Gladstone was in himself handsomer, clearer, and more
open, Disraeli spoke with a finer point, and more elegantly, had a
larger oratorical compass, more often made a witty hit, and evoked more
vigorous response and applause. Their point of disagreement was the
forthcoming war; Disraeli wished all the documents regarding it to be
laid before parliament; Gladstone declared that he could not produce
them. In England, as elsewhere, the war that was just breaking out
dominated every thought.
XXII.
The Paris I saw again was changed. Even on my way from Calais I heard,
to my astonishment, the hitherto strictly forbidden _Marseillaise_
hummed and muttered. In Paris, people went arm in arm about the streets
singing, and the _Marseillaise_ was heard everywhere. The voices
were generally harsh, and it was painful to hear the song that had
become sacred through having been silenced so long, profaned in this
wise, in the bawling and shouting of half-drunken men at night. But the
following days, as well, it was hummed, hooted, whistled and sung
everywhere, and as the French are one of the most unmusical nations on
earth, it sounded for the most part anything but agreeable.
In those days, while no collision between the masses of troops had as
yet taken place, there was a certain cheerfulness over Paris; it could
be detected in every conversation; people were more lively, raised their
voices more, chatted more than at other times; the cabmen growled more
loudly, and cracked their whips more incessantly than usual.
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