His Excellency the Minister | Page 4

journal and who have reached the summit only
by the influence of his authority with the public; Denis Garnier, the
Parisian workman who has had an experience of the hulks as the result
of imbibing too freely of sentimental prose and of lending too ready an
ear to the golden speech of some tavern demagogue, who has now had
enough of politics and who scarcely troubles to think what former
retailer of treasonable language, what Gracchus of the sidewalk may
be minister, Vaudrey or Pichereau, or even Granet: all these types are
separately analyzed and vigorously generalized. Monsieur Claretie
designated no one in particular but we elbow the characters in his book
every day of our lives. He has, moreover, written a book of a robust
and healthy novelty. The picture of the greenroom of the Ballet with
which the tale opens and where we are introduced in the most natural
way possible to nearly all the characters that play a part in the story of
Vaudrey is masterly in execution and intention. It is Balzac, but Balzac
toned down and more limpid."
I will stop here at the greenroom of the Ballet commended by Monsieur
J.-J. Weiss, to give a slight sketch, clever as a drawing by Saint' Aubin
or a lithograph by Gavarni, which Monsieur Ludovic Halévy has
contributed to a journal and in which he also praises the romance that
the feuilletoniste of the Débats has criticized with an authority so
discriminating and a benevolence so profound.

It was very agreeable for me to observe that such a thorough Parisian
as the shrewd and witty author of Les Petites Cardinal should find that
the Opéra--which certainly plays a rôle in our politics--had been
sufficiently well portrayed by the author of Monsieur le Ministre. And
upon this, the first chapter of my book, Monsieur Ludovic Halévy adds,
moreover, some special and piquant details which are well worth
quoting:
"That which gave me very great pleasure in this tale of a man of
politics is that politics really have little, very little place in the novel; it
is love that dominates it and in the most despotic and pleasant way
possible. This great man of Grenoble who arrives at Paris in order to
reform everything, repair everything, elevate everything, falls at once
under the sway of a most charming Parisian adventuress. See Sulpice
Vaudrey the slave of Marianne. Marianne's gray eyes never leave
him--But she in her turn meets her master--and Marianne's master is
Adolphe Gochard, a horrid Parisian blackguard--who is so much her
master that, after all, the real hero of the romance is Adolphe Gochard.
Such is the secret philosophy of this brilliant and ingenious romance.
"I have, however, a little quarrel on my own account with Monsieur
Jules Claretie. Nothing can be more brilliantly original than the
introductory chapter of Monsieur le Ministre. Sulpice Vaudrey makes
his first appearance behind the scenes of the Opéra, and from the sides
of the stage, in the stage boxes, opera-glasses are turned upon him, and
he hears whispered:
"'It is the new Minister of the Interior.'
"'Nonsense! Monsieur Vaudrey?'
"'Yes, Monsieur Vaudrey--'
"In short, the appearance of his Excellency creates a sensation, and it
is against this statement that I protest. I go frequently to the Opéra,
very frequently. During the last ten years I have seen defile before me
in the wings, at least fifty Ministers of State, all just freshly ground out.
Curiosity had brought them there and the desire to see the dancers at

close quarters, and also the vague hope that by exhibiting themselves
there in all their glory, they would create a sensation in this little
world.
"Well, this hope of theirs was never realized. Nobody took the trouble
to look at them. A minister nowadays is nobody of importance.
Formerly to rise to such a position, to take in hand the reins of one of
the great departments, it was necessary to have a certain exterior, a
certain prominence, something of a past--to be a Monsieur Thiers,
Monsieur Guizot, Monsieur Mole, Monsieur de Rémusat, Monsieur
Villemain, Monsieur Duchátel, Monsieur de Falloux or Monsieur de
Broglie--that is to say, an orator, an author, a historian, somebody in
fact. But nowadays, all that is necessary to be a minister is the votes of
certain little combinations of groups and subsidiary groups, who all
expect a share of the spoils. Therefore we are ruled by certain
personages illustrious perhaps at Gap or at Montélimar but who are
quite unknown in the genealogical records of the Boulevard
Haussmann. Why should you imagine that public attention would be
attracted by news like this:
"'Look!--There is Monsieur X, or Monsieur Y, or Monsieur Z.'
"One person only during these last years ever succeeded in attracting
the attention of the songstresses and