1/ \- • 
 
 
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 CORNELL 
 
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Cornell University Library 
 DC 342.8.P3F61 1889 
 
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LE COMTE DE PARIS. 
 
Chalot Pho 
 
 Hdio^Diyardin, 
 
 MONSEIGNEUR LE COMTE DE PARIS, 
 jaae 
 
 PerrlnaC'Ea.l Imp Ch.Chardor 
 
IE 
 
 t OMTE DE PARIS 
 
 LONDON: 
 W. H. ALLEN & CO., i^3,s WATERLOO PLACE, iS.W. 
 
 1889 
 
LE 
 
 COMTE DE PARIS 
 
 LE MARQUIS DE FLERS 
 
 TRANSLATED BY 
 
 CONSTANCE MAJENDIE 
 
 WITH PORTRAITS AND AUTOGRAPH 
 
 LONDON:'^.*' 
 W, H. ALLEN & COf, 1,3, WATERLOO PLACE, S.W. 
 
 c 1889 
 
LONDON : 
 
 rPRINTED BY WOODFALL AND KINDER, 
 
 70 TO 76, LONG ACRE, W.C. 
 
 
 
 ^^■%.- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Years roll by, and each year finds France fallen firom 
 the rank to which she is entitled in Europe, and 
 hurrying to her destruction. When will she stop on 
 the downward path which leads to her ruin ? We 
 have confidence in her speedy deliverance, and are 
 convinced that her fiiture is bound up in the person of 
 Mgr. le comte de Paris. The following pages are the 
 result of this double conviction. 
 
 Up to the present time a few pamphlets have been 
 published, but no book has been written which 
 attempts to unite the various documents necessary to 
 the thorough comprehension of so varied a life as that 
 of Mgr. le comte de Paris. It is not sufficiently 
 known how the whole conduct of the prince, whether 
 in exile, or in the days — only too few — which he spent 
 in France, has been actuated by the truest patriotism. 
 Careless as our country is on this subject, it has, per- 
 haps, not noticed the penetration, the clearness, the 
 precision of the prince's intellect, the strength of his 
 will, or the uprightness of his character, which (as 
 has been well said) "is often more clever than clever- 
 ness itself." 
 
 We thought, therefore, that it might be well to tell 
 the story of his life at the Tuileries, in England, in 
 
vi Preface. 
 
 America, at Eu and in Paris, to show how always, under 
 all circumstances, he pursued the one great idea — 
 France ! The present time appeared to us most propi- 
 tious for publishing these pages. Failing any other 
 merits, this book will have that of rigorous exactness. 
 We have confined ourselves entirely to true documents, 
 and our conscience tells us that we have faithfully per- 
 formed our task. Some gloomy critics, whose minds 
 have been prejudiced, or who are ill-informed, may 
 perhaps accuse us of being influenced by our respect 
 and attachment. We shall certainly not attempt to 
 defend ourselves, for such a criticism would fail to 
 touch us, convinced as we are that we are well within 
 the limits of truth and justice ; for the rest we appeal 
 to the judgment of all those who have the honour of 
 knowing the prince. Belonging as we do to a family 
 devoted from the last century to the house of Orleans, 
 and admitted to the honour of frequent personal 
 intercourse with Mgr. le comte de Paris, it is only 
 natural that we should be deeply sensible of the great 
 and solid qualities which distinguish him who will one 
 day be Philip VII. 
 
 We do not mean to impose our ideas on the reader, 
 but we hope to make him share them by the true 
 narrative of incontestable facts, from which he will be 
 able to draw his own conclusions. In former days the 
 people cried " Ah, if only the king could know it ! " 
 now we say "Ah, if only the people knew him ! " 
 
 But the eyes of the people will soon be opened. 
 They will recall those kings, whose history for nine 
 centuries is the history of the people, always bound up 
 with them in good and evil fortune ; they will 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 remember that Providence holds the future in its 
 hands, and will distribute to kings and peoples rewards 
 and punishments according to their merits or their 
 faults. We must not then weary, or be discouraged in 
 our efforts to show the people where salvation is to be 
 found, until that long wished for day arrives when 
 France, remembering that she is mistress of her own 
 destinies, will throw off a tyrannical government. 
 We have every confidence in the good sense which, 
 sooner or later, will recognize the rank and prestige 
 which she will recover in Europe by placing at the 
 head of affairs the grandson of King Louis- Philippe, 
 the chief of the House of France, who alone, by 
 restoring order and liberty, can heal religious discords, 
 and put an end to party dissensions. To the 
 utmost of our small abilities, we shall have fulfilled 
 the task which we set ourselves to do, if we can 
 make our readers share our ardent conviction. An 
 impartial writer has said " The royal race of France 
 has shown this constant miracle of always producing 
 the right king at the right moment." Soon this 
 moment will arrive, and France will then remember 
 the words of M'gr. le comte de Paris ; "At the decisive 
 moment I shall be ready ! " 
 
 Paris, October, 1887. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 I 838-1 858. 
 
 Marriage of H.R.H. the due d'Orldans, prince royal, with H.R.H. 
 princess H^lfene de Mecklenburg-Schwerin (May the 30th, 1837) 
 — Rejoicings on the occasion — The Palace of Versailles — Birth 
 of H.R.H. the comte de Paris (August the 24th, 1838)— His 
 childhood — Letters of Mme. la duchesse d'Orl&ns — Family life 
 at the Tuileries — Birth of M. le due de Chartres (Nov. the 9th, 
 1840) — Baptism of M. le comte de Paris (May the 2nd, 1841) — 
 Death of Mgr. le due d'Orldans (July the 13th, 1843) — Anecdotes 
 of the due d'Orl^ans, from Alexandre Dumas — The education of 
 M. le comte de Paris and his brother — Letters of Mme. la 
 duchesse d'Orldans about the young princes — Accident at Trd- 
 port (1844) — The revolution of February the 24th, 1848 — Mme. 
 la duchessed'Orldans at the Chamber of Deputies — Her departure 
 from France with the young princes — Her words at Lille — At 
 the Castle of Eisenach — Voyage to England (1849) — The law of 
 exile of May the 26th, 1848— The first Communion of M. le 
 comte de Paris, related by Mme. la duchesse d'Orldans (July the 
 20th, 1850) — Death of King Louis-Philippe (August the 26th, 
 1850) and of the Queen of the Belgians (October loth, 1850) — 
 Union of the royal family — The young princes at the Bridge of 
 Kehl — The comte de Paris and the due de Chartres visit the 
 battlefields of Europe — Protest of the princes against the decrees 
 of January the 22nd, 1852, depriving them of their property — 
 Journey to England, 1853 — Accident to Mme. la duchesse 
 d'Orldans in Switzerland (1853)— The princes during the Crimean 
 war (1854-1855) — Death of H.R.H. the duchesse d'Orl^ans in 
 England (May the l8th, 1858) 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 1858-1870. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris travels in the East — Visits Jerusalem and Syria 
 (i860) — Publication in England of the account of his travels — 
 
- Contents. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 The American Campaign (1861-1862)— The comte da Paris, 
 and the due de Chartres on the staff of Gen. McClellan— 
 Siege and capture ,of Yorktown (April 4— May 4)— Battle of 
 Williamsberg (May 5)— Battle of Fairs-Oak (May 31— June I, 
 1862)— The seven days' 1-etreat to James River— Battle of 
 Malvern Hill— Battle of Gain's Mill (June 27)— The relations 
 between the French and American Governments become 
 strained— Resignation of the comte ,de Paris and the due de 
 Chartres— Return to Europe (July, 1862)— A letter from the 
 prince de Joinville on the last engagements in which his nephews 
 took part in America (Fort Monroe, July i, 1862)— The opinion 
 of Gen. McClellan on the princes during the American War— 
 The literary work of the comte de Paris during his exile : 
 "Damascus and Lebanon" (i 861), published by Jeffs in Lon- 
 don ; Christmas week in Lancashire {Revue des deux Mondes, 
 Feb. I, 1863. Signed X. Raymond) ; Modern Germany {Revue 
 des deux Mondes, Aug. i, 1867) ; The State Church and the 
 Free Church in Ireland {Revue des deux Mondes, May isth, 
 1868)— The comte de Paris studies the question of the working 
 classes at Manchester, and in several other English towns — 
 His book on English Trades' Unions (1869)— The two princes 
 pubUsh the due d'Oridans's Campaigns in Africa— The spirit of 
 conquest, 1870 {Courrier de la Gironde of the 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 
 Dec. i87o)-Marriag6 of the comte de Paris with princess 
 Isabella de Montpensier (May 30, 1864)— FStes on that occa- 
 sion—Birth of H.R.H. princess Amdlie (Sept. 28,, 1865)- Death 
 of Queen Marie-Amflie (March 24, 1866)— Journey of the 
 comte de Paris to Spain (1867)— The prince takes up his resi- 
 dence at York House— Birth of H.R.H. the due d'Orieans 
 (Feb. 6, 1869)— Letter of the Orleans princes to the President 
 of the Chamber of Deputies (June 19, 1870)— The petition of 
 the princes is rejected — Letter from the comte de Paris to the 
 comte de K^ratres (July 4, 1870) — Letter from the comte de 
 Paris to general comte Dumas (Aug. 20, 1870) — The Orleans 
 princes during the war — Letter from the comte de Paris to 
 general baron de Chaband Latour (Jan. 17, 1871) . . .63 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 1871-1873. 
 
 Abrogation of the laws of exile (June, 1871)— Birth of H.R.H. 
 princess Hdlfene (June 8, 1871) — Return of the princes to 
 France— The Manifesto of Chambord (July S, 1871) — The 
 Orleans princes in the French army — Bill presented by 
 
Contents. xi 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Government for the restitution of the princes' property— The 
 truth on the subject of this bill — Generosity of the princes 
 towards France in giving half their fortune to the country — 
 The comte de Paris takes up his residence in Paris with the 
 due d'Aumale — His receptions — His life in Paris — Excursions 
 in France— Visits to different mines— First visit to Eu and to 
 the Packham Mills— Excursions to Brittany, Normandy, and 
 to Aix — The prince publishes his work on " The State of the 
 Working Classes in England" (March, 1873)— He goes to 
 Africa (May, 1873) — Fall of the Thiers ministry — MacMahon 
 becomes President — The comte de Paris goes to Vienna 
 Ouly; 1873) — The interview at Frohsdorf Aug. 5, 1873 — Union 
 of the two branches of the House of Bourbon — A union de- 
 sired by Louis-Philippe, and announced by M. Guizot in 1850 
 — The Orleans princes at the comte de Chambord's (September 
 and October, 1873) — Great excitement throughout France — 
 Manoeuvres of the republicans to stem the royalist tide — The 
 judgment of the comte de Chambord on the comte de Paris — 
 The comte de Chambord and the royalist deputies — Anec- 
 dotes : the comte de Chambord in Bavaria — Prince Napoleon 
 on the restoration of the monarchy — The letter of the comte 
 de Chambord, Oct. 27, 1873— Check to the law to re-establish 
 monarchy — The comte de Chambord at Versailles (Nov., 1873) 
 ' Extension of the powers of Marshal McMahon— Death of 
 prince Ferdinand, brother of the comtesse de Paris (December, 
 1873) 117 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 1874-1882. 
 
 Interview between the comte de Paris and the Czar Alexander H. 
 in England (1874)— Birth of prince Charles, son of the comte 
 de Paris — His death, aged six months (June 7, i'875) — Inter- 
 ment at Dreux of the remains of Louis-Philippe and other 
 members of the royal family (June 8, 1876) — The comte de 
 Paris accompanies his brother and his uncles to the grand 
 manoeuvres at Dreux (1876) — Marriage of princeSS Mercddfes, 
 sister of the comtesse de Paris, to Alphonso XIL, King of 
 Spain (Jan. 23, 1878) — Death of the young Queen (June 26, 
 1878) — Letters of the comte de Paris to the comte Serurier — 
 Birth, at Eu, of H.R.H. princess Isabella, third daughter of the 
 comte de Paris (May 7, 1878)— Birth, at Eu, of prince Jacques, 
 second son of the comte de Paris Ouly 11, 1880) and his death 
 (Jan. 22, i88l) — Birth, at Cannes, of H.R.H. the princess 
 Louise, fourth daughter of the comte de Paris (Feb. 24, 1882) 
 
xii Contents. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 — Visit of the comte de Paris to M. Victor de Laprade at 
 Cannes (April, 1882)— The young due d'Orllans at the College 
 Stanislas — The comte de Paris at the grand manoeuvres — He 
 goes to Rome incognito — His interview with Pope Leo XHI. 
 (Sept. 1882) — Generosity and bounty of the comte de Paris 
 and the comtesse de Paris to the inhabitants of Eu and 
 Trdport — Life of the comte de Paris at the Castle of Eu . . i73 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 1883. 
 
 Discussion in 1883 in the Chamber and the Senate of M. Floquet's 
 bill for the exile of the Orl^anist and Bonapartist princes — 
 The Senate throws out the bill, by a majority of five — The 
 princes are deprived of their rank in the French army (Feb, 
 1883) — Visit of the comte de Paris to the due d'Aumale in 
 Sicily ; he goes to see the ruins of Pffistum, S^geste, Sflinonte, 
 and the Church of Montreal, near Palermo, Naples, and 
 Pompeii (April, 1883) — First Communion of H.R.H. the 
 princess Hdl^ne at Eu — Illness of the comte de Chambord — 
 The comte de Paris, the due de Nemours, and the due 
 d'Alengon go to Vienna (July 2) — Interview of the princes with 
 the comte de Chambord (July 7) — Return of the princes to. 
 FranCe^Success of the due d'Orl^ans at the CoUdge Stanislas 
 — Death of the comte de Chambord (August 24, 1883) — De- 
 parture of the Orl&ns princes for Frohsdorf — The funeral 
 ceremony at Frohsdorf— The comte de Paris informs all the 
 powers of the death of the comte de Chambord — Return of the 
 comte de Paris to France — Obsequies of the comte-de Cham- 
 bord at Goritz (Sept. 3, 1883)— An exact account of what 
 passed there — Unity of the royalist party — Receptions of M. 
 le comte de Paris at Eu — Publication of the Sth and 6th vols, 
 of the comte de Paris's History of the Civil War in America . 187 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 1884-1885. 
 
 The comte de Paris goes to Spain (Jan. 1884) — Attempt on his 
 
 life discovered at Lyons (Jan. 1884) — The comte and comtesse 
 
 de Paris attend the obsequies of the duke of Albany at Cannes 
 
 (April 2, 1884) — The comte de Paris sends 50,000 francs' to the 
 
 ■ victims of the cholera at Marseilles by the hand of the due de 
 
Contents. xiii 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Chartres — Visit of the count and countess of Flanders to Eu 
 (July 22, 1884) — The comte de Paris, and the due d'Orldans at 
 a fire at Tr^port (Aug. 1884) — Service at Eu to commemorate 
 the death of the comte de Chambord (Aug. 24, 1884) — Letter 
 from the comte de Paris to the comte de Laubespin on the 
 death of his nephew, baron de Lesp^rut — Birth at Eu of H.R.H. 
 prince Ferdinand, second son of the comte de Paris (Sept. 9, 
 1884) — Pope Leo XIII. sends his blessing to the infant prince, 
 and to the comtesse de Paris — The comte de Paris sends 
 10,000 francs to the St. Peter's pence — He sends a subscription 
 to the collection in aid of the chaplains of the Paris hospitals 
 (Feb. 16, 1885) — Benediction of the statue of Notre Dame du 
 Tr6port (Aug. 23, 1885) — The archbishop at the castle of Eu — 
 Marriage at Eu of H.R.H. princess Marie de Chartres with 
 H.R.H. prince Waldemar, son of the King of Denmark (Oct. 22, 
 1885) — Mass for the soul of Alphonso XII. at St. Frangois 
 Xavier, in Paris (Dec. 6, 1885) — The comte and comtesse de 
 Paris stand sponsors to the tenth child of H.R.H. the comte 
 de Caserta, brother of H.M. the King of Naples (Dec. 20, 
 1885) 224 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 January— June, 1886. 
 
 Telegram from the comte de Paris to the comte de Blois, 
 nephew of the comte de Falloux, on the death of his uncle 
 (January loth, 1886) — The comte de Paris and the due de 
 Bragance at the French Academy — The King and Queen of 
 Portugal demand the hand of princess Amdlie for the due de 
 Bragance — The comtesse de Paris goes to Madrid for the 
 marriage of her brother, prince Antoine, with princess Eulalie, 
 sister of Alphonso XII. — Visit of the comte de Paris to the 
 agricultural meeting at the palais de I'lndustrie — Departure 
 of the prince to Cannes, March, 1886 — Telegram announc- 
 ing to the comte de Paris the death of the comtesse de 
 Chambord, March 2Sth, 1886 — He returns to Paris — He gives 
 a grand reception in the rue de Varenne on the occasion 
 of his daughter's marriage (May 15th, i885) — Remarks of the 
 Republican papers — Attempts are made to bring about the 
 expulsion of the princes — Embarrassment of the Government 
 — Princess Am^lie bids farewell to Eu, and goes to Portugal 
 (May i7th)^Enthusiastic reception at all the stations en route 
 , — Marriage of the princess at Lisbon (May 22nd, 1886)— 
 Fetes at Lisbon 242 
 
xiv Contents. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 June— December, 1886. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Return of the comte and comtesse de Paris to Eu — Government 
 decides to demand from the Chambers the expulsion of the 
 heads of those families which have reigned in France — Letter 
 from the comte de Paris to an editor in Philadelphia— Conver- 
 sation with M. de Blowitz, the 7zV«« correspondent — Telegram 
 of sympathy from the American officers to the comte de Paris 
 (June, 1886) — The bill of exile is discussed and carried in the 
 Chamber and Senate— Measures taken by Government at Eu 
 and at Trdport — Last receptions at Eu — Dangerous illness of 
 princess Louise at Eu — Touching farewells, June 24th, 1886 — 
 Departure of the comte de Paris and the due d'Orl&ns — Im- 
 mense crowd and deep sorrow of inhabitants at Eu andTrdport 
 — The prince embarks on board the Victoria, and salutes the 
 tricolor flag — Arrival at Dover — The comtesse de Paris returns 
 the same night to princess Louise — Protest of the comte de 
 Paris — Instruction of the comte de Paris to the monarchists in 
 France — Conclusion 2S1 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 MS' le comte de Paris Frontispiece 
 
 Madame la comtesse de Paris to face 104 
 
 S. A. R. Pliilippe due d'Orldans 130 
 
 S. A. R. la princesse HdlSne 192 
 
 LL. AA. RR. les princesses Isabelle, Louise, et le prince Ferdinand 236 
 
 S. A. R. la princesse Amdlie duchesse de Bragance . . . 280 
 
 Facsimile of the Protest of June 24, 1886 358 
 
LE COMTE DE PARIS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 1838-1858. 
 
 Marriage of H.R.H the due d'Orleans, prince royal, with H.R.H. prin- 
 cess Hdlfene de Mecklenburg- Schwerin (May the 30th, 1837) — Re- 
 joicings on the occasion — The Palace of Versailles — Birth of 
 H.R.H. the comte de Paris (August the 24th, 1838) — His childhood- 
 Letters of Mme. la duchesse d'Orldans — Family life at the Tuileries 
 — Birth of M. le due de Chartres (Nov. the 9th, 1840)— Baptism of M. 
 le comte de Paris (May the 2nd, 1841) — Death of Mgr. le due 
 d'Orleans (July the 13th, 1842)— Anecdotes of the due d'Orl&ns, 
 from Alexander Dumas — The education of M. le comte de Paris and 
 his brother — Letters of Mme. la duchesse d'Orldans about the young 
 princes — Accident at Troport (1844) — The revolution of February 
 the 24th, 1848 — Mme. la duchesse d'Orleans at the Chamber of 
 Deputies — Her departure from France with the young princes — Her 
 words at Lille — At the Castle of Eisenach — Voyage to England 
 (1849) — The law of exile of May the 26th, 1848— The first Com- 
 munion of M. le comte de Paris, related by Mme. la duchesse 
 d'Orleans (July the 20th, 1850) — Death of King Louis-Philippe 
 (August the 26th, 1850) and of the Queen of the Belgians (October 
 loth, 1850) — Union of the royal family — the young princes at the 
 Bridge of Kehl — The comte de Paris and the due de Chartres visit 
 the battlefields of Europe — Protest of the princes against the 
 decrees of January the 22nd, 1852, depriving them of their property 
 — Journey to England, 1853 — Accident to Mme. la duchesse 
 d'Orldans in Switzerland (1853) — The princes during the Crimean 
 war (1854-1855) — Death of H.R.H. the duchesse d'Orldans in 
 England (May the i8th, 1858). 
 
 On the 15th of April, 1837, Count Mole was entrusted 
 by King Louis-Philippe with the formation of a 
 
2 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Cabinet. Two days after the Ministry had been 
 formed the new President of the Council announced 
 to the Chambers the marriage of the Prince Royal, 
 the due d'Orldans, with H.R.H. the Princess Helene 
 of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Count Bresson had suc- 
 cessfully conducted the negotiations, notwithstanding 
 the numerous obstacles which certain Courts had 
 raised to prevent the marriage. The due de Broglie 
 had been sent as ambassador extraordinary to escort 
 the Princess to France. 
 
 On the 15th of May the Princess Hfelene left Lud- 
 wigslust to join her royal fiancd. She was accom- 
 panied by her stepmother, the Grand-Duchess of 
 Mecklenburg-Schwerin, a woman of superior intel- 
 lect, who loved her as a mother, and had devoted 
 herself to her education since the death of the Grand 
 Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. 
 
 On the 22nd of May the princess met the special 
 embassy under the due de Broglie at Fulda, and her 
 journey through France was one long triumph. On 
 the 29th of May, at five o'clock in the evening, she 
 arrived at the Palace of Fontainebleau, where the 
 King Louis-Philippe, the Queen Marie-Am^lie, the 
 princes and princesses were waiting for her. The due 
 d'Orleans received her at the foot of the staircase, and 
 took her up to the King. As she was bending down 
 to kiss his hand he took her in his arms and em- 
 braced her affectionately. In this first interview with 
 the royal family she won all hearts by her charm of 
 manner, her simplicity, dignity and modesty. 
 
 The next day. May the 30th, the civil marriage 
 was performed by Baron Pasquier, whom the king had 
 
Marriage of the Due d' Orleans. 3 
 
 just made Chancellor of France. Mgr. Gallard, Bishop 
 of Meaux, then gave the nuptial benediction, according 
 to the rites of the Catholic Church, in the Chapel of 
 Henry II., and the Lutheran ceremony was performed, 
 in the Hall of Louis-Philippe, by M. Cuvier, Pro- 
 testant pastor of the Lutheran Church. 
 
 During the last two centuries, festivities on a grand 
 scale had taken place at Fontainbleau, on the occasion 
 of royal marriages. Cesar, due de Vend6me, had here 
 married Gabrielle de Lorraine ; Louis XIV. had brought 
 his young bride, Marie-Therese, here, after their mar- 
 riage at St.-Jean-de-Luz ; the King of Spain, Charles 
 II. (who in the year 1700 bequeathed all his kingdoms 
 to Philippe v., grandson of Louis XIV.), was here 
 married by proxy to Marie- Louise d'Orl^ans, niece of 
 LouisXIV. ; Louis XV. celebrated his marriage with the 
 good and virtuous Marie Leczinska ; and lastly, Louis 
 XVIII. came here to receive the duchesse de Berry. 
 
 The festivities which followed the wedding were 
 magnificent, for the due d'Orleans was so beloved and 
 popular that the rejoicing was universal. The prince 
 royal gave on this occasion 500,000 francs to be dis- 
 tributed to the poor and to various charities. Among 
 the festivities, which were continued for a fortnight, 
 we must mention the opening of the galleries in the 
 Palace of Versailles, the restoration of which was due 
 to Louis- Philippe. Daring the revolution of 1793, 
 the palace had been stripped of all its furniture and 
 objets d'art. Napoleon I. and Louis XVI 1 1, had shrunk 
 from incurring the expense of its restoration, so that 
 some parts of the palace had fallen into decay, and the 
 court-yards were actually overgrown with grass. In 
 
 B 2 
 
4 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 1833 the king began the work of restoration, and by 
 directing and superintending the works himself he so 
 encouraged and influenced the workmen, painters, and 
 sculptors, that on the i8th of June, 1837, the palace 
 was ready to receive the 1,500 guests — the elite of 
 France — who were invited to partake of the royal hos- 
 pitalities, on the occasion of the marriage of Mgr. le 
 due d'Orleans. The total cost of this splendid and 
 judicious restoration of the palace which had belonged 
 to Louis XIV., which was completed towards the end 
 of Louis-Philippe's reign, was 23,494,000 francs, and 
 it will always remain one of the grandest monuments 
 of King Louis-Philippe. 
 
 The representatives of the oldest families, and the 
 members of the most modern society, were assembled 
 at Versailles — " for the royalty of the present day 
 opens its doors to merit as well as to birth ; to those 
 who have raised themselves by their own exertions, as 
 well as to the representatives of old France, the heirs 
 of her grand names and noble associations. Royalty 
 loves to be surrounded by those who are an honour to 
 their country." 
 
 The due d'Orleans took an especial interest in the 
 arts, sciences, and literature of France ; and at the 
 time of his marriage he asked the King, his father, to 
 give him as a wedding present the power of disposing 
 of four crosses of the Legion d'Honneur, one bf "Com- 
 mandeur " for the savant Arago, one of "Officier" 
 for Victor Hugo, and two crosses of " Chevalier " — 
 one for the historian Augustin Thierry, the other 
 for the great and already celebrated novelist, 
 Alexandre Dumas. The five years which followed 
 
The Princess Hdlene. 5 
 
 her marriage were the happiest of the only too short 
 life of Madame la duchesse d'Orleans. The homage 
 which she received was due not only to the high rank 
 which she occupied, but to her eminent qualities, which 
 were daily more appreciated. She took the keenest 
 interest in everything that related to France, in every 
 literary movement, as well as in public events; and she 
 delighted in- joining in the appreciative welcome the 
 due d'Orleans extended to the distinguished artists, 
 authors, and great thinkers of the day. She possessed 
 the qualities so indispensable to a princess — extreme 
 affability and perfect tact ; and her many indescribable 
 charms of mind and body won for her the devotion of 
 the prince royal. 
 
 The due d'Orleans was born at Palermo in the year 
 1 8 10, and was 27 years of age when he married the 
 princess H^lene. At the time of the second Restora- 
 tion, when he was presented by his father to Louis 
 XVIII., the King exclaimed, " Here is a fine fellow. 
 What shall we do with him ? " " You must make a 
 soldier of me," answered the little due de Chartres. 
 " But, Monsieur le Militaire, what will you do with a 
 great big sabre, larger than yourself ? " "I shall hold 
 it with both hands, until I have grown larger than it." 
 The King was highly amused by this repartee. 
 
 When he was 9 years old he went to the College of 
 Henry IV., and readily submitted to the ordinary dis- 
 cipline, placing himself on the same footing as other 
 boys with regard to rewards and punishments. After 
 passing a brilliant examination at the Ecole Polytech- 
 nique, he became colonel of the First Regiment of 
 Hussars in 1830; in 1832, during the siege of Ant- 
 
6 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 werp, he commanded one of the divisions bf the army, 
 and three years later he shared the dangers and priva- 
 tions of the campaign in Algiers. 
 
 On the 24th of August, 1838, H.R.H. the duchesse 
 d'Orldans gave birth to a son, to whom King Louis- 
 Philippe gave the title of the Comte de Paris — a title 
 which had been borne by the founders of his race, 
 Robert-le-Fort and his son the comte Eudes (who de- 
 fended Paris so valiantly against the Normans in 885), 
 but which had since become extinct. 
 
 It was about 3 o'clock in the afternoon that M. le 
 comte Mole, president of the Council of Ministers, left 
 the room of Madame la duchesse d'Orldans, ex- 
 claiming " A prince is born to us ! " His words were 
 received with repeated shouts of " Vive le Roi ! " and 
 a salute of loi guns announced to the people of Paris 
 the birth of a prince. That same day the Archbishop 
 of Paris baptised the infant prince privately in the 
 chapel of the palace, and the various representatives 
 of the foreign powers went to the Tuileries to offer 
 their congratulations to the King. 
 
 Hardly was the news of the accouchement of the 
 duchesse d'0rl6ans known in Paris before it made at 
 any rate one man happy. 
 
 A soldier named Biscarat, a native of Auvergne, 
 was brought before the Council of War in Paris, 
 accused of insubordination, and was about to be con- 
 demned. His counsel, who knew that the confinement 
 of the duchesse d'Orleans had been expected at 8 
 o'clock that morning, had exhausted every form and 
 artifice that oratory could invent, in order to gain time, 
 when suddenly the twenty-second gun announced to 
 
Birth of the Comte de Paris. y 
 
 Paris and to France the birth of a prince. " Gentle- 
 men," he exclaimed, /'my defence is finished. That 
 twenty-second gun is the best argument in favour 
 of the prisoner. The entire nation rejoices ; do not 
 cast a gloom on so glorious a day." He sat down, the 
 question was put to the vote, and the council of war 
 acquitted the poor soldier, who, in the exuberance 
 of his feelings, could not refrain from shouting " Vive 
 le Roi ! " The rejoicing of the royal family at the 
 birth of the infant prince was shared by the whole of 
 France. 
 
 Life now passed happily and peacefully for the 
 duchesse d'Orldans ; every Sunday in winter the due 
 d'Orl^ans accompanied the Queen to High Mass at 
 St. Roche, and was always very regular in discharging 
 this filial duty. In the summer the Prince Royal 
 generally stayed at the little castle of Villiers, in the 
 park of Neuilly, where the King, the Queen, and the 
 royal princes resided. The lovely warm evenings 
 were usually spent on the water, and they often went 
 as far as St. Cloud : the young princes, the due 
 d'Aumale and the due de Montpensier, amused them- 
 selves with fireworks, and when the King remon- 
 strated, for fear the lawns and flower-beds should be 
 spoilt, they said that they did it to amuse their sister 
 H61ene, and the King accepted the excuse with a smile, 
 for he was very fond of his daughter-in-law. The 
 duchesse d'Orleans was passionately attached to- her 
 husband, who was always most attentive to her, watch- 
 ing over her health, taking an interest in her toilette, 
 and going himself into the garden at Villiers to gather 
 her favourite flowers. The princess was wonderfully 
 
8 Le Comte de Parts. 
 
 modest, and when any one admired her learning or 
 her talents, she would say, " Yes, I am a savante who 
 does not know even the rudiments of science, Greek 
 or Latin." She was so liberal in her charities that she 
 was often in want of ready money. 
 
 The happiness of the royal family was then at its 
 zenith, and the King Louis- Philippe was universally 
 popular, for the people delighted . in his simplicity. 
 One day he bled a: postilion who had fallen from his 
 horse. "He never," says Victor Hugo, "went 
 without his lancet any more than Henry HI. without 
 his dagger ; but the royalists laughed at this King 
 — the first who had ever shed blood in order to 
 heal ! " 
 
 The King used frequently to stop in front of the 
 cradle in which M. le comte de Paris was lying asleep, 
 and when the child, seeming to understand his grand- 
 father's devotion, awoke and stretched out his arms to 
 him, the King's delight was unbounded. In 1839 
 the due d'0rl6ans was obliged to go to Africa in the 
 discharge of his military duties ; his departure was a 
 great grief to the duchess, but she never for a moment 
 thought of urging him to stay ; during his absence 
 she, with the King's sanction, lived a rather more re- 
 tired life. The Queen Marie-Am61ie and the prin- 
 cesses often went to see her, and found her always 
 beside the cradle of her son, whom she left as seldom 
 as possible. Each day she seemed to rise higher in 
 public estimation on account of her piety and the firm- 
 ness of her principles, and the King and Queen had 
 the utmost confidence in her. It was she who com- 
 posed the first short prayers which her children said. 
 
Childhood. 9 
 
 and while she went every Sunday to the Lutheran 
 Church, the Queen Marie-Amdlie took the young 
 comte de Paris to Masg, and, on his return, he read 
 and learnt the infantine prayers that his mother had 
 written for him. To quote her own words : "The minds 
 of children seem to open more easily when one is 
 alone with them. I try to be as much as possible 
 alone with my son. " To-day I brought him back from 
 Neuilly ; he fell asleep in my arms, I put him to bed 
 and did everything for him. You should have seen 
 how sweet and affectionate he was ! Oh ! how happy 
 a mother must be in the lower classes ! " 
 
 When the due d'Orl^ans came back from Algiers, 
 the princess once more enjoyed the pleasures of family 
 life, which, to her, were greater than any others. She 
 wrote, in June, 1840 : — 
 
 "Here is my friend, my protector, my life come 
 back to my home ; his absence seems like a long dream. 
 Yesterday was a glorious day, only to be compared to 
 the birthday of Paris, and my heart was overflowing 
 with gratitude and joy. First, there were some visitors, 
 then we were left alone together for a short time. The 
 little one was in my bedroom, the door was opened, 
 and he came in rather frightened. However, he gave 
 his hand to his father, who thought that he had grown. 
 After the various members of the family had left us, 
 we had a tete-a-t^te dinner, our child trotting about 
 singing, laughing, and delighting the heart of his father, 
 who, however, would not show it. We had a delight- 
 ful evening all to ourselves, and talked over every- 
 thing ! " 
 
 Sometimes in the evenings she left the Queen's 
 
lo Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 tea-table, and went to the room of the Httle comte de 
 Paris, where she amused herself with his infant prat- 
 lings until she had put him to sleep by singing some 
 ballad. Then she went into the adjoining sitting- 
 room, and wrote to her friends and relations in Ger- 
 many, or she sat down to the piano and played the 
 symphonies of Beethoven, for whose genius she had 
 the highest admiration. 
 
 On the 9th of November, 1840, Madame la 
 duchesse d' Orleans gave birth to a second son, 
 Robert due de Chartres. A short time before this 
 event she had insisted on nursing the comte de Paris 
 through an attack of measles, and had caught the 
 disease herself; the young prince had had It very 
 mildly, but for a short time the royal family had been 
 extremely anxious about the princess. 
 
 The calm of this quiet, happy life was at this time 
 interrupted by an attempt that was made on the life of 
 the King. The duchesse d' Orleans, writing on the 
 subject, says : — " Providence has protected us in the 
 most wonderful manner. The King, the Queen, my 
 aunts, and all those who were with them, have been 
 spared, and one sees, for the eighth time, how these 
 infernal attempts upon so precious a life are destined 
 to be baffled. After the first moment, the horror 
 which such a crime must inspire was effaced by the 
 sense of God's great mercy ; my soul was filled with 
 gratitude to Him, and I felt that I could not sufficiently 
 bless and thank Him who had delivered us from so 
 terrible a calamity. We started at once for St. Cloud 
 to join the rest of the family, and when I saw the King 
 and embraced him with deepest emotion, I felt still 
 
Baptism of the Comte de Paris. 1 1 
 
 more vividly the goodness of God in preserving him 
 to us. We went to hear the Te Deum in the Chapel 
 of the Castle, and you can fancy with what heartfelt 
 joy I entered into it." 
 
 Again, when she had received the news of another 
 such attempt, she rushed into the room where the 
 comte de Paris was having a lesson, and said : — " Go 
 down on your knees, and thank God with me." 
 
 At II o'clock on Sunday, May the 2nd, 1841, the 
 baptism of H.R.H. the comte de Paris took place. 
 A salvo of artillery announced the arrival at Notre 
 Dame of the King Louis-Philippe and all the royal 
 family, who were going to take part in the ceremony. 
 The King of the Belgians, the due Alexandre de 
 Wurtemberg, the due d'0rl6ans, the prince de Join- 
 ville, and the due de Montpensier were with the 
 King. 
 
 The baptismal font was placed between the altar and 
 a canopy of gold and crimson velvet, under which the 
 royal family was grouped. In front of the canopy was 
 stretched some magnificent gobelins tapestry ; groups 
 of tricolor flags represented the thirteen legions of 
 the national guard, and every pillar in the Church was 
 decorated with an escutcheon of gilded laurel leaves,, 
 bearing the arms and cipher of the Comte de Paris. 
 
 The doorway, at which the Archbishop of Paris and 
 the assistant-bishops received the royal cortdge, was 
 decorated in the style of the thirteenth century, and 
 thousands of wax candles, placed in long rows, stretch- 
 ing from the principal entrance of the Cathedral up 
 to the high altar, shed their light on this splendid 
 scene. 
 
12 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 All eyes were fixed on Madame la duchesse 
 d'Orldans, who was leading her eldest son, M. le 
 comte de Paris, dressed in white, his clever, intelligent 
 face expressing slight agitation. The ministers, the 
 diplomatic body, the marshals of France, the Chamber 
 of Peers, the Chamber of Deputies, all the governing 
 bodies, were represented at Notre Dame. Surrounded 
 by many bishops and countless clergy, the archbishop 
 chanted the " Veni Creator." Then followed the cere- 
 mony of baptism, the King being godfather and the 
 Queen godmother. 
 
 The archbishop and the clergy then escorted the 
 King in procession to the entrance, and at i o'clock, 
 amidst the cheers of the crowd, the King, M. le comte 
 de Paris, and the princes arrived at the Tuileries. The 
 same day the comte de Rambuteau, prefect of the 
 Seine, introduced the Municipal Council to the young 
 prince, and offered to the King the congratulations of 
 his faithful and devoted people. He then in the name 
 of the city of Paris presented the comte de Paris with 
 a sword. 
 
 " Behold," said he, " the child who will one day 
 reign over our children ! The city, whose name 
 your ■ Majesty desired should be his, is anxious that 
 he should retain some memorial of the happiness 
 caused by his birth, and by the choice of her name. 
 She begs, sire, to offer him this sword. The city 
 presents it to him for the service of the country, and 
 when the time comes for him to wear it, there will 
 not be wanting examples of how he should use it. 
 He can trace his ancestry to a remote period, but he 
 need not go so far to look for a model. To him 
 
Baptism of the Comte de Paris. 13 
 
 it will be easy to be just and powerful. Happy child! 
 whose career will have been smoothed by so much 
 wisdom, and who will always have such great and noble 
 counsels at his side to guide him ! Sire, deign to permit 
 the comte de Paris to accept the sword of the town of 
 Paris, and may this offering be always a type of union 
 between the prince and the city ! " 
 
 The King, in accepting the sword in the name of 
 the young prince, finished his reply with these 
 words : 
 
 " Heaven grant that my grandson be not called 
 upon to use it ; but if the time should come for him to 
 unsheath it, it will only be in a good cause, and to 
 defend the honour of France and the independence of 
 the nation. However, I have every ground for hoping 
 that the end for which I have struggled will be 
 attained, and that the reign of my grandson will not 
 be troubled by war, but will be crowned with a happier 
 glory — that of confirming the peace and prosperity of 
 France ! " 
 
 The King, taking the little comte de Paris by the 
 hand (he was hardly three years old), said to him : 
 " Give your hand to the prefect of the Seine, as a 
 token that you give it to the whole city of Paris." 
 
 The prince advanced towards the comte de Ram- 
 buteau, amidst ringing cheers and cries of " Long live 
 the King " from all the municipal councillors. 
 
 The due d'Orldans gave 10,000 francs to the arch- 
 bishop to be distributed among the poor parents of 
 those children who, on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of May, 
 should be baptised in the various parishes in Paris. 
 He also presented the prelate with a costly mitre, and 
 
14 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the King sent the archbishop a cross and a pastoral 
 ring of diamonds. 
 
 In the evening splendid fireworks took place on the 
 Pont de la Concorde, and along the Boulevards, which 
 were brilliantly illuminated. 
 
 Madame la duchesse d'Orldans, in writing of the 
 events of this day (May the 2nd, 1841), says : 
 
 " Nothing could have been more beautiful than yes- 
 terday's fite, nothing more affecting than the sight of 
 my pure little angel presented at the altar, and nothing 
 more deeply touching to the poor mother's heart than 
 this moment. I may have been mistaken, but I 
 thought I saw an expression of real affection for the 
 little one on the faces of all present." 
 
 But the days of happiness were to be cut short. 
 M. le comte de Paris was hardly four years old when 
 one of those catastrophes which God sends to try a 
 nation, deprived him of his father. 
 
 On the 13th of July, 1842, the due d'Orleans started 
 to inspect the regiments at the camp of St. Omer. 
 He was anxious to go to Neuilly to pay a farewell 
 visit to the King and Queen, and left the Tuileries at 
 II o'clock. From the first the postilion had had the 
 greatest difficulty in managing his horses ; but the rest 
 shall be told in the words of M. Jules Janin, who 
 gives us a most touching and interesting account of 
 the accident in a little book containing the life of the 
 eldest son of King Louis- Philippe : — 
 
 " By one of those cruel fatalities which are only 
 remembered after the accident, the groom of M. le 
 due d'Orldans had complained that very morning of 
 the near horse, saying that he would not be answerable 
 
Death of the Dtic d'OrUans. 15 
 
 for the life of the prince with such an animal ; but the 
 only notice they took of this remark was to ask him 
 whether he were afraid. However, this is only one of 
 those after-thoughts to which one cHngs in trying to 
 explain accidents, otherwise inexplicable. The horses 
 went as usual as far as the barriere de I'Etbile. 
 Several people recognised the prince, and bowed to 
 him. He was alone, and seemed in the highest health 
 and spirits ; indeed, that very morning he had said, 
 with the pardonable pride of a man who feels within 
 himself all the strength and energy of 30, that he had 
 never felt better or happier. Suddenly the horses took 
 fright and bolted. In a minute they were through the 
 Porte Maillot and were galloping along the avenue 
 leading to the Castle of Villiers, one of the ddpendances 
 of Neuilly, when suddenly they were stopped and 
 turned into a side road. 
 
 "No one knows what then happened ; whether the 
 prince, afraid of being dashed against the fortifications, 
 jumped out of the carriage, or whether he was thrown 
 out by some violent shock. Whatever the cause, the 
 result was fatal, and the prince was dashed on to the 
 paving stones. Not a word, not a cry, not a move- 
 ment ; only the corpse of a young man of 32, which 
 was picked up by some workmen passing by. ' What 
 a pity,' said they ; ' such a fine young fellow ! ' A 
 gendarme told them that it was H.R.H. the due 
 d'Orldans, and ran to the Castle of Neuilly with the 
 news of the fearful accident. 
 
 "Such was the admirable good sense of those French- 
 men, that they decided to carry the prince royal to a 
 small shop, kept by a Frenchman, rather than to the 
 
i6 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 hospitable mansion of Lord Seymour. ' It is not 
 right,' said they, ' that a French prince should die in 
 the house of an Englishman.' 
 
 " Meanwhile at Neuilly the King was taking leave 
 of the Queen, and preparing to start for the Tuileries, 
 hoping to arrive in Paris in time to see his eldest son 
 once more before his departure. Suddenly in this 
 calm, happy household there fell like a thunder-bolt 
 the report, which was the precursor of such fatal news. 
 What agony for the King and Queen to hear that the 
 prince royal, their fondly-loved child, was there — at 
 their very door — dying ! When they began to realize 
 what it meant, they were beside themselves with grief : 
 wandering about bare-headed, unable to shed a tear, 
 hardly knowing where they were going to, they arrived 
 at the little inn, which in former days they had hardly 
 noticed, and threw themselves on their knees beside 
 the straw pallet on which all that remained of their 
 son was stretched. Let those who have the heart de- 
 scribe the scene of mourning and woe ; those who were 
 eye-witnesses cannot, dare not, tell of that silence, only 
 broken by lamentations, sobs, tears, and agonized 
 prayers. If the historian who wished to enter into the 
 details of this overwhelming sorrow had questioned 
 them, they would have replied — Do not ask us — we 
 saw, we heard, we remembered nothing. But it was 
 the proprietor of the humble tavern himself, who was 
 most overcome by the astonishing events happening 
 round him. When he saw those apparitions of Kings 
 and Queens weeping as though their hearts would 
 break, when his smoky parlour re-echoed with the 
 grand names of all those royalties in such affliction, he 
 
Death of the Due d' Orleans. 17 
 
 must have exclaimed — ' Have all these people mis- 
 taken my cabin for the Castle of Neuilly ? ' No, 
 this cabin was not the Castle of Neuilly, but it was 
 destined to be a mortuary chapel, and the mean bed 
 was to be an altar. Each moment brought the 
 scattered members of the royal family hurrying to the 
 death-bed : Mme. Adelaide, Mme. la princesse Clemen- 
 tine, M. le due de Montpensier who came from 
 Vincennes, M. le due d'Aumale who arrived from 
 Courbevoie. When the news was brought to M. le 
 due d'Aumale he was in the fencing-school with his 
 foil in his hand ; he seemed for the first instant to be 
 overwhelmed with grief and horror ; then starting at 
 random the young prince dashed along the road to 
 Neuilly. A cab was coming from Paris, the horse was 
 done, and the cabman refused to turn back for the 
 prince. ' Nonsense,' said he, ' you must take me 
 to my brother, he is dying.' With these words he 
 seized the reins, the coachman whipped up his horse, 
 and they had nearly got to the house when the horse 
 fell, the cab was smashed, and the prince was thrown 
 on to the pavement ; he jumped up, and rushed to the 
 bedside of the due d' Orleans. ' My dear, dear brother ! 
 Oh ! Joinville, what news ? Oh ! Nemours, where are 
 you ? ' But the sobs of the bystanders were the only 
 answers to these heartrending cries. 
 
 " M. le due d'0rl6ans had never recognized any one, 
 not even his mother ; all that was left in him of his 
 strong vigorous life was struggling with death — a 
 terrible, indescribable, awful struggle ! It seemed as if 
 life could not quit that mangled body, nor the shattered 
 brain lose its vitality ; a loud and fearful death-rattle 
 
 c 
 
1 8 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 was heard in his gasping chest, and his hands, which 
 still moved convulsively, were bathed with the tears of 
 the Queen and the princesses, who were praying 
 passionately round his bed. The King had risen from 
 his knees, and was standing with his hand on his son's 
 head, giving him his last heartfelt blessing. The 
 doctors (who did not relax their efforts, though they 
 despaired of science being able to do anything for the 
 dying man) were the energetic, clever, and devoted 
 Dr. Vincent Duval, and Dr. Pasquier the prince's 
 surgeon and friend — for, we may, indeed, call him a 
 friend — who seemed confused and overcome by this 
 sudden and miserable catastrophe. But all was in 
 vain. Providence refused to grant the many fervent 
 prayers, and all. the doctors' efforts were but tortures 
 inflicted on the poor mangled body. When the King 
 saw that there was absolutely no hope, he sent for the 
 duchesse de Nemours, whom, in his fatherly fore- 
 thought, he had kept away from so terrible a sight ; at 
 the same time the clergy of Neuilly arrived, and the 
 •Queen, whose only trust was now in God, turned all her 
 thoughts to the consolations of religion, invoking the 
 aid of St. Rosalie de Palerme, her patron saint. For 
 four hours the death agony lasted, but at last Heaven 
 had pity — not on those who were weeping — but on the 
 young man stretched on his death-bed : the convulsions 
 subsided, the death-rattle ceased, and the prince royal 
 gave up his pure and blameless soul into the hands of 
 God. The King drew the Queen into the next room 
 where the marshals of France and the ministers were 
 assembled ; no one spoke, for such a sorrow was best 
 expressed by utter silence. 
 
Procession to the Chapel. 19 
 
 " The body of the prince was placed on a stretcher, 
 and the non-commissioned officers of the 1 7th Regi- 
 ment of Light Infantry were permitted to carry this 
 precious burden to the Chapel of Neuilly. By a sad 
 and curious coincidence there were with them the 
 soldiers of the 25th, the soldiers of the Portes-de-Fer 
 and of the heights of Mouzaia, the men who had 
 presented their young general with the triumphal 
 palm of Bibans. Weep, soldiers weep, for your young 
 captain ; weep for the Chief who loved you ; weep for 
 the impetuous spirit and brilliant courage which led 
 you on to victory ! But what will be the horror of the 
 army in Africa when the mournful news spreads from 
 Algiers to Constantine, ' The due d'0rl6ans is dead ! ' 
 
 " A white mantle had been thrown over the dead 
 body as in the case of a general who has died while 
 on duty. The King and Queen, Mme. la princesse 
 Adelaide, Mme. la duchesse de Nemours, Mme. la 
 princesse Clementine, M. le due dAumale, M. le due 
 de Montpensier followed the funeral procession on 
 foot ; then came M. le Marechal Soult, the ministers, 
 M. le Mar6chal Gerard, the general officers, the 
 officers of the King and princes ; and then the weep- 
 ing, silent, mournful crowd. Surely this sorrowful 
 procession of relations and royal personages, moving 
 with slow and mournful steps along the avenue of 
 Sablonville, must have recalled to the mind of the 
 spectator one of the visions of Dante ! In this order 
 they entered the park at Neuilly; the Chapel was 
 already open. This Chapel had been the happy sanc- 
 tuary of the family, and, until to-day, had only re- 
 sounded with prayer and praise ; even when the prin- 
 
 c 2 
 
20 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 cesse Marie had died, her body had not been laid on 
 those stones ; but to-day the Chapel is full of woe and 
 consternation, as the corpse of the first-born of the 
 family is laid there. 
 
 " At 9 o'clock in the evening, Mme. la duchesse de 
 Nemours and Mme. la princesse Clementine started 
 for Plombieres to convey the fearful news to the 
 duchesse d'Orldans. On the 14th of July, at 6 o'clock 
 in the evening, she was told, by way of breaking the 
 news gently to her, that the prince royal was 
 dangerously ill ; she left Plombieres at 8 o'clock, and 
 arrived at Epinal at midnight ; at i o'clock in the 
 morning, Mme. de Montesquieu, her maid of honour, 
 was afraid that a public demonstration would make 
 the princess understand the full extent of her misery. 
 The courier announced that a carriage was arriving 
 from Paris. ' Open the door quickly ! ' cried Mme. 
 la duchesse d'Orleans ; then the Court physician. Dr. 
 Chomel, was seen advancing towards her; he could 
 not conceal the truth, and when the unfortunate 
 princess heard it, she remained for more than an hour 
 on the high road in the dark, sobbing and weeping, 
 while all those present were vainly trying to master 
 their own grief 
 
 "At 4 o'clock on the morning of the 15th of July, 
 Mme. la duchesse de Nemours, and Mme. la princesse 
 Clementine joined her ; they threw themselves, without 
 a word, into her arms, and placed themselves beside 
 her, weeping bitterly. 
 
 " At 9 o'clock, on the morning of the 1 9th, after two 
 long, cruel nights they arrived at Neuilly, where M. 
 le comte de Paris, and M. le due de Chartres had 
 
Arrival of the Duchesse d'Orldans. 21 
 
 arrived the day before from Eu. When Mme. la 
 duchesse d'Orleans appeared in the midst of the royal 
 family, their grief was such that no one was able to 
 tell her the circumstances of the fatal accident, for 
 there are some afflictions so terrible that words fail to 
 describe them. The King and Queen led the way to 
 the Chapel, in which were laid the remains of the 
 prince royal, and Mme. la duchesse d'Orleans, taking 
 her two children by the hand, knelt down and prayed 
 fervently ; she then retired to her apartments to put 
 on the widow's dress, which she was to wear till her 
 death." 
 
 The loss of M. le due d'0rl6ans saddened and 
 embittered the last years of the King, who, though he 
 had gone through every sort of peril himself, was only 
 affected by his children's misfortunes. "If only it had 
 been me," he had exclaimed, as he clasped the fainting 
 form of his son in his arms. That awful 13th of July 
 had left its traces, too, on the heart of the Queen, 
 whose first thought had been for her country. " What 
 a terrible misfortune for France ! " The misfortune 
 was indeed terrible, as the country would have good 
 reason to know. Throughout all ranks and classes of 
 society, the deep feeling that was evinced, especially at 
 the funeral, testified to the popularity of the prince royal. 
 The soldiers could hardly restrain their tears on seeing 
 the lifeless body of the brave general who had led 
 them through the siege of Antwerp and the campaign 
 in Africa, and by whose death they were deprived, not 
 only of an able, courageous commander, but of a friend 
 and protector. 
 
 The 2nd and 17th regiments of light infantry, who 
 
22 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 had just arrived from Africa, and who had followed 
 him as he steadily advanced under the hottest fire of the 
 Arabs to storm the path of Mouzaia and the Portes- 
 de-Fer, hung their heads in grief, as they presented 
 arms to him for the last time. 
 
 The people, who crowded round the entrance to 
 Notre Dame, reminded one another how, in March, 
 1832, when the cholera was raging in Paris, the prince 
 not only contributed largely out of his own purse to 
 the relief of the sufferers, but braved the danger of 
 infection, in going to visit the H6tel Dieu, when the 
 epidemic was at its height. 
 
 "Mourning," says an eye witness, "was universal 
 throughout France, even among the lower classes. 
 Women wept, and every hat was lifted, as the funeral 
 procession passed by. So universal was the grief of 
 this great multitude, that not the slightest disorder was 
 allowed to disturb this touching spectacle."* 
 
 " It is a remarkable thing," writes a foreigner who 
 was in France at that time, " that love for a prince 
 should have taken such deep root in a country where 
 the spirit of Revolution was not yet extinct." Then he 
 goes on to say that when the July fHes were post- 
 poned, and the enormous scaffoldings which had been 
 put up for the illuminations were being taken down, he 
 heard some workmen, who were sitting on the beams 
 and planks, deploring the death of the due d'Orldans, 
 and one of them said, " Louis Philippe can walk about 
 Paris now as much as he likes, without fear of being 
 shot." 
 
 * " Fils du Roi." A pamphlet, in the library of the Moniteur 
 Universel. 
 
Universal Grief. 23 
 
 It has been truly said,* "Had the prince royal 
 lived in the humblest rank of society, he would still 
 liave been a remarkable man, for to such a nature as 
 his mediocrity is impossible ; in the sincere and uni- 
 versal grief which his death inspired among men of 
 every rank, of every opinion, of every party, the 
 highest tribute of praise that could be paid him was 
 surely expressed. The most eloquent funeral oration 
 is thus pronounced by the voice of the people, which 
 ,may be called the voice of God Himself Politics, so 
 called, had very little place in the life of M. le due 
 d' Orleans — a life which seemed given up to the fulfil- 
 ment of his many duties. He was once heard to say, 
 ' My father has his mission ; I shall have mine;' but 
 he was far from adopting that spirit of opposition so 
 common to heirs-apparent. 
 
 "In the Upper House he sometimes spoke, with dig- 
 nity and to the point, generally on personal matters, 
 amongst which he reckoned the attacks on the July 
 Revolution, and on those institutions which had sprung 
 out of the Revolution. He only interfered in party 
 struggles in the interests of kindness and humanity, 
 which, however, did not prevent his falling a prey to 
 the vile insults of pamphleteers. 
 
 "He made a noble use of his princely income, which 
 
 has provoked such severe criticism. A part of it he 
 
 devoted to those acts of charity which have come to 
 
 be considered by princes a necessity of their position, 
 
 but which he seemed able to invest with a peculiar 
 
 charm. The rest was spent in the patronage and 
 
 encouragement of talent, especially among the youngest 
 
 and most striving. 
 
 * M. V. Frond. 
 
24 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 "Among contemporary artists and men of letters 
 there were few who were not the friends of the due 
 d'Orldans, or who were not under some obhgation to 
 him. The prince endeavoured always to combine 
 utihty with pleasure, as, for instance, in the races of 
 the Champ de Mars and Chantilly, which did much 
 towards improving the breed of horses ; or the elegant, 
 artistic files at the Pavilion Marsan, which had so 
 much influence on art and industry." 
 
 " Some weeks after this deplorable event," says M. 
 Prognon, " Government decided to erect two statues 
 in memory of the due d'Orleans — one in Paris, the 
 other in Algiers. They were some time deciding on 
 the spot where the statue, which was to perpetuate the 
 memory of the prince in the capital, should be placed; 
 but one day it happened that the subject was discussed 
 in the presence of the Queen. On being asked her 
 advice she said, with that hesitation habitual to her : 
 " God knows my admiration for the many good 
 qualities of my poor son ; but I think that really he 
 had not time to render such services to France as to 
 deserve that a statue should be erected to him in Paris. 
 In Algiers well and good, for there he did render real 
 service on the battle-field." 
 
 Is it not admirable that, in spite of her passionate 
 affection for the son, whom she was still mourning, 
 she should have been able to pass on him so impartial 
 a judgment ? Living or dead, she would not hear any 
 flattery of him. 
 
 The grand poet Victor Hugo, presenting to Louis- 
 Philippe an address of condolence from the Institute 
 of France, expressed himself as follows : — 
 
Address of Condolence from Victor Hugo. 25 
 
 " Sire,— 
 
 " The Institute of France desires to lay at the foot 
 of the throne the expression of its deep sorrow. Your 
 royal son is dead : what a loss to France and to 
 Europe ! what a gap in the ranks of intellect ! The 
 nation bewails her prince, the army mourns the 
 soldier, the Institute regrets the thinker. 
 
 " The due d'Orldans did indeed understand that in 
 this active, memorable century of ours, to be the heir 
 of the throne of France does not mean only to occupy 
 a high position, but also to fulfil great duties. What 
 a mind ! so grand, calm, serene, strong and gentle ; 
 what an intellect ! possessed of every talent. 
 
 "A son of Henry IV. by the tie of blood, and by virtue 
 of his courage, his charm of manner, and his gracious 
 cordiality ; a son of the Revolution by his respect for 
 right and by his love of liberty ; hurried on to military 
 glory by the instincts of his race, recalled to the duties 
 of peace by the bent of his mind; capable of and eager 
 for great things ; popular at home, patriotic abroad, — 
 all was granted to him excepting time. 
 
 " The germs of a great king were plainly to be seen in 
 this prince (cut off, alas ! in his youth !) who loved art 
 like Francis I., literature like Louis XIV., and his 
 country like yourself" 
 
 The popular writer and brilliant novelist, Alexandre 
 Dumas, was at Florence when he suddenly heard the 
 news of the prince's death. His touching account con- 
 veys to us a just idea of the impression produced on all 
 classes of society by the death of the prince royal. . . . 
 
 " We ordered the coachman to drive us to the Casino 
 — the rendezvous of all Florence at six o'clock in the 
 
26 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 summer evenings. The attaches of the French em- 
 bassy would be sure to be there, and we should be able 
 to hear something official ; we were right ; all that we 
 had heard was confirmed there. In the official column 
 of the Gazette de Genes the news was given as it 
 had been telegraphed, without comment or explana- 
 tion ; there was, therefore, no room for doubt or hope. 
 The news produced a deep impression. So great is 
 the power of popularity, that the hidden love, so full of 
 tenderness and hope, which France had for the prince, 
 with which she had watched his journeys in Europe and 
 his wars in Africa, and with which she had hailed his 
 return, had spread abroad to other countries, and on 
 that day was manifesting itself by a universal sympathy 
 {n Germany, Italy, England, and Spain. One would 
 have thought that the young prince who was just dead 
 had been not only the hope of France but the deliverer 
 of the world. Now, all is over. The eyes that had 
 been fastened on him in expectation are now gazing 
 on his coffin. The world has often wept for the past, 
 now she is mourning the future. I left the loungers 
 to exhaust themselves in conjectures ; what were the 
 details to me ? — the catastrophe itself was enough ! 
 
 " I went home and found on my writing-table the letter 
 which I had written to the Queen, and in which I had 
 said she was the happiest of mothers. This letter was 
 to go the next day, the 1 9th, by the ambassador's courier. 
 For a moment I hesitated in the presence of a grief so 
 awful, overwhelming, impassable, to obtrude suchaminor 
 misfortune on her notice ; * but I knew the Queen ; I 
 knew that to give her an opportunity of doing good 
 * A request for help for some poor fishermen. 
 
Extract from Alexandre Dumas. 2 7 
 
 was in itself a consolation, only instead of addressing the 
 letter to her I addressed it to M. le due d'Aumale. I 
 have no recollection of what I wrote ; it was one of those 
 letters of which one keeps no copy, in which one's heart 
 overflows with grief, and one's eyes with tears. 
 
 "The due d'Aumale was the one of the four princes 
 whom I knew best, after the prince royal, who had him- 
 self presented me to his brother at the Chantilly races. 
 
 " The prince royal had a particular affection for the 
 due d'Aumale, of whom he thought very highly. It 
 was under his command that the young colonel had 
 gone through his military apprenticeship, and when in 
 the pass of Mouzaia he had received his baptism of 
 fire, it was the prince who had stood godfather to him. 
 
 "One day, when we were having one of our long talks 
 on every sort of subject, when he seemed to sink the 
 prince in the man, the due d'Orldans told me one of those 
 anecdotes of the Court which lose so much of their 
 charm when they come to be written. The prince was 
 a capital talker ; he was, if one may say so, a master of 
 the art of conversation ; he knew how to stop and listen, 
 which is so rare in an ordinary man, and in a prince 
 quite wonderful. There was a perfect fascination, a 
 magnetic attraction, in the voice, the smile, and the 
 expression of the due d'Orl^ans. I have never found 
 in any one — not even the most fascinating woman — 
 anything that could compare with it. Whatever frame 
 of mind you were in when you approached the prince, 
 you invariably ended by being fascinated by him. Was 
 it his mind ? was it his soul which took you by storm ? 
 It was a combination of both, for in his case head and 
 heart were one. 
 
2 8 Le Comte de Paris, 
 
 "He once told me the following story. 
 " On the day before the gorge of Mouzaia was to be 
 stormed, there was a fearful engagement going on be- 
 tween our troops and the Arabs on the banks of the 
 Chiffa. The prince royal had despatched his aide-de- 
 camps one after another with various orders. When 
 the battle was at its height an important order had to 
 be sent ; turning to his staff, he asked whose duty it 
 was next to go. 
 
 " ' Mine,' replied the due d'Aumale, coming forward. 
 " The prince cast his eyes over the battle-field, and 
 saw to what danger he was about to expose his brother. 
 It must be remembered that at this time the due d'Au- 
 male was barely eighteen — a man at heart, but a child 
 in years. 
 
 " ' You are wrong, d'Aumale, it is not your turn,' said 
 the due d' Orleans. 
 
 " The due d'Aumale smiled ; he had understood his 
 brother's intention. 
 
 ' ' ' Where am I to go ; what am I to say } ' said the 
 young prince, gathering up his reins. 
 
 " The due d' Orleans sighed, but he knew that honour 
 is not a thing to be; trifled with, more especially in the 
 case of a prince. He wrung his brother's hand, and 
 gave him the order he was expecting. The due d'Au- 
 male galloped off into the thickest of the battle and 
 disappeared in the smoke, his brother gazing after him 
 till he was out of sight, and even then not turning his 
 eyes away from the spot where he had last seen him. 
 
 "A minute later a riderless horse emerged from the 
 smoke. The due d'Orleans shuddered from head to foot, 
 for the horse was the same colour as his brother's. The 
 
Anecdotes of the Due (TOrUans. 29 
 
 terrible thought flashed across him that the due d'Au- 
 male was dead, and that he himself had sent him to his 
 death. He writhed in his saddle, and two great tears 
 rolled down his cheeks. 
 
 " ' Monseigneur,' said a voice in his ear, ' that horse 
 has a red chabraque.' 
 
 "The due d'Aumale's horse had a blue chabraque, and 
 the due d'Orldans, heaving a sigh of relief, turned and 
 threw his arms round the neck of the man who had so 
 thoroughly understood him. The prince told me the 
 man's name, but I have forgotten it ; it was one of his 
 aides-de-camp — either Bertin de Vaux or Chabaud- 
 Latour, or d'Elchingen. Ten minutes later the due 
 d'Aumale presented himself before his brother, safe and 
 sound, having delivered his message with all the cour- 
 age and fearlessness of an old soldier. 
 
 " As I said before, this little story loses all its charm 
 as written by me, but told by the prince himself, his 
 voice trembling with emotion, and his eyes bright with 
 tears, it was a thing not to be forgotten. 
 
 "Oh! if only I had been permitted to write the history, 
 of this life, so short and yet so eventful, to tell of each 
 day of those fourteen years as I had seen them pass 
 by, whether in gloom, in prosperity, or in splendour ! 
 If only I had had the privilege of giving to the public 
 the details of this private life, the world would have 
 prostrated itself in devotion before so great a character. 
 There was in him so much that seemed to come straight 
 from God, that Heaven must surely have been the 
 poorer. God took him to Himself with all his virtues, 
 and the earth was left lamenting. He had all the quick 
 feeling of Henry IV., all the clear insight of Louis XIV. 
 
30 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 " At the same time that I wrote to the due d'Aumale, 
 I sent a few lines to the Queen : not to attempt to con- 
 sole her ; God forbid ! for the Bible itself tells us that 
 there can be no comfort for a mother robbed of her 
 child. Rachel weeping for her children refused to be 
 comforted because they were not. 
 
 " Et noluit consolari, quia non sunt. I only wrote 
 four lines, and this is what I said : — 
 
 " 'Weep, madame, weep; all France weeps with you. 
 As for me I have had two most sorrowful days in 
 my life : the one on which I lost my mother, and the 
 other that on which you lost your son.' 
 
 "To the princess royal, the duchesse d'Orldans, 
 robbed of her husband and her crown, I do not think 
 that I wrote anything ; I only sent her a prayer for 
 her son to use : — 
 
 " ' Oh, my father ! thou who art in paradise, make me 
 such as thou wast on earth ; if God will but grant this, 
 I ask for nothing more, either for my own glory or for 
 the welfare of France.' 
 
 " One word more about this royal child and his 
 widowed mother. On the 2nd of January, 1841, I 
 went to pay my new year's visit to the prince royal. 
 After talking for some minutes, he said : 
 
 " ' Do you know the comte de Paris ? ' 
 
 '"Yes, monseigneur,' I replied, 'I have twice had 
 the honour of seeing his highness.' And I reminded 
 the prince of the circumstances. 
 
 " ' Never mind ! ' said he, ' I will go and fetch him, 
 so that you can pay your respects to him.' 
 
 "He left the room and came back in a moment, lead- 
 ing the child by the hand ; then advancing with that 
 
Anecdotes of the Due cCOrldans. 31 
 
 gravity that added so much to the charm of his humour, 
 he said to him : 
 
 " ' Give your hand to this gentleman ; he is a friend 
 of papa's, and papa has not too many friends.' 
 
 " ' You are mistaken, monseigneur,' said I ; ' unlike 
 most princes you have friends but no party.' 
 
 " The due d'Orldans smiled, and made a sign to his 
 son, who gave me his little hand to kiss. 
 
 " ' What is your wish for my son ? ' asked the prince. 
 " ' To become king as late as possible, monseigneur.' 
 " ' You are quite right, it is a horrid profession.' 
 "'I did not mean that, monseigneur,' I answered; 
 ' but he can only become king on the death of your 
 royal highness.' 
 
 " ' Oh ! ' said he, with that melancholy expression 
 which so often came over his face and into his manner, 
 ' with such a mother as he has, if I were to die this 
 moment, he would be brought up just as though I were 
 here.' 
 
 " Then pointing to the room of the duchesse d'Or- 
 leans, as though he could guess the exact spot where 
 she was sitting, he said, 
 
 " ' I have indeed won a prize in the lottery.' 
 " I believe it would be impossible to have greater love, 
 respect, admiration, and confidence than the due d'Or- 
 leans had for his wife. He seemed .to have found in 
 her some of the same great qualities that he had him- 
 self. When he spoke of her, which was very often, his 
 heart seemed to brim over with happiness like an over- 
 flowing stream." 
 
 * * * * « 
 
 M. Guizot, who was prime minister in 1842, writes : 
 
2,2 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 "On Saturday the cofifin of the due d'Orl^ans will 
 be taken from Neuilly to Notre Dame. In a few- 
 days after the sad funeral ceremonies are over all things 
 will resume their regular course, there will only remain 
 that which will never die — for the royal family a terri- 
 ble grief, for us all an irreparable loss, and the burden 
 which that loss imposes." 
 
 One biographer says of him : 
 
 " During his short life he has appealed to the heart 
 of the nation, to her most noble feelings, her most 
 generous aspirations, and it is one of the glories of 
 human nature that it preserves, even in its decay, the 
 memory of those who have awakened all that is highest 
 within it. 
 
 " One felt that this prince rose superior to his destiny, 
 and that it was only time that was wanting for the ac- 
 complishment of great deeds. Had he lived we should 
 have been spared two revolutions, we should not have 
 seen the days of June, 1 848, nor of the commune of 
 1 87 1, nor the disasters of the war rashly undertaken 
 and madly carried on. What misfortunes would have 
 been avoided, and what grievous pages in our history 
 would have remained unwritten ! The people had in- 
 deed cause to uncover their heads in grief before that 
 coffin : it was the good genius of France that was pass- 
 ing by."* 
 
 The due d'Orleans left an admirable will, in which he 
 seemed to foretell with prophetic instinct the revolu- 
 tion which would one day rend his country. He ex- 
 presses himself as follows : " It is indeed a great and 
 
 * " Fils du Roi," a pamphlet in the library of the Moniteur 
 Universel. 
 
