The Memoirs of François René Vicomte de Chateaubriand sometime Ambassador to England. volume 5 (of 6): Mémoires d'outre-tombe volume 5Chateaubriand, François-René, vicomte de
History
The Memoirs of François René Vicomte de Chateaubriand sometime Ambassador to England. volume 5 (of 6): Mémoires d'outre-tombe volume 5
Chateaubriand, François-René, vicomte de
Chateaubriand, François-René, vicomte de, 1768-1848
"If Providence inflict yet a few hours upon me, shall I behold
your triumphs, after having had the honour of embracing your
adversities? Shall I receive that guerdon of my faith? At the
moment when you return happy, I would joyfully go to end in
retirement the days commenced in exile. Alas, I am disconsolate to
be able to do nothing for your present destinies! My words die away
in mere waste around the walls of your prison: the noise of the
winds, of the waves and of men, at the foot of the lonely fortress,
will not even allow the last accents of a faithful voice to ascend
to where you are."
PARIS, _March_ 1833.
Some newspapers, having repeated the phrase, "Madame, your son is my
King!" were indicted in the courts for a press offense; I found myself
involved in the proceedings. This time, I could not take exception to
the competency of the judges; I had to try to save by my presence the
men attacked for my sake; my honour was at stake and I had to answer
for my works.
Moreover, the day before my summons before the court, the _Moniteur_
had given the declaration of Madame la Duchesse de Berry[490]; if I
had stayed away, they would have thought that the Royalist Party was
retreating, that it was abandoning misfortune and blushing for the
Princess whose heroism it had celebrated.
There was no lack of timid counsellors who said to me:
"Do not put in an appearance; you will be too much embarrassed with
your phrase, 'Madame, your son is my King!'"
"I shall shout it louder than ever," I replied.
I went to the very court where the revolutionary tribunal had formerly
been installed, where Marie-Antoinette had appeared, where my brother
had been condemned. The Revolution of July has ordered the removal of
the crucifix whose presence, while consoling innocence, caused the
judge to tremble.
[Sidenote: My trial in Paris.]
My appearance before the judges had a fortunate effect; it
counterbalanced for a moment the effect of the declaration in the
_Moniteur_ and maintained the mother of Henry V. in the rank in which
her courageous adventure had placed her: men hesitated, when they saw
that the Royalist Party dared to face the event and did not consider
itself beaten.
I did not want a counsel, but M. Ledru, who had attached himself
to me at the time of my imprisonment, wished to speak: he grew
disconcerted and gave me great uneasiness. M. Berryer, who represented
the _Quotidienne_, indirectly took up my defense. At the end of
the proceedings, I called the jury the "universal peerage," which
contributed not a little towards the acquittal of all of us[491].
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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