Page 128 of 171
I. HIS DEBUTS. - The Memoirs of Victor Hugo| Set Display | Please Turn On Your Virtual Bookmarks | You Can Help This Site | Table of Contents | Victor Hugo |
Page 128 of 171
I. HIS DEBUTS. - The Memoirs of Victor Hugo
Upon his arrival in Paris Louis Bonaparte took up his residence in the Place Vendome. Mlle. Georges went to see him. They conversed at some length. In the course of the conversation Louis Bonaparte led Mlle. Georges to a window from which ,the column with the statue of Napoleon I. upon it was visible and said:
"I gaze at that all day long."
"It's pretty high!" observed Mlle. George.
September 24, 1848.
Louis Napoleon appeared at the National Assembly today. He seated himself on the seventh bench of the third section on the left, between M. Vieillard and M. Havin.
He looks young, has a black moustache and goatee, and a parting in his hair, a black cravat, a black coat buttoned up, a turned-down collar, and white gloves. Perrin and Leon Faucher, seated immediately below him, did not once turn their heads. In a few minutes the galleries began to turn their opera-glasses upon the prince, and the prince gazed at the galleries through his own glass.
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September 26.
Louis Bonaparte ascended the tribune (3.15 P.M.). Black frock-coat, grey trousers. He read from a crumpled paper in his hand. He was listened to with deep attention. He pronounced the word "compatriots" with a foreign accent. When he had finished a few cries of "Long live the Republic!" were raised.
He returned leisurely to his place. His cousin Napoleon, son of Jerome, who so greatly resembles the Emperor, leaned over M. Vieillard to congratulate him.
Louis Bonaparte seated himself without saying a word to his two neighbours. He is silent, but he seems to be embarrassed rather than taciturn.
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October 9.
While the question of the presidency was being raised Louis Bonaparte absented himself from the Assembly. When the Antony Thouret amendment, excluding members of the royal and imperial families was being debated, however, he reappeared. He seated himself at the extremity of his bench, beside his former tutor, M. Vieillard, and listened in silence, leaning his chin upon his hand, or twisting his moustache.
All at once he rose and, amid extraordinary agitation, walked slowly towards the tribune. One half of the Assembly shouted: "The vote!" The other half shouted: "Speak!"
M. Sarrans was in the tribune. The president said:
"M. Sarrans will allow M. Louis Napoleon Bonaparte to speak."
He made a few insignificant remarks and descended from the tribune amid a general laugh of stupefaction.
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November 1848.
On November 19 I dined at Odilon Barrot's at Bougival.
There were present MM. de Rémusat, de Tocqueville, Girardin, Leon Faucher, a member of the English Parliament and his wife, who is ugly but witty and has beautiful teeth, Mme. Odilon Barrot and her mother. 
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