Page 1419 - les-miserables

CHAPTER IV

CRACKS BENEATH

THE FOUNDATION

At the moment when the drama which we are narrat-
ing is on the point of penetrating into the depths of one
of the tragic clouds which envelop the beginning of Louis
Philippe’s reign, it was necessary that there should be no
equivoque, and it became requisite that this book should of-
fer some explanation with regard to this king.
Louis Philippe had entered into possession of his roy-
al authority without violence, without any direct action
on his part, by virtue of a revolutionary change, evidently
quite distinct from the real aim of the Revolution, but in
which he, the Duc d’Orleans, exercised no personal initia-
tive. He had been born a Prince, and he believed himself to
have been elected King. He had not served this mandate on
himself; he had not taken it; it had been offered to him, and
he had accepted it; convinced, wrongly, to be sure, but con-
vinced nevertheless, that the offer was in accordance with
right and that the acceptance of it was in accordance with
duty. Hence his possession was in good faith. Now, we say

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