The Arcades Project - Operi

conspiracy of hankers, an office manager, an administrator of the railroad-the
priest of the place would rise to his feet and, on the pl'etext of addressing the
sorrows of his congregation, the people (represented by the half-dozen furious
imbeciles who had just been heard), would clarify the situation. His appearance
was distinguished, his bearing irreproachable; his countenance was delicate, fine,
and composed, with a fierce and sinister flash that sometimes lit the small and
piercing eyes, which, in their usual state, were more benevolent than harsh. His
words were measured, colloquial, and precise; it was, along with that of M. Thiel's,
the least declamatory way of speaking I have ever heard. As to the content of his
speech, almost everything in it was just. . .. Where, then, did Corneille learn the
art of war?' cried the Grand Conde at the first performance of Sertorius. Blanqui,
I would surmise, had no more studied war than had Corneille. But possessing, as
he did, the political faculty to a superlative degree, he could manage, ... even in
military matters, all the signals that, when duly heeded, would have called forth
a salute." Cited in Gustave Geffroy, L 'Enfel'me (Paris, 1897), pp. 346-348.
[VBa]
January 1870, after the murder of Victor Noir: Blanqui has the Blanquists, presented
by Granger, file by before him, without letting the fact be known. "He went
out, armed, bidding farewell to his sisters, and took up his post on the Champs­
Elysees. It was there, as Granger had announced to him, that he would find,
parading before him, the army of which he was the mysterious general. He recognized
the squadron leaders, as they came into view, and, behind each of them, he
saw the men grouped geometrically and marching in step, as though in regiments.
It was all done according to plan. Blanqui held his review-strange spectaclewithout
arousing the slightest suspicion. Leaning against a tree, surrounded by the
crowd of onlookers, the vigilant old man saw his comrades pass by, orderly amid
the surging of the people, silent amid the steadily mounting uproar. l? Gustave
Geffroy, L 'Enfel'me (Paris, 1897), pp. 276-277. [V9,1]
On the influence of Machiavelli, which Blanqui felt at Sainte-Pelagie: "In contrast
to the French Blanqui-so lucid, so intelligent, so ironic-there appeared, from
time to time, this old Italian Blanqui, denizen of Florence or of Venice, who put his
faith in tenebrous schemes and in the possible success of an act of force." Gustave
Geffroy, L'Enfe l'me (Paris, 1897), pp. 245-246.
[V9,2]
A type of conspirator characteristic of the 1840s: Daniel Bornle, a journeyman,
half crazy, but above all ambiguous. He worked on assigument from Vidocq,
who, for his part, took his orders from Caussidiere as much as from Louis
Napoleon. BOffile put the regiment of the Vesuvieffi1es on their feet; in 1848, he
was granted an audience, in the company of several Vesuvieffi1es, with Mme. de
Lamartine. Lamartine himself refused to have any dealings with the Vesuviennes.
There seems to have been a plan to set up workshops for them. BOlme
makes an appeal to the citoyennes on a poster dated February 28, 1848:
"To female citizens and patriots, my sisters in the Republic: . .. I have asked