October 30.--I received the letter of the Société des Gens de Lettres asking me to authorise a public reading of Les Chatiments, the proceeds of which will give to Paris another cannon to be called the “Victor Hugo.” I gave the authorisation. In my reply written this morning I demanded that instead of “Victor Hugo” the gun be called the “Châteaudun.” The reading will take place at the Porte Saint Martin. M. Berton came. I read to him _L’Expiation_, which he is to read. M. and Mme. Meurice and d’Alton-Shée were present at the reading. News has arrived that Metz has capitulated and that Bazaine’s army has surrendered. Bills announcing the reading of _Les Châtiments_ have been posted. M. Raphael Felix came to tell me the time at which the rehearsal is to take place tomorrow. I hired a seven-seat box for this reading, which I placed at the disposal of the ladies. On returning home this evening I met in front of the Mairie, M. Chaudey, who was at the Lausanne Peace Conference and who is Mayor of the Sixth Arrondissement. He was with M. Philibert Audebrand. We talked sorrowfully about the taking of Metz. October 31.--Skirmish at the Hotel de Ville. Blanqui, Flourens and Delescluze want to overthrow the provisional power, Trochu and Jules Favre. I refuse to associate myself with them. An immense crowd. My name is on the lists of members for the proposed Government. I persist in my refusal. Flourens and Blanqui held some of the members of the Government prisoners at the Hotel de Ville all day. At midnight some National Guards came from the Hotel de Ville to fetch me “to preside,” they said, “over the new Government.” I replied that I was most emphatically opposed to this attempt to seize the power and refused to go to the Hotel de Ville. At 3 o’clock in the morning Flourens and Blanqui quitted the Hotel de Ville and Trochu entered it. The Commune of Paris is to be elected. November 1.--We have postponed for a few days the reading of _Les Châtiments_, which was to have been given at the Porte Saint Martin to-day, Tuesday. Louis Blanc came this morning to consult me as to what ought to be the conduct of the Commune. The newspapers unanimously praise the attitude I took yesterday in rejecting the advances made to me. November 2.--The Government demands a “yes” or a “no.” Louis Blanc and my sons came to talk to me about it. The report that Alexandre Dumas is dead is denied. November 4.--I have been requested to be Mayor of the Third, also of the Eleventh, Arrondissement. I refused. I went to the rehearsal of _Les Châtiments_ at the Porte Saint Martin. Frédérick Lemaitre and Mmes. Laurent, Lia Felix and Duguéret were present. November 5.--To-day the public reading of _Les Châtiments_, the proceeds of which are to purchase a cannon for the defence of Paris, was given. The Third, Eleventh and Fifteenth Arrondissements want me to stand for Mayor. I refuse. Mérimée has died at Cannes. Dumas is not dead, but he is paralyzed.