The Memoirs of Victor Hugo Part 43

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 Arrondiss.e.m.e.nt. 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 a.s.sociate 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 att.i.tude 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, Arrondiss.e.m.e.nt. I refused.

I went to the rehearsal of _Les Chatiments_ at the Porte Saint Martin.

Frederick Lemaitre and Mmes. Laurent, Lia Felix and Dugueret 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 Arrondiss.e.m.e.nts want me to stand for Mayor. I refuse.

Merimee 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 "Theatre Francais".

November 11.--Mlle. Periga called today to rehea.r.s.e _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. Periga at her home, and then went to the rehearsal of to-morrow's reading at the theatre. Frederick Lemaitre, Berton, Maubart, Taillade, Lacressonniere, Charly, Mmes. Laurent, Lia Felix, Rousseil, M. Raphael Felix and the committee of the Societe 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 ap.r.o.ns, who are the actresses of the theatre, burst into tears.

November 13.--I had M. and Mme. Paul Meurice, Vacquerie and Louis Blanc to dinner this evening. We dined at 6 o'clock, as the second reading of _Les Chatiments_ was fixed to begin at the Porte Saint Martin at 7.30. I offered a box to Mme. Paul Meurice for the reading.

November 14.--The receipts for _Les Chatiments_ last night (without counting the collection taken up in the theatre) amounted to 8,000 francs.

Good news! General d'Aurelle de Paladine has retaken Orleans and beaten the Prussians. Schoelcher came to inform me of it.

November 15.--Visit from M. a.r.s.ene Houssaye and Henri Houssaye, his son.

He is going to have Stella read at his house in aid of the wounded.

M. Valois came to tell me that the two readings of _Les Chatiments_ brought in 14,000 francs. For this sum not two, but three guns can be purchased. The Societe des Gens de Lettres desires that, the first having been named by me the "Chateaudun" and the second "Les Chatiments", the third shall be called the "Victor Hugo." I have consented.

Pierre Veron has sent me Daumier's fine drawing representing the Empire annihilated by _Les Chatiments_.

November 16.--Baroche, they say, has died at Caen.

M. Edouard Thierry refuses to allow the fifth act of "Hernani" to be played at the Porte Saint Martin for the victims of Chateaudun and for the cannon of the 24th Battalion. A queer obstacle this M. Thierry!