Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1836-1840
overcame me that I nearly choked, and Mmes. de Lieven, von Werther,
and von Löwenhielm, who were present, were in the same predicament.
_Paris, February 1, 1836._--If I were at my dear Rochecotte, as I was
last year, I should think that spring was beginning on February 1,
whereas here one can say nothing of the kind. My old dislike of Paris
has been growing upon me for some time. Not that people are in any way
disagreeable--indeed, the contrary is the case; but life at Paris is
too exhausting, the atmosphere is too keen, attractions are too
numerous and widely spread, while at the same time they are not
sufficiently strong. There is no leisure, constant worry, and a
continual sense of want.
At London I lived amid a society at once high and simple-minded;
social success and leisure were possible at the same time. M. de
Talleyrand there enjoyed good health and was occupied with important
business. The excitement which I then experienced had its
compensations; I had time for my own occupations, for reading,
working, writing, and thinking, nor was I pestered by every idle
person. If calling is a tax upon one's time, calls can be paid at
London with an empty carriage and with cards; in short, life was then
a pleasure. Hence my deep and melancholy regret for those years which
will never return; hence my longing for the calm and sweetness of
Rochecotte, with its wide horizon and its pure sky, for my clean
house, my kind and simple neighbours, my workpeople, my flowers, my
big dog, my little cow and goat, the good Abbé, the modest Vestier,
the little wood where we used to gather fir-cones--the place, in
short, where I am at my best, because I have time for valuable
introspection, for enlightenment of thought, for the practice of good
and the avoidance of evil, time to unite myself in simplicity of heart
and mind with the beauty, the strength, and the graciousness of
nature, which there gives me shelter, refreshment, and repose. But a
truce to these self-complainings, which are useless and ungrateful.
Yesterday I saw Dr. Ferrus, on his return from Ham. His account of
what he found there is as follows: Both the orders and the attitude
of the doctors were extremely kind, but it was necessary to find some
excuse for action, and the two ex-Ministers who were really ill, MM.
de Chantelauze and de Peyronnet, insolently refused to permit a visit
from the doctors; while the others, MM. de Polignac and Guernon de
Ranville, though very compliant, submissive, and anxious to take
advantage of the kindly attitude of the Government, were unfortunately
unable to plead any malady. Hence it was necessary to postpone the
desired attempt to improve their condition.[6]
[6] This is again a reference to the former Ministers of Charles
X. Certain people were energetically striving to secure the
liberation of these unfortunate political prisoners.
_Paris, February 6, 1836._--Yesterday morning I went to the session of
the Chamber of Deputies, with the Countess Bretzenheim, who had
invited me to accompany her; there I heard for the first time a speech
by M. Thiers; he spoke admirably, in opposition to the much-discussed
proposal for the conversion of the stock, so imprudently put forward
by M. Humann. While M. Thiers was speaking I thought I noticed him
spitting blood several times; I wrote to ask him how he was, and the
following is an extract from his reply: "I am exhausted; I did not
spit blood, but in those few moments I shortened my life by several
days; I have never encountered so strong an opposition of opinion, and
an iron will is required to overcome an obstinacy so plain as that
displayed by the Chamber. I am very sorry that you should have heard
me speak, as the figures must have wearied you, and have given you a
poor idea of our public oratory. We should be heard and judged only
upon days of excitement, and not when we are discussing accounts. In
any case, I am doubtful of the consequences, and were it not for the
King I should be inclined to wish that the Ministry would resign. The
struggle against such imprudence and foolishness is an unbearable
task."
This letter prepared me to some extent for the events of the evening.
However, M. Royer-Collard, who came to me in the course of the
morning, believed that the Ministry would emerge triumphant, for the
reason that the Chamber would find difficulty in using an advantage,
if they gained one. He was overcome with admiration for the speech of
M. Thiers, and had told him as much in the Chamber. On this occasion
they spoke to one another again, for the first time since the
discussion of the September laws.
My son, M. de Valençay, came directly from the session of the Chamber
of Deputies to dinner with us. He told us of the stupefaction produced
in the Chamber by the strange conclusions of Humann, and the
excitement of the Ministers because the project for converting the
Government stock had been postponed by a majority of two votes only.
The _Journal de Paris_ announced the resignation of the Ministry at a
later hour, and General Alava, who had just seen the Duc de Broglie,
told us at eleven o'clock in the evening that the King had accepted
their resignations, and had sent for MM. Humann and Molé.
At that moment I received the following note from M. Thiers: "We have
resigned in full freedom and seriousness. The King knew beforehand,
and agreed with every one, and myself in particular, that this result
was the inevitable consequence of our intention to oppose the scheme
for conversion. Our honour would be compromised if we did not persist
in our action and force a new Ministry to take office. It matters not
if that Ministry be weak and helpless; the burden of proving the fact
will rest upon the Third Party. No other action is possible, either
for the King or for ourselves, and would in any case be a deception in
the style of Charles X."
