, 1877-07-13
Victor Hugo at Home.

An English tourist, describing . visit
IN Nict"r Hugo. says: Presently an old
grnt'cman with silvery hair enters, and
all rise. Il i Victor Hugo. The frsi
effect Of the face j. most peculiar: you
seem To sce the high forehead and moth
ing cl-c-fr On. reason, p,rhaps. he
cause the lower features are permanently
hidden by the crisp white beard. He
advances with a slight stoop. and slowly
moves among his visitors with a peeIing
glance. a. though he were engaged in the
vain effort tn identify them by the names
on their cards. When he does speak, his
manner Is fund to be perfect. He has
the unostentatinus graciuusness Of his
,wofuld patent Of nobility, social and in.
tellectuAl; for in spite of what the wits
-ay about the modernness of his title in
the French peerage-now long laid aside
the name he bears has been good one,
as the worlds estimate goes, for over
three hundred years. He has the benig-
nant smile of his age, the gentleness and
the complete absence of self. assertion of
his assured position in the public regard.
His speech is eminently simple in form !;
he seems incapable Of an epigram-no
doubt because he has just made so many
hundreds in the other room, and he wants a
rest. The morning crowd dismissed, he
goes out to take the air. 1t is rumored
that he likes no way of taking it 50 well
as to jump on an omnibus, and to do the
whole journey out and home with the
panorama of the crowded streets before
his eyes. Sometimes, but not very often
just now, he takes the train for Versailles
on senat rial duties intent. He missed
the right one the other day when they
we're electing a brother senator, and ar
rived five minutes too late with a vote
that might have saved his party from ul-
innate defeat by turning the immediate
contest into draw. He was twitted
for 1T, but more by his triumphant
enemies than by his beaten friends
"Why try to make men of business of
poets2" cried the Figaro. 'What can
| they be expected to know of the flight of
rmep They look at the zodiac, not at
their watches. 1t is fair enough as hit
in party warfare, but outside of that it is
of no force whatever in its implication of
censure of this over-busy life. At seven
he enters for dinner. He is always pune
tual, this being his first hour of true men
tai relaxation. He has friends at the
board every day, and their talk makes
the meal the hOliday-time of his spirit.
He seems to keep open house for those be
likes. Go on what day you may at this
hour, and you find a party sitting
down to table. The talk is afinely- blend
ed salad of good things, soft and piquant,
| -, he
and even art, for Victor Hugo is no mean
hand with the pencil. Politics has the
first place-it is veritable little parlia-
ment; and, since there are mOts instead
of speeches, it is much more entertaining
than Versailles. 1t may be likened rather
to a periodical tea-room meeting, at
which the course of one section of the
House is determined in advance from
day to day. The key to much that passes
in the Hall of Assembly in the afternoon
is TO be found in what was said in this
little dining-room the night before. The
host leads-not more by reason of his po-
sition at the board than the substantial
value Of his advice. The meal is com
monty long one, but probably no one
rises from the table without feeling that
it has been too short. Not a single pre-
cious moment has been wasted 10 ennui
the presence of the ladies serving as =
standing security against that worst evil
of life. Long before the dinner is at an
end, fresh pilgrims have begun to assem-
BILE, in the smaller drawing room, for the
evening reception, and the host has to
make short work with his dessert. When
the process of Identification is completed
they are invited to enter the sdE0n-fur-
nished in lighter style than the other
apartment, but still on the same princi-
pie, of the absolute exclusion of mere
white from either ceiling or wall. Mir
rOrs are plentilul-it is French house
and the many colored ornaments of their
Venetian frames harmonize we'll with the
tapestry. Presently the throng is increased
by the contingent from the dining-room,
and then the scene becomes one of great
animation. The apartment is crowded
with striking figures, but there can be no
question as to which is the most striking
Of all-that white-haired old man, who,
in spite of his seventy five years, is still
incOntestably the greatest spiritual force
Of France. Nothing can be more unjust
than to accuse him of vanity or the greed
Of homage, as is sometimes done. His
bearing IS modesty itself; he simply can
not get away from his admirers.