PARIS, _Monday night_, _October 28, 1867_.
You speak of vegetating. Indeed, that is the sort of life one would wish
to lead nowadays, but the age is one of movement. Human vegetables are
as unfortunate as those which live at the foot of Etna. From time to
time upon them falls a deluge of fire, which usually annihilates them by
its sulphurous vapours.
Do you not consider it calamitous that Pius IX and Garibaldi, both
fanatics, should, by their obstinacy, turn everything into confusion? As
an evidence of the morals of the age is the reply of those who
disapprove the sending of our troops to Rome, when they are reminded of
the treaty of September 15th: “What matters a treaty? M. de Bismarck
does not observe them.” I should like to steal a watch from one of
them, and then say that there have been precedents of watches being
stolen. The most deplorable feature of the whole matter is, that we are
pledging ourselves anew, for I know not how long a time, to protect the
Pope, who shows not the slightest gratitude towards us....
_Le Correspondent_ has yielded, and is publishing the continuation of
Tourguenieff’s novel, without, however, permitting the interview between
Litvinof and Irène to last more than one hour. I think I told you about
it. Are you reading it? _Le Correspondent_ certainly goes to ----, where
you are. Anyway, I will give you the novel on your return.
I am still ill, breathing painfully, and at night not breathing at all.
This sudden death of M. Fould has grieved me very much. It was, however,
as easy as one could wish; but why so sudden? He wrote eighteen letters
the same morning of his death, and two hours before retiring seemed
perfectly well. He had not made the least movement after lying down, and
his features bore no evidences of contraction. His death was precisely
the same as that of Mr. Ellice; “a visitation of God” is what the
English call it.
I am expecting to start early in November. I am urged to go, in order to
escape colds, which are so difficult to avoid in Paris. I am finishing
an article for the _Moniteur_, on a Greek manuscript, and shall depart
just as soon as it is completed.
Good-bye, dear friend. I hope you will come back before I go. Abandon
those hideous fogs, and take care of your health. Again, good-bye....