Will of the Due d' Orleans. 33 
 
 difficult task to prepare the comte de Paris for the fate 
 that awaits him, for nobody can tell now what this 
 child will have becorhe when the time arrives for 
 reconstructing on a new basis a society which rests 
 on the mutilated remains of an effete organisation. 
 Whether the comte de Paris is to be an instrument 
 broken before it is used, or whether he is to help in 
 the building up of a social regeneration, which one can 
 dimly see behind great obstacles, even perhaps through 
 rivers of blood ;~ whether he is to be a king, or only an 
 unknown, insignificant defender of a cause to which we 
 all belong, he must above all things be a man of his 
 time and of his nation : he must be a Catholic, and a 
 devoted, untiring servant of France and of the Revolu- 
 tion. I am convinced that, while remaining herself 
 faithful to her own religious belief, Hdlene will be 
 scrupulously careful to bring up our children in the re- 
 ligion of their father — in that religion which from time 
 immemorial has been the religion which France has 
 professed and defended, and the principles of which 
 are so perfectly in harmony with the new social ideas 
 to which my son must devote himself " A little further 
 on, talking of the comte de Paris, he adds: "In be- 
 queathing to him the defence of a country and of a 
 principle threatened on every side, I also bequeath to 
 him faith in their right and in their final triumph. May 
 the hopes and the devotion destined to die in me with- 
 out bearing fruit live in the heart of my son ; may he 
 understand how to show his affection for his country 
 by making himself one with her, not by setting himself 
 up as her guardian ; may the thought of his ancient 
 family make him realize that the grandeur of his an- 
 
 D 
 
34 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 cestry only adds to his responsibility ; may he learn 
 that to belong to the first family in the world ought to 
 make him proud and worthy of holding some day in 
 his hands the destiny of the most glorious cause which 
 has ever, since the beginning of Christianity, been 
 pleaded before the human race ; may he be the apostle 
 of this cause, and, if needs be, its martyr." 
 
 Party spirit — always ready to disparage — failed to 
 understand that when the due d'Orldans advised his 
 eldest son to become the devoted and untiring servant 
 of the Revolution, he meant that he was to be imbued 
 with those modern ideas which, after the national 
 movement of 1789, had become the foundation of 
 almost all European monarchies. To pretend that 
 the words of the due d'Orl^ans gave a public sanction 
 to the horrors of 1793 — that most awful period of our 
 history — is entirely to misunderstand this prince who 
 was as wise as he was liberal ; the impartial historian 
 cannot fail to judge thus of a document, which is in 
 every way worthy of the writer. 
 
 The King Louis- Philippe seemed to increase in 
 affection for his grandson after the catastrophe of July 
 the 13th, 1842. He delighted in taking the young 
 prince to the palace of Versailles, which had been 
 entirely restored a few years before under his super- 
 vision. 
 
 "What better lesson," says a biographer, very truly, 
 "could this young prince of eight years haye had than 
 a visit to the museum at Versailles, when the King 
 Louis- Philippe, leading him through the long galleries, 
 showed him the pictures of Henry IV. at Ivry, and 
 of Louis XIV. in the ranks before Valenciennes, and 
 
Early Education of the Comte de Paris. 35 
 
 then stopped with delight in the hall where Horace 
 Vernet had just painted his immortal pictures of various 
 scenes in the wars of the young army, and the heroic 
 deeds of those in command. That officer, standing in 
 the trenches before Antwerp, and in the breach at 
 Constantine, is the due de Nemours. That admiral, 
 on the quarter-deck under the fire of the batteries at 
 Tangiers, is the prince de Joinville. That general of 
 twenty-three who, with a handful of cavalry, throws 
 himself on the Sheala d'Abd-el-Kader, a place as 
 thickly populated as a large town, and defended by 
 5,000 regular troops, is the due d'Aumale. And the 
 old King, who loved peace, and who wanted to make 
 his grandson a ' patriotic and not a warlike prince, . 
 seeing the child's eyes sparkle at the sight of these pic- 
 tures, hastened to add — ' Remember, it is France that 
 you must love before anything else, even before glory.' 
 
 " Since then the prince has become the eldest of the 
 family, the head of the royal house. He is worthy of 
 France — worthy of the name he bears— great though 
 that name be — worthy of the destiny that awaits him, 
 however high that destiny may be."* 
 
 After the death of the due d'Orleans, the King 
 Louis-Philippe had been at great pains to select from 
 among the most eminent professors at the University 
 the one to whom the education of M. le comte de 
 Paris, and M. le due de Chartres should be entrusted. 
 In 1843 he selected as tutor to the young princes the 
 learned M. Adolphe Regnier, who afterwards became 
 member of the Institute, and died (October, 1884), at 
 
 * " Fils du roi," pamphlet, in the library of the Moniteur Uni- 
 versel. 
 
 D 2 
 
36 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the age of eighty, hbrarian at the Castle of Fontaine- 
 bleau. 
 
 Aided by the wonderful quickness of his pupils he 
 succeeded completely in the difficult task which the 
 King had entrusted to him, of educating a prince who 
 might be called upon to govern France. 
 
 Mme. la duchesse d'Orldans writes as follows on the 
 subject of M. Regnier : — 
 
 "Out of thousands of men I could not have chosen 
 any one who could have managed my little Paris with 
 more wisdom or more affection. The little fellow gets 
 on very well, on the whole ; his heart, his mind, his 
 health improve in the most satisfactory way. 
 
 " Robert has got over his illness, and though still thin 
 and weak, he is full of life and tricks." 
 
 Mme. de Bontems, who had educated Mme. la 
 duchesse d'Orldans, came to spend some part of the 
 summer of 1843 with her at Neuilly and at the Castle 
 of Eu, where the young princes derived much benefit 
 from the sea air. It was at this time that she wrote 
 the following letters which show the character of the 
 comte de Paris when he was a child : — 
 
 " yune lotk. 
 " The relations between M. Regnier and the little 
 one are perfect. You would like to see how gently 
 yet how firmly he manages him. Paris is very fond 
 of him, and does not dare to disobey him, as he does 
 me and Mme. H . I expect really excellent re- 
 sults from this new arrangement. As for Robert, he 
 is very unhappy at being separated from his brother, 
 and he is always asking where he is, for he sees him 
 
Letters from the Duchesse d' Orleans. 37 
 
 so seldom, and loves him so much. It is more neces- 
 sary for him than for Paris to be with other children, 
 for he gets bored when he is by himself ; whereas Paris 
 is very self-contained, though he enjoys the two hours 
 which he is allowed to spend every day with Robert." 
 
 "June \%th. 
 " Every day Paris reads ' Robinson Crusoe ' with 
 M. Regnier — a book which lends itself to a great many 
 instructive conversations. I give him, first of all, a 
 short lesson in sacred history, which begins with 
 prayer. I cannot say that he is very attentive, but he 
 seems to like the stories immensely." 
 
 On the day of the first anniversary of the death of 
 the due d'Orleans, in 1843, the duchesse d'Orldans 
 wrote the following letter to the comte de Paris : — 
 
 " Although I am not able to be with you, my dear 
 child, I am thinking of you, and only hope that you 
 will be particularly good to-day. You know what a 
 sad day this is for me and for us all ; you know that 
 we are all at Dreux, and are praying to God for papa. 
 You must pray, too, that he may have everlasting 
 happiness, and that we may all be re-united in 
 Heaven. When you are older, you shall come with 
 me to Dreux, and then, as you get wiser and better, 
 you shall hear such beautiful and touching stories 
 about papa as shall make you long to become like 
 him. 
 
 " Good-bye, my dear Paris, kiss baby for me, and 
 think of " Your Mother. 
 
 "Julyx^^th, 1843." 
 
38 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Three months later she writes about a visit which 
 the young prince had paid at Versailles, where the 
 first painters of the day were engaged in reproducing 
 the great scenes of French history. 
 
 "Oct. 15, 1843. 
 
 " I go sometimes with Paris to Versailles to show 
 him the historical pictures, so as to impress on his 
 memory the history of his country. He is delighted 
 with it, and takes more than a superficial interest in 
 everything." 
 
 Mme. la duchesse d'Orl^ans, describing New Year's 
 Day, 1844, says : — 
 
 " Jan. I, 1844. 
 
 " As usual we spent the last hours of the old year 
 with the King round the Christmas-tree. The chil- 
 dren were charmed with their presents, especially Paris 
 with his cabinet of natural history, and other things 
 much to his taste. I sent him away soon afterwards, 
 as it was late ; no sooner had he got to his room than 
 he sat down and began to read a book without being 
 the least distracted or excited. When his playthings 
 arrived he did not look at them, but said that he 
 wanted to finish his story. I was much pleased with 
 this, for it shows a good disposition." 
 
 In the autumn of 1844 ^" accident happened at Eu, 
 which might have proved fatal to the King, and almost 
 the whole royal family. The King, accompanied by 
 the Queen, the duchesse d' Orleans, the comte de 
 Paris, the due de Chartres, the prince de Joinville, the 
 
Accident at Eu. 39 
 
 due d'Aumale, and the young princesses, went in 
 char-a-bancs to inspect a battery of artillery stationed 
 near Tr^port. The King had made the comte de Paris 
 fire off a cannon, and the little prince, who was only 
 six years old, had courageously applied the match. On 
 their way back they were obliged to cross a bridge 
 over a lock, with very slight rails on either side. The 
 Queen and the duchesse d'Orleans wanted to get out 
 of the carriage, but the King objected. Just at that 
 moment the report of a cannon startled the horses, 
 and three of them fell into the water. Fortunately 
 the postilion managed, with great coolness, to pull the 
 wheelers up just as they were going to jump the parapet, 
 and the King and the royal family were saved. 
 
 The letters of Mme.la duchesse d'Orldans enable 
 us to enter thoroughly into the childhood of the comte 
 de Paris. Soon after this accident at Tr6port, she 
 went to the Industrial Exhibition, and writes as 
 follows : — 
 
 " June 24, 1844. 
 " I measure time by my children's development. 
 They are both growing — Paris especially. He really 
 is a charming child — tall, rosy, merry, and wonderfully 
 good at his lessons, which he is very fond of He is 
 good natured, frank, honest, and extremely persevering. 
 He has been with me twice to the Exhibition.* You 
 can fancy what an effort it cost me to take him, and 
 I should never have done it, if there had not been so 
 much said lately about the seclusion in which the child 
 
 * The Exhibition took place in the Carr^ Marigny, where subse- 
 quently, in 1855, the Palace of Industry was erected. 
 
40 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 is kept. It' was a great.success. He was nearly suffo- 
 cated by the people in their eagerness and joy. As 
 for him, he was neither shy nor silly; but quite 
 natural, and absorbed in his dear machines, which are 
 quite a mania with him. All the praise and admira- 
 tion do ' not make him vain ; fortunately he does not 
 notice it at all. Little Robert, on the contrary, who 
 was much more interested in the people than in the 
 machines, delighted in being looked at. He is all fun, 
 life, and good humour. Sometimes I hardly know how 
 to stop his little impudent ways. He is too amusing ; 
 but in spite of his winning disposition, one has to be 
 strict with him." 
 
 "Julys, ^M^■ 
 " Paris and Robert have their little discussions, in 
 which the character of each comes out plainly ; the 
 one so full of good sense and depth of feeling, the 
 other so quick and intelligent." 
 
 In 1845 the princess mentions her delight in 
 watching the improvement of the two children. The 
 comte de Paris was not seven years old when he Went 
 to the opening of the Chambers, and on his return he 
 wanted to give his professor an analysis of the King's 
 speech, which he had followed with the greatest 
 attention. 
 
 In the years 1846, 1847, the King Louis- Philippe 
 took a great interest in the education of the two 
 princes, as did also Mme. laduchesse d'Orldans, whose 
 wise and tender care won the admiration of all. 
 Seldom has any princess in France enjoyed such a 
 wonderful popularity among all classes, without distinc- 
 
Revolution of February 2/^tk, 1848. 41 
 
 tion of party, and every day she received fresh proofs 
 of the feelings which she inspired. ' Her one idea was 
 to bring up her sons as their father himself would have 
 done, and she entered into the smallest details of 
 their health, their lessons, and their play. It has been 
 truly said : " Every circumstance of her life seemed 
 only to bring out her grand qualities — that mixture 
 of womanly delicacy of feeling with decision and firm- 
 ness of action ; of great sensitiveness with a self- 
 control which she exhibited on every occasion." 
 
 At 1 1 o'clock in the morning of February the 24th, 
 1848, when the comte de Paris was hardly ten years 
 old, the King having left the Tuileries, the court of 
 the palace was evacuated by the troops, the mob 
 surged in and made themselves masters of the palace, 
 and the firing redoubled in force. When the duchesse 
 d'Orldans saw that the palace was about to be invaded 
 by the mob, she took her two children by the hand 
 and going through the long galleries from her rooms, 
 she stopped in front of the picture of the due 
 d'Orl^ans, exclaiming, " It is here that we must die ! " 
 She ordered all the doors to be opened, as though for 
 a reception. The balls flew in. Two deputies came 
 and begged her to go to the Chamber. She con- 
 sented, and with some difficulty reached the Palais- 
 Bourbon. 
 
 M. le due de Nemours, whose courage and coolness 
 never once failed him, stayed with his sister-in-law, 
 ready to die for her and for his nephew ; but General 
 Bedeau showed such utter incapacity that he could not 
 even defend the entrances to the Chamber. The hall 
 was invaded, and shots were fired. 
 
42 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 M. de Lamartine, the poetic genius who, to quote a 
 happy expression, would always willingly change his- 
 tory into romance, and politics into meditations, had 
 begun a speech in favour of M. le comte de Paris and 
 of the regency of Mme. la duchesse d'Orldans, and 
 ended it in favour of the Republic — a Republic which 
 neither he nor his friends had dreamt of a few hours 
 before. One must read that incredible nonsense to 
 understand what power the unforeseen can give to the 
 most vulgar prose. It was because he was a poet that 
 it was possible for M. de Lamartine to succeed to 
 King Louis- Philippe, and M. Cavillier-Fleury was 
 indeed right when he said that while others were 
 losing their reputation, and even their life, in the 
 cause, M. de Lamartine contented himself with empty 
 phrases. 
 
 The duchesse d'Orleajis, separated from her 
 youngest son the due de Chartres (who had been saved 
 by baron de I'Espde*), and obliged to leave the Palais- 
 Bourbon, took refuge in the Hotel des Invalides, 
 where she remained for two days, while her faithful 
 friends were trying to organise some resistance. 
 ' Marshal Molitor was ill, and was not able to take the 
 command. " Let the orders be given in my name," 
 said the princess without hesitation. 
 
 It was represented to her that the H6tel des 
 Invalides was very much isolated from all help. "No 
 matter," she cried, "this place will do to live in, if we 
 can defend ourselves ; to die in, if we are to have no 
 to-morrow." 
 
 * Father of the prefect of St, Etienne, who was assassinated in 
 1871. 
 
Flight of the Duchesse d' Orleans. 43 
 
 M. le due de Nemours, who had taken refuge with 
 M. Biesta (the future director of the Comptoir 
 d'Escomte de Paris) only left Paris when it had been 
 clearly proved that the National Guard was thoroughly 
 disorganized, and refused to march against the insur- 
 gents. Mme. la duchesse d'0rl6ans was exhorted to 
 flee, but inspired by a sense of duty, and knowing that 
 she was defending the cause of monarchy and national 
 sovereignty, outraged by the insurrection, she refused 
 to listen to all entreaties. 
 
 " So long as there is one — only one — who will stay, 
 I remain here. I think more of my son's life than of 
 his crown ; but if his death be necessary for France, a 
 king, even of nine years, must know how to die ! " 
 She refused to change her dress. " If I am to be 
 arrested, let me be arrested as a princess ! " The 
 young prince, pressing himself close against his 
 mother, kept repeating, " I will not leave France ; I 
 will not quit my country ! " 
 
 And yet his absence was to last 23 years ! 
 
 But they were forced to flee ; for Paris, in the hands 
 of the mob, was no longer mistress of herself. The 
 duchesse d'Orleans went first to the country house of 
 viscount L6on de Montesquiou, at Bligney, near 
 d'Orsay. On the 26th, the due de Chartres was 
 restored to her, ill with influenza, which, however, had 
 fortunately no bad consequences. The marquis de 
 Mornay and M. Rdgnier accompanied the princess and 
 her children. 
 
 The rain had cleared the streets, so that the princess 
 was not recognized at Versailles. She started for Lille, 
 by way of St. Germain, Pontoise, Beauvais ; slept the 
 
44 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 next night at Amiens, and on the 28th took the train 
 at Lille, where they had to wait four hours for the 
 train to Belgium. The carriage had been placed on a 
 truck, and the princess had all 'the papers brought to. 
 her, which contained news of what was going on in 
 Paris. Her superior intellect seemed to grasp in a 
 moment the true situation of affairs. She saw the 
 National Guard stupefied, yet disgusted with the pro- 
 clamation of the Republic ; and the shopkeepers, as 
 well as the working classes, astounded at the ridiculous 
 sight presented by the republican Government, so soon 
 to be overthrown by the breath of public opinion ! 
 Thus she said to her friends : " France does not wish 
 for a Republic ! The 24th of February was sprung 
 upon us ! It is my duty, as mother of the prince royal, 
 to preserve the crown for my son, and to save the 
 country, which is now a prey to a gang of Socialists. 
 General Negrier commands the garrison here. I shall 
 go at once with my sons to the citadel, and throw 
 myself on his honour as a soldier. I shall then make 
 an appeal to the country, and I am perfectly certain 
 that the widow of the due d'Orldans will obtain a 
 hearing." 
 
 During this scene the comte de Paris was listening 
 gravely and seriously, not like a child of ten, but like 
 a man. 
 
 " Do not let us leave Lille," he exclaimed, "let us 
 go the army, I am sure that the soldiers will welcome 
 me as one of their own children." 
 
 But her suite throw themselves at the feet of the 
 princess and implore her to give up this plan. They 
 remind her of the flight of Louis XVL to Varennes, 
 
Incident at Lille. 45 
 
 and of the horrors of the reign of terror ; they tell her 
 that her first, most sacred duty is to save her son, the 
 heir to the throne, and when they suggest the possi- 
 bihty of another prison in the Temple, with, perhaps, 
 another Simon as jailor, the princess shudders ; but in 
 a moment she draws herself up with a grand courage, 
 and exclaims : 
 
 " God will protect us ; let us go to the citadel." 
 Then they remind her of the responsibility which 
 they have taken upon themselves of saving her, and at 
 last plainly refuse to go with her. Two hours later 
 the train conveyed the princess from Lille without her 
 having seen the general. 
 
 If France had heard the voice of this heroic woman, 
 would she have aroused herself from the torpor, under 
 the influence of which she had accepted a government 
 which she tolerated, but which the majority of the 
 nation did not desire ? God only knows. 
 
 On the 24th of February, the rioters, while sacking 
 and pillaging the palace of the Tuileries, had given a 
 striking proof of the great popularity which Madame 
 la duchesse d'Orl^ans enjoyed, and of the respect in 
 which the memory of the due d'Orleans was still held 
 by the people. The apartments of Madame la 
 duchesse d'Orleans in the pavilion Marsan had been 
 left absolutely untouched. Her waiting- woman made 
 her way into them a few days later, and with the help 
 of some faithful friends, she brought out all that be- 
 longed to the princess, who was thus able to preserve 
 intact all her furniture, pictures, portraits, and other 
 treasures, which she valued as reminding her of 
 happier days. 
 
4^ Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 On crossing the frontier, Madame la duchesse d'Or- 
 Idans burst into tears, and M. de Mornay could hardly 
 • restrain his grief. 
 
 " Our tears are very different," said she; "you weep 
 for joy that we are saved, I weep bitter tea:rs at leaving 
 France — France, on which I invoke every blessing of 
 Heaven ! Wherever I die, let France know that my 
 last thoughts are for her." 
 
 "When I think that I shall never see France again," 
 said she, many years later, " I feel as if my heart would 
 break." 
 
 The princess was by this time in great need of rest, 
 and she stopped one night at Verviers, and the next 
 day, March the ist, at Cologne. After some weeks 
 spent at Ems, Madame la duchesse d'Orleans went to 
 the Castle of Eisenach, which belonged to her uncle, 
 the grand duke of Saxe- Weimar. 
 
 The following summer ( 1 849) she left Germany to 
 take her sons to Louis-Philippe and the Queen, who 
 had not seen them since the revolution. 
 
 The arrival of the young princes caused the greatest 
 joy at the Castle of Claremont. The change which a 
 year of exile had already produced in the comte de Paris 
 was very remarkable, and the King noticed with great 
 satisfaction how the mind of his grandson had ex-, 
 panded and ripened under the able and enlightened 
 guidance of his mother. 
 
 A great grief had already overtaken the illustrious 
 exiles. I n their excessive loyalty the princes had never 
 for a moment contemplated the possibility of being con- 
 demned to exile by the Republic. They had given to 
 their country a striking proof of their disinterestedness 
 
Visit of the Duchesse d'Orldans to Claremont. 47 
 
 and patriotic self-sacrifice by leaving Algiers on the 3rd 
 of March, 1848, without attempting to restore the 
 monarchy by entering France at the head of the army 
 which they commanded. However, they were quickly 
 and cruelly undeceived, for on the 26th of May, 1848, 
 the law was passed which banished them from French 
 territory. 
 
 Most of the former members of the household of 
 Madame la duchesse d'Orldans had followed their royal 
 mistress into exile, and served her as they had done at 
 the Tuileries. The marquise de Vins, reader to the 
 princess, and M. de Boismilon, former tutor of the due 
 d'Orldans, helped her with their advice in the education 
 of her sons. When the duchess d'Orld:ans was at Eise- 
 nach, she had sent for the wife and two sons of M. R6g- 
 nier, who became the companions and rivals of the young 
 princes. M. Etienne Allaire assisted M. Regnier, and 
 later on succeeded him, in his duties. Several of the 
 old friends of the princess, such as the comtesse 
 d'Hautpoul, the comtesse Anatole de Montesquieu, and 
 the marquise de Chanabeilles, came every year to spend 
 some months with her, and in 1853 the marquise de 
 Beauvoir came to Eisenach with her husband and her 
 son, and remained constantly with the princess till her 
 death. 
 
 In the month of April, 1850, the duchesse d' Orleans 
 took her sons to see Nuremberg, the town which she 
 had been so fond of in her childhood. She showed 
 them the church, the beautiful fountains, the house of 
 Albrecht Durer, and the various mills and factories. 
 From there she travelled to Wurzburg, Frankfort, and 
 went down the Rhine on her way to England, where 
 
48 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris was to take his first com- 
 munion. 
 
 This was the first important event in the Hfe of the 
 exiles. Madame la duchesse d'Orldans had very wisely 
 understood how important it was to give a solemn pub- 
 licity to this great act, which was to initiate her child 
 into the full communion of the Catholic Church. The 
 many friends who only wanted an opportunity for show- 
 ing their devotion to the royal family, made this an 
 occasion for paying their respects to the illustrious 
 exiles. It had been settled that the ceremony should 
 take place at the French chapel in London, with all the 
 religious pomp befitting the place and the circumstances. 
 They had not been mistaken in thinking that they 
 could count on a considerable number of French to 
 take part in this great and touching ceremony. We 
 must confess that it was the King more than his grand- 
 son who was the object of universal sympathy. He 
 had been anxious, for that day, to brighten up his ordi- 
 nary attire, but no one could have failed to be struck 
 by the sad contrast between the toilet and the gait and 
 expression of the wearer. 
 
 Madame la duchesse d'Orleans gives the following 
 account of this touching ceremony : — 
 
 "At eight o'clock on the morning of July the 20th, 
 1850, we went with the King and Queen to the little 
 French chapel in London, followed by all the members 
 of the family and the many faithful friends who had 
 come .over for the ceremony. 
 
 " Paris was placed at the foot of the altar between 
 the King and myself, in front of a prie-Dieu on which 
 was a lighted candle. On his left arm he wore a white 
 
First Communion of the Comte de Paris. 49 
 
 scarf, emblem of purity. Before Mass the Abbd Guelle 
 gave a beautiful and touching address, then Mass was 
 said by Dr. Wiseman, Bishop of London, a man much 
 respected by the French clergy. Just before communi- 
 cating, the Bishop also addressed a few beautiful words 
 to Paris, and the Abbd Guelle then led the dear child 
 to the altar. He knelt down, and received the Body 
 of his Lord with an awe and devotion which were 
 truly edifying. On his v/ay back to his prie-Dieu he 
 passed close to the King who,, with uplifted hand, gave 
 him his blessing. Then the dear child turned instinc- 
 tively to me, and gkve me a look which I shall never 
 forget, but which I cannot describe. The Bishop 
 gave another address, then Mass was finished, and we 
 left the Chapel deeply affected. The behaviour of 
 Paris was surprising for his age ; candour and dignity 
 pei-vaded his whole being ; every one was struck by it, 
 not only the King, who told him that it was one of the 
 happiest days of his life, not only the Queen and my 
 brothers, who seemed deeply affected, but strangers 
 and spectators who came out of mere curiosity, all 
 seemed impressed by the purity, devotion, and sim- 
 plicity of the child; all wept from sympathy and emotion. 
 
 " Poor Robert was much affected by the ceremony. 
 
 "At 2 o'clock we all went back to the Chapel, with 
 the exception of the King, whose health requires great 
 care. The Bishop was again present. Vespers having 
 been sung, the Abb6 Guelle gave an affecting address ; 
 then Paris, standing at the foot of the altar, read in a 
 clear, firm voice the form of renewing his baptismal 
 vows. After this we went home, full of gratitude to 
 the good God who loves and blesses children." 
 
50 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 "Who," says an eye-witness, "could have helped 
 being touched by the sight of the mother, whose 
 eyes, bright with tears, lingered on her son as though 
 she would have enfolded him with her loving glances 
 as he knelt there, all his features expressing humility 
 and devotion. The emotion of the spectators was not 
 even stifled by the sound of the organ ! The prince's 
 nurse had come from France on purpose to be present, 
 and several other old retainers had accompanied her."* 
 
 King Louis- Philippe, who had been deeply im- 
 pressed by the whole ceremony, was much affected by 
 the words of Mgr. Wiseman, who was at that time 
 vicar-apostolic in London. The King returned the 
 following day to Claremont. 
 
 " The Queen did not shut her eyes to the King's 
 state. She did not believe that, at his age, any doctors 
 could arrest the general decay of his health, and Dr. 
 Gueneau knew her too well to buoy her up with false 
 hopes. She prayed with tears to God, her heart bled 
 at the thought that the tie, which for forty years had 
 been so sweet and so strong, was about to be broken ; 
 if she had not deemed herself unworthy of a miracle, 
 she would have besought Heaven to grant her the life 
 of her husband, "t 
 
 But she had the consolation for which she had so 
 often prayed. On the 26th of August, ^850, the King 
 died as a Christian should, having just before his 
 death received extreme unction at the hands of the - 
 Abb6 Guelle. 
 
 Thus died a King worthy in everyway of his name 
 
 * "Mme. la duchesse d'Grldans," by Mme. la Marquese d'If. 
 t Trcgnon, " Vie de Marie-Amdlie." 
 
Death of King Louis-Philippe. 5 1 
 
 and his family. A few weeks later, on the loth of 
 October, another grief nearly as great, and more un- 
 expected, overtook the royal family. The saintly 
 Queen of the Belgians, the princesse Louise d'Orldans, 
 eldest daughter of King Louis- Philippe, died at 
 Ostend, mourned not only by her own family, but by 
 all Belgium, where the memory of her virtues is still 
 preserved. 
 
 The royal family had always been wonderfully 
 united. 
 
 " After the death of the King, the friends of the 
 house of Orleans demanded that, in view of any pos- 
 sible contingency, the question of the regency should 
 be settled, so that at the critical moment there should 
 be no uncertainty or divisions. Mme. la duchesse 
 d'Orldans pronounced in the most positive manner 
 against the proposal that she should take upon herself 
 the regency, and for fear that the reasons which she 
 gave with great force and clearness should not make 
 sufficient impression on those to whom she spoke, 
 she resolved to put them into writing, and spent 
 several hours dictating a memoir in which she ex- 
 plained all the reasons which, in her opinion, rendered 
 it inexpedient for her to assume the regency. (Religion 
 was one of these reasons.) She concluded by saying 
 that it was the Queen to whom it ought to be 
 entrusted. This document exists, and is another proof 
 of her respect for the Queen, and of the high standard 
 which she always maintained." * 
 
 Nothing could make the young princes forget France 
 — their own dear country ! 
 
 * "Mme. la duchesse d'Orl^ans," par Mme. la Marquese d'If. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Shortly before this (1850), a lady in mourning, with 
 two children, was frequently to be seen on the bridge 
 of Kehl, which unites Alsace and Baden. She took 
 her daily walk there, and the soldiers on the French 
 and Baden frontiers took her for an inhabitant either 
 of Kehl or Strasburg. The two little boys used to 
 run on in front, but when they came to the French 
 end of the bridge they turned back. Sometimes the 
 children, instead of turning back when they got to the 
 French bank, would run on, and digging up with their 
 little trowel some of the French soil, would fill their 
 Itttle pail, and bring it in triumph to their mother. If 
 one had followed them, one would have seen them put 
 this earth into a box which, by degrees, became full, 
 and which they guarded as a treasure. 
 
 The lady in mourning was the exiled duchesse 
 d'Orldans, and the two little labourers were her sons, 
 the comte de Paris, and the due de Chartres. When 
 the box was filled, these little workmen became 
 gardeners. Their idea was to sow in this earth some 
 seed brought from France, and every day they pruned, 
 watered, and tended their " plantation ; " and when 
 they saw their mother gazing with tears in her eyes at 
 the Alsatian bank, they tried to comfort her by show- 
 ing her their seed — emblem of hope ! 
 
 " If it flowers, it will be a good omen," said they, 
 and every day they carefully examined the box, and 
 watched the growth. But the fortunes of exile obliged 
 the mother and her children to depart, and the seed 
 remained in French soil on the German bank of the 
 Rhine. Years passed by, the children became soldiers, 
 and fought bravely in America, under assumed names, 
 
Incident at Kehl. 53 
 
 in defence of an invaded country — the sword had taken 
 the place of the little wooden spade ! I am told that 
 when one of the young princes, M. le comte de Paris, 
 was at Kehl, he went to see the old house, where his 
 mother had lived. The owner, who had the honour 
 of receiving him, said :—" Do you believe in omens, 
 monseigneur ? " 
 
 The prince smiled. 
 
 "I believe firmly in them," his host continued. 
 " Does your Royal Highness remember the seed 
 which you sowed ? You said, then, that the fate of 
 that little seed would symbolize your own." 
 
 "Yes, I remember," said the prince. 
 
 " Well, the seed has shot up into a little tree, which 
 flowered the very year that your royal highness might 
 have come back to France." 
 
 "And now ? " asked the prince. 
 
 " Now, monseigneur is going to see the new omen," 
 and he conducted the prince to the garden. The little 
 tree was covered with its first fruit. 
 
 "It will soon be ripe, monseigneur. Have faith in 
 the omen." 
 
 The duchesse d'Orl6ans had taken care to surround 
 her sons in their sad exile with those most fitted to 
 keep alive their attachment to the country from which 
 they were separated. These were General Trezel, 
 formerly minister of war ; Colonel de Montguyon, 
 formerly aide-de-camp to the due d'Orldans ; General 
 Drolanveux, an old officer of the army in Africa ; 
 Colonel Uhrich ; Captain Morhain, who sent in his 
 resignation to the minister of war, in order to serve 
 the comte de Paris in his long exile, and who even 
 
54 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 to this day brings him the offering of a perfect devo- 
 tion ; and lastly the marquis de Beauvoir (father of M. 
 de Beauvoir, who is at the present day with the comte 
 de Paris). M. de Beauvoir, who was a son-in-law of 
 the marquis de Rumigny, had formerly been in the 
 diplomatic service, and was one of the most faithful 
 friends of Mme. la duchesse d'Orleans. He devoted 
 his life and his noble intellect to the princess and her 
 august sons during their long exile, and continued to 
 give proofs of his sincere, heartfelt affection up to the 
 very day of his death { 1 8 70). 
 
 The holidays were spent in travelling about, as 
 much for instruction as for pleasure. They visited the 
 ports and the great commercial and industrial towns in 
 England. They entered the workshops, and went 
 down into the mines. The comte de Paris always 
 wanted to have everything described to him, and his 
 earnest attention enabled him to grasp quickly the 
 various facts, which he stored up in his retentive 
 memory. 
 
 Later on the princes, accompanied by one of the 
 greatest generals of the army in Africa, visited the 
 battlefields of Europe. 
 
 Sometimes the due d'Aumale joined his nephews, 
 and taught them, on the very scene of action, the mili- 
 tary history of France — a history which no one is 
 more familiar with, nor better able to relate than 
 himself 
 
 They also went to Nordlingen and Fribourg, where 
 the great Conde, with Turenne as his lieutenant, had 
 gained his greatest victories ; to Nerwinde and 
 Fleurus, where the armies of Louis XIV. and the 
 
Education in England and Abroad. 55 
 
 soldiers of the Republic had passed by ; the plains of 
 the Palatinate and of Bavaria, the scenes of the grand 
 campaigns of Jourdan and Moreau. 
 
 In all their travels the exiles endeavoured to find 
 memorials of their country. Repulsed from her 
 frontiers, denied the privilege of living for her, they 
 took refuge in her past, and in the undying records of 
 her grandeur and heroism. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris was then 14 years old. Tall, 
 slender, graceful in his movements, staid in his de- 
 meanour, original in his reflexions, of a sound judg- 
 ment, he led a life worthy of his name, and befitting 
 a young man of his age. He delighted in going up 
 the mountains round Eisenach with his tutor, gathering 
 and drying flowers, which were then sent to Paris to 
 be classified by his professor of botany, M. Germain. 
 
 The due de Chartres, who was two years younger, 
 was extremely lively. His development progressed 
 satisfactorily, both from a moral and intellectual point 
 of view. His features were refined, his eyes blue and 
 intelligent. Both the princes showed their mother an 
 affection so devoted and touching, that her exile was 
 greatly softened by it. 
 
 Though the duchesse d'Orldans always had before 
 her eyes, in the education of her son, the throne of 
 France, which he might one day ascend, yet she 
 realized that there were certain advantages for him in 
 this life of exile. He was brought more face to face 
 with everyday life, and learnt more by contact with 
 people of all classes. Never did a royal mother better 
 understand the education of a prince who might be 
 called to so great a destiny. 
 
56 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Having protested against the decrees of January 
 the 22nd, 1852, which deprived them of their fortune, 
 and having endeavoured in vain to get the iniquitous 
 decrees of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte annulled by the 
 tribunal, the princes drew nearer, so to speak, to their 
 mother, as to the centre of their existence. Her 
 virtues and her misfortunes seemed to surround her 
 with a halo of glory, which shone on them with a 
 brilliancy far surpassing that of the crown which she 
 had lost. 
 
 The decrees of January the 22nd had found Mme. 
 la duchesse d'Orl^ans quite indifferent to anything that 
 concerned herself, and a few days after they were pub- 
 lished she writes : 
 
 " As far as we are concerned, you know that we 
 are, thank God, beyond the reach of attack. They 
 have done much worse by humiliating our country, 
 and persecuting our friends. All these sacrifices for 
 our beloved country would be easy to accept, if it did 
 not deprive us of the greatest consolation we have. 
 Until the decree shall have appeared, I beg that you 
 will make full use of the powers with which I entrusted 
 you. I should not like to have to give up the only 
 source of joy that remains to me in this misfor- 
 tune." 
 
 In the Spring of 1853, Mme. la duchesse d'Orl^ans, 
 who had spent the winter in Devonshire, brought her 
 two sons to Claremont, so that the Queen might 
 superintend the preparation of the due de Chartres for 
 his first communion, and of the comte de Paris for the 
 sacrament of confirmation, which he was to receive 
 from the hands of Cardinal Wiseman. A large 
 
Accident to the Duchesse d' Orleans. 57 
 
 number of friends came over from France, and their 
 presence was some consolation to the noble exiles. 
 
 This year (1853) was not devoid of anxiety for the 
 royal family. When Mme. la duchesse d'Orl^ans was 
 in Switzerland, she had an accident, which for a 
 short time placed her life in danger, and the Queen, who 
 had hurried from England to be with her, fell ill her- 
 self at Geneva. 
 
 This terrible accident happened to Mme. la duchesse 
 d'Orleans in October, 1853. She had just left Geneva 
 and Lausanne on her way to Friburg. The weather 
 had been wretched for some days, and the ground was 
 soaked with the ceaseless torrents of rain. The son of 
 the postmaster at Geneva had claimed the honour 
 of driving her in a carriage like an English stage- 
 coach, drawn by five horses. In this carriage were 
 Mme. la duchesse d'Orleans, Mme. de Vins, her maid 
 of honour, M. le comte de Paris, and the due de 
 Chartres. The servants were behind. The comte de 
 Montguyon and M. Allaire, who at that time had 
 charge of the princes' education, followed in another 
 carriage. 
 
 Not far from the village of Oron, one of the horses 
 in the first carriage became restive. They shouted to 
 the coachman to pull up his horses, and an old confiden- 
 tial servant of the duchesse d'Orleans, named Conrad, 
 got up on the box to help him to drive. Suddenly, 
 notwithstanding all the efforts of the coachman, the 
 carriage was dragged to the side of the road, and fell 
 over into the bed of the torrent, a distance of about 
 seven feet. The water was beginning to come into 
 the carriage, and the duchesse d'Orle;ans was nearly 
 
58 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 crushed under the weight of Mme. de Vins, who had 
 fallen on her, when M. de Montguyon and M. Allaire 
 rushed forward and rescued them from their perilous 
 position, while the voice of M. le comte de Paris was 
 heard above all the tumult, shouting "Save rriy 
 mother ; don't think of me ! " When the travellers 
 were extricated from the carriage, it was found that 
 Mme. la duchesse d'Orleans had broken her collar^ 
 bone, and was suffering terribly. She was carried to 
 Oron, where Dr. Pellis, a very clever man, took the 
 utmost care of her. The princes did their utmost to 
 ease their mother's sufferings, but for a short time she 
 thought herself to be dying. She prepared to meet 
 death with the most wonderful courage and resigna- 
 tion, but God restored her to the love and devotion 
 of her two sons, to whom her counsels and advice were 
 so valuable. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris, whose military education had 
 been conducted by General Tr^zel, formerly minister 
 of war, took the most patriotic interest in the different 
 phases of the Crimean war (1854-1855). Many of the 
 prince's friends had fallen in these battles, and at the 
 castle of Eisenach they were busy making lint for the 
 French army. So great was the love which the princes 
 had for their country that they could not turn their 
 thoughts away from her, and the comte de Paris fol- 
 lowed with the utmost interest every scene in this mili- 
 tary drama, and could not refrain from envying the 
 French army, whose dangers and glories he was not 
 permitted to share. He knew all the fortifications of 
 Sebastopol, and the positions of the respective armies, 
 as well as though he had seen them with his own eyes ; 
 
Winter in Italy. 59 
 
 and his sympathy with the suffering which followed the 
 war was shown on every occasion and in the smallest 
 details. The valet of M. le comte de Paris had a son 
 who had fallen before Sebastopol ; a louis d'or had 
 been found in his pocket, and had been sent with his 
 clothes to his parents. The duchesse d'Orl^ans had a 
 ring put through this piece of money, so that the mother 
 of the young man might wear it in memory of her son, 
 and the frequent visits of the princess and her sons 
 seemed to bring some consolation to the poor woman 
 in her overwhelming grief. 
 
 During the summer of 1856, Madame la duchesse 
 d'Orldans went with her sons to the waters of Soden, 
 near Frankfort ; but as her health did not improve the 
 doctors advised her to spend the winter in Italy. The 
 princess left Germany towards the end of September, 
 and in October she went to Lakes Como, Lugano, 
 Maggiore, and to the Borromean Islands, where she 
 was eagerly welcomed by the comte Giberto Borromeo, 
 who took great pleasure in showing the young princes 
 his splendid palace of L'Isola Bella, with its magnificent 
 terraces. After enjoying the artistic treasures of Milan 
 and Genoa, M. le comte de Paris and M. le due de 
 Chartres, leaving their mother established in a villa 
 near Sestri, went into Sardinia for a few days' sport. 
 
 The winter passed happily for Madame la duchesse 
 d'Orleans, and in May, 1857, after having received the 
 most flattering reception from the King and royal 
 family at Turin, she went (for the last time) to Eise- 
 nach with her sons and stayed there for some weeks. 
 The great age of Queen Marie-Am^lie made it a duty 
 for the princess to be more constantly near Her 
 
6o Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Majesty, and she went to England, where she occupied 
 a country house at Richmond, belonging to the Mar- 
 quis of Lansdowne, which was only an hour from the 
 Queen's house at Claremont, and thirty minutes from 
 the due d'Aumale's house at Twickenham. 
 
 The summer of 1857 was the most pleasant time 
 that the royal family had spent since the year 1848. 
 The duchesse d'Orleans acknowledged this with grati- 
 tude. 
 
 " It is an indescribable joy to me," she writes, "to 
 see my sons developing after my own heart, to see them 
 growing in goodness, devoting themselves to me with 
 a paternal and protecting tenderness, and taking care 
 of me as though I had been confided to their charge — 
 my bad health being in this respect rather a benefit to 
 me. I think that the present age of my eldest son is 
 the most delightful time in a man's life. He has all 
 the candour of youth, with its freshness of impressions, 
 and its uprightness of principle untarnished, and to 
 these is added an increasing strength of mind, a power 
 of thought which takes the place of experience, and a 
 constant striving after and longing for perfection. 
 Robert, though younger, is also beginning to combine 
 more mature qualities with his childish innocence, and 
 his quick, impulsive nature is held in check by a daily 
 increasing good sense. You will say that I am blind 
 as regards my sons, but I assure you this is not the 
 case ; to recognize the blessings which God has given 
 us amidst all our sufferings is not to be blind. I shall 
 always be very exacting with them, for I want them to 
 rise to a high standard." 
 
 It was a great and legitimate joy to Madame la 
 
Death of the Duchesse d^ Or Hans. 6i 
 
 duchesse d'Orl^ans to note the success of the work to 
 which she had devoted her life. 
 
 "... I cannot describe to you the change that has 
 come over Paris," she says; "it is no longer I that 
 look after him, but he who protects me. I delight in 
 seeing that he has a conscience of his own, indepen- 
 dent of mine ; I am quite pleased when he differs 
 from me, and I am not afraid of saying that I respect 
 him." 
 
 The author of " Madame la duchesse d'Orldans " 
 adds, with truth : 
 
 " She was not the only one who thought thus ; the 
 respect which goodness, uprightness, and earnestness 
 obtain at every age was strikingly marked in the al- 
 most fatherly affection of his uncles for the young 
 prince. The complete understanding between the two 
 brothers prevented all uneasiness as to their future, 
 whatever it might be." 
 
 On the 24th of August, 1857, the duchesse d'Orleans 
 gave a ffete to all the younger members of the royal 
 family then in England with the Queen, in honour of 
 the 19th birthday of the comtede Paris. Of the whole 
 party, Madame la duchesse de Nemours was the only 
 one who was unable to shake off her low spirits ; per- 
 haps she had a presentiment of what was to happen to 
 her, for on the loth of November, 1857, she died sud- 
 denly, after giving birth to a daughter, the princess 
 Blanche. 
 
 The household at Claremont was again plunged in 
 mourning, and the winter which followed was a sad 
 one ; the month of May, 1858, found the Queen ill and 
 confined to her bed, at the very time that a terrible and 
 
62 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 totally unforeseen calamity was about to befall the royal 
 family. 
 
 Some friends had come over from France to pay 
 their respects, amongst them the celebrated author, the 
 comte de Montalembert, who was received by Madame 
 la duchesse d'Orldans early in May. He left her 
 presence charmed and delighted, and loud in his ad- 
 miration for the princess. This was the last visitor 
 whom she received, for she suddenly fell ill, and took 
 to her bed on the nth of May. Frequent fainting fits 
 showed how completely her constitution was exhausted, 
 and on the 1 7th she had an attack which caused the 
 greatest anxiety to those around her. On the morning 
 of the 1 8th she said, in a feeble voice, that she wished 
 to sleep ; a few minutes later Dr. Geneau de Mussy 
 and the marquise de Beauvoir entered her room and 
 found her silent and motionless in death. 
 
 One may indeed say that the death of Madame la 
 duchesse d'Orldans left her children inconsolable, and 
 " the memory of this noble virtuous princess has always 
 been a guiding star which has never ceased to influence 
 their lives." 
 
 It was a terrible blow to the orphaned princes ; but 
 the Queen realized the responsibility which devolved 
 on her, and in her both her grandsons found the love 
 and devotion of a second mother. 
 
 The funeral of Madame la duchesse d'Orldans took 
 place at Weybridge, and numbers of French friends 
 came over to pay the last tribute of respect to this 
 noble princess. 
 
6.3 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 1858-1870. 
 
 M. LE COMTE DE PARIS travels in the East — visits Jerusalem and Syria 
 (i860) — Publication in England of the account of his travels — 
 The American Campaign (1861-1862) — The comte de Paris, and 
 the due de Chartres on the staff of Gen. MacClellan — Siege and 
 capture of Yorktown (4 April, 4 May) — Battle of Williamsberg 
 (May 5) — Battle of Fair-Oaks (May 31 — June i, 1862) — The seven 
 days' retreat to James River — Battle of Malvern Hill — Battle of 
 Gain's Mill (June 27) — The relations between the French and 
 American Governments become strained — Resignation of the comte 
 de Paris and the due de Chartres — Return to Europe (July 1862) — 
 A letter from the prince de Joinville on the last engagements in 
 which his nephews took place in America (Fort Monroe, July i, 
 1862) — The opinion of Gen. MacClellan on the princes during the 
 American War — The literary work of the comte de Paris during 
 his exile: "Damascus and Lebanon" (1861), published by Jeffs 
 in London ; Christmas week in Lancashire {Revue des deux 
 Mondes, Feb. i, 1863. Signed X. Raymond! ; Modern Germany 
 {Revue des deux Mondes, Aug. i, 1867) ; The State Church and 
 the Free Church in Ireland {Revue des deux Mondes, May 15th, 
 1868) — The comte de Paris studies the question of the working 
 classes at Manchester, and in several other English towns — His 
 book on English Trades' Unions (1869) — The two princes publish 
 the due d'Orldans's Campaigns in Africa — The spirit of conquest, 
 1B70 {Courier de la Gironde oi the 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 Dec. 1870) — 
 Marriage of the comte de Paris with princess Isabella de Mont- 
 pensier (May 30, 1864) — FStes on that occasion — Birth of H.R.H. 
 princes Amelie (Sept. 28, 1865) — Death of Queen Marie-Amdlie 
 (March 24, 1866) — Journey of the comte de Paris to Spain (1867) — 
 The prince takes up his residence at York House — Birth of H.R.H. 
 the due d'Orleans (Feb. 6, 1869) — Letter of the Orleans princes to 
 the President of the Chamber of Deputies (June 19, 1870) — The 
 petition of the princes is rejected — Letter from the comte de Paris 
 to the comte de Kdratres (July 4, 1870) — Letter from the comte de 
 Paris to general comte Dumas (Aug. 20, 1870) — The Orl&ns princes 
 during the war — Letter from the comte de Paris to general baron de 
 Chaband Latour (Jan. 17, 1871.) 
 
64 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 The education of M. le comte de Paris was continued, 
 sometimes in England, sometimes in Germany. He 
 travelled all over the latter country, and nothing 
 escaped his keen observation. He also visited with 
 excellent results the many small states of the Ger- 
 manic Confederation ; he then returned to England, 
 where for a whole year he devoted himself enthusiasti- 
 cally to the study of chemistry in Professor Hoffman's 
 laboratory at the School of Engineering in London. 
 After a very short time he became one of the best 
 pupils of this distinguished professor. He had thus 
 attained the age of twenty when he had the misfor- 
 tune to lose his mother, Mme. la duchesse d'Orleans 
 (May 18, 1848). He had at that time some thought 
 of following his brother to the Military School at 
 Turin, but, thinking that his position as head of the 
 House of Orleans might be a source of embarrass- 
 ment to King Victor-Emmanuel (who was about to 
 become the father-in-law of Prince Napoleon), and 
 might even interfere with his brother's military career, 
 he gave up the idea. This sacrifice seemed all the 
 harder to him later on, when, in the Italian War, his 
 brother had the joy of fighting side by side with the 
 French army. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris spent some months in Italy, 
 and the following year he travelled in the East with 
 his brother and some friends, visiting Greece, Con- 
 s,tantinople, Jerusalem, and Mount Sinai. The caravan 
 was composed of the two young princes, the marquis 
 de Beauvoir (father of the present marquis), comte 
 Louis de Sdgar, M. Roger de Scitivaux, Captain 
 Mortrain, and doctor Leclere. On Nov. the 27th, 
 
Tour in the East. 65 
 
 1859, they embarked at Trieste for Alexandria, where 
 the most magnificent, generous hospitality was shown 
 by Said Pacha to thegrandsons of King Louis- Philippe, 
 to whom the family of Mehemet Ali owes the throne. 
 
 When they were sailing over the waters of Greece, 
 the comte de Paris, fresh from his classical studies, 
 had been deeply impressed by the sight of the ruins, 
 the mountains, and the plains immortalized by Homer. 
 In his enthusiasm he wrote the following delightful 
 letter to his old tutor M. R6gnier : — 
 
 " Gulf of Patras, Nov. 30, 1859. 
 
 " I cannot, my dear Monsieur Rdgnier, pass the 
 kingdom of old Ulysses without writing to tell you 
 about it. You see that I am more than fulfilling my 
 promise, but you and I have so often followed in ima- 
 gination the hero of Homer through the archipelago 
 which I see now before my eyes, that it seems quite 
 a familiar country to me. If I were to meet the god- 
 dess with the blue eyes, she could not, at any rate, 
 reproach me as she did \\.&c prot4gi : — 
 
 N'JjTTtoff ew, o) f etv , r\ Ttj'koOev eiKrjXovdas, 
 Bt Srj Tiji'Se re yatav aveipeat' 
 
 "We are now in the Gulf of Patras, at the point where 
 the canal of Cephalonia joins the gulf ; a few hundred 
 yards to our left rise the steep cliffs of Ithaca ; a few 
 irregoilar ridges united by various isthmuses compose 
 the island, to which the name of alyi^oros is most 
 applicable. I think it would be impossible to find an 
 inch of level ground, and as Homer says, there could 
 not be an island less fitted for the breeding of horses. 
 
66 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 On all sides grey rocks covered with red patches, here 
 and there the grey green foliage of the olive tree ; no 
 forest, no grass — such is the rock immortalized by the 
 great poet. In spite of its dreary aspect we greeted 
 it with pleasure, for such grand associations can 
 brighten the dreariest shores. It might have been 
 here that the sleeping Ulysses was deposited by the 
 Phaeacians, there perhaps might have been the house 
 where he shed the blood of the suitors. And though 
 there may be nothing actually before our eyes to recall 
 the memories which fill our minds, there is, at any rate, 
 no contrast to wound our feelings or fetter our imagina- 
 tion ; though we may not actually see the shepherd 
 Eumeus leaning on his staff, we may, at all events, 
 hope to meet him. No modern civilization has 
 effaced the traces of primitive simplicity. It certainly 
 is no smiling landscape which meets us here, but its 
 character and its grand proportions are perfectly in 
 harmony with the noble scenes which it recalls. The 
 deep unruffled sea, with its many channels, surrounds 
 the islands, rocks and promontories, whose bold out- 
 lines and arid colouring contrast strikingly with the 
 deep blue of the water. Notwithstanding the pure 
 transparency of the atmosphere, the sky has that 
 luminous softness which inspired the genius of Greece. 
 The vast surface of water called the Gulf of Patras, is 
 shut in on the right by the fog-capped mountains of. 
 Cephalonia (otet ^o/jL^pos exei), which seem to melt in 
 the distance into the indistinct outline of the island of 
 Xante ; to the left is the continent of Greece, with the 
 wide breach formed by the Gulf of Corinth— and this 
 is the way to_ Athens ! In the distance we can just 
 
Tour in the East. 67 
 
 see the peaks of the Peloponnesus, which are separated 
 from the sea by a low, wide plain : this is Elis. Here 
 we fancy we can find the river Alpheus, and see the 
 Olympian games. 
 
 " But, to use a classical expression, the sun is sink- 
 ing into the arms of Tethys, and with him we must bid 
 farewell to the shores of Greece. What deep impres- 
 sions can be produced in a few hours — impressions 
 which will certainly not fade as quickly as the brilliant 
 panorama before us ! Another time I will tell you 
 about Egypt and as I shall post this letter at Alex- 
 andria, it will announce our safe arrival there. 
 
 " Ever yours, 
 
 " Louis- Philippe d'Orleans." 
 
 • After a stay of four months in Egypt, the travellers 
 went to Jerusalem to be present at the ceremonies of 
 Holy Week. From there they went to visit the ruins 
 of Djerash and Palmyra, the curious convent of Mount 
 Sinai and Mount Horeb (on whose heights Moses 
 received the Commandments, whilst the children of 
 Israel were encamped below). Then, after inspecting 
 the works of the Suez Canal, they returned to Europe 
 by way of Constantinople. One of the party, M. 
 Louis de Segur, published in the Revue des Deux 
 Mondes* an account of the journey to the ruins of 
 Djerash, Palmyra, and Mount Sinai. I refer the 
 reader to this accurate and most interesting account of 
 this part of the princes' journey. It cannot fail to be 
 
 * " Une Qaravane frangaise en Syrie au printemps de i860," by 
 comte Louis de S^gur. £evue des Deux Mondes, May ist and 
 October ist, 1861. 
 
 F 2 
 
68 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 noticed, as a proof of the wonderful liberty which was 
 allowed in free France in t86i, that the Revue des 
 Deux Mondes did not dare to give the full names of 
 either the comte de Paris or the due de Chartres, but 
 only hinted at their personality. M. de Sdgur 
 gives the following account of their visit to Mount 
 Sinai, the convent of which, built in the 6th century 
 by Justinian, derived a certain importance from the 
 citadel which the Emperor had added to it. 
 
 " On leaving the library, we found ourselves in the 
 midst of the pile of buildings which formed the 
 monasteries. We were astonished to see a mosque. 
 It was built in the time of Sdlim, and by this subter- 
 fuge the convent was saved from a Mussulman inva- 
 sion, for the wild hordes fell back at the sight of the 
 crescent. The building was allowed by the monks to 
 remain, in memory of this event ' God has always 
 specially protected this convent,' said the Fathers, 
 'notwithstanding the persecution and martyrdom of 
 7,000 cenobites. The treasures have never been 
 pillaged, nor the church and sanctuary of the burning 
 bush desecrated.' 
 
 " Now-a-days the monks have nothing to fear. A 
 revenue of 3,000,000 piastres in Roumelia, vast terri- 
 tories in Egypt, and gifts from the sovereigns of 
 the Greek Church, render them rich and powerful ; 
 and the whole peninsula belongs to them — at any rate 
 nominally. They have been in possession of this 
 territory since the time of Mahomet. The Prophet 
 had not yet succeeded in imposing his laws and tenets 
 on Arabia, when he came to the mountain of Moses 
 to do homage to the memory of the patriarch. The 
 
Tour in the East. 69 
 
 monks gave him a hospitable welcome, and on his 
 expressing his gratitude they said, ' If you become 
 powerful, what will you give us ? ' Mahomet 
 blackened his hand, and placing it on the skin of a 
 gazelle, exclaimed, ' I will give you all that you can 
 ask for on that skin.' The impress of his hand was 
 the only signature, and the monks wrote over it these 
 words : ' The peninsula of Sinai.' This singular title- 
 deed is at Constantinople ; hence this monastery, 
 alone amongst Christian convents, cherishes a grateful 
 recollection of the Prophet. There are eighty fathers, 
 and nearly seventy serving brothers in the monastery, 
 without counting 1,000 Mussulman serfs, who live Hke 
 the Arabs on the mountain. These serfs are of 
 Christian origin, descendants of the Egyptian and 
 Valaque families sent by the Emperor Justinian to 
 serve the monasteries." 
 
 . M. de S6gur describes how the monk who was 
 escorting them pointed out the rock which Moses 
 struck with his rod. " Look at those gaping holes in 
 the rock — that was where the water flowed out ; now 
 it flows no longer — our sins have dried it up." 
 
 "In order to understand the history of the penin- 
 sula of Sinai, one must compare the works of the 
 ancient and modern savants. The splendours of the 
 Exodus threw entirely into the background the events 
 of the periods before and after that episode in the 
 Bible. It seems, however, that before the arrival of 
 the Hebrews, Mount Sinai was held in veneration, 
 and was called the Mountain of God by the Amale- 
 kites. These frowning rocks were accredited with all 
 
70 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the honours of a divine presence ; no one ventured to 
 ascend them, and the historian Josephus tells us that 
 even the nomad inhabitants avoided pasturing their 
 flocks in the valleys overshadowed by the rocks." 
 
 M. le comte de Paris and M. le due de Chartres had 
 been much struck during their travels with the sym- 
 pathy which the name of France awakened throughout 
 Syria. The comte de Paris has given us the results 
 of his observations in a volume entitled " Damascus 
 and Lebanon," which was issued by Jeffs, in London, 
 in 1861.* 
 
 In his preface the author says that it was by mere 
 chance that he had gone to the East. Having no 
 other means of becoming acquainted with his own 
 country, to which he was entirely devoted, he went to 
 the far East in search of all that could remind him of 
 the former glory of France, and could make him 
 appreciate her present influence, and judge of the 
 foundation on which her future politics should be 
 based. Thanks to his name, and to the memories of 
 his family, he was received by the Christian popula- 
 tion in such a manner as to make him realize the full 
 extent of the sympathy felt for France, and the reliance 
 placed on her support. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris thus describes his journey : — 
 
 " The march of European civilization at Damascus 
 makes the weakness of the Mussulman institutions all 
 the more apparent. Curiously enough, this contrast 
 was strikingly exhibited to us in the persons of two 
 men who represent the spirit of the two systems now 
 
 * To be had in Paris at Santon's Library. 
 
Tour in the East. 71 
 
 face to face. One morning we visited the house of 
 the Lazarite, and the same evening we received a 
 visit from the Grand Ulema. 
 
 " There is a regular colony of Lazarites at 
 Damascus, and Father Leroy, who is the moving spirit, 
 did the honours to us with that simple, unaffected 
 self-satisfaction always felt by men of great energy 
 when they have achieved some difficult task. He has 
 devoted his entire life and all his faculties to the French 
 mission in Egypt and Syria, of which he is now the 
 head ; and master of all trades, he himself, like a true 
 French soldier, performed the many labours necessi- 
 tated by his enterprise in a country destitute of 
 resources. Some time ago a pasha refused to grant him 
 permission to build a church. Far from being dis- 
 couraged by this rebuff, he collected a number of 
 planks in his own house, had them prepared in secret, 
 and in the course of one night erected in his courtyard 
 the little wooden chapel which is still used by the com- 
 munity. He is now engaged in constructing a larger 
 and more solid church, of which he is the architect, 
 mason and sculptor, and the arch of the new doorway 
 already excites the admiration of the Damascenes, the 
 worst builders in the world. Persevering in small 
 matters as in great, he has finished by uniting all those 
 institutions which in the West are considered as most 
 beneficial to humanity, but of which the East is as 
 ignorant as of the most ordinary resources of Euro- 
 pean life. The priests of the mission at Damascus 
 keep a school, where they give to about 300 scholars 
 an excellent education, far superior to ordinary educa- 
 tion in the country, besides which they visit all the 
 
72 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Catholic villages, preaching and spreading the light of 
 the Gospel, and in fact doing everything to make up 
 for the ignorance of the native clergy. The sisters of 
 St. Vincent de Paul, who have established themselves 
 near them in order to take part in this grand work, 
 spend their time in the education of the girls and the 
 care of the sick, and it is needless to say what popu- 
 larity they have thus acquired in a few years. The dis- 
 pensary, where they assist the French sanitary autho- 
 rities, no longer suffices for the thousands of sick of 
 all classes who come to them to be cured, and their 
 schools contain about 200 pupils, whose quick intelli- 
 gence has been cultivated with all the care it deserves, 
 and which they delight in exhibiting to their admiring 
 fellow-countrymen. We had a proof of it in the little 
 French which they recited before us — a little scene to 
 which their brilliant costumes and their accent, still a 
 little oriental, gave a peculiar character. 
 
 " I took leave of Father Leroy, astonished at having 
 at last met with something in Syria that speaks of pro- 
 gress, full of admiration for the intellect and the tenacity 
 of purpose which could accomplish so much with such 
 limited resources, and deeply struck by the power of 
 civilization which can find men ready thus to devote 
 themselves to its cause. I was indeed proud to see 
 the French name so worthily borne, and happy to find 
 in the midst of the degraded institutions of the East 
 this flourishing colony of Sisters of Mercy, who are 
 living examples of one of the greatest benefits that 
 Christianity has conferred on humanity — the re-instate- 
 ment of woman in her rightful position. 
 
 " But a very different sight awaited us on our return 
 
Tour in the East. 'J2, 
 
 to camp. We had hardly got home before the arrival 
 of Abdallah El Halebi, the Grand Ulema, was an- 
 nounced. We could not understand how it was this 
 man, whose duty it is to explain the words of the Pro- 
 phet to the fanatical population of the Holy City, 
 should have come to pay a visit to infidels. In order 
 to solve the problem, we began by inviting Abdallah 
 to sit down in our tent. Like a true Oriental, his cos- 
 tume was an extraordinary mixture of splendour and 
 dirt. On his bare feet were a wretched pair of shoes, 
 yet he wore several robes embroidered in the most 
 brilliant colours. I can only liken his vast turban, 
 bound round his temples with a piece of gold brocade, 
 to a pumpkin in which he had buried his head up to 
 his ears. Each time that he pronounced the name of 
 Allah, he removed all this paraphernalia with both 
 hands, and disclosed a shaven and extremely pointed 
 head, worthy of a place at a phrenologist's. His con- 
 versation was interrupted by unintelligible prayers, 
 which gave him an inspired air in the eyes of devout 
 Mussulmans. 
 
 " An hour passes, conversation flags, and still the 
 holy man makes no sign of departing. 
 
 '"I am tiring you,' he said ; ' I was wrong to 
 come.' 
 
 " To which we replied with Oriental veracity that we 
 should be delighted to spend the whole day with him. 
 
 " ' I, poor servant of God that I am,' he went on, 
 ' never leave my house ; but it was suggested to me by 
 others that I should pay you a visit. Do you know 
 why they advised me to come ? ' 
 
 " And we, not understanding the drift of all this, 
 
74 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 answered that we had no notion why he came, but that 
 the pleasure of seeing him was enough in itself. 
 
 " ' But what shall I say to those who advised me to 
 come ? The sons of the King gave me lemonade, a 
 pipe, and coffee, but what shall I have to show as a proof 
 of your good will ? What shall I take back from this 
 visit ? Once I paid a visit to an English lord, and he 
 gave me this beautiful robe. Oh ! he was a good, a 
 noble lord ! ' 
 
 " We have got it at last, and everything is explained. 
 Knowing that we wanted to see the grand mosque, he 
 had thought it prudent to come beforehand to secure 
 the backsheesh which he hoped to get out of this 
 visit. It is needless to say that we sent him away 
 satisfied. . . " 
 
 On arriving at Tripoli, M. le comte de Paris and the 
 due de Chartres heard of the wars and fearful massacres 
 which were desolating Syria. While the princes had 
 been travelling in the desert, only hearing of the ancient 
 feud between the Bedouins of the Euphrates and those 
 of the Orontes, civil war had broken out in all parts. 
 However, they managed to reach Beyrout by land, 
 crossing that part of the mountains of Lebanon in- 
 habited by the Maronites. The prince gives in his 
 book a most interesting description of the life, manners 
 and customs of the Maronites, and points out the rSle 
 that this people, whose sympathies are all with Europe, 
 especially with France, may one day have to play. 
 The comte de Paris also reviews the instances of the 
 unjustifiable apathy of the Turkish authorities, and of 
 their frequent connivance with the Druses at the time 
 
Departure of the Princes for America. 75 
 
 of the massacres of the Christians in Syria. He 
 finishes by calling attention to the great task devolving 
 on Europe, and especially on France, of securing peace 
 and safety to Syria. 
 
 We cannot sufficiently recommend those of our 
 readers who desire to have an insight into the state of 
 Syria at the time of the massacres of i860, to study 
 the pages of this book, so full of life and spirit, written 
 by a young prince of twenty- two. He shows himself 
 eager to see all, to know all, and he does not conceal 
 his joy at the sympathy of foreign countries with 
 France. On their return to Europe, the princes parted 
 company at Vienna with all the friends who had ac- 
 companied them on their long and interesting expedi- 
 tion, which had lasted ten months, and had not been 
 without its anxieties. At the ruins of Palmyra, it was 
 only the devoted care and zeal of Dr. Leclere that had 
 saved the life of the comte de Paris, when he was in 
 great danger in the midst of the desert without help 
 and without drugs. 
 
 " Alas ! " says M. de S^gur, " those pleasant days of 
 travel were succeeded by days of exile for the young 
 princes, by fresh persecutions for their friends in 
 France." 
 
 After their travels in the East, the young princes went 
 to America with their uncle, the prince de Joinville, 
 embarking for New York on the 30th of August, 186 1. 
 
 The United States were at that time in the midst of 
 all the miseries of civil war. A terrible struggle had 
 broken out in America after the election of Abra- 
 ham Lincoln to the presidency of the United States 
 (November 9th, i860). 
 
76 Le Comte de Pans. 
 
 A certain number of the Southern States demanded 
 to retire from the Union. On the refusal of the presi- 
 dent and legislature at Washington to let them carry 
 out their secession, and on the majority having decided 
 in favour of the abolition of slaveryj the Southern States 
 attacked Fort Sumner. Lincoln replied to this declara- 
 tion of war by calling out first 75,000 of the militia, by 
 blockading the ports of North Carolina and Virginia 
 (April 27th, 1 861), and by calling out (May 9th) 
 another force of 42,000 volunteers, 22,000 regulars, 
 and 1 8,000 marines. But it was soon obvious that these 
 troops would be quite unequal to the task of defeating 
 the rebels, and on July the 5th, 1861, Lincoln, in a 
 message to the Congress of Washington, then assem- 
 bled for a special session, made a demand for an army 
 of 400,000 men. On the loth of the same month, the 
 Congress voted the organization of an army of 500,000 
 men, and the raising of a loan of 500 millions of dollars 
 to carry on the war against the separatist States. 
 
 The command of the Unionist troops collected round 
 the Federal capital was entrusted toGeneral MacClellan, 
 whose force was known by the name of the army of 
 the Potomac. The war began with a series of reverses 
 for the Federals, and on August the i6th. President 
 Lincoln published a proclamation, in which he declared 
 the inhabitants of Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia 
 (with the exception of the part lying to the west of the 
 AUeghanies), North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, 
 Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Florida 
 to be in a state of insurrection against the United 
 States. He interdicted all commercial relations be- 
 tween them, and ordered the confiscation of all goods 
 
The American War. 'jj 
 
 and merchandise passing from one of these States into 
 any part of the Union. It was just at this critical 
 moment that the young princes placed their swords at 
 the service of the United States. 
 
 The comte de Paris and the due de Chartres had 
 only intended staying a few months in America, but 
 filled as they were with courage and ardour, they burned 
 with impatience to take part in this war. To the comte 
 de Paris, the prospect was especially attractive, for it 
 had been a source of keen regret to him that he had 
 been unable to take part with his brother in the Italian 
 campaign. He "found in America an opportunity of 
 learning the profession of arms, and at the same time 
 it was a great joy to the brothers to be able to serve 
 together in the Federal army. 
 
 " Their one desire," says a biographer, " was never 
 to lose an opportunity of being under fire, and their 
 presence being a mark of sympathy with the great 
 American Republic, they could not be otherwise than 
 well received by President Lincoln and by the Secre- 
 tary of State, Mr. Seward. Their entrance into the 
 army was made easy by Mr. Seward, who took care to 
 tell them that no oath would be demanded of them, 
 and that they would be at liberty to return to Europe 
 whenever they wished. This was most important, for 
 political complications might at any moment bring 
 about a situation in which the interests of the American 
 Republic would be, or would appear to be, inimical to 
 those of France, and in this case the two princes would 
 not be able to serve under the Federal flag. 
 
 On the 28th of September, 1861, they both entered 
 the Federal army as captains on the staff and aides-de- 
 
78 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 camp to General MacClellan, commander-in-chief of the 
 army of the Potomac. When on November the ist, this 
 general succeeded General Scott as commander-in-chief 
 of the army of the United States, they remained with 
 him while he was engaged in organizing his forces 
 and in training and drilling his troops by frequent 
 manoeuvres. The princes thus studied the great art 
 of war under a general who had the reputation of being 
 one of the most able commanders in America. 
 
 The first operations of the new generalissimo did 
 not begin till April, 1862, when the army of the Poto- 
 mac disembarked at Fort Monroe, in the peninsula of 
 Virginia, with the ultimate intention of attacking the 
 enemy's capital, Richmond. York Town, celebrated 
 by the capitulation of Cornwallis, was the first place to 
 be attacked, and the trenches were opened on the 4th 
 of April. Communication between the place and the 
 interior was kept up by means of entrenchments raised 
 on the peninsula which separated it from the mainland ; 
 the investment could not be made complete unless these 
 works were taken, and hitherto they had resisted all 
 the efforts of the enemy. They had to confine them- 
 selves to a regular attack on one of the fronts, and the 
 siege, in which the comte de Paris took an active part, 
 lasted a month.* On the 4th of May, the garrison 
 evacuated the place and rejoined the confederate army, 
 which, on the 6th, was attacked, defeated near Williams- 
 burg after a desperate battle, and pursued hotly by the 
 cavalry of General Stoneman, to which the prince had 
 been attached. General MacClellan entered Williams- 
 
 * See Appendix IV.: Letter from the comte de Paris on the sub- 
 ject of the artillery at the Siege of York Town (1862). 
 
The American War. 79 
 
 burg the same day, and arrived a fortnight later before 
 Richmond. 
 
 The comte de Paris and the due de Chartres had 
 taken part in the sanguinary battles of Fair Oaks on 
 May 31st and June ist, and in all the principal opera- 
 tions which, during the latter month, signahzed the cam- 
 paign against Richmond, especially in the great battle 
 of Gain's Mill on the 27th of June, when MacClellan's 
 right wing was destroyed by General Lee after a 
 desperate struggle and severe losses. 
 
