hout 'Long live
the Republic!' it will be because I want to."

"Hear! hear! He is right," murmured several voices.

And we passed on.

After many detours M. Froment-Meurice ushered us into a small room where
he left us while he went to inform Lamartine that I wished to see him.

The glass door of the room gave on to a gallery, passing along which
I saw my friend David d'Angers, the great statuary. I called to him.
David, who was an old-time Republican, was beaming. "Ah! my friend,
what a glorious day!" he exclaimed. He told me that the Provisional
Government had appointed him Mayor of the Eleventh Arrondissement. "They
have sent for you for something of the same kind, I suppose?" he said.
"No," I answered, "I have not been sent for. I came of my own accord
just to shake Lamartine's hand."

M. Froment-Meurice returned and announced that Lamartine awaited me. I
left Victor in the room, telling him to wait there till I came back, and
once more followed my obliging guide through more corridors that led to
a vestibule that was crowded with people. "They are all office seekers!"
explained M. Froment-Meurice. The Provisional Government was holding
a session in the adjoining room. The door was guarded by two armed
grenadiers of the National Guard, who were impassible, and deaf alike to
entreaties and menaces. I had to force my way through this crowd. One of
the grenadiers, on the lookout for me, opened the door a little way to
let me in. The crowd immediately made a rush and tried to push past the
sentries, who, however, aided by M. Froment-Meurice, forced them back
and closed the door behind me.

I was in a spacious hall that formed the angle of one of the pavilions
of the Hotel de Ville, and was lighted on two sides by long windows. I
would have preferred to find Lamartine alone, but there were with him,
dispersed about the room and talking to friends or writing, three or
four of his colleagues in the Provisional Government, Arago, Marie, and
Armand Marrast. Lamartine rose as I entered. On his frock-coat, which
was buttoned up as usual, he wore an ample tri-colour sash, slung across
his shoulder. He advanced to meet me, and stretching out his hand,
exclaimed: "Ah! you have come over to us! Victor Hugo is a strong
recruit indeed for the Republic."

"Not so fast, my friend," said I with a laugh. "I have come simply to
see my friend Lamartine. Perhaps you are not aware of the fact that
yesterday while you were opposing t