National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-22
A VISIT TO vrcroR HUGO.

In my last we finished the inspection Of
he Garibaldi room, and as IL was becoming
ate and Jeanette looked tired the visitors
took their leave after accepting cordial
invitation from the poet to call upon him at
my time. He accompanied us downstairs,
walking in advance with an elderly mem.
Der Of our party, while little Jeanne still
hung on to me-or rather we each hung on
to the other.
When we reached the hall and the men
were getting into their overcoats managed
TO keep my protegc little in the rear, and
at favorable opportunity whispered; "If
| call tomorrow afternoon, will you take
me for walk in your gardenTi | can
never forget the frank, sincere look she
flashed out from her coal-black eyes as
che held out both her hands and said:
"Certainly; but be sure and come soon, as
our tutor will be with us, and II you call
early he will let us have half hoNday.p
~ am afraid you will find It very bard TO
understand my French,n said.
"Not at ALL" she answered with broad
smile. ~ like your speaking very much.
It is very funny. ! wish so very much that
could say such funny French as you do
, suggested that IL she would speak some
English for fun could laugh at her, and
we should be even. She wouldn't think for
a moment OF this arrangement, and de-
clared with great emphasis that she liked
very much TO laugh at other people, but
that she became very tris,e when other peo.
pie laughed at her. "But, she added, "if
you come early tomorrow, and take us
away from onr lessons, Georges and will
speak many words for you, and you shall
say them SOL (making gesture as II she
were using the baton at an orchestral re-
hearsal), "until you say them just as we,
and then we cannot laugh at ALL"
"But like to see you laughing. l am
afraid that II my words were correct you
wouldn't laugh so much; perhaps you
might cry, and should not like to see you
cry"
The beautiful child looked up at me as II
not understanding my stupid joke, and IN
q way that showed she was on the verge OF
tears about something.
changed tho subject Immediately, and
promising to call early on the following
afternoon, / bent down and kissed her.
All traces OF tears had vanished. The sun
shone out again The child removed her
right hand from mine to toss her hair back
over her forehead, and then clasped my
hand again as she saw the other people pass
ing out through the door. We marched up to
her grandfather and she told him that we
were going for a walk "to-morrow." He
still lad his hands in his pockets, and as he
looked at the child he said to her: 81 am
you make friends so fast with everybody.
cannot do so,n He uttered the last words
with simulated sadness and bent his head
as II in sorrow. Jeanne looked &C me, then
at the stern-looking old man, and thinking
he was gTieved about her, she quickly went
over to him; looked earnestly into his prone
face and said In soft, low tones, "Grand-
father you know / cannot help making
friends. Every one is so kind to me y my
dearest child,n quietly said Victor Hugo,
as he raised her up and kissed her several
times upon the checks and forehead, "may
the good God bless you; !" then turning
to me he said, GOOD night, monsieur;
Jeanne shall expect you Tomorrow"
AS walked home took q long and anx-
ious look into my. own heart, and could
hear stubborn conscience saying In the still,
small voice: "If this little girl were not the
grandchild of Victor Hugo, would you have
been so much fascinated by her, or would
you have noticed her at allg' 1t is impos-
sible to analyze such emotions completely,
but in all candor had to confess that asso-
citation with her grandfather had had much
to do with the strange interest created by
this child. She would have been beautiful
and attractive anywhere, but her glorlously
impulsive and spontaneous childhood, free
as air and fair as springtime, grew more
radiant as 1t stood out from tho background
of great poets historic love. The lines
came again to mind which have so often
been quoted, and which will hear repetition
here. They do not stand the test OF trans
lation gracefully, SO they must go as they
were written: e..
. Jeanne etait au pain sec dams 10 cabinet noir,
Pour I'm crime qaeicenque, ct, manquant au
J'allai yoir Ia prosGrite, on pleinc forfeiture.
III lui glissai dams Iambre un pot de confture
Contraire aux lois. Tous ceux sur qu, dams
Reposo ie saiut de In focletc, .......
S'indignerent ct Jeanne dit dune voix
dQuce:
JIG ne toucherai plus mon nez avsc mon
Douce,
Je ne me lerai plus griner par 10 mlnet.
Mais on s'est recrie:-Cette enfant vous con-
matt;
Ellie salt ,quel point vous etes faiblo ct
laehe.
Ellie yous volt touIours rire quand on SO fache,
Pas de gouVernement possible. A chaque in
L'ordre est trouble par yousi lie pouvoIr SO
Plus DO regie. L'enfantn n plus rien. qui
yous demollssez tout. Et Jai bGisse Ia tete,
~ TAI dit-Je n al rien rcpondre celia,
yai tort. Opi, c'est ayee ces indulgenees-la
Qu'on touJours conduit les peuples leur
ouon me mette au pain sec.-yous lie meritez
certe,
On vous y mettra.-Jeanne alors, dams son coin
Ma dit tout has, levnnt ses yeux 81 baaux a
Pleins de iantorite des douces creatures;
Eth bien, moi, Je trial porter, DIES conhtures.
The great day upon which was to have
had a whole afternoon with Jeanne turned
out delusion. Rain poured all the morn
ing, and had to fortify myself with philo-
sopbical maxims and another tour of in
| spection through the poets home.
Though, as we have seen, Hauteville
house was built on the loftiest hill on the
island, and commanded splendid view OF
scenery and the channel, 1t was not high
enough for Victor Hugo, who built one
new compartment on the roof, OF which he
made an eyrie and an airy bedroom. The
| front OF this accretion was plated glass, In
strips of about ten feet by four. No
| attempt was made to ward Oft single
sunbeam, as blinds, screens, and curtains
were conspicuously absent. There was
no chair In the sleeping compartment and
no bedstead. In place OF this latter
somewhat conventional appurtenance In
| such room, a lounge covered with much
faded purple velvet was backed up against
the wall, right opposite the glaring glass
| frontage. ] presume that Victor conde
scended to wear bed covering, but could
see none around, and his servant told me
that he slept In that room all during the
visit TO which j refer, When In his full
swing of work 1t was his custom, winter
and summer, to retire at 0 o'clock and to
sleep until the first rays of dawn came tap.
ping at his chamber window. He rose
usually between and o'clock In summer
and patrolled the little verandah In front
Of his box for half an hour. French and
Guernsey fishermen have told me that
they were accustomed to correct their solar
observations at early morning by the stages
OF Hugo's dressing. He walked about al
such times In his shirt sleeves, with barred
head and feet, sometimes apostrophizing the
dark blue sea, sometimes the Wild coast Of
France as Normandy rose up through the
mist, and sometimes hurting friendly
greeting to tho sturdy fishermen as they
sailed toward the harbor's mouth after
long nights work.
Our poet usually read or wrote from
ninlnnk 70 q Nthnn In had n roll and nun, q