 During this battle, the regiment to which the comte 
 de Paris was attached was being decimated by the grape 
 shot which poured in on all sides ; the soldiers of the 
 North wavered and began a retreat, which after a few 
 minutes turned into a rout. With a calmness and 
 courage worthy of his race, the comte de Paris rallied 
 his men, exhorted them to stand firm, and so encour- 
 aged them that he eventually brought them under fire 
 again. This firmness and manly courage in the pre- 
 sence of danger made a. deep impression on the staff of 
 General MacClellan, who had been anxiously watching 
 each incident in the struggle. 
 
 A little later on, in one of the smaller fights, which 
 were not even mentioned in the papers, the comte de 
 Paris and his brother were obliged to throw themselves 
 into the milde with drawn swords, and the regiments, 
 in the midst of which they were fighting, were able by 
 vigorous charges to maintain their position. The in- 
 vestment of Richmond was not yet completed on the 
 right, when, on June the j 5th, the Confederates, having 
 concentrated all their forces under General Lee, deter- 
 mined on a flank attack, in order to surround the Federal 
 
8o Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 troops. To avoid this danger, General MacClellan re- 
 treated to James River, a retreat only to be effected 
 by a long flank march in face of an enemy rendered 
 all the stronger by the advantageous position they had 
 taken* up. This is what is known in the history of this 
 war as " the seven days of Richmond," the splendid 
 masterly retreat having begun June the 25th and ter- 
 minated July the I St by the battle of Malvern Hill, 
 after which the Unionists under MacClellan took up 
 their position at Harrison's Landing on the James 
 River. During the whole of this campaign, and es- 
 pecially during the retreat from Chickahominy to James 
 River, the two young princes made themselves con- 
 spicuous by their courage and by their intelligent grasp 
 of military matters. This is particularly mentioned in 
 a letter to the Times (July 22nd, 1862), written from 
 New York, and repeated in the Inddpendance Beige 
 (July 24th, 1862) : 
 
 " Galloping across the Albemarle Bridge over the 
 Chickahominy," says the correspondent of the English 
 newspaper, " I gained the summit of the hills in front. 
 Beneath me in the valley I could see the line of battle, 
 35,000 strong, and stretching a mile and a half in length. 
 It was easy for me to make out all the movements of 
 this army corps, and to distinguish the officers who 
 were personally known to me, amongst others the 
 young comte de Paris and the due de Chartres, the 
 former being easily recognised by his peculiar head- 
 gear, made like that which his ancestor, Henry IV., 
 used to wear. During the entire action the young 
 princes gave proofs of a wonderful courage, which was 
 not subsequently belied by the superhuman efforts that 
 
The American War. 8i 
 
 they made to stem the disorder of the retreat. The 
 comte de Paris was attached to the staff of General 
 Porter. For more than four hours he remained ex- 
 posed to a murderous fire, and it is a perfect miracle 
 that he was not hit. The due de Chartres had marched 
 to the front with a division sent by MacClellan in the 
 afternoon as a reinforcement, and had taken an active 
 part in the engagement. The firmness displayed by 
 the young princes at the most critical moment of the 
 battle, when the retreat threatened to become a rout, 
 excited the admiration of the entire army, and called 
 forth the public congratulations of the commander-in- 
 chief It is fortunate that their return to Europe, ren- 
 dered necessary by private affairs, did not take place 
 before this battle, for in the hour of great danger they 
 were able to render an immense service to the cause 
 which they had embraced." 
 
 The private reasons mentioned by the Times cor- 
 respondent were of great importance in the eyes of 
 the two princes. Since April, 1862, the relations be- 
 tween the Government at Washington and the French 
 Government had become very strained, owing to the 
 determination of the latter to undertake that fatal ex- 
 pedition to Mexico, where French blood and money 
 were to be so recklessly squandered. This expedition 
 was regarded unfavourably by the United States 
 Government, and a rupture seemed imminent between 
 the two countries. The position of the two princes 
 would have been too equivocal, and their natural feel- 
 ings would have been outraged by remaining in the 
 Federal army ; thus the comte de Paris, who always 
 declared that the happiest days of his exile were those 
 
 G 
 
82 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 spent as captain on the staff of General MacCIellan's 
 army, found himself obliged to quit the service of the 
 United States with his brother (July the 2nd, 1862). 
 Their resignation was accepted with great regret by 
 the general commanding-in-chief, and by President 
 Lincoln, and, on embarking for Europe, they left 
 behind them a reputation for military ability and 
 courage, which the historians of the war are never 
 tired of extolling. 
 
 After the Northern Army had received these checks, 
 no one in France doubted the final triumph of the 
 Southern States ; but the comte de Paris held a very 
 different opinion. With all the keenness of his great 
 political insight, he believed entirely in the ultimate 
 success of the North over the South. We have 
 before our eyes several letters written by the prince 
 at this period, all of which express this opinion, and 
 show how clearly he had grasped the situation in the 
 United States. We are sure that our readers will 
 peruse with interest the following letter written by the 
 prince de Joinville (who accompanied his nephews 
 throughout the American War) to his brother the due 
 d'Aumale, describing the last battles in which the 
 princes had taken part. 
 
 "Fort Monroe, July ist, 1862. 
 " The events of yesterday will always remain en- 
 graven on my memory, both on account of the affect- 
 ing scenes which I witnessed, and the dangers which 
 our nephews escaped only by miracle. Paris was ex- 
 posed for four, and Robert for two hours, to a ceaseless 
 and terrible fire of musketry and artillery. I need not 
 
The American War. 83 
 
 say that their conduct was beyond praise ; they were 
 among the most active and courageous, and, at the 
 crisis of the battle, their firmness won the admiration 
 of all, and they received the public thanks of the 
 general. This is what happened. We knew that 
 Porter's troops, stationed on the left bank of the 
 Chickahominey, had been attacked that morning. The 
 action began at about 1 o'clock. Paris was sent off at 
 once, and remained under General Porter's orders. 
 The affair becoming hotter and hotter, and the bal- 
 loonists reporting that strong reinforcements were 
 advancing from Richmond, while the right bank re- 
 mained comparatively quiet, the general gave orders 
 for five brigades to reinforce Porter ; Robert was sent 
 with them, and as our two nephews were evidently in 
 for it, I went off as well, to try and see what became 
 of them. I galloped over the Chickahominey bridge, 
 and up the opposite hills, and made out our troops 
 drawn up in line of battle, extending for a mile-and- 
 a-half, in an undulating country composed of big fields 
 and woods. From there I crossed a battery — rather 
 hot work ! — and rejoined my nephews, who were in 
 front with General Porter. Neither he nor they 
 seemed to notice that the balls were falling like hail 
 all around them. After one moment's talk my nephews 
 were sent to carry orders in every direction ; we 
 separated, and I took up my position on a hill in the 
 rear where I could get a pretty general view of the 
 battlefield, and could follow the movements of my 
 nephews, Paris being made especially conspicuous by 
 his peculiar head gear. There I stayed, admiring this 
 grand sight. We had about 35,000 men under fire, 
 
 G 2 
 
84 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 our strong artillery was stationed in the valley, whilst 
 our lancers, with fluttering pennons, were held in 
 reserve. Imagine all this in the midst of a lovely 
 country bathed in the last rays of the blood-red, 
 setting sun. 
 
 " Suddenly, at the very spot where Porter stands, the 
 firing becomes tremendous, our reserves are cheered 
 on, and one after another they enter the wood. The 
 firing increases, and spreads to our left ; there can be 
 no doubt that the enemy is making a final attack in 
 that quarter. Our reserves are all engaged ; we have 
 no others in hand ; daylight is fast fading ; if we can 
 only hold on for an hour longer the victory will be 
 ours, for, in every other direction, we have repulsed 
 the enemy, and the efforts of Jackson, Lee, Witt, and 
 Longstreet, whose troops we are now engaging, will 
 be useless ; but our men are exhausted ; they have 
 been fighting since morning, and their cartridges are 
 beginning to fail. The enemy brings up fresh reserves 
 Tvhich have been massed since midday ; these troops 
 throw themselves in good order on our left, which 
 wavers, takes to flight, and running past our artillery 
 •communicates the panic to our centre. The enemy 
 advances rapidly. The various staffs, with our 
 nephews at the head, throw themselves with drawn 
 swords into the mUde to stop the fugitives. They 
 seize the colours, plant them in the ground, and some 
 small groups of the more courageous rally round them. 
 So hot is the firing and cannonading that the showers 
 of projectiles which tear up the ground raise continual 
 clouds of dust. At this moment General Cook makes 
 a desperate charge with his cavalry, but is driven back, 
 
The American War. 85 
 
 and his retreating troopers only add to the general dis- 
 order. I, together with a few others who have some 
 pluck left, endeavour to stop the panic, but in vain ! 
 I then joined some officers who were endeavouring to 
 prevent the artillery joining in the flight, and we only 
 succeeded in stopping them by actually barring their 
 passage, and seizing the horses' bridles. We mounted 
 two or three guns on the slope of the hill, and with 
 them we engaged the enemy by the last rays of day- 
 light. At this moment the Irish brigade arrived from 
 Magher, and threw themselves with savage yells into 
 the battle, and the enemy halted. I was now joined 
 by my nephews who, acting simply on the impulse of 
 the moment, and as men of sense and intelligence, had 
 done their utmost to avert the disaster, and had for- 
 tunately escaped without injury. We shook hands 
 cordially, each of us had adventures to relate ; Robert, 
 on his return from carrying an order, had mistaken 
 one of the enemy's regiments for our own men, 
 and had only been undeceived by finding himself a 
 mark for their artillery. Paris was directing the fire 
 of a battery up to the last moment. Our losses are 
 considerable ; Sykes has lost nearly half his brigade, 
 but from midday till six o'clock it seemed as though 
 the enemy must be annihilated ; all their efforts failed, 
 and the only advantage they obtained was the capture 
 of half a mile of ground (which we lost by the deplor- 
 able panic), and of our guns and wounded. A couple 
 of regiments, or a fresh brigade arriving just at the 
 critical moment, would have changed it all into a 
 brilliant victory for us, but it is one of the chances of 
 war ! 
 
86 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 "I am at any rate glad that our departure was put 
 off", so that we were not obHged to leave the army at 
 such an important moment, and also that our nephews 
 distinguished themselves as they did. 
 
 "After the battle of the 27th of June, it was 
 evident that the concentration of the Confederate 
 forces would oblige us to retreat. It was decided to 
 cross the White Oak Swamp, and halt behind it until 
 the baggage should have defiled on James River, where 
 a new base of operations could be formed, protected 
 by our guns. Five or six thousand vehicles were 
 employed on the one road between York River and 
 James River. On the morning of the 29th we quitted 
 New Savage Station in a thick fog, and, encumbered 
 with an enormous number of wounded, we arrived at 
 the White Oak Swamp — a sort of wooded bog ; but 
 hardly had the head of the column gone past, when we 
 heard the sound of firing in front. We galloped for- 
 ward, and I met K , who told me that we had dis- 
 persed the enemy's cavalry, which was harassing our 
 march. Soon we heard sharp cannonading in our 
 rear. It was the enemy attacking Sumner, who had 
 not quitted his position. We camped out that night, 
 and at daybreak I was told that all our waggons and 
 troops had crossed the White Oak Swamp. The next 
 day, in overpowering heat, we marched towards James 
 River. The General-in-Chief conferred with the 
 Commandant of the artillery, who then galloped off 
 with my nephews. The enemy's cannon was soon 
 heard attacking Smith, who was holding the swamp, 
 and another attack was made on the centre of our line. 
 These attacks, nearly succeeded in routing the convoys, 
 
The American War. 87 
 
 and the general returned with us to the gunners, to 
 consult with Captain Rogers. We embarked on board 
 the Galena, and having heard that a large body of the 
 enemy was marching on the position occupied by 
 Porter, we re-ascended the river, in order to bring the 
 weight of our bullets to bear upon the enemy, and 
 we opened a tremendous fire. The lieutenant was 
 up aloft with an officer of the signalling corps, who 
 telegraphed to Porter's signals, placed on the top of a 
 house, to direct our fire. In spite of my long boots 
 and spurs, I climbed up to join them ; but in the 
 excitement of the engagement the steering was for- 
 gotten, and the Galena ran aground — a most disagree- 
 able position, for no sooner was the enemy aware of it 
 than the whole neighbourhood was filled with their 
 marksmen. At last we got off, and as Porter's fire 
 diminished, we concluded that the attack had been 
 repulsed, and there was a general fraternising of blue 
 jackets, in which I took part. The general returned 
 to his quarters. We bade farewell to him, and took 
 passage on board the gunboat Jacob Bell, which was 
 carrying despatches to Fort Monroe. 
 
 "Fr. d'Orleans." 
 
 All the European papers were full of the brilliant 
 conduct of the Orleans princes during the American 
 campaign ; but the Imperial Government sternly 
 stopped on the frontier all those which made the 
 slightest allusion to the exiles. One of the English 
 papers had criticised the departure of the princes from 
 America, and the Bonapartist organs hastened to 
 reprint the article. The Inddpendance Beige had pub- 
 
88 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Hshed the interesting letter, which we have just 
 quoted, from the prince de Joinville to his brother 
 the due d'Aumale. Not only was this paper stopped 
 on the frontier, but the Imperial Government prose- 
 cuted M. Viallet, a printer, and condemned him to 
 pay a fine of 200 francs for having prepared, without 
 the authority or knowledge of the Minister of the 
 Interior, 100 copies of this letter, which M. Bocher, 
 the representative of the Orleans princes, had in- 
 tended presenting to the friends of the royal family. 
 
 But that was not all. After forbidding the exiles or 
 their friends to say one word in their defence, they 
 insinuated, in various papers in their pay, that the 
 princes had deserted the cause of the United States 
 on the very day that it had ceased to be victorious. 
 These papers, and the minds which inspired them, 
 ought at any rate to have had sufficient fairness to 
 speak the truth in talking of exiles on whom silence 
 was imposed ; for what paper was there in Paris which 
 would have dared to insert a letter from one of the 
 Orleans princes ? 
 
 The princes had bidden farewell to General 
 MacClellan ; they were to have taken their departure 
 on the 24th of June. Their preparations were all 
 complete, when, having heard that a battle was immin- 
 ent, they remained, and took part in all the opera- 
 tions of the Federal army until the end of the struggle, 
 in a manner which won for them the public congratu- 
 lations of their commander. All the American Press 
 — including the New York Tribune, one of the most 
 important papers in the United States, in describing 
 the last struggles in which the two brothers took part, 
 
The French Press. 89 
 
 rendered the highest tribute of praise to their courage 
 and boldness, and to the important service which they 
 had rendered by rallying and re-forming the battalions 
 of the Federals when they were wavering, over- 
 whelmed by the steadily increasing numbers of their 
 opponents. 
 
 The rigorous silence imposed on the French Press 
 on the subject of the Orleans princes shows to what 
 an extent the Bonapartist Government dreaded the 
 memory of such popular names. 
 
 We find in the third volume of a very successful 
 work, "A Journey Round the World," by the comtede 
 Beauvoir, the proof of the pleasant impressions which 
 the princes left in the memory of their comrades-in- 
 arms. 
 
 M. de Beauvoir writes as follows : — 
 
 " General MacDowell, who commanded the whole 
 of the Pacific coast, came to pay a visit to the due de 
 Penthievre. He was an old fellow-soldier of the comte 
 de Paris and the due de Chartres, and we were quite 
 touched by his devotion to the princes, and by his 
 recollection of the various battles. 'Ah,' said he, 
 ' your father and your cousins are so much beloved by 
 all Americans, that we felt compelled to come and tell 
 you of our gratitude and devotion to your family. 
 Americans may not be able to express themselves, but 
 their heart is in the right place, and there is not one 
 who could ever forget all that your relations have done 
 for us. When we were despised in Europe ; when 
 they said that we were going to the devil ; when every 
 nation covered us with abuse, the princes of a royal 
 
90 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 race came to us democrats, ready to shed their blood 
 in our cause, and fought for Hberty as simple captains 
 in the ranks. Pray tell them that we shall be eternally 
 grateful to them, for during eleven months we saw 
 them the first to advance under fire, indefatigable — I 
 might even say greedy — in performing all the drudgery 
 of military life ; the best of comrades and the bravest 
 of men.'" * 
 
 The reader will no doubt be interested to see the 
 way in which General MacClellan, commander-in-chief 
 of the army, appreciated the work of the young princes 
 during the war. Early in 1884, he published in an 
 American magazine, the Century, a long article. He 
 was, as is well known, one of the most distinguished of 
 the many able generals who were brought to light by 
 the war. We regret that we are not able to give in 
 its entirety the judgment pronounced by this eminent 
 military authority on the princes, who are themselves 
 as able as they are courageous. We must content our- 
 selves with those parts of the article in which General 
 MacClellan gives a portrait of the prince, and must 
 leave out those parts of the comte de Paris' life which 
 are already known to the French public. After an 
 account of the events which had taken the Orleans 
 princes to England, the general expresses his apprecia- 
 tion of the education which the comte de Paris had 
 received at Claremont in the following terms : — 
 
 * For the details of the princes' American campaign, see the 
 curious and interesting article published in the Eevue des Deux 
 Mondes, Oct. 15, 1862, entitled, "Carapagne du Potomac," by the 
 Prince de Joinville (Signed Trognon). 
 
Extract from Article by Genl. MacClellan. 91 
 
 "It would be impossible to imagine a more delightful 
 picture of family life than that of the royal family at 
 Claremont during the latter years of Queen Amdlie. 
 Her children were gathered round her, and devoted 
 though they were to travelling, they always returned to 
 her side. Banished from their dearly loved country, 
 they seemed to find some compensation in the tender 
 care and affection which they lavished on this distin- 
 guished woman, who, while preserving all her queenly 
 dignity, never failed to impress on those around her a 
 sense of her affectionate nature and of her worthiness 
 to be loved. Under the direction of their mother and 
 their uncles, assisted by extremely able professors, the 
 two children of the duchesse d'Orleans passed their 
 childhood at Claremont, receiving physically and in- 
 tellectually an excellent, sound education ; the position 
 that their family had occupied, and the possibility of 
 their return to France, with all the responsibility of 
 power, never being lost sight of The difference in 
 the characters of the two brothers manifested itself at 
 an early age ; the elder, calm, reflective, self-possessed ; 
 the younger, impetuous and full of fire ; the one de- 
 veloping by degrees the qualities of a politician and 
 ruler, the other those of a soldier ; both full of capa- 
 bilities, each in a different way. Those who saw them 
 on the battle-field noticed the same difference in their 
 characters. One of their comrades during our war de- 
 scribed the comte de Paris as a gentleman in the true 
 sense of the word, imbued with a deep sense of duty, 
 one to whom the motto ' Noblesse oblige ' has a real 
 meaning and is not only an empty phrase. 
 
 "At the battle of Gain's Mill, where I saw him under 
 
92 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 fire, he showed that he was thorough master of himself, 
 and exhibited a simple, natural courage, which made, I 
 recollect, a strong impression on me. His behaviour 
 in the moment of danger was that of an earnest, cour- 
 ageous, religious man. The young due de Chartres 
 was at that time a bold, dashing soldier, running into 
 danger from sheer love of danger, and never so happy 
 as when under fire. 
 
 "In the month of August, 1861, the two brothers 
 accompanied by the prince de Joinville, left for New 
 York. They arrived at Washington towards the end 
 of September, and the young princes received from the 
 president authority to enter the army as aides-de-camp 
 without taking the oath of fidelity or receiving any pay. 
 It was also understood that they should be permitted 
 to quit the service, if political or family events should 
 render it necessary. They figured in the army lists as 
 Louis Philippe d'Orl6ans and Robert d'Orl^ans, super- 
 numerary aides-de-camp in the regular army, with the 
 rank of captains, and they were attached to the staff of 
 the major-general commanding the army of the Poto- 
 mac. The prince de Joinville accepted no rank, and 
 only accompanied the staff at the invitation of the 
 general commanding-in-chief as a friend and amateur. 
 
 " The situation of the young princes was necessarily 
 surrounded with difficulties. In their position as 
 princes, liable at any moment to be called on to take 
 their place in the government of a great nation, and yet 
 serving in the army of a republic whose cause was not 
 regarded with favourable eyes by the government 
 directing their own country, they had many contradic- 
 tions to reconcile, many obstacles to surmount. Re- 
 
Extract from Article by Genl. MacClellan. 93 
 
 lated as they were to so many royal families in Europe 
 by whom they were always received as personages of 
 royal rank, the elder looked on by many in France as 
 the legal heir to the throne, they could never lose sight 
 of the dignity of their position ; while at the same time 
 they were obliged to fulfil the duties of their subordi- 
 nate rank and gain the confidence and friendship of 
 their new comrades, who would naturally judge them 
 according to their personal qualities and capacities, and 
 not according to the social position which they occu- 
 pied on the other side of the Atlantic. They acquitted 
 themselves of their task with perfect success, for they 
 won the entire confidence, respect and consideration of 
 their general and all their comrades. From the day 
 they entered the service they had to perform exactly 
 the same duties as the rest of the personal staff of the 
 general. They yielded to none in the zeal, tact, cour- 
 age and intelligence which they brought to bear on 
 their duty, whether it were monotonous office work, or 
 intelligent analysis of reports relating to the number 
 and position of the enemy, or the work of organizing 
 the army of the Potomac ; whether they had to follow 
 their general in long and wearisome rides through the 
 extensive camps round Washington, or from one column 
 to another in the open country ; whether they had to 
 carry orders by day or night, in storm or rain, or finally, 
 whether they had to take their place in important 
 battles. Far from showing any wish to avoid tiresome, 
 dangerous, or fatiguing duties, they seemed to be eager 
 for them, and were never so happy as when work of 
 this sort was entrusted to them, always exhibiting the 
 grand qualities inherited from a race of soldiers. 
 
94 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 " They seemed to have an innate love of a soldier's 
 life, and an overpowering wish to perfect themselves 
 in the profession of arms by making practical acquaint- 
 ance with war on a large scale, and by an absolute 
 devotion to the service. Besides this they were with 
 us, heart and soul, in the hour of our greatest need, 
 and I think that after their own country there was 
 none they loved so much as ours, in whose cause 
 they had so often and so generously exposed their 
 lives on the battlefield. 
 
 " Soon after the beginning of our Peninsular War, the 
 princes were urged by their friends in France to re- 
 turn at once to England, partly that they might receive 
 the numerous friends of their party who were going 
 over to see the Exhibition of 1862, and partly be- 
 cause the Mexican expedition had very much strained 
 the relations between our country and France. How- 
 ever, they were determined to stay with the army 
 until the end of the ' seven days,' and only decided 
 to leave when they were convinced that further 
 operations against Richmond were improbable. In a 
 letter, enclosing his resignation, the comte de Paris 
 wrote : — 
 
 " ' I have the honour of sending you, herewith, my 
 resignation, drawn up in the manner indicated by 
 you. You know the imperative motives which neces- 
 sitate the return of my brother and myself to Europe. 
 It is with the deepest regret that we bid farewell to 
 the army whose fate we have shared for so long, and 
 in whose ranks we have found so cordial a welcome ; 
 we are happy to have been able to postpone our de- 
 
Extract from Article by Genl. MacClellan. 95 
 
 parture so as to have taken part with you in the great 
 events of the last few days.' 
 
 " The time which elapsed between their return to 
 Europe and the beginning of the war between France 
 and Germany was spent by the young princes in 
 literary work, and in travelling. Soon after the con- 
 clusion of our civil war the comte de Paris undertook 
 the difficult task of writing a detailed history of this 
 remarkable struggle. He brought to this work an 
 amount of literary talent, impartiality, sound judg- 
 ment, and patient labour, which, in the opinion of 
 many competent judges, placed him in the first rank 
 of the historians of our Civil War. 
 
 " He spared neither trouble nor expense in collecting 
 the necessary information. The arrangement of his 
 materials, the opinions expressed, the actual composi- 
 tion are entirely his own in the strictest sense of the 
 word, not the work of another to which he has put 
 his name. The first volume was published in 1874, 
 the sixth, which appeared this year, takes in Gettys- 
 burg and Mine Run. While preparing this important 
 book he was also engaged on other literary work of 
 an entirely different character. On his return from 
 America he found the cotton famine at its height, and 
 he went to Manchester to study carefully the vast 
 system organized there for the help of the suffering 
 population of Lancashire. In order to give the infor- 
 mation necessary for establishing the same system in 
 France, he wrote an article called ' Christmas week 
 in Lancashire,' which appeared in the Revue des Detix 
 Mondes (February i, 1863), signed Eugene Forcade, 
 
96 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the Imperial Government allowing no article" to be 
 published in France under the real name of one of the 
 Orldans princes. 
 
 " His interest having been excited by this preliminary 
 study of the state of the labouring classes, he pursued 
 the subject with great ardour, and in 1869 published 
 an extensive work on ' Trades Unions in England.' 
 
 " This book was a great success, and is remarkable 
 for the quantity and accuracy of the information which 
 it contains, for the justice of his conclusions, his im- 
 partiality, and the liberality and nobility of his senti- 
 ments. The last chapter on the future of the Trades' 
 Unions, and on political liberty is, in reality, a rdsum4 
 of the ideas of the writer on one of the most important 
 functions of government. He advocates a very ex- 
 tended political liberty, entire freedom of the Press, 
 the absolute right of forming associations, and of meet- 
 ing to discuss openly all political, social and economic 
 questions, considering this the best and only means of 
 preventing those explosions of popular violence which, 
 increased -by repression, and by the natural tendency 
 to take refuge in secret societies, have frequently pro- 
 duced such disastrous results in Europe. He believes 
 that it is only by freedom of discussion that extremes 
 of opinion can be rectified, and real, solid results 
 obtained. This chapter, and in fact the entire book 
 will amply repay the time spent on its study by those 
 who are interested in the great question of the present 
 and future, and the relation between capital and 
 labour. He strongly upholds the system of a share in 
 the profits, which he considers should be applied 
 wherever circumstances render it possible." 
 
Literary Work of the Comte de Paris. 97 
 
 General MacClellan then enumerates the works of 
 the comte de Paris pubHshed in the Revue des Deux 
 Mondes, all of which publications give a high idea of 
 the literary talent of the prince, and of the power of 
 his mind.* 
 
 On his return to Europe, M. le comte de Paris, by 
 way of relaxation from the fatigues and duties of a 
 soldier's life, gave himself up entirely to serious mental 
 labour, for which he had been well prepared by the hard 
 study of his youth. He published several important 
 works on different subjects, which testify not only to 
 a diversity of knowledge seldom met with even in 
 men of a ripe age, but also to the true philanthropy of 
 the writer and thinker. The titles of his works (which, 
 as we have said, were obliged to appear in imperial 
 France under names other than his own) will suffice 
 to show the versatility of a mind strengthened by an 
 education as thorough as it was varied. Some of these 
 works on history, philosophy, and politics produced a 
 marked sensation in France at the time of their pub- 
 lication ; and, notwithstanding the pseudonym which 
 had been adopted by the prince, and frequently 
 changed, the real name of the author was known to 
 society, and even to the papers. 
 
 It was at the end of 1862 that the prince (who had 
 
 only returned in the month of July from the great 
 
 American War in which he had fought so bravely, and 
 
 which had resulted in the liberation of 4,000,000 of 
 
 * The United Service Magazine, of New York, having begged the 
 comte de Paris to contribute a few pages on General MacClellan, 
 who had just died, the prince sent a most interesting pamphlet 
 which was published in the Revue Militaire Suisse, and in the Avenir 
 Militaire'm Paris May 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 1887. 
 
 H 
 
9 8 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 slaves) began to study for himself in detail the labour 
 question. He visited the districts in the North of 
 England, especially Lancashire, which was then going 
 through a painful crisis. The American War had in- 
 terfered with the production of cotton in the North of 
 America, and in consequence the English cotton mills 
 had to be closed. The misery was fearful, nearly 
 500,000 hands, men, women and children were thrown 
 out of work, and were consequently without means of 
 subsistence. England bestirred herself, and committees 
 were formed in all directions for the relief of the desti- 
 titute workpeople. The comte de Paris devoted the 
 whole of Christmas week, 1862, to studying the organiz- 
 ation of this charity. The Revue des Deux Mondes 
 (Feb. I, 1863) published a very interesting work by 
 the prince, ending with these lines : — 
 
 " One of the most splendid results of the progress 
 of our century is the elevation of charity to the rank 
 of a social duty, of a political right. ... In order to 
 have a complete and thorough understanding of the 
 phenomena of the misery, and of the charity which 
 misery calls forth, we must go back from the charity 
 to the misery." 
 
 Then he describes the distribution of charity at the 
 Town Hall in Manchester, where men of great wealth 
 and high rank came every day to pass several hours in 
 a small, dark, low room, lighted all day with gas, in 
 order to distribute help to the destitute. 
 
 After thoroughly mastering the working of the com- 
 mittee, the prince visited the places in which were 
 arranged the presents received in kind. He also took 
 
Extract from the "Revue des Deux Mondes." 99 
 
 part in the distribution of provisions and various 
 repasts, served to the children in the schools. 
 
 In England Christmas-day is kept as a general holi- 
 day. The committee wanted to celebrate the day with 
 the "vast family of the poor." In the great manu- 
 facturing town of Blackburn all the poor were to be 
 entertained in the largest room of the Town Hall. 
 Every priest or minister was to bring his school. 
 
 "At 12.30," says the comte de Paris, "the town, 
 just now so gloomy, presented an unusual holiday 
 appearance. The different schools went in procession, 
 preceded by the clergy in their robes, and accompanied 
 in some cases by drums and every sort of flag. Thirty 
 years ago such demonstrations, in so critical a moment 
 as the present, must infallibly have caused trouble, but 
 since that time we have made great progress ! All the 
 banners bore the inscription ' God save the Queen,' 
 and all present tried only to forget the sufferings for 
 which no one was to blame. Following the procession, 
 I entered the hall, which was rapidly filling. The 
 working men took their places in rows in front of long 
 tables, crowded one against another. A platform had 
 been erected for the visitors, but the clergy had their 
 table laid in the midst of the working people, whose 
 dinner they meant to share. After a sort of hymn had 
 been sung by the workmen, standing, the dinner began 
 cheerfully, and went on boisterously. Having eaten 
 my share, I can testify to the excellence of the repast, 
 and when I left the hall to catch my train, I met a 
 long file of people carrying smoking dishes of roast 
 beef up the stairs of the Town Hall. It was not 
 necessary to wish a good appetite to these people, who 
 
 H 2 
 
lOO Le Comie de Paris. 
 
 were taking so joyful a farewell of a year so full of 
 suffering. However threatening may be the aspect of 
 the new year, the satisfaction painted on all those honest 
 faces gave me good hope for the future. I read in 
 them not only the traces of a great crisis victoriously 
 surmounted, thanks to the spontaneous charity of every 
 rank of society, but also the pledge of a more intimate 
 union between land-owners and the working classes — 
 union founded on mutual confidence and esteem, and 
 on the healthy understanding of common interests, 
 which is the most certain guarantee of public order in 
 a free people and the necessary basis of all liberty in 
 our modern society." 
 
 M. le comte de Paris might have passed this Christ- 
 mas week in the luxurious mansion of some great 
 personage in England, who would have given him the 
 most cordial welcome ; but he had preferred spending 
 his time in studying on the spot all this misery, in 
 order to learn how to alleviate it. 
 
 Two articles, written by the comte de Paris under 
 the name of Eugene Forcade, appeared in the Revue 
 des Deux Mondes. They were entitled " A Week in 
 Lancashire" (Feb. i, 1863), and "Modern Germany" 
 (Aug. I, 1867). The latter gave a sort of prophetic 
 sketch of the development of Prussian military power, 
 and of the constitution of Germany after Sadowa, and 
 although our interest in it is now only retrospective, it 
 is curious to see how the prince portrays Germany as 
 not only the first military power in Europe, but as en- 
 deavouring to attain the same position in the colonies. 
 
 There also appeared in the Revue des Deux Mondes 
 (May 15, 1868), under the signature of M. X. Ray- 
 
The Comte de Paris on Trades Unions. loi 
 
 mond, a very remarkable article, " The State Church 
 and the Free Church in Ireland." The comte de 
 Paris, when engaged in his study of the labour ques- 
 tion at Manchester, had made there the acquaintance 
 of an old working man, Mr. Mandley — one of those 
 honest reformers, too rare, alas ! in France, who trust 
 to right, and not to violence, for the improvement of 
 the condition of the working man. It was soon after 
 this excursion that the prince wrote his book on 
 English trades unions. This work, which was pub- 
 lished in 1869, at first anonymously, obtained an enor- 
 mous success, for all were struck by the accuracy of 
 the information, and by the noble and liberal ideas of 
 an author who is evidently so wrapped up in his 
 subject. 
 
 The comte de Paris concludes his book on " English 
 Trades Unions " * with the following lines, which not 
 only show the liberality of his mind, but prove that he 
 still retained the memory of his early education : — 
 
 " While tracing the influence of political liberty on 
 social questions in England, we cannot but believe in 
 the encouragement to be derived from it by those who 
 study the future of these same questions in France. 
 Shall we neglect to profit by the experience thus made, 
 under pretext that the constitution of Great Britain 
 is pecular to itself ? We think not, for that would be 
 to exaggerate the importance of the ancient and compli- 
 cated machinery of which it is composed. In fact, in 
 spite of all artificial support, constitutions are only 
 obedient to one motive power. That constitution in 
 
 * Paris, Germer-Baillifere, 1869. 
 
102 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 which powers, really independent, are allowed too free 
 play, must be shattered by the collision, like a machine 
 exposed to contrary forces. 
 
 " It is not this or that one thing, hitherto unknown, 
 which has preserved the British Constitution through- 
 out all the political and social transformations of our 
 century ; it is that motive power, destined to exercise 
 in all free countries the same sovereign authority — the 
 power of public opinion. However various may be, in 
 different countries, the institutions by which this power 
 acts, they are merely the translation into different 
 languages of one and the same idea. 
 
 " Why should we, alone of all nations, be condemned 
 to have no language in which to express this idea ? 
 We are not excluded more than other countries from* 
 that political liberty to which every race and every 
 nation has a right. The remedy for all dangers arising 
 from social questions is political liberty, and it is 
 equally efficacious among all nations who know how to 
 use it. There is not a single nation careful to main- 
 tain her rank in the world, who dares to treat liberty, 
 the highest attribute of civilized man, as a simple 
 luxury to be cherished to-day and cast off with 
 impunity to-morrow." 
 
 " Such opinions," says M. Victorien Jusserand, with 
 truth, in a curious and interesting work,* "find more 
 echo in the heart of a people, than the elaborate and 
 interested apologies for the life of those conquerors 
 who have not advanced humanity by one step, who 
 
 * "Le salut est Ih," page 27, by M. Victorien Jusserand, Mayor of 
 Montpensier (Puy-le-Dome). 
 
Marriage of the Comte de Paris. 103 
 
 tortured and massacred hostages, and who were the 
 executioners of Vercingetorix. Those who thus 
 employ their years of exile have certainly no need 
 to be envious of others who have been able to 
 live in their own country ; and during these twenty- 
 three years of the youth of Louis-Philippe's sons 
 and grandsons, never by word or act did the 
 princes either reproach France, or even remind her 
 that they had been exiled without having violated 
 a single law, without having deserved their fate, and 
 after having faithfully served their country." 
 
 At the end of 1 8 70 the Courrier de la Gironde pub- 
 lished some articles by M. le comte de Paris, called 
 " The Spirit of Conquest in 1870," which demonstrate 
 the wisely liberal ideas of the author. When one 
 reads these articles, it is impossible to help noticing 
 how much the prince has read and seen, and how 
 he could appreciate the advantages of a liberal-minded 
 government. 
 
 This was the last work which the prince published 
 during his long hours of exile. 
 
 In 1863 M. le due de Chartres married his cousin, 
 the princess Fran9oise de Joinville, and it was whispered 
 that his brother was soon to follow his example. 
 
 On the 30th of May, 1864, M. le comte de Paris 
 married his cousin Isabelle, eldest daughter of the due 
 de Montpensier, born at Seville, September the 21st, 
 1848. The nuptial benediction was given in the 
 Roman Catholic chapel at Kingston, a little town in 
 Surrey.* 
 
 * The banns of marriage of King Louis-Philippe's grandson, 
 which were posted on the Mayor's office of the ir. Arrondisseraent, 
 
I04 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 The days preceding the 30th of May were devoted 
 to brilliant receptions ; first at Claremont, where 
 Queen Marie Amdie resided, and then at the resi- 
 dence of the due d'Aumale at Twickenham. Many 
 French had come over, and each day added to the 
 number of those who, without wishing to give a 
 political character to this step, desired to prove their 
 respectful sympathy with the royal exiles. In order 
 to give a more lively and sociable tone to these recep- 
 tions, the duchesse d'Aumale transformed them into 
 small dances, to the "great joy of the young princesses 
 and all the guests. Among the princesses, the two 
 young sisters of the future comtesse de Paris excited 
 universal admiration on account of their refined beauty 
 and distinguished appearance. The graceful princess 
 Marguerite de Nemours, and the lovely princess 
 Amdlie of Coburg, daughter of princess Clementine, 
 were also much admired. These soirees dansantes at 
 Orleans House gave great brilliancy to the receptions, 
 at which the honours were done with perfect grace by 
 M. le due, and Mme. la duchesse d'Aumale. 
 in Paris, April, 1864, were described by the Imperial Government 
 in the following peculiar terms : — 
 
 " Louis Philippe Albert d'Orldans, comte de Paris, no profession, 
 living with his maternal grandmother, Marie Am^lie de Bourbon, 
 widow of Louis Philippe d'Grldans, comte de Neuilly, at the Palace 
 of Claremont, Surrey, and whose last dwelling-place in France was 
 the Tuileries, ir. arrondissement, son of Ferdinand Philippe Louis 
 Charles Henri d'Orldans, due d'Orldans, and of Helfene Louise 
 Elisabeth de Mecklenburg-Schwerin his wife, both deceased ; 
 
 And Marie Isabelle Fran9oise d'Orldans, infanta of Spain, no pro- 
 fession, living with her father and mother at the Palace of San-Telmo, 
 Seville (Spain), a minor ; daughter of Antoine Marie Philippe Louis 
 d'Orl^ans, due de Montpensier, and of Marie Louise Ferdinande de 
 Bourbon, infanta of Spain, his wife." 
 
Lejeunc Jolyot PLoto. Heliofi Dujardin 
 
 MADAME LA COMTESSE DE PARIS 
 
 Pcrria&C'Edlt. 
 
 Imp.Cli.Chdrdor 
 
Wedding Festivities. 105 
 
 We have now arrived at the 30th of May. A most 
 unusual activity has reigned at Claremont for the last 
 week, the palace has been turned by magic into a 
 French colony, which has invaded the neighbouring 
 towns and villages of Esher, Kingston, and Twicken- 
 ham. The park is filled with French from every 
 province of France, and every sort of accent is heard 
 — Parisian, Provencal, Flemish, Lorraine, &c. 
 
 The park at Claremont is close to the village of 
 Esher, and the entire population of the village and the 
 neighbouring hamlets are astir in their best holiday 
 attire ; great and small are busy making wreaths of 
 flowers, putting the finishing touches to the evergreen 
 arches, and decorating the windows with the French 
 colours. 
 
 Leaving Esher, and following the Thames, one 
 arrives at Kingston (the town of the King), which 
 has retained of all its former splendour nothing but 
 the stone seat on which the Kings were crowned in 
 the time of the Heptarchy. The whole space is 
 thronged with men, women, and children, all wearing 
 tricolor ribands. At the entrance to the little town 
 an immense crowd is making its way to the Roman 
 Catholic Chapel, hidden among the splendid trees near 
 the river, which at this point is as clear as crystal, for 
 it is at this little Church that the marriage of the 
 comte de Paris is to be solemnized. 
 
 It is 10 o'clock, the ceremony is not to begin for 
 another half-hour, and yet the Church is full, as is also 
 the large tent erected to the right of the porch, to 
 make up, as much as possible, for the want of room 
 inside.- The road to right and left for some distance 
 
io6 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 is occupied by those who have been unable to gain 
 admission to either tent or Chapel. 
 
 Among those present were nearly all the members ■ 
 of the Diplomatic Body, the dlite of English society, 
 and a great number of French notabilities. 
 
 At 10.30 a tremendous cheering is heard outside. 
 After a moment of expectancy the venerable Queen 
 appears, leaning on the arm of the young prince, and 
 moves slowly up the Church. All rise and bow low 
 before this august woman, whose features bear the 
 impress of so much suffering, and all gaze with lively 
 emotion and true veneration on the widow of Louis- 
 Philippe. The young prince, supporting her carefully, 
 returned with quiet dignity the salutations of those 
 near him. The Princess Isabelle arrived almost imme- 
 diately after him ; all her movements expressed a 
 simple dignity, and her beauty was indescribably 
 charming. The bride and bridegroom elect then 
 placed themselves in front of their illustrious parents, 
 but before Mass was celebrated. Dr. Grant, the Roman 
 Catholic Bishop of South war k, who had received the 
 royal family at the porch, returned to the altar, and 
 delivered a short and touching address to the young 
 couple. Mass was then celebrated with reverent 
 devotion. 
 
 On quitting the Church, the Queen Marie Amdlie, 
 leaning on the arm of the comte d'Eu, was greeted 
 with enthusiastic cheers. A body of young girls, 
 daughters of the principal French tradesmen in Lon- 
 don, advanced towards Madame la comtesse de Paris, 
 who was on her husband's arm, and presented her 
 with a bouquet, and an address of congratulation. 
 
Wedding Festivities. 107 
 
 The princess thanked the young girl who had spoken 
 in the name of her companions, and kissed her on the 
 forehead, while the prince said a few cordial words to 
 her. 
 
 They returned to Claremont through the midst of a 
 crowd of spectators, who had come from the neigh- 
 bouring villages to greet the newly-married pair. 
 Triumphal arches, decorated with wreaths of flowers 
 and escutcheons bearing the fleur-de-lys, and dressed 
 with the tricolor flag, had been erected at regular 
 intervals. The arrival of the royal bride and bride- 
 groom at Claremont was announced by a salvo of 
 artillery, and by a flourish of trumpets from the band 
 of the volunteers. 
 
 A deputation from the village of Esher was then 
 presented to the young prince, and one of the villagers 
 delivered a short speech in the name of his com- 
 panions. The comte de Paris, in his reply, thanked 
 them all for their sympathy, which, he said, was a great 
 consolation to him, and to his family in all the trials 
 of their exile. 
 
 At this moment the arrival of the Prince and Princess 
 of Wales, and of the other members of the English 
 royal family was announced, and they all adjourned 
 to the banquet which was served in a tent, or rather 
 in a splendid pavilion 140 feet long. A genuine 
 emotion animated the guests as the Queen arose, and, 
 surrounded by her devoted friends, and by the dearly- 
 loved faces of her sons and grandsons (some of whom 
 were already grown to manhood, while the youngest, 
 in all the happy ignorance of childhood, were pressing 
 round her), drank the health of M. le comte and Mme. 
 
io8 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 la comtesse de'Paris, in the midst of profound silence 
 and respectful attention. The toast was received with 
 enthusiasm, and followed by shouts of " Long Live the 
 Queen ! " 
 
 At 8 o'clock the ball began at the house of M. le 
 due de Chartres. At 1 1 o'clock a splendid supper was 
 served in a tent, so arranged as to receive 250 guests, 
 who sat down to a table spread with great magnifi- 
 cence. At midnight they returned to the ball-room, 
 and dancing began again. This ball-room, which was 
 really a tent, like the supper tent, decorated with flowers 
 and tricolor flags, was filled with lovely toilettes vying 
 with each other in elegance, and presented a truly 
 dazzling sight. The cotillon conducted with great 
 spirit by the due de Chartres, who danced with Mme. 
 d'Harcourt (now the comtesse d'Haussonville), was 
 prolonged till 2 o'clock in the morning. 
 
 Such were the festivities of May the 30th, 1864 — a 
 joyful day not to be forgotten in the midst of the sorrows 
 and bitterness of exile. Sorrow was soon to overtake 
 the royal family. The saintly Queen Marie Amdlie 
 sank peacefully to rest at Claremont, March 24th, 
 1866, after 83 years of a life in which sorrow -vmost 
 nobly borne — had had so large a share. 
 
 Six months before her death the Queen had had 
 the joy of welcoming a great-grandchild, the princess 
 Amdlie, born September the 28th, 1865. 
 
 Some weeks after the mournful March the 24th, 
 the due d' Aumale was nearly overwhelmed by a terrible 
 grief; his eldest son, the prince de Cond6, died of 
 typhoid fever at Sydney (Australia) May the 24th, 
 1866. 
 
Birth of the Due d Or Hans. 109 
 
 Three years passed, during which the comte de 
 Paris made several short excursions on the Continent, 
 but he was often back in England, where he busied 
 himself with those literary labours, which were such a 
 valuable resource to him in his exile. On the 6th of 
 February, 1869, Mme. la comtessede Paris gave birth 
 to a son, the due d'Orleans, an event which caused the 
 greatest joy, not only to the comte de Paris, but to all 
 the French who had remained faithful to the House 
 of Orleans. In 1867 the comte de Paris undertook a 
 third journey to Spain, in order that the comtesse de 
 Paris should see her parents again. Up to this time 
 he had not had any fixed residence, but he now de- 
 cided on taking York House, close to Twickenham, 
 and to his uncles, the due d'Aumale and the prince 
 de Joinville. He gave himself up in this quiet re- 
 treat to the study of political economy, which obliged 
 him from time to time to travel in England and 
 America. 
 
 On the 6th of December, 1869, Madame la duchesse 
 d'Aumale succumbed to the illness from which she had 
 long been suffering, and her loss inflicted another blow 
 on the royal family. 
 
 In the early days of 1870 the princes had reason to 
 hope that their exile would soon terminate. 
 
 In June, 1870, the comte de Paris joined with his 
 uncles in demanding from the Corps Ldgislatif the 
 restitution of their rights as French citizens, but the 
 petition was rejected. Shortly after this France was 
 plunged, by the caprice of one man, into war with 
 Prussia. We will describe elsewhere the conduct of 
 the princes during the invasion. 
 
I ro Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 The Orleans princes, whose consciences were clear 
 of any attempt against the laws of their country, thought 
 it their duty to address the following letter to the Corps 
 Ldgislatif : — 
 
 " Gentlemen, — 
 
 " You have before you a petition that you will re- 
 peal the law which condemned us to exile. In presence 
 of this petition we can no longer keep silence. Since 
 1 848, during the reign of the Republic, we have always 
 protested against the law which exiles us, a law which 
 had nothing to justify it then, which has had nothing 
 to justify it since, and against which we desire to re- 
 new our protestations before the representatives of the 
 country. It is not a favour that we ask, we demand a 
 right which belongs to every Frenchman, and of which 
 we alone are deprived. It is our country that we claim, 
 a country that we love, which our family has always 
 loyally served, from which we are not divided by any 
 of our traditions, and the very name of which makes 
 our pulses quicken, for there is nothing which can take 
 the place of his country in the heart of an exile. 
 
 " Louis Philippe d'Orleans, comte de Paris. 
 " Francois d'Orleans, prince de Joinville. 
 " Henri d'Orleans, due d'Aumale. 
 " Robert d'Orleans, due de Chartres. 
 
 " Twickenham, \(^th June, 1870." 
 
 The comte de K^ratry had, at the beginning of the 
 session of July the 2nd, begged the Minister of Justice, 
 M. Emile Ollivier, to declare whether there was in 
 
Letter of Orleans Princes to Corps Ldgislatif. 1 1 1 
 
 the archives of the ministry a single document to prove 
 that the princes had conspired or attempted to conspire 
 since 1848. 
 
 The Minister replied that Government had absolutely 
 nothing to say, but the Bonapartist majority moved 
 and carried the rejection of the princes' petition by 173 
 votes to 31. 
 
 After the division, the comte de Paris wrote the fol- 
 lowing letter to M. de K^ratry, whom he had never 
 seen : — 
 
 " Twickenham, July \th, 1870. 
 " Sir,— 
 
 " As the gates of France still remain closed to 
 us, it is from a distance that I have to convey to you 
 the feelings of emotion with which I read your speech 
 of Saturday last in the Chamber. You acted indeed 
 as an honest man, as a deputy faithful to his country, 
 when you asked whether there existed a single proof 
 to justify the penalties inflicted on us. You have 
 caused the truth to shine forth, and have shown in a 
 few words how odious and contrary to modern princi- 
 ples of legality and national sovereignty are those 
 measures which condemn a whole family of citizens to 
 exile — ironically called 2. privileged state. 
 
 " I am happy in being able to thank you for the 
 manner in which you have defended us — you, a mem- 
 ber of the young generation which has faith in the 
 liberal future of France, and which, looking forward 
 rather than backwards, finds in the memories of the 
 past lessons and examples, rather than motives for 
 bitterness and dissension. No barrier will be able to 
 
1 1 2 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 separate us from our country, for we share in her ardent 
 devotion to the decrees of the will of the nation, sole 
 and sovereign arbiter of the destinies of France. 
 
 " The rejection of our demand would have grieved 
 us deeply had we regarded it as definite ; we had no 
 intention of raising a fruitless debate, but we think that 
 in putting the question of the laws of exile before the 
 Chamber and before France, we have hastened the 
 day when these laws shall fall under the censure of the 
 public. 
 
 " You have pleaded the cause of right, of a right 
 common to us all, for the right of exile cannot exist in 
 presence of universal suffrage, and of the sovereignty 
 which belongs to it. Public opinion has spoken so 
 clearly on this point, that I feel convinced that the de- 
 cision arrived at by the Chamber in obedience to a 
 powerful majority cannot long be maintained. 
 
 " I conclude by assuring you of the gratitude of 
 those who have seen you fighting their battles at a 
 distance without being allowed to take part in the 
 struggle. 
 
 " With sincere regards, I remain 
 " your affectionate 
 
 " Louis Philippe d'Orleans." 
 
 But a crisis is at hand ; war is declared, and the 
 French army is defeated. On hearing of these disasters 
 the princes had demanded permission to serve with the 
 army, but it had been refused them ; first by the Im- 
 perial Government, and subsequently by the Provi- 
 sionary Government of the Republic. 
 
 We hope to describe at greater length in a volume 
 
Letter to Comte Dumas. 1 1 3 
 
 which will follow this book, the admirable conduct, of 
 the due de Chartres, who, more fortunate than his 
 uncle, the prince de Joinville, went through the French 
 campaign under the name of Robert le Fort. 
 
 It was at this time that M. le comte de Paris wrote 
 the following letter to General comte Dumas : — 
 
 " Twickenham, August 20th, 1870. 
 
 " . . . . What teri-ible events have happened in the 
 last thirteen days ! What blows to the heart of a 
 Frenchman ! You will understand all that we suffer 
 in this national disaster, which is aggravated by our 
 being condemned to remain idle spectators. The re- 
 fusal of Government to grant the demand of my brother 
 and my uncles is, in the present state of things, a cruel 
 blow. It was this rebuff which prevented the delivery 
 of a letter of mine to Government, written at the same 
 time as theirs, which had arrived in Paris shortly after 
 mine. What agony to think that if the Prussians be- 
 siege Paris, there will not be one of the House of 
 Orleans to take part in the defence of those fortifica- 
 tions — the last bulwark of France — which were raised 
 thirty years ago by Louis-Philippe and the due d'Or- 
 16ans, and what is perhaps still harder is that our dis- 
 interested entreaties will probably be regarded as the 
 outcome of a restless ambition. But do not let us 
 think of ourselves ; let us only think of that noble 
 army which has to defend the honour of France, and 
 of the many recruits who will save Paris and our coun- 
 try from this last crowning humiliation. 
 " Yours always, 
 
 " Louis Philippe d'Orleans." 
 
 I 
 
114 L.^ Comte de Paris. 
 
 Disasters accumulate. I n spite of prodigies of valour, 
 the French army is overwhelmed by superior numbers. 
 The Orleans princes again demand from the French 
 ^ Government the right of defending their country thus 
 invaded by the enemy, but in vain. The Government 
 of National Defence, oblivious of the duties imposed 
 on it by its very title, refuses their courageous services. 
 The arrival of the enemy before the walls of Paris 
 causes the keenest grief to the prince. He remembers 
 that it is his birthplace, and that the walls behind 
 which France shelters herself were built by his grand- 
 father Louis-Philippe. 
 
 He determined to make one more supreme effort to 
 move the Government of National Defence. He wrote 
 to General de Chabaud-Latour, requesting to be al- 
 lowed the honour of joining in the defence of Paris, 
 and offering to return into exile as soon as the last shot 
 should have been fired. 
 
 General Trochu, to whom this letter was taken by 
 General de Chabaud-Latour, sent a fresh refusal. 
 
 The following is the text of the letter in which the 
 comte de Paris expressed to General Chabaud-Latour 
 the deep sorrow which he experienced in being thus 
 cruelly condemned to inaction by the ill-will of the 
 Government : — 
 
 "January I'jtk, 1871. 
 " You must know what I suffer in being condemned 
 to remain an inactive spectator of the heroic struggle 
 of my countrymen. I must say that such a possibility 
 had never entered my mind ; had any one told me that 
 the time would come that I should be refused any sort 
 
Letter to General Chabaud-Latour. 1 1 5 
 
 of place among the defenders of the national cause 
 when, the Empire overthrown and the Republic 
 established in its place, the enemy was besieging the 
 capital, I should never have believed him. It seemed 
 to me that the traditions of our family, the memory of 
 my father, who was above all a Frenchman, to the ex- 
 clusion of any thought of succession, must give me the 
 right to claim the honour of fighting with the French 
 army, with my father's will in my hand, and that none 
 could forbid an Orleans to take his place on the fortifi- 
 cations of Paris, which are the work of my grandfather, 
 the soldier of Jemmapes. . . . 
 
 " Failing this, we should all have been ready to take 
 our place as citizens in the armies of the provinces. 
 It seemed to us that nothing could be advanced in 
 opposition to this disinterested request. Indeed, when 
 my uncles and my brother went to Paris on the 6th 
 of September, the only reason which could be assigned 
 for the refusal was the fear that, so soon after the 
 Revolution, their names might serve in the capital as 
 a pretext for civil war. 
 
 " This reason, feeble as it was, could not have pre- 
 vented us serving in the provinces ; and if our presence 
 had made any stir in France, the only result would 
 have been to rally round a Republic, which we were 
 loyally accepting and defending, those Liberals who 
 would have been frightened by the sound of a Re- 
 public, but who would have been reconciled to this 
 form of Government by our adhesion to it. 
 
 " The delegates of Tours- Bordeaux thought them- 
 selves unable to reverse the decision of the Govern- 
 ment. They could not understand how completely the 
 
 I 2 
 
ij6 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 situation had changed ; or rather they dreaded to 
 alienate those fanatics who abuse the name of the 
 Republic, and endeavour to impose their ideas on 
 liberal and moderate Republicans. 
 
 " Under these circumstances I wrote direct to 
 General Trochu, begging him, in his capacity of Pre- 
 sident of the existing Government, to annul the decree 
 which has hitherto prevented me from carrying arms 
 in defence of France. I have not yet had his answer. 
 Should it be favourable, I shall be ready to serve 
 under an assumed name, so as not to hurt the most 
 susceptible feelings. All that I ask for is an order 
 
 from one of the ministers, permitting M. X to 
 
 join one of the divisions of the army which shall be 
 indicated, and to obtain whatever employment he can 
 get. The Government and its President alone need 
 
 know that I am M. X , for I shall not attempt to 
 
 force my way into the French army without his 
 knowledge 
 
 " I think you must understand how galling this 
 inaction is to me at the present moment, and I want to 
 convince you that I have done all that lies in my power 
 to escape from it." 
 
 When one has finished the account of this exile, 
 borne with such courage and such undying patriotism, 
 one can only repeat with M. Hervd : " What more 
 noble royal family could France find, to heal her 
 wounds, repair her ruins, and restore her self-respect 
 in the eyes of Europe ? " 
 
117 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 1871-1873. 
 
 Abrogation of the laws of exile (June, 1871) — Birth of H.R.H. princess 
 Hel^ne (June 8, 1871) — Return of the princes to France — The 
 manifesto of Chambord (July 5, 1871) — The Orleans princes in the 
 French army — Bill presented by Government for the restitution of the 
 princes' property — The truth on the subject of this bill — Generosity of 
 the princes towards France in giving half their fortune to the country 
 — The comte de Paris takes up his residence in Paris with the due 
 d'Aumale — His receptions — His life in Paris — Excursions in France 
 — Visits to different mines — First visit to Eu and to the Packham 
 Mills— Excursions to Brittany, Normandy, and to Aix — The prince 
 publishes his work on " The State of the Working Classes in 
 England" (March, 1873)— He goes to Africa (May, 1873)— Fall of the 
 Thiers' ministry — MacMahon becomes President — The comte de 
 Paris goes to Vienna (July, 1873) — The interview at Frohsdorf 
 Aug. S, 1873 — Union of the two branches of the House of Bourbon 
 — A union desired by Louis Philippe, and announced by M. Guizot 
 in 1850 — The Orl&ns princes at the comte de Chambord's (Sep- 
 tember and October, 1873) — Great excitement throughout France — 
 Manoeuvres of the republicans to stem the royalist tide — The judg- 
 ment of the comte de Chambord on the comte de Paris — The comte 
 de Chambord and the royalist deputies — Anecdotes : the comte de 
 Chambord in Bavaria— Prince Napoleon on the restoration of the 
 monarchy — The letter of the comte de Chambord, Oct. 27, 1873 — 
 Certain of the law to re-establish monarchy — The comte de Cham- 
 bord at Versailles (Nov., 1873) — Extension of the powers of Marshal 
 MacMahon — Death of prince Ferdinand, brother of the comtesse 
 de Paris (December, 1873). 
 
 The war has come to an end, peace has been declared, 
 events have succeeded each other with startling 
 rapidity, and to the grief of defeat is added the misery 
 of a fearful civil war. The only consolation to be 
 
ii8 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 derived from all these misfortunes is the thought that 
 the honour of France is untarnished, thanks to the im- 
 mortal defence of Paris and the heroic efforts of the 
 army under General Chanzy. 
 
 The departments of Haute Marne, Manche, and 
 Oise had returned the prince de Joinville and the due 
 d'Aumale to the National Assembly. The country had 
 at length remembered the true patriotism of the 
 princes. The prince de Joinville had always been 
 extremely popular in the navy, for he was cheerful, 
 affable, even on duty ; prompt and yet collected in 
 action, always careful of the material and moral welfare 
 of his men, and eager to employ them on great enter- 
 prises. The nation had never forgotten his name, nor 
 that of his brother the due d'Aumale, the hero of the 
 Smallah, the intrepid general, the able organiser of the 
 army, and the efficient governor of Algiers, in which 
 country the liveliest recollection of him was still 
 cherished. 
 
 The fall of the Imperial Government, and the repeal 
 of the law of exile, passed by the National Assembly 
 on the 8th of June, 1871, recalled M. le comte de 
 Paris to his native land. 
 
 He returned with the firm decision of uniting the 
 two branches of the House of Bourbon. In March, 
 1 87 1, his uncles the due d'Aumale and the prince de 
 Joinville, had declared to the most influential of the 
 legitimist deputies at Dreux, that in the House of 
 Orleans there was no candidate to the throne, and that 
 if France desired the restoration of the monarchy, the 
 comte de Chambord would find no competitor among 
 the princes of their house. This interview had decided 
 
The Orleans Princes return to Paris. 1 1 9 
 
 the Right to vote unanimously, notwithstanding the 
 influence of M. Thiers, for the abrogation of the laws 
 of exile. 
 
 The prince de Joinville and the due d'Aumale took 
 up their quarters at Versailles, 48 rue de Satory, at the 
 house of one of their faithful adherents, M. Bocher, 
 member for Calvados. ' The dues de Chartres, de 
 Nemours, d'Alen9on, and de Penthievre arrived in 
 Paris a few days later, and went to the hdtel de 
 Londres, in the rue de Castiglione, where the first visit 
 they paid was to the comte de Montalivet, an old 
 friend of the King's, and the impartial, conscientious 
 historian of the July monarchy. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris was detained at Twickenham 
 by his wife, who on the 12th of June gave birth to a 
 daughter, their third child, princess Hdene. 
 
 In the month of July he arrived in Paris, and after 
 staying a few days with the comte de Sdgur, he went 
 to reside for some months with M. G. de Villeneuve, 
 the son-in-law of M. de Montalivet, in his splendid 
 house in the avenue de Messine. 
 
 The " commission des grades," presided over by 
 General Changarnier, had unanimously proposed to 
 Government to retain the due de Chartres in the army 
 with the rank of major, which he had so well earned. 
 At the end of August the due de Chartres, who had 
 just been created chevalier de la Idgion d'honneur, in 
 recognition of his splendid services during the war, 
 started to join his regiment, the 3rd Chasseurs 
 d'Afrique, then stationed in the province of Constan- 
 tine, and preparing for a severe campaign, which was 
 to last all the winter. 
 
I20 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Shortly before his departure to Africa, in August, 
 187 1, it had been suggested that he should accompany 
 bis brother, the comte de Paris, on a visit to M. le 
 comte de Chambord. The princes had always openly 
 maintained that the restoration of monarchy in France 
 could only be brought about by the union of all the 
 adherents of the monarchy. ' As the comte de Paris 
 and the due de Chartres were about to start for Cham- 
 bord, their cousin sent them the following note : — 
 
 " The comte de Chambord has heard with pleasure 
 the kind intention of his cousins ; he will be delighted 
 to receive the comte de Paris at Chambord, but he 
 thinks it his duty to warn his cousin that he means 
 to draw up at Chambord a document in which will be 
 resolved some questions reserved to this day, and that 
 he will then take his departure for Bruges." 
 
 The comte de Chambord, with that perfect loyalty 
 that he always showed, was anxious not to be suspected 
 of having wanted to publish his manifesto until the 
 visit of the Orleans princes, and thus to have laid a 
 trap for them. 
 
 It was thus that the famous manifesto of July the 
 5th, 1 87 1, appeared. 
 
 The princes did not pay their intended visit to 
 Chambord, but the comte de Paris, in expressing his 
 regret at not seeing his cousin at that moment, de- 
 clared that he had not at all given up the hope of 
 paying the visit, which he should consider as merely 
 postponed. 
 
 The head of the House of Bourbon knew how to 
 appreciate such a step when, at the very time that he 
 
The Comte de Chambord. 121 
 
 was treading on French soil for the first time for 
 forty-one years, he was about to take so important a 
 step as the publication of this manifesto. 
 
 " Was it then impossible to reconcile the colours, 
 after reconciling the persons and the causes which they 
 represented ? The principal thing was already done, 
 and it seemed, indeed, an irony of fate that the minor 
 part could not be accomplished." * 
 
 The end of 1871 was a happy time for the Orleans 
 princes. M. le due de Chartres had realized the 
 ambition of his life ; he vas serving in the French 
 army. M. le due d'Alengon and M. le due de Penthievre 
 were also in the service, the former in the 1 2th Regi- 
 ment of artillery, the latter as lieutenant on board the 
 Ocean, which was cruising all the winter in the Mediter- 
 ranean. M. le due de Guise (the last surviving child 
 of M. le due d'Aumale), who was hardly 18, had been 
 at the Lycde Condorcet since October, 1871, preparing 
 for the Ecole polytechnique. 
 
 It was at this time that the question was brought 
 before the Chamber of the restoration of the property 
 belonging to the Orleans family, of which they had 
 been so shamefully despoiled in 1852. 
 
 The comte de Montalivet, the friend of the 
 princes, and executor under the will of King Louis- 
 Philippe, published in the Revue des Deux Mondes 
 (Dec. 1, 1872) a most interesting account of the con- 
 fiscation of this property by Louis Napoleon in 1852. 
 This article had a great success, and prepared the Na- 
 tional Assembly for the work of justice and reparation. 
 
 It is well to remember what is often forgotten^viz., 
 * " Henri de France," by H. de Pfene, p. 378. 
 
122 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the generosity of the Orleans princes. " In vain," 
 says M. de Montahvet, "did the interested advocates 
 of Caesarism, uniting with the last representatives of 
 dying but inveterate feuds, endeavour to bewilder 
 men's minds by strange exaggerations, and to surround 
 with obstacles a solution which affects at the same time 
 the rights of the victims of spoliation, the security of 
 those who had bought the property so unjustly sold, 
 and the finances of the State which was debtor to a 
 considerable amount. There is no need for upright 
 men to be alarmed, a spirit of equity will modify what 
 the letter of the law would have rendered too rigorous. 
 The despoiled princes have never raised their voices, 
 except in the cause of justice and of filial piety. From 
 the very first day they had outstripped public opinion 
 by making a formal explanation on this subject without 
 being called upon to do so. They demanded that the 
 security of the buyers should be guaranteed by law, 
 and at the same time they declared that when they 
 entered into possession of the remains of their for- 
 tunes, they would lay no claim to any money which 
 had been realized by the decree of confiscation. 
 They will thus participate, to the amount which jus- 
 tice will have suggested to the National Assembly, in 
 the sacrifices imposed on all good citizens by the mis- 
 fortunes of their country. Thus will be closed this 
 account with the past, which will only be remembered 
 as branding the anti-social decree which originated it, 
 and as doing honour to the two Republican Govern- 
 ments which, separated by an interval of twenty-three 
 years, have agreed firmly to maintain the sacred right 
 of property." 
 
The Question of the Orleans Property. 123 
 
 The assembly, while accomplishing this act of jus- 
 tice, and re-opening the gates of France to the Orleans 
 princes, found itself obliged to consider a most im- 
 portant question. On the 22nd of January, 1852, 
 Louis Napoleon Bonaparte had arbitrarily confiscated 
 the private fortune of the Orleans princes, which had 
 been respected by the Republic of 1848. The State 
 was less scrupulous, and in 1852 took possession of all 
 the domains, woods, stocks and shares which were 
 entirely the private property of the Orleans family, 
 and which were valued by the Minister of Finance at 
 80,000,000 francs. Half of this property had been sold, 
 the State administered the other half, and consequently 
 enjoyed the revenues of this fortune. The Ministers 
 of the Republic unanimously demanded from the 
 Assembly the restoration to the princes of the remains 
 of their fortunes, the House of Orleans offering, with' 
 a truly great magnanimity and self-sacrifice, to re- 
 nounce all claim on that part of the property which 
 had been sold, and thus giving half their fortune to 
 France. 
 
 Did this law of 1872 impose any sacrifice on the 
 State ? No. It only gave the princes possession of 
 that part of their fortune which the State had kept 
 back,yi\\h.o\A impoverishing the treasury by one centime. 
 
 The enemies of the House of Orleans made great 
 capital out of this restitution, and did not hesitate to 
 criticize severely the action of the princes. 
 
 To recapitulate. The total fortune of all the mem- 
 bers of the royal family had, at the time of the confis- 
 cation in 1852, been roughly valued at 80,000,000 
 francs ; the Imperial government had realized the half 
 
124 L^ Comte de Paris. 
 
 of this sum, 40,000,000, which, without pretext, and 
 in violation of every law, found their way into the 
 coffers of the State. The Government had wanted 
 at the time to sell the whole of the property, by 
 which they would have realized 80,000,000, but 
 no purchasers could be found for these ill-gotten 
 gains ; public conscience in France was too honest ! 
 When the princes returned to their country in 
 1 871 the State was (as we have already said) 
 administering and enjoying the revenues of their 
 remaining fortune. What course did the Orleans 
 princes pursue ? Simply and spontaneously they 
 abandoned to the State all claims, not only on the 
 40,000,000 which had been sold, - but also on the 
 accumulated revenue of those 40,000,000 which had 
 been unjustly detained by the State for the last 
 twenty years. 
 
 "France," said they, "has suffered, the country 
 is overwhelmed by the expenses of the unlucky 
 war with Germany, we will take our share ; we do 
 not desire to disturb the purchasers in the possession of 
 our property. We abandon the 40,000,000 toFrance." 
 
 The Assembly recognized the generosity of this 
 sacrifice, and the ministers of justice and of finance 
 only demanded the restoration to the lawful owners, of 
 that portion of the property that had not been sold. 
 The princes received about 40,000,000, which were 
 divided into sixteen parts. 
 
 Two splendid speeches were made on the 23rd and 
 24th of November, 1872, by M. Bocher, member for 
 Calvados, and prefect of Caen in 1848, who from that 
 time had devoted his whole life to defending the 
 
Restitution of the Property. 125 
 
 memory of King Louis- Philippe and the cause of his 
 sons and grandsons, with a devotion which neither 
 fatigue nor the persecution of the Second Empire 
 could ever diminish. 
 
 A first rate orator, respected and looked up to, even 
 by his political adversaries, M. Bocher is an ornament 
 to the French Chamber, his talents are only equalled 
 by his modesty, and in his present position of member 
 for Calvados, his advice is always welcomed and appre- 
 ciated by the comte de Paris. Though endowed with 
 all the qualities of a statesman, he would never accept 
 the portfolio which was several times offered him by 
 Marshal MacMahon, and though certain of being 
 unanimously elected to the Acaddmie Frangaise, 
 where he would have had a high place, he refused, 
 in spite of urgent requests, to present himself for 
 election. , . . In one word, he was a grand character, 
 and an eminent public man. 
 
