The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-03
.R0CHEFORTsIS STILL
CHURCH u SPLITTER F0 | |
Vetera Duelist and Editor De
elarcs That He Has Not
Changed His Principles.
ALWAYS ANTI : GLERICALs
Deuounces the French Govern
nlent as a Band OF Robbers
and Ruffians.
FARIs. Noy. ..

~
PARIS. Nov. ..
am not moro cowardly than other
men, but 1t was With Il feeling OF con-
siderable trepidat!on that I knocked at
The door or Henri Marquis de Roche
f9rt-Lucay. better known as NJ. Henri
able thereafter and the most forceful
writer i'll all France. 1t has been truly
said that no man ever had more ene-s
inies than M. ksochefort; and to this
might be added no man can count as
many friends. / had come to ask this
lhe-the bitter. fierce. hating. anti-cleric
and avowod enemy OF all reltEion--had
transferred his pen to tho columns OF
the Catholic and Nationalist Patrie.
What did this signify?
For twenty-seven years. without miss.
leaders to the fntransigeant., This sev-
uring of his long connection with a
journal In which he spared no ono and
soundly thrahhcd all with good printers
Ink. had set bouevardiers talking. "Ah.
yes" said the man In tho street." ut
has come at last. All these atheists did
in the bosom OF the church. Have YOU
not heard OF Rocheforts conversion and
his return to grace?" And here was I.
then, waiting hesitatinEly on his door,
step. debating whether to pull the bell
or run away. But at last the deed was
done; I had resolved to face the worst.
Would he receive me With a sword or q
pistol? For II must be remembered that.
like Cyrano do Bergerac, Henri Roche
fort has hts tender spot too. u 10 not
his nose. as is the case with Rostand'0
hero. but It is his religious convictions.
or. perhaps. one should say. tho absence
OF them.
Genial Reception.
Come In, mon ami! Come lnv' sounded
a kindly voice that at once put me at NY
case. i was ushered In and led toward .
spacious armchair at tho side table on
which NJ. Rochefort had dissected so
many OF his victims. The implements OF
his trade were there: a pen. a big ink.s
stand and unlimited paper I looked at
the table and shuddered. NJ. Rochefort.
wrapped in a huge monkey Jacket, with
the collar turned up round his ears. re-
senibllng in this strange garb some North
sea pilot sat opposite.
1t was years since I had seen and
spoken to NJ. Rochefort. Time has dealt
sparlngly with him. The mop Of hair,
which stands bolt upright Is perhaps
winter and the cheek is a trif1e paler. but
the eyes have lost none of their fire and
/ the body little OF its erstwhile vigor,
| while the man himself still possesses that
slvery speech. that vivaciousness and
charm of manner which combine to make
him the most dreaded, albeit the most
admired, man In France.
$50 they say / have taken the road to
l. -
for this? Is 1t the robber band which Is
miscalled a government? No. mon ami!
Ny convictions, religious or anti-clerical
whichever you wish - have undergone
no change, neither have my political
views. am still as anit-clerIcal as ever:
my enemies say this Is my one consistent
attitude.
Perhaps they arc right he added, with
q smile. Now YOU mention 1t, ! don't sec
why I should be called anti-religious.
am freethnkcr, a consistent freethink-
or. have not set foot In church for for
!ty-fye years and have.no intention Of go-
| Ing there now. When ceased attending
church did not become antl-religiouS: it
was that my way OF viewing things relis-
ious had changed. That Is all. It Is quits
a mistake to suppose am thirsting to
kill Off all the priests In France. Quite
to tho contrary. When meet good
fellow In the shape OF q cure I have not
the slightest objection to cracking q bot-
tie OF champagne with him.
mo; let us be clear about this. I am
not OF the type Of Jaures and other pos
litical rapscalltons who, on the one hand.
denounce religion and clercalism, while
on the other they send for Jordan water
In order to baptze their children. Taught
Such humbug disgusts me much more
than the worst form of cleyicalsm am
n freethinker now. al heretofore, None
of my children has been baptized, and
my granddaughter died without the.
blessing OF the church and contentedt
herself with a civil maria ge.
Change of Paper.
"And your separation from L'lntransl-
geant?" asked.
That Is not due to any religious Or po-
litical differences; 1t arose solely upon
financial question. a sum OF money haa
been collected for u certain object-in
other words the erection OF "a statue.
Now, 1t had been proposed temporarily to-
divert this to another purpose. and VOLTA!
There is the whole thing. I objected
strongly. Ny counsel was not accepted. 10
walked out Of the office OF L'1ntransl-
convictions. That Ia a difference which
some people are not able fully to apprs.
ciatc.t sss Sc
And you Will fight as hsretolore:''
'pf course I will fight" said he, Jump
ing up and IN his excitement making
llnge over my head at an Ina ginary enc
my. y tell You I have full liberty on
the Patria to express my opinions. I am
not hammered In any way, I bow to no
party, religious or political, You ask
my opinion Of the government, Well, it,
is band Of robbers and rutiians Do YOU
think spare them? tIais mont" added ne.
with blow OF his fist on the table that,
made 1t tremgIe. s..And vet went on
the yetaran duellst and journalist IN g.
suhdued tone, az Ii con,plllning with the 1
ghosts OF the past, this rascal C!emep-S
ceau was one OF nay witnesses when
ln-law OF AndrleuS. project Of police.
| Then there was that dotard. Camille Pel-
etan, He was one OF my witnesses when
wounded Fourier, who is now an adj. 4
miral There was u trace OF moisture (