CANNES, _December 13, 1860_.
You write with a conciseness quite Lacedemonian, and you use, moreover,
a paper manufactured, doubtless, expressly for you. At the same time,
there are many interesting things, for you to tell me. You are living
among barbarians, where there is always something worth observing; and
you have the best kind of a chance to see them, because of the woman’s
skirts you wear, which are a valuable passport. In spite of this, you
have told me but one thing in detail, and that I had already suspected,
but you have not said what you thought of it and whether you considered
it worthy of imitation. You must have seen in the bazaars a tremendous
number of trinkets, and you might have examined them and have given me
some idea of what you thought would suit me. In fact, you are not
acquitting yourself at all well in your rôle of traveller.
I am living in my hole, and have nothing to tell you except that we had,
in the beginning of the month, the most diabolical weather. The Siagne,
a small stream flowing between the Estérel Mountain and Cannes,
overflowed its banks and covered the adjacent fields, which gave them
the most curious and picturesque aspect. The sea, too, driven by the
south wind, beat against my balcony, and my house during the night was
transformed into an island. All these disasters were effaced by one day
of sunshine. I am warm, and am tolerably well, but I sleep badly, and
have lost entirely the habit of eating. All the same, I take more
exercise than I did in Paris.
The political disturbance early in the month gave me some apprehension,
notwithstanding my indifference to the questions involved. You are aware
of my intimacy with the principal victim. I know nothing positively as
yet concerning the reasons for his disgrace. It is evident, however,
that a fair lady figures in the case, and that she persisted in
remaining in his apartment, which she had occupied for a long time. He
took the thing less philosophically than I believed he would, and than I
should have done in his place. I fancy, though, that he was cut up by
some of the proceedings.
As for the measures of the Liberals, I have not made up my mind what to
think; we must wait, and see the result. I do not believe they were
necessary; but, on principle, it is better to grant a favour unsolicited
than to give only what is asked, and after delaying so long that
everybody concerned grows impatient. It may be, on the other hand, that
the emperor[25] is seeking support in the Chambers in order that we may
abandon our false position with Italy, defending a pope who
excommunicates us _in petto_, and on the point of becoming embroiled
with our friends, that we may flatter the vanity of a youngster who has
never wished us any good. It is clear that, if the Chambers recommend
the doctrine of non-intervention, it would be ground sufficient to
recall General de Goyon from Rome, and to leave the Piedmontese to fight
their own battles as they like and as they are able to do.
Here, meaning throughout France, people who dress well and consider
themselves somebody are loyal to the pope and the king of Naples, as if
they had not been at the bottom of the Revolution in France. At the same
time, their love of the papacy and of legitimacy does not reach to the
extent of contributing an _écu_ in their behalf. If a positive
explanation were demanded, I do not doubt that the doctrine of
intervention would be extolled in enthusiastic terms. But what will be
the effect of the recrudescence of eloquence which the recent
concessions will bring on us? I can not guess the result; but the old
parliamentarians are beginning to prick their ears. M. Thiers, I am
told, will stand for election to a seat in the Senate from Valenciennes,
and his example, I think, will be followed by many others. I can not
conceive what will become of the deposed ministers, who were appointed
by the oratorical party in the legislative body of the Senate, but it
will be amusing to see orators like M. Magne and M. Billault on the side
of the Jules Favre and _tutti quanti_.
Good-bye, dear friend. Let me hear from you often, and send me longer
letters. Do not forget the details of Algerian customs, about which I am
exceedingly curious. Tell me what sort of weather you have, and how you
are.