 This is the whole truth about the question of the 
 princes' fortune. We are convinced that the impartial 
 reader will exclaim with us, " Who is it, then, that 
 benefits by it ? Is it the princes ? Is it France } " 
 Before throwing one stone at the Orleans princes, let 
 those who now criticize them, follow their example, dy 
 making France a present of half their fortune / 
 
 In the division which the princes made of their 
 property, the comte de Paris received the castle and 
 domain of Eu, and the historic castle of Amboise. 
 The complete restoration which the latter required 
 was carried out under the able direction of VioUet-le- 
 Duc, and the great tower was entirely re-constructed. 
 Every year M. le comte de Paris came for a few hours 
 
126 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 to Amboise to inspect everything himself ; he devoted 
 annually a considerable sum to the castle, and to the 
 preservation of the historical memories of the Valois. 
 Even up to 1886 he went to assure himself that his 
 orders were faithfully executed. 
 
 It was at Eu that the comte de Paris spent the 
 greatest part of the year. The principal fagade of the 
 castle looks on to the town of Eu, opposite the church 
 which contains the monuments of the comtes d'Eu in 
 the 13th and 14th centuries. The other side looks on 
 the garden and fields, beyond which there is a distant 
 view of Trdport and the sea. To the left of the castle 
 is a clump of magnificent old trees, forming a circular 
 group, said to have been planted by due Fran9ois de 
 Guise, who built the castle. He was the celebrated 
 warrior who successfully defended Metz against 
 Charles V. and recovered Calais from the English. 
 " La grande Mademoiselle," granddaughter of Henry 
 IV., became the owner of this fine property, which she 
 bequeathed to the comte de Toulouse, from whom it 
 passed to the House of Orleans. The King Louis- 
 Philippe delighted in the place ; it was there that he 
 entertained the Queen of England, who speaks of it 
 with admiration in her memoirs. The comte de Paris, 
 aided by the refined and cultivated taste of the com- 
 tesse de Paris, revived the former splendour of the 
 castle, and made it his principal residence. 
 
 Towards the end of 1871, the due d'Aumale received 
 the reward of the important literary work to which he 
 had devoted the enforced leisure of his exile. On the 
 30th of December, 1871, he was appointed, almost 
 unanimously and without a rival, to the Chair in the 
 
Life in Paris. 127 
 
 French Academy, vacant by the death of M, le comte 
 de Montalembert. 
 
 Shortly afterwards, princess Marguerite, the eldest 
 daughter of the due de Nemours, was married to prince 
 Czartoryski, an event which caused great satisfaction 
 to the Orleans princes and the royal family, all of whom 
 were present at the ceremony, excepting the dukes de 
 Chartres and de Penthievre, who were detained by mili- 
 tary duties. The marriage took place at the castle of 
 Chantilly on the 15th of January, 1872, and the nuptial 
 benediction was given by M. Dupanloup, bishop of 
 Orleans. 
 
 The princes spent the rest of the winter of 1872 in 
 Paris. The due d'Aumale had bought I'hotel Fould, 
 129 rue du faubourg St. Honord, and had given up 
 the first floor to his nephew, the comte de Paris. For 
 three months the due d'Aumale received his friends 
 on Sunday evenings, and these very select recep- 
 tions exhibited to all those who had not known him 
 at Twickenham, the gracious affability with which 
 the prince welcomed all who were presented to him. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris also opened his hospitable 
 doors in the faubourg St. Honord. Like his father, 
 the due d'Orldans, he is tall and thin, and has a grave 
 expression of countenance. His eyes have a delight- 
 ful expression of sweetness and goodness ; he talks 
 sometimes rather slowly, as though he weighed each 
 word ; his manner is kind and sympathetic towards 
 strangers, and he has the same extreme amiability as 
 his mother, the duchesse d'Orldans, who, of all the 
 royal family, knew best how to say a gracious word to 
 all. The comte de Paris possesses in a high degree 
 
128 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the art of pleasing. All those who have the honour of 
 his acquaintance, to whatever class of society they be- 
 long, feel that the more they know him the more they 
 are attracted by him, the more they love him, and are 
 loud in their praises of his superior intellect. He has a 
 wide range of knowledge, and when he wants to work 
 up a subject, he studies, makes deep researches, and 
 does not shrink from any trouble or any journey which 
 will give him the information he wants. He possesses 
 all the moderation of language, the tact, and the keen 
 political insight of a skilled diplomatist. He has also 
 another quality most valuable in a prince, he knows 
 how to listen to an opinion contrary to his own, and is 
 anxious to find out the truth on every subject. He is 
 at the same time firm and resolute, he knows how to 
 come to a decision without hesitation, and without weak- 
 ness or obstinacy he sees that his wishes are carried out 
 — truly a grand quality in a prince who may one day be 
 called upon to reign ! It has been truly said of him : — 
 
 " Like all cautious temperaments, which only by de- 
 grees acquire strength, and appropriating, so to speak, 
 the experience of each day, increase their intellectual 
 patrimony and assimilate the things they have studied 
 and the knowledge they have acquired, the comte de 
 Paris only built up by degrees his present personal 
 influence. He did not attain his object at once by those 
 brilliant flashes which pierce like a dart, but by slow 
 persuasion and by constant proofs of mental power. 
 Each day testified more clearly to his force of judg- 
 ment, to his clearness of insight, and to the grasp of 
 his mind. The eldest son of the due d'Orldans forms 
 
SA,R, PHILIPPE DUG D'ORLEANS 
 
 P-rnr.&C'.'^EdiL 
 
 Imp.Ch-CliArdon. 
 
Character of the Comte de Paris. 129 
 
 his own judgments, and urged on by an insatiable de- 
 sire to see and know everything, will certainly continue 
 to form them with greater decision." * 
 
 M. Edouard Hervd draws the following picture of 
 M. le comte de Paris in 1872 : — 
 
 " The situation in which M. le comte de Paris finds 
 himself becomes more and more delicate, and his rSle 
 more and more difficult. Fortunately Providence, which 
 has placed him in the midst of so many dangers, has 
 given him the powers necessary to escape them — an 
 infallible judgment, an undaunted presence of mind, 
 and lastly that uprightness of character which is some- 
 times more clever than cleverness itself. France has 
 ignored, and may perhaps always ignore it, but for a 
 long time she has not possessed such a thorough or 
 complete politician. He has the same profound powers 
 of reflection as William of Orange, with the grace and 
 charm of manner which were so waritihg in theimelan- 
 choly founder of constitutional monarchy in England." 
 
 All those who know the head of the House of France 
 will recognize, as we do, the justice of these remarks. 
 We once heard a diplomatist representing one of the 
 great European powers in Paris, apply to the comte de 
 Paris the saying of Metternich about the dukes of 
 Orleans and Nemours after their journey to Vienna in 
 1836 : 
 
 " I will honestly own," said the statesman, "that the 
 
 GOlrite de Paris was not in the least understood by my 
 
 colleagues and myself in Paris, but now we all know 
 
 and appreciate him, for he is a young man whom one 
 
 * Charles Yriarte, " Les princes d'Orl^ans." 
 
 K 
 
130 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 seldom meets, and a prince whose equal one never 
 meets." 
 
 M. le comte de Paris no doubt enjoys the world, but 
 there is nothing that he delights in more than simple 
 home life with Madame la comtesse de Paris, his 
 daughters, the princesses H61ene, Isabelle and Louise, 
 the young due d'Orldans (whose features remind one 
 of Louis XIV.), and his youngest child, prince Ferdi- 
 nand. To this portrait of the new head of the House of 
 France I will add some lines, written by one who was 
 no doubt a friend, but who knew how to pass a judg- 
 ment on the man as well as the prince : — 
 
 " M. le comte de Paris is tall, and has an excellent 
 carriage, his manner is quick and decided, his forehead 
 broad and open, his deep blue eyes shine with intelli- 
 gence and goodness. There is a portrait of him, painted 
 by Winterhalter in 1845, which has been engraved, 
 and in which the little prince is represented standing 
 up and holding in his hand a large hat with long white 
 feathers sweeping the ground. The most striking part 
 of this picture is the eyes, which are the same to this 
 day ; the serious, manly features of middle age still 
 retain the straightforward smiling expression of the 
 child." 
 
 M. le comte de Paris, faithful to the recollections of 
 his youth, lives in the midst of his family portraits, and 
 of those pictures which reproduce the principal events 
 of the Algerian wars in which his father and his uncles 
 took part. Two miniatures of the duke and duchess 
 d'Orldans are always before him on his writing-table. 
 
Character of the Comte de Paris. 131 
 
 Not less faithful to his friendships, he has not lost 
 sight of one of those who, during his long years of 
 exile, came to seek him in England. There is not one 
 of them who, in the time of joy or sorrow, has not 
 received some token of his interest in the shape of 
 some delicate and touching attention, dictated by a 
 heart which never forgets. 
 
 If the prince on the battle-fields of America has 
 given proof of a courage which nothing can daunt, he 
 showed at Vienna as much tact as decision in the 
 midst of all the incidents attending the death of M. le 
 comte de Chambord. His mind has a wide range, and 
 he is at the same time energetic and collected. He 
 neglects nothing which can teach or enlighten him 
 upon any subject before making up his mind ; but 
 having made it up, nothing can shake his resolution. 
 He will not be influenced or controlled by any one. 
 He listens with the same attention to the advice of the 
 most important personages as to the opinion of his 
 humblest friends ; he then forms his determination 
 with true good sense, and a remarkable freedom of 
 judgment. As soon as he discovers a duty, he hastens 
 to do it with the same impetuosity that made him dash 
 forward to the charge on the plains of Virginia. The 
 words spoken of his ancestor Henry IV. may be 
 applied with truth to him, "the last in council, the 
 foremost in action." Such is this prince, who would 
 have been a remarkable man and without an equal in 
 whatever condition of life he might have been placed. 
 He has been made what he is by the events of his life, 
 by the blood which flows in his veins, and by the 
 examples which have surrounded him from his cradle, 
 
 K 2 
 
132 Le Comie de Paris. 
 
 which have formed and directed his youth, and whose 
 names are one of our national glories. 
 
 A descendant of those kings who, at the point of the 
 sword, have made France what she is, and who have set 
 in their crown those two precious pearls, since lost by 
 others, Alsace and Lorraine, the comte de Paris knows 
 that the princes of his race have found their glory only 
 in the aggrandisement of their country, and it was 
 while he was spelling out the history of his family, that 
 he learnt his devotion to his country. 
 
 Madame la comtesse de Paris, who has the Bourbon 
 type of face, is a tall, fair, beautiful princess, of a 
 graceful figure. Whether in her own salon, or in that 
 of the due d'Aumale, where on her return to France 
 she did the honours together with her aunt, Mme. la 
 princesse Clementine de Saxe-Coburg Gotha (the 
 princess whose life was passed far from her country, 
 but whose heart had always remained French*), the 
 comtesse de Paris receives her friends with a perfect 
 grace, and with that dignity which proves her to be 
 indeed a daughter of our kings. She is a capital horse- 
 woman, and was very fond of hunting at Chantilly. 
 She is as passionately devoted to France as her 
 
 * A certain paper published the most absurd calumny against the 
 husband of princess Clementine, the duke of Saxe-Coburg Gotha, 
 and against his son, and his nephew, prince Philip of Wiirtemburg. 
 Certain journalists had the impudence to say, knowing perfectly that 
 their statement was false, that these princes had served in the 
 Prussian army, and had fought against France in the late war. Not 
 only is this statement entirely erroneous, but in 1866 the duke and 
 his son fought in the Austrian army against the Prussians at Sadowa. 
 As for prince Philip of Wiirtemburg, he did his utmost, during the 
 terrible winter of 1870, to alleviate the sufferings of the unfortunate 
 French prisoners in their damp cells. 
 
The Comtesse de Paris. 133 
 
 husband. At Twickenham, and again now in England, 
 she surrounded herself with all that could remind her 
 of her country. She is an excellent musician, and has 
 a superb voice. Her favourite composer is Gounod, 
 whose compositions she delights in performing in 
 private. She proves by the simplicity and perfect 
 taste of her dress, that it is easy to look lovely without 
 the exaggerated luxury which prevailed under the 
 second Empire. 
 
 We should like to say a word on the subject of the 
 discords which are said to have existed between the 
 comte de Paris and his uncle the due d'Aumale. They 
 have never existed for a single day, and the ridiculous 
 report that the princes had each his partisans was 
 invented by the enemies of the House of Orleans, who 
 endeavour in vain to persuade the country that there 
 are many different Orleans parties. The Republicans 
 could not endure the sight of a royal family so 
 thoroughly united, or of a country which is daily more 
 determined to find in herself a resource against 
 Caesarism and demagogism — those two great enemies 
 of order and of human dignity (as M. de Montalivet 
 so justly calls them) which hold together, are often 
 allied, and always succeed one another. 
 
 A great misfortune was about to befall the royal 
 family. The due de Guise, the only surviving son of 
 the due d'Aumale, and who had been, since the death 
 of the prince de Cond4 his father's one joy and conso- 
 lation, died on the 25th of July, 1872, after five or six 
 days' illness of scarlet fever, against which all the 
 devoted care of the skilful Dr. Gudneau de Mussy 
 was powerless to contend. He was about to pass 
 
134 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the examination for the degree of Bachelor of science 
 at the Sorbonne. During his illness he talked of 
 nothing but his examination, which he was prevented 
 from going through, and was miserable at the thought 
 that on the appointed day he should not be found 
 at what he called his " post of honour." His illness 
 was so rapid that some of his family could not 
 arrive in time to be with him in his last moments. 
 However, the comte de Paris, who was particularly 
 fond of him, arrived some hours before his death. 
 The last consolations of religion were administered 
 to him by the Abbd Guelle, who had rendered this 
 last sad office to so many of the Orleans family. 
 The young prince faced death with the greatest 
 courage. He remained conscious up to nearly the 
 last moment, and was much less affected than those 
 who were round his bed, especially his heartbroken 
 father. 
 
 The shock of the sudden and unexpected death 
 of the due de Guise fell heavily on the comte de 
 Paris, who had been travelling in France since the 
 beginning of the spring. 
 
 The prince was making the utmost use of his 
 leisure. He went to Bourges in the month of April, to 
 inspect the military establishments, and during the two 
 following months he was studying the labour question 
 in France, having until then .b6en only able to enter 
 thoroughly into it in England. 
 
 Earlier in April, 1872, he had been over the mills of 
 Belleville and la Villette in Paris, to enquire into the 
 condition of the workpeople — into their salaries, their 
 general welfare, etc. — and had made copious notes. He 
 
Inspection of FactoHes. 135 
 
 had almost always been recognised before the end of 
 the visit, and had been everywhere treated with 
 respect. Even in those parts of Paris where a very 
 bad feeling was supposed to exist, his ears had never 
 been offended by a single word or exclamation. 
 
 The comte de Paris also visited the departments of 
 Gard, Nimes, Besseges, Alais, and especially the coal 
 mines of the Grand Combe, in which he was particu- 
 larly interested. The mining company of the Grand 
 Combe, under the judicious influence of the Roth- 
 schilds, furnished a striking example of the good which 
 can be done among workmen who know how to value 
 the privileges offered to them, such as caisses de retraite 
 for the old, pensions for widows, and help for the little 
 ones. The acting director and chief engineer explained 
 it all to the prince, and illustrated the good feeling 
 which reigned among the population by telling him 
 that at the elections the Conservative candidate, what- 
 ever his opinions, almost always secured 2,400 votes 
 out of the 3,000. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris next visited the factories of 
 Fourchambalt, near Nevers, and from there he went 
 to stay with M. le comte de Montalivet, at his beau- 
 tiful castle of Lagrange, not far from Sancerre. After 
 a few days' rest he examined the mines of Auzin, in 
 which he took a lively interest, and of which M. 
 Casimer P6rier and General de Chabaud-Latour did 
 the honours. 
 
 Soon afterwards he started with M. le due de 
 Broglie for St. Golvin, to see the important manufac- 
 tory of mirrors, which is the admiration and envy of 
 Europe. Tourraine was also visited. 
 
136 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 During these excursions the prince always preserved 
 his incognito, wishing to see and understand every- 
 thing — in fact thoroughly to master the details ; but 
 he avoided any brilliant receptions. Towards the end 
 of June, 1872, the author had the honour of showing 
 the castles of Blois, Chaumont, Chenonceaux, and 
 Chinon to the comte de Paris, the comtesse de Paris, 
 and the due de Montpensier, and they were every- 
 where greeted with the greatest respect, so soon as 
 their incognito had been discovered. 
 
 Being in need of rest after these excursions, M. le 
 comte de Paris went with the princess and their 
 children for sea air to Dinard in Brittany, whence he 
 was called away by the sudden death of the unfortu- 
 nate due de Guise. Shortly afterwards he went to 
 Eu. It was his first visit since his return from exile. 
 After riding with M. Estancelin through the environs 
 of the town of Eu, the comte de Paris went to the 
 church, which he examined in detail, and was much 
 struck with the beauty of the old abbey buildings. 
 
 He went down in company with the priest to see the 
 tombs of the comtes d'Eu, and afterwards repaired to 
 the Packam factories. All the hands were marshalled 
 in the courtyard awaiting the arrival of the prince, and 
 a bouquet was presented to him in their name by the 
 daughter of the manager, M. Marc. One of the fore- 
 men, M. Desjardins, then read the following address, 
 presented to the prince by the workmen of the town of 
 Eu:— 
 
 " MONSEIGNEUR, — 
 
 "Your Highness when you were a child used 
 
His Reception at the Packam Factories. 137 
 
 to take great pleasure in visiting these vast factories 
 founded by King Louis- Philippe, and which remain as 
 lasting monuments of the great interest which your 
 august grandfather took in the working classes, in agri- 
 culture, and in every form of industry. For more than 
 forty years these factories have been engaged in manu- 
 facturing the produce of that part of the country in 
 which they are situated, and by affording work have 
 supplied us with the means for bringing up our children. 
 Your Highness, true to the wise and productive tra- 
 ditions of the originator of these works, testifies by your 
 presence here to-day to the same benevolent solicitude 
 in the real interests of our country. We beg to thank 
 you, Monseigneur, with all the greater sincerity and 
 gratitude because we know from your writings how 
 earnestly you have studied the labour question, and the 
 means for improving the condition of the working man. 
 It is, therefore, from the bottom of our hearts that we 
 utter the cry so long suppressed ' Long live the comte 
 de Paris!'" 
 
 In his reply, the prince assured them that one of the 
 great consolations of his exile had been the assurance 
 transmitted to him from time to time of the affectionate 
 interest displayed towards him by the inhabitants of 
 Eu, among whom he was happy to find himself once 
 more. His words were enthusiastically cheered. 
 
 The comte de Paris went next to visit the establish- 
 ment of M. Fluttre, the perfection of whose work had 
 just won for him the medal of the " Association Nor- 
 mande." There, as in the Packam factories, the prince 
 received the most flattering welcome from the work- 
 
138 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 men and the crowd that thronged the way. He next 
 inspected, in the company of M. Estancelin, the glass 
 works of the Grande- Valine in the forest of Eu, 
 
 After his excursion to Normandy, the comte de 
 Paris went to join the due d'Aumale at Aix-les- Bains, 
 being anxious to cheer the loneHness of his uncle, who 
 had been overwhelmed with grief since the loss of the 
 due de Guise. 
 
 Before returning to Paris, the comte de Paris and 
 his wife paid a visit to M. Casimer Pdrier in I sere, and 
 stayed a few days at the castle of la Graer near 
 Libourne with the due Decazes, and then went to 
 Bordeaux, where they were received with the liveliest 
 pleasure. 
 
 Thus passed the first year of the prince's return to 
 France. 
 
 In March, 1873, he published a work in one volume, 
 entitled " The Condition of working men in England," 
 which he had addressed to the Commission appointed 
 by the Assembly to enquire into the condition of the 
 working classes. 
 
 In reading this book, which had a brilliant success, 
 one feels that while the prince was studying the condi- 
 tion of the English workman, he had the French artisan 
 constantly in his mind. During the years of exile, 
 when each and all spoke to him of the country from 
 which he had been banished so young, the sole object 
 of his studies was to qualify himself for serving his 
 country in whatever position Providence should place 
 him. 
 
 This book is divided into three parts : wages, trades 
 unions, protection ; that is to say, the material, moral 
 
Tour in Africa. 139 
 
 and social life of the workman. The work was sys- 
 tematically criticized by certain journals, which refused 
 to see in it a true and accurate statement of the life of 
 the English working man, and chose to forget that the 
 prince does not — and very rightly — suggest for France 
 all that he admires in England. It is certain that all 
 unbiassed minds must derive profit and enjoyment from 
 the perusal of this book. 
 
 Let us quote the eloquent words with which, at the 
 end of his book, the comte de Paris describes England, 
 and let us not despair of seeing France one day " strong 
 in her institutions, respecting the past, critical towards 
 the present, advancing boldly to face the problems of 
 the future. In important and delicate questions, she 
 will set the example of a true spirit of reform ; one, that 
 is to say, which is neither revolutionary nor conven- 
 tional, which seeks to increase the liberty and the re- 
 sponsibility of the subject; which eliminates as much as 
 possible from its code' all preventative measures, at the 
 same time teaching the humblest citizen that a religious 
 respect for law among the entire community is the only 
 safeguard for the liberty of the individual." 
 
 In the beginning of May, 1873, the comte de Paris, 
 who was anxious to see Africa, where his father and 
 uncles had formerly distinguished themselves, deter- 
 mined to accompany his brother, the due de Chartres, 
 who was going to rejoin his regiment at Constantine. 
 He made a rapid tour through the chief towns of our 
 colony, visiting B6ne, Constantine, Blidah, Oran, and 
 Algiers, and was everywhere received with the greatest 
 sympathy, especially by the military authorities. 
 
 The important events which were to follow the elec- 
 
140 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 tions of April the 27th and May the nth, 1873, has- 
 tened the prince's return to France. The National 
 Assembly, whose vacation terminated on the 19th of 
 May, began its sittings that same day at Versailles. 
 On the . oth M. le comte de Paris arrived at Chantilly, 
 and, together with the rest of France, accepted with 
 satisfaction the new Government of May 24th. 
 
 A few days after that, the glorious though defeated 
 hero of Reichshoffen, Mashal MacMahon, had formed - 
 a ministry resolved on an energetic conservative policy. 
 M. le comte de Paris went to see the President of the 
 Republic at Versailles. The Marshal was not at home, 
 but the next day, Sunday, June the 1st, he went to 
 Paris to return the prince's visit. He was received 
 immediately, and talked with the prince about the state 
 of Africa — where he had first carried arms, and about 
 the speech which the prince de Joinville had just made 
 at Langres. 
 
 A few days after the review of July the 12th, 1873, 
 which had been arranged in honour of the Shah of 
 Persia, the National Assembly separated and adjourned 
 till November the 5th. 
 
 It was then, at the end of July, that M. le comte de 
 Paris invited his uncles and his brother to his house, 
 and imparted to them his intention of going to Vienna 
 to see M . le comte de Chambord. They all approved 
 of it. For the last two years, the comte de Paris had 
 been awaiting with impatience the moment when he 
 would be able to pay this visit. 
 
 It has been truly said that the most distinctive fea- 
 ture of his character is his disinterested patriotism, and 
 of this the political act of August 5th is a proof. The 
 
The Comte de Chambord and Comte de Paris. 141 
 
 interview at Frohsdorf may have excited the greatest 
 surprise in France and Europe, but it did not astonish 
 those who had the honour of knowing the prince. He 
 took this step of his own free will, as if it Was the most 
 natural and simple thing possible, with the view of re- 
 constituting in France the unity of the great royalist 
 cause. Without this unity there was no hope of bind- 
 ing together all the scattered forces of the conservative 
 party. The prince seeing that in this necessity lay his 
 duty did not hesitate. 
 
 He chose the moment for carrying out his intention 
 with all the tact and discrimination of a wise and pro- 
 found politician. Those who persecuted him — for there 
 is no other word to use for it — because he did not 
 hurry on his journey to Frohsdorf, did not understand 
 that to have accomplished it before May the 24th 
 would have been to risk forfeiting for ever the results 
 which have been obtained. 
 
 M. Thiers, who was then in power, master of every 
 party and every situation, would not have failed, with 
 his wonderful but mischievous cleverness, to have sacri- 
 ficed monarchical union to the idea of the Republic, 
 would have denounced it as a plot, and, if necessary, 
 would have punished it as such. The letter from M. 
 Thiers to the Mayor of Nancy (September 29th) shows 
 what a true view the comte de Paris had taken. 
 
 In the last two years the Orleans princes had been 
 everywhere accused of being the only obstacles to the 
 re-establishment of monarchy. Nothing could have 
 been more unjust, but this idea gained such ground in 
 the mind of the public that it had come to be accepted 
 by the most moderate of men. 
 
142 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 There is a famous saying that in time of revolution 
 it is more difficult to know one's duty than to do it. 
 The comte de Paris had understood the importance to 
 France of the step he was about to take, and he did 
 not hesitate. 
 
 The 24th of May had fortunately given the power 
 into the hands of Marshal MacMahon ; but France 
 was still suffering under a foreign occupation, the 
 Assembly had met, and a visit from the comte de Paris 
 to the head of the House of Bourbon might have 
 caused serious embarrassment to the new ministry. It 
 might have been said that the princes were trying to 
 force a monarchy on the nation at the point of the 
 Prussian bayonets. There was nothing to do but to 
 wait. When the Assembly was no longer sitting, the 
 moment would be more propitious. So the prince 
 went to instal the princess and her children at Villers- 
 sur-Mer, near Trouville, and then started for Switzer- 
 land with his uncle the prince de Joinville. He 
 wanted to avoid the stir caused by his visit, and was 
 particularly anxious that the comte de Chambord 
 should know nothing of it until after his arrival at 
 Vienna. He was recognised in Switzerland by a 
 friend of prince Louis Bonaparte, who went at once to 
 tell the son of Napoleon HI. that he had just met the 
 comte de Paris. " M. Thiers caused an announcement 
 of the prince's departure to be inserted in the National. 
 The news had been published so often that no one 
 took the slightest notice of it, and it was only 
 believed when telegrams from Vienna appeared in all 
 the papers, announcing the arrival of the prince in that 
 town, on the evening of Saturday, August the 2nd. 
 
Visit to Frohsdorf. 143 
 
 The next morning (August 3rd) the comte de Paris 
 telegraphed to the comte de Chambord, asking him to 
 name a place and hour when he would receive him. 
 The comte de Chambord was just leaving church after 
 mass when the telegram was handed to him in the 
 presence of Mme. la comtesse de Chambord, M. le 
 comte de Vanssay, and M. le comte de Blacas. We 
 are told that the august head of the House of Bourbon 
 read the telegram with great emotion, and that his face 
 expressed both joy and surprise. He at once tele- 
 graphed to the comte de Paris that in the course of 
 the next day he should receive the reply which he 
 desired. 
 
 On the 4th the comte de Vanssay went to Vienna 
 with a note from the comte de Chambord to the comte 
 de Paris, to which the latter immediately sent back the 
 following answer : — 
 
 " Vienna, Aug. 4, 1873. 
 
 " M. le comte de Paris agrees with M. le comte de 
 Chambord that the intended visit must not be allowed 
 to give rise to any erroneous impressions. 
 
 " He is ready, on meeting the comte de Chambord, 
 to declare his intention not only of saluting the head 
 of the House of Bourbon, but also to recognise the 
 principle of which the comte de Chambord is the 
 representative. 
 
 "He is anxious that France should find her safety 
 in returning to the principle of monarchy, and he 
 desires to assure the comte de Chambord that he 
 will find no rival amongst the members of his family. 
 
 " The comte de Paris only begged M. de Vanssay 
 
144 L^ Comte de Paris. 
 
 to inform the comte de Chambord of the intention of 
 his uncles and himself to serve in the French army." 
 
 To this loyal declaration the comte de Chambord 
 answered by the following significant sentence : — " I 
 shall consider my cousins' desire to remain in the army 
 as perfectly natural so long as France is a Republic; 
 but I should fail to understand it if she were under 
 a monarchy other than the legitimist monarchy." 
 
 On Tuesday, August 5th, at nine o'clock in the 
 morning, M. le comte de Paris arrived at Frohsdorf, 
 which is about one hour from Vienna by train. He 
 was conducted into the room where M. le comte de 
 Chambord awaited him, and after shaking hands with 
 his cousin, he expressed himself as follows : — "While 
 bringing to you, cousin, as head of our house, the 
 greetings of my family and myself, I desire also to 
 salute the principle of monarchy, of which you are 
 the sole representative in France. Be assured that 
 you will find no competitor to the throne either in 
 me or in any member of my family in the day when 
 France shall realise that her only security is to be 
 found in the restoration of monarchy." At these 
 words the comte de Chambord, much affected, arose 
 and embraced his cousin, and their conversation was 
 carried on in terms of the greatest cordiality. The 
 comte de Chambord talked chiefly of France, of the 
 feeling of the nation, and, without especially mentioning 
 the tricolor flag, he gave his cousin to understand 
 that the National Assembly, through the medium of 
 their representatives, would soon, he hoped, have to 
 consult with him as to the means of re-establishing 
 
Interview with the Comte de Chambord. 145 
 
 the monarchy. At the close of their conversation, 
 the comte de Chambord said : " I consider it perfectly 
 natural that you should adhere to the political opinions 
 in which you have been brought up. The heir to the 
 throne has his opinion, as well as the king." 
 
 The comte de Paris was then presented to Mme. la 
 comtesse de Chambord, who welcomed him most cor- 
 dially, and he stayed at Frohsdorf for some hours after 
 luncheon. He returned to Vienna at four o'clock, 
 for he was engaged in the evening to dine with the 
 Emperor of Austria, and to go with him to a gala per- 
 formance at the opera in honour of the Shah of 
 Persia. 
 
 Such was the first interview between the grandson 
 of King Louis- Philippe and the grandson of King 
 Charles X. The Republican Press uttered cries of 
 rage, and heaped insults on the Orleans princes and 
 on the comte de Chambord. It has been seen how 
 frank, loyal, and spontaneous had been this reconcilia- 
 tion between the two branches of the House of 
 Bourbon, and how noble was the language of the 
 comte de Chambord, who understood and appreciated 
 the abnegation and disinterestedness of the comte de 
 Paris. We will not stop longer to notice the com- 
 ments of the princes' enemies, who were spiteful and 
 furious at the union of the two branches of the House 
 of Bourbon — a union which could not fail to retard 
 indefinitely the fulfilment of their hopes. 
 
 But to tell the truth, the Republican party was at 
 that time possessed by an extraordinary idea. They 
 desperately endeavoured to prove by the light of 
 history, with their text books in their hands, that the 
 
 I- 
 
146 Le Comte de Paris, 
 
 union of the monarchical party, and the perfect under- 
 standing which reigned between Legitimists and 
 Orldanists, constituted an attempt on the rights, an 
 infraction of the duties of both ; and, in short, that 
 what had. passed on August 5, 1873, was an insult to 
 the memory of the comte de Chambord and of King 
 Louis- Philippe, 
 
 These opportunists dared to say : " M. le comte de 
 Paris, in accepting the political inheritance of M. le 
 comte de Chambord, has betrayed the memories and 
 traditions of his family. The legitimists, in recog- 
 nising M. le comte de Paris, as they have done, to be 
 the undeniable head of the House of France, have 
 done violence to the teaching of their party, and have 
 failed in respect to M. le comte de Chambord." Whole 
 volumes might be filled with articles in which this 
 double theme is worked out ad nauseam. 
 
 But a witness was discovered to destroy these errors 
 — a witness whose authority and competency we do 
 not think the Republic will deny, for he was in fact the 
 most important statesman of the July monarchy— we 
 mean that great orator, historian and writer, M. 
 Guizot. His daughter, Mme. de Witt, has collected 
 some of the letters which M. Guizot wrote to his 
 family and friends into one volume, a small but very 
 choice work. There we find, as in a piece of broken 
 mirror, the best qualities of his powerful mind, his 
 wide, profound views of men and things in his day, 
 reflected in a style perfectly adapted to generalisation, 
 and conveying the truth in a few sentences, in short 
 fragments, chiefly improvised. 
 
 Now it appears from M. Guizot's letters that after 
 
Letter from Louis-Philippe to M. Guizot. 147 
 
 the revolution of 1848, in the interval between the 
 assumption by prince Louis Napoldon of the presidency 
 of the republic, and the coup d'Etat of 185 1, the parti- 
 sans of the July monarchy and the adherents of tradi- 
 tional monarchy were unanimous as to the urgent 
 necessity for a sincere reconciliation and a definite 
 fusion of all the monarchical forces. Not only did M. 
 Guizot enter into these ideas without any sort of 
 reserve, but his correspondence reveals the fact that 
 King Louis- Philippe favoured them, and gave them 
 the full weight of his authority. In July, 1850, the 
 King said to M. Guizot : — 
 
 " My grandson cannot reign with the same title 
 and under the same conditions as I, who have failed. 
 He can only become the legitimate king either by 
 the death or the abdication of M. le due de Bordeaux, 
 or in succession to him. As for me, I have no plan 
 either to form or carry out ; I have only to wait. 
 The want of union in the House of Bourbon is a great 
 misfortune. I will not add to it the scandal of dis- 
 union in the House of Orleans. All my family must 
 be of my mind. All my sons are, but that is not 
 enough. I want time ; I want time ! " * 
 
 However, neither Louis-Philippe nor M. Guizot con- 
 sidered it sufficient, in the then state of the country, 
 to form platonic wishes in favour of unity. With the 
 advice and encouragement of the King, M. Guizot took 
 measures to inform the comte de Chambord of the 
 ideas which were current at Claremont, and to prepare 
 the ground for a solution which from that moment be- 
 came dear to the hearts of the most able men. M. 
 
 * M. Guizot k M. de Basante, July 9, 1850. 
 
 L 2 
 
148 Le Comte de Paris.. 
 
 Guizot therefore drew up, towards the end of 1850, a 
 memorandum, setting forth the conditions under which 
 the reconcihation between the monarchical parties 
 might be accompHshed. 
 
 This memorandum is one of the wisest and noblest 
 of the productions of M. Guizot's pen. After defining 
 what ought properly to belong to Legitimists and 
 Orldanists in exercising the functions of a royal govern- 
 ment, the author thus sums up his conclusions : — 
 
 " In 1830 a large — a very large part of the nation 
 thought itself in danger, and imagined that its rights, 
 its interests, and its honour, were threatened. It, 
 therefore, actively or passively, revolted against 
 monarchy, persuading itself that revolt was the only 
 means of defence. When the revolution was an 
 accomplished fact, the country and the new Govern- 
 ment found itself obliged to check it, to regulate it, and 
 to bring out of it a constitutional monarchy under a 
 prince of the House of Bourbon. This monarchy 
 lasted eighteen years. For eighteen years it enforced 
 law and order in France, maintained peace in Europe, 
 and for eighteen years France was free and prosperous. 
 For the last sixty years no other government had 
 lasted longer, or ruled with greater sincerity and 
 liberality. In 1848 this Government was suddenly 
 overthrown. Without looking forward ; without trying 
 to find the secondary causes of its fall, we are justified 
 in saying that it did not possess all the conditions 
 necessary for its continuance. 
 
 " There are now two great facts which occupy all 
 parties, and which, in the eyes of M, le comte de Cham- 
 
M. Guizot on the Situation (1850). 149 
 
 bord, and of the country, ought to influence all politics. 
 One may almost say that God has spoken. France 
 ought to recognise that the existence of the monarchy 
 is impossible without respect for the rights of that 
 monarchy, and the union of all parties composing it. 
 M. le comte de Chambord must recognise that the 
 monarchy of 1830 was a national, legal measure, and 
 that it saved France from anarchy. By this simul- 
 taneous action neither M. le comte de Chambord nor 
 France abandon their rights, nor forfeit their dignity ; 
 they approach each other without loss of prestige. 
 Together they render homage to truth and necessity."* 
 
 This note of M. Guizot had been brought under the 
 notice of the comte de Chambord by the due de 
 Noailles. The prince perused it with the attention it 
 deserved, and replied to it, as is well known, by one 
 of the most magnificent letters of his correspondence. 
 After expressing his admiration for the superior in- 
 tellect, the great ability, and the long experience of M. 
 Guizot, the prince adds : — " I have read them (the 
 pages) with all the more interest and satisfaction as, on 
 most points, and, with few exceptions, I share the 
 sentiments and views which they contain." 
 
 Thus it was the programme laid down by the power- 
 ful hand of M. Guizot in 1850, which was carried out 
 in 1873. 
 
 We will leave the Republican party to treat with 
 disdain this eminently patriotic and national move- 
 ment which the Conservatives accomplished, but what 
 
 * M. Guizot's letters. " Memorandum on the union, Nov. 1850." 
 Hackett. 
 
150 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 we do dispute with our adversaries is that this move- 
 ment was opposed to the respective traditions of both 
 parties in the monarchy. In reaHty, their union, 
 henceforth indissoluble, is equally the work of King 
 Louis- Philippe, and the comte de Chambord. 
 
 On the 5th of August, 1873, the comte de Cham- 
 bord also received a visit from the prince de Joinville, 
 who expressed identically the same sentiments as his 
 nephew. The next day the comte de Chambord went 
 to Vienna to return the visit of the comte de Paris. 
 In this second interview the comte de Chambord 
 talked a great deal to the prince about his children, 
 and begged for their photographs. To the head of 
 the House of Bourbon this union of the two branches 
 of his family, did not only mean oblivion on both sides 
 of past politics, but also the participation in the joys 
 of family life from which he had been severed for so 
 many years. A fatal disunion had prevented his 
 knowing, even by sight, those of the same Bourbon 
 blood as himself 
 
 One of the papers expressed itself as follows on the 
 subject of the interview at Frohsdorf : — 
 
 " Thanks to the bold and generous initiative taken 
 by M. le comte de Paris, the head of the House of 
 Bourbon finds himself surrounded by men who showed 
 an emotion that could only arise from real depth of 
 feeling. With them are ladies, children of all ages, 
 brilliant officers like the due de Chartres, lovely girls 
 like princess Blanche de Nemours, all of whom display 
 real respect and affection for him. Hands are out- 
 stretched, eyes are bright with tears, and the man 
 
Re-union of the Branches of House of Bourbon. 151 
 
 who seemed fated to sit beside a desolate hearth, 
 embraces an entire family of brothers, sisters, and 
 even babies like the little due d'Orl^ans, who climbs 
 on his knee and loves him even before he knows 
 him. One thought fills every heart — regret for the 
 time wasted in solitude, and an earnest desire to make 
 up for it. 
 
 " As for the prince, who is the centre of all this, he 
 finds his youth renewed in their youth, his heart knows 
 to whom to turn ; he at last is restored to his family ; 
 and, in spite of the blind hatred and base jealousies 
 which rage without, this union, which has been so well 
 cemented, can never be interrupted. Let it be well 
 understood that the reunion of the two branches of the 
 House of Bourbon was all the more secure, because 
 it not only brought the two families together, but be- 
 cause it saved France, which, without monarchy, must 
 have perished." 
 
 In the middle of August, the comte de Paris re- 
 turned to Paris. He did not stay there, but went to 
 join his family at Villers-sur-mer. The visit of August 5 
 had made an immense stir throughout France, and 
 everywhere the action of the coriite de Paris was high^ 
 approved of On his return to Villers, August i8, he 
 wrote to a friend : — 
 
 " I thank you for having understood and appre- 
 ciated my recent step towards the comte de Chambord, 
 I was inspired by the idea of union. I wanted to 
 remove anything which might prove an obstacle to 
 this union of Conservatives, which is founded on a 
 
152 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 community of interests, and on respect for the opinions 
 of others, wherever such opinions clash. This union 
 is our only safeguard against our social enemies." 
 
 The Conservative Press was unanimous in applaud- 
 ing the reconciliation of the royal family, and history 
 registered with an admiration not unmixed with 
 astonishment this, the greatest act in the political life 
 of the comte de Paris — an act which cut through 
 the Gordian knot of a misunderstanding of forty years, 
 and the whole country, touched by the patriotic self- 
 sacrifice of the comte de Paris, shouted joyfully, 
 " France is saved, monarchy is established." 
 
 The foreign Press, even the most hostile, could not 
 help exclaiming with the Times — " Can one imagine 
 anything more strange ? In consequence of events 
 in which he has taken no part, the comte de Cham- 
 bord is able, for the first time for forty-three years, 
 to contemplate in perspective his speedy and legal 
 return to the throne of France. Here, for the first 
 time since the death of Louis XIV., we see a French 
 prince, succeeding by right of birth, to the dignity of 
 his ancestors, without having solicited the succession, 
 and without having had recourse to intrigue or 
 violence in order to obtain it. Here, again, we have 
 the strange sight of a prince renouncing all claim to 
 power, and becoming the most loyal of subjects, in- 
 stead of the most formidable of competitors. Besides 
 which, it has all happened at the most unexpected 
 moment, when even ardent partisans of this fusion had 
 given up all hope of success. Indeed, the only 
 apparent obstacle to the restoration of monarchy in 
 
opinions of the Press. 153 
 
 France is the prince himself, who, for the last forty 
 years has not ceased repeating that monarchy is the 
 only salvation for the country. All this is incredible, 
 and yet it is true." 
 
 All classes of society had the greatest confidence in 
 the comte de Chambord's intentions. There were some 
 who wanted to hurry on the convocation of the As- 
 sembly ; the following answer is said to have been 
 given on the subject by a high personage : — 
 
 " We do not want to patch up a monarchy ; we 
 want to establish it on a solid basis. A few months, 
 more or less, will not make much difference either to 
 the country or to the comte de Chambord ; both will 
 have time to reflect : France on what she owes to 
 herself, and the prince on what he owes to her." 
 
 Those who until then had been the most sceptical, 
 began to believe in the restoration of the monarchy. 
 The following words of one of the most able of the 
 councillors of state are quoted on the subject : — 
 
 " M. le comte de Chambord has never had the crown 
 so nearly under his hand ; if he lets slip the present 
 opportunity, he will certainly deprive himself of every 
 chance in the future. Being a conscientious man, this 
 new situation may perhaps have some effect in en- 
 lightening him as to his duties towards France, and 
 towards the royal house of which he has again become 
 the head. There are some prodigals who remain pro- 
 digals to the end ; there are some who settle down 
 when they marry. ..." 
 
 Meanwhile, the republicans, having recovered from 
 
154 -^^ Comte de Parts. 
 
 their first alarm, were not wasting time. During the 
 months of September and October they scoured the 
 country, repeating all the absurdities of the old rigime, 
 the tithe, etc., etc. 
 
 In some villages the peasants asked whether it were 
 true that the parish priests were to replace the mayors ; 
 in others they hastened to sell their produce, so as to 
 avoid the tithe which was to be imposed by Henry V. 
 With a cruel cunning the republicans turned their cre- 
 dulity to account, and they even declared that the pil- 
 grimages were nothing but political demonstrations by 
 which the clergy were agitating the country. 
 
 While the republicans were spreading their calumnies 
 against the royalists. Government was studiously pre- 
 serving a strict neutrality. The attitude of the ministers 
 was irreproachable, which was all the more meritorious 
 as some of thenx were open royalists. 
 
 It was now the 20th of September. A great many 
 French had gone to Frohsdorf, and had been cordially 
 received by the comte de Chambord. One of them, 
 
 an old Orldanist deputy, M. le vicomte D (uncle 
 
 of one of the deputies of the Left Centre), told us that 
 he could not help saying to the head of the House of 
 Bourbon, how thankful he was that Providence had 
 endowed the heir to the throne, M. le comte de 
 Paris, with the many qualities which distinguished 
 him. . . 
 
 "... Yes, indeed, "replied the comte de Chambord, 
 " I was delighted to be able to appreciate M. le comte 
 de Paris as he deserves ; he has an honest, upright 
 character, and his mind and intellect appeared to me, 
 as to you, quite remarkable." 
 
Letter of the Comte de Ghambord. 155 
 
 On taking leave, the prince grasped the hand of 
 vicomte D , saying " Au revoir in France." 
 
 On the eve of this visit (September 19), the comte 
 de Chambord had written the following letter to M. le 
 vicomte de Rodez-Bdnavent, member for I'Hdrault :— 
 
 " Frohsdorf, September \<jth, 1873. 
 " The feeling inspired, my dear vicomte, by the de- 
 tails which you send me of the revolutionary propa- 
 ganda in your province is indeed a sad one ; they could 
 hardly descend lower to find weapons against us, and 
 nothing could be less worthy of the dignity of France. 
 Irrtagine being reduced in 1873 t® evoke the phantom 
 of the tithe, of feudal rights, of religious intolerance, of 
 persecution of our separatist brethren, and — what more 
 shall I add ? — of war madly undertaken under impossible 
 conditions, of priestly government, of the predominence 
 of the privileged classes. You will see the impossibility 
 of replying seriously to questions so ludicrous. To 
 what lies does not treachery resort when it wants to 
 stir up public credulity. I know that it is not always 
 easy to remain calm in face of such unworthy tricks, 
 but you must rely on the good sense of our intelligent 
 population to do justice to such follies, and you must 
 do your utmost to appeal to all honest men on the 
 ground of social regeneration. You are aware that I 
 have no party, and that I do not desire to reign by the 
 help of a party. I stand in need of the co-operation of 
 all, and all are in need of me. As to the reconciliation 
 so loyally accomplished in the royal family, tell those 
 who say that this grand act is contrary to nature, that 
 all that took place on August 5th was done with the 
 
156 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 sole object of restoring to France her rank, and in the 
 interest of her prosperity, glory and aggrandisement. 
 
 " Henri." 
 
 This letter, while clearly refuting the lies of the revo- 
 lutionary propaganda, did not give the expected satis- 
 faction as to the constitution and the flag, for the 
 prince would not broach any question, and thus left 
 some hope to the adherents of the union. 
 
 The following curious anecdote was told us at the 
 time by one of the most intimate friends of the comte 
 de Chambord, one who had been attached to his person 
 for twenty years, and who was councillor of state under 
 the presidency of Marshal MacMahon : — 
 
 " Twenty years ago, the comte de Chambord was at 
 Munich, and was present at a grand ball given by the 
 King of Bavaria, It was a brilliant sight ; almost all 
 the men, whether nobles or diplomatists, wore uniform. 
 The King of Bavaria, who was talking to the comte de 
 Chambord, asked him why he never wore uniform. 
 
 " ' I will tell you, sire,' answered the prince ; ' a uni- 
 form would necessitate my wearing a cockade, and that 
 might prejudge a question which can only be settled 
 when I am in France.' " 
 
 I abstain from all comment, and only wish to point 
 out the wisdom of this reply of a prince who foresaw 
 the possibility of accepting the tricolor flag. 
 
 Several deputies went to Frohsdorf. M. de Sugney, 
 member for la Loire, and M. Merveilleux-Duvignaux, 
 member for la Vienne, while stating distinctly that they 
 
Affairs at Frohsdorf. 157 
 
 had not been commissioned to put before the prince 
 any ultimatum, did not hesitate to explain to him the 
 situation as it had resulted from the meetings held at 
 Versailles. 
 
 After an important meeting of the Right (Septem- 
 ber 25th), it was decided that M. Combier should go 
 to Frohsdorf, which he did, and reported that the comte 
 de Chambord still hesitated on the subject of the tri- 
 color flag. M. Combier met at Frohsdorf the due de 
 Chartres, who, detained hitherto by his duties as major 
 in the 9th Chasseurs, had taken advantage of his leave 
 to pay a visit to the head of the House of Bourbon, and 
 was at Frohsdorf on that prince's birthday, September 
 29th. 
 
 The comte de Paris telegraphed his congratulations 
 to the comte de Chambord on this occasion, and re- 
 ceived a most cordial reply by telegram. 
 
 On the 1 2th of October, M. Chesnelong, one of the 
 deputies, was sent in the name of the Right to Salz- 
 burg, and had a long interview with the prince. His 
 mission seemed to have been successful, and on his 
 return all the conservative papers expressed the live- 
 liest joy. However, as the decisive hour approached, 
 great anxiety prevailed amongst the royalists, an 
 anxiety which was increased by the silence of the 
 comte de Chambord. 
 
 The English and German papers announced that the 
 King's horses and carriages were kept ready to start at 
 a moment's notice, that the outriders were engaged by 
 the comte de Damas, who had gone himself to the 
 stables at the Louvre, and who, it was even said, had 
 obtained from General Fleurj' certain information about 
 
158 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 some of the Emperor's former servants who desired to 
 enter the household of the King ; the latest detail was 
 that the comtesse de Chambord's dressmaker had re- 
 ceived orders to delay sending several dresses to the 
 princess, as she might at any moment arrive in Paris. 
 
 The enemies of monarchy were not idle. One 
 radical paper suggested to prince Napoleon a union 
 between himself and the radicals against the royalists. 
 The prince accepted the alliance in a letter which he 
 published and sent to every mayor in France. 
 
 At the time that party feeling was increasing every 
 day, the " uncrowned Caesar " met at dinner M. Emile 
 de Girardin, who, with M. Robert Mitchell, defended 
 the cause of constitutional monarchy in the Presse. 
 
 " To what follies," said the prince, "will not your 
 parliamentary doctrines lead you ! Here you are flying 
 to monarchy to ensure their triumph. I suppose you 
 want to revive the old rights, sacerdotalism, etc., etc." 
 
 " Oh ! monseigneur, how can you mention such non- 
 sense ? You should leave that to fools ! " 
 
 " I tell you," exclaimed the prince, "that you will be 
 taking baths of holy water." 
 
 " Well ! " said M. de la Guerronniere, " I should cer- 
 tainly prefer a bath of holy water to a bath of petro- 
 leum." 
 
 " You are wrong." 
 
 Is not this authentic incident an eloquent comment 
 on the letter of prince Napoleon ? * 
 
 It was now October 27th. All the polemics which 
 had been agitating Paris for the last few days made it 
 
 * "La \6nX.6 sur I'essai de restauration monarchique," attributed 
 to M. Ernest Daudet, page 134. Dentu, publisher. 
 
State of Public Opinion. 159 
 
 incumbent on the comte de Chambord to show his hand. 
 Public opinion was wildly excited. First there was a 
 rumour of the departure of the due de Nemours, who 
 had been summoned to Salzburg by the prince ; then 
 M. de Falloux and M. de Lucien Brun were said to 
 have followed him to obtain a confirmation of the lan- 
 guage held by M. Chesnelong. 
 
 The Figaro wrote to the ex-Empress Eugenie, im- 
 ploring her to use her influence with her party to make 
 them relinquish their alliance with the radicals, and to 
 vote for the re-establishment of monarchy. 
 
 In every salon the names were discussed of those 
 deputies who could be relied on, and of those who were 
 doubtful. 
 
 We ourselves made a most scrupulously accurate 
 calculation, and we believe that we are well within the 
 mark in affirming that the monarchy would have been 
 carried by a majority of between thirty and forty votes. 
 
 On the 28th of October, the y£»Kr;«a/^«>/ published 
 an order from General MacMahon to the army, urging 
 the maintenance of discipline, which had just been vio- 
 lated by General Carrey de Bellamare. This general, 
 who was in command at P^rigueux, had written to the 
 minister of war to the effect that he could not recognise 
 the sovereignty of the National Assembly. The minis- 
 ter of war immediately put him "en non-activitd par 
 retraite d'emploi," and this decisive action produced a 
 most salutary impression both in the army and through- 
 out France. 
 
 At the same time, the Gazette des Tribunaux an- 
 nounced that a plot against public safety had just been 
 discovered at Autun. Madame la marquise de Mac- 
 
i6o Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Mahon, the widowed niece of the marshal, lived, sur- 
 rounded by her children, at the castle of Sulley, in a 
 village on which she had lavished benefits. Certain 
 members of a secret society had formed the plan of 
 carrying her away as hostage. Several of the con- 
 spirators took to flight, some were arrested, confessed 
 their guilt, and were severely punished. It was asserted 
 that this plan for carrying off hostages existed in 
 several departments. 
 
 The morning of Friday, October 30th, dawned under 
 the happiest auspices. Confidence had been restored 
 on the Bourse, and no doubt was felt in the intention 
 of the comte de Chambord to adhere to the judicious 
 proposals of the Right. Suddenly at six o'clock in the 
 evening, the Union published the following letter from 
 M. le comte de Chambord to M. Chesnelong : — 
 
 "Salzburg, October 2'] th, 1873. 
 " Sir,— 
 
 " I have so pleasant a recollection of your visit 
 to Salzburg, I have conceived so profound an admira- 
 tion for your noble character that I do not hesitate to 
 address myself to you with the same loyalty that you 
 showed in your visit to me. You spoke to me at great 
 length of the future of our beloved country, and I know 
 that on your return you expressed yourself to your col- 
 leagues in terms deserving my eternal gratitude. I 
 desire to thank you for having so thoroughly under- 
 stood the agony of mind which I was suffering, and for 
 having made no secret of the unalterable firmness of 
 my resolution. I was in no wise affected when public 
 opinion, carried away by the force of a deplorable cur- 
 
Letter from the Comte de Chambord. i6i 
 
 rent, declared that I had at last consented to become 
 legitimate King of the Revolution. I had a guarantee 
 in the testimony of a man of good faith, and I was 
 determined to keep silence so long as I was not forced 
 to appeal to your loyalty. 
 
 " But since, in spite of your efforts, misunderstand- 
 ings have accumulated to obscure the clear horizon of 
 my policy, I owe the truth to a country which may fail 
 to understand me, but which has always believed in 
 my sincerity, because it knows that I never have de- 
 ceived it, and never will deceive it. I am now asked 
 to sacrifice my honour. What can my answer be, but 
 that I retract nothing, I modify none of my former de- 
 clarations ? The pretensions of yesterday give me an 
 idea of the exigencies of to-morrow, and I cannot con- 
 sent to inaugurate a reign which should be strong and 
 vigorous by an act of weakness. It is the fashion, as 
 you are aware, to contrast the firmness of Henry V. 
 with the cleverness of Henry IV. ' My violent love 
 for my subjects makes everything possible and honour- 
 able ' was his frequent remark. 
 
 " I declare that in this respect I do not yield one 
 whit to him, but I should much like to know what 
 would have befallen the man who would have had the 
 foolhardiness to venture on persuading him to disown 
 the standard of Arques and Ivry. 
 
 " Sir, you belong to the province in which he was 
 born, and I am sure that you will agree with me that 
 he would promptly have disarmed the speaker, saying 
 in his forcible dialect ' My friend ! take my white flag, 
 it will always lead you along the road to honour and 
 victory.' 
 
 M 
 
i62 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 " I am accused of not having a sufficiently high esti- 
 mate of the valour of our soldiers, and that at the very 
 moment that I only aspire to entrust them with all that 
 is dearest to me. Surely it must have been forgotten 
 that honour is the heritage alike of the House of Bour- 
 bon and of the French army, and that on that ground 
 there can be no fear of misunderstandings. No, I do 
 not undervalue one of the glories of my country, and 
 God alone knows how in the depths of my exile I have 
 shed tears of gratitude each time that in good or evil 
 fortune the sons of France have shown themselves 
 worthy of her. 
 
 " But we have a great work to accomplish ; I am 
 ready and eager to undertake it to-morrow, this even- 
 ing, this moment ; hence my determination to remain 
 simply such as I am ; if I am lowered to-day, I am 
 powerless to-morrow. 
 
 " It is a question of nothing less than the reconstitu- 
 tion on a natural basis of society, the enforcing ener- 
 getically the power of the law, renewing prosperity at 
 home, 9.nd contracting lasting alliances abroad, and 
 above all, not fearing to employ force in the cause of 
 order and justice. 
 
 " They talk of conditions ; did he impose any on me 
 — that young prince, whose loyal embrace afforded me 
 such delight, and who, listening only to the voice of 
 patriotism, came spontaneously to offer me in the name 
 of his family assurances of peace, devotion and recon- 
 ciliation ? 
 
 " They demand guarantees ; did they demand any 
 from this modern Bayard on that memorable night of 
 May 24th, when they forced on his modesty the 
 
Results of this Letter. 163 
 
 glorious mission of quieting his country by the straight- 
 forward words of an honest man and a soldier — words 
 which never fail to reassure the good and to intimidate 
 the evil ? 
 
 "It is true that I have not, like him, carried the 
 sword of France on twenty battle-fields, but for forty- 
 three years I have preserved intact the sacred trust of 
 our liberty and our traditions, and surely I ought to be 
 able to inspire the same confidence and to count on the 
 same devotion. 
 
 " My person is nothing, my principle is everything. 
 France will see the end of her trials so soon as she 
 shall have understood this principle. I am the neces- 
 sary pilot, and am alone capable of bringing the ship 
 safely into harbour, having a mission and an authority 
 to do so. 
 
 " You can do much to dissipate misunderstandings, 
 
 and to encourage waverers at the decisive moment. 
 
 Your consoling words on leaving Salzburg are ever 
 
 present to my mind. France cannot perish, for Christ 
 
 still loves His French, and when God has determined 
 
 to save a nation, He ordains that the sceptre of justice 
 
 shall be placed in the hands of one strong enough to 
 
 wield it. 
 
 " Henri." 
 
 " Nothing could be more beautiful or more hopeless 
 than this letter, . . . but what we now fail to realize is 
 the force of the circumstances preceding this terrible 
 sentence which burst over our heads."* 
 
 Let us take up the thread of our narrative. 
 * " Henri de France," by M. H. de Pfene, page 398. 
 
 M 2 
 
164 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Consternation was general throughout Paris, and the 
 funds went down two francs on the Httle Bourse on the 
 Boulevards, The caf6s were filled to overflowing, and 
 the papers were eagerly devoured. Some said that it 
 was " a forged letter — a trick of M. Thiers ; we will 
 not let ourselves be taken in by it." From the Made- 
 leine to the faubourg Poissonniere people were fighting 
 for the papers at every stall. Alas ! the letter was only 
 too true. 
 
 The comte de Chambord had sent it to M. Chesne- 
 long at mid-day by the hands of M. de Deux-Brdzd, 
 who was also ordered to send a copy to the Union. 
 
 M. Chesnelong entreated M. de Deux-Br6z6 to wait 
 one day. He added that he would telegraph to Frohs- 
 dorf to remind the prince of his words and of the replies 
 he had given him ; he even offered to start at once for 
 Frohsdorf, but the representative of the comte de 
 Chambord told him that it would all be useless, that 
 he must obey his formal orders, and that neither tele- 
 grams nor visits would in any way alter this irrevocable 
 decision. 
 
 M. de Chesnelong sent a copy of this letter to the 
 vice-president of the cabinet council, and started at 
 once for Paris. 
 
 The ministers were assembled ; all were unanimous 
 in recognising that Marshal MacMahon was not 
 affected by the failure of the solution of the monarchy 
 question, and the president of the Republic insisted on 
 his ministers awaiting the Convocation of the Assembly 
 before sending in their resignations. There was then 
 put forward as a possible solution — that a monarchy 
 be proclaimed with either the comte de Paris, or the 
 
A Regency Proposed. 165 
 
 due d' Aumale as regent. As to the post of lieutenant- 
 general, the marshal refused to accept it, for that 
 would be to disown the title of president of the Re- 
 public, which he had borne since May the 24th. He 
 declared that he would not separate himself from the 
 Conservatives, but he made it a condition that none of 
 the existing arrangements should be changed. The 
 prorogation of the powers of the marshal was thus 
 admitted in principle, and the effect of this wise reso- 
 lution was to rally all right-minded people round him. 
 The members of the Right examined the situation, 
 and endeavoured to for,m some combinations which 
 should leave intact the monarchical majority, and its 
 programme. 
 
 A Regency, with the comte de Paris at the head, 
 was proposed. It was insisted that the first thing to 
 be done was to save the principle of monarchy, and it 
 soon became evident that the adhesion of the greater 
 part of the Right could be counted on. It was rightly 
 calculated that, although forty or fifty votes of the 
 extreme Right would be lost, they would be more 
 than counterbalanced by those of the Left Centre, 
 who, far from having any repugnance to the comte de 
 Paris, had learnt during the last two years to appre- 
 ciate his great ability. This resolution to form a 
 regency was adopted, but there was some division as 
 to the name of the Regent. Some of the legitimists 
 desired that the heir to the throne should retain his 
 position, and suggested the due de Nemours, the 
 prince de Joinville, and the due d' Aumale. But 
 already some of the newspapers of the extreme Right 
 were accusing the Orleans princes of intrigues, while 
 
1 66 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the Republican papers declared that the comte de 
 Paris knew that the comte de Chambord would not 
 give way on one single point, and that the journey to 
 Vienna had only been undertaken with the view of 
 compromising the prince in the eyes of his country. 
 On the 1st of November a meeting of the Right 
 took place at the house of M. le due de Laroche- 
 foucauld-Bisaccia, with the result that the post of 
 lieutenant-general of the kingdom was offered to M. le 
 comte de Paris, who, however, refused to lend himself 
 to " anything which could even distantly resemble a 
 royalist competition, or which could disturb the union 
 of the monarchist party." 
 
 The due de Nemours, the prince de Joinville, and 
 especially the due d'Aumale, expressed themselves in 
 the same terms as their nephew, and remained im- 
 movable in their determination, not wishing that the 
 head of the House of Bourbon should, for a moment, 
 suspect the loyalty and sincerity of the interview of 
 August 5 th. 
 
 It is undeniable that the comte de Chambord did 
 not in the least understand the real situation in 
 France. The following account (given to us the day 
 after his return) of a visit paid by M. de Villemessant 
 to the prince at Vienna, on the 31st of October, shows 
 how great were the prince's illusions on the subject : — 
 
 " When I found myself in the presence of my King, 
 whose accession I had been expecting for forty-three 
 years, and whom I believed to have just signed his own 
 exile by the letter of Oct. 2 7th, I was unable to utter 
 a word or articulate a sentence ; I threw myself into 
 
Patriotic Conduct of the Orleans Princes. 167 
 
 the chair which he offered me, and sobbed aloud. The 
 prince, much astonished, grasped my hand, exclaiming, 
 ' Calm yourself, calm yourself, my dear friend ; 
 nothing is lost ! ' 
 
 " I then told the King everything, and set the truth 
 forcibly before him. I do not know whether he be- 
 lieved me, but I heard later that my words had 
 produced a painful impression on him, and had had 
 something to do with his determination to go to 
 Versailles." 
 
 But it was high time to come to some decision, for 
 the Left — profiting by the disorder caused in the 
 ranks of the royalists by the letter of October 27th — 
 meditated the proclamation of the Republic at the 
 beginning of the Session. The various groups in 
 the Right made common cause, and it was decided 
 that the entire and unanimous majority should demand 
 the prorogation of the powers vested in Marshal 
 MacMahon. General Changarnier was commissioned 
 to bring forward a bill to this effect, and to demand 
 urgency. 
 
 Such was the interview of August the 5th, and the 
 consequences and general impression which it pro- 
 duced in France. Two salient points will strike all 
 impartial minds ; first, the patriotic abnegation of M. 
 le comte de Paris, and of all the Orleans princes, who 
 thus effaced themselves for the sake of the eldest of 
 their race, and who, strong in the consciousness of 
 having fulfilled a duty which France would one day 
 remember, vouchsafed no reply to wounding and 
 insulting comments on their noble action. The second 
 
1 68 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 point is the confidence felt by all who were attempting 
 therestorationof the monarchy in Marshal MacMahon, 
 who will always stand forth in history as one of the 
 bravest and most faithful servants of his country. 
 Among the many who, raised to the head of the State, 
 or to some high position as minister, will do anything 
 in their power to keep in office, though they there- 
 by cause the downfall of their country, it has been 
 granted to us to see one man ready to retire if the 
 safety of France required it. This was well-known 
 to all, and no one thought at this crisis of suggesting 
 that Marshal MacMahon was trying to prolong his 
 period of office, or that he would hesitate to resign it ; 
 France had implicit confidence in the loyal soldier. 
 The seven years' appointment of the marshal was a 
 blessing to the Conservatives in such a crisis, and, 
 as I said at the time to one of my legitimist friends, 
 who was lamenting the failure of the monarchy, if one 
 gets out of a river safe and sound, it would be ungrate- 
 ful to complain of being wet. 
 
 The Session opened on the 5th of November, and 
 the continuance of Marshal MacMahon's powers for 
 seven years was voted by a large majority. The news 
 of this Conservative victory was hailed with joy by 
 France. The majority had been formed under the 
 pressure of the danger which threatened the public, 
 and did not include about ten members of the extreme 
 Right, and several Bonapartists who abstained from 
 voting. It was hoped that the government of 
 Marshal MacMahon, thus established for seven years, 
 would strengthen France within and without, would 
 save social order, and would restore security and 
 
Visit of the Comte de Chambord to Versailles. 1 69 
 
 confidence to all honest men who loved order and 
 work. 
 
 Before finishing this chapter, I think I ought to 
 mention a fact which might have modified the votes of 
 the Assembly. M. le comte de Chambord, thunder- 
 struck at the result of his letter of October the 2 7th 
 (he had had no idea when writing it, that it would so 
 entirely alter the plans of the royalists), wished to 
 investigate for himself the situation in France. Would 
 to Heaven that he had had this idea a few weeks 
 sooner ! He went, therefore, to Versailles, travelling 
 under a strict incognito, and arrived by a night train 
 on the I ith or 12th. He stayed for about a fortnight 
 with one of his secretaries, comte Henri de Vanssay, 
 at 25 rue St. Louis, holding himself in readiness for 
 any event that might happen ; all the time that — to 
 his intense astonishment — the Right was arranging 
 and was about to vote for the extension of Marshal 
 MacMahon's powers. He saw no one, with the ex- 
 ception of four deputies, ardent legitimists, whom he 
 reproached with some sharpness for their conduct. 
 They endeavoured in vain to explain the situation to the 
 prince, but he silenced them in a tone which admitted 
 of no reply. 
 
 The comte de Chambord, entirely deceived as to the 
 real feeling in the Assembly, imagined that, in spite of 
 his letter of Oct. 2 7th, the monarchy was an accom- 
 plished fact. Disabused of this idea, he had thought 
 it expedient to go to Versailles, in order, if there were 
 yet time, to assemble his friends, to speak to them as 
 a King, and to suggest that they should even now put 
 the question of a monarchy to the Assembly. 
 
170 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 For this, the concurrence of Marshal MacMahon 
 and his Government were necessary. Some indirect 
 overtures were made in his name to the marshal, with 
 whom, I have been told, he was anxious to have an 
 interview. In the most respectful terms, MacMahon 
 declined the honour of seeing M. le comte de Cham- 
 bord, but he sent an assurance to the head of the 
 House of Bourbon, that Government would guarantee 
 his safety as long as he chose to stay in France. 
 
 Much depressed, and yet only beginning to under- 
 stand the truth, the prince then thought of presenting 
 himself before the Assembly, surrounded by the 
 members of the Right, to demand permission to ex- 
 plain the whole matter, so that all misunderstandings 
 should be cleared away. 
 
 What would have happened had he taken this step? 
 A great majority in the Chamber would certainly have 
 authorised him to speak, and perhaps if he had said 
 clearly that he meant to keep the white flag for him- 
 self and leave the tricolor to the army ; if, in the 
 magnificent language so familiar to him, he could have 
 spoken in touching accents of the country which he 
 so dearly loved, the monarchy might possibly have been 
 proclaimed. But the unfortunate prince, who had been 
 so deceived by the information of his adherents, did 
 not yet understand the truth, and the irritability which 
 he showed to those friends whom he received, proved 
 this only too clearly. Those around him saw this, 
 and dissuaded him from this step. The prince only 
 waited till, notwithstanding his efforts, the extension of 
 Marshal MacMahon's powers had been voted, and 
 then left France, carrying with him into his new exile 
 
Extract from the "Times." 171 
 
 one sad disappointment and one great grief the 
 more. 
 
 To these details we will add those published by a 
 French correspondent in the Times. They corroborate 
 entirely all that we have said, viz., that the comte de 
 Chambord had no idea of the obstacles in the way of 
 the restoration of the monarchy, caused by his letter 
 of October the 2 7th. 
 
 The Times expresses itself as follows : — 
 
 " The comte de Chambord appears not to have 
 realised, before going to Paris, the effect which his 
 letter had produced. After his friends had explained 
 it to him, he declared that it was all a misunder- 
 standing, which must be cleared up, and he resolved 
 to go to the Assembly and mount the tribune, in 
 order to make an explanation. He was given to under- 
 stand that this plan was impracticable, that he would 
 not obtain a hearing, and that such a step might lead to 
 most disastrous consequences. At last he yielded. 
 
 " Later on he was at Versailles on the evening that 
 the debate was brought to a conclusion. He declared 
 that if Marshal MacMahon did not obtain a majority, he 
 should risk a dangerous and decisive step. He should 
 get on his horse, and surrounded by all the princes of 
 his House, he should present himself to the nation. 
 The rejection of the prolongation would sink France 
 in a bottomless abyss, and it was plainly his duty, as 
 representative of a long race of kings, to face the danger. 
 
 "He was reminded of the peril of such a step, and 
 of the certainty of his being assassinated. ' What 
 does that matter ? ' he replied. ' My principle will 
 
172 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 survive ; it matters little what becomes of me, now 
 that I have successors.' " 
 
 One more detail, taken from a Conservative paper, 
 about the flying visit of the comte de Chambord to 
 Paris, where he stayed only a few hours. On the day 
 of the funeral of Admiral Tr6houart, a cab might 
 have been seen standing near the Esplanade des 
 Invalides, in which a passenger was sitting, paying 
 the greatest attention to the manoeuvres and the 
 marching of the troops. The coachman, who had 
 received orders to take up his position so as to obtain 
 a good view of all that was going on, tried to persuade 
 his fare that he would see much better if he looked 
 on as all the rest of the world did, instead of remaining 
 at the back of the carriage. However, the traveller 
 would not listen to anything, for he was gazing with 
 an emotion which he in vain endeavoured to conceal, 
 at a regiment of cuirassiers which was marching past. 
 When it was all over he gave an order, and the car- 
 riage moved off It was the comte de Chambord, who 
 had at last realised one of his greatest wishes, he had 
 seen a French regiment under arms. 
 
