The Memoirs of Victor Hugo, Victor Hugo [nice books to read txt] 📗

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 “Ch�teaudun.” 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-Sh�e 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 Ch�timents 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 Ch�timents, 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 Ch�timents at the Porte Saint Martin. Fr�d�rick Lemaitre and Mmes. Laurent, Lia Felix and Dugu�ret were present.

 

November 5.—To-day the public reading of Les Ch�timents, 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.

M�rim�e 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 Ch�timents at the Porte Saint Martin for the gun which I have named the “Ch�teaudun” 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 Ch�timents for another cannon will be given at the “Th��tre Fran�ais”.

 

November 11.—Mlle. Periga called today to rehearse Pauline Roland, which she will read at the second reading of Les Ch�timents, announced for tomorrow at the Porte Saint Martin. I took a carriage, dropped Mlle. P�riga at her home, and then went to the rehearsal of tomorrow’s reading at the theatre. Frederick Lemaitre, Berton, Maubart, Taillade, Lacressonni�re, Charly, Mmes. Laurent, Lia Felix, Rousseil, M. Raphael Felix and the committee of the Soci�t� 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. 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. Ars�ne 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 Ch�timents brought in 14,000 francs. For this sum not two, but three guns can be purchased. The Soci�t� des Gens de Lettres desires that, the first having been named by me the “Ch�teaudun” and the second “Les Ch�timents”, 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 Ch�teaudun and for the cannon of the 24th Battalion. A queer obstacle this M. Thierry!

 

November 17.—Visit from the Gens de Lettres committee. The committee came to ask me to authorise a reading of Les Ch�timents at the Opera to raise funds for another cannon.

I mention here once for all that I authorise whoever desires to do so, to read or perform whatever he likes that I have written, if it be for cannon, the wounded, ambulances, workshops, orphanages, victims of the war, or the poor, and that I abandon all my royalties on these readings or performances.

I decide that the third reading of Les Chatiments shall be given at the Opera gratis for the people.

 

November 19.—Mme. Marie Laurent came to recite to me Les Pauvres Gens, which she will recite at the Porte Saint Martin tomorrow to raise funds for a cannon.

 

November 20.—Last evening there was an aurora borealis.

“La Grosse Josephine” is no longer my neighbour. She has just been transported to Bastion No. 41. It took twenty-six horses to draw her. I am sorry they have taken her away. At night I could hear her deep voice, and it seemed to me that she was speaking to me. I divided my love between “Grosse Jos�phine” and Little Jeanne.

Little Jeanne can now say “papa” and “mamma” very well.

To-day there was a review of the National Guard.

 

November 21.—Mme. Jules Simon and Mme. Sarah Bernhardt came to see me.

After dinner many visitors called, and the drawing-room was crowded. It appears that Veuillot insulted me.

Little Jeanne begins to crawl on her hands and knees very well indeed.

 

November 23.—Jules Simon writes me that the Opera will be given to me for the people (free reading of Les Ch�timents) any day I fix upon. I wanted Sunday, but out of consideration for the concert that the actors and employ�s of the Opera give Sunday night for their own benefit I have selected Monday.

Fr�d�rick Lemaitre called. He kissed my hands and wept.

It has been raining for two or three days. The rain has soaked the plains, the cannon-wheels would sink into the ground, and the sortie has therefore had to be deferred. For two days Paris has been living on salt meat. A rat costs 8 sous.

 

November 24.—I authorise the Th��tre Fran�ais to play tomorrow, Friday, the 25th, on behalf of the victims of the war, the fifth act of “Hernani” by the actors of the Th��tre Fran�ais and the last act of “Lucrece Borgia” by the actors of the Porte Saint Martin, and in addition the recitation as an intermede of extracts from Les Ch�timents, Les Contemplations and La L�gende des Si�cles.

Mlle. Favart came this morning to rehearse with me Booz Endormie. Then we went together to the Fran�ais for the rehearsal for the performance of tomorrow. She acted Do�a Sol very well indeed. Mme. Laurent (Lucr�ce Borgia) also played well. During the rehearsal M. de Flavigny dropped in. I said to him: “Good morning, my dear ex-colleague.” He looked at me, then with some emotion exclaimed: “Hello! is that you?” And he added: “How well preserved you are!” I replied: “Banishment preserves one.”

I returned the ticket for a box that the Th��tre Fran�ais sent to me for tomorrow’s performance, and hired a box, which I placed at the disposal of Mme. Paul Meurice.

After dinner the new Prefect of Police, M. Cresson, paid me a visit. M. Cresson was the barrister who twenty years ago defended the murderers of General Br�a. He spoke to me about the free reading of Les Ch�timents to be given on Monday the 28th at the Opera. It is feared that an immense crowd—all the faubourgs—will be attracted. More than 25,000 men and women. Three thousand will be able to get in. What is to be done with the rest? “The Government is uneasy. Many are called but few will be chosen, and it fears that a crush, fighting and disorders will result. The Government will refuse me nothing. It wants to know whether I will accept the responsibility. It will do whatever I wish done. The Prefect of Police has been instructed to come to an understanding with me about it.

I said to M. Cresson: “Let us consult Vacquerie and Meurice and my two sons.” He replied: “Willingly.” The six of us held a council. We decided that three thousand tickets should be distributed on Sunday, the day before the lecture, at the mairies of the twenty arrondissements to the first persons who presented themselves after noon. Each arrondissement will receive a number of tickets in proportion to the number of its population. The next day the 3,000 holders of tickets (to all places) will wait their turn at the doors of the Opera without causing any obstruction or trouble. The “Journal Officiel” and special posters will apprise the public of the measures taken in the interest of public order.