All were acquitted after an admirable speech for the defense by M. Berryer, who appeared for the Quotidienne and the Gazette de France. Maître Charles Ledru appeared for the defense of the Écho français and, incidentally and, as it seems, somewhat unfortunately, for Chateaubriand.—B.
[492] Jean Charles Persil (1785-1870) was a deputy from 1830 to 1839, a peer of France from 1839 to 1848 and a Councillor of State under the Second Empire. Immediately after the Revolution of July, he was appointed Attorney-general to the Royal Court of Paris. His zeal in prosecuting the republican and legitimist papers alike won him a formidable unpopularity.—B.
[493] M. de Falloux, who had made his way into court in a barrister's robes, describes the scene in his Memoirs. When the presiding judge had announced the acquittal of all the defendants, the crowd pressed around Berryer and Chateaubriand. The latter was obliged to cling to M. de Falloux' arm so as not to be thrown down.
"I don't like fuss!" he kept saying. "I don't like fuss! Take me quickly to my carriage!"
But on the steps the cheers were redoubled:
"Long