Of Gambetta no one as yet thought, although his name was
respected, since he had made himself felt the last season as the most
vehement speaker in the Chamber. But it was not speakers who were
wanted, and people did not know that he was a man of action.
The Ministry that followed Ollivier's inspired me with no confidence.
Palikao, the Prime Minister, was termed in the papers an _iron man_
(the usual set phrase). It was said that he "would not scruple to clear
the boulevards with grape"; but the genius needed for such a performance
was not overwhelming. What he had to do was to clear France of the
Germans, and that was more difficult.
Renan had had to interrupt the journey to Spitzbergen which he had
undertaken in Prince Napoleon's company; the Prince and his party had
only reached Tromsoee, when they were called back on account of the war,
and Renan was in a state of the most violent excitement. He said: "No
punishment could be too great for that brainless scoundrel Ollivier, and
the Ministry that has followed his is worse. Every thinking man could
see for himself that the declaration of this war was madness. (_A-t-on
jamais vu pareille folie, mon Dieu, mon Dieu, c'est navrant. Nous sommes
un peuple desarconne._)" In his eyes, Palikao was no better than a
robber, Jerome David than a murderer.
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