 The year 1873 terminated very sadly. Mme. la 
 comtesse de Paris had the grief of losing her brother, 
 prince Ferdinand. The due de Montpensier had 
 placed his eldest son at the little seminary of la 
 Chapelle St. Mesmin, Orldans. Seized with an attack 
 on the brain, the young prince expired in the arms of 
 his father, who, hurrying off on receiving the news, 
 was only just in time to receive his son's last breath. 
 
17: 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 1874-1882. 
 
 Interview between the comte de Paris and the Czar Alexander II. in 
 England (1874) — Birth of prince Charles, son of the comte de Paris 
 — His death, aged six months (June 7, 1875) — Interment at Dreux of 
 the remains of Louis-Philippe and other members of the royal family 
 (June 8, 1876) — The comte de Paris accompanies his brother and 
 his uncles to the grand manoeuvres at Dreux (1876) — Marriage of 
 princess Mercddfes, sister of the comtesse de Paris, to Alphonso 
 XII., King of Spain (Jan. 23, 1878) — Death of the young Queen 
 (June 26, 1878) — Letters of the comte de Paris to the comte Serurier 
 — Birth, at Eu, of H.R.H. princess Isabelle, third daughter of the 
 comte de Paris (May 7, 1878)— Birth, at Eu, of prince Jacques, 
 second son of the comte de Paris (July 11, 1880) and his death (Jan. 
 22, 1881) — Birth, at Cannes, of H.R.H. the princess Louise, fourth 
 daughter of the comte de Paris (Feb. 24, 1882) — Visit of the comte 
 de Paris to M. Victor de Laprade at Cannes (April, 1882) — The 
 young due d'Orleans at the College Stanislas — The comte de Paris 
 at the grand manoeuvres — He goes to Rome incognito— His inter- 
 view with Pope Leo XIII. (Sept. 1882) — Generosity and bounty of 
 the comte de Paris and the comtesse de Paris to the inhabitants of 
 Eu and Trdport — Life of the comte de Paris at the Castle of Eu. 
 
 In the month of July, 1874, M. le comte de Paris 
 was in England when the Czar Alexander II. was 
 paying a visit to that country. Alexander II. was one 
 of the best sovereigns that Russia had ever had. His 
 reign was productive of a fruitful and peaceful reform, 
 and the emancipation of 23,000,000 of serfs will in 
 itself give him a claim to eternal glory in the eyes of 
 the historians of humanity at large. This gigantic 
 reform was peacefully accomplished, without a single 
 tear or one drop of blood ; and as time passes, the 
 results of this great work are more and more appre- 
 
174 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 ciated. Alexander II. had a great mind, an elevated 
 character, an upright conscience, and a firmness which 
 nothing could shake when the interests of his people 
 or the honour of the Empire were concerned. His 
 name, which is still cherished in every Russian 
 cottage, will shed a bright light on the annals of the 
 19th century. 
 
 The Czar loved France, and everything French. 
 After the failure of the Restoration in 1873, he had 
 expressed himself in terms of the warmest praise 
 regarding the political action of the comte de Paris, 
 and desired to make his acquaintance. The prince 
 accordingly saw the Czar, and we have been given to 
 understand that this cordial interview produced the 
 most favourable impression on the Russian sovereign. 
 Perhaps the memory of the French prince had some- 
 thing to do with the personal intervention of the Czar 
 the following year, when the timely information and 
 representations of the due Decazes, our eminent 
 minister for foreign affairs, prevailed on Alexander II. 
 to oppose the second invasion of France then contem- 
 plated by M. de Bismarck. The grand duke Con- 
 stantine, brother of the Czar, went through Paris on 
 his way to Biarritz soon after this interview, and 
 invited the comte de Paris to a grand dinner, given at 
 the Russian Embassy. It was observed that after 
 dinner the grand duke had a long conversation with 
 the grandson of King Louis- Philippe.* 
 
 * At the beginning of 1875 Mme. la comtesse de Paris gave birth 
 to a son (Jan. 25), who received the name of Charles. But the 
 health of the young prince was very delicate, and on the 7th of 
 June, after being taken into the Bois de Boulogne, he was seized 
 with convulsions and died, in spite of every efTort of the doctors. 
 
Removal of the Remains of Louis- Philippe. 175 
 
 The last wish of King Louis- Philippe was accom- 
 plished on the 8th of June, 1876, on which day his 
 remains, together with those of the Queen, Mme. la 
 duchesse d'Orldans, Mme. la duchesse d'Aumale, M. 
 le prince de Condd, and the five young children of 
 the due d'Aumale, were removed from the Roman 
 Catholic Chapel at Weybridge to France. M. le comte 
 de Perthuis, prefect of Calvados, and the comte de 
 Flers, sub-prefect of Dreux, had requested to be allowed 
 the honour of conducting this solemn ceremony. 
 
 In September, 1876, some grand manoeuvres took 
 place at Dreux, and the comte de Paris followed them 
 with the lively interest which he took in all things 
 relating to the army. 
 
 During the existence of the Government called 
 the Government of May i6th (1877) the attitude of 
 the Orleans princes was most reserved, and they 
 abstained more than ever from all intervention in the 
 political struggles of the day. 
 
 The year 1878 appeared to open happily. The 
 sister of the comtesse de Paris, the princess Mercddes 
 de Montpensier, married, on the 23rd of January, at 
 Madrid, her cousin Alphonse XII., King of Spain. 
 Young and lovely, adored by her. husband, to whom 
 she was devoted, the happy future of Queen Mercedes 
 seemed assured ; but the impenetrable decrees of Pro- 
 vidence ordained that this happy life should be 
 suddenly cut off. The Queen Mercedes died of typhoid 
 fever on the 26th of June. It was indeed a crushing 
 grief Sorrow and mourning were universal, business 
 was suspended, the shops were shut, and all Spain 
 wept and prayed. The duke and duchess de Mont- 
 
176 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 pensier, whose Christian resignation was truly won- 
 derful, were yet to be overtaken by another cruel 
 blow. A year later (May, 1879) the youngest sur- 
 viving sister of the comtesse de Paris, the infanta 
 Christine, succumbed to an attack on her lungs at her 
 father's palace at Seville.* 
 
 It was ^t this time that M. le comte de Sdrurier, 
 
 * " A few weeks before the illness and death of the young Queen 
 Mercddfes, Mme. la comtesse de Paris gave birth to her third 
 daughter, the princess Isabelle, at Eu, 7th May, 1878. The month 
 of April, 1880, brought to Monsieur the comte de Paris a joy 
 which, alas ! was but short lived. Madame la comtesse gave birth 
 to her second son, who received the name of Jacques, after one of 
 his ancestors, Jacques de Bourbon, comte de la Marche and con- 
 stable of France, surnamed " The Flower of Chivalry," who was 
 mortally wounded at the battle of Crdcy (1345), whilst rescuing the 
 King of France, Philip VI., out of the hands of the English. The 
 portrait of this hero is placed at the top of the grand staircase at the 
 Castle of Eu, and all who pass it are struck by its martial bearing. 
 On the nth July the young prince was baptized, his godmother 
 being Mme. la princesse Clementine, and his godfather the prince 
 Antoine d'Orl&ns, son of the due de Montpensier and brother of 
 Madame la comtesse de Paris. The hopes, smiles, and joys of the 
 family centred round this cradle; but, alas ! on the 22nd January, 
 nine months after his birth, the young prince Jacques was seized 
 with convulsions, to which he succumbed, notwithstanding the able 
 and untiring care of the doctors, who had been immediately sum- 
 moned to attend him. It is impossible to depict the grief of 
 Monsieur le comte de Paris, and of Madame la comtesse, who live 
 only for their children, and who had already lost prince Charles in 
 much the same manner. Powerless as all human consolation is in 
 time of bereavement, the sorrowing parents could not fail to be 
 touched by the deep and sincere sympathy manifested by all. On 
 the 26th January, 1881, the Orleans princes followed the coffin of 
 the little prince to Dreux. Madame la comtesse de Paris gave 
 birth at Cannes to the princess Louise (24th Feb., 1882), who was 
 baptized at Eu on the 28th May, Madame la princess de Joinville 
 acting as godmother, and Monsieur le due de Nemours as god- 
 father. 
 
Letter from the Prince to M. de S^rurier. 177 
 
 vice-president of the committee formed by the Franco- 
 American Union with a view to the erection of a 
 statue of " Liberty enlightening the world," received 
 the following letter from the comte de Paris in reply 
 to a proposal made by M, de S6rurier that the prince 
 should inspect the statue in course of construction, and 
 should put his name down among the subscribers : — 
 
 " Eu, March ^rd, 1878. 
 " My Dear Count, — 
 
 " I shall be doubly delighted to go with you to 
 see the monument destined for New York, and at the 
 same time to make the acquaintance of the marquis de 
 Rochambeau. 
 
 " You know what interest I take in the union be- 
 tween France and America. At a time when it was the 
 fashion to run down the great transatlantic Republic, 
 and to disown the policy of King Louis XVL, I 
 tried to prove to the republicans on the other side 
 of the water, that sympathy with their nation and 
 their institutions was perpetual in the House of Bour- 
 bon. I shall, therefore, be happy to associate myself 
 in every way with the work which you have mentioned 
 to me, and the only reason that I have not done so 
 sooner is that I have not had an opportunity. 
 
 " I shall be at Eu for some months, but I shall pay 
 one or two visits to Paris, and shall do myself the plea- 
 sure of informing you of my next visit, so that we may . 
 meet and carry out the plan you propose. 
 
 " Until then I beg to remain, 
 
 " Your affectionate, 
 
 " Louis Philippe d'Orleans." 
 
 N 
 
178 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 On the 25th of March, after having visited the 
 studio, and assured the sculptor, Bartholdi, of the in- 
 terest which he took in the work, the comte de Paris 
 sent his subscription to the comte de Sdrurier with the 
 following letter : — 
 
 "Eu, March 2\st, 1878. 
 " My Dear Count, — 
 
 " I beg that you will put my name down on 
 your list as a subscriber to the amount of 5,000 francs. 
 I am happy to be able to associate myself with this 
 great national work, which will remind America of the 
 glorious 4th of July, 1776, and will unite both nations 
 in the bonds of the same great memory — a memory all 
 the more precious as it has no connection with our 
 present quarrels. 
 
 " I remain, 
 
 "Your affectionate 
 " Louis Philippe d'Orleans." 
 
 At the time that he wrote these two letters, M. le 
 comte de Paris could not foresee that he would one day 
 be exiled from his country under the pretext that his 
 presence constituted a danger to the existence of the 
 French Republic. While giving such proof of his 
 sympathy with the American Republic, he could not 
 suppose that other republicans would ever think of 
 proscribing him. 
 
 His letters remain as proofs of his liberal ideas, and 
 his attachment to national traditions. On reading 
 them, Americans will not forget that the prince who 
 wrote them, and who wished to contribute to the work 
 
Life at Eu. 179 
 
 of international union and fraternity, was the same who 
 at the time of their civil war came to place his sword 
 at the disposal of a country which was fighting for the 
 abolition of slavery, as she had fought in the last cen- 
 tury for her liberty and independence. 
 
 On the 1 6th of June, 1881, a ceremony took place 
 which was all the more touching from its very sim- 
 plicity ; the young due d'0rl6ans made his first com- 
 munion in the church of Notre Dame d'Eu, in the 
 midst of all the children of the parish. 
 
 In March, 1882, the Empress of Austria honoured 
 with her presence the castle of Chantilly, where a 
 brilliant reception was accorded her by the due d'Au- 
 male and the Orleans princes, and a splendid hunt was 
 organized in her honour. 
 
 The comte de Paris was unable to be present, for 
 he was then at Cannes, where Victor de Laprade, that 
 true Christian, royalist, poet, and member of the French 
 Academy was dying. The comte de Paris went several 
 times to see him, arid M. de Laprade was deeply 
 touched by the honour thus accorded to him by the 
 prince. 
 
 " Old Bourbonist that I am," said he, " it seems 
 that royalty has come to bid me farewell in the 
 person of the descendant of St. Louis and of Henry 
 IV." 
 
 On the last of the visits in the Easter vacation 
 (April, 1882), the comte de Paris was accompanied by 
 his son, the young due d'Orl^ans. 
 
 " I have brought my son to see you, M. de Laprade," 
 said the prince, as he entered ; " he knows of all the 
 interest which you take in him." 
 
 N 2 
 
i8o Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 The poet's eyes filled with tears. 
 
 " As an old and dying man, permit me, monseigneur, 
 to bless your son." 
 
 And he placed his trembling hands on the bowed 
 head of the young prince. 
 
 Some days later, when those around him were talk- 
 ing of the delicate attention, of the prince, M. de La- 
 prade said : 
 
 " This visit gave me the greatest pleasure, and I, 
 who try to find out the hidden meaning of things, like 
 to think that as God has, on my death bed, shown 
 this child to me, who have so truly loved France and 
 royalty, it is a sign that he will one day be called 
 upon to reign." 
 
 In August, M. le comte de Paris went to Paris to be 
 present at the distribution of prizes at the College 
 Stanislas, where the young due d'Orldans had obtained 
 the first prize for Latin translation in the fifth class. , 
 The prince, after remaining a few months in the fourth 
 class, followed his father to Cannes. 
 
 He was a great favourite with his companions, being 
 quick at every game, open-hearted, and very intelligent. 
 When he returned to Paris, accompanied by M. Laurent, 
 professor at the College Stanislas, who directed his edu- 
 cation, he only took some private lessons at the college, 
 residing at Eu the greater part of the year.* 
 
 Some days after the distribution of prizes at College 
 Stanislas, the comte de Paris, having heard of the 
 death of M. Crugy, director of the Courrier de la 
 
 * M. Laurent, student at the l^cole normale, fellow of the Univer- 
 sity, official of the Academy, was for six years (1877-1883) tutor to 
 the young due d'Orldans. 
 
Letter from the Prince to M. Emile Riffaud. 1 8 1 
 
 Gironde at Bordeaux, one of those members of the 
 provincial press, who for many years had faithfully 
 served the Orldanist party, wrote the following letter 
 to M. Emile Riffaud, a relation of M. Crugy : — 
 
 " Eu, August 20tk, 1882. 
 "Sir,— 
 
 " I hasten to thank you for the kind thought 
 which inspired your letter. You were right in thinking 
 that I should feel the greatest sympathy with you in 
 your sorrow. I had already been much disturbed by 
 the sad account which our mutual friend, M, Mdran, 
 the lawyer at Bordeaux, had given me of the health of 
 M. Crugy. 
 
 " Certainly for him death was a blessed deliverance, 
 but for his relations and friends it is the irrevocable 
 rupture of the last link to which they clung even when 
 all hope was gone. 
 
 " It is at this sad moment that one recalls the life of 
 him who is no more, his brilliant past, his courage, and 
 his passionate devotion to the ideas which he had made 
 his own. 
 
 " Having seen him from my childhood suffering in 
 our cause, and for some time sharing our exile, it was 
 a great satisfaction to me to find him again at Bor- 
 deaux when the gates of France had been opened to 
 me, and to be able to assure him that I had not for- 
 gotten his long struggle for the liberal cause under the 
 Empire, nor the hospitality he had always shown me 
 in the columns of his journal at so sad and affecting a 
 period of our history. 
 
 "His beautiful, original face, with its expression of 
 
1 82 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 mingled sincerity and firmness, will always remain en- 
 graven on my memory. 
 
 " You may count on the sympathetic interest which 
 I shall always take in those who, like yourself, have 
 inherited his feelings for my family, and I take this 
 opportunity of subscribing myself 
 " Your affectionate 
 
 " Louis Philippe d'Orleans." 
 
 At the beginning of September, grand manoeuvres 
 took place in the department of Seine- et-Oise at Sep- 
 teuil, Curgemt, Dammartin. M. le comte de Paris, 
 lieutenant-colonel of the territorial army, took part in 
 them, and was especially interested in the manoeuvres 
 of the 5th Division, which marched past before him at 
 Septeuil. 
 
 It was at this time that the comte de Paris went in- 
 cognito to Rome, where he was received by Pope Leo 
 XI IL, who had often, particularly lately, expressed his 
 regret at not knowing him. 
 
 It will be readily understood why I do not give here 
 the exact words spoken by the Holy Father to the 
 prince, who has the greatest respect for religion, im- 
 partiality in his personal judgments, real faith, and 
 much indulgence towards others. 
 
 Profoundly and sincerely religious, the comte de 
 Paris knows that " the Church, like the State, is a 
 society perfect in its way, and autonomous ; that 
 those who wield power ought never in any way to 
 abuse or humiliate her," that the Church ought to live 
 in the State, not separated from it, but in peace and 
 harmony. Like the Pope, M. le comte de Paris knows 
 
Leo XIII. and the Comte de Paris. 183 
 
 " liberty ought not to be carried beyond those limits 
 laid down by natural and divine law."* Neither the 
 Pope nor the prince desires that " any one should be 
 forced to embrace the Catholic faith, for — as Leo XIII. 
 quotes in his encyclical from St. Augustine — force 
 can obtain much from man — all except faith." 
 
 Enemies as they both were to license, friends of true 
 and legitimate liberty (so indispensable to democratic 
 society in this 19th century) Leo XIII. and M. le comte 
 de Paris could not fail to understand one another in 
 the very first interview. They separated with mutual 
 admiration. 
 
 It is not my province to repeat all that was told me 
 about this interview, but I may state with certainty 
 that the Holy Father was immensely struck with the 
 high standard and political wisdom of the prince. 
 
 It is said that some days after this visit, Leo XIII., 
 charmed and touched by the pious sentiments expressed 
 by the prince, exclaimed : — " It would be a great bless- 
 ing for France to be governed by that prince ! " In 
 all ranks of society, justice has been done to the head 
 of the House of France, and to the princes of the royal 
 family. In October, 1882, at a royalist banquet at 
 Lyons, the following toasts were proposed by M; de la 
 Rochetaillde : — 
 
 " Gentlemen, allow me, after drinking the health of 
 the King, to propose the toast of his august family. 
 
 " Let us drink to the health of S.A.R. le comte de 
 Paris, who has passed his youth in exile studying the 
 
 Extracts from the encyclical of Leo XIII. — Immortale Dei. 
 
184 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 various forms of government, the art of war, and all 
 great social questions ; whose intellect, warm affections, 
 and wonderful activity make him worthy of taking the 
 first place in the House of France after Mgr. le comte 
 de Chambord. 
 
 " I also propose the health of Mgr. le due de Nemours, 
 that living image of Henry IV., the brilliant officer 
 whose memory still flourishes in the French cavalry. 
 
 " Of the prince de Joinville, the admiral, who, 
 having been denied by the Government of National 
 Defence the right of fighting for his country as a 
 volunteer, followed the army of the Loire under the 
 name of a foreign officer. At the battle of Orleans 
 he was serving with a battery of marines ; no one 
 knew him, but instinctively all obeyed him, officers 
 and soldiers alike. He was content, while retarding 
 the advance of the enemy, and protecting the retreat 
 of the French army, to hide his own valour in the 
 town of Joan of Arc. 
 
 " I also drink to Mgr. le due d'Aumale, who wields 
 the pen as well as the sword, and in whom the army 
 recognized its chief ; — 
 
 " To Mgr. le due de Chartres, who, in spite of the 
 ill will of the government of Sept. 4, fought in the 
 ranks of the French army, recalling by his courage 
 the legends of the chivalrous Robert le Fort, whose 
 name he proved himself worthy to bear ; — 
 
 " To Mgr. le due d' Alen^on, the distinguished 
 artillery officer ; to Mgr. le due de Penthievre, who 
 promises to emulate his illustrious father the prince 
 de Joinville in his naval capacity : — 
 
 " Gentlemen, we drink to the health of all the princes 
 
Education of the Due d' Orleans. 1 85 
 
 and princesses of the House of France, thus named as 
 being the living personification of the country, and 
 which, having in past centuries founded, with the help 
 of the French nation, the unity of France, appears to 
 us to-day, in the midst of our grief and reverses as the 
 sole, supreme hope." 
 
 The Decentralization remarks that this toast was 
 interrupted by frequent applause. 
 
 From Rome, M. le comte de Paris had returned to 
 Eu where he passed the autumn, applying himself to 
 works of charity at Trdport, at Eu, and at Dieppe ; 
 to this latter place he sent a subscription in aid of a 
 free school which was being built. At the end of 
 October a fearful storm brought great misery on Tr6- 
 port. Out of thirty fishing-boats, ten sank, and fifteen 
 men perished almost within sight of their homes and 
 families. Never had such a disaster befallen Trdport. 
 The comte de Paris went at once to the town, and 
 consulted with the mayor as to the means of helping 
 the families of the victims. Wherever there was a 
 question of relieving sorrow or suffering, there were 
 the comte de Paris and the comtesse de Paris to be 
 found, not only giving help in the shape of money, 
 but raising the courage of the sufferers with kind, 
 affectionate words. 
 
 At the end of 1882, the comte de Paris selected as 
 tutor to his son, the due d'Orldans, M. , Theodore 
 Froment, one of the most distinguished members of 
 the University. He was professor of Latin literature 
 at Bordeaux, but he gave up his profession in order to 
 devote himself entirely to the education of the young 
 prince, whose studies he had directed at a distance for 
 
1 86 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 several years. In 1868, Napoleon III., having been 
 informed of the great ability of the young professor, 
 had offered him the post of tutor to the Prince 
 Imperial, but he had refused it ; for, attached as he 
 was to the Orleans family by bonds of hereditary 
 gratitude, he felt himself unable to accept the offer of 
 the Emperor. This refusal was not unattended with 
 danger, and he had at that time not the slightest 
 ground for supposing that he would become the tutor 
 of the due d'Orleans in France. M. Froment was 
 crowned Poet by the French Academy in 1871, and 
 had published an interesting work on judicial eloquence 
 in France before the 17th century. His works show 
 an elevation of mind which, in the eyes of those who 
 study the future of their country, justifies the choice 
 made by M. le comte de Paris. The education of the 
 young prince, confided to this excellent master, was 
 finished in 1887. M. Froment became director of the 
 College St. Barbe, at the beginning of the October 
 term, 1887. 
 
l87 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 1883. 
 
 Discussion in 1883 in the Chamber and the Senate of M. Floquet's bill 
 for the exile of the Orl^anist and Bonapartist princes — The Senate 
 throws out the bill, by a majority of five — The princes are deprived 
 of their rank in the French army (Feb. 1883) — Visit of the comte 
 de Paris to the due d'Aumale in Sicily ; he goes to see the ruins of 
 Pffistum, Sdgeste, S^linonte, and the Church of Montreal, near 
 Palermo, Naples, and Pompeii (April, 1883) — First Communion of 
 H.R.H. the princess Hdlfene at Eu — Illness of the comte de Cham- 
 bord- — The comte de Paris, the due de Nemours, and the due 
 d'Alengon go to Vienna (July 2) — Interview of the princes with the 
 comte de Chambord (July 7) — Return of the princes to France — 
 Success of the due d'Orl&ns at the College Stanislas — Death of the 
 comte de Chambord (August 24, 1883) — Departure of the Orleans 
 princes for Frohsdorf — The funeral ceremony at Frohsdorf — The 
 comte de Paris informs all the powers of the death of the comte de 
 Chambord — Return of the comte de Paris to France — Obsequies of 
 the comte de Chambord at Goritz (Sept. 3, 1883) — An exact account 
 of what passed there — Unity of the royalist party — Receptions of 
 M. le comte de Paris at Eu — Publication of the sth and 6th vols. 
 of the comte de Paris's History of the Civil War in America. 
 
 On the 1 6th of January, 1883, in consequence of 
 the illegal arrest of Prince Napoleon, which had to 
 be immediately cancelled, Government seemed to 
 have become absolutely infatuated. The cabinet 
 presided over by M. Duclerc (who was then ill) com- 
 prised General Billot, minister of War ; M. Deves, 
 minister of Justice, and M. Fallieres, minister of the 
 Interior. M. Floquet, the deputy, laid on the table a 
 bill for the exile of all members of families which had 
 reigned in France. Urgency was voted, and the 
 
1 88 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 discussion took place towards the end of January. M. 
 Duclerc, General Billot, and Admiral Jaurdguiberry, 
 preferred to retire rather than support a law of exile 
 which nothing could justify, and demand the expul- 
 sion from the army of princes who had always so 
 faithfully served their country. M. Fallieres formed 
 another cabinet, and after numerous refusals, suc- 
 ceeded, with the aid of General Thibaudin, in carry- 
 ing the disgraceful bill in the Chamber by 353 to 163 
 votes. No sailor could be found to undertake the 
 admiralty ! 
 
 In February the bill of exile was discussed in the 
 Senate, and was thrown out by a majority of five. 
 
 It was then that General Thibaudin, contrary to 
 the laws and regulations of the French army, and 
 without any pretext whatsoever, put General the due 
 d'Aumale, Colonel the due de Chartres, and Captain 
 the due d'Alencon "en non activity, par retraite 
 d'emploi ! " 
 
 We will relate elsewhere how this iniquity was 
 accomplished. In the beginning of April, 1883, M. le 
 comte de Paris and Mme. la comtesse de Paris 
 accepted an invitation from their uncle, the due 
 d'Aumale, to stay with him in his palace at Palermo, 
 in Sicily. The due d'Aumale lives in the palace 
 inherited from his father Louis- Philippe, and which 
 is situated outside the walls, at the extremity of the 
 place de I'lnddpendance, opposite the old Palais 
 Royal. 
 
 It is an enormous house; rather than a real palace; 
 for there is no architectural decoration to distinguish 
 it on the outside, and the apartments are furnished 
 
Vzszi to Sicily. 189 
 
 with great simplicity. As soon as the arrival of the 
 Orleans princes was known at Palermo, all the aris- 
 tocracy came to inscribe their names at the palace, 
 headed by General Palavicini, and followed by all the 
 military authorities. The due d'Aumale is much 
 beloved in Sicily, where he has often stayed, and has 
 always left the best impression. The gardens round 
 his palace are magnificent. Not to mention the most 
 rare exotic trees, there are 80 hectares (200 acres) 
 planted in regular rows of orange and lemon trees, 
 which fill the air with their perfume. 
 
 There are few gardens as fine in Italy, or even in 
 Europe. From the terrace which overlooks it there 
 is an extensive view, embracing the magnificent pano- 
 rama from Mount Pelegrino to Mount Catalfano, to the 
 right of which, when the sky is clear, the summit of 
 Mount Etna can be seen. 
 
 Palermo is, par excellence, the town of gardens, ex- 
 celling Naples in luxuriant Eastern vegetation. Dates, 
 bananas, and cocoa-nut trees flourish everywhere. 
 
 It was in this enchanting spot that the due d'Aumale 
 received M. le comte de Paris and Mme. la comtesse 
 de Paris, and took them to see his celebrated property 
 of Zucco. 
 
 Zucco, celebrated for its wine, is situated 43 kilo- 
 metres (26 miles, 7 furlongs) from Palermo, on the line 
 which runs between this town and Trapani. The dis- 
 tance can be done in two hours, but the journey there 
 and back takes the entire day, owing to the incon- 
 venient arrangement of the trains. The property con- 
 sists of 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres), and yields annually 
 6,000 to 7,000 hectolitres (154,000 gallons) of red and 
 
igo Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 white wine. In the distance Zucco looks like a fortress. 
 It is an enormous farm of several blocks of build- 
 ings, flanked at the four corners by a turret. 
 
 Vines are not the only things cultivated at Zucco. 
 There are also 27,000 olive trees, the origin of which is 
 said to date from the Saracens. Some of these trees 
 are of such enormous size, that the outstretched arms 
 of three people will only just meet round the trunk. 
 
 The comte de Paris examined this splendid property 
 with the greatest interest, and showed a knowledge of 
 the subject which more than once surprised those 
 around him. 
 
 From there the comte and comtesse de Paris con- 
 tinued their journey to the magnificent ruins of Sdgeste 
 and Selinonte. One of the buildings which excited 
 the admiration of the travellers was the Cathedral of 
 Montreal, near Palermo. After spending a few days 
 at Naples to see the ruins of Pompeii and Psestum, 
 they decided to return to Eu, as the comtesse de Paris 
 was anxious to be with her second daughter, princess 
 H61ene, during the last weeks before her first 
 communion. 
 
 This touching ceremony took place at Eu towards 
 the end of June. The princess H61ene (born June 
 16, 1 871) is very beautiful. Three years ago, when 
 she was still a child, she recalled the delicious portraits 
 of Mme. Vigde-Lebrun, by her fresh and delicate style 
 of beauty, especially when she wore the turned up hat 
 which was then the fashion. Now the child has 
 developed into a young woman. Her perfect kindness 
 and affability remind one of her sister, the duchess of 
 Bragance, and her look of great refinement makes one 
 
First, Communion of Princess Hilene. 191 
 
 recognise at once that she belongs to the first royal 
 family of the world. The young princess had been 
 prepared for her first communion in the chapel of the 
 castle at Eu, restored by Louis- Philippe. It contains 
 some beautiful stained glass windows, whose chastened 
 light give to it the devotional aspect of a private 
 oratory. On the carved wood-work is the escutcheon 
 of the royal family, with the three fleurs de lis. Four 
 large windows, designed by Chenavard, and produced 
 at Sevres, represent St. Louis with his cloak orna- 
 mented with fleurs de lis, St. Philippe, St. Victoire, 
 and St. Adelaide. Two statues seem to be guarding 
 the altar : these are St. Ferdinand, in .memory of the 
 lamented due d'Orleans, and St. Laurence, patron 
 saint of Eu. Over the altar is a symbolical picture, 
 representing St. Amelie in prayer, offering masses of 
 heliotrope, the favourite flower of Queen Marie- 
 Amdlie. Princess Hdene might have made her first 
 communion in the midst of all these tender family 
 associations ; but the comte de Paris, prompted in this 
 instance, as in many others, by his nobility of soul, 
 preferred that his children should not be separated 
 from the children of the peo|)le, but should be asso- 
 ciated with them in the same holy impressions and the 
 same duties, by means of the same ceremony. It was 
 therefore in the church of Eu that the service took 
 place. The young princess took her place among her 
 companions, as her brother the due d'Orldans had 
 done on a former occasion, and all the members of 
 the royal family, mingled with the congregation, were 
 sympathetic witnesses of this edifying sight. At the 
 elevation, Mme. la comtesse de Paris, who was much 
 
192 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 affected, sang " O, Salutaris!" with that sweet touching 
 voice that had so often been admired by her friends 
 at their little parties at Cannes and at Eu. Princess 
 Amdlie collected the alms for the poor, and the whole 
 ceremony, with its simple, patriarchal character, left 
 a deep impression on the hearts of all present. 
 
 A few days later an important event occurred. 
 
 On Sunday evening, July the~ ist, the Union, the 
 official organ of the comte de Chambord, published the 
 following paragraph, which caused the greatest stir 
 throughout France : — - 
 
 " We have just learnt with inexpressible sorrow, 
 from an official telegram from Frohsdorf, that M. le 
 comte de Chambord has been seized with sudden and 
 serious illness, and his state is such as to cause con- 
 siderable anxiety to those around him. 
 
 "In obedience to his orders, we implore the earnest 
 prayers of the nation for him. 
 
 "May God mercifully deign to preserve to the 
 country the dearly loved heir to the throne ! " 
 
 The marquis de Deux-Brdze (the representative of 
 M. le comte de Chambord in Paris) had sent this 
 notice to all the royalist papers, and had informed M. 
 Bocher, who telegraphed the sad news to Eu. The 
 next morning (July 2nd) a meeting of the Orleans 
 princes took place in Paris, under the presidency of 
 the comte de Paris. 
 
 It was decided that the grandson of Louis- Philippe 
 should start that same evening for Vienna. Some 
 officious advisers suggested to the prince that under 
 the present circumstances his journey to Frohsdorf 
 
S,A,R,LAPRINCESSE HELENE 
 
 1887 
 
 Perrin&C'PE'iit 
 
Illness of the Comte de Chambord. 193 
 
 might be considered as the act of an aspirant to the 
 throne, and might be followed by expulsion. 
 
 " What does that, matter ? " replied the prince. "It 
 is my duty to go, and I start to-night." 
 
 That same evening the comte de Paris, the due de 
 Nemours, and the due d'Alengon, left the station de 
 I'Est in a sleeping car, accompanied by comte B. 
 d'Hareourt, and Captain Morhain. A few friends, the 
 eomte de Rianeey and the marquis de Flers, came to 
 the station to witness their departure, and intended 
 following them the next day to Vienna, on hearing 
 from them of the state of the illustrious patient. Two 
 telegrams, which arrived at the last moment, announced 
 a slight improvement, while declaring his illness to be 
 very serious. 
 
 The train moved off amidst the respectful salutations 
 of those on the platform. At eight o'clock next 
 morning the princes arrived at Strasburg. They went 
 to the buffet in the station, and the proprietors, who 
 were honest Alsatians, recognised them and pointed 
 them out to several of their friends. All present took 
 off their hats, as the princes went back to their 
 carriage, and formed a double line along their path. 
 Indeed, at all the stations they were the objects of the 
 liveliest and most sympathetic curiosity. 
 
 The next morning, July the 4th, they arrived at 
 Vienna at 6.20 a.m. So many conflicting remarks 
 have been made on the subject of the comte de Paris' 
 two journeys to Vienna, that in the interests of truth, 
 I think it right to give here two extracts — one from 
 the Frangais* the other from the Moniteur Universel, 
 
 * The Franfais was then edited by one of the most able of 
 
 O 
 
194 L^ Comte de Paris. 
 
 which I shall supplement in some details by notes of 
 my own, of which I can guarantee the perfect 
 accuracy. 
 
 On the 4th of July, as soon as the princes had arrived 
 at Vienna, M. le comte de Paris sent M. le comte Ber- 
 nard d'Harcourt to the castle of Frohsdorf ; he was to 
 obtain news of the comte de Chambord's condition, 
 announce the arrival of the Orleans princes in Vienna, 
 and convey their best wishes to the illustrious sufferer ; 
 he was also to find out with the greatest tact whether 
 the comte de Chambord would receive them as soon as 
 his state of health would permit. 
 
 The next morning the marquis de Beauvoir and M. 
 le vicomte de Bondey were sent to make further en- 
 quiries as to the health of the comte de Chambord. 
 
 On the 6th, M. le baron de Raincourt, who was then 
 in waiting on the prince, came to Vienna to convey to 
 the comte de Paris and to the princes who accompanied 
 him the compliments of the comte de Chambord, and 
 his thanks for the step they had taken. Madame la 
 comtesse de Chambord would be happy to receive 
 them, but she could not promise that they should see 
 the comte de Chambord ; indeed, M. de Raincourt be- 
 lieved that he was right in saying that the comtesse de 
 Chambord thought it would be better to postpone the 
 interview. Whether it were to take place at once, as 
 the princes earnestly but respectfully desired, or whether 
 it were put off", it was not the less certain that the sense 
 of duty which had brought the princes to Vienna necessi- 
 
 journalists, M. Auguste Boucher, whose gifted pen recorded with 
 scrupulous accuracy all that passed in this first journey of the comte 
 de Paris to Vienna. 
 
Visit of the Orleans Princes to Frohsdorf. 195 
 
 tated their going to Frohsdorf, especially now that the 
 comtesse de Chambord declared her readiness to re- 
 ceive them, in spite of the fatigue and grief of the last 
 few days. 
 
 A friend who knew well the generous character of 
 the comte de Chambord, said to one of the princes as 
 they were starting : 
 
 " As soon as Monseigneur knows that your are 
 under his roof he will summon you to his bedside, 
 for however great his sufferings, his strength of will 
 is greater." 
 
 This friend was not mistaken. 
 
 On the morning of the 7th, the three princes started 
 for Frohsdorf, accompanied by MM. Bernard d'Har- 
 court, Emmanuel Bocher, de Beauvoir, and de Bondy. 
 At the Vienna station they were met by the comte de 
 Blacas and his nephew, the due de Blacas, MM. de 
 Charette, de Champeaux, and du Puget. The carriages 
 of the comte de Chambord were awaiting them at the 
 station of Wiener- Neustadt, and they were driven to 
 the castle under a burning sun and enveloped in clouds 
 of dust. The comte de Chambord's secretaries and 
 the members of his household were assembled before 
 the gates of the castle, and rendered the customary 
 homage to the princes. 
 
 Dr. Mayr, who had again been consulted, had de- 
 clared that morning that the comte de Chambord could 
 not, without the greatest danger, receive his cousins ; 
 it had, therefore, been decided that the interview should 
 not take place. 
 
 However, the comte de Chambord, on hearing that 
 the princes had started, firmly declared his intention of 
 
 o 2 
 
196 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 seeing them. I n vain was the clearly-expressed opinion 
 of Dr. Mayr repeated to him. 
 
 " No matter," said he, with a trembling voice ; " I 
 wish it." 
 
 And they had to yield to this determined will, which 
 counted as nothing the pain, the danger, and even the 
 possible sacrifice of his life. 
 
 The princes were first received by the comtesse de 
 Chambord, and ten minutes afterwards they were con- 
 ducted to the room in which the comte de Chambord 
 was lying in such suffering. 
 
 It certainly was a grand scene. In that chamber 
 where death seemed ready to seize the chief of the 
 House of France, the last remaining descendant of 
 Louis XIV., there stood the Orleans princes, repre- 
 senting with him who lay broken with suffering far 
 from the Tuileries, far from his country, the entire 
 Bourbon family, in an interview which would probably 
 be the last. It was no longer France which united 
 the comte de Chambord and the comte de Paris, as on 
 the 5th of August, 1873 ; after an interval of ten years, 
 it was God Himself who was uniting them by his mys- 
 terious decrees. . . . 
 
 And this scene, so grand in itself, was rendered still 
 more impressive by the demeanour of the comte de 
 Chambord. 
 
 At the sight of the comte de Paris, the comte de 
 Chambord sat up in bed, took him in his arms with 
 fatherly affection, and wept as he held him in a long 
 embrace. Then he cordially welcomed the due de 
 Nemours and the due d'Alengon, and grasping the 
 hand of the comte de Pari§, he compelled him with 
 
interview at Frohsdorf. 197 
 
 affectionate force and with all his remaining strength, 
 to sit down at the head of his couch. He then talked 
 with each of the princes, and the conversation lasted 
 fifteen minutes. He seemed quite to have forgotten 
 his illness ; indeed, so great was his self-control, that 
 he declared with a smile that he was better. With a 
 touching tenderness, an absolute forgetfulness of self, 
 and an extraordinary vivacity and lucidity, he talked 
 to them of all that interested them personally ; there 
 was nothing that he did not know and remind them of, 
 or ask them about. When the princes who were afraid 
 of tiring him by prolonging their visit, were about to 
 retire, the comte de Chambord again embraced the 
 comte de Paris with effusion, and clasped his hand as 
 though he could not let it go. 
 
 When the princes joined the friends who were wait- 
 ing for them, their eyes were filled with tears and their 
 voices shook with emotion as they described the inter- 
 view. 
 
 As they left the sick room, the comte de Paris, who 
 was much affected, exclaimed : 
 
 "How glad I am to see that they have exaggerated 
 the gravity of his illness ! " 
 
 The comte de Monti then took from his pocket the 
 report of the first consultation which the three Vienna 
 doctors had held, in which they declared that the con- 
 dition of the prince was so serious that it was doubtful 
 whether he would live through the night. 
 
 The comte de Chambord had given orders that at 
 luncheon the comte de Paris should take his place — a 
 delicate and significant attention which proved how 
 entirely his mind was absorbed by one thought. 
 
igS Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 After luncheon the princes took a walk in the park ; 
 they then paid their respects to the comtesse de Cham- 
 bord, and after expressing their sympathy and their 
 many good wishes, they returned to Vienna. 
 
 Such is the true and accurate account of this touching 
 interview as we received it. The spectacle thus given 
 on the 7th July to monarchical France, and to Europe 
 herself, needs no comment to enhance its interest. 
 
 It was, as in 1873, a further manifestation of the 
 unity of the royal family, and was consecrated on this 
 occasion by a deep solemnity. It was not only, as on 
 the previous occasion in 1873, that the comte de Paris 
 bowed before the principle of monarchy represented by 
 the comte de Chambord, it was the comte de Chambord 
 who, on his death-bed, thinking only of France, tried 
 to convince his country that the monarchy of the future 
 — the same hereditary right — was represented by the 
 comte de Paris. 
 
 One of the papers said on this occasion : — * 
 
 " No one could prevent him, in spite of suffering, 
 from finishing his noble career by this grand act, which 
 was his real will and testament. He acknowledged his 
 heir on his death-bed, and those who think they can 
 perceive in this sublime embrace something of a sacri- 
 fice are strangely mistaken. 
 
 "Not only did the comte de Chambord under- 
 stand better than any one the laws and history of his 
 country, but he knew that he was leaving in the 
 safest hands the sacred deposit committed to him for 
 France. 
 
 * Figaro, August 24th, 1887, " Un anniversaire." 
 
Return of the Princes to France. 199 
 
 " He said to a friend on the 5th of August, 1873 : 
 ' The comte de Paris is a really honest man.' " 
 
 As for ourselves, when we recall that scene, so 
 worthy of our ancient history, we can only render to 
 the comte de Chambord the homage due to his firm- 
 ness of will, his courageous solicitude, and his royal 
 forethought for the nation, and we feel sure that the 
 whole of monarchical France will agree with us in 
 mingling gratitude with our admiration. 
 
 The improvement in the prince's health being main- 
 tained, the comte de Paris left Vienna on Saturday, 
 July 14th, and arrived in Paris the following evening 
 at six o'clock. He dined with M. Bocher, and in the 
 course of the evening he went to see the marquis de 
 Deux-Br6z6 to express the satisfaction with which he 
 brought the improved accounts of the comte de 
 Chambord's health. 
 
 On the 1 7th the prince rejoined the princess at Eu. 
 
 The interview of July 7, 1883, had produced a con- 
 siderable impression throughout France. It showed 
 that it was no longer, as in 1873, prudence, but affec- 
 tion, which united the comte de Chambord and the 
 comte de Paris, 
 
 We find a proof of this in the following touching 
 letter, written from Vienna by the due de Nemours to 
 his daughter, princess Blanche. 
 
 " It was Madame herself who showed us into the 
 room of the illustrious patient. We remained there 
 alone — no one but us three. On seeing us Monseig- 
 neur raised himself in bed, and stretching out his arms, 
 he placed his hands on the head of Paris, and em- 
 
200 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 braced him tenderly several times. He then gave me 
 his hand and said : ' Embrace me ; we have loved 
 each other for a long time.' He also embraced the 
 due d'Alen9on. 
 
 "He made us sit down, and talked to us with that 
 beautiful voice of his that you know so well, a.sking all 
 our family news — wife, children, no one was forgotten. 
 
 " While he was talking he held my hand and that of 
 Paris, and repeated several times : ' I knew you would 
 come, and I was sure that your visit would do me 
 good. I feel that I am better, for it is not my heart 
 that is ill, and I love you dearly.' 
 
 " The interview lasted seventeen minutes. Then I 
 said : , ' We are afraid of being blamed if we stay 
 longer ; we had better be taking our leave. With 
 God's help, which we are continually invoking, and 
 with your own vigorous constitution, you will be 
 victorious in this struggle with disease.' 
 
 " Monseigneur, taking the hand of Paris, replied : 
 ' When you go home, tell everyone that it is not for 
 me that they must pray, but for France. My one 
 regret is that I have not been allowed to serve her — 
 to die for her — as I have always desired. My one 
 wish for you is that you may be happier than I have 
 been.' " 
 
 The comte de Chambord had shown the strength 
 of his will, not only by receiving the comte de Paris 
 with every demonstration of affection, but by refusing 
 to receive any other prince — even his sister's sons and 
 daughters, whom he had brought up, and whom he 
 looked upon as his own children. H e had put a constraint 
 
Death of the Comte de Chambord. 201 
 
 upon his feelings, in order to fulfil his duty as king, 
 and to show the royalists who was to be his successor. 
 The comte de Paris, too, had shown, by his prompt 
 departure for Frohsdorf, that he was ready to under- 
 take the responsibility which would one day devolve 
 upon him. In taking this step the prince showed his 
 firmness, decision, and. powerful will ; and those who 
 did not know him, began already to find in him a chief 
 at once able, decided, and worthy of the grand name 
 he bears. 
 
 For a month it was hoped that the progress of the 
 comte de Chambord's disease, if not completely 
 checked, might be arrested for a considerable time ; but 
 Providence had decided otherwise. On the i6th of 
 August all hope was abandoned. His strength rapidly 
 declined, and he could no longer take any nourishment. 
 On the 2ist the doctors had a consultation, and 
 announced that the prince was dying. He was fully 
 aware of his condition, and retained all las faculties. 
 At midday he said farewell to his nephews and 
 nieces, and received the last sacraments. 
 
 For forty-eight hours he remained in a state of 
 stupor, but at eight o'clock in the evening of the 23rd, 
 Professor Drasche and Dr. Mayr announced to the 
 family that the death struggle was beginning. Not- 
 withstanding her courage, the comtesse de Chambord 
 felt her strength fail her, and she fainted in the arms 
 of the grand duchess of Tuscany, the comtesse de 
 Bardi, and the duchess of Madrid. The princesses 
 did all in their power to revive her, and mastering her 
 grief, she did not again leave her dying husband. The 
 prayers for the dying were said twice in the course of 
 
202 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the night, and the silence was only interrupted by the 
 voice of the princess or of the comte de Chambord, 
 who said a few words, amongst which could be distin- 
 guished " France ! " The night passed thus. Towards 
 seven o'clock Dr. Mayr told them that the end was 
 very near. The priest said in a solemn voice, trembling 
 with emotion, " Son of St. Louis, mount to Paradise." 
 The prince drew a last long breath, and all was over. 
 It was 7.27 A.M. 
 
 The body of the prince, exhausted and emaciated 
 by suffering, was terribly thin. His long white beard 
 flowed down to his chest, and his features, so calm in 
 repose, wore an expression of indescribable majesty. 
 
 The first telegram announcing the news was sent to 
 the comte de Paris, and all the Orleans princes declared 
 their intention of attending the funeral. 
 
 From the first the comte de Paris had been actuated 
 by the desire to show a profound deference to the 
 wishes of the comtesse de Chambord, even in the 
 smallest details. During the week of bitter grief 
 which preceded the death of the comte de Chambord, 
 the comte de Paris had been advised to hold himself 
 in readiness to start at once for Frohsdorf on receipt 
 of the sad news, so that he could give directions as to 
 the funeral ; but the prince did not follow this advice. 
 He was particularly careful, with his extreme delicacy 
 of feeling, to avoid troubling the august widow in the 
 first days of her mourning, and he only wished to 
 arrive in Frohsdorf in time to have one last look at 
 the face of him with whom he had so recently had 
 such a touching interview, and who was about to be 
 lost for ever to the eyes of man. 
 
Arrival of the Comte de Paris at Frohsdorf. 203 
 
 The comte de Chambord died in the morning of 
 the 24th ; on the 28th the comte de Paris arrived at 
 Vienna, having telegraphed to the comte de Blacas at 
 Frohsdorf, to know at what hour he could be permitted 
 to kneel beside the death-bed. The comte de Paris 
 was accompanied by his son the due d'Orldans, the 
 due de Nemours, the prince de Joinville, and the due 
 d'Alengon. He had also summoned to Frohsdorf 
 the personal friends and the old companions of his 
 childhood and exile, who had had the honour of being 
 presented to the comte de Chambord since 1873 ; such 
 as the comte B. d'Harcourt, formerly an officer in the 
 cavalry ; the marquis de Beauvoir, formerly secretary 
 at the embassy ; the vicomte de Bondy, and the 
 vicomte Olivier de Bondy ; M. Emmanuel Bocher, 
 formerly a staff-officer ; and Captain Morhain, of the 
 "chasseurs a pied," who for twenty-eight years had 
 been attached to the person of the comte de Paris. 
 
 The prince also had with him the old and much- 
 respected family adviser, M. Edouard Bocher, member 
 of the Senate ; the due de la Tr6moille, and the due 
 de Fitz- James, brother-in-law of General Charette. 
 
 On the 28th of August, at 1.30, the princes left 
 Vienna and went to Wiener- Neustadt, where the car- 
 riages of the comte de Chambord were waiting to 
 convey them to Frohsdorf The gentlemen in waiting 
 cleared the chamber of death, and the new head of 
 the House of France and his only son knelt reverently 
 beside the remains of him who in 1873 and 1883 had 
 embraced him with all the warmth of his heart. 
 Then ensued a long and solemn silence. The comte 
 de Paris was praying, and doubtless before addressing 
 
204 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Him on whom depends the fate of nations, he remem- 
 bered the last words that he had heard spoken by the 
 descendant of our kings : " It is for France that you 
 must pray." 
 
 Over the bed floated the banner of Patey with the 
 stains still visible of the blood of those who had borne 
 it so valiantly on December 2nd, 1870. It had been 
 providentially arranged that one of these heroes, M. 
 Cazenove de Pradines, whose arm was still in a sling, 
 should be on duty by the side of the corpse. The re- 
 ligious silence was only interrupted by the words of 
 deep emotion which the comte de Paris addressed to 
 the wounded warrior of 1870, who, standing at the bed- 
 side of the dead king, seemed a sort of type of France 
 — heroic but mutilated. The young due d'Orl^ans, very 
 pale and deeply moved, watched this affecting scene. 
 
 That same day, M. Bocher had consulted with M. 
 de Blacas as to the arrangements for the ceremony at 
 Goritz. Full of respect for the grief of the comtesse 
 d6 Chambord, and knowing her affection for her 
 husband's nephews, the comte de Paris thought that in 
 the chapel of the castle, under the roof of the illustrious 
 widow, it would not be becoming for him to claim pre- 
 cedence. Although from the first he would have been 
 justified in giving all orders for the arrangements of 
 the funeral, he showed his great respect for Madame 
 in her bereavement by claiming only in the official 
 ceremony at Goritz the prerogative due to his position 
 as head of the House of France. 
 
 M. de Blacas, in a letter to M. Bocher, confined 
 himself to claiming precedence for the due de Parrha, 
 the comte de Bardi, and even the due de Madrid, as 
 
Arrangements for the Funeral Ceremony. 205 
 
 nephews, or rather as nephews by marriage. It was 
 agreed that on Thursday, the 30th, a categorical answer 
 should be given to M. Bocher. 
 
 It is needless to say that M. Bocher, the tried friend of 
 the Orleans princes, explained with his usual eloquence 
 the motives which in the name of patriotism and from 
 an historical point of view, ought to set aside a pro- 
 gramme founded on no precedent and directly opposed 
 to the known wishes of the comte de Chambord, and 
 to his whole attitude since 1873. 
 
 The comte de Paris returned to Vienna the same 
 Tuesday evening, and the next morning at an early 
 hour he sent the following telegram to all the sovereigns 
 in Europe : — 
 
 " Sire, — 
 
 " It is my painful duty to inform you of the sad 
 loss which the House of France has just sustained in 
 the person of its chief, Monseigneur Henri Charles 
 Ferdinand Marie Dieudonn6 d'Artois, due de Bor- 
 deaux, comte de Chambord, who died at Frohsdorf, 
 August 24th, 1883. 
 
 " I venture to claim your Majesty's sympathy with 
 the House of France in these mournful circumstances. 
 
 " Philippe, comte de Paris." 
 
 The same day the various sovereigns replied to this 
 communication. 
 
 In taking this step, M. le comte de Paris had only 
 continued as chief of the House of France what he had 
 always done in his character of head of the House of 
 Orleans. 
 
2o6 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 As soon as this duty had been accompHshed, the 
 comte de Paris sent to ask the grand chamberlain of 
 His Majesty the Emperor of Austria on what day and 
 at what hour His Majesty would receive him. He was 
 immediately informed that two o'clock on Friday would 
 be appointed. 
 
 During this interval a great number of French, faith- 
 ful and intimate friends at Frohsdorf Castle, arrived at 
 Vienna from France, and could not conceal their sur- 
 prise on hearing of the counsels which had prevailed 
 amongst the comtesse de Chambord's immediate 
 advisers as to the funeral obsequies, and of the per- 
 sistence with which the heads of the Spanish and 
 Italian branches claimed the right of being chief 
 mourners to a prince so thoroughly French as was the 
 comte de Chambord. 
 
 Several of the French talked openly of proposing to 
 the comte de Paris that he should take his prie-Dieu 
 to Goritz and place it ten metres in front of the others. 
 The prince let them understand that he could not, out 
 of respect for the memory of him whom the French 
 monarchy was mourning, allow his friends to engage 
 in any sort of struggle with those who wished thus un- 
 duly to dispute his claim to precedence. 
 
 It was hoped by many experienced politicians that 
 the representations made at Frohsdorf by the due de 
 Bisaccia, comte Albert de Mun, comte Maxime de 
 Damas, MM. Benoist d'Azy, and de Carayon-Latour 
 would overcome a resistance which could only be in- 
 spired by those who were strangers to France. 
 
 One of the reasons put forward by the immediate 
 advisers of the comtesse de Chambord was that 
 
Visit from the Emperor of Austria. 207 
 
 the Emperor of Austria did not wish the ceremony to 
 assume the character of a political demonstration. 
 This assertion was destined to receive on the following 
 day a formal and complete denial. 
 
 Two hours before the comte de Paris was expected 
 at the palace, the Emperor, wearing uniform, arrived 
 unexpectedly at the residence of M. le comte de Paris. 
 He talked with him alone for more than thirty minutes, 
 desired that the due d'Orldans should be presented to 
 him, and when the French prince was about to accom- 
 pany him from the salon to the foot of the stairs, the 
 Emperor refused to allow him to do so, and twice in- 
 sisted on his not coming a single step ; the due d' Alen9on 
 alone accompanied the Emperor to his carriage. 
 
 As the name of the Emperor of Austria has been 
 mentioned in this account, we will take the liberty of 
 devoting a few words to this sovereign. 
 
 The excellent impression left by the Emperor Francis 
 Joseph when he went to Paris for the exhibition of 
 1867 still remains. He has a remarkably intelligent 
 face, a keen, quick eye, and a military bearing. His 
 exquisite refinement of manner and his extreme affa- 
 bility cannot fail to strike all those who have the honour 
 of knowing him. He certainly is the first gentleman 
 in his empire. 
 
 With admirable tact and self-sacrifice, Francis Joseph 
 relinquished the absolute power which had belonged to 
 his ancestors, and did not hesitate to give up some of 
 his most important prerogatives in the interests of his 
 country. He has become a model for constitutional 
 sovereigns, and the affection of his people has in a 
 great measure rewarded him. Throughout the coun- 
 
2o8 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 try the people entertain a real and profound devotion 
 to the Imperial family. Military questions absorb the 
 Emperor, and he devotes himself to them with great 
 and intelligent interest. He knew how to effect with 
 consummate skill the reconciliation with Hungary — so 
 jealous of her ancient privileges — and his reign will be 
 a happy memory for Austria- Hungary. The Emperor 
 is kind and charitable, and there are few sovereigns in 
 Europe who enjoy so great and so well-deserved a 
 popularity as he. 
 
 At two o'clock M. le comte de Paris went in his 
 turn to the Imperial palace in the gala carriage of his 
 cousin, the duke of Saxe-Coburg. As he entered the 
 courtyard, the guard turned out and presented arms, 
 while the officers saluted with their swords, and the 
 colours were lowered before him. Inside the palace the 
 prince passed through a lane formed by the Austrian 
 and Hungarian officers of the body-guard in resplen- 
 dent uniforms. Half an hour later the Emperor re- 
 ceived the due de Nemours, the prince de Joinville, 
 the due de Chartres, and the due d'Alengon. 
 
 It is unnecessary to point out the importance of the 
 fact that the Emperor went first to visit the head of the 
 House of France. 
 
 While these visits were being exchanged, M. Boeher 
 returned to Frohsdorf, to know what had been definitely 
 settled as to the order of the ceremony at Goritz, and 
 to declare that unless the comte de Paris were allowed 
 precedence of all excepting the archduke who reprer 
 sented the Emperor, he should not go to Goritz, the 
 head of the House of France being unable to accept a 
 lower place without ignoring his rights and duties. 
 
Address Presented by the Due de Bisaccia. 209 
 
 On Saturday, Sept. i, M. le comte de Paris, accom- 
 panied by the due d'Orl^ans, the due de Chartres, the 
 due de Nemours, the prince de Joinville, the due 
 d'Aumale, and the due d'Alen^on left Vienna at 7.20 
 A.M., and arrived at Frohsdorf at 9. The King of 
 Naples, and eight archdukes arrived at the same time. 
 Among the French present were the dukes de Sabran, 
 des Cars, ,de la Trdmoille, de Fitz-James, de Bisaccia ; 
 Messrs. de la Roehejaquelin, de Damas, de Blacas, 
 etc., etc. The ceremony, which took place in the 
 presence of such a distinguished assembly, was truly 
 touching, and was, at the same time, grand and 
 simple. 
 
 Here a characteristic incident occurred. As M. le 
 comte de Paris left the Castle, and was about to get 
 into his carriage, a group quitting the mass of spectators, 
 advanced towards him. Great emotion was visible on 
 the faces of all this group, which was headed by the 
 due de Bisaccia, general de Charette, M. de Mun, and 
 the due de Fitz-James. When the deputation had 
 approached, the due de Bisaccia addressed the prince 
 in the following terms :■ — 
 
 " MONSEIGNEUR, 
 
 " General Charette and I have come to beg 
 you most earnestly in the name of France, in the 
 name of all the French assembled here to-day, to go 
 to Goritz as you had intended, and to take your right- 
 ful place there. By so doing, Monseigneur, you will 
 best fulfil the wishes of him whom we mourn." 
 
 The due de Bisaccia, much affected, uttered these 
 
2IO Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 words in a voice which trembled with emotion, and 
 with an expressive, comprehensive gesture. 
 
 The prince replied, that he thanked these gentle- 
 men for their noble words, and that he should consider 
 them as a pledge for the future. Messrs. de Charette, 
 de Mun, and de Monti supported the duke in his 
 request with much vivacity and energy, and few of 
 those present could ever forget the affecting scene. 
 The speakers gave free vent to the enthusiasm 
 which filled their hearts — an enthusiasm which was 
 truly French, and all the more significant as coming 
 from men who all their lives long had been the 
 deceased prince's most intimate friends and devoted 
 servants, who had defended him in the tribune, and 
 had been considered his especial soldiers on the battle- 
 fields of 1870. One felt, while listening to them, 
 that they were speaking in the name of the deceased, 
 and that the contemplated ceremony at Goritz would 
 never have been sanctioned by the comte de Cham- 
 bord, if he had himself arranged the details of his 
 funeral. 
 
 But the desires of these ardent patriots, these loyal 
 Frenchmen, were destined not to be fulfilled ; however, 
 M. le comte de Paris, who had resolved to leave for 
 France that same day, postponed his departure till the 
 following evening out of deference to their wishes thus 
 expressed. 
 
 A few hours later the comte de Blacas arrived at 
 Vienna, bringing the wishes of Mme. la comtesse de 
 Chambord written with her own hand ; she desired 
 that each should take his place in the procession 
 according to his degree of relationship to the deceased. 
 
The Prince refuses to attend the Funeral. 211 
 
 This meant that the chief mourners were to be two 
 Italian princes and one Spanish prince, and that the 
 chief of the House of France was to be placed in the 
 fourth rank, so that his first act, on attaining this 
 dignity, would be the lowering before foreign powers 
 of the royal house to which France owes all her unity 
 and grandeur. The comte de Paris did not hesitate 
 a moment, but declined to be present at Goritz ; he 
 did not conceal the grief that this decision caused 
 him, but it was his duty to absent himself, and, being 
 his duty, he performed it. 
 
 It is worthy of notice that this decision was arrived 
 at on Saturday evening, the ist, and that the next 
 day, at 8 o'clock a.m., the Emperor, modifying the 
 official orders which he had given himself on the sub- 
 ject of the service at Goritz, caused himself to be repre- 
 sented, not by his brother archduke Louis Victor, but 
 by his chief equeries. 
 
 Certain democratic papers interpreted this chapge 
 in the Emperor's orders as a concession to demands 
 which the French Government were about to formu- 
 late ; but such allegations are known to be untrue. 
 At Goritz the many French assembled to render the 
 last sad duties to Henry of France had heard, with 
 deep regret, that foreign princes were to be chief 
 mourners ; a national patriotic feeling filled all hearts, 
 and had found expression in the touching address of 
 the due de Bisaccia. 
 
 As to the impression produced in France by these 
 incidents, we are glad to be able to say that the 
 conduct of the comte de Paris — so thoroughly worthy 
 of France and of his own dignity — elicited universal 
 
 p 2 
 
212 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 admiration. National pride was stirred by the sight 
 of the representative of our kings defending the 
 honour of his house, and that of France, which are 
 indissolubly united. Indeed, the comte de Paris gave 
 proof of that resolution which is the chief characteristic 
 of his powerful mind, and which, in his case, has all 
 the more weight from being associated with reflection 
 — an alliance rarely seen ! 
 
 All this explains how the prince, going to Frohs- 
 dorf in performance of his duty, found there — with- 
 out seeking it — an occasion for personal distinc- 
 tion. 
 
 In his will, dated Frohsdorf, July 5th, 1883, the 
 comte de Chambord had thus distributed his fortune. 
 The due de Parma, his nephew, was residuary legatee, 
 a life interest being reserved to the comtesse de Cham- 
 bord ; the comte de Bardi, brother of the due de Parma, 
 was to inherit a quarter of the fortune ; their sisters, the 
 grand duchess of Tuscany and the duchess of Madrid, 
 were to have 50,000 francs each ; then followed a 
 list of souvenirs for various friends, and pensions for 
 members of his household. 
 
 " There is said to have been another will, which had 
 an entirely political character, and from which the 
 prince had read extracts to one or two who were 
 honoured with his confidence. What became of this 
 will ? Was it burnt or otherwise destroyed } or has 
 the comtesse de Chambord piously preserved as a 
 souvenir this deed which was annulled by a subse- 
 quent will ? " * It is a question that the comtesse de 
 
 * " Henri de France," by M. H. de Pfene, p. 440. 
 
The Will of the Comte de Chambord. 213 
 
 Chambord alone can answer, and which will probably 
 never be known. 
 
 After having mentioned the events which occurred 
 at Frohsdorf, it might be as well to tell of what hap- 
 pened at Goritz. I had gone there to join the prince, 
 and I can vouch for the entire accuracy of my account, 
 which, if necessary, can be confirmed by the (iomte de 
 Montaignac, the marquis de Mornay, and M. Armand 
 de Mas, three of the prince's intimate friends who were 
 also at Goritz on the day of the funeral. 
 
 This is what I find in my notes, written the same 
 day. 
 
 I had arrived at Goritz on Sunday morning, Sept. 
 2nd, and at midday there burst upon us, like a thunder- 
 bolt, the news that the comte de Paris had declined to 
 attend the funeral. I went to the hotel, " The Three 
 Crowns," where I found everyone in extreme agitation 
 on hearing the decision of the comtesse de Chambord 
 that the chief mourners were to be foreign princes. 
 
 There was but one idea: — "We Frenchmen refuse 
 to follow the body of a French King to its last rest- 
 ing place, with Spanish and Italian princes as chief 
 mourners. Let M. le comte de Paris be informed of 
 the unanimous feeling that inspires all Frenchmen ; 
 and, perhaps, in face of so spontaneous a desire, 
 Monseigneur will deign to yield to our wishes, and 
 will take his place at the head of the French." About 
 twenty of the former presidents of royalist committees 
 met in a room of the hotel, " The Three Crowns," 
 and drew up a telegram. It then became a question 
 
214 ^* Comte de Paris. 
 
 as to who should sign it, for most of the names were 
 unknown to the prince. Were there any intimate 
 friends of the Orleans princes at Goritz ? The baron 
 de Roux-Larcy suggested the marquis de Flers ; they 
 came to see me at the " Poste," and, carried away by 
 their representations, I sent the following telegram to 
 Vienna, and to Trieste (where the comte de Paris was 
 said to have gone en route to France by Venice) : — 
 
 " To Monseigneur le comte de Paris. 
 
 " A rumour is current, and is causing extreme un- 
 easiness, that Monseigneur does not mean to come 
 to Goritz. I have been earnestly entreated by a 
 great number of the presidents of royalist committees, 
 assembled at the ' Poste ' (whose names are in my 
 possession), to implore Monseigneur to take his place 
 at Goritz. 
 
 " With deep respect, I remain Monseigneur's most 
 humble, faithful, and obedient servant, 
 
 " Le Marquis de Flers." 
 
 The prince, who had already left Vienna, only re- 
 ceived the telegram two days later, and telegraphed 
 the following reply : — 
 
 " Gmunden, Sept. 4, 1883, 9.30 a.m. 
 
 " To the Marquis de Flers, H6tel de la Poste, 
 " Goritz. 
 
 " I regret the delay of your telegram, which I have 
 just received here ; you know that it is only regard for 
 my dignity which prevents my appearing at Goritz. 
 
 " Comte de Paris." 
 
The Meeting at Goritz. 215 
 
 The agitation continued to increase, and all were 
 unanimous in admiring the firmness and dignity of the 
 new chief of the House of France. " Hitherto we had 
 only accepted M. le comte de Paris ; now we welcome 
 him ! " exclaimed all the most ardent legitimists. On 
 Sunday night a great many royalists had arrived at 
 Goritz. An important meeting was held at the Poste, 
 under the presidency of baron de Lareinty, senator of 
 the Loire-Infdrieure, who showed on this occasion an 
 intelligence, a decision, and an energy which were of the 
 greatest service. There were present at the meeting : 
 le vicomte de Kerdrel, senator ; the prince de Leon, 
 vicomte Blin de Bourbon, deputies ; prince d'Aremberg, 
 marquis deVogu6, comte deMaill^, marquis dePonteves- 
 Sabran, Marquis d'Imd Court, baron de Roux-Larcy, 
 M. de Steplande, baron de Vaufreland, baron Jules 
 de Lareinty, marquis et comte de Piris, baron de 
 Rochetaillde, Jules Auffray,* Remade, Seguin, baron 
 d'Huart, marquis de Puyvert, Fernand Anduze, 
 and Elie Durand; the two latter were energetic 
 royalists at Montpellier, who, after rendering the most 
 valuable services to M. le comte de Chambord in 
 Hdrault, now placed their zeal and successful efforts 
 at the service of M. le comte de Paris. 
 
 After a decided and much applauded speech from 
 baron de Lareinty, who described the situation with 
 touching eloquence, the following address was carried 
 by acclamation : — 
 
 " The French assembled at Goritz to render the last 
 
 * M. J. Auffray is the author of a very interesting pamphlet, 
 " Le 3 September, 1883, k Goritz." 
 
2i6 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 sad tribute to their King, having been unable to express 
 to M. le comte de Paris their unalterable attachment 
 to the traditional principles of the French monarchy, of 
 which he is the representative, beg him to accept the 
 assurance of their respectful fidelity." 
 
 As the arrival of the Orleans princes was still hoped 
 for, the signing of this address was postponed until two 
 o'clock the next day. 
 
 On Monday, September 3rd, 1883, ^-t 7- 30 a.m., the 
 coffin containing the body of the comte de Chambord 
 was brought by train to Goritz. Grief was visible on 
 every face, and all eyes were filled with tears. After 
 awaiting the arrival at the station of the Emperor of 
 Austria's representative, prince Tour-and-T axis, the pro- 
 cession moved off at nine o'clock to the cathedral, be- 
 tween a double line of soldiers, and surrounded by a vast 
 crowd, whose demeanour was reverent and respectful. 
 
 The chief mourners were Don Juan of Spain (father 
 of the pretender, Don Carlos), the duke of Parma, Don 
 Carlos, Don Alphonso de Bourbon, his brother, Don 
 Jaime (son of Don Carlos), Don Miguel de Bragance, 
 and H.R. and I.H. Archduke Ferdinand IV., grand 
 duke of Tuscany ; the latter was the son of Leo- 
 pold II., that excellent sovereign who ruled Tuscany 
 with such wisdom, and whose memory is still cherished 
 at Florence. Behind the mourners came a group of 
 Austrian officers in full uniform. 
 
 The grand duke of Tuscany, though he attended the 
 obsequies of his uncle, had emphatically declared that 
 the first place in the procession ought to have been 
 given to the comte de Paris. 
 
Funeral of the Comte de Ckanibord. 217 
 
 The King of Naples, who on the Saturday morning 
 had put himself in the background, saying that he 
 would never take precedence of the King of France, 
 had refused to attend the funeral. 
 
 Mass was said amid general devotion, and the final 
 ceremony was adjourned till five o'clock in the after- 
 noon. At last at 6.30, the convent of the Franciscans 
 at Goritz received the mortal remains of the august 
 prince, than whom none was more worthy to reign, 
 though he had never actually been king. Indeed, M. 
 le comte de Chambord, in the obscurity of exile, 
 had known how to invest with peculiar brightness the 
 principle of traditional monarchy and royal dignity. 
 His incomparable majesty extorted respect even from 
 his adversaries, and throughout France all, friends and 
 enemies alike, declared him to be an honest man. 
 
 As for ourselves, we shall never forget the extreme 
 kindness with which in October, 1879, M. le comte de 
 Chambord received one of the faithful adherents of 
 Louis Philippe and the Orleans princes when we were 
 introduced to him by his nephew, the grand duke of 
 Tuscany. 
 
 Why was France deprived of the joy of seeing 
 her throne occupied by one who would soon have made 
 himself beloved by all Frenchmen ? 
 
 It is not for us to enquire. 
 
 Let us go back a little in our narrative, and describe 
 what took place at Goritz between the morning cere- 
 mony at the cathedral and the evening ceremony at 
 the convent. 
 
 After mass, the due de Larochefoucauld-Bisaccia, 
 president of the royalist Right in the Chamber of 
 
2i8 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Deputies, believing that there was no time to be lost 
 in making known to France the perfect unity of the 
 royalist party and its unanimous adhesion to the rights 
 of the comte de Paris, sent to Paris the text of an ad- 
 dress which assured the new chief of the House of 
 France of the unalterable fidelity of all royalists. 
 
