ACTE I, SCENE XVII

Roger, à lui-même. Oh ! c'est trop fort ! (// va offrir son bras à Lucy.)

La Duchesse, à part. Qu'est-ce que tout cela signifie? {Haut.) Allons, Raymond, votre bras. (Raymond vient près d'elle.) Ah ! dame, il faut souffrir pour être préfet, mon ami. 5

Paul. La pénitence est douce, Duchesse.

La Duchesse. Vous vous mettrez à côté de moi, à table, nous dirons du mal du gouvernement.

Paul. Oh ! Duchesse ! moi, un fonctionnaire, en dire ! Oh ! non . . . mais je peux en entendre ! 10

1 nous dirons du mal du gouvernement : to speak ill of the government was still everybody's privilège and custom, whether Radical or Conservative; Legitimist or Orleanist; or Imperialist.

It must be remembered that since 1790 France has had seventeen constitutions, of almost every conceivable variety; and it must not be forgotten that not until 1884, three years after the action of this play, and one year after the death of the Comte de Chambord, did the people of France, by constitutional enactment, definitively commit themselves to the republican form of government. During the latter part of 1872, Thiers (French statesman and historian; first président of the third Republic; lived 1 797-1877) offended the Monarchists by the announcement that in his opinion the time had come when the republican form of government should be definitively adopted. The Legitimists and the Orleanists thereupon joined forces, overthrew Thiers, and attempted to restore the monarchy through the élection of the Comte de Chambord ; an attempt which was frustrated by the Count himself in the publication of the so-called " White Flag" letter, in which he repudiated the tricolor, and the principes of the Révolution as enibodied in a constitution. This was the death blow to the hopes and aspirations of the Monarchists, although, as has been said above, it was not until after the Count's death that the Republic was definitively established. This was accomplished by Article 2 of the Amendments of August, 1884, which is as follows : —

"The Republican form of the Government cannot be made the subject of a proposed revision.

" Members of families that hâve reigned in France are inéligible to the presidency of the Republic."