_Paris, February 7, 1836._--There is no news of the Ministry except
the fact of resignation, which is definite. It is thought that M. de
Broglie will never take office again, as the animosity of the Chamber
is chiefly directed against himself.
M. Thiers made no attempt to oppose resignation; he was actuated
rather by the desire to secure an honourable withdrawal and to
dissociate himself from colleagues whom he did not like than by any
special devotion to the point at issue, though his defence was marked
with great skill.
The King summoned M. Humann, who _refused_, M. Molé, who _declined_,
M. Dupin, who _spoke at random_--shades of meaning which are worthy of
note. In short, nothing has been done, nor can any action be regarded
as probable. The friends of M. Molé say that he will no longer be sent
from pillar to post or put up with requests, refusals, and vexations
such as he experienced in November, and that if people will not submit
to his views he will decline to interfere.
_Paris, February 8, 1836._--Yesterday I had a call from M.
Royer-Collard. He explains the attitude of the Chamber towards the
last Ministry as follows: The Ministry had lasted for three years and
was worn out, especially the doctrinaire members of it, while the
Cabinet had wearied the Chamber by too constantly pressing for
decisions and making personal matters Cabinet questions; moreover, the
Chamber had gone beyond its powers in the announcement issued at the
time when the laws concerning intimidation were passed;[7] it had been
by no means popular in the provinces, while the disdainful folly of M.
de Broglie had filled the cup to overflowing. Finally, as the country
was prosperous and peaceful both at home and abroad, the Chamber had
thought the moment opportune to enounce its rights and to show the
Ministry that it was not indispensable; while a popular question in
the provinces had provided it with an opportunity for displaying its
power, in which determination it was supported by its political
ignorance, which will not allow it to foresee the extent of the
crisis. M. Royer-Collard added that the only two Ministers who could
have preserved their reputation in the Chamber were MM. Thiers and
Duchâtel, but that here again some small period of exile would be
necessary.
[7] In 1835, in consequence of Fieschi's attempt, the Ministry
proposed three severe legal enactments dealing with the jury and
the sentences in cases of rebellion, and, most important of all,
with the Press. The discussion upon these laws continued in the
Chamber from August 13, 1834, to September 29, and ended in a
complete success for the Government.
Yesterday we dined with M. Thiers in fulfillment of a long-standing
invitation. He was highly delighted and fluttering whenever he
pleased. He proposes to travel, and to visit Vienna, Berlin, Rome, and
Naples; he will start in April. M. de Broglie, who was also at dinner,
appeared sad and downcast, and I was astonished that he made no
attempt to hide his feelings; it was not the devil, but the doctrine,
that he was burying.
In the evening I paid a visit to Madame de Lieven and made the
acquaintance of M. Berryer. M. Royer-Collard, who sees him constantly,
told me in the morning that M. Berryer was very anxious to make my
acquaintance. We were on our best behaviour. He talks simply and
kindly.
_Paris, February 9, 1836._--Yesterday we dined with the Sardinian
Ambassador.[8] I was told that nothing had been yet decided concerning
the Ministry, and M. Molé, who was sitting near me, confirmed this
statement. He has declined to join the Third Party, in spite of the
universal desire that he should do so. I believe that, for want of a
better leader, M. Dupin will eventually profit for the time being by
this state of affairs; as, however, the little group which he leads is
very weak, he will be obliged to base his power upon the Left, and
this will cost him dear. His position will be analogous to that of the
English Whig Ministry confronted by O'Connell. I hope that this state
of affairs will be of no long duration, though a short time is quite
enough in which to take many retrograde steps. At the Château sadness
prevails, uneasiness in the diplomatic world and anxiety in public
opinion.
[8] The Marquis de Brignole-Sale.
The young and beautiful Queen of Naples died on January 31, a few days
after the birth of her child. The news arrived yesterday.[9]
[9] Marie Christine, Princess of Savoy, died in giving birth to
the prince who was afterwards Francis II., the last King of
Naples.
_Paris, February 10, 1836._--The judges in Fieschi's case, and the
audience, take a remarkable interest in this man. He is an
unprecedented character; he has a fine intellect and a real genius for
strategy, while the terrors of his situation never obscure his memory,
his self-possession, or his penetration; he is a man of strong
passions, especially where women are concerned. His affection for Nina
Lassave is remarkable; he constantly writes to her, and when he
learned that she had been unfaithful to him he reproached her for not
waiting a few days and sparing him this last bitterness, as his
execution would have set her free; all this was written in the most
touching style. Another point is that when M. Ladvocat sent money to
Fieschi, that he might provide himself with some small dainties in
prison, instead of spending the money, he sent it to this woman Nina.
She wrote to thank him more or less in the following terms: "I thank
you for thus depriving yourself for my sake; with what you have sent
me I have bought a few decent things to do you credit before your
judges, but as you will soon be unable to send me anything more, I am
economising, and am now mistress of forty francs."
This remark concerning economy is disgusting. Moreover, she wrote to