 This declaration, which was distributed by all the 
 journals throughout the expectant country, produced 
 everywhere an excellent impression, and from the first 
 gave the lie to those rumours of disunion and rupture 
 among the royalists, with which the republican press 
 was endeavouring to poison public opinion. 
 
 The union, strengthened from without by the initia- 
 tive of the due de Bisaccia, had yet to be consolidated 
 from within. 
 
 Thanks to the forethought of baron de Lareinty, 
 the sentiment which animated all was not allowed to 
 evaporate in barren regrets. Baron de Lareinty was 
 better qualified than any one to act in this crisis. A 
 member of the Senate, and president of the General 
 Council of the Loire Inf6rieure, he had formed a large 
 royalist majority in almost all the communes of the 
 department. By his ability he had succeeded in de- 
 molishing all the republican prefects, and in counter- 
 acting the influence of the republican party even at 
 Nantes, where the working population was particularly 
 accessible to every revolutionary falsehood. 
 
 While the comte de Monti was uniting the delegates 
 of the six departments of Brittany and la Vendue, who 
 signed an address of fidelity to M. le comte de Paris, 
 three or four legitimists (who were one day to form 
 part of the handful of men who in France recognize a 
 
Attitude of the Comte de Paris. 219 
 
 Spaniard as heir to the French throne) were doing 
 their utmost to prevent the signing of the de Lareinty 
 address. Any pretext would suffice. The authorities 
 of Goritz opposed any meeting, and insinuated that it 
 was improper to sign on the very day of the funeral, 
 knowing that the royalists would have dispersed by 
 the evening on the following day. 
 
 The baron de Lareinty spoke firmly and decidedly, 
 and imposed silence by his authoritative manner. 
 
 The hotel keeper, who had been talked over by the 
 four obstructionists, having refused to provide a room 
 in which the terms of the address could be discussed, 
 they all adjourned to the room of vicomte Blin de 
 Bourbon in order to sign the document. 
 
 Thus, in the end, the unfortunate incident which had 
 caused the departure of the comte de Paris had an 
 important result. The royalist party was in a moment 
 united and cemented by the same loyal and thoroughly 
 French feeling — the King of France must take pre- 
 cedence of all. 
 
 The royalists assembled at Goritz, especially the 
 oldest and most faithful, were unanimous in blaming 
 severely an action wrung from the weakness of the 
 comtesse de Chambord in her great sorrow. All ap- 
 plauded the comte de Paris, and the comte de Blacas 
 himself declared loudly that the conduct of the prince 
 was in the highest degree correct, dignified, and praise- 
 worthy. 
 
 The comte de Blacas, comte Ren6 de Monti, baron 
 de Raincourt, comte A. de Chevign6, and comte de 
 Damas d'Hautefort protested emphatically against the 
 attitude which certain journals attributed to them by 
 
2 20 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 declaring that they openly recognized " the right of 
 M. le comte de Paris to the succession after M. le 
 comte de Chambord." 
 
 These loyal servants of the comte de . Chambord 
 were the real mouthpiece of all French royalists, who 
 were now more firmly united than ever against the 
 common enemy, and they knew well that the motto of 
 the comte de Paris would always be those grand words 
 of the comte de Chambord : " Let right be our basis, 
 honesty and uprightness our weapons, moral greatness 
 our aim." 
 
 The comte de Paris himself was almost unknown to 
 the Legitimists, but three of his actions in July and 
 August, 1883, impressed them all with a sense of his 
 firmness and energy as a prince, and his depth of feel- 
 ing as a man, and they knew that he would never allow 
 the inheritance of honour belonging to the House of 
 France to be tampered with. 
 
 On July 1st, 1883, the prince heard of the illness of 
 the comte de Chambord, and on the 2nd he started to 
 see him, knowing that his action might entail banish- 
 ment from France and long years of exile, but not 
 hesitating to do what he considered his duty. 
 
 On August 24th God took to Himself the illustrious 
 chief of the House of Bourbon. People were discussing 
 the name which would henceforth be borne by him who 
 will one day be King of France, when M. le comte de 
 Paris, writing to inform the various sovereigns of the 
 death of his cousin, signs himself " Philippe, comte de 
 Paris." 
 
 Finally, although on the day of the funeral ceremony 
 at Frohsdorf (Saturday, September ist) he was content 
 
Return of the Prince to Eu. 221 
 
 to remain in the background out of consideration for 
 the grief of Madame la comtesse de Chambord, and 
 because he considered the funeral service as private, he 
 declined to appear two days later at Goritz. His 
 rightful place had been refused to him, and standing 
 by the coffin of the comte de Chambord, he would not 
 lend himself to a demonstration on the part of those 
 French who in their anger and excitement wished to 
 put him by force in the front rank. 
 
 These three actions of the comte de Paris constituted 
 in themselves the best of manifestoes, unless we except 
 the eloquent protestation of June 24th, 1886, and the 
 complete and admirable " Instructions to the represen- 
 tives of the monarchist party in France." France knew 
 now that she could count on the energy and decision 
 of the young intelligent prince who had been so early 
 trained to business habits in the hard school of exile. 
 
 On his return from Vienna the comte de Paris went 
 to the castle of Eu, where a great number of the old 
 and faithful Legitimist notabilities requested the honour 
 of paying their respects to him. The new head of the 
 House of France gave to all a most gracious welcome. 
 
 On Sept. 20 the presidents of the " Ligue populaire 
 royaliste " presented to the comte de Paris at Eu, 
 the following address, signed by 1,500 persons, among 
 whom were the presidents of the royalist committees 
 of the Paris wards : — 
 
 " The Royalists of Paris, members of the ' Ligue 
 populaire,' assembled this day, September 16, 1883, 
 in their respective committees, desire to express their 
 gratitude to M. le comte de Paris for his attitude — so 
 
2 22 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 worthy of a Frenchman — at the funeral of M. le 
 comte de Chambord, and — counting on him to restore 
 to France her lost prestige, her violated liberty, her 
 disorganized magistracy — they beg to lay at his feet, 
 and at those of Madame, the homage of their respect- 
 ful fidelity." 
 
 In the middle of October, the comte de Paris 
 went to the castle of St. Eusoye, to see the dowager 
 marquise d'Harcourt, to whom he wished to present, 
 in person, his condolences on the loss of her son, the 
 marquis d'Harcourt, one of the most devoted friends 
 of the Orleans family. At the same time, the prince, 
 having heard that a subscription had been opened at 
 Auray, in Brittany, for the erection of some memorial 
 to the comte de Chambord, sent a contribution of 
 50,000 francs ; he also gave 30,000 francs towards the 
 works of the port and piers of Trdport, which were to 
 cost 3,500,000, and which were of the utmost import- 
 ance to the town. 
 
 In 1874, the comte de Paris had published the 
 first volumes of the " History of the Civil War in 
 America" ; in Oct., 1883, there appeared the fifth and 
 sixth volumes of this work, of which there will pro- 
 bably be ten volumes. This work is one of consider- 
 able merit, and received high commendation from the 
 French and European Press. The Edinburgh Review 
 especially renders to the author the full justice which 
 such a book deserves — a book which proves that the 
 comte de Paris possesses a knowledge of modern 
 warfare, which must assure for him a place in the first 
 rank of our military historians. 
 
The Prince as an Author. 223 
 
 In the autumn of 1883, the comte de Paris appointed 
 as his private secretary M, Camille Dupuy, advocate- 
 general at Dix. M. Dupuy, when still a young man, 
 had been a distinguished magistrate, but had sent in 
 his resignation, in company with many other magis- 
 trates, at the time of the execution of the decrees of 
 1880 against religious communities. This choice of 
 the comte de Paris was significant, coinciding, as it 
 did, with the appearance of the unfortunately notorious 
 letter of a Bonaparte, who signified his approval of this 
 criminal illegality. 
 
224 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 1884-1885. 
 
 The comte de Paris goes to Spain (Jan. 1884) — Attempt on his hfe 
 discovered at Lyons (Jan. 1884) — The comte and comtesse de Paris 
 attend the obsequies of the duke of Albany at Cannes (April 2, 
 1884) — The comte de Paris sends 50,000 francs to the victims of the 
 cholera at Marseilles by the hand of the due de Chartres — Visit of 
 the count and countess of Flanders to Eu (July 22, 1884) — The 
 comte de Paris, and the due d'Orl^ans at a fire at Tr^port (Aug. 
 1884) — Service at Eu to commemorate the death of the comte de 
 Chambord (Aug. 24, 1884) — Letter from the comte de Paris to the 
 comte de Laubespin on the death of his nephew, baron de Lesp^rut 
 — Birth at Eu of H.R.H. prince Ferdinand, second son of the comte 
 de Paris (Sept. 9, 1884) — Pope Leo XIII. sends his blessing to the 
 infant prince, and to the comtesse de Paris — The comte de Paris 
 sends 10,000 francs to the St. Peter's pence — He seiids a subscrip- 
 tion to the collection in aid of the chaplains of the Paris hospitals 
 (Feb. 16, 1885) — Benediction of the statue of Notre Dame du 
 Trdport (Aug. 23, 1885)— The archbishop at the castle of Eu— 
 Marriage at Eu of H.R.H. princess Marie de Chartres with H.R.H. 
 prince Waldemar, son of the King of Denmark (Oct. 22, 1885) — Mass 
 for the soul of Alphonso XII. at St. Francois Xavier, in Paris 
 (Dec. 6, 1885) — The comte and comtesse de Paris stand sponsors to 
 the tenth child of H.R.H. the comte de Caserta, brother of H.M. 
 the King of Naples (Dec. 20, 1885). 
 
 On the loth of January, 1884, M. le comte de Paris, 
 and M. la comtesse de Paris went to Spain. Their 
 departure had been announced, and a great number of 
 people had taken up their position at the station of 
 the Orleans line. The police had taken exaggerated 
 precautions, and the order that no one was to be 
 allowed to enter the station was rigorously enforced. 
 
Journey to Spain. 225 
 
 The prince and princess arrived on the platform by a 
 private door; about 100 persons had succeeded in effect- 
 ing an entrance by a way used only by the company, 
 opening on the line, and, as the train left, they shouted 
 " Long live the King ! long live the comte de Paris ! " 
 As they left the station, some of them renewed their 
 shouts of " Long live the King!" and three people 
 were arrested by the police ; by nine o'clock the station 
 had resumed its usual appearance. 
 
 On arriving at Madrid, the prince and princess were 
 received with the greatest cordiality by King Alphonso 
 XIL Apartments had been prepared for them at the 
 palace de Oriente ; and they spent the following days 
 in visiting the public buildings in Madrid, and the 
 royal domains of the Escurial, Aranjuez, and la 
 Granja. 
 
 The Madrid papers showed great sympathy with 
 the comte de Paris, and his eldest daughter, princess 
 Amdlie, won the hearts of all as much by her wit as 
 by her grace and beauty. Such papers as the Epoca 
 recalled her likeness to her aunt, Queen Mercedes, 
 who had left throughout Spain a perfect legend of 
 fascination and goodness. 
 
 The welcome given by Spain, and by King Alphonso 
 was so marked and cordial, that it was everywhere 
 unanimously taken as a proof, not only of the personal 
 feeling of the King towards the French royal family, 
 but also of the sympathy which the entire Spanish 
 nation, and its sovereign, entertained towards France. 
 It was felt that the country ought to be distinguished 
 from the Government, which was responsible for the 
 untoward incidents that occurred when King Alphonso 
 
 Q 
 
2 26 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 passed through Paris. The French cabinet could not 
 dissimulate the annoyance caused by the royal recep- 
 tion given by King Alphonso to the comte de Paris ; 
 wherever the prince went, whether to Vienna or 
 Madrid, he was always treated as a King. It was at 
 this time that King Alphonso, wishing to give an 
 especial mark of his esteem and favour to Don 
 Antonio, the brother of Mdme. la comtesse de Paris, 
 appointed him grand chancellor of the military order 
 of Notre Dame de Montesa. 
 
 From Madrid the comte de Paris went to the Castle 
 of San Lucar di Barrameda to visit his uncle and 
 father-in-law the due de Montpensier. San Lucar di 
 Barrameda, one of the prettiest towns of Andalusia, 
 rises on the left bank of the Guadalquivir. The 
 prince's residence is built at one of the extremities of 
 the town, in a park where palms grow in the open air. 
 Nothing could be more beautiful than the carpet of 
 periwinkles, or the enormous orange trees growing 
 out of a tangled mass of rarest exotics ; while on the 
 horizon the sandy delta of the Guadalquivir is framed 
 in enormous forests of pine trees. Not far from there 
 is the house of Fernando Cortez, the bold captain who 
 conquered Mexico. This house, with all the historical 
 associations connected with it, was for a long time the 
 property of the due de Montpensier, to whom it owed 
 its artistic and judicious restoration. He gave it to 
 his daughter Mercedes, who bequeathed it to her 
 husband. King Alphonso XII. 
 
 The palace of the due de Montpensier, partly built 
 in the Moorish style, recalls the Alhambra at Granada ; 
 the interior is decorated and furnished with the taste 
 
Return to Cannes. 227 
 
 of a true artist. In this delightful retreat, and this 
 delicious climate, the comte de Paris stayed some 
 weeks, spending his days shooting on the Guadalquivir. 
 A steam launch belonging to the due de Montpensier 
 was used for these excursions, and the banks of the 
 river teemed with sea birds, so that they had excellent 
 sport. By the 15 th of February, the comte de Paris 
 was back at Eu. 
 
 Before leaving Spain, the prince wrote to M. 
 Lacave-Laplagne (senator of Gers), entrusting him 
 with the duty of presenting the prince's condolences 
 to the family of comte Armand de Gontaut, who had 
 lately died. The prince's letter showed his considera- 
 tion for the interests of his country, and his perfect 
 knowledge of men such as comte Armand de Gontaut, 
 who had devoted his life to the service of France. 
 
 In the beginning of March, the comte de Paris 
 went with his family to Cannes, where the health of 
 his fourth daughter, princess Louise — rwho was two 
 years old — and who had had croup — had caused them 
 some anxiety for a time. 
 
 Suddenly, on Sunday morning, March 9, the Figaro 
 and Gaulois announced to their readers that the police 
 had just discovered, at Lyons, an attempt on the life 
 of the comte de Paris. The following account is taken 
 from the Nouvelliste de Lyon, a paper noted for the 
 accuracy of its intelligence. 
 
 " The Nihilists of France, instigated by their 
 brothers in Russia, have again made an audacious 
 attempt, the account of which cannot fail to produce 
 universal excitement and indignation. They aimed 
 
 Q 2 
 
228 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 high, the object of their attempt being no less a per- 
 sonage than the head of the House of France. The 
 comte de Paris was this time to be the mark for the 
 fierce hatred of these revolutionists — his was the life 
 they sought. It will be seen that all the arrangements 
 for the execution of this fearful plot had been made 
 with great care, and the consequences which would 
 have resulted might have been fatal and incalculable. 
 
 " On Friday evening a commissionnaire, carrying a 
 box under his arm, presented himself at the office of 
 the P. L. M. Co., in the rue Constantine. It was 7 
 o'clock, at which hour the office is always crowded 
 with people sending off their goods by the night train. 
 The commissionnaire presented his parcel to the official 
 in charge, who, after weighing it, signed the paper of 
 consignment, and gave it to the clerk whose business 
 it was to make the necessary charge for the parcel, 
 which was to be prepaid. The sum of fr. i. 25 was 
 charged, and the commissionnaire went away. A 
 moment later another official, who had to copy the 
 declaration of the sender into a register ad hoc, was 
 struck by the way in which it was labelled. The 
 direction, carefully written in printed letters, was 
 as follows : — ' Expdditeur : M. Becker, rue des 
 Feuillants, a Lyon. Destinaire, Mgr. le comte de 
 Paris, en son hotel de la rue de Varennes 57, a Paris. 
 Portpayd.' The parcel was described as a 'box of 
 silk, ironmongery and patterns, weighing ik. 600, 
 signed Becker.' Now there is no such street in Lyons 
 as rue des Feuillants ; but there are the " petite " and 
 the grande rue des Feuillants. The official consulted 
 the ' Annuaire de Lyon,' and found no one of the 
 
Attempt on the Life of the Prince. 229 
 
 name of Becker. He communicated his suspicions as 
 to the contents of the box to the head clerk, and a 
 careful examination of the box was made. It was well 
 made of white wood, and was 25 centimetres in 
 length, 1 1 centimetres in width, and 5 centimetres in 
 height. It was wrapped up in thin light blue paper, 
 and was tied round with string ; the address, which 
 was written in the same handwriting as the paper of 
 consignment, was as follows : — ' Mgr. le comte de 
 Paris, en son hotel de la rue de Varennes 57, 
 a Paris.' 
 
 " The head clerk, more puzzled than ever, decided 
 to open the mysterious box. He took off the outer 
 covering, and perceived that the lid, instead of being 
 nailed down, was made to slide, and was tightly 
 secured with double string. The officials drew back 
 the lid with the greatest precaution, but when they 
 had exposed half the contents of the box they stopped 
 in astonishment, and well they might. A large metal 
 cartridge, surrounded by projectiles of every sort, and 
 attached by threads of gun cotton to an invisible 
 machinery, would have exploded at once, had the lid 
 been entirely removed. 
 
 " This mysterious parcel was forwarded to the 
 arsenal at Perrache, and from there to the magazine 
 at la Mouche. The explosion resulting simply from 
 the opening of the box must have caused fearful 
 damage. 
 
 "We repeat," says the Nouvelliste de Lyon, "that 
 in this generous country, which repudiates all acts of 
 cowardice, this attempt will awaken a feeling of 
 mournful astonishment and universal indignation." 
 
230 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 In a subsequent copy this paper adds : — 
 
 " M. Pierre Denis, chief clerk of the P. L. M. Co., 
 and formerly under-officer in the artillery, was. the first, 
 to have serious suspicions as to the contents of the box. 
 Wishing to assure himself at once that it contained 
 nothing suspicious, he ordered the official under him, 
 Riboulet, to look out the box, which was about to be 
 taken to the Perrache station. M. Riboulet appeared 
 to be by no means surprised at his chief's suspicions, 
 but he was somewhat alarmed when ordered to open 
 the mysterious little case. M. Denis therefore, with 
 the greatest precaution, drew the lid a little out of its 
 groove, and was able at once to judge of its contents. 
 
 "He informed his chief, M. Roche, who searched 
 in vain in the ' Annuaire ' for the name of the sender, 
 M. Becker. 
 
 " There could be no doubt that they had discovered 
 an abominable attempt on the life of M. le comte de 
 Paris. M. Denis sent for the commissary of police, 
 Duplaquet, who was soon upon the scene. The rest 
 is known — the danger was averted." 
 
 The police did their utmost to find the author of this 
 diabolical plot ; but their efforts were vain. In any 
 case the assassins would have failed in their object, 
 for it would in all probability have been the servants 
 of the prince who would have fallen victims. The 
 comte de Paris, with his usual generosity, sent a royal 
 reward to the officials of the company who had dis- 
 covered the plot. 
 
 At the close of his visit to Cannes, the comte de 
 Paris assisted at the obsequies of the Duke of Albany, 
 
Cholera at Marseilles, 
 
 2X\ 
 
 who had died very suddenly. The Prince of Wales, 
 who had hurried over to Cannes, gave the first place 
 at his brother's funeral to the head of the House of 
 France, and throughout the ceremony he was treated 
 with royal honour. The ministerial papers did not 
 hide the irritation of the Cabinet at this distinction, 
 and it was declared high time that " measures " should 
 be taken against the comte de Paris. But the hour 
 for that iniquitous decree of exile had not yet arrived. 
 On the and of April the comte de Paris and his family 
 returned to Paris by the same train that was bearing 
 the mortal remains of the Duke of Albany to England. 
 
 On the 30th of May M. le comte de Paris went to 
 the church of St. Clotilde to assist at the obsequies of 
 one of his oldest and most faithful friends, the comte 
 d'Haussonville, member of the French Academy. 
 
 A terrible epidemic of cholera broke out at 
 Marseilles in the summer of 1884. A feeling of deli-' 
 cacy deterred the comte de Paris from going himself 
 to Marseilles, for his efforts to help the sick and dying 
 with money and kind sympathy might have been 
 interpreted as the attempts of a pretender to gain 
 popularity. However, he sent his brother, the due de 
 Chartres, with 50,000 francs for the sufferers. We 
 will give elsewhere the details of this visit and of 
 the anger which it excited amongst the Republicans. 
 With a ridiculous natveti one paper applied the term 
 " brutal " {sic) to this journey of the due de Chartres, 
 who went himself to carry money, when " the post is 
 there for the transport of valuables ! " Could anything 
 be more comical than this phrase ? Surely to such 
 an argument there can be no answer. 
 
232 Le Comte d6 Paris. 
 
 But the Republicans, more than ever disturbed by 
 the progress which the royalist party was making 
 every day in France, were obliged to draw upon their 
 imagination to find subjects whereon to attack the 
 Orleanist princes. One day it was announced in a 
 paper that General Campenon, minister of war, had 
 erased the name of the comte de Paris from the new 
 " Annuaire militaire," in which he was put down as 
 lieutenant-colonel on the staff of the territorial army. 
 This was false. Every officer of the territorial army 
 retires as soon as he attains the age of forty, but he 
 is allowed to retain his rank if he makes a demand to 
 that effect. 
 
 At the time of the decree of General Thibaudin, 
 which placed the Orleans princes "en non-activit6," 
 M. le comte de Paris was put " a la suite ; " that is to 
 say, in a position answering to that of "non-actfvit6." 
 By a whimsical anomaly, officers in the actual army 
 placed " en non-activitd " are not entered in the 
 " Annuaire," whereas officers of the territorial army 
 placed " a la suite " do appear in the list. The comte 
 de Paris remained, as during the preceding year, " en 
 non-activit6," and his military position was un- 
 changed. 
 
 The receptions at Eu were continued, and on July 
 22nd H.R.H. the count of Flanders, brother of the 
 King of the Belgians, accompanied by the countess 
 of Flanders, came to visit his cousin the comte de 
 Paris. A few days after his departure, at the 
 beginning of August, a serious fire broke out at 
 Trdport, and the comte de Paris, who had been 
 informed of the occurrence, hastened at once to the 
 
Fire at Trdport. 233 
 
 spot with his fire engine and rendered great assist- 
 ance. The fire broke out at the brewery of M. 
 Romain, in the high part of the town. At 6.30 p.m. 
 dense clouds of black smoke alarmed the town, and 
 in a few minutes flames burst forth and enveloped 
 all the buildings belonging to the brewery, and an 
 outhouse full of straw. At first it was difficult to 
 organise any help ; the fire-engines of Trdport and 
 Mers, badly supplied with water, were of little use, 
 and the neighbouring houses were threatened, when 
 the fire-engine arrived from Eu. Under the direction 
 of the comte de Paris, who was accompanied by his 
 son the due d'Orl^ans, M. Emmanuel Bocher and 
 the marquis de Breteuil, the engine was set up on 
 the quai, a 200-metres hose was quickly unrolled, 
 and soon the firemen of the town of Eu were throwing 
 torrents of sea water on the centre of the fire, which 
 was rapidly extinguished. 
 
 The Mayor was profuse in his gratitude to the 
 comte de Paris for his timely help, which had probably 
 preserved a part of the town from complete ruin. Of 
 course some of the Republican papers found in this 
 cause for ridicule. When the Orleans princes, 
 accustomed to the work, are the- first to undertake 
 a duty not unattended with danger, they obey the 
 inspiration of their heart and that sense of respon- 
 sibility which their very name imposes on them. The 
 Republicans, in ridiculing their action, only did harm 
 to their own cause. 
 
 It was at this time that the comte de Paris sent 
 1,000 francs to the committee which had been 
 organized for the relief of those who had suffered 
 
234 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 from a terrible hail-storm which on the 12th of July 
 had caused great havoc in the department of the 
 Seine-Inf^rieure ; he also sent substantial help to 
 some poor farmers, who were nearly ruined by the 
 hurricane. 
 
 The anniversary of the comte de Chambord's 
 death was now approaching. The prince had given 
 orders that a service should be performed at Paris in 
 the parish church of St. Frangois-Xavier, and a 
 solemn service also took place at Eu, Aug. 24, 1884. 
 The church was entirely hung with black, and the 
 draperies were caught up at regular intervals by 
 shields bearing the arms of France. M. le comte de 
 Paris, and Mme. la comtesse de Paris, notwith- 
 standing her delicate state of health, occupied chairs 
 in front of the choir, and behind them were the due 
 d'Orleans and his sister Princess Amdlie, the princesses 
 of the royal family, and all the household of the 
 comte de Paris. Behind the princes was an 
 enormous crowd of the inhabitants of the town, and 
 of royalists from the neighbourhood, who filled the 
 church to overflowing. 
 
 Towards the end of August there appeared in some 
 of the papers the following letter, written by the 
 comte de Paris to the comte de Laubespin, Gonseiller- 
 gdn^ral of la Nievre, on the occasion of the death of 
 his nephew, baron Lespdrut, formerly a secretary of 
 legation. 
 
 " Dear M. de Laubespin, 
 
 " M. de Beauvoir, knowing my feelings 
 towards your nephew, telegraphed the news of his 
 
Letter from the Prince to M. de Laubespin. 235 
 
 death to me, and I hastened to telegraph my expres- 
 sions of deep sympathy. I desire now to thank you 
 for the kind thought which inspired your letter, and 
 to express at greater length than I was able to do in 
 my telegram, how deeply I feel the loss of M. de 
 Lespdrut. I knew him well enough to thoroughly 
 appreciate the rare qualities of his heart and mind. 
 His weak health, which caused him much suffering, 
 so courageously borne, had enabled him to devote him- 
 self more than most people to study, and his mind had 
 attained an exceptional culture. I had hoped that he 
 would have been able to devote his many brilliant 
 faculties to the service of France, and of the cause to 
 which, by tradition and conviction, he was so 
 passionately attached. God has ordained otherwise ; 
 though He has doubtless saved him from many a 
 suffering. He has deprived us of a friend whose loss 
 will be keenly felt. Both the comtesse de Paris and I 
 sympathize deeply with Mme de Lesp^rut in her 
 terrible grief. May I request you to be our spokes- 
 man in these sad circumstances, and believe me 
 
 " Your very affectionate 
 
 "Philippe, comte de Paris." 
 
 " P.S. Many thanks for your expressions of 
 sympathy with us on the sad anniversary of July 13. 
 I know well how faithfully you treasure the memory 
 of my father, and this is a link between us, which 
 each year does but strengthen ! " 
 
 Some days later collections were made in all the 
 
236 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 churches in Paris in aid of the chaplains of the Paris 
 hospitals, who had been deprived of their salary, and 
 the comte de Paris sent 1,000 francs to Cardinal 
 Guibert* for this object. 
 
 This simple life, this perfect attitude of the chief of 
 the House of France, which bore so plainly the impress 
 of real patriotism, began to be appreciated even by 
 the enemies of the royalist party. M. Paul de 
 Cassagnac, deputy of Gers, an old adversary of the 
 Orleans princes, but one who was able to form an im- 
 partial opinion, had discussed the political situation in 
 France with the correspondent of the Daily News. 
 
 The following is the rdsumd of the conversation 
 which was reported in all the papers (April, 1885) : — 
 
 "It is well known that I am an imperialist, but I 
 am, above all, and in the widest sense of the word, a 
 monarchist. I respect the principle of monarchy, and 
 I have the greatest respect for the comte de Paris. I 
 will even own, in all sincerity, that in the present state 
 of things it is he who has much the best chance of 
 
 * Sept. 9, 1884. — The comtesse de Paris gave birth to a son, who 
 received the name of Ferdinand, after his grandfather the due 
 d'Orleans. Pope Leo XIII., having been duly informed of the 
 event, sent his blessing to the infant, its mother, the comte de Paris 
 and all the royal family. The comte de Paris, in commemoration 
 of this happy event sent 10,000 francs to the papal nuncio Mgr. 
 de Rende, as a contribution to the St. Peter's Pence. On October 
 26th the young prince was baptized in the chapel at Eu, his sponsors 
 being Francis II., King of Naples (represented by the due 
 d'AIengon) and the comtesse de Girgenti, eldest sister of the King 
 of Spain (represented by princess H^lfene d'Orleans). The young 
 prince, who will probably inherit from his maternal grandfather, the 
 due de Montpensier, the domain of Randau, will also one day bear 
 the title of due de Montpensier. 
 
SA.R.LAPEBCESSE ISABELLE 
 
 S.AR LAPRINCESSE LOUISE 
 1666 
 
 '^'Wll^^ 
 
 S,A,R.L£PR1NC£ FERDINAND. 
 
 N-iravtBlanc Photo. 
 
 PerrinftC^EdiL 
 
Fite at Trdport. 237 
 
 replacing the Republic when it shall have been over- 
 taken by its inevitable ruin. His party is the best 
 organized, and has the incomparable advantage of 
 having a head. The comte de Paris is a really 
 superior man, conscientious, hard-working, well-in- 
 formed, a man of study and a man of the world. He 
 has studied men and manners, and has learnt all that 
 is necessary to be a good ruler. We Bonapartists are 
 not so favourably situated. Prince Jerome is hope- 
 less ; he is too old to disown all that he has said, to 
 undo all that he has done. We can do nothing either 
 with or for the country in his name, he is a man 
 entirely deprived of all moral sense." 
 
 On the 23rd of August a very beautiful religious 
 ceremony took place at Trdport, where the population 
 lives entirely by fishing, and is especially devoted to 
 the worship of the Blessed Virgin. A statue of our 
 Lady of Treport, which for centuries had stood at the 
 foot of the mountain on which the church now stands 
 (the old chapel of a convent of Gdnoirfains), had 
 been destroyed by time. The fishermen had opened 
 a subscription amongst themselves to replace this 
 ruined statu6, but, as the sum collected was not 
 sufficient, the comte and comtesse de Paris made up 
 the deficit, and the Archbishop of Rouen came to 
 Treport to bless the statue. In the morning, at High 
 Mass. the abbd Vallet, chaplain of the Lycde Henri 
 IV. in Paris, preached a remarkable sermon on charity 
 in the presence of the comte de Paris, who was sitting 
 in the Churchwardens' seat with the princesses Amelie 
 and Hdlene and the duke and duchess of Montpensier. 
 
238 Le Comte de Pans. 
 
 The comtesse de Paris, who was in the choir, sang 
 Beethoven's " Sanctus," the " O Salutaris " and the 
 " Crucifix," by Faure, and during the offertory (which 
 was collected by princess Amdlie) she sang Gounod's 
 " Ave Maria." The offertory was very large ; on 
 coming out of church the crowd pressed forward, and 
 all hats were raised respectfully as the royal party 
 passed out. At three o'clock a procession of several 
 thousands of persons went along the streets and the 
 quays, and Mgr. Thomas, archbishop of Rouen, 
 preached an open air sermon in honour of her who is 
 the patron saint of France, and especially of sailors, 
 after which he went to the castle of Eu, where he was 
 warmly welcomed by the comte de Paris. 
 
 Some days later the prince received from Rome a 
 brief from the Holy Father, in which Leo XIII. 
 granted the dispensation necessary for the celebration 
 of the marriage between H.R.H. Prince Waldemar, 
 son of the King of Denmark, and Mademoiselle la 
 princesse Marie, eldest daughter of Monseigneur le 
 due de Chartres, according to the ritual of mixed mar- 
 riages between Catholics and Protestants. 
 
 The marriage took place at the castle of Eu, Octo- 
 ber 22nd, 1885. The nuptial benediction was pro- 
 nounced by Mgr. d'Hulst (grand vicaire de Paris), 
 assisted by the dean of Eu and the abb6 de Beauvoir. 
 Mgr. d'Hulst gave a touching address on the duties of 
 married life, and spoke of the ancient friendship exist- 
 ing between France and Denmark, which the present 
 marriage would cement. He made a graceful allusion 
 to the royal race of which Prince Waldemar is a worthy 
 scion — a race which can count amongst its members 
 
Marriage of Prince Waldemar. 239 
 
 five European sovereigns. Then, turning to the Or- 
 leans princes, he paid a worthy tribute to the ancient 
 House of Bourbon, whom all the vicissitudes of politics 
 had been unable to displace from the high rank accorded 
 to it by the grandeur of its past history. 
 
 As soon as the Catholic ceremony was over, princess 
 Marie, holding in her hand a magnificent white bouquet 
 sent to her by the officers of the 12th regiment of 
 Chasseurs at Rouen (of which for four years the due de 
 Chartres had been colonel), traversed the long gallery 
 on the ground floor, leaning on the arm of prince Wal- 
 demar. They were followed by the Queen of' Den- 
 mark, the prince and princess of Wales, the grand duke 
 Alexis of Russia, the. duchess of Cumberland, the 
 princes and princesses of the English royal family, 
 prince Philip and prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg 
 Gotha, and all the princes of the House of France. 
 
 Pastor Jentzen, chaplain to the Queen of Denmark, 
 then married the son of his sovereign to princess Marie 
 according to the Protestant rite, and said a few words 
 in Danish expressive of his sympathy with France, 
 and with the illustrious House of Orleans. 
 
 At three o'clock a splendid luncheon was served in , 
 the gallery of the Guises. At the chief table sat the 
 Queen of Denmark, with the thirty-five princes and 
 princesses who had been present at the ceremony, .and 
 the two witnesses, the due Decazes et de Glucksburg 
 (a Danish title given to his father) and the comte de 
 Moltke, Danish minister in France. The various 
 suites occupied the large dining room, where a horse- 
 shoe shaped table was spread. During the repast the 
 band of Treport played under the castle windows. At 
 
240 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 seven o'clock prince and princess Waldemar started 
 for Chantilly. 
 
 That winter had a sorrowful termination. It was 
 with the deepest sorrow that the comte and comtesse 
 de Paris heard of the premature death of the young 
 King of Spain, Alphonso XII., who was suddenly torn 
 from the affection of the entire nation. King Alphonso, 
 an energetic and intelligent prince, was one of those 
 kings who love their subjects, identify themselves with 
 the nation of which they are the head, and are always 
 studying the welfare of the public. Consternation was 
 general throughout Spain, and all conservative and 
 monarchical Europe mourned the young sovereign. 
 
 At the beginning of 1884, the comte de Paris had 
 been received at Madrid with affectionate cordiality, 
 which had done much to strengthen the ancient ties 
 between King Alphonso and the House of Bourbon. 
 It was, therefore, not only a complimentary but a heart- 
 felt mourning on the part of the Orldans princes and 
 their friends. The comte and comtesse de Paris spoke 
 not only for themselves, but also in the name of a very 
 large number of the French people, when they sent 
 their sincerest condolences to the Queen Regent of 
 Spain, Christine of Austria. This was proved by the 
 numbers who on the 4th December went to the church 
 of St. Frangois-Xavier (the parish church of the comte 
 de Paris), where a funeral mass was celebrated for the 
 soul of Alphonso XII. The church was entirely draped 
 with black, and hung with the arms of Spain. The 
 comte and comtesse de Paris and all the Orleans princes 
 then in Paris were in the front rows, and an immense 
 crowd had collected to express sorrowful sympathy 
 
Birth of Alphonso XIII. 241 
 
 with Spain and with the Queen Regent. The French 
 aristocracy, the middle classes, the world of science, of 
 letters, and of politics, were all represented. They 
 prayed for the King and for the Queen Regent (who 
 was shortly expecting her accouchement), that she 
 might be enabled to fulfil the difficult and arduous 
 duties devolving on her. 
 
 In the following May she gave birth to a son, 
 Alphonso XIII. The ability of the Queen Regent, 
 who was able to triumph over the difficulties and 
 obstacles of the political situation, proved that the 
 virtue and political cleverness of the illustrious Marie- 
 Th6rese were united in her granddaughter. 
 
 It has been truly said : " The Spanish are more for- 
 tunate than we are ; the principle of monarchy is pre- 
 sented to them in the most touching form : they have 
 a queen to love and a woman to defend." 
 
 Soon afterwards the comte and comtesse de Paris 
 went to Cannes, where, in their villa of St. Jean, they 
 spent the cold months of winter. 
 
 On Saturday, December 19th, the comte de Paris 
 and his eldest daughter, princess Am^lie, stood sponsors 
 to the tenth child of their cousin, H.R.H. the comte 
 de Caserta, brother of King Francis II. of Naples. 
 
 Thus terminated the year 1885, which preceded 
 by a few months only the iniquitous decree of exile 
 pronounced against the head of the House of 
 France and his eldest son, by a Republic which had 
 taken fright at the ever-increasing flood of conserva- 
 tive opposition. 
 
 R 
 
242 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 JANUARY— JUNE, 1886. 
 
 Telegram from the comte de Paris to the comte de Blois, nephew of 
 the comte de Falloux, on the death of his uncle (January loth, 1886) 
 — The comte de Paris and the due de Bragance at the French 
 Academy — The King and Queen of Portugal demand the hand of 
 princess Am^lie for the due de Bragance — The comtesse de Paris 
 goes to Madrid for the marriage of her brother, prince Antoine, with 
 princess Eulalie, sister of Alphonso XII. — Visit of the comte de 
 Paris to the agricultural meeting at the palais de I'lndustrie — 
 Departure of the prince to Cannes, March, 1886 — Telegram an- 
 nouncing to the comte de Paris the death of the comtesse de 
 Chambord, March 25th, 1886 — He returns to Paris — He gives a 
 grand reception in the rue de Varenne on the occasion of his 
 daughter's marriage (May 15th, 1886) — Remarks of the Republican 
 papers — Attempts are made to bring about the expulsion of the 
 princes^Embarrassment of the Government — Princess Amdiie bids 
 farewell to Eu, and goes to Portugal (May 17th) — Enthusiastic 
 reception at all the stations en route — Marriage of the princess at 
 Lisbon (May 22nd, 1886) — F^tes at Lisbon. 
 
 At the beginning of the year 1886 the royalist party 
 sustained a severe loss in the death (January 6th) of 
 the comte de Falloux, member of the French Academy, 
 formerly Minister of Public Instruction, and author of 
 the celebrated law of 1850 on education. 
 
 During the arrangements for the funeral, his nephew, 
 the comte de Blois, received the following telegram 
 from the comte de Paris : — 
 
 " I hear that the funeral of the comte de Falloux will 
 take place to-day at Angers. I am anxious to assure 
 you how heartily I participate in the respect which so 
 
The Due de Bragance. 243 
 
 many friends will unite in rendering to the memory of 
 your illustrious uncle. No one can feel more deeply 
 than I the loss of so eminent a statesman, whose heart 
 was so thoroughly French, his judgment so just, his 
 counsels so enlightened, and his society so charming 
 and so improving. I sympathise with you in your 
 sorrow and join my prayers to yours. 
 
 " Philippe, comte de Paris." 
 
 It was a consolation to the family of M. de Falloux 
 to receive a mark of such great sympathy from the 
 head of the House of France, who, a few days later, 
 in a letter to M. de Blois, paid a still higher tribute to 
 the great qualities of the deceased, and to the services 
 which he rendered to France. 
 
 Towards the end of January the comte and comtesse 
 de Paris went to Chantilly, where the due d'Aumale 
 was entertaining H.R.H. the due de Bragance, prince 
 royal of Portugal. 
 
 The principal object of this visit on the part of the 
 young prince was to obtain the consent of the comte 
 de Paris to his proposal for the hand of H.R.H. prin- 
 cess Am^lie. Some capital sport was organised in his 
 honour at Chantilly, and after a few days the young 
 princess accepted him as her suitor. 
 
 The due de Bragance saw a great deal of the comte 
 and comtesse de Paris, although his father had not yet 
 formally demanded the hand of the princess. On the 
 4th of February he accompanied them to the French 
 Academy, which had met for the reception of a new 
 member, M. Ludovic Haldvy. 
 
 M. Haldvy made a speech before all the Mite crowded 
 
 R 2 
 
244 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 beneath the dome, sketching the life of his predecessor, 
 comte d'Haussonville, whom he declared to be the 
 most perfect type of a finished and cultivated gentle- 
 man — kind, liberal, and patriotic. He recalled his 
 dibut in diplomacy under the constitutional monarchy, 
 " that Government which assured to France the two 
 great blessings of peace and liberty. Political life at 
 that time was extraordinarily animated, and the France 
 of that day did not disdain to admire those who ruled 
 over her. Her ministers never neglected, compromised, 
 or betrayed the great interests confided to them, and 
 France, wisely and patriotically governed, then a 
 great nation, enjoyed the respect and good will of all 
 Europe. . . . 
 
 " It seems to me, gentlemen," continued M. Haldvy, 
 addressing his colleagues, " that you are obliged, if 
 only from a feeling of esprit de corps, to own with M. 
 d'Haussonville that France was then in very good 
 hands, for she was in the hands of your predecessors. 
 The King reigned, the French Academy governed. . 
 Hence the firm alliance which existed between politics 
 and literature, which could not fail to impart such a 
 brilliancy to that period of our history — a period full 
 of grand associations. Alas ! now it is no longer the 
 Academy that produces our ministers." 
 
 This meeting was a great success for M. Hal^vy 
 and for M. Pailleron, who admitted him. The impres- 
 sion produced by their speeches, and the vigorous 
 applause, in which the royal party joined, were well 
 deserved, for the two academicians had been prodigal 
 in their display of wit and talent. 
 
 On Saturday, February 6th, two days after this bril- 
 
Betrothal of Princess Amdlie. 245 
 
 liant reception, the Portuguese ambassador, M. le comte 
 d'Andrade Corvo, delivered to the comte de Paris auto- 
 graph letters from the King and Queen of Portugal, 
 containing a formal demand for the hand of princess 
 Amdlie of France for the due de Bragance, prince 
 royal and heir to the crown of Portugal. The comte 
 and comtesse de Paris at once gave their consent, and 
 at two o'clock the due de Bragance, accompanied by 
 his aides-de-camp, paid his first formal visit to princess 
 Amelie. 
 
 The next day, Sunday, February 7th, a dinner was 
 given by the comte de Paris at his house in the rue de 
 Varennes, to celebrate the betrothal, and there were 
 present the princes of the royal House of France, King 
 Francis II. of Naples, and the members of the Portu- 
 guese embassy at Paris. At the end of the banquet, 
 the comte de Paris arose and proposed the health of 
 the King and Queen of Portugal, expressing the lively 
 satisfaction which the union of the two families afforded 
 him. The due de Bragance replied to this speech, and 
 proposed the health of the comte and comtesse de 
 Paris. 
 
 On Tuesday, the 9th, the due de Chartres gave a 
 grand dinner in his honour at his residence in the 
 rue Jean-Goujon, and the next day the prince started 
 for Eu for some hunting. 
 
 All those who knew the due de Bragance during his 
 stay in France declare unanimously that he is what was^ 
 formerly called a perfect gentleman, and is also, like 
 his father, a prince of the modern school, with liberal 
 ideas and artistic tastes. He was born September 
 28th, 1863, two years to the day before the princess 
 
246 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Am61ie. The prince has a good figure, a small head, 
 and a frank, decided, intelligent expression. Skilled 
 in music and water colours, a refined man of letters, 
 this young prince (who can speak eight languages) is 
 ignorant of nothing connected with the arts and litera- 
 ture of his own or any neighbouring country. He is 
 an excellent rider, a first-rate shot, and having been 
 accustomed from his childhood to every sort of bodily 
 exercise, he possesses iron nerves. 
 
 The King, his father, remembering what had in 
 past time formed the greatness of the House of Bra- 
 gance, took pains to make him a good sailor. 
 
 Princess Amdie was born September 28th, 1865. 
 Her grace, her tact, and her intellect recall her 
 grandmother, the duchesse d'Orl^ans, that admirable 
 woman, who was so prematurely torn away from the 
 affection of her family and of those who knew her. 
 
 " This marriage with the due de Bragance," said M. 
 Hervd, " does not only unite a young and brilliant 
 prince to a charming, accomplished princess, but it 
 brings together two families, two nations, which at 
 more than one period of their history have come in 
 contact with each other. ... It was a descendant of 
 Robert le Fort and of Hugues-Capet who founded in 
 Portugal the most ancient royal stock, and history 
 proves how the friendly relations existing between 
 France and Portugal have been less often interrupted 
 than in any other Europeaii State. . . . The marriage 
 of the heir to the throne of Portugal with a princess of 
 France only strengthens these relations. France still 
 profits by the rank which the ancient family of her 
 kings has maintained in Europe by the alliances which 
 
Marriage of Prince Antoine d' Orleans. 247 
 
 they have contracted and by the influence which they 
 exercise." 
 
 On the 20th of February, H.R.H. the duchesse de 
 Chartres held a briUiant reception in honour of the due 
 de Bragance, at which the comte de Paris, the comtesse 
 de Paris, and the princess Am6He were present. About 
 six hundred people of every rank in society came to 
 pay their respects to the royal family. 
 
 The next day the comtesse de Paris started for 
 Madrid to be present at the marriage of her brother, 
 prince Antoine d'Orldans (youngest child of the due 
 de Montpensier), with princess Eulalie, sister of the 
 late King of Spain, Alphonso XII., who had known 
 of this union some weeks before his death, and had 
 signified his approval. 
 
 The wedding, which had to be postponed for a few 
 days, on account of the illness of the young princess, 
 took place in the chapel of the Palais-Royal at Madrid 
 on Saturday, March 6th. 
 
 At nine o'clock on the previous evening the betrothal 
 had taken place according to the etiquette of the Spanish 
 court, but on account of the mourning of the royal 
 family the ceremony was as private as possible, being 
 restricted to indispensable formalities. The Queen 
 Regent occupied the throne, having on either side of 
 her the comtesse de Paris, Queen Isabella, the duke 
 and duchess of Montpensier, the due de Chartres, the 
 Infantes and Infantas of Spain. 
 
 All were in mourning. Princess Eulalie had at her 
 throat a bunch of violets and orange blossoms, and the 
 ladies of the court wore the regulation red ribbon. 
 
 M. Alonso Martinez, minister of justice, acting in 
 
248 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 his capacity of royal notary, read the marriage con- 
 tract, which was signed by all the royal family. 
 
 The next morning, at eleven o'clock, the Cardinal 
 Patriarch of the Indies performed the marriage service. 
 After reading the epistle, he, with his crozier in his 
 hand, and wearing his mitre, proceeded to bless the 
 rings and the thirteen pieces of money, which, accord- 
 ing to the Spanish custom, are presented by the bride- 
 groom to the bride. Each gold piece weighs one 
 ounce ; eight of them bear the image of King Philip 
 v., and the other five that of King Ferdinand VI. 
 
 Prince Antoine, attired in the splendid uniform of a 
 lieutenant of the Princess's Hussars, with the insignia 
 of the Golden Fleece, and the Order of Charles III., 
 and the fair princess Eulalie, looking charming in her 
 white dress, were the centre of attraction. 
 
 At four o'clock a special train conveyed the bride 
 and bridegroom to Aranjuez, where they arrived in 
 about an hour, and took up their residence in 
 the magnificent royal mansion built by Philip II., 
 about twenty miles from Madrid, in a delicious 
 valley, in the midst of which the Tagus receives the 
 waters of its tributary, the Jarama. It was in this 
 lovely shady retreat that the young couple spent the 
 first days of their long-wished-for union. 
 
 M. le comte de Paris, who had remained in Paris, 
 attended the grand agricultural meeting at the palais 
 de r Industrie, accompanied by the due d'Orleans, arid 
 the marquis de Dampierre, president of the Socidt6 
 des Agriculteurs de France, and spent two days 
 minutely inspecting everything. He then left for 
 Cannes with princess Amdlie and her fiancS, the due 
 
Death of the Comtesse de Chambord. 249 
 
 de Bragance, and was there to be joined by the comtesse 
 de Paris on her return from Spain. While at Cannes 
 the comte de Paris received the announcement of the 
 death of the comtesse de Chambord ; the prince 
 immediately replied by telegram : — 
 
 " Cannes, March, 25/^, 1886, 7.32. 
 " I beg to thank you for your telegram, which has 
 grieved me deeply. A mass shall be said on Saturday 
 at 12 o'clock, in my parish Church at Cannes. We 
 shall go into mourning. 
 
 " Philippe, comte de Paris." 
 
 The prince attended this mass with 'all the members 
 of the royal family then at Cannes, and went into 
 mourning for three months. The day fixed for the 
 departure of princess Amdlie was approaching, and 
 the royal party returned to Paris. On Wednesday, 
 May 5, the comte and comtesse de Paris drove at 
 1.30 to M. Chalot, a photographer, at 18 rue Vivienne. 
 The carriage having been recognised, a crowd col- 
 lected in the street, upon which the coachman drove 
 into the courtyard of the house, but shortly after- 
 wards he received orders to take the carriage to the 
 place du Palais Royal, so that the crowd might dis- 
 perse. At 3.30, the comte and comtesse de Paris left 
 the photographer's. The crowd had increased, hats 
 were lifted, and the prince, acknowledging the bows 
 of those around him, walked along the rue Vivienne, 
 and the gal6rie Montpensier to M. Leroy, the 
 jeweller's, followed by a large number of people. The 
 prince, anxious hot to attract any further notice, left 
 
250 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the shop by the rue Montpensier, and entered his 
 carriage in the place du Palais Royal, recognised and 
 enthusiastically greeted by all who were anxious to 
 show their respect and sympathy. Some of the Re- 
 publican journals, with extraordinary disregard of 
 truth, distorted this simple incident, and declared 
 that the prince, in order to escape from the hisses 
 of the mob, had been obliged hurriedly to get into a 
 cab. Every word was untrue, but truth can hardly 
 be expected from Party spirit ! 
 
 The royal party returned to Eu, and the inhabi- 
 tants hastened to pay their farewell visits to princess 
 Amdlie ; the most touching scenes took place during 
 the last days which the young princess passed at Eu. 
 At the very moment of her departure a master cooper 
 requested permission to pay his respects to the princess, 
 and was admitted into the presence of the royal family. 
 " Monseigneur," said he to the comte de Paris, 
 " forty years ago, when the princess your mother 
 was on her way to Orleans, she was informed that a 
 poor working cooper had just been slightly wounded 
 in the yard of the house in which she then was. She 
 desired to see him, and gave him a gold piece of forty 
 francs. I am that workman — this is the gold piece. 
 I have gone through great privations, but I never 
 would part with it, and in the end it has brought me 
 good luck, for now I am a master cooper, and live in 
 ease and comfort. Will you allow me to offer your 
 daughter this talisman, which I received from her 
 grandmother 1 " 
 
 The comte de Paris, much affected, grasped the 
 honest fellow's hand, while the young princess, taking 
 
Farewell at Eu. 251 
 
 the little box which her visitor presented to her, said, 
 with tears in her eyes, — 
 
 " I thank you most heartily ; this will be one of the 
 most precious souvenirs of my friends in France that 
 I shall carry away with me." 
 
 On Saturday, May 15, the comte de Paris enter- 
 tained a large number of friends at his mansion, 57 
 rue Varennes. This house had been begun during 
 the Regency in 1721. M. de Courtonne, the King's 
 architect, had made the plans, and had built it for the 
 prince de Tingry, better known as the mardchal de 
 Montmorency. Two years later it was sold — still 
 unfinished — to M. de Matignon, comte de Thorigny. 
 During the i8th century, it belonged successively to 
 the due de Valentinois, to the prince of Monaco, and 
 then to an Englishman, Mr. Crawford. 
 
 After the Revolution, prince Talleyrand, then 
 minister of foreign affairs, bought the house, and gave 
 some grand files there ; Napoleon I. induced his 
 minister to give it up to him; Talleyrand then bought 
 a house in the rue St. Florentin (now the property of 
 baron Alphonse de Rothschild), and in this manner 
 the mansion in the rue Varennes became royal 
 property. 
 
 At the time of the due de Berry's marriage, Louis 
 XVIII., desiring to establish his nephew at the palais 
 de I'Elysde, the property of Mdme. la duchesse de 
 Bourbon, exchanged houses with this princess, who 
 lived and died at 57 rue Varennes, and left it to her 
 niece, S.A.R. Mdme. Adelaide, sister of King Louis- 
 Philippe, and she in her turn left it to H.R.H. the due 
 de Montpensier. In 1848, general Cavaignac, presi- 
 
252 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 dent of the Republic, lived there until Louis Napoldon 
 was elected to the presidency. Finally, in 1853, the 
 due de Galliera purchased the mansion, one of the 
 largest and most imposing in the Faubourg St. Ger- 
 main. At his death it became the property of the 
 duchesse de Galliera ; she put the entire ground floor, 
 and the garden, which was in fact a park, at the dis- 
 posal of the comte de Paris, who made use of it every 
 time that he went to Paris. 
 
 On the 15th of May, from nine o'clock in the evening 
 till one the next morning, about 4,000 guests presented 
 themselves at the Hotel Galliera, to offer their con- 
 gratulations to the princess Am61ie. In the hearts of 
 all those who cordially and respectfully shared the joy 
 of the royal family on the occasion of this marriage, 
 there was a deep feeling of national pride, which will 
 be readily understood by those who know the past 
 history of France. The House of Bourbon, whose 
 destiny has been for so many centuries bound up in 
 that of the nation, has retained, and always will retain, 
 the glorious place which history has given it in the 
 world. This was clearly shown by the presence of all the 
 ambassadors of the foreign powers at the ceremony of 
 May 15th. Princess Amdlie was about to revive, in 
 the midst of a friendly people, the memory of the 
 grand country which her forefathers had rendered so 
 powerful and so prosperous. France could certainly 
 not have been better represented than by this princess, 
 so remarkable for virtue and nobility. On the evening, 
 of May 15, when princess Amdie was on the point of 
 quitting her old country, all rejoiced in the thought 
 that, in her, Portugal would greet and welcome France. 
 
The Reception of May 15. 253 
 
 Thanks to a wise forethought the evening passed 
 without the sHghtest disorder ; and the quiet, sympa- 
 thetic demeanour of the crowd which pressed round 
 the doors, made the work of the poHce easy. The 
 marquis de Beauvdir had been deputed to present 
 the guests to the comtesse de Paris, by whose side 
 stood the young princess Am6He, dressed simply in 
 white tulle, radiant and charming in her grace and 
 beauty. The comtesse de Paris received all those 
 who had the honour of approaching her with perfect 
 affability, while the comte de Paris, standing at a little 
 distance, shook hands with all the guests, and had a 
 pleasant word or a delicate compliment for each. In 
 the other rooms were the grand duke, and the grand 
 duchess Wladimir of Russia, the due de Nemours, the 
 due d'Aumale, the prince and princess de Joinville, 
 the due and duehesse de Chartres, the prince and 
 princess Czartoryski, princess Blanche de Nemours, 
 princess Hdlene, the second daughter of the comte 
 de Paris, princess Marguerite de Chartres, and 
 her brother prince Henri. One young man, who had 
 the regular Bourbon type of face, and a lively, intelli- 
 gent expression, was particularly noticed. He was 
 the due d'0rl6ans, and was standing near his great 
 aunt, princess Clementine de Saxe-Coburg, in com- 
 pany with one of her sons, prince Ferdinand. Almost 
 all the members of the Diplomatic body were present, 
 as well as the representatives of the oldest and most 
 noble families in France, and with them was the dlite 
 of the world of science, literature, art and law. From 
 a feeling of delicacy, easy to understand, no military 
 men actually serving with the army were invited. 
 
2 54 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 In one large room a buffet had been arranged 
 sumptuously served, and decorated with a profusion of 
 flowers and foliage. But the principal attraction was 
 the large centre salon, where all the wedding presents 
 were to be seen. The lace of the trousseau was 
 especially admired ; the comte de Paris had insisted 
 that it should all be bought in France, and it came 
 from the establishment of Messrs. Lefdbure. A 
 triumph of the silversmith's art, which excited uni- 
 versal attention, was M. Froment-Meurice's " Nef de 
 la ville de Paris " in silver, supported by a siren ; this 
 had been subscribed for in Paris only. Towards one 
 o'clock in the morning supper was served for eighty ; 
 and, besides the princes of the House of Orleans, 
 there were present the grand duke and grand 
 duchess Wladimir of Russia, the comte d'Azevedo, 
 chief secretary of the Portuguese Legation, and some 
 of the royal household. At the end of supper the 
 due de Chartres proposed the following toast, " With 
 my brother's permission, I desire, as the nearest rela- 
 tive of the future duchesse de Bragance, to propose 
 her health, and to make myself the interpreter of all 
 the good wishes and the regrets of all the French 
 present here to-night." 
 
 Certainly no one was better fitted than " Robert le 
 Fort " to interpret to princess Amdlie the sentiments 
 of monarchical France. 
 
 The Roman Catholics of Twickenham, where 
 princess Amdlie was born, had sent to the comte de 
 Paris an address, in which they offered their congra- 
 tulations, and gave expression to the grateful recollec- 
 tions which they retained of the visit of the royal 
 
Departure of the Royal Family for Lisbon. 255 
 
 family to their town. Before leaving for Lisbon, the 
 comte de Paris wrote the following letter to M. Ryan, 
 the Roman Catholic priest at Twickenham : — 
 
 ''May ijth, 1886. 
 " Rev. Father, 
 
 "I have received an address of congratula- 
 tion on the occasion of my daughter's marriage to the 
 prince royal of Portugal, signed by all the most emi- 
 nent members of the Roman Catholic community at 
 Twickenham. The comtesse de Paris and I are very 
 grateful for this proof of sympathy on the part of the 
 inhabitants of the town in which we spent the first six 
 years of our married life, and where our eldest children 
 were born. Our daughter, Am^lie, has not forgotten 
 that she belongs by birth to Twickenham, and she is 
 happy in the thought that she is not forgotten there, 
 especially by our Roman Catholic brethren. I trust 
 that your wishes for her happiness and prosperity will 
 call down on her in her new country the blessing of 
 God. Be good enough to transmit our best thanks 
 to all those who have signed the address, and believe 
 me, 
 
 " Yours sincerely, 
 
 " Philippe comte de Paris." 
 
 On Monday, May 1 7th, at six o'clock in the even- 
 ing, a special train, composed of several wagon-salons 
 started from the Orleans station conveying to Lisbon 
 the comte and comtesse de Paris, princess Amdlie, her 
 brother the due d'0rl6ans, her sister, princess Helene, 
 the due de Chartres, the due d'Aumale, the princess de 
 
256 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Joinville, princess Clementine of Saxe-Coburg-Gdtha 
 and her son prince Ferdinand. 
 
 The comte de Paris was accompanied by one of his 
 oldest adherents, the marquis de Beauvoir, who com- 
 bines with a devotion which, as has been seen, is 
 traditional in his family, a great facility for work, and 
 qualities which justify the friendship shown him by the 
 comte de Paris from his childhood. 
 
 When Marshal Macmahonwas president, the marquis 
 de Beauvoir had been under-secretary in the cabinet of 
 that wonderful foreign minister and keen diplomatist, 
 the due Decazes, who rendered such signal services to 
 France, and whose loss is daily felt by the royalist party. 
 The comte de Paris thoroughly appreciates the services 
 ■of the marquis de Beauvoir, whose great activity, charm- 
 ing sympathetic manner and affability, have made him 
 a universal favourite. He is emphatically a man of 
 action ; for the last twenty years he has always been 
 ready to throw himself into the breach ; he is one of 
 the most faithful and devoted servants of the prince, 
 and is untiring in a cause for which he would be ready 
 to give his life. 
 
 With him were the comte d'Haussonville, Captain 
 Morhain, M. Camille Dupuy (private secretary to 
 Monseigneur), Dr. Gu6neau de Mussy, the marquis de 
 Bouilld, in attendance on the due de Chartres ; the 
 vicomte de Chazelle, the due d'Aumale, the comtesse 
 de Carral and her son, the comte de Barral, the prin- 
 cess de Joinville ; finally M. Froment, tutor to the due 
 d'Orleans, vicomtesse de Butler, maid of honour to 
 the comtesse de Paris, and Mdme Levavasseur, gover- 
 ness to the princess, There were only two people 
 
Arrival at the Spanish Frontier. 257 
 
 invited by the prince — the due de Noailles and the 
 due de la Trdmoille. The comte de Paris, having 
 expressed a wish that none but his own family should 
 attend at the station of the Oridans line, some old 
 friends had requested permission to eome and bid 
 farewell to prineess Am61ie, and they had been 
 received in the rue Varennes between the hours of 
 one and three. 
 
 At six o'elock punctually the train left the station. 
 Many faithful friends came to greet the royal party 
 and present bouquets to princess Amdlie at all the 
 principal stations where they stopped, and the line 
 between Paris and the Spanish frontier was crowded. 
 
 The contemplated marriage had made a great stir 
 throughout France, and every one, peasant and me- 
 chanic alike, was anxious to see the comte de Paris 
 and the young princess. The illustrated papers con- 
 taining her portrait were eagerly bought up by the 
 crowd. At Blois, where the train did not stop, but 
 only slackened speed, a crowd of five or six hundred 
 people pressed round the platform, and the same 
 sympathetic interest was shown at Tours, Poitiers, 
 and Bordeaux. 
 
 In the morning they arrived at I run on the Spanish 
 frontier, where the comte de Paris received a telegram 
 informing him that the Queen Regent of Spain had 
 just given birth to a son, King Alphonse XIII. The 
 travellers breakfasted at Miranda and dined at 
 Medina, the meals having been ordered by the King 
 of Portugal. Before arriving at Salamanca a curious 
 incident occurred : the train was obliged to stop, several 
 thousands of people having placed themselves on the 
 
258 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 line, in order actually to see and greet the illustrious 
 representatives of the dynasty which gave the 
 Bourbons to Spain. In the middle of the night the 
 students of Salamanca serenaded the princess. At 
 9.30 in the morning the train entered the kingdom of 
 Portugal at the station of Villar-Formoso. It was 
 pouring in torrents, but the rain seemed to make no 
 difference to the crowd, and the Portuguese evidently 
 believed in the truth of the saying, " Happy the bride 
 that the rain rains on." If this be so the weather was 
 certainly a good augury ! The fireworks, which were 
 going on all night in spite of the downpour, the 
 serenades, the joyful cheers of the people, the 
 universal eagerness to welcome the travellers, made a 
 deep impression on princess Amdlie, and seemed to 
 show that she had won the hearts of the Portuguese, 
 even before they knew her. How will this affection 
 increase when they shall have discovered the many 
 moral and intellectual qualities which make the eldest 
 daughter of the comte de Paris one of the most ac- 
 complished princesses of our day ! 
 
 Formerly, court etiquette prescribed that on the 
 frontier of her future husband's dominions the princess 
 should be clothed in entirely new garments, and should 
 not wear a single thing which came from her own 
 country. This custom was rigorously observed in the 
 case of Marie-Thdrese when she married Louis XIV., 
 also when Marie Leczinska and Marie Antoinette 
 married Louis XV. and Louis XVI. Nowadays 
 this custom has been abandoned. However, at Santa- 
 Comba-Dao, princess Amdlie put on an entirely new 
 toilette of white and blue, the Portuguese colours. 
 
Enthusiasm of the Populace. 259 
 
 When the train stopped, the princess was at the door 
 of the carriage, and no sooner had she caught sight 
 of her fiancd than she jumped down, regardless of 
 etiquette, and embraced the due de Bragance before 
 the whole crowd. This simplicity and charming 
 ■naivetd delighted the spectators ; handkerchiefs and 
 fans were waved, and all along the route there was 
 but one cry, " Long live the prince and princess ! " 
 At every station deputations succeeded one another, 
 the ovation was renewed, and the same throng, the 
 same delirious enthusiasm, the same wealth of flowers 
 at Coimbre, Pombal, Santarem, Alhandra and Sacurin. 
 At Pampilhosa three little girls brought some flowers 
 for the princess and strewed her path with roses. 
 One after another they were lifted into the carriage, 
 and the princess insisted on, thanking each one and 
 kissing her on the forehead. She had a gracious 
 word for every one who came near her. At Coimbre, 
 a woman of the lower classes, holding a child on her 
 shoulder, said to it as the princess was getting into 
 the train, " Look at our beautiful princess, kiss your 
 hand to her." The child obeyed, whereupon prin- 
 cess Am61ie quitting her fanc/s arm, went up to the 
 railing and kissed the little Portuguese " menino " on 
 both cheeks. The mother wept with pride and 
 pleasure, and the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd 
 were redoubled. 
 
 At last, at 5.15, the train entered the station at 
 Lisbon ; the walls were decked with flowers and 
 foliage, and with the escutcheons of Bourbon and 
 Bragance, the fleurs-de-lis of France alternating with 
 the towers of Bragance, and the French tricolour 
 
 s 2 
 
26o Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 with the white and blue flag of Portugal. The King 
 and Queen of Portugal, the duke of Aosta, brother of 
 the Queen, the court, and the diplomatic body were 
 awaiting the arrival of the French royal family. 
 
 Immediately on leaving the train, princess Amdlie 
 hastened to kiss the hand of Queen Maria- Pia, who 
 clasped her in her arms, while affectionate greetings 
 were exchanged between the King, the comte de Paris 
 and the princes. As soon as the various presentations 
 had been made, the royal party quitted the station. 
 The inhabitants of Lisbon are considered cold and 
 emotionless, but their reserve soon melted at the sight 
 of the princess Amdlie's charming face. Her reputa- 
 tion for grace and beauty had preceded her to 
 Portugal, but the reality so far surpassed the expecta- 
 tions of the Portuguese, that, in spite of their ordinary 
 phlegmatic temperament, they were carried away into 
 the most unexpected demonstrations. Lisbon has a 
 population of about 250,000, and is built like an 
 amphitheatre on . several hills overlooking the right 
 bank of the Tagus. It stretches for about 10 kilo- 
 metres (6j- miles) along the bay at the mouth of the 
 river, which on this occasion was full of ships dressed 
 with flags. On either side of the Tagus large build- 
 ings, palaces, churches and thousands of villas were 
 all hung with flags and wreaths of flowers, and over 
 all this verdure and these roses spread the azure blue 
 of the sky, while the sun bathed the landscape in 
 floods of golden light. 
 
 The royal procession left the station, the horses 
 going at a walk through the enormous crowd which 
 occupied every available space — trees, buildings, roofs. 
 
Arrival at Lisbon. 261 
 
 windows — shouting "Long live the King! Long Hve 
 the princess ! " 
 
 Princess Amdlie had taken her place by the side 
 of Queen Maria-Pia, in an open carriage drawn by- 
 four horses ; and opposite them were the due de Bra- 
 gance and the comte de Paris. In the second carriage, 
 also drawn by four horses, were the comtesse de Paris, 
 the princess de Joinville, the duke of Aosta, and the 
 King dom Luiz. A detachment of cavalry closed 
 the procession. As it passed, all hats were raised, and 
 the people gazed with eager and respectful curiosity 
 on the future princess royal, while countless bouquets 
 were thrown from the windows. At last, at seven 
 o'clock, they arrived at the palace des Necessidades, 
 which had been prepared for the members of the 
 Orleans family. From this palace and its magnificent 
 gardens lovely views are to be obtained over the 
 Tagus and the bay. 
 
 The royal party were now able to enjoy the rest so 
 necessary after their long, fatiguing journey. The 
 French, who had witnessed the spontaneous ovations, 
 first of the Spaniards, and now of the Portuguese, could 
 not help saying to themselves, with a certain pride 
 that Spain and Portugal, like the rest of Europe, re- 
 cognized in the members of the house of Bourbon 
 the most illustrious representatives of the French 
 nation. King dom Luiz had sent, through his am- 
 bassador at the Holy See, a petition to the Pope that 
 he would bestow his apostolic blessing on the bride 
 and bridegroom, and the Sovereign Pontiff had 
 hastened to accede to the request. Leo XI IL pro- 
 fesses a great affection for the prince and princess, 
 
262 Le Comte de Pans. 
 
 whose piety is known to him, and he rejoices at an 
 alliance which cannot fail to promote the happiness of 
 Portugal. 
 
 Princess Amdlie, brought up by a mother whose 
 faith is very real, has justified the hopes of the Holy 
 Father. She had declared her intention of communi- 
 cating at the nuptial mass, although the ceremony 
 would be very lengthy. She contemplated with 
 religious earnestness the duties imposed on her by 
 her new life, and she passed the intervening time 
 before the next day's solemnity in a sort of retreat. 
 Princess Am^lie has none of that frivolity so common 
 among girls, who look upon marriage merely as a 
 means of escape from maternal tutelage ; she has the 
 same serious reflective turn of mind as her great- 
 grandmother Marie-Am61ie, and, having been the 
 most obedient of daughters, she will be a wife devoted 
 to her duties, and a princess-royal worthy indeed of 
 her station. 
 
 The comte and comtesse de Paris granted very few 
 audiences. They wanted to spend with the child 
 from whom they were so soon to be separated, all the 
 time not monopolized by the exigencies of etiquette ; 
 the French, as well as the Portuguese, yielded respect- 
 fully to this very natural desire on their part. 
 
 During the two days preceding the wedding — 
 May 20th and 21st — there was a reception of in- 
 timate friends at the palace. All the leading people 
 in society, in the army, in the Government, and in 
 the world of art and literature went to inscribe their 
 names at the palais des Necessidades. 
 
 Saturday, May 22, was a day such as one only sees 
 
Preparations for the Marriage. 263 
 
 in the south of Europe ; a respectful, enthusiastic 
 crowd thronged the streets, determined to witness so 
 splendid a ceremony, and one that is seldom granted 
 to them to enjoy. From the earliest dawn . a dense 
 throng filled the streets through which the procession 
 would pass on its way to the Church of St. Justa et 
 Rufina, where the marriage was to be celebrated at 
 one o'clock. This church, better known as the 
 Church of San Domingo, is situated at the corner of 
 the grand place du Rocio, with its statue of King 
 Pedro. Like all the other buildings in Lisbon, it 
 was constructed after the terrible earthquake of 1775, 
 which entirely destroyed the town ; tradition affirms 
 that the altar of black and white marble, which is still 
 in the church, is all that remains of the old building. 
 
