"PARIS, 30July1830"
I presented the paper to General Gérard, who took it, read it and re-read it. Then, as though he had forgotten that I had asked him for an autograph order, he took a pen and, saying, "Since you really wish it...." he signed my order.
I let him do it, for an idea came into my head.
"Thanks, general."
"Are you really satisfied?"
"Very well satisfied."
"Then you are not hard to please."
And he returned to the drawing-room. I still held the pen, and, above his name, I wrote "Minister for War."
The first interpolation had succeeded so well that I venturedon a second one. Thanks to my second interpolation the order read as follows:—
"The military authorities of the town of Soissons are asked to hand over to M. Alexandre Dumas instantly all the powder that can be found either in the powder magazine or in the town.Minister for War,GÉRARD"PARIS, 30July1830"
"The military authorities of the town of Soissons are asked to hand over to M. Alexandre Dumas instantly all the powder that can be found either in the powder magazine or in the town.
Minister for War,GÉRARD
"PARIS, 30July1830"
But my readers must not suppose this was all. I had an order for the military authorities signedGérard; but I also wanted a similar invitation to the civil authorities signedLa Fayette.I laid great store by General Gérard's military reputation, but I counted still more upon General La Fayette's popularity; besides, one of the signatures would supplement the other.
When I returned to the Hôtel de Ville I sent to ask to see La Fayette, and he came to me.
"Well," he said to me, "haven't you gone to bed yet?"
"No, general, I am just off."
"To what place?"
"Soissons."
"Without an order?"
"I have one from General Gérard."
"Did Gérard give you an order?"
"Enthusiastically, general."
"Oh! oh! I should much like to look at it."
"Here it is"; and he read it.
"'Minister for War'?" he said, after he had read it.
"He thought that would assist my purpose."
"Then he did well."
"Will not you also give me something?"
"What is it you want?"
"An invitation to the civil authorities to second the revolutionary movement which I am going to try and proclaim to the town. You know well enough that I could not hope to succeed unless through the instrumentality of some popular surprise."
"Granted.... It shall not be said that, since you risk your life in the undertaking, I, on my side, risk nothing."
And he took up a pen, and wrote the following proclamation entirely in his own fine handwriting:—
To the Citizens of the town of Soissons"CITIZENS,—You are acquainted with the events that have been happening in Paris during the three ever-memorable days that have just gone by. The Bourbons have been driven out: the Louvre is taken, and the people are masters of the capital. But the three days' victors may be deprived of the victory they have so dearly bought, for want of ammunition. They, therefore, apply to you in the person of one of our combatants, M. Alexandre Dumas, who comes to make a fraternal appeal to your patriotism and devotion. All the powder that you can send to your brethren in Paris will be considered as an offering to your country."For the Provisional Government, the Commander-General of the National Guard,LA FAYETTE"HÔTEL DE VILLE DE PARIS, 30July1830"
To the Citizens of the town of Soissons
"CITIZENS,—You are acquainted with the events that have been happening in Paris during the three ever-memorable days that have just gone by. The Bourbons have been driven out: the Louvre is taken, and the people are masters of the capital. But the three days' victors may be deprived of the victory they have so dearly bought, for want of ammunition. They, therefore, apply to you in the person of one of our combatants, M. Alexandre Dumas, who comes to make a fraternal appeal to your patriotism and devotion. All the powder that you can send to your brethren in Paris will be considered as an offering to your country.
"For the Provisional Government, the Commander-General of the National Guard,
LA FAYETTE
"HÔTEL DE VILLE DE PARIS, 30July1830"
It will be seen that, on the whole, this proclamation did not contain much besides an appeal to patriotism and devotion. Now this was not quite what I wanted; but, there it was, and I had to make the best of it. I embraced General La Fayette, and I descended the steps from the Hôtel de Ville as fast as I could. It was now three in the afternoon; the gates of Soissons, being a fortified town, were shut at eleven at night. I must, therefore, reach Soissons before eleven, and I had twenty-four leagues to go. I caught sight of a young painter called Bard, a friend of mine, in the square. He was a handsome young fellow of eighteen, with a face as calm and impassive as a fifteenth-century marble statue. He looked just like Donatello's Saint George. I was seized with a desire to have a travelling companion, if it should only be for the purpose of getting me properly buried in case the prophecies of the two generals, La Fayette and Gérard, should come true. I went up to him.
"Ah! Bard, old chum," I said, "what are you doing?"
"I?" he said.... "I am looking on.... It's a queer game, is it not?"
"It is something more than that," I said, "it is magnificent! What have you been doing in it all?"
"Nothing.... I have no arms, but an old halberd that lies in my studio."
"Would you like to make up for lost time, then, in one stroke?"
"There is nothing I should like better."
"Then come along with me."
"Where?"
"To get yourself shot."
"I should love it."
"Hurrah! Run off to my rooms and fetch my double-barrelled pistols; have my horse saddled, and come and rejoin me at Le Bourget."
I have forgotten to mention that, out of the first proceeds ofChristine, I had bought a horse of that same Chopin who, on the morning of the 29th, had been taken for the emperor upon the place de l'Odéon.
"What is Le Bourget?" Bard asked.
"Le Bourget is the first relay posting-station on the road to Soissons."
"Why take your horse, then, if there is a relay post?"
"Ah! in case the post-master should have sent out all his horses; they may have been seized. That is the reason I cannot take my carriage, because of the barricades and because all the posting-masters have not post-carriages in their sheds in spite of the law which legally compels them to have them. Then you see, my dear fellow, if we find a carriage, we will take it; if we only find one horse, we will ride side by side at full speed; if we find neither one nor the other, we shall still have my horse, and you must ride behind me, and we will represent the finest half of the four sons of Aymon."
"I understand."
"Then fetch my horse and the pistols, and whichever reaches Le Bourget first, waits for the other."
"I will fly the whole way!" cried Bard, as he dashed off towards the quay Pelletier.
"And I also," I replied, as I ran off down the rue de la Vannerie, which led straight into the rue Saint-Martin, my most direct way for reaching La Villette.