Part 38 (1/2)

”'Impossible!'

”'Well,' exclaimed M Odilon Barrot, 'it's funny that this door should be closed to the Emperor's nephew!'

”The porter started and threw his cap on the ground He was an old soldier, to whoranted as a pension

”'The Emperor's nephew!' he cried 'Oh! Sire, enter!'

”He wanted to kissis still about in its place I recognised nearly everything, the First Consul's study, the chamber of his mother, ed

I found a little armchair I had when I was a child”

I said to the Prince: ”You see, thrones disappear, ar a few persons ca others M Duclerc, the ex-Minister of Finance of the Executive Committee, an old woman in black velvet wholish A salon I saw Lord Normanby taken aside in the same way by Louis Philippe

The President in his salon had an air of tiroup to group er than the master of the house However, his remarks are _a propos_ and soet my opinion anent his Ministry, but in vain I would say nothing either good or bad about it

Besides, the Ministry is only a , a screen that hides a baboon Thiers is behind it This is beginning to bother Louis Bonaparte He has to contend against eight Ministers, all of who these Ministers some are his avowed enemies Nominations, promotions, and lists arrive all es They have to be accepted, signed and endorsed

Yesterday Louis Bonaparte co wittily: ”They want to make of me a Prince Albert of the Republic”

Odilon Barrot appeared ed To-day he left the council with a crushed air M de la Moskowa encountered hioes it?”

”Pray for us!” replied Odilon Barrot

”Whew!” said Moskowa, ”this is tragical!”

”What are we to do?” went on Odilon Barrot ”How are we to rebuild this old society in which everything is collapsing? Efforts to prop it up only help to bring it down If you touch it, it topples over Ah! pray for us!”

And he raised his eyes skywards

I quitted the Elysee about 10 o'clock As I was going the President said torooain a mo: ”For Madaallery of the Garde-Meuble for the review that is to be held to-day

And as I went ho in, this trial of etiquette, this bourgeois-republican-imperial mixture, this surface of a deep, unfathomed quantity that to-day is called the President of the Republic, his entourage, the whole circumstances of his position This man who can be, and is, addressed at one and the sahness, neur and citizen, is not one of the least curious and characteristic factors of the situation

Everything that is happening at this e who sticks at nothing to attain his ends

IV THE FIRST MONTH January 1849

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