Page:Works of Heinrich Heine 07.djvu/164

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144
FRENCH AFFAIRS.

Philippe no longer repeats those words so frequently as he was wont to do; for he felt, in truth, that there was a promise in them, and he who had them ever in his mouth could seek for no quasi-legitimacy, nor maintain aristocratic institutions, nor beg for peace, nor allow any one to insult France without punishment, nor leave the liberties of other lands to their hangmen. It is necessary that Louis Philippe should base upon the confidence of the people that throne which the confidence of the people bestowed on him. He must surround it with republican institutions, as he promised to do, according to the testimony of the most blameless citizen of the two worlds.[1] The lies of the Charte should be destroyed, Valmy and Jemappes become a truth, and Louis Philippe fulfil what his whole life has symbolically promised. As he did once before in Switzerland, so must he now again step as schoolmaster before the globe, and pub- licly declare, "See these beautiful countries, all their inhabitants are free and equal, and if you small folk do not remember it, you will catch a switching."[2] Yes, Louis Philippe should have


  1. Lafayette. This sentence is omitted in the French version, which omission is not noticed by the German editor.—Translator.
  2. French version—"Retenez bien cela, vous autres petites bons hommes, si non vous aurez des palettes," i.e., a spanking.—Translator.