bbly white hair. He seemed
to have got there by magic, for no one had seen him spring into
that place. He looked around him for an instant, much as a sailor
glances over the sky in a storm, then, stretching out his short
right arm, he made a curious downstroke which conveyed an impression
of intense vitality and will. Profound silence was established
in a moment. The elderly man then made another gesture, throwing
his arm up, as if to say: 'Good! Now you will listen.' He then,
in a thin, piping, but distinctly audible voice, began a sharp
practical address. Everyone listened with the utmost attention;
none dared to interrupt him. He spoke for five minutes, nervously
pounding the air from time to time, and sometimes howling his words
at the listeners in a manner that made them cringe. He counselled
moderation, accord, decency, but above all, instant action. 'The
settlement of the Alsace-Lorraine question,' said he, 'will virtually
decide whether we have peace or continued war with Prussia.' Then,
with an imperious gesture of command, he turned away. 'Come,' he
said, 'let us to our committee-rooms, and let us say what we think.'"

Two hours later, the committee appointed to recommend a chief of
the executive power announced that its choice had fallen on this
orator, M. Thiers. At once he was proclaimed head of the French
Republic, but not before he had hurried out of the theatre. Then
the session closed, and a quarter of an hour after, Lord Lyons,
the English ambassador, had waited on M. Thiers to inform him that
Her Majesty's Government recognized the French Republic.

From that moment, for more than two years, M. Thiers was the supreme
ruler of France. His work was visible in every department of
administration. Ministers, while his power lasted, simply obeyed
his commands.

There were some amusing, gossipy stories told in Bordeaux of Thiers'
entrance into possession of Gambetta's bachelor quarters at the
Prefecture. "Pah! what a smell of tobacco!" he is said to have
cried, as he strutted into his deposed rival's study. All his family
joined him in bewailing the condition of the house; and until it
could be cleansed and purified they were glad to accept an invitation
to take refuge in the archbishop's palace. In a few days all was
put to rights, and a guard of honor was set to keep off intruders
on the chief's privacy. On the first day of this arrangement, M.
Thiers addressed some question to the sentinel. The man wa