 All the squares and principal streets of Lisbon 
 are decorated with Venetian masts, covered with 
 bunting, adorned with flags, and surmounted by the 
 royal crown. Nothing could be richer or warmer 
 in colouring than the interior of the church, with 
 the many coloured silks and velvets, and all the gold 
 lace and embroideries which sparkle in the light of 
 hundreds of glass candelabra. At the end rises the 
 altar, with its high twisted pillars, on the steps of 
 which are standing the bishops in their splendid vest- 
 ments. To the left is the royal canopy, with its 
 hangings of rose-coloured velvet, covered with golden 
 ileurs-de-lis, and caught up on two tall columns on 
 which are placed globes, in memory of the discovery 
 of the Indies by the Portuguese. To the right is the 
 stand prepared for the Orleans princes, covered with 
 blue velvet, also emblazoned with gold fleurs-de-lis. 
 
264 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 and surmounted by the royal crown. Between these 
 two erections, in the centre of the choir, are the chairs 
 and prie-dieu of blue velvet for the bride and bride- 
 groom during the nuptial mass. A ducal crown, 
 supported by two angels, and decorated with the 
 torches of Hymen, is hung from the roof in the shape 
 of a baldaquin over the heads of the due de Bragance 
 and princess Amdlie. To the left are the ladies 
 belonging to the court and the diplomatic body, all 
 in evening dress of light blue silk, and wearing 
 white lace mantillas, fastened to the hair with high 
 tortoiseshell combs. Everywhere there glitters the 
 gold of different uniforms ; civil officials in embroidered 
 coats, chamberlains with their long ivory wands, 
 generals and officei's, helmet in hand, in black uni- 
 form with gold or red stripes according to their rank ; 
 Italian officers in their short blue and white tunic, 
 Spanish naval officers with their scarlet facings, officers 
 of the Italian marine with the blue sash across the 
 shoulder, and many others. 
 
 All these various uniforms have a glorious effect 
 amongst the palms and foliage with which the church 
 is decorated. 
 
 At one o'clock the booming of a cannon is heard in 
 the distance ; the royal procession has started from the 
 palace d'Ajuda. Then there arrive in succession the 
 comtesse de Ficalho, maid of honour to the Queen, 
 the ambassador of Spain with the two sons of the 
 duke de Fernan-Nunez, the marquis de Valada in his 
 magnificent gilded coach, ornamented with pictures in 
 the style of the old vernis Martin ; the harness of all 
 these equipages is covered with chased steel, and all 
 
Marriage of Princess Amdlie. 265 
 
 the servants, without exception, wear wigs with 
 powdered curls. 
 
 The clocks strike two, the trumpets sound, the 
 troops bring their muskets to the ground with a 
 crash, and the royal procession approaches. Soon 
 the red and white pennons of the advanced guard of 
 lancers are seen, and all the cavalry, their black plumes 
 floating from their red caps, trot past, and take up 
 their position in a street close to the church. Next 
 appears a body of royal outriders in the livery of 
 Bragance, scarlet, with stripes of many-coloured silks, 
 and cherry-coloured velvet stamped with pome- 
 granates. They place themselves in front of the 
 church, and salute by raising their whips. 
 
 After them arrive horsemen in the ancient uniform 
 of the 1 6th century; these are the kings-at-arms of 
 Bragance. Their black velvet hats de la St. Herr- 
 mandade are surmounted by tufts of blue and white 
 feathers ; their tabards of cherry silk embroidered 
 with gold are loaded with seven enormous silver-gilt 
 towers, and with a large gold collar bearing the royal 
 arms. They wear black silk stockings ; their saddles 
 are those of the last century, the trappings are of 
 green velvet striped with gold, the horses' manes 
 are plaited with ribands, and on their heads are 
 bunches of ostrich plumes. 
 
 After them arrive some splendid gilded carriages, 
 perfect marvels, each drawn by ten mules, ridden by 
 postillions. These heavy coaches, which are loaded 
 with gilt ornamentation, and covered with paintings, 
 are hung on wide straps of red leather, and the 
 colossal wheels measure about two metres in diameter. 
 
266 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 The coaches date from the 1 7th and 1 8th centuries, 
 and have been used by dom Jofio V., dom Francisco, 
 dom Josd I., dom Pedro II., and Alphonso VI. 
 
 From these carriages descend the comtesse de 
 Bertiandos, in blue and white satin, with a tabUer 
 embroidered with white beads ; the marquise de 
 Funchal, " Camareira Mor " of the Queen ; the aide-de- 
 camp to the duke of Aosta, dom Augusto, the King's 
 brother ; the duke of Aosta in ItaHan uniform ; prince 
 George of Wales in the British naval uniform, with 
 the riband of the Christ ; the duke of Saxe-Coburg- 
 Gotha in the Austrian hussar uniform with the red 
 shako and high aigrette, and the blue tunic with gold 
 cord on the shoulder. 
 
 All stop at the entrance to the church. The band 
 of the Royal Engineers plays the Royal March. An 
 enormous gilded coach, drawn by eight dappled-grey 
 horses, now advances at a slow trot, the grooms lead- 
 ing the horses ; this coach, which is surmounted by 
 eight royal crowns, and decorated with gilt palms, is 
 called the " Coach of the Crown," and was built by order 
 of dom Joao V. for the wedding of his son. In this 
 carriage are the due de Bragance, in the uniform of a 
 captain in the lancers, the King dom Luiz in that of 
 a general of division, and the Queen Maria-Pia in a 
 splendid costume copied from a picture of Rubens, 
 " The Triumph of Marie de M^dicis." The dress 
 is of sky blue velvet, embroidered in the style of 
 Louis XIII., and trimmed with rows of pearls and 
 sheaves of diamonds. The royal mantle, fastened 
 at the shoulders, is of royal blue velvet, embroidered 
 round the bottom with wreaths of light flowers. The 
 
Marriage of Princess Amdlie. 267 
 
 fleurs-de-lis of France are here replaced only by 
 pomegranate flowers in white silk, which are scattered 
 all over the blue ground. A diadem of diamonds of 
 the first water, and of wonderful purity, crow;ns her 
 head with its beautiful fair hair, and her arms are 
 covered with long gloves, embroidered at the wrist 
 with her monogram, M. P., and the royal crown in 
 colours. 
 
 Their majesties, having been received on their 
 arrival by all the great dignitaries of the Crown and 
 the foreign princes, move towards the royal throne, 
 the Camarera Mayor bearing the Queen's long train, 
 and six of the marquises of the oldest Portuguese 
 families supporting a canopy of yellow silk em- 
 broidered with gold over their heads, while the 
 Bragance March is played on the organ. The 
 cardinal-patriarch, accompanied by all his clergy with 
 their satin parasols, their gold crosses, and their large 
 feather fans, receives their majesties and conducts 
 them to their places through a double line of the royal 
 guard, who stand immovable, bareheaded, and present- 
 ing arms. At 2.15 the bells again peal out. A 
 detachment of cavalry, preceded by the "batidores," 
 advances at a sharp trot through the place Rocio. 
 They are the chasseurs with their black plumes, 
 their cartridge-pouches and shoulder-belts of white 
 leather, and their sabres of Toledo steel, and they 
 form the advanced guard of the procession of the 
 Orleans princes. This cortege consists also of superb 
 royal gala carriages, and out of them step the due de la 
 Trdmoille, the due de Noailles, the comte d'Hausson- 
 ville, the marquis de Beauvoir, the marquise de Rio- 
 
268 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Mayor, maid of honour to the Queen ; the comte de 
 Ficalho, dom Alphonso, brother of the due de 
 Bragance ; the princess de Joinville, in a dress of 
 black jet and violet silk, wearing across her shoulder 
 the blue and white ribands of the Spanish order of 
 Marie-Louise ; princesse H61ene, looking lovely and 
 graceful in her rose-coloured dress, the corsage 
 trimmed with pearls, and wearing the rose and white 
 riband of the Portuguese order of Isabella ; the due 
 d'Aumale and the due de Chartres, both wearing the 
 dark blue riband of the Portuguese military order of la 
 Tour et de I'Ep^e ; finally, the due d'Orleans, with the 
 cordon of the Conception. The last coach arrives — 
 the coach of dom Fernando, which was built at Rome 
 and presented to King dom JoSo by Pope Clement XL 
 From this descends the royal bride in her dress of 
 white silk, and covered with a lace veil. In her hand 
 she carries the book of Hours, presented to her by 
 the ladies of the Seine-Infdrieure, bound in white 
 ivory and enamelled with the arms of France and 
 Bragance. 
 
 Princess Amdlie is accompanied by her father and 
 mother, the comte de Paris wearing the red and green 
 riband of the united orders of Portugal ; the comtesse 
 de Paris attired in an extremely elegant toilette of 
 soft pink and golden velours frapp4 the train of Genoa 
 velvet, the panels also of velvet of a smaller pattern, 
 the front of the dress sparkling with white beads. 
 The corsage is also of velvet and cut low. Ornaments : 
 diadem, earrings, and riviere of sapphires and 
 diamonds of priceless value. Order: the Portuguese 
 order of Isabella. After a moment's halt this second 
 
Scene in the Church. 269 
 
 procession enters the church. The due de Bragance, 
 preceded by the Grand Master of the Ceremonies, and 
 the Captain of the Royal Guard, goes to meet his 
 august bride, who now enters the church on her 
 father's arm, her train borne by Mile. Levavasseur. 
 The comtesse de Paris takes the arm of the prince 
 royal. The bride and bridegroom having taken their 
 places at their prie-dieu, the marriage ceremony Ijegins. 
 The cardinal-patriarch gives a touching address to 
 the royal couple on the duties imposed on them by 
 their exalted position. The spectacle of the church, 
 crowded with rich costumes and brilliant uniforms, and 
 lighted by 166 candelabra, is indeed splendid and im- 
 posing. Most of the bishops in the kingdom have 
 come to Lisbon and are present in their pontifical 
 vestments. The nuptial benediction is preceded by a 
 touching ceremony. At the invitation of the cardinal- 
 patriarch the due de Bragance advances to the throne 
 on which the King and Queen are sitting, kisses their 
 hands, and, kneeling before them, demands their con- 
 sent to his marriage. Princess Amdlie, much affected, 
 demands in her turn, and in the same manner, the con- 
 sent of her parents, who embrace her effusively. The 
 cardinal archbishop then descends the steps of the altar, 
 and, taking the wedding-rings presented to him on a 
 golden salver by a page in blue velvet, he gives them 
 to the bride and bridegroom and pronounces the 
 blessing. 
 
 While the witnesses were signing the register the 
 duke and duchess de Bragance took their places beside 
 the King and Queen. The train of princess Am61ie 
 of France is no longer borne by Mile. Levavasseur, 
 
270 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 but by one of her maids of honour. It was an affect- 
 ing moment for all the French present, when their 
 princess thus passed into her new family. The Te 
 Deum now peals through the church, and the cere- 
 mony is over. 
 
 The two processions, now formed into one, begin to 
 leave the church : it is 4. 1 5, the bells are ringing, 
 cannons are fired in the distance on the place du 
 Commerce. The ships anchored in the Tagus seem 
 enveloped in smoke and flames, and at the same time, 
 from a platform raised in the centre of the place du 
 Rocio, there bursts a perfect blaze of fireworks, which 
 was a curious sight in broad daylight. The flying 
 rockets frighten the mules and horses in the coaches, 
 who prance about till it becomes difficult to hold them. 
 At 4.30 the Royal March, which has been played ort 
 the organ in the church, is taken up by the bands 
 outside. 
 
 The new duchess de Bragance, pale with emotion, 
 appears leaning on her husband's arm ; cheers burst 
 forth on every side ; the coach of dom Fernando is 
 drawn up ; the due de Bragance mounts first and gives 
 his hand to help his bride up the three high steps of 
 the coach, and they move slowly off. Their respective 
 parents follow in their state carriages and are loudly 
 cheered by the crowd. The procession (brought up 
 by the cavalry, their pennons fluttering in the wind, 
 beating the old March of the Portuguese cavaliers on 
 their kettledrums draped with red), greeted by the 
 joyful cheers of the crowd and the blazing fireworks, 
 traverses the place du Rocio, and passing along the rue 
 de rOr, arrives at the place du Commerce. Soon the 
 
Procession through the streets of Lisbon. 271 
 
 procession leaves Lisbon, and passes along the quay 
 to the palace of Belem, which is to be the residence 
 of the newly-married pair. 
 
 Everywhere the crowd throngs the route which the 
 procession takes, and rends the air with joyful shouts. 
 From the pavilions, constructed at various distances, 
 a flourish of trumpets salutes the procession, and from 
 a platform erected on the quai di Sodrd, by the statue 
 of the due de Terceira, a perfect shower of flowers 
 rains down on the coach of the new duchess of 
 Bragance. The steamers, merchant ships and 
 despatch boats are crowded with thousands of spec- 
 tators. It is a splendid scene. The houses of 
 Lisbon, with their tiled fapades shining in the sun, rise 
 in terraces on the hill-sides ; in the distance are the 
 domes of the Gothic cathedral di la Se, or basilique 
 Santa Maria ; to the right rise the red walls of the 
 Necessidades, and the sombre foliage of the grand 
 cemetery, which reminds one of the dark cypresses of 
 the Stamboul necropolis. 
 
 Saluted on all sides by salvoes of artillery, the 
 cortege skirts the Tagus, passing through the 
 faubourgs of Alcantara and Junqueira, and at six 
 o'clock arrives at the palace of Belem. This palace, 
 built towards the middle of the 18th century, con- 
 sists only of one storey, raised over a basement, and 
 is well suited for a newly-married couple. From 
 the terraces, which rise straight from the Tagus, there 
 is a splendid view over the vast ocean, the tower of 
 Belem, and the church of San Jeronymo, built to com- 
 memorate the discovery of the Indies, and containing 
 the tombs of Vasco de Gama and of Camoens. 
 
272 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 The procession ascends a steep road between two 
 high red walls, and stops in front of the palace, which 
 is built with an Italian roof of flat, firmly cemented 
 tiles. The bride and bridegroom and their august 
 parents enter the hall (the oldest part of the palace, 
 built by Jean V.), and from thence proceed to their 
 own apartments. 
 
 The princess, having changed her toilette, went 
 with the due de Bragance to dine with her father-in- 
 law, the King dom Luiz, at the palace of Ajuda. 
 This palace, imposing from its very size, is built on an 
 amphitheatre above Belem. There princess Amdlie 
 received the wedding presents given her by her new 
 family. 
 
 They consisted of — 
 
 A diamond diadem, from the King dom Luiz — a 
 splendid gift, composed of several rows of diamonds, 
 from which hang two enormous pearls. 
 
 A diamond necklace, in the same style as the diadem, 
 from Queen Maria- Pia. 
 
 An opera glass, with two rows of diamonds, and the 
 monogram in brilliants, from prince Alphonso. 
 
 A magnificent bracelet of brilliants, from the duke 
 of Aosta. 
 
 A diamond eagle, from prince dom Alphonso. 
 
 A necklace of sapphires and brilliants, from the 
 King and Queen of Italy. 
 
 A ring of sapphires and brilliants, from princess 
 Clotilde Bonaparte. 
 
 A diamond aigrette, from the prince de Carignan. 
 
 The dinner, which was served at eight o'clock, was 
 only a family repast. At midnight the duke and 
 
Wedding Festivities. 273 
 
 duchess took leave of their parents and returned to 
 their palace, which was briUiantly Ht up by the glare 
 of the electric globes placed along the banks of the 
 Tagus. The next day, the 23rd, at two o'clock, 
 the duke and duchess received at Belem the grand 
 dignitaries of state, the officers of the palace and the 
 high functionaries. The grace and affability of the 
 duchess produced an excellent impression on all. 
 " Although I have now become a Portuguese princess," 
 said she, " I shall never forget my own country, and 
 shall always remain French at heart." In the palace 
 gardens the national hymn was played, and in the 
 evening, at the theatre of San Carlos, there was a gala 
 performance, consisting of two acts out of Semiramis, 
 two acts of Atda, and a ballet. Towards one o'clock 
 in the morning the court retired, and, as Princess 
 Amdlie rose to leave, she was made the object of a 
 hearty and spontaneous ovation. Much moved by 
 these marks of the good feeling of her new country, 
 the princess bowed repeatedly, and all the spectators, 
 standing up, shouted, " Long live the King ! Long 
 live the Orleans princes ! " 
 
 On May 24th there was a grand afternoon recep- 
 tion at the Ajuda palace, where their Majesties re- 
 ceived the congratulations of the diplomatic body and 
 the homage of the various bodies in the state, the 
 Municipal Council of Lisbon, the court and the 
 aristocracy. On the 25th the King held a -grand 
 review of troops of all arms, including the students of 
 the Military School. The King, followed by a brilliant 
 staff", and accompanied by the due de Bragance, prince 
 Amadous of Italy, and prince George of Wales, 
 
2 74 -^^ Comte de Paris. 
 
 passed down the lines ; the King and Queen, the duke 
 and duchess of Bragance, the comte and comtesse de 
 Paris, the due de Chartres were received with ringing 
 cheers ; after the march past, the enthusiasm became 
 frantic, and found vent on all sides in repeated shouts 
 of " Long live princess Amelie ! " At every window 
 handkerchiefs were waved and people shouted madly, 
 and each bow of the princess was the signal for 
 renewed outbursts of cheers. It was a scene never to 
 be forgotten, especially by the young and charming 
 pi-incess, who had been able, in a few days, to win the 
 hearts of all classes in Portugal. 
 
 In the evening there was an equally grand display 
 in the Avenue de la Libertd, where there were fairy-like 
 illuminations and splendid fireworks. Again, as in the 
 morning, the enthusiasm of the crowd knew no bounds, 
 and the duke and duchess of Bragance and the 
 Orleans princes received a real ovation. How could 
 the Portuguese fail to love the young princess, whose 
 first thought on arriving in her new country -was to 
 establish quite a series of charitable works ? It was 
 she who organized a society " for the protection of the 
 interests of the working classes." 
 
 A week after the marriage of the princess, the first 
 charitable institution was inaugurated under the name 
 of the " Institut de la princess Amelie." This constant 
 care for the poor, this inexhaustible charity, rendered 
 ■doubly valuable by the graceful manner in which it 
 was exercised, suffices to explain the unheard-of 
 enthusiasm of the reception accorded by the people to 
 princess Amelie. 
 
 On the 26th there were first some races, and in the 
 
The King of Portugal. 275 
 
 evening a grand ball was given at the Ajuda palace. 
 At eleven o'clock the doors leading to the private 
 apartments were thrown open ; the band played the 
 national anthem, and the King, the Queen, the duke 
 and duchess of Bragance, the princes and princesses 
 ■of the House of France entered ; the guests, who had 
 ranged themselves in two lines, bowing low as they 
 passed. 
 
 The ball was opened in the principal gallery leading 
 to the throne room. Queen Maria-Pia, who is always 
 extremely elegant, was surrounded by ladies in 
 those resplendent toilettes, which make the court of 
 Portugal one of the most brilliant in Europe. The 
 ball was kept up till four o'clock in the morning. 
 Several times the King left the gallery reserved for 
 the chief guests and dignitaries of the kingdom and 
 mingled with the crowd of dancers. 
 
 His Majesty is much beloved on account of his 
 affability, and the Portuguese are charmed by the 
 ease with which he allows himself to be approached. 
 The King is forty-nine years of age ; he is fair, pale, 
 and his eyes have a soft, sweet expj-ession. He is 
 a strictly constitutional monarch ; he is passionately 
 devoted to art, plays on nearly every instrument, 
 paints with great taste, and ranks amongst the first 
 literary men in Portugal. He has translated two plays 
 of Shakespeare, Othello and Hamlet, with great 
 accuracy and elegance ; he is in touch with all that 
 concerns French dramatic literature, and corresponds 
 with one of our chief dramatists, Victorien Sardou. 
 
 Dom Luiz I. began to reign in 1861, having suc- 
 ceeded his brother dom Pedro V., who was struck 
 
 T 2 
 
276 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 down suddenly by yellow fever. His genial cordiality 
 forms a striking contrast to the melancholy of dom 
 Pedro. Having been destined from his childhood to a 
 sailor's life, the King received an education to which 
 he owes that pleasant manner which charms his 
 people. 
 
 While his ministers were searching for a wife for 
 him, so that his marriage might assure the future of 
 the monarchy, and had already entered into negotia- 
 tions with Austria, dom Luiz made his own choice, 
 and selected Maria-Pia, last remaining daughter of 
 Victor-Emmanuel, King of Italy. Maria-Pia, a des- 
 cendant of one of the oldest and most noble royal 
 families in Europe, is extremely distinguished, and 
 never fails to charm those whom she desires to 
 please. In spite of having rather an imperious ex- 
 pression, she is very fascinating, and no woman could 
 look more royal or more imposing than she does. 
 She is a devoted mother, and gave her sons an 
 excellent education, inspiring them with grand and 
 noble thoughts and ideas. One day, when as children 
 they were bathing in the sea at Mexilhoeiro, near 
 Cascaes, they lost their footing and were in danger of 
 drowning ; the Queen did not hesitate a second, but 
 threw herself into the water and had the joy of saving 
 both her children. 
 
 When the ball was drawing to a close, the national 
 air, played by the band, announced the departure of 
 the royal family, who, on leaving the room, again 
 passed through the ranks of respectful guests. 
 
 The fetes in honour of princess Amdie's marriage 
 were brought to a close on the 27th by a grand bull- 
 
Bidl-fight and Races, 277 
 
 fight, and fireworks on the Tagus. In Portugal the 
 bull-fights are not so cruel as in Spain. Neither bull nor 
 man runs any great danger ; the " toreador " does not 
 kill the bull, whose head is covered with pads of cotton 
 wool firmly fixed to the points of his horns ; he only 
 tries to stick in the animal's skin a certain number of 
 " banderillas." If the bull can defend himself against 
 six attacks, and avoid the " banderillas," he is declared 
 the conqueror. Thus the Portuguese " corrida " is 
 merely an exercise of skill. The circus of the 
 " Campo de Santa Anna" is capable of containing 
 20,000 spectators, and it was crowded ; for, without 
 being cruel, a " corrida " excites the Portuguese as 
 much as a bull-fight does the Spaniards. 
 
 On the 28th some races took place in the hippo- 
 drome of Belem, and in the evening a gala representa- 
 tion at the Dona Maria theatre, and illuminations in 
 the Tapada, a large wood near the Ajuda palace. On 
 the 29th there was a large fair held in the Zoological 
 Garden, and a soiree was given by the Portuguese 
 " Real Gymnasio Club." 
 
 The provinces endeavoured to rival the capital : 
 everywhere, but especially at Oporto, splendid fetes 
 took place, for the whole of Portugal was eager to 
 celebrate, as brilliantly as possible, the union of the 
 heir to the throne with the daughter of the head of the 
 House of France. 
 
 The comte and comtesse de Paris and the members 
 of their family left Lisbon May 2 7th, and, in accordance 
 with the express wish of the comte de Paris, their de- 
 parture was not attended by any ceremonial. At the 
 same time that princess Amdlie was married at Lisbon, 
 
278 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the church of Eu was crowded with people who came 
 to be present at a mass, performed at the request of 
 the comte de Paris, by M. I'abbd MilHard, honorary- 
 vicar- general, and priest at Bon Secours. All the 
 household of the comte de Paris, the servants, keepers, 
 and employes on the estate were present in holiday 
 attire, headed by the steward, M. Gilldot. 
 
 At the close of the service the following telegram 
 was sent to the duchess of Bragance, as a token of the 
 respectful affection felt for her by all the inhabitants of 
 the town of Eu : — 
 
 " We desire to present to your Royal H ighness, in 
 the name of all lately assembled at church to pray for 
 the duke and duchess of Bragance, the assurance of 
 our respectful homage, of our best wishes, and of the 
 faithful recollection which we shall ever cherish of 
 you. 
 
 " (Signed) Estancelin, Lecomte, Baron de 
 Chauvenet, de Gromard, Dumesnil - Adelee, 
 Varrals." 
 
 M. Estancelin received the following telegram in 
 reply : — 
 
 " Palace of Belem, 3.15. 
 
 " The duke of Bragance and I thank you for your 
 affectionate sympathy, and beg you to convey our 
 gratitude to all those who have remembered me. My 
 thoughts are continually with those whom I shall never 
 forget. 
 
 " Amelie, duchesse de Bragance." 
 
Presentation from the Ladies of the Ardennes. 279 
 
 The maritime population of Trdport also desired 
 to give a proof of their affection and gratitude for the 
 numerous benefits which they had received during so 
 many years. In conformity with this wish, the priest 
 at Trdport celebrated a solemn mass in the church on 
 Saturday, May 22nd, the wedding-day of the young 
 princess. 
 
 Some of the ladies of the department des Ardennes 
 had- presented a fan to Her Royal Highness on the 
 occasion of her marriage. This fan, not having been 
 given to the princess before her departure, was sent 
 to her through the Portuguese ambassador. The 
 princess addressed the following letter to the baronne 
 de Montagnac : — ■ 
 
 " Madame, — 
 
 " I desire to express my gratitude to you, 
 and through you to all the ladies of the Ardennes, who 
 joined together to give me a proof of their sympathy 
 on the occasion of my marriage. 
 
 " The fan, which I have just received, is a perfect 
 chef-d'oeuvre ; it will be a precious reminder to me of 
 the country which I have left, but shall never forget, 
 and of the numerous friends of my family whose 
 affection and good wishes have followed me to my new 
 home. 
 
 " I am deeply touched by the thought which 
 prompted this gift, and I beg you to convey my^ 
 gratitude to Mme. la baronne, Evain, Mme^ la baronne 
 de Ladoucette, and to all the ladies. 
 
 " I was sure that you would sympathize with us in 
 
28o Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the trials which we have been going through ; they are 
 indeed grievous, but we turn with trust and confidence 
 to the future. 
 
 " I beg, Madame, to remain 
 
 " Your affectionate 
 
 " Amelie, duchesse de Bragance. 
 
 "Lisbonne, August 15, 1886." 
 
S.A.R, LA PRINCESSE AMELIE 
 
 DUCHESSE DE BRAOANCE 
 
 1885 
 
 Perrin iC'^Edit- 
 
 Imp.CKCliarclQii, 
 
28! 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 June — December, 1886. 
 
 Return of the comte and comtesse de Paris to Eu. — Government 
 decides to demand from the Chambers the expulsion of the heads of 
 those famihes which have reigned in France.— Letter from the 
 comte de Paris to an editor in Philadelphia.— Conversation with M. 
 de Blowitz, the Times correspondent. — Telegram of sympathy from 
 the American officers to the comte de Paris (June, 1886). — The bill 
 of exile is discussed and carried in the Chamber and Senate. — 
 Measures taken by Government at Eu and at Trdport. — Last recep- 
 tions at Eu. — Dangerous illness of princess Louise at Eu. — Touch- 
 ing farewells, June 24th, 1886. — Departure of the comte de Paris 
 and the due d'Orldans. — Immense crowd and deep sorrow of in- 
 habitants at Eu and Trdport. — The prince embarks on board the 
 Victoria, and salutes the tricolor flag. — Arrival at Dover. — The 
 comtesse de Paris returns the same night to princess Louise. — Pro- 
 test of the comte de Paris. — Instruction of the comte de Paris to 
 the monarchists in France. — Conclusion. 
 
 While the comte de Paris was at Lisbon witnessing 
 the marriage of his eldest daughter, the repubhcans 
 in Paris, rendered quite desperate, demanded from the 
 ministry the expulsion of the Orleans princes from 
 France. Why all this fuss and clamour ? Because, 
 on the occasion of princess Amdlie's wedding, the 
 comte de Paris had held a reception of all the nota- 
 bilities among the conservatives, and of many diplo- 
 matists, and the eagerness of all to accept the invita- 
 tion, and the respect and homage paid to the head of 
 the house of France, exasperated the republicans. 
 Such papers as the Temps wrote as follows : — " The 
 
282 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 reception of Saturday night at the h6tel Galliera was 
 really an official review of the whole royalist party. 
 With an audacity and impropriety which must have 
 taken M. de Freycinet and his colleagues by surprise, 
 the comte de Paris invited the members of the diplo- 
 matic body — an invitation which is never issued except 
 by the head of a state. The pretender, acting openly 
 as king, gathered round him a regular court. He left 
 for Spain with a whole escort of chamberlains and 
 maids of honour ; the train which he had engaged was 
 called the royal train, and some of the high officials of 
 the Orleans company thought it their duty to accom- 
 pany it from Paris to the frontier, which is an honour 
 hitherto reserved for the head of the state, or the 
 members of foreign reigning families. 
 
 "Is France to have two governments, one at the 
 Elysee, and the other at the hotel Galliera ? If the 
 Republic allows this state of things to continue, we 
 must expect soon to see foreign governments treating 
 the comte de Paris as the second sovereign in France, 
 a sort of heir presumptive, having a right to all royal 
 honours." 
 
 This article was really not worthy of a respectable 
 journal. There is one thing that the republicans fail 
 to grasp, viz., that the name of Philippe, comte de 
 Paris, has a prestige throughout Europe which will 
 never attach to that of a president of the Republic. 
 Some naXve republicans are astonished to see the 
 royal families of Europe exhibit such great deference 
 towards the princes of the House of Bourbon, and seek 
 an alliance with them. Do they hope that our present 
 
Expulsion of the Princes Discussed. 283 
 
 rulers will ever be treated as on a par with the 
 Hapsburgs, the Romanofs, and the other royal 
 powers ? When monarchy shall have been re- 
 established in France her present isolation will cease. 
 How can a conservative government think of enter- 
 ing into negotiations with a country sometimes in the 
 hands of time-servers, sometimes in those of radicals ? 
 The republicans do not consider this ; hence their un- 
 concealed anger when the representatives of foreign 
 powers went with all classes of French society to 
 render public homage to the head of the house of 
 France. 
 
 The strange part of it was that this infatuation 
 should extend to the ministry, who discussed seriously 
 the question of expulsion. But the ministers were 
 puzzled, and differed as to the manner in which they 
 should proceed. Were they to banish from France 
 only the heirs to the Monarchy and to the Empire ? 
 Were they to exile all the princes ? Would it be 
 sufficient to obtain from the Chambers a law which 
 was only to be enforced in case of certain eventu- 
 alities ? Such were the points discussed by the 
 cabinet council, but without result. 
 
 M. Henri Maret, whose republican opinions are 
 well known, and who in October 1885 was appointed 
 deputy of Paris and of Cher, expresses himself as 
 follows in the Radical, with much force and irony : — 
 
 " The expulsion of the princes is the ' Courrier de 
 Lyon ' of politics. Formerly, when public clamour had 
 to be appeased, the ' Marseillaise ' was sung, and some 
 foreign power was attacked. Under the Gambetta- 
 
284 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 * 
 
 Ferryste regime, a priest was worried and a monk was 
 expelled. And if some poor devil dared to complain 
 they replied, ' What ! are you not ashamed of making 
 any further opposition ? It is really impossible to 
 satisfy you ! How can you doubt the true republican 
 spirit of a government, which only three days ago 
 won so splendid a victory over Pere Barnabd, and put 
 to flight three old fanatic women armed with 
 miraculous rosaries.' There was nothing to say, and 
 the complainant retired crestfallen, and felt himself the 
 happiest of men. 
 
 " However, this string snapped from over-use. To 
 Loyola succeeded the princes. Nowadays, each time 
 that too many follies have been committed, and some 
 means for recovering lost popularity is wanted, the 
 subject of the princes is brought up. They want to 
 cause an agitation, and they hope that on the day 
 when they shall have thrust one of the princes out of 
 the country (only one, for the others must be kept for 
 use later on), applause will take the place of hisses, 
 the populace will rejoice with unbounded enthusiasm, 
 they will no more feel either hunger or thirst, but will 
 deck the streets with palm branches and shout, ' All 
 honour to those who have saved the Republic ! ' " 
 
 Then, drawing the natural conclusion from these 
 words, M. Henri Maret ends thus : " The pretenders 
 are dangerous, not because they are in the country, 
 but because republicans govern the Republic badly. 
 They can only return to power when the nation, 
 alarmed by continual, suppressed, revolts, is ready to 
 throw itself into the arms of the first comer. And it 
 will be quite immaterial whether this first comer be at 
 
Inconsistent Conduct of the Government. 285 
 
 Spa or in Batignolles. There is one much more 
 simple way of preserving the Republic, which is to 
 make it beloved." 
 
 How can manufacturers, farmers and merchants love 
 a Republic which dries up the springs of commerce, 
 agriculture and industry ? How can they have con- 
 fidence in deputies who waste their time in idle ques- 
 tions instead of discussing the budget, which every 
 year is hurried over in a few weeks ? You can only 
 make yourself popular in a country by doing what is 
 for the country's good. But republican ministers and 
 deputies think only of making capital out of France, 
 not of ruling her wisely and well. 
 
 It might be as well to notice the extraordinary want 
 of harmony with which the Government acted in the 
 midst of these difficulties. "In March 1886,* M, de 
 Freycinet, president of the council, opposed the adop- 
 tion of a bill for the expulsion from France of all the 
 members of those families which had reigned in France. 
 In the following month of May this same M. de 
 Freycinet, after having declared a few weeks before 
 that nothing could justify such a measure, himself pro- 
 posed a bill forbidding the princes to live in France, 
 alleging that their presence was a source of embarrass- 
 ment and danger to the Republic. Nothing had 
 happened in the meanwhile to justify such incon- 
 sistency. But the revolutionary passions of the 
 majority had again burst forth, and this time with 
 
 * The account of this discussion in the Chambers is taken in 
 great measure from a small pamphlet which appeared at the time in 
 the National Library, called " L'Expulsion des Princes." 
 
286 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 such force, that the ministry, instead of offering 
 any opposition, preferred to save their threatened 
 existence by sacrificing the princes to the spiteful 
 rancour and violent hatred of the radicals. The con- 
 duct of M. de Freycinet was prompted solely by this 
 motive, and public opinion will not be deceived by the 
 subtleties brought forward to excuse such an iniquitous 
 proceeding. 
 
 By voting this exceptional measure, the republicans 
 opened the door to every sort of violent and arbitrary 
 act, and showed what the future has in store for France. 
 By proscribing the princes, they aimed the first blow 
 at the security of the individual ; by demanding (as M. 
 Basley did) the confiscation of their property, they 
 rendered inevitable the most revolutionary claims on 
 the property and fortune of every citizen. 
 
 The republicans and the Government, which is 
 only a puppet in their hands, have started on a 
 dangerous descent, down which they are proceeding 
 with fearful rapidity. To convince ourselves of this 
 fact we have but to see how fast they have gone down 
 hill during the last three months. 
 
 At the time of the first discussion a certain number 
 of "precautionary measures "had been taken against 
 the princes, as M. Bdranger points out in the report 
 which he drew up in the name of the senatorial com- 
 mission appointed to scrutinize the project of expulsion. 
 "It is thus," he writes, "that in 1883 Government 
 took upon itself to deprive the members of former 
 reigning families of the posts which they filled in the 
 army; that the Congress of 1884 declared them in- 
 eligible for the office of president of the Republic, 
 
Bill of Expulsion Introduced. 28 7 
 
 that this ineligibility was confirmed by more recent 
 laws, and extended to the Senate and to the Chamber 
 of Deputies ; and, finally, that on the 4th of March 
 last the Chamber invited Government to take, should 
 occasion arise, such measures as should be necessitated 
 by the superior interests of the Republic." 
 
 On the 4th February, 1886, M. Duch4 M. Crozet- 
 Fourneyron, and some of their colleagues in the 
 Chamber, brought in a bill to abrogate the law of 1871, 
 which had authorized the return of the Orleans princes 
 to France. M. Rivet, who had moved that the princes 
 be expelled by decree of the president of the Republic, 
 Avas ordered to draw up a report on the two bills. 
 This report was presented February 2 7th,. and the dis- 
 cussion began March 4th. M. Lefevre-Pontales and 
 M. Keller valiantly opposed the demand for the ex- 
 pulsion of the princes made by Messrs. Ballue, Rivet, 
 Duch6, and Cl^menceau. 
 
 The president of the council, M. de Freycinet, 
 opposed the bill in the name of the Government. He 
 declared that Government was sufficiently strong to 
 defend itself against any danger that might arise, and 
 that there was no fear of its being taken by surprise. 
 
 On the one hand, he would not admit that the 
 presence of the princes in France could be a cause of 
 annoyance or trouble ; he even denied that it could 
 constitute a danger, " for," he added, " during the last 
 century we have seen the extraordinary fact that the 
 princes who have profited by the changes of Govern- 
 ment in France, were not living at the time in the 
 domains of the Republic." 
 
 On the other hand, M. de Freycinet pointed out to 
 
288 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the majority the number of really important questions 
 which were urgently demanding his attention. He 
 said : — 
 
 "We are at this moment going through a period 
 which, though not perhaps a period of difficulty, is 
 nevertheless one which requires all the attention' of 
 the authorities, for in the course of events difficulties 
 have accumulated, which, without being actually 
 dangerous, demand the greatest vigilance on our part. 
 The working classes are suffering around us, trade is 
 languishing ; we are in the midst of a social, com- 
 mercial crisis which is pressing cruelly on the whole 
 world, and on some parts of France — do you imagine 
 that the exceptional measures which you propose will 
 be of any use in diminishing this crisis ? " 
 
 He ended by demanding from the Chamber the 
 rejection of this unjustifiable measure. 
 
 Duchd's bill was rejected by 345 to 195. The 
 amendment of M. Rivet, "That, in case of certain 
 acts or manifestations on the part of the princes, a 
 decree of the president of the Republic could oblige 
 any member of a family which had reigned in France 
 to quit the territory," was also rejected by a majority 
 of 145. The Chamber only adopted by 353 votes to 
 112 the amendment moved by M. de Lanessau and 
 supported by Government. It was as follows : " The 
 Chamber, having confidence in the energy and 
 vigilance of the Government, and convinced that it 
 will take such measures against the members of those 
 families which have reigned in France as shall be 
 necessitated by the supreme interests of the Republic, 
 passes to the business of the day." 
 
Radical Tactics. 289 
 
 The Government, if left to Itself, would certainly 
 not have thought of showing any " energy," but in 
 the month of May following, it was compelled by the 
 Radicals to proceed actively against the princes. In 
 March they had taken as a pretext for their first pro- 
 posal certain words spoken in the Chamber by a 
 member of the Right, expressing want of confidence 
 in the Republican Government ; in May their chief 
 argument was founded on a newspaper article, which 
 commented in its usual style on the reception held at 
 the hdtel Galliera by the comte de Paris on the 
 occasion of his daughter's marriage with the Crown 
 prince of Portugal. The agitation raised on the sub- 
 ject of this family reception had a special object. A 
 pretext was wanted to overthrow a ministry displeasing 
 alike to the extreme Left and to the Opportunists. 
 Recollecting the former utterances of M. de Freycinet, 
 they believed that he would refuse to enforce against 
 the princes, without any adequate motive, the measures 
 demanded of him, especially since he had so lately 
 desired our ambassador at Lisbon to congratulate the 
 King of Portugal on the marriage of his son with a 
 French Princess. 
 
 But they did not know with whom they had to 
 deal! 
 
 On the reopening of the Chamber, May 27, the 
 Minister of Justice brought forward, in the name of 
 the Government, the following Bill : 
 
 " Article L — That the Government be empowered to 
 forbid the territory of the Republic to the members of 
 families which have reigned in France. This prohibi- 
 
 u 
 
ago Le Comte de Pans. 
 
 tlon to be pronounced by order of the Minister of the 
 Interior taken in council. 
 
 "Article II.— He, who in defiance of the decree, 
 shall be found in France, Algiers, or the colonies, 
 shall be punished by imprisonment of from two to 
 five years. 
 
 " At the expiration of this sentence he shall be con- 
 ducted to the frontier.'^ 
 
 Urgency, demanded by the Ministry, having been 
 declared, M. Basley moved an amendment " That the 
 property of those families which have reigned in 
 France be restored to the nation." This was the 
 natural consequence of the action of the Government. 
 
 Two days later the Chamber nominated the com- 
 mission appointed to examine these two Bills, 
 
 Of the eleven commissioners elected, five were 
 opposed to any law of exile ; two members of the 
 Right, comte de Mun and M. de Jolibois, and three 
 Republicans, Messrs. Henri Maret, Anatole de la 
 Forge and Michou. The six others, Messrs. Madier 
 de Montjau, Camille Pelletan, Brousse, Burdeau, Tony 
 Revillon and Desmons, not content wit;h the conditional 
 and limited Bill brought in by the Government, de- 
 manded the immediate expulsion of all the princes. 
 
 Thus the Government succeeded in satisfying no 
 one, and from that moment it was certain that their 
 Bill would be thrown out. It was not even discussed, 
 and at the first meeting of the Commission of which 
 M. Madier de Montjau had been appointed president, 
 M. Brousse proposed, and M. Burdeau seconded, a 
 ■counter scheme, which, however, did not succeed in 
 rallying the majority. 
 
Demand for Total Expulsion. 291 
 
 It would take too long to describe the strange 
 vicissitudes through which this debate passed, the 
 various propositions submitted to the Commission, the 
 successive concessions on the part of the Government, 
 the persistent opposition by Radicals, the deviations 
 from, and the additions to, the original text. It was a 
 miserable farce, played by those who desired to retain 
 office, and those who were trying to dispossess them. 
 
 The Government had declared its willingness to 
 accept the amendment of M. Brousse, which limited 
 the immediate expulsion to the heads of those families 
 ^hich had reigned in France, and to their direct heirs 
 in order of primogeniture, that is to say, to the comte 
 de Paris and his son, the due d'Orleans, to prince 
 Napoleon and his son, prince Victor. But the 
 Radicals still objected. M. Maret, who had been 
 appointed chairman, was replaced by M. Pelletan, who, 
 on June 8th, in the name of the majority of the Com- 
 mission, presented a demand for the total expulsion of 
 all members of families which had reigned in France. 
 
 On June 8th, 1871, the law of exile had been re- 
 pealed ; this coincidence of dates seemed to add to the 
 bitterness of the situation. 
 
 On June lOth, the discussion began in the Chamber 
 and lasted two days, being marked by scenes of in- 
 credible violence, in which the Radicals gave many a 
 proof of rabid intolerance. 
 
 June loth and nth, 1886, will always be sad and 
 shameful dates in our history. The cause of Right 
 and Justice was nobly and valiantly defended by the 
 comte de Mun, M. Piou, M. Dugud de la Fauconnerie, 
 M. Jolibois, and by some Republicans who were anxious 
 
 u 2 
 
292 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 to preserve the integrity of their principles, such as 
 M. Henri Maret, M. Anatole de la Forge, M. Frdd^ric 
 Passy and M. Michou. 
 
 M, de Freycinet, President of the Council and 
 Minister of Foreign Affairs, was the only one who 
 supported the Bill for limited expulsion, while M. 
 Madier de Montjau and M. Camille Pelletan argued 
 for the necessity for total expulsion. 
 
 Every one felt the gravity of this debate, which 
 stirred the very heart of the country, and the public 
 tribunes were besieged by crowds eager to hear this 
 important discussion. In the Chamber the excite- 
 ment ran very high ; the deputies, eager and agitated, 
 were all in their places, and the members of the diplo- 
 matic body followed with keen interest this struggle, 
 in which the unrestrained passions of the Republicans 
 asserted themselves thus violently. Before the con- 
 clusion of the general debate, M. Barodet, in the name 
 of twenty members of the Extreme Left, read a 
 declaration hostile to exile of any sort ; he was sup- 
 ported by M. Pesson, Republican deputy of Indre- 
 et-Loire, while M. Michelin, on the contrary, declared 
 himself a convert to exceptional measures. 
 
 The Chamber decided by 310 votes to 233 to pass 
 to the discussion of the articles. 
 
 M. Camille Pelletan then moved that " the territory 
 of the French Republic do remain forbidden to all 
 members of those families which have reigned in 
 France." 
 
 This was rejected by 314 votes to 220. 
 
 It was no longer a question of the original project 
 of the Government, M. de Freycinet having declared 
 
Bill of Expulsion Passed. 293 
 
 his adhesion to the counter proposal of M. Brousse, 
 which was as follows : 
 
 Article I. — That the territory of the Republic be, 
 and remain, closed to the heads of those families 
 which have reigned in France, and to their direct heirs 
 in order of primogeniture. 
 
 Article II. — That Government be authorised to 
 forbid the territory of the Republic to the other 
 members of those families ; such interdict to be pro- 
 nounced by a decree of the President of the Republic, 
 given in council. 
 
 Article III. — That any person, who in defiance of 
 this law, shall be found in France, Algiers, or the 
 colonies, be punished by imprisonment of from two 
 to five years, and at the expiration of his sentence 
 be conducted to the frontier. 
 
 Article IV. — That no member of any family which 
 has reigned in France be allowed to enter the army 
 or navy, or exercise any public function. 
 
 Article I. was passed by 315 votes to 232 ; Article 
 II. by 316 to 219; Articles III. and IV. were sub- 
 sequently passed by show of hands, and finally the 
 Bill was passed in its entirety. It was 9. 1 5 when the 
 last vote was recorded ; the iniquity was consum- 
 mated ! 
 
 The next day the Conservative papers denounced 
 this shameful Bill, and M. Edouard Herv6 expressed 
 himself as follows in the Soleil: " The Law of Exile 
 was passed yesterday by the Chamber of Deputies ; 
 it was passed in the form insisted on by Government. 
 The expulsion actually affects the comte de Paris and 
 
294 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 his eldest son, prince Napoleon and his eldest son ; 
 but Government holds its power of possible expul- 
 sion as a sort of threat over the heads of the other 
 princes. 
 
 " M. Madier de Montjau, President- of the Com- 
 mission, declared, in justification of a total expulsion, 
 that the princes were to be exiled simply because they 
 are princes, and that if they were deprived of their 
 princely rank, there would be no cause to proceed 
 • against them. Yesterday, M. de Freycinet, in en- 
 deavouring to justify partial expulsion, did not accuse 
 the comte de Paris of any criminal, felonious, or 
 seditious act. He merely said that since the death of 
 the comte de Chambord and the prince Imperial, the 
 comte de Paris was the only dangerous rival of the 
 Republic. He showed how the opposition was. 
 grouping itself round the head of the House of 
 Orleans, and was growing each day in strength and 
 confidence ; he described the country as becoming 
 accustomed to the sight of two rival Governments,, 
 the comte de Paris and the Republic, and declared 
 that the Ambassadors themselves, the representatives, 
 of the Foreign Powei's, visited alternately these two- 
 Governments. He concluded by saying that this 
 state of things was intolerable, and that if one of the 
 Governments was to live in peace, the other must quit 
 France. 
 
 " We do not thank M. de Freycinet for his Bill of 
 Exile, but we do thank him for this speech, for never 
 was more splendid homage done to the cause which 
 we defend. 
 
 " It is indeed true, as the President of the Council 
 
Satire of the Conservative Press. 295 
 
 stated, that two Governments are face to face ; one 
 directs the army, the administration, the pohce and 
 the poHtics of the country, disposes of offices, and 
 administers justice. The other Government has 
 nothing but moral force to oppose to all this actual 
 force ; it can only appeal to public opinion by means 
 of the Press, by meetings and by elections. This 
 second Government has, however, made such progress 
 in three years, that the other Government, with all its 
 material force, feels its existence threatened and says : 
 ' I can stand it no longer, I cannot allow this rival 
 power to go on increasing, it already alarms me, soon 
 it will checkmate me ! ' ". 
 
 " The Chamber listened, attentive and surprised, 
 understanding that something important was going 
 on ; and the noisy agitation, of which it gives us only 
 too many specimens, was for the moment silenced. 
 In the midst of a profound stillness the clear little 
 voice of M. de Freycinet slowly let fall words which 
 will never be forgotten. Without wishing it, but 
 acting under the pressure of a self-imposed necessity, 
 he repeated in terms less solemn and less eloquent, 
 but not less clear and significant, the celebrated speech 
 of M. Berryer, declaring 'that the head of the most 
 ancient and illustrious House in the world, the 
 descendant, the heir, the representative of those 
 princes, soldiers and politicians who have defended, 
 enlarged and amplified the national territory, could be 
 in France nothing if riot the head of the French. 
 Apart from the incidents which marked it, and to 
 which we shall presently refer, apart from the scene of 
 
296 Le Co7nte de Paris. 
 
 tumult with which it closed, the sitting of yesterday- 
 may be summed up in these words : ' Yesterday, 
 June I ith, 1886, M. de Saulas de Freycinet, President 
 of the Council of the French Republic, proclaimed 
 Louis Philippe Albert d' Orleans, comte de Paris, to 
 be King of France.'" 
 
 At the same time there appeared in the Times the 
 following article, in which the correspondent, M. de 
 Blowitz, describes an interview which he had the 
 honour of having with the comte de Paris at Eu : — 
 
 " I have just returned from Eu, where I had the 
 honour of being received by the comte de Paris. I 
 was not impelled thither by mere curiosity, nor was it 
 even as a journalist that I had asked the prince's leave 
 to visit him. At a moment when, in the name of a 
 system of liberty, a tyrannical act is about to be ac- 
 complished, it seemed to me a duty to place on record 
 a picture of the princely family, ready to start for 
 exile, to correct some of the mistakes which have 
 been propagated, and to show how elevated minds 
 face the blows of adversity and of persecution. 
 
 " Passing last night at Trdport, I found its population 
 of honest fishermen aghast at the threat of expulsion 
 levelled against the family of the comte de Paris. As 
 soon as it was known that I came from Paris, and 
 intended to go to Eu, I was surrounded and questioned 
 as to whether the Bill would really be adopted, and, 
 on replying in the affirmative, I saw the weather-worn 
 faces become still more gloomy, while the women, as 
 rough as the men, and accustomed to the hardest toil, 
 shed tears over the fate of ' cette belle famille.' 
 
Interview with the Comte de Paris. 297 
 
 "The comte. de Paris, having announced that he 
 would see me at ten o'clock this morning, I entered the 
 courtyard as the clock was striking, and was ushered 
 by comte Othenin d'Haussonville, who was on duty 
 with the prince, into a small ground-floor room, where 
 he asked me to wait. It was a small and amply- 
 furnished library adjoining the study of the comte de 
 Paris, who entered in a few minutes. 
 
 " I thanked him for receiving me, and explained that 
 I had not come to ' interview ' him, but simply to 
 express my sincere sympathy at his being menaced 
 with the bitterness of exile. 
 
 " ' Oh,' he replied, ' I have no occasion to ask for 
 secrecy in this case more than in so many others. I 
 have not to conceal having spoken with you any more 
 than I ask you to conceal it. When I learned at 
 Talavera Station that an Expulsion Bill had been 
 submitted to the Chamber, I did not think of myself, 
 nor even of my family, I thought of my country. I 
 was a prey to profound sorrow, as I felt that after one 
 hundred years of conflicts and discord, the era of pro- 
 scription was not over, and that the sons of France 
 would again be seen wandering homeless on a foreign 
 soil' 
 
 " ' Where do you intend to go, Monseigneur, if, as 
 is expected, the Bill, as regards yourself and the due 
 d'Orleans, is passed ? " 
 
 " ' I have not yet decided ; but my leanings are for 
 England. I am receiving from that country so many 
 and such pressing proofs of almost general sympathy ; 
 there reach me so many touching letters, even from 
 persons whom I do not know, that it would be difficult 
 
298 Le Comte de Paris. { 
 
 for me at present to choose any other place of refuge. 
 I cannot go to Germany. Austria would remove us 
 too far from my beloved France. I know too well 
 (from an experience which I have not had time to 
 forget), what a centre of intelligence London is, not to 
 be irresistibly attracted to it. I have thought, indeed, 
 of Switzerland, but I could go there afterwards, for I 
 have no intention of settling permanently in one 
 spot. 
 
 " ' I do not think of buying a house, or forming a 
 regular establishment. Formerly, in my previous 
 exile, I had a fixed residence because my position was 
 different. I was not the unquestioned head of the 
 royal family of France, and I could await the course 
 of events without any neglect of duty. This state of 
 things exists no longer. I do not entirely renounce 
 the hope of returning to my country, for even under 
 its present form of Government, I cannot believe that 
 this persecution will last for ever, and that France will 
 not open her doors to all her children. For this 
 reason I do not mean to settle anywhere permanently. 
 
 " ' I shall move about We shall fancy that we are 
 travelling, and we shall have a change of scene with- 
 out a change of hope.' 
 
 " ' Is it the fact, Monseigneur, that a general said to 
 you at the reception of the 15th of May, " It is not 
 merely soldiers you have, but an army ? " ' 
 
 " ' Never was any such remark made to me. 
 Besides, only two retired generals were present. 
 Neither of them spoke to me on that evening. A 
 great number of unfounded reports have been 
 circulated as to that occasion, and many pretexts have 
 
Conversation with the Comte de Paris. 299 
 
 been derived from them. I was told that the Prime 
 Minister had taken offence because I had invited 
 ambassadors. I could not, however, notify him 
 of it. 
 
 " ' It would have given the invitations a political 
 character, which they had not. I did not invite the dip- 
 lomatic body. I invited to a family soiree diplomatists 
 with whom I had personal relations. Thus, for instance, 
 I have known Lord Lyons for twenty-five years, and 
 I have always been on the best terms with him. I 
 should have been wanting in all regard to propriety, 
 and should have been affecting to give a political 
 character to my invitations, if I had excluded him 
 because of his being the English ambassador. 
 
 " ' I have also been twitted with certain newspaper 
 articles. This proves only too clearly how much my 
 assailants were at a loss for arguments. I neither in- 
 spired, nor knew anything of these articles. If I had 
 been in communication with their writers, I should 
 have said to them, as I have said to all my friends, 
 " Do not let the character of this soiree be misrepre- 
 sented. It is a paterfamilias who is inviting his 
 friends. This gathering has no other purpose."' 
 
 " ' It being not improbable that the proposal will be 
 adopted, banishing simply yourself and the due 
 d'Orl^ans, and allowing the other princes to remain on 
 a more or less tolerable footing, will those princes 
 follow you ? ' 
 
 " ' As to my brother, I have already distinctly 
 intimated to him my desire that he should remain.. 
 As he will have the right of doing so, I am anxious 
 that he should remain if I cannot, and that he should 
 
300 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 reside in this country whence I am banished. I have 
 already told you that I do not intend to settle any- 
 where. I cannot require him to move about with me, 
 and to regard as his residence the place in which I 
 may live according to circumstances or to my pre- 
 ferences. It will be a consolation for me to know 
 that he is here, and I know too well his affection for . 
 me not to exert my authority and make him stay in 
 France. There has been much talk of the due 
 d' Aumale, and when he knew ' in what way he had 
 been defended from inclusion in the banishment, he 
 was much pained. 
 
 " ' He accordingly lost no time in coming to see me, 
 and having the fact announced everywhere. This 
 was the best way of replying to this explanation of his 
 stay in France. I will say of him what I have said 
 of the due de Chartres. I cannot inflict peregrinations 
 on him. He has not, like me, the duties of the ex- 
 ceptional situation in which this law places me. For 
 it gives me so exceptional and distinct a situation, that 
 if I had assumed it myself, it would have been im- 
 puted to me as a crime. In severing me from the 
 rest of my farriily, I am classed more formally than I 
 have ever classed myself, and if my pride exceeded 
 my patriotism, I could not but be delighted at it. As 
 to the other princes, they never have figured in 
 politics, and have confined themselves to the desire to 
 serve their country. It is, therefore, fair that they 
 should be left untouched ; and it would be strange if 
 I showed them greater harshness than our adversaries 
 have shown them.' 
 
 " ' It has been said, Monseigneur, that you meant 
 
Attitude of the Comte de Paris. 301 
 
 to wait for expulsion by force, and not to yield to a 
 simple order.' 
 
 " ' It was much mistaking me to say such a thing. 
 I know only two ways of acting. Three centuries ago 
 a prince in my position would have killed the persons 
 who brought him such an order, and would have taken 
 the field with his companions in a civil war ; but this 
 neither suits the times, nor my disposition. I shall 
 obey the law. I owe my friends that example, and I 
 owe it to my adversaries. I owe it to my country, 
 into which men are too much trying to instil contempt 
 for law. I shall leave in obedience to the law which 
 will be signified to me.' 
 
 " ' Will you conceal the time and place of your 
 departure ? ' 
 
 " ' Certainly not ; unless I am prevented, I shall 
 leave openly, and I know my friends well enough to 
 be sure that at my departure they will preserve the 
 quiet and silent attitude, which is in keeping with the 
 spectacle of a friendly family leaving for exile. I 
 shall be glad to shake the hands that are held out to 
 me, but I wish for quiet sympathy and not for noisy 
 demonstrations. ' 
 
 " At this moment it was announced that lunch was 
 ready on the first storey, on which is the dining-room. 
 Besides the comte and comtesse de Paris there were 
 at the table the due d'Orldans, princess H61ene, prin- 
 cess Isabelle, the comte and comtesse d'Haussonville 
 and their daughter, Dr. Gueneau de Mussey, the in- 
 separable and faithful friend of the family, M. Emmanuel 
 Bocher, the son of the Senator, who has always 
 defended with so much eloquence the cause of the 
 
302 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 Orleans family, M. Froment, the tutor of the young 
 due d'Orleans, and another friend of the family whose 
 name escapes me. 
 
 " The young due d'Orldans is seventeen years of 
 age. He has grown much of late years. His face is 
 intelligent and full of resolution and vivacity, and his 
 dark eyes look you full in the face with manly frank- 
 ness. He has a resolute and decided disposition. He 
 is an indefatigable walker, an excellent fencer, swimmer 
 and rider, and a remarkably good shot. He speaks 
 correctly and fluently four or five languages. 
 
 " Although he is not a great enthusiast for literature, 
 he has a liking for Virgil and Horace, and is suffi- 
 ciently at home in French contemporary literature and 
 history to take an intelligent interest in conversation 
 of the most varied kinds. 
 
 " Princess Helene is fifteen years old, and like all 
 the children of the comte and comtesse de Paris, is 
 tall and slim. Her countenance is charming, with a 
 smile full of grace and kindness. She has a very 
 clear complexion, and light hair falling round her 
 animated face. The little princess Isabelle is eight 
 years old. She is an attractive child, with a chubby 
 face, and light hair cut short over the forehead, but 
 falling in long golden ringlets down her back. She 
 speaks English fluently, and exercises an indescrib- 
 able charm by her refined manners, intelligent eyes and 
 amiable smile. The comte de Paris has two younger 
 children, princess Louise, who, being only four years 
 old, does not appear at meal-time, and is doated on by 
 all ; the last comer, a boy of two, said to be very 
 robust. 
 
The Children of the Comte. 303 
 
 " While I regarded this family, so united, unosten- 
 tatious, cordial and gifted, and, on reflecting that at 
 the Palais Bourbon preparations were being made to 
 drive it from its country, and render it homeless, a 
 pang seized me, and, as though all present had the 
 same feeling, there was a deep silence. The master of 
 the house, struck by the sadness visible on every 
 countenance, gave a signal to the comtesse, seated 
 opposite him, and all rose. We went down into the 
 prince's study, looking out on the park — a simple 
 room, where, behind two writing-tables, placed along- 
 side, some portraits, keepsakes and drawings are 
 arranged on stands. One of these drawings, from the 
 liand of the new duchess of Bragance, reproduces in 
 a bouquet formed of a blue cornflower, a white rose and 
 a red carnation, the verses of Coppde on the three 
 French colours. The words are in the handwriting 
 of the duchess Am^lie herself. It is, however, in the 
 name of the tricolor that her parents are about to be 
 exiled. 
 
 " As I was about to leave my entertainers, the young 
 due d'Orleans, came up, and turning his penetrating 
 glance towards me, he said : 
 
 " ' M. de Freycinet has no son, has he ? ' 
 " ' No, Monseigneur. You mean, no doubt, that if 
 he had, he would not have liked to bequeath to him 
 the remembrance of his law of ostracism ? ' 
 "'Just so.'" 
 
 A few days before this visit of M. de Blowitz, 
 the comte de Paris, with imperturbable calmness, 
 addressed the following letter to the English trans- 
 
304 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 lators in Philadelphia of his " History of the Civil 
 War in America." 
 
 " Chateau dEv, {Seine Infirieure) June 8, 1886, 
 
 " Gentlemen, 
 
 " Events have occurred in France which 
 render the continuance of my stay at Eu so uncertain, 
 that I must be prepared to live for a time without a 
 home. If I am obliged at a moment's notice to leave 
 this place, I shall be deprived of my library. I there- 
 fore beg that you will send me no more books on the 
 subject of the Civil War, unless there should appear 
 something of quite exceptional interest, such as the 
 memoirs of General Grant. Unfortunately, political 
 events leave me very little time to devote to my 
 library. 
 
 " I remain yours faithfully, 
 
 " Philippe, comte de Paris." 
 
 It was at that time that several American officers, 
 who had served with the comte de Paris and the due de 
 Chartres on the staff of General MacClellan in 1861— 
 1862, invited the prince to seek a refuge in America, 
 and sent the following telegram, signed by General 
 Butterfield and several other officers : 
 
 " To the comte de Paris in Paris. 
 
 " Come over to us. We old soldiers will receive 
 you gladly. We honour the services which you 
 rendered to the republic in the time of its greatest 
 need. No one is more highly respected than yourself 
 
Invitation from the American Staff. 305 
 
 and the due de Chartres by our veterans, who 
 appreciate your services and your valour. A cordial 
 welcome awaits you." 
 
 General Butterfield received the following reply : 
 
 " Received with gratitude your kind telegram. The 
 cordial sympathy of our old comrades in your grand 
 republic is, indeed, a consolation and an encourage- 
 ment to me in this miserable time. Unfortunately, for 
 the present, America is too far off, but a visit to your 
 country, once torn by war, now so prosperous, is one 
 of my fondest hopes. 
 
 " Philippe, comte de Paris." 
 
 Some days later, the head of the House of France 
 wrote to M. Merci^, who had exhibited in the Salon 
 of that year an admirable group of King Louis 
 Philippe, and Queen Marie Amdlie, destined for the 
 Mausoleum at Dreux.* 
 
 " Sir, 
 
 " Enclosed is the sketch which I promised 
 you of the Orleans Arms, which are characterized by 
 a rebatement on the escutcheon above the three fleur- 
 de-Lys. 
 
 " I am happy to have this opportunity of expressing 
 my admiration for your prize picture.v You have 
 represented the good King and the saintly Queen as 
 they will always appear in impartial history, and from 
 
 * The Acad^inie des Beaux Arts awarded the biennial prize of 
 20,000 francs to this production of M. Herein, July i, 1887. This 
 prize is awarded to such work or discovery as is considered of the 
 greatest service or honour to the country. 
 
 X 
 
3o6 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 an artistic point of view you have achieved a grand 
 and magnificent idea. 
 
 " I beg to thank you in the name of my family, and 
 remain 
 
 " Yours affectionately, 
 
 " Philippe, comte de Paris." 
 
 On the evening of the nth, the Chamber had 
 voted the project of M. Brousse, which had been 
 accepted by Government. 
 
 The next day M. Dem61e, Minister of Justice — 
 does not the title sound ironical under the present cir- 
 cumstances ? — laid the bill of exile before the Senate, 
 who, on the following Tuesday, the 15th, nominated a 
 commission to pronounce on its rejection or adoption. 
 The Senate had not waited till the bill was laid before 
 them to deliberate on the matter; the different 
 republican groups had officiously discussed it, and a 
 rather considerable majority seemed to be in favour of 
 the bill. 
 
 It therefore caused some astonishment when it 
 transpired that the majority df the members, viz., 
 six of the commission appointed by the Senate, 
 were hostile to the bill laid before them by Govern- 
 ment. These were Messrs. Barthdlemy St. Hilaire, 
 Bdrenger, Schdrer, Dido, de Pressensd and Robert de 
 Massy. The three members who favoured the bill 
 were Messrs. Journault, Henri Didier, and Caduc ; 
 about sixty senators had abstained from voting. 
 
 The explanations given by Government to the com- 
 mission did not affect the decision of the majority, who 
 rejected the conciliatory amendments proposed by M. 
 
Abnormal Position of the Senate. 307 
 
 Boz^rian and M. Marcel Barthe, and concluded by 
 throwing out the bill passed at the Palais Bourbon, 
 M. Berenger was charged to draw up a bill in this 
 sense, which he read before the Senate, on Saturday the 
 19th; on the 2 1 St the public discussion began. The 
 debiate lasted, as before in the Chamber, for two days, 
 the subject being discussed as exhaustively as the 
 gravity of the case demanded by the members 
 of the Right and those of the Left Centre, who 
 opposed the expulsion. We cannot speak too highly 
 of the memorable speeches made in defence of right 
 and justice by M. Jules Simon, M. Ldon Renault, 
 M. Bardoux, M. Berenger, and especially by the due 
 d'Audiffret-Pasquier. 
 
 The Senate now found itself in the abnormal 
 position of having, like the Chamber, to pronounce on 
 a decision arrived at by its commission, which was 
 contrary to the bill presented to it. But whereas the 
 commission appointed by the Chamber aggravated the 
 evil of the Government bill, the report of the Senate's 
 commission announced a rejection of all the proposals. 
 The only speech worthy of notice among those in 
 favour of exile was that of M. de Freycinet. The 
 president only spoke during the second debate. 
 
 The first day of these important proceedings was 
 opened by M. Journault, who implored the Senate 
 " not to assume the grave and weighty responsibility 
 of rejecting a bill adopted by Government, and passed 
 by the Chamber." He could not, however, bring 
 forward any reasons in support of his demand. 
 
 M. Jules Simon then rose, and this honourable 
 member of the Left Centre pleaded with warmth, and 
 
 X 2 
 
3o8 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 with remarkable skill, the cause of right and liberty. 
 Examining first the position of the princes, he com- 
 mented indignantly on the refusal to allow them the 
 title of " citizen," which, by universal suffrage, had 
 become common to all ; then he inquired into the 
 motives which had led to the demand for their exile. 
 He proved "that if, as the ministry affirms, there be a 
 government hostile to the republic, it is not at the 
 H6tel Galliera that they must look for it, but at the 
 Hotel de Villeat Paris. It is doubtless true, as M. de 
 Freycinet has remarked, that the position of the comte 
 de Paris has become stronger since the death of the 
 comte de Chambord, and of the prince Imperial ; but 
 how does that justify measures so violent as the exile 
 of the princes ? " Speaking of the expulsion of the 
 comte de Paris, M. Jules Simon adds : — " It may be 
 said that his position is stronger than it was ; I grant it, 
 and draw the obvious conclusion — that, if it be so, the 
 actual dwellingplace of the prince is a matter of small 
 moment. Whether he reside at Eu or in Paris, in 
 Italy or in London, he will everywhere continue to be 
 the successor, and if ever — which God forbid, and 
 which I, as you well know, do not desire — a successor 
 to the republic be wanted, it will be easy to find him. 
 You cannot transport him to a country inaccessible to 
 our ships and telegrams, and consequently, if his 
 clairhs and pretensions become still stronger, you can- 
 not minimise them. Thus the only two grievances 
 which you have against him are those which proscrip- 
 tion cannot touch. You can invoke these grievances 
 if you are afraid (murmurs from the Left), but do not 
 invoke them in order to pronounce the decree of exile, 
 
Memorable Speech of M. Jules Simon. 309 
 
 for, by banishing him whom you fear, you do not In any 
 way lessen the danger. (Hear, hear ! from the Right.) 
 That Is my answer ; I will resume my discussion : — 
 
 " This law which you desire Is an exceptional law — 
 and permit me to say, without offence to any one, 
 that I see no difference between exceptional law and 
 violation of the law — this law does not benefit you, on 
 the contrary, it harms you ; It does not harm the 
 princes, it benefits them." (Murmurs from the Left, 
 great applause from Right and Centre.) Then, 
 examining the conduct of the Republic for the past few 
 years, he showed how its very existence was based on 
 exceptional measures, and he concluded with these 
 vehement words : " Well, all the measures which I have 
 enumerated are, I repeat, the result of the same system 
 of Government. It may be summed up as dispersion of 
 congregations, neglect of religious buildings, enforced 
 secularization of the schools, revision of the Senate, cen- 
 sorship of the press, expulsion of the princes. All this, 
 gentlemen, results from the same system of Govern- 
 ment ; a celebrated speaker. In the Chamber of 
 Deputies, in describing the system has struck the key- 
 note of all the measures which I have enumerated. 
 He said : ' Away with every restraint ! ' (Hear, 
 hear! and applause from Right and Centre.) Yes, 
 this Is your whole system of government. Away 
 with all that annoys us ! (Murmurs from the Left, 
 applause from the Right.) Away with congregations 
 if they annoy us ! " 
 
 M. Paris — " He also said, ' Down with the Senate!' " 
 
 M. Jules Simon . . . . " Away with the priests in 
 
 the schools if they annoy us ; away with the Insignia 
 
3IO Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 of religion wherever they annoy us, whether in 
 tribunals, prisons, or cemeteries — away with them ! 
 Away with the magistrates who administer decrees, 
 but will not do what we want! (Interruptions from 
 the Left, applause from the Right and Centre.) Away 
 with the permanence of the law which is its safeguard. 
 Away with the Senate if it opposes us ! Away with 
 the princes if we fear that they will take our place ! 
 Away with them ! away with them ! 
 
 " Well, gentlemen, begin with the princes, and no 
 one knows where you will be landed. Formerly you 
 began with the Jesuits, and see where that has led 
 you. Begin with the princes ; those exiles whom you 
 banish from your country will be witnesses against 
 you ; they will prove to posterity that France is not 
 mistress of herself, is not sure of herself, that the 
 Republic is afraid, and that the struggle, which for a 
 hundred years has been going on between the revolu- 
 tion of Right, which is that of 1 789, and the revolu- 
 tion of Hatred, which is that 1793, is not yet over, in 
 spite of all the blood and the tears that have flowed." 
 (Prolonged applause from Right and Centre. The 
 speaker, on resuming his seat, was congratulated by a 
 large number of his colleagues of the Right and 
 Centre.) 
 
 M. Clamageron then spoke in favour of the bill ; 
 his aimless arguments were followed by a vigorous 
 and conclusive answer from M. L^on Renault, who 
 endeavoured especially to ' demonstrate " That the 
 proposed expulsion was a derogation of universal 
 right ; that it was in flat contradiction to the principles 
 on which is based the penal legislation of all civilized 
 
Exciting Debate in the Senate. 3 1 1 
 
 peoples." He ended with this crushing sentence. 
 '" You are told, gentlemen, that it is a question between 
 the princes and the Republic. No ; it is, in reality, a 
 question between the Republic and revolution." 
 
 After this speech the meeting rose amidst much 
 •excitement, and was adjourned till the following day. 
 The second debate in the Senate was still more 
 ■exciting. It was opened by M. Marcon, a radical, 
 who hastened to declare himself a Jacobin, so as to 
 justify beforehand the brutality of his arguments, and 
 liis cool demand for the " execution " of the princes, 
 for this is the word he used to signify their expulsion. 
 
 M. Bardoux then rose, and his speech was one of 
 the finest and most sensible of the whole debate. He 
 confined himself chiefly to overthrowing the Jacobin 
 theories of the last speaker, and then descanted on the 
 violation of the law which the Senate was about to 
 commit, and on the danger to which they would 
 •expose the Republic. 
 
 After him came the President of the Council, in 
 "whose speech we find repeated, in the same words and 
 in the same order, the very arguments brought for- 
 ward in the Chamber by M. de Freycinet. But he 
 insisted particularly on two points, viz., the 
 ""generosity" of Government, and its "strength and 
 ■energy in the maintenance of order." This assertion 
 came badly so soon after the Decazeville murders. 
 
 He then endeavoured to reassure those who feared 
 that the expulsion of the princes would open the door 
 to proscription. With incredible assurance he pre- 
 tended that " monarchical intrigues were the only 
 obstacles to the union and security which all desired," 
 
3' 2 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 and he tried to frighten the Senate as to the con- 
 sequences of rejecting the bill. This is always a con- 
 vincing argument with the Senate, and on this 
 occasion it again won for the president the majority 
 that he wanted. 
 
 The chairman, M. Bdrenger, followed immediately, 
 and proceeded to draw the only natural conclusion 
 possible from the last speech, viz., that they were face 
 to face with an exceptional measure. He concluded 
 with these very true words, " And when you say 1 
 demand an infraction of right, but only for the 
 moment, we will presently abide by the law, what is 
 the difference between that and the formula of all 
 coups d'Etat ? " 
 
 The due d'Audiffret-Pasquier then rose, and his 
 dignified, comprehensive protest deserved to make, 
 and indeed did make, the greatest impression. He 
 began by expressing his alarm on seeing his country 
 dragged down a fatal precipice by a blinded Govern- 
 ment, and he appealed urgently to the wisdom of the 
 Senate to prevent the dangers which he foresaw in the 
 future. 
 
 " It is not only to conservative but to liberal France 
 that I appeal from your weakness and your violence 
 (applause from the Right). M. President, there is no 
 stopping on the path you have taken, and down which 
 you are endeavouring to drag the Senate. Do you 
 imagine that the concession you are now demanding 
 from it, incredible though it be, will satisfy the 
 revolutionary party ? 
 
 " Concessions only authorize and encourage fresh 
 demands, fresh audacity ; you desire to make a stand. 
 
Protest of the Due d' Audiffret-Pasquier. 313 
 
 but they will cry, ' Forward, forward ! ' " (Renewed 
 applause from the Right.) 
 
 He concluded thus : " You will continue to persecute 
 religious beliefs under pretext of neutrality (murmurs 
 from the Left) ; under pretext of reform, you will con- 
 tinue to ignore services which have been rendered, 
 and to destroy appointments honourably acquired ; 
 you will exhaust our budget to satisfy electoral 
 interests, you will yield to the growing demands of the 
 municipal council in Paris. You will leave unpunished 
 those speakers at public meetings who will continue 
 to preach pillage and incendiarism, and to demand the 
 destruction of citizens and capitalists — in fact, you will 
 propose new exceptional laws. All these things we 
 have struggled against, and shall continue to struggle 
 against ; we shall always remain impassioned advocates 
 of liberty of conscience, of the independence of the 
 bench, of right and of justice — those grand bulwarks 
 which, in its heart, the country desires to see respected, 
 knowing that they alone ensure her prosperity, her 
 dignity, her peace. (Loud applause from the Right.) 
 
 " Gentlemen, if you pass this bill now before you 
 (which we earnestly trust will not be the case), we, 
 shall say to you without discouragement, without 
 anger, having an unshaken trust in the future, ' We 
 accept what is thrust upon Us ; we pity you, but we do 
 not complain ! ' " (Applause from the Right. The 
 speaker, on resuming his seat, was loudly congratulated 
 by his colleagues.) The general debate having been 
 brought to a close, the Senate resolved to pass to the 
 discussion of the articles of the bill. 
 
 M, Marcel Barthe demanded that all the evidence 
 
314 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 which could be produced should be laid before those 
 judges whose duty it is to pronounce on attempts 
 against the safety of the State. 
 
 But the Senate refused to discuss this proposal. 
 M. de Pressens6 then explained the reasons which 
 caused him and his friends to oppose the bill of expul- 
 sion. Article I., the text of which has already been 
 given, was put to the vote. After a long scrutiny the 
 president . made known the result. Article I. was 
 carried by 137 to 122 votes. 
 
 In the midst of the universal excitement caused by 
 this announcement, the president put the remaining 
 articles to the vote. They were all adopted by show 
 of hands ; it only remained to adopt the bill in its 
 entirety. The president announced that he had 
 received a demand for secret scrutiny of the votes ; 
 this, by desire of the Left, took place. 
 
 At eight o'clock the result was made known. 
 
 The bill was carried by 141 to 107 votes. 
 
 The meeting then rose in the greatest excitement. 
 Again had the Senate compounded with the authors 
 of the exceptional measures, and had become an 
 accomplice in the iniquity committed by the Chamber 
 of Deputies. 
 
 On June 23rd, the day after the bill had passed the 
 Senate, the Journal officiel proclaimed the following 
 law, passed by the Chamber of Deputies and the 
 Senate. 
 
 " LAW RELATIVE TO THE MEMBERS OF THOSE FAMILIES 
 WHICH HAVE REIGNED IN FRANCE. 
 
 " The Senate and the Chamber having passed the 
 
Text of the Law of Expulsion. 3 1 5 
 
 following law, the President of the Republic pro- 
 claims it. 
 
 "Article I. — The territory of the Republic is, and 
 remains, forbidden to the heads of those families 
 which have reigned in France, and to their direct 
 heirs in order of primogeniture. 
 
 "Article II. — The Government is authorized to 
 forbid the territory of the Republic to other members 
 of those families ; such interdiction to be pronounced 
 by decree of the President of the Republic, taken in 
 council. 
 
 "Article III. — He, who in violation of this decree, 
 shall be found in France, Algiers, or the colonies, shall 
 be punished by imprisonment of from two to five years. 
 At the expiration of his sentence he will be conducted 
 to the frontier. 
 
 "Article IV. — Members of families who have 
 reigned in France shall not be allowed to enter the 
 army or navy, nor exercise any public function, nor be 
 eligible for election in France. 
 
 " The present law, discussed and adopted by the 
 Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, will be carried 
 into execution as law of the land. 
 
 " Given in Paris, June 22, 1886. 
 
 " Jules Grew. 
 " The President of the Republic. 
 
 " Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice, 
 
 " Demole. 
 
 " Minister of the Interior, 
 " Sarrien." 
 
3^6 Le Comte de Pans. 
 
 At the very moment that an infuriated Government 
 was thus about to strike at the princes, the comte de 
 Paris left Lisbon for France. The train by which he 
 was returning stopped at the Spanish station of 
 Talaveyra de la Reyna, where the travellers were to 
 breakfast. Curiously enough, the buffet was kept by 
 an old French sergeant of the Chasseurs d' Orleans, 
 who had served throughout the African campaigns in 
 the same regiment as Captain Morhain, who accom- 
 panied the prince. This old soldier, who was 
 eagerly waiting on the prince, brought him a telegram 
 while he was at breakfast. It contained the news that 
 the ministers had decided to bring in a bill for the 
 exile of th.e princes. The comte de Paris read the 
 telegram in silence, and informed those about him that 
 he should return at once to Eu, and there, surrounded 
 by his family, await the decision of the Chamber. 
 
 It was at this castle of Eu that the comte de Paris 
 had for more than ten years spent the greatest part of 
 his time, happy in being able to live in the country 
 which he so passionately loved. The prince had 
 delighted in the glorious and hallowed memories of 
 the place. It has been seen how, with the help of able 
 artists, he had restored to the castle of Eu its former 
 splendour ; encouraged in this restoration by the 
 thought that the works were a benefit to the workmen 
 in the little town of Eu. The comte de Paris and his 
 family were adored in the neighbourhood, where they 
 delighted in doing good. During the various phases 
 of the bill of exile, the anxiety of the comte and 
 comtesse de Paris was greatly aggravated by the 
 illness of one of their daughters, princess Louise, a 
 
Illness of the Princess Louise. 3 1 7 
 
 charming child of five. The princess, who, during the 
 preceding winter, had often been aihng, was suddenly- 
 attacked by scarlet fever, which was accompanied by 
 alarming symptoms. For some days Dr. Henri 
 Gudneau de Mussy, the devoted friend of the 
 family, did not conceal the serious anxiety which the 
 state of the princess caused him. Each day the post 
 and telegraph brought numberless marks of sympathy 
 from those, who, foreseeing only too clearly the issue 
 of the debate, desired at the moment of the decision 
 to assure the head of the House of France of their 
 respectful and unalterable devotion. 
 
 The due de Chartres, accompanied by his son, 
 prince Henri, had arrived at the castle on the previous 
 Monday, and the prince de Joinville was not long in 
 following him. 
 
 On Tuesday, June 22nd, as the Senate was accom- 
 plishing its fatal work, the due d'Aumale left Chantilly 
 and joined the comte de Paris. Some faithful, devoted 
 friends also left Paris, wishing to be with the prince 
 when the result of the final debate should be known at 
 the castle. Amongst them was M. Lambert de Sainte 
 Croix, a distinguished and eloquent orator, who for 
 five years had been an ornament to the tribune. He 
 possessed all the qualities necessary to make a good 
 minister — energy, coolness, great acuteness, and 
 wonderful command of language. He entered the 
 diplomatic service in 1848, at the time of the 
 catastrophe of February 24th. He' gave up the 
 career which promised to be so brilliant, and went to 
 England to convey to the old King Louis-Philippe 
 the assurance of an absolute devotion, which nothing 
 
3^8 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 has since been able to shake. He is now one of the 
 best and most trusted of the comte de Paris' 
 advisers. 
 
 After dinner, at which several intimate friends were 
 present, tog-ether with the household and the members 
 of his family, the comte de Paris with the princes, 
 princesses and his guests, among whom were General 
 de Charette and M. E. Herv6, went to the large library 
 on the first floor of the left wing of the castle. There 
 were brought the numerous telegrams announcing the 
 cldture and the division on the first article, which 
 would involve the adoption of the whole bill. ' These ' 
 telegrams were given, in the order in which they 
 arrived, to the marquis de Beauvoir, who presented 
 them to the comte de Paris. The prince was sitting- 
 between his uncles, the due d'Aumale and the prince 
 de Joinville, having his brother the due de Chartres 
 opposite to him. 
 
 At about 9.30 the last despatch arrived, bringing- 
 the news of the final act. The comte de Paris read 
 it aloud in a tone of deepest emotion, and added, " It 
 
 is all over, I shall leave on Thursday." All 
 
 those present had risen to their feet ; not a word, not a 
 syllable was uttered, so deeply were all affected by the 
 grandeur and simplicity of this prince, so unjustly and 
 so cruelly attacked. For fifteen long minutes no one 
 spoke, the women tried to stifle their sobs. At last 
 the silence was broken by the due d'Aumale, who said 
 solemnly, his clear voice husky with emotion, " Gentle- 
 men, our history has known many a crime, many a 
 cowardly act, but nothing that can compare with this 
 that has just been committed ! " 
 
Reunion of the Royal Family at Eu. 319 
 
 The comte de Paris turned towards him and said, 
 " I thank you most sincerely, uncle, for having come 
 to be with me in this hour of trial, when I am treated 
 with such cruelty and injustice." 
 
 " You know well," replied the due d'Aumale 
 affectionately, "whatever may be said, that I shall 
 always be of one mind with you, even when separated 
 from you." 
 
 Again there was a long silence. Then M. Lambert 
 de Sainte Croix said a few words about those who, 
 after passing such a bill, could sleep peacefully in their 
 beds. " Come what may," said General de Charette, 
 " I trust in Providence, and await with absolute con- 
 fidence the hour of awakening." 
 
 At this moment the comtesse de Paris entered the 
 room. Traces of tears were on her cheeks, but she 
 summoned up all her courage and said in a firm voice, 
 " Well, it is all over ; we must begin our wandering 
 life again. When will it please God to put an end to 
 it ? " Then, turning to her son she said, " My dear, 
 you had better go to bed, you will want all your 
 strength. Learn to look misfortune in the face ! " All 
 those present then approached the royal family with 
 tears in their eyes, and, without attempting a word of 
 futile consolation, bowed to the princes, kissed the 
 hand of the princess and retired, leaving the four 
 princes and the comtesse de Paris alone. 
 
 As General de Charette was leaving the room, the 
 due d'Aumale rose and went towards him. " General," 
 said he, " I have not always agreed with you on all 
 points, nor do I now, but let me have the pleasure of 
 shaking hands once more with a valiant soldier and an 
 
320 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 honest man ! " The general, much affected, grasped 
 his hand and retired. On rejoining his friends, who 
 were waiting for him, he exclaimed, " Yes, their 
 persecutors are perfectly right when they say that they 
 are not like other men ! " Thus ended at Eu the 
 evening on which the Senate passed the bill of M. de 
 Freycinet. 
 
 The next day, the comtesse de Paris, stifling her 
 maternal agony of mind, declared her intention of 
 accompanying the princes ; she would return to her 
 beloved invalid after doing her duty as a devoted wife. 
 In the midst of the universal grief, the princess went 
 about endeavouring to raise the hopes and courage of 
 all. 
 
 The news of the passing of the bill was not long in 
 spreading in the town. A group of anxious inhabitants 
 waited in front of the castle gates ; for, though there had 
 been but little doubt as to the issue of the debate, the 
 announcement of the actual passing of the bill caused 
 a sort of stupor. These good people could not believe 
 that these princes, so kind, so generous, were about 
 to receive so cruel a sentence as perpetual exile — they 
 whose only fault was that of loving France too dearly, 
 and of desiring a .glorious future for their country. 
 The trains on the " Nord " and the " Quest " lines had 
 been literally besieged from early morning. The 
 hotels in the little town were soon invaded, then 
 private houses were brought into requisition, every 
 vacant bed was taken, and many people were obliged 
 to go to Tr6port and even to Dieppe to • seek accom- 
 modation, which soon became difficult to find in both 
 these places. 
 
Touching Proofs of Sympathy. ■ 321 
 
 From midday the gates of the castle were thronged 
 by thousands, anxious to show their respectful devo- 
 tion to the head of the House of France. After pass- 
 ing round the lawn extending in front of the castle, 
 they entered the " salle des Chasses," and, mounting a 
 staircase hung with tapestry, arrived at the famous 
 " salle des Guises " on the first floor. 
 
 This immense gallery, with its numerous windows 
 opening on the two chief fa9ades of the castle, owes its 
 name to the portraits of all the princes of the Guise 
 family, which cover the wall. In the middle of this 
 hall, in front of a beautiful marble statue of Jeanne 
 d'Arc, the work of princess Marie d'Orl^ans, stand the 
 comte and comtesse de Paris, and round them are 
 grouped the due d'Orl^ans, princess Helene, the due 
 de Chartres, prince Henri d'Orl^ans, the due d'Aumale,. 
 and the prince de Joinville. Baron Chabaud-Latour,. 
 one of the prince's secretaries, presents the visitors, 
 and the comte de Paris has for each a word of en- 
 couragement which goes straight to the heart. 
 
 The deputies were only to arrive at the castle on 
 the Thursday ; but the deputation from the " Nord," 
 which on that day would be detained in Paris by an 
 important discussion, came on the Wednesday to 
 convey to the prince the assurance of their respect 
 and sympathy. M. Plichon, who spoke in the name 
 of his colleagues, and who was much affected, made a 
 speech, to which the comte de Paris replied in these 
 words : " Have confidence, as I have myself; " then 
 seeing tears in the eyes of his friends, he tried to con- 
 sole them, saying that, painful as was the separation, it 
 would have a limit ; he enjoined a still firmer union 
 
 Y 
 
32 2 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 of the member's of the great conservative party, and 
 bade them never despair. He added : " Resignation 
 makes saints, but not kings." This firmness, this 
 confidence in the future, made a deep impression on 
 all present. 
 
 For three hours this enormous crowd, collected 
 from all parts of France, passed before the royal family. 
 The space in front of the castle gates was thronged 
 with the inhabitants of the place, watching the arrival 
 and departure of all the known and unknown friends 
 who, inspired by the same spirit, rallied round the head 
 of the House of France. The visitors' book, placed 
 in the lodge, was soon filled with signatures. It was 
 touching to see, side by side with the celebrated 
 names of our most ancient families, the signatures of 
 farmers, workmen and fishermen who hardly knew 
 how to write. Women of the lower orders were there, 
 watching it all, knowing the misfortune which was 
 ■ about to overtake them, and hiding their faces bathed 
 in tears. 
 
 The comte de Paris, having decided to leave France, 
 had ordered one of the steamers of the Dieppe and 
 Newhaven line to be chartered for him at Treport, 
 but a violent wind- was blowing in the ofiing, and it 
 was feared that the boat would not be able to get into 
 the shallow harbour of Trdport. However, the Vic- 
 toria, a boat flying the English colours, and com- 
 manded by Captain Stubbs, had been at anchor since 
 the morning. It was a curious incident that the 
 comte de Paris on returning into exile, was to embark 
 on the very spot where, forty years before, Queen 
 Victoria had arrived from England on a visit to Louis 
 
Measures taken to Preserve Order. 323 
 
 Philippe, who had received her at this same castle of 
 Eu. During the whole of that day the comte and 
 comtesse de Paris received telegrams from all parts of 
 France — touching proofs of the grief of those who, 
 unable to go to Eu, desired to prove their profound 
 respect for the exiles. 
 
 A report was circulated that the Government, fear- 
 ing some demonstration, would force the prince to 
 leave suddenly at five o'clock the next morning. The 
 friends of the prince, indignant at this possibility, 
 urged him, if this were the case, to go on board the 
 Victoria at five o'clock the next morning, and to 
 remain under the protection of the British flag until 
 the hour fixed for his departure. 
 
 The Government thought it necessary to employ all 
 the resources afforded by the gendarmerie, police and 
 soldiery ; in the morning the following manuscript 
 placard was posted up all over the town of Trd- 
 port : — 
 
 Mayoralty of Treport. 
 
 " As the comte de Paris will in all probability 
 embark at Trdport, the mayor of Treport requests the 
 inhabitants to maintain a calm, respectful demeanour, 
 and not to yield to any incitement to disorder." 
 
 On the previous Wednesday all the gendarmerie of 
 the neighbourhood had been concentrated at Eu and 
 at Treport. The captain in command of the detach- 
 ment at Eu fell from his horse in front of the castle 
 gates and broke his leg. The comte de Paris twice 
 sent one of his secretaries to inquire after the un- 
 
 Y 2 
 
324 Lc Comte de Paris. 
 
 fortunate officer. At all the receptions the prince 
 urged those who meant to be present at his departure 
 to remain calm, and to take no part in any demonstra- 
 tion which might be got up by agitators, whose 
 suspicious demeanour had been observed for some 
 days past. Eight brigades of gendarmes had been 
 sent to Treport ! . . . . 
 
 On the 23rd the sub-prefect of Dieppe telegraphed 
 to the captain at Trdport an inquiry as to the exact 
 number of gendarmes required for the next day, in 
 view of the crowds arriving from Paris and the 
 country. He desired him to telegraph the same day 
 the approximate number of arrivals, the dispositions 
 he had made, and whether three or six brigades would 
 be enough. The lieutenant of the gendarmerie (act- 
 ing for the captain disabled by a fall from his horse) 
 telegraphed that the number of arrivals on the 23rd 
 was not considerable, that he believed there would 
 be many more the next day, and that there was 
 nothing to diminish the effective force of the 
 brigades. 
 
 The wind which had been blowing such a gale 
 during the evening of the preceding day, that serioua 
 apprehensions were entertained as to the possibility of 
 leaving the harbour, had completely dropped in the 
 night, and a radiant sun brightened the last morning 
 that the comte de Paris was to spend in France before 
 his departure into exile. At six o'clock in the morn- 
 ing. Mass was said in the castle chapel, at which were 
 present the comte and comtesse de Paris, the due 
 d'Orl^ans, princess Hdlene,'the due de Chartres, prince 
 Henri d'Orleans, the due d'Aumale, the prince de 
 
The Last Day at Eu. 325 
 
 Joinville, the due d'Alen9on (who had arrived the day 
 before), and all the members of the prince's house- 
 hold. 
 
 The bells of the parish church in front of the castle 
 were ringing joyfully, for it was a church festival, the 
 F^te Dieu, and the first Communion of the children in 
 the town. In this last sad hour, the comte and 
 comtesse de Paris, with the due d'Orleans and princess 
 Helene, wishing to give one more proof of their 
 sympathy with tho'se whom they were leaving, went to 
 offer up their prayers in the church, in the midst of all 
 the good people there assembled. On returning to 
 the castle at nine o'clock the royal family went to the 
 galerie des Chasses, where they took farewell of the 
 staff of the castle. All those loyal servants, the 
 gamekeepers and the dependants of the household 
 filed past, and many were the tears shed, proving the 
 deep devotion felt by all, for the masters whom they 
 might perhaps never see again. 
 
 At ten o'clock M. I safe Levalllant, director of 
 public safety, made his way through the crowd which 
 thronged the gates and demanded to see the comte de 
 Paris. The prince, anticipating some communication 
 from the authorities, had arranged that comte 
 d'Haussonville, one of his secretaries, should receive 
 it. M. Levaillant, much annoyed at not being allowed 
 to see the prince, informed M. d'Haussonville that he 
 was the bearer of an official communication from M. 
 de Freycinet. The president of the council was 
 ready, in consideration of the illness of princess 
 Louise, to grant a delay of a few days should the 
 prince desire it. "I am sufficiently well acquainted 
 
326 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 with the wishes of Monseigneur," ailswered M. 
 d'Haussonville, " to reply to your proposition without 
 reference to him. Monseigneur the comte de Paris 
 neither desires nor will receive a favour from any one. 
 Monseigneur the prince and M. le due d'Orleans will 
 leave to-day at the hour already fixed." " We have 
 taken every precaution for the maintenance of order," 
 remarked the director of public safety, "and if you 
 wish I will place myself entirely at your disposal to 
 clear the approaches to the quay from which the prince 
 will embark." " It is the business of Government to 
 maintain order," replied M. d'Haussonville ; "if the 
 police think it advisable to take extra precautions let 
 them do so ; that does not concern the prince, who in 
 nowise requires your assistance." At eleven o'clock 
 the castle gates were opened, books were placed on 
 tables, and crowds of people of every class pressed 
 forward to write their names, and to be present at the 
 farewell reception of the prince. 
 
 In order that all the people might have an oppor- 
 tunity of paying their respects to those whom they 
 called the benefactors of their country, it had been 
 decided that this last reception should take place in 
 the open air. The comte and comtesse de Paris, the 
 due d'Orleans, princess Hdlene, the due de Chartres, 
 prince Henri d'Orleans, the due d'Aumale, the prince 
 de Joinville and the due d'Alengon took their places 
 on the wide steps overlooking Trdport and the sea 
 in front of a magnificent parterre a la Franpaise, 
 shaded with splendid old trees, and surrounded by 
 masses of flowering roses. The reception then began, 
 and for nearly two hours this crowd of friends — often 
 
Enthusiastic Devotion of the People. 327 
 
 unknown and obscure — advanced, paid their tribute of 
 respectful homage to the royal family which they had 
 learnt to love so well, and passed on. The comte and 
 comtesse de Paris shook hands with each, and it was 
 touching to see these good people, many of them in 
 blouses, advance trembling, their eyes filled with tears,, 
 and press with emotion the hands so cordially stretched, 
 out towards them. Unfortunately one cannot re- 
 member half the touching scenes that occurred, nor 
 the words that were said ; it was a sight which will 
 never be forgotten in this country, and one which is- 
 destined to bear fruit. Princess Hdlene, with her 
 charming grace of manner, and the due d'Orldans, with 
 his pleasant countenance and manly bearing, also 
 shook hands cordially with all. One could not help 
 looking with pity at this young prince, who at an age 
 usually devoted to games and study, was about to 
 begin the hard apprenticeship of life, and taste the 
 bitterness of exile. 
 
 After this respectful and sympathetic crowd had 
 passed by, the prince received the royalist senators and 
 deputies. The comte de Paris, addressing some 
 words of farewell to them, said that he was forced to 
 leave his beloved country, but not for a single day 
 would he cease to labour for the happiness and pros- 
 perity of France. These words, spoken with 
 vehemence, excited great emotion among the repre- 
 sentatives of the country. 
 
 M. de Baudry d'Asson, deputy of la Vendde, 
 warmly assured the prince of the profound sympathy 
 of the Venddans. 
 
 The moment of departure'was approaching, and the 
 
328 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 princes were preparing to start on their exile, when a 
 number of workmen, women and children, who had 
 not yet been received, begged the favour of a last 
 glimpse of the royal family. 
 
 The procession, interrupted for a few minutes, now 
 began again, and was more affecting even than the 
 precediqg reception. The comtesse de Paris, who 
 had hitherto been able to control herself, could no 
 longer conceal her tears as she shook hands with her 
 devoted friends. One workman said, as he dried his 
 eyes, " I am happier than the poor prince, for I have 
 a home to go to this evening." Many of the Trdport 
 sailors had come with their wives and children, and 
 they wept as they kissed the hand of the comtesse 
 de Paris. 
 
 At two o'clock, having said farewell to their 
 children, to the due d'Aumale, the prince de Joinville, 
 .and the due d'Alen5on,_the romte and comtesse de 
 Paris left Eu, accompanied by the due d'Orldans and 
 rthe due de Chartres. The avenues leading from the 
 gates of the castle, the square, the steps, and the open 
 space round the church — every available space — was 
 thronged with people, who, bareheaded, awaited the 
 arrival of the carriages which were to convey the 
 .exiles and their companions to Treport. 
 
 In the first carriage were the comte and comtesse 
 •de Paris, the due d'Orleans and the due de Chartres- 
 Then followed seven other . carriages, in which were 
 the principal' members of the prince's suite and some 
 of their intimate friends ; the carriages took the road 
 to Trdport. So deep was the emotion of all the spec- 
 tators that not a cry was heard as the procession 
 
Farewells. . 329 
 
 passed, but the faces bathed in tears expressed only 
 too clearly the grief felt by all at the departure of the 
 exiled princes. Handkerchiefs were waved, and all 
 eyes were strained to follow the carriages as they 
 rapidly disappeared ; the workmen in the fields, leav- 
 ing their work, came running up and shouting, " Au 
 revoir, Monseigneur ! " 
 
 The splendid road leading to Tr^port traverses the 
 fine property of Eu, which the prince had delighted 
 in beautifying and perfecting with every modern 
 agricultural improvement. All the changes made of 
 late years had been the personal work of the prince, 
 and his incessant 'activity had enabled him to. superin- 
 tend in person the details of this important establish- 
 ment. 
 
 While the comte de Paris and his suite were pro- 
 ceeding to Treport an enormous crowd had been 
 stationed for hours round the harbour in which the 
 Victoria was getting up steam. 
 
 More than 20,000 persons thronged the quay, the 
 wandows of houses and hotels, and every place from 
 which the departure could be witnessed. The road 
 was kept by brigades of gendarmerie from the town 
 and neighbourhood, by the 24th Regiment of the line, 
 and by the custom house officials. 
 
 A free space had been cleared on the quay for the 
 passage of the royal party. Near the gangway lead- 
 ing to the ship, the senators, deputies and represen- 
 tatives of the press had taken up their position. The 
 rest of the spectators surrounded the dock, making it 
 look like an immense circus. 
 
 At 2.30 the carriage of the comte de Paris, leading 
 
330 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 the procession, appeared in front . of the H6tel 
 d'Angleterre, and crossed the bridge leading to the 
 starting place. ' A solemn silence takes possession of 
 the crowd. All hearts are full, and all eyes are fixed 
 on the quarter from which the prince must arrive. The 
 carriages have stopped near the steamer. The comte 
 de Paris, in a closely-buttoned, black overcoat and tall 
 hat, crosses the gangway and takes his place on the 
 deck of the Victoria. As he sets foot on board, the 
 national tricolor flag is run up, and is lowered three 
 times to salute the descendant of St. Louis and Henri 
 IV. It had been suggested to the prince that a flag 
 should be hoisted bearing the arms of his house on 
 the national colours, but he had replied, " No, nothing 
 but France, nothing but the French flag ! " 
 
 At the sight of the national flag loud cheers burst 
 forth, and shouts of " Long live the comte de 
 Paris!" 
 
 The prince took off" his hat, saluted the colours, 
 bowed to the crowd and cried in a loud voice " Long 
 live France ! " 
 
 Around him are grouped the comtesse de Paris, the 
 due d'Orldans, the due de Chartres and his eldest son, 
 prince Henri, the due de Noailles, the due de la 
 Tr^moille, the marquis d'Harcourt, the comte de 
 Haussonville, the marquis de Beauvoir, vieomtesse de 
 Butler, lady in waiting to the comtesse de Paris, the 
 comte de la Ferronays, comte Olivier de Bondy, baron 
 de Chabaud la Tour, M. St. Marc Girardin, M. 
 Aubrey Vitet, the marquis d'Audiffret-Pasquier, M. 
 de Saporta, M. Camille Dupuey, the prince's private 
 secretary, and M. Froment, tutor to the due d'Orldans. 
 
Departure of the Comte and Comtesse. 331 
 
 The comte de Paris, remembering the title he bears, 
 and the city in which he was born, had especially 
 invited M. Calk, formerly deputy of Paris, and 
 Gamard, Cochin, Despatys and Dufaure, municipal 
 councillors of Paris, to accompany him to England. 
 
 A few friends, amongst whom were baron V. de 
 Noirfontaine, M. de L^ris and M. Barnard, of the 
 New York Herald, had the good fortune to obtain 
 permission to accompany the prince to Dover, and 
 these completed the passengers on board the Vic- 
 toria. 
 
 As the comtesse de Paris takes her place by the 
 side of the prince, she is presented with some bouquets 
 which have just arrived, sent by friends who desired 
 that the exiles should have some French flowers to 
 carry with them into a foreign land. The gangway is 
 removed, the anchor is weighed, the shouts of " Long 
 live the cornte de Paris!" are redoubled, and seem 
 like an immense ovation. The comte de Paris, whose 
 extreme pallor betrays his emotion, cries " Au revoir, 
 a bientot ! " 
 
 The steamer moves slowly off, obliged to stop from 
 time to time on account of the difficulty of leaving 
 the harbour when the tide is not high. The spec- 
 tators, wishing to follow it' to the last minute, press 
 along the quay, and to the very end of the pier, re- 
 peating thousands of times " Long live France ! Long 
 live the comte de Paris ! Long live the King ! Au 
 revoir, a bient6t ! " 
 
 After the departure there is deep silence, all are 
 grave and depressed, and the crowd disperses slowly ; 
 the quay, the harbour, jtist now so animated, are soon 
 
332 Le Comie de Paris. 
 
 deserted. One word is in every mouth, one impres- 
 sion, produced by this scene so touching in its 
 simplicity. "It is a royal departure," said one, "the 
 return will be equally royal." " They thought," said 
 another, " that the exile of our princes would be the 
 end. No ; it is the beginning ! " Yes, the beginning 
 of a ceaseless struggle, in which the courage of all 
 will be raised by the recollections of that day. 
 
 The ovation had been spontaneous, and from the 
 port to the end of the pier the crowd had been 
 carried away by the excitement ; while the intimate 
 friends of the prince, in obedience to the advice given 
 them, only shouted " Long live the comte de Paris," 
 a thousand cries of "Long live the King!" burst 
 from that part of the pier which was chiefly occupied 
 by sailors 
 
 Few vessels had left the harbour that morning, and 
 their flags were all half mast. The "commissaire de. 
 la marine " ordered them to remove their flags. Four 
 boats belonging to M. Lemaire Duponchel, a ship- 
 owner, having, in spite of this order, kept their flags 
 at half mast, the commissaire himself removed these 
 signs of mourning ; but one of the boats, Marie Reine- 
 dti-Ciel, followed the steamer which conveyed the 
 comte de Paris for some distance with her flag at half 
 mast. 
 
 " To see the soldiers and gendarmes stationed along 
 the quay," said one paper, " one \vould have thought 
 that all that armed force was required to put down 
 some seditious meeting. Most of the spectators were 
 evidently of that opinion, and one of the harbour 
 women was heard to say as the boat started, " It does 
 
Affectionate Simplicity of the Inhabitants. 333 
 
 make me sad, for, when I think how good the prince 
 has been to me, paying for my husband's funeral, and 
 my children's schooling, I should dearly like to shout 
 with the rest ; but I have my children to think of, and 
 I cannot go to prison." However, the next minute, 
 carried away by her feelings, she shouted, " Long live 
 the King ! " 
 
 It is true that some very simple people imagined 
 that the troops were stationed there for a very 
 different purpose. One honest countryman near me 
 having overheard some one wonder why so many 
 troops should have been brought there, and allowed ' 
 to remain inactive during the whole proceedings, ex- 
 claimed, " But surely they have had the soldiers out 
 to do honour to the prince ! " In the midst of this 
 grand spectacle, there were some very characteristic 
 incidents. One gendarme had said in the morning to 
 those about him, " I beg you to keep quiet ; if you 
 shout ' Long live the King ! ' I shall be obliged to 
 arrest you, and if you shout ' Long live the Republic ! ' 
 I shan't like it ! " 
 
 A battalion of infantry, sent to Treport under pre- 
 text of protecting the exiles on their departure, had 
 been drawn up in line parallel to the quay. The 
 mournful crowd, waiting in calm silence, proved how 
 utterly unnecessary was the employment of all this 
 force ; the officers, ashamed of their part in the busi • 
 ness, were standing at some distance from their men. 
 Suddenly, at the very moment that the royal carriages 
 arrived, a loud, clear voice was heard giving the word 
 of command, " Attention ! Present arms ! " The 
 soldiers obeyed the supposed command of their 
 
334 -^^ Comte de Paris. 
 
 officer, and presented arms to the head of the House 
 of France, as he was about to depart into exile. The 
 perpetrator of this clever joke is known to us. 
 
 Meanwhile the comte and comtesse de Paris are 
 being slowly borne away, and seem unable to take 
 their eyes off the shores of their beloved country, 
 from which their enemies hope to banish them for 
 ever. They remain motionless, the due d'Orl^ans, 
 the due de Chartres and prince Henri at their side, 
 gazing for the last time on that crowd, who are still 
 waving handkerchiefs, but who are too far off to 
 permit of their shouts and cheers being heard. How- 
 ever, one last cry of "Au revoir, a bient6t!" reaches 
 them from the pilot and his rowers, who, as they 
 leave the ship, send this cry of hope after the exiles. 
 The comte and comtesse de Paris, heartbroken, reply, 
 " A bientot ! We shall return ! " The steamer is now 
 in the open sea ; the comte de Paris gives orders to 
 salute with the flag, and ten or twelve fishing boats 
 round the steamer return the salute in the same 
 manner. , 
 
 For a long time the crowd continues to gaze after 
 the Victoria, and then slowly disperses repeating, 
 " Such a departure as this means a sure return ! " 
 
 What would this crowd have said if it had known 
 of the prince's magnificent protest, in which he makes 
 the heart of his country vibrate by pointing out the 
 approaching day of restitution ? 
 
 The weather was splendid, but the sea was rough, 
 and the steamer, which was going at full speed,' rolled 
 considerably. The distance between Tr^port and 
 Dover is seventy miles, but the Victoria, going at full, 
 
Protest of the Comte de Paris. 335 
 
 speed, made seventeen knots an hour, and the land 
 soon disappeared on the horizon. 
 
 The comte de Paris then invited his companions to 
 go down into the saloon, in order that he might com- 
 municate to them his protest, which he had considered 
 it his duty to address to the French people, and which 
 he had taken measures to distribute the next day 
 throughout the whole of France. 
 
 M. Dufeuille, a young, active man had been 
 entrusted with this duty, which prevented his being at 
 Trdport, on June 24th. Formerly head of M. Buffet's 
 cabinet, M. Dufeuille had shown perfect tact, and 
 great political ability in the discharge of his duties ; 
 the comte de Paris had found in him a clever, faithful 
 servant, of great intelligence, devoted to the prince to 
 whose person he was attached, and one who knew how 
 to make his royal master beloved. 
 
 M. Dufeuille was formerly editor of the Journal 
 des Ddbats and the Franfais, and writes admirably, 
 elucidating every question with the greatest clearness. 
 He has arrived rapidly at a thorough knowledge of 
 human nature, and this, combined with his easy 
 manner, his straightforwardness and frankness, makes 
 up a character, which the prince appreciates highly. 
 He is a man who, at the risk of displeasing the prince, 
 will always tell him the truth if he considers it for the 
 prince's interest to know it— a precious quality. which 
 reflects as much credit on the subject who is brave 
 enough to speak the truth, as on the prince who is 
 noble enough to listen to it. 
 
 No one, not even those nearest to the comte de 
 Paris, knew of this protest, which was listened to in 
 
336 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 religious silence, and made a deep impression ; the 
 vigorous, vibrating voice of the prince seemed to 
 awaken hope and courage in the hearts of all. 
 The protest is as follows : — 
 
 " Forced to leave my native soil, I protest in the 
 name of right against the violence done to me. 
 
 "Passionately devoted to my country, whose misfor- 
 tunes have endeared her all the more to me, I have 
 lived until now without infringing any of her laws. 
 At the very moment that I return to France happy in 
 having formed a new tie between her and a friendly 
 nation, Government decides to tear me from her. 
 
 " In expelling me they are revenging themselves on 
 the four and half millions of those who, on October 
 4th, condemned the faults of the Republic, and they 
 are endeavouring to intimidate those who, each day, 
 are falling away from her. 
 
 . "They pursue in me the principle of monarchy, 
 entrusted to me by him who had so nobly guarded it. 
 
 " They desire to separate from France the head of 
 that glorious family, who for nine centuries has directed 
 the work of national unity, and which, bound up in the 
 good as well as the evil fortune of the people, has 
 founded her grandeur and prosperity. 
 
 "They hope that France will have forgotten the 
 happy, peaceful reign of my grandfather, Louis 
 Philippe, and the more recent days when my brother 
 and my uncles fought beneath her flag, serving 
 loyally in the ranks of her valiant army. 
 
 " But they deceive themselves. 
 
 " France, taught by experience, will never mistake 
 
Arrival of the Comte de Paris at Dover. 337 
 
 either the cause or the authors of the evils from which 
 she is suffering, She will recognise that monarchy, 
 with its traditional principles and its modern institu- 
 tions, can alone supply the needed remedy. National 
 monarchy, of which I am the representative, can 
 alone render powerless those disorderly spirits which 
 threaten the peace of the country, guarantee political 
 and religious liberty, re-assert authority and restore 
 public fortune. 
 
 "It alone can give to our democratic society a 
 strong government open to all, superior to party 
 spirit, and whose stability will be the guarantee to 
 Europe of a lasting peace. 
 
 " It is my duty to promote without ceasing this 
 work of restoration. With the help of God, and of 
 all those who share my belief in the future, I shall 
 accomplish it. 
 
 " The Republic is afraid, and proves it by striking 
 at me. 
 
 " I have confidence in France. At the decisive 
 moment I shall be ready. 
 
 " Philippe, comte de Paris. 
 
 "Eu, Jime 24, 1886." 
 
 At 7.15, in spite of the roughness of the sea, the 
 Victoria arrived within sight of Dover, and, as she 
 came alongside the pier, the French colours were run 
 up in honour of the exiles, while the vessels at anchor 
 also hoisted the tricolor. Although the Victoria had 
 arrived much earlier than had been expected, there 
 was a considerable crowd, and the comte de Paris was 
 greeted with three tremendous hurrahs. 
 
33^ Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 The Mayor of Dover and his wife, who held a 
 bouquet in her hand, were the first to go on board, 
 and the mayor presented the following address of 
 welcome to the prince : — 
 
 " MONSEIGNEUR, 
 
 " As mayor of this ancient town and port, I 
 beg to offer to you and the comtesse de Paris and to 
 your family the most cordial welcome on your arrival 
 on English soil ; and I am happy in being able to 
 assure you of the sympathy of all the inhabitants in the 
 sad circumstances which have brought about your exile, 
 and have obliged you to seek refuge in a foreign land. 
 " We hope that it is your intention to stay in 
 England ; we will do our utmost to make your stay 
 amongst us as agreeable as possible during the time 
 of trial and trouble which you have to go through. 
 We beg you to accept the assurance of our profound 
 respect." 
 
 The comte de Paris replied in English : — 
 
 " I am deeply grateful for your welcome at the 
 present moment, when my heart is torn by my de- 
 parture from my country. 
 
 " My family, at different times, and I myself for a 
 period of twenty years, have proved the loyalty of 
 your hospitality, of which I cherish a most grateful 
 recollection. 
 
 "What has touched me more than anything is "the 
 sight of the French flag flying at your masts ; it goes 
 straight to my heart as do also your hearty cheers." 
 
 M and Mdme. Alexandre Lambert de St. Croix 
 
Return of the Comtesse de Paris to France. 339 
 
 had been the next arrivals on board the steamer, and 
 it was from them that the comte de Paris received his 
 first French greeting in a foreign country. 
 
 The royal party went to the Lord Warden Hotel, 
 where the princes remained for some days before 
 going on to Tunbridge Wells. 
 
 As they were leaving the hotel to accompany the 
 ^comtesse de Paris to the boat which was to take her 
 back to Calais, the prince went into the sitting room 
 reserved for them, and was rendered speechless with 
 emotion by the sight of the tricolor flag covering a 
 sofa in the middle of the room. It was the same flag 
 which had been floating from the mast of the Victoria 
 during the crossing, and which Captain Stubbs, with 
 touching attention, had placed in the room during the 
 absence of the prince. The comte de Paris seized 
 the flag and exclaimed in a voice of deep emotion, 
 " This flag is all that remains to me of my beloved 
 France ; I will take it back there." The comtesse de 
 Paris then took one of the bouquets which had been 
 presented to her on her departure and placed it at the 
 foot of the fla?. 
 
 The princess, uneasy about the health of princess 
 Louise, was anxious to return to the bedside of the 
 beloved invalid, in spite of the misery which a separa- 
 tion from her husband at such a moment must have 
 caused her. That same evening she left the Lord 
 Warden Hotel, accompanied to the boat by her family, 
 and all those who were with them. 
 
 The due de Chartres returned with her to France, 
 leaving his son, prince Henri, as companion to the 
 young due d'Orldans for a few days. 
 
 z 2 
 
3 40 I^e Comte de Paris. 
 
 The comte de Paris had thus to begin his exile 
 under the most painful circumstances, and a sorrowful 
 separation concluded a day already so full of trials and 
 grief. 
 
 Those, who were to return to France, and those who 
 were to remain in a foreign country, realized to the 
 full the bitterness of exile as they stood on the 
 steamer which was to bear the comtesse de Paris, the 
 due de Chartres, and their faithful friends away from 
 the comte de Paris. 
 
 That morning in France the parting had been 
 Taetween a king and his people, and the enthusiasm of 
 the crowds had for a moment brought consolation to 
 the hearts of the exiles ; but that evening, in England, 
 on the pier, in the midst of strangers, the anguish of 
 separation was felt to the uttermost. 
 
 The comte de Paris said a few kind words of fare- 
 well to each and all, then, after tenderly embracing the 
 comtesSe de Paris, and grasping for the last time the 
 hand of the due de Chartres, the prince, accompanied 
 by three or four of his faithful followers, sorrowfully 
 mounted the steps, at the bottom of which the steamer 
 was moored, ready to start. The comtesse de Paris 
 clasps the due d'Orl(^ans once more in her arms, he 
 follows his father and the boat starts amidst shouts of 
 " Au revoir ! a bient6t, Monseigneur ! " from those 
 Tvho were returning to France. For some moments 
 the prince stood motionless gazing after the boat in 
 which were all the friends who, more fortunate than 
 himself, were returning to France. 
 
 The deep impression produced in France by the 
 
European Opinion. 341 
 
 departure of the comte de Paris and his arrival in the 
 land of exile was felt throughout Europe. Not only 
 had the prince pubUshed an eloquent protest against 
 the injustice done to him, but he had, in a few lines, 
 sketched out .a whole . programme of- Government. 
 Even the republicans themselves could not fail to 
 recognise the noble and patriotic character of the 
 language used by the chief of the House of France. 
 Those who were present at his departure from 
 Tr^port were witnesses of a grand scene in our 
 history. M. de Freycinet, in his speech, had un- 
 wittingly declared the comte de Paris to be king ; the 
 immense crowd which had followed him to the ship 
 had converted his exile into a coronation. All ranks of 
 society had met together at Eu, from the highest to the 
 lowest, workmen, fishermen, women, children — all were 
 inspired by the one feeling. Surely that was a spec- 
 tacle of royalty suited to our democratic society. 
 
 In his manifesto the comte de Paris proves that he 
 can combine the claims of democracy with those of 
 authority. France knows that she has every reason 
 to trust him, for he personifies her future ! — she knows 
 it, and she herself will be equally true to her duty. 
 
 The prince possesses a quick apprehension. At 
 the time of his protest of June 24th, he was talking to 
 some friends who had joined him from France, and 
 one of them expressed his astonishment to find in the 
 protest an allusion to the comte de Chambord. The 
 prince made the following reply, which was repeated ta 
 me the next day :— 
 
 " During the whole of my life I have only accom 
 
342 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 plished two political acts ; the first at Frohsdorf, 
 August 5, 1873, the second, July 7, 1883, when the 
 comte de Chambord, clasping me to his heart, said, 
 with an emotion that I fully shared, 'You know what a 
 precious trust I confide to you ! ' . . . I did not wish 
 for the sake of a vain popularity to pass over in silence 
 the name of the head of my House, when I was 
 addressing France for the first time." . . . 
 
 I shall content myself with quoting two out of the 
 many articles published in various papers on this 
 occasion. One from the Soleil, by M. Edouard 
 Hervd, the other from the Standard. M. Herv6 
 •expresses himself as follows in an article entitled the 
 •" Heir " :— 
 
 " The iniquitous measure which tears the head of 
 France from French soil is accomplished ! 
 
 " Yesterday, the comte de Paris, after hoisting the 
 national colours on the mast of the steamer which was 
 to convey him to England, crossed the channel. The 
 -exile has begun, but it will be short ! 
 
 " Yes, it will be short ; we have a proof of this in 
 the constantly increasing opposition to a government 
 which is violent because it is weak, and in the three 
 and a half millions of conservatives who will soon be- 
 come six millions of monarchists. 
 
 " We have another proof of it in the' crowds of 
 good citizens who came to do homage to the prince, " 
 either the day before, or at the very moment of his 
 departure, and in the feelings of those who, prevented 
 from taking an active part in this demonstration, 
 joined heartily with it in spirit. We have finally 
 
Remarkable Article in the "Soldi." 343 
 
 another proof of it in the manly sentence with which 
 the prince concludes his manifesto. 
 
 "He is ready for the decisive hour, he has con- 
 fidence in France and she has confidence in him. She 
 already feels, and will feel every day more and more, 
 that, outside the monarchy, personified by him, there 
 is no chance of finding that repose which she needs 
 after so much agitation. 
 
 "In order to reconcile the various factions of the 
 great French family, separated by years of discord, it 
 was necessary to find one who would be in a position 
 to give the desired satisfaction to both parties. He 
 must represent ancient and modern monarchy, there- 
 fore he must be at the same time the successor of the 
 comte de Chambord, and the representative of Louis 
 Philippe ; he must be able to rally round him dis- 
 affected republicans, and disheartened imperialists, 
 consequently he must combine the claims of 
 democracy and authority. 
 
 " These conditions might appear to be irreconcilable, 
 but they are all united in the person of the comte de 
 Paris ; it is, therefore, impossible to be blind to the 
 fact that in him is embodied the future of France. 
 Our adversaries realize this as well as we do, hence 
 their irritation, hence their violent measures, hence 
 the bill of exile. 
 
 " When a government is approaching its end, there 
 is always a man, a family, a political system ready to 
 take its place. 
 
 " An heir- to the Republic will soon be needed. 
 Amongst those who think, and who study the future, 
 there are surely none, who, observing the conduct of 
 
344 ^^ Comte de Paris. 
 
 the comte de Paris during the last three years, and 
 the unparalleled situation in which he is now placed, 
 will not exclaim ' Behold the heir ! ' 
 
 " The Republic has not only ceased for a long time 
 to be conservative, she has put it out of' her power to 
 become conservative again. Honest men have a 
 right to be protected. . They know that in the hour 
 of danger they will be abandoned by a government 
 which does but capitulate in presence of evil passions ; 
 they will have nothing to do with such a government. 
 
 " France desires order. The Republic can no longer 
 guarantee the maintenance of order. Monarchy alone 
 can ensure it." 
 
 The following is from the Standard: — 
 
 " Yesterday an illustrious guest landed on our 
 shores, and was welcomed with a respect and cordiality 
 worthy of him and of ourselves. England has always 
 been the refuge for celebrated exiles of every 
 nationality, but we may truly say that never has our 
 hospitality been offered to any political exile with half 
 the eagerness that is shown on the present occasion to 
 the heir of one of the most ancient thrones of Europe, 
 to the representative of the grand old houses of 
 Bourbon, Conde, Valois, and Orldans, to the prince in 
 whose veins flows the blood of a long race of kings. 
 This brave and honourable gentleman, who has shown 
 himself worthy on every occasion of the great name 
 he bears, has been driven from his country, and has 
 been forbidden to return under pain of imprisonment. 
 He is obliged to leave France because France — that 
 is to say official France — is afraid of him. 
 
Article in the ''Standard.'' 345 
 
 " Such is the humiliating avowal made by the 
 ministers and rulers of the Republic, when they passed 
 the law for the expulsion of the princes. The State 
 does not feel able to assure its safety so long as the 
 princes are in the country. Modern democracy is 
 obliged— like the democracies of old — to have 
 recourse to desperate measures, to ostracism, in order 
 to get rid of a man who is becoming too powerful. . . 
 
 "The republicans can do away with royalty, but 
 they cannot do away with, the interest which every 
 class in France takes in the representatives of royalty. 
 They cannot prevent the great powers from receiving 
 the princes, and treating them as equals, while they 
 show nothing but politeness to the republican govern- 
 ment at the Elys^e." 
 
 Fifteen months after his unmerited exile, the comte 
 de Paris set forth in the clearest language his "In- 
 structions to the monarchical party in France." On 
 the 15th September, 1887, every town in France was 
 in possession of the following document : — 
 
 " Instructions of Monseigneur le comte de Pa^ds to 
 
 the representatives of the monarchical party in 
 
 France. 
 
 " Great ' perils have been succeeded by an apparent 
 calm. The honour of it devolves chiefly on the 
 monarchists of the Chamber. They have understood 
 that their role was determined by their numbers. If 
 they were a feeble minority, they would have to con- 
 fine themselves to energetic and incessant protests ; 
 if they were a majority, they would have to take the 
 
346 Le Contte de Paris. 
 
 responsibility of exercising power. But although 
 sufficiently numerous to have considerable weight in 
 the decisions of the assembly, the direction of affairs 
 is not in their hands. They have, therefore, for the 
 present, only to occupy themselves with the defence of 
 conserva,tive interests and public welfare, without 
 aggravating those political crises only too common in 
 the Republic. This is how they have acted in recent 
 memorable circumstances, and have well deserved the 
 gratitude of conservative France. 
 
 " But this apparent calm does but ill conceal the 
 perils of the future. The electoral considerations 
 which govern a Chamber, itself all powerful, sterilize 
 all the efforts made with a view to restoring order in 
 the finances. 
 
 " The instability of the executive completely iso- 
 lates France from Europe. Material tranquillity is 
 barely assured. Everywhere faction triumphs over 
 and oppresses the nation, and no one knows what the 
 next day may bring forth. 
 
 " This situation imposes other duties on the 
 monarchical party in the country. Not being fettered 
 before the nation as they are in Parliament by a 
 limited mandate, they have a broader task to fulfil. 
 They have to prove to France how necessary a 
 monarchy is to her, and how easily its restoration 
 might be accomplished ; they have to reassure her as 
 to the entirely imaginary dangers of the restoration, 
 and prove to her that the transition can be legally 
 effected. In vain has the Congress proclaimed the 
 eternity of the Republic. What has been done by one 
 Congress can be undone by another ; and when France 
 
Instructions to the Monarchical Party. 347 
 
 clearly manifests her will, no obstacle of procedure 
 will prevent the restoration of monarchy. 
 
 " Taught, however, by melancholy experience, the 
 country has little, belief in legal and regular trans- 
 formations in its political conditions. Its history un- 
 happily furnishes it with many reasons to foresee one 
 of those violent crises, which seem to have assumed 
 a periodic character in our^ national life. If such a 
 crisis arise, monarchy may and should emerge from it. 
 But it will not have provoked it. The crisis will be 
 the work of certain republicans, either because 
 popular passions and sufferings, worked upon by 
 criminal ambitions, will lead to civil troubles, or 
 because a political faction will have recourse to force 
 to seize supreme power. The day when legality has 
 been violated, the monarchy will appear as the 
 necessary instrument of the restoration of order, and 
 the pledge of concord. 
 
 " But it is well for France to know beforehand what 
 that monarchy will be. The moment is favourable 
 for telling her, and for apprising her that it will not 
 mark a retrograde step. She must be shown that the 
 principle of historic tradition, with its marvellous 
 suppleness, can adapt itself to modern institutions j 
 that it will bring to the government of our democratic 
 society the steadying element which is lacking under 
 the republican system ; that it will play in that society 
 a role not less efficacious than in the old European 
 monarchies which have peacefully transformed them- 
 selves. 
 
 "If the Capet monarchy effected the unity and 
 developed the power of France through all the 
 
348 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 vicissitudes of our long history, it was because it had 
 for the origin of its great mission a veritable national 
 compact, a compact concluded in the first moment 
 of that history between those who then represented 
 nascent France, and the family Avhose fate was to 
 remain bound up with it in bad as in good fortune. 
 
 " To found, after so many revolutions, a government, 
 whose basis is firmer and broader than a simple 
 taking possession of power or a delegation of the 
 sovereignty of numbers, it is necessary to revive the 
 historic tradition by a bargain freely agreed to by the 
 nation, and the family which is the depository of that 
 tradition. This mutual engagement consecrating the 
 historic right, and, like all contracts, binding future 
 generations, can alone guarantee both the stability 
 needed by France to restore her rank in Europe, and 
 the true liberty which is, above all, the protection of 
 the weak. 
 
 " This old compact will be recalled into force in the 
 name of France, either by a constitutional assembly, or 
 by the popular vote. By the very fact of its being 
 unused in the monarchy, this latter form is more 
 solemn, and may better befit an act which is not to be 
 repeated. It permits of giving without delay a firm 
 base to the constitution. A government supported by 
 public opinion, as the monarchy will be on the day of 
 its accession, has nothing to fear from this direct con- 
 sultation of the nation. 
 
 "It is to direct universal suffrage that the choice of 
 deputies ought to belong. Thanks to its early origin 
 and its recent establishment, the monarchy will be 
 
Monarchy under Modern Conditions. 349 
 
 sufficiently strong to reconcile the custom of universal 
 suffi-age with the guarantee of order, which the 
 country, disgusted as It is with the Republican system 
 of parliament, will demand of it. The country will 
 desire a strong government, because it clearly under- 
 stands that even the real parliamentary system, which, 
 under the monarchy, cast so much splendour on the 
 period between 181 5 and 1848 is not compatible with 
 an assembly elected by universal suffrage. The 
 mechanism must be modified in order to adapt it to 
 this new and powerful factpr. Under the Republic 
 the Chamber governs without control ; under the 
 monarchy the king v/ill govern with the concurrence 
 of the Chambers. 
 
 " By the side of the Chamber of Deputies, an equal 
 authority will belong to the Senate, which will be 
 partly elective, and which will unite in itself the 
 representatives of the great forces and interests of 
 society. 
 
 " Between these two assemblies, royalty, having its 
 ministers as interpreters, and able to lean for support 
 on either the one or the other, will be enlightened and 
 guided, but not enslaved. 
 
 "It needs but a modification of our parliamentary 
 system to maintain this equilibrium, and to obviate all 
 exclusive domination of one chamber or the other. 
 The Budget, instead of being voted annually, will be 
 in future an ordinary law, and consequently can only 
 be amended by the agreement of the three powers. 
 Every year the financial project will include only the 
 modifications proposed by the Government on the 
 last Budget. If these proposals are rejected, all the 
 
350 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 public services will not be thrown out of gear, nor will 
 private interests be compromised, as they now would 
 be by the rejection of the Budget ; and, meanwhile, 
 real constitutional privileges will be respected, for no 
 new tax can be imposed, no new expense can be 
 determined on, without the consent of the representa- 
 tives of the nation. 
 
 " To these representatives will also fall the task of 
 fully discussing all the subjects which interest the 
 country, and of listening to all complaints which the 
 action of the Government can relieve. If these com- 
 plaints are legitimate, the representatives will be the 
 first to give them utterance, and the adhesion of the 
 other assembly will not fail them. But a caprice of 
 the Chamber of Deputies will no longer be able un- 
 expectedly to paralyze public life and national policy. 
 
 " The monarchy will have to re-establish economy in 
 finance, order in administration, and independence in 
 the exercise of justice. 
 
 " The monarchy will have to raise by peaceful means 
 our position in Europe, to make us respected and our 
 alliance sought after by our neighbours. The 
 ministers who serve the monarchy in this great under- 
 taking will not be able to persevere in the realization 
 of its views if they are trammelled by the fear that 
 their efforts may be interrupted by a simple parlia- 
 mentary accident. They feel themselves set free 
 from such a fear, when they find themselves respon- 
 sible not to one omnipotent Chamber only, but to the 
 three Estates invested with legislative power. Thus 
 the Deputies, being no longer able to raise to power, 
 or to overthrow ministries, will not exercise that 
 
The Protection of Religion and Liberty. 351 
 
 disastrous influence which is as 'fatal to the Assembly 
 as to the administration. 
 
 " Constitutions are estimated only by the spirit in 
 which they are applied, and France knows this well. 
 It is above all things necessary, therefore, to convince 
 her that the new monarchy will be able to .satisfy at 
 once her conservative needs and her passion for 
 equality. 
 
 " Under the protection of a monarchical governjftient 
 France may recover, peacefully and by hard work, her 
 former prosperity. Thanks to the confidence which 
 the solidity of her institutions inspires, she will have 
 the authority necessary for treating with foreign 
 powers, and for the simultaneous relief from military 
 burdens, which are at present ruining Europe to the 
 benefit of other quarters of the globe. The monarchy 
 will grant to all religions the protection that an en- 
 lightened government owes to all creeds which at 
 once comfort the souls of men in earthly miseries, 
 sustain their hearts, and fortify their courage. 
 
 "The monarchy will guarantee to the clergy the 
 respect which is necessary to them for the adequate 
 pursuit of their calling. In restoring to the districts 
 that independence in educational matters of which a 
 tyrannical government has robbed them, the monarchy 
 will restore to France the freedom of a Christian 
 education. The monarchy will restore to religion, as 
 well as to secular institutions, that liberty, which, 
 under certain conditions of public order, will become 
 the common right of all French people, instead of 
 being, as is the case to-day, the privilege of a 
 few. Thus that religious peace will be established. 
 
352 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 which has been deeply troubled by an intolerant 
 policy. 
 
 " The monarchy will shelter military traditions from 
 the fluctuations of politics, by giving the army a single 
 and immovable head. The fixity of the command-in- 
 chief will ensure, as a necessary consequence, the per- 
 manence of discipline in all ranks. 
 
 "The stability of a monarchical government will 
 enable it to apply itself uninterruptedly to the study 
 of the problem raised by the condition of our 
 industrial population of town and country, and to 
 work for the amelioration of their lot and the mitiga- 
 tion of their sufferings. So far from inciting one 
 against the other the different classes who co-operate 
 in producing the national wealth, it will endeavour to 
 reconcile them, and thus to bring about social pacifi- 
 cation. 
 
 " In our society, always in process of transformation, 
 a short period of sixteen years has seen the rise, from 
 the hamlet to the capital, of what republicans have 
 called the great " nouvelles couches." New men have 
 come in great numbers to conquer a share of the 
 influence they did not possess. They would have ac- 
 quired that influence under any other government, for 
 this legitimate progress of their condition is the fruit 
 of the blessing of education, and of the slow ascent 
 which, through the centuries of our history, has drawn 
 together the different classes of society. But, though 
 they fancy that they owe it to the Republic, they will 
 continue to enjoy it equally, as they should fully 
 understand, under the aegis of monarchy. 
 
 " The maintenance of universal suffrage for all exist- 
 
Existing Interests Respected. 353 
 
 ing elective functions, and for the appointment of 
 mayors by the municipal council in the rural communes 
 will be their chief guarantee. 
 
 " So also the unpretending servants of the State who 
 have gained the position by their industry, will not be 
 menaced because of their holding that position from 
 the Republic. If, on the one hand, all the victims of 
 republican persecution are assured of receiving the 
 ample reparation which is their due, on the other 
 hand, the dishonest and unworthy servants who 
 degrade their office, will alone have to fear the acces- 
 sion of an honest and just power. 
 
 " The monarchy will not be the revenge of a vic- 
 torious or a vanquished party, or the triumph of one 
 class over another. By raising above all rivalry the 
 depository of the Executive power, it renders him the 
 supreme guardian of the law, before which all will be 
 equal. 
 
 " Let henceforth all good citizens, all patriots, whose 
 hopes have been disappointed, whose interests have 
 been compromised,, and whose consciences have been 
 wounded by the existing system, join with the labourers 
 of the first hour in preparing the common salvation ! 
 Let them second the efforts of him who will be at 
 once the king of all, and the first servant of France ! " 
 
 A programme thus clearly defined needs no com- 
 mentary. No misunderstanding is possible. The head 
 of the House of France addresses himself to all good 
 citizens, to former defenders of monarchy, to conserva- 
 tives, whether wavering or indifferent, and to repub- 
 licans deceived in their hopes. He summons them 
 
 A A 
 
J 
 
 54 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 all to join him in the renovation of their country. No 
 honest person can read these " Instructions" without 
 being struck by the nobility of the views, the breadth 
 of ideas, and the practical methods indicated by the 
 comte de Paris in this effort to rally round his govern- 
 ment all Frenchmen who are anxious to restore a 
 regime which alone is capable of assuring public 
 order and national grandeur. 
 
 Faithful to the glorious memories of his ancestors, 
 the Kings of France — from Hugh Capet, Louis VI., 
 who enfranchised the communes, St. Louis, who gave 
 the justly celebrated " Institutions," to Louis XL, 
 Henri IV., Louis XIV., Louis XVIII. and Louis 
 Philippe — the comte de Paris (just nine centuries after 
 Hugh Capet) gives his judgment on the new monarchy 
 best suited to France in 1887. 
 
 One of the greatest merits and glories of monarchy 
 is that, like society, it is always changing from age to 
 age. The prince knows that France would not stand 
 either absolute monarchy, or a monarchy entirely 
 under the rule of parliament. What she wants is not 
 brute force, but a wise, firm, resolute hand, that knows 
 how to hold the reins without feebleness and with 
 authority. Hence the comte de Paris, with a boldness 
 never possessed by a mere pretender, proposes to 
 France a monarchy, hereditary and constitutional, 
 powerful and liberal, which should strengthen its 
 historic title by a national contract, not favouring any 
 particular class, but applying itself to social pacifica- 
 tion, and which, finally, while leaving to democracy 
 its power of expansion, should so limit its action as to 
 assure the stability of the State. 
 
Great Impression produced by the ^'Instructions." 355 
 
 From one end of France to the other, the impres- 
 sion produced by these "Instructions" was immense. 
 At first the republicans affected an indifference, which 
 was soon behed by venomous articles, in which rage 
 and anxiety were plainly visible. One of them, how- 
 ever, declared that this- was the most important docu- 
 ment that had appeared since 1848. Most of them 
 knew in their hearts that the time is at hand when 
 France, wearied and disgusted with this regime devoid 
 of dignity and security, will throw off the yoke which 
 is ruining them. 
 
 They are alarmed by the defections which they 
 see each day increasing amongst them, they own 
 that the struggle has become simplified, that there 
 now remain two governments face to face with each 
 other — the Republic, forced to become daily more 
 violent, more Jacobin ; and Royalty, the protector 
 of the rights of all, a strong power in a free, 
 country, enforcing everywhere respect for law and 
 order. 
 
 Even abroad the " Instructions " made a great stir. 
 Many of those sovereigns who had a high regard for 
 the comte de Paris, were far from suspecting his 
 brilliant qualities as head of the state, and the prince 
 found that he had achieved a great personal success 
 throughout Europe. 
 
 Our task is finished. We have tried to make 
 known the varied, many-sided life of the comte de 
 Paris, of that prince who has been so well described 
 as follows : " Though in touch with every modern 
 movement, he represents the past, and being heir to 
 
 A A 2 
 
356 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 sixty monarchs, presents himself before his country 
 and the world in the brilliant light of those great and 
 glorious deeds by which his ancestors have made 
 France famous." 
 
 One thought forces itself upon us after reading the 
 beautiful life of the comte de Paris from February 
 24th, 1848, the day when the throne of his grand- 
 father Louis- Philippe was wrested from him by the 
 most unjustifiable of insurrections ; it is impossible to 
 help being struck by the ardent patriotism which has 
 guided the prince throughout his whole life. Love of 
 study, perseverance in work, a passion for the pro- 
 fession of arms — such are the qualities which dis- 
 tinguish the head of the House of France. As a 
 writer he devotes himself to the most important social 
 questions, and is French to the backbone. He in- 
 variably shows a complete forgetfulness of self, as for 
 instance, in 1873, when he effaced himself for the 
 sake of the comte de Chambord ; and, in every place, 
 under all circumstances, his life has been actuated by 
 one motive alone — the interest of his country which 
 he loves so passionately. 
 
 M. Thiers being dead, the Prince Imperial having 
 fallen a noble victim to his own generosity and 
 chivalry, M. Gambetta (whose sole object was to 
 make himself the head of a powerful Republic), 
 having been removed, finally the comte de Chambord 
 having expired, after preserving so long intact the 
 sacred trust of traditional, hereditary monarchy, does 
 it not seem as though Providence were holding in 
 reserve for the salvation of the country this prince 
 who, by his tastes, his education and his character, is 
 
Eventual Triumph of an Enlightened Monarchy. 357 
 
 in entire harmony with the aspirations of our demo- 
 cratic society ? 
 
 The grandson of King Louis- PhiHppe will be truly 
 the King of the French. A King at whose accession 
 to the throne there will be neither conqueror nor con- 
 quered,; a king who can be welcomed alike by work- 
 men and employers, by bourgeois and nobles, by dis- 
 appointed republicans, by legitimists mourning the 
 comte de Chambord, and by Bonapartists mourning 
 the Prince Imperial. The will of the nation and the 
 will of God will thus combine to restore monarchy, 
 and through the monarchy to restore France. 
 
 France, which had been so deeply affected by the 
 noble and touching adieu of June 24th, 1886, wel- 
 comed with joy and grateful admiration the " Instruc- 
 tions," and now one hears everywhere " Yes, that is 
 indeed the sort of king we want." Light is breaking 
 in the towns as well as in the country. 
 
 The Republic wounds the affections of the peasant 
 by sending his sons to shed their blood in Tonquin ; 
 it attacks his interests by increasing taxation ; now, at 
 its last gasp, it can no longer deny the unprecedented 
 extravagance in our finances, which were in so pros- 
 perous a condition when Marshal MacMahon quitted 
 the office in which the conservatives had placed him. 
 Universal suffrage will throw off the yoke of the 
 republicans who are ruining the country. 
 
 They may try to falsify votes, to begin another 
 " 18 fructidor," by overturning the decisions of the 
 country by force — all that matters little. There is 
 no example of a people, trodden down, oppressed in 
 
358 Le Comte de Paris. 
 
 its legitimate aspirations, which does not in the end 
 recover its liberty. 
 
 At last the nation, profiting by the progress and ex- 
 perience of the past, will rejoice once more in that 
 wise and faithful liberty which was formerly her 
 strength, and will welcome the King of France, who, 
 repairing the accumulated ruins of a hundred years 
 of revolution, will restore to the country the prestige 
 of hereditary monarchy, and with it peace, prosperity, 
 and real grandeur. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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