ll chances of repelling the Germans
from French soil vanished after the shameful capitulation of Bazaine at
Metz.

Nevertheless, all who saw M. Gambetta during his proconsulate at Tours
will remember with what a splendid energy he worked, how sincerely
hopeful he was, and--this must not be forgotten--how uniformly generous
and genial. Invested with despotic powers, he never once abused them to
molest an opponent.

[Illustration: The enrollment of volunteers, 1870.]

In his public harangues, both at Tours and Bordeaux (whither the
Provisional Government repaired in December, being driven southward by
the German advance), he somehow always managed to electrify his hearers.
He spoke from balconies, railway carriages, curb-stones; wherever he
went the people demanded a speech of him, and his words never failed to
cheer, while they conquered for him a wide popularity. Indeed, Gambetta
so deluded himself while diffusing hope and combativeness into
others, that when, after a five months' siege, Paris capitulated, he
still persisted in thinking that resistance was possible, and rather
than take any part in the national surrender he gave in his resignation.
He was by that time fairly worn out, and had to go to St. Sebastian to
recruit his health. It was alleged that he went there so as to avoid
taking any side in the civil war between the Parliament of Versailles
and the Commune; but after the Communist Government had been at work a
fortnight, and when the impracticability of its aims was fully
disclosed, he took care to let it be known that he was on the side of
the National Assembly.

M. Thiers did not understand Gambetta as Gambetta understood him, or he
would not have resigned in 1873, saying that the Republicans were making
his work too difficult. When Marshal MacMahon succeeded to the
Presidency it looked as if the Republic were doomed, and nothing but M.
Gambetta's wonderful suppleness and tact during the sessions of 1874-75
could have saved it. He had to keep himself in the background, to use an
Italian astuteness in explaining away the blunders of his followers; and
when this would not do he had to use violent language, which should
frighten timid doctrinaire Orleanists with prospects of popular risings
in which he would take the lead. His greatest triumphs were earned when,
by dint of superhuman coaxing in the lobbies, he got the Republic
proclaimed as the Government of France (in 1875, on M. Wallon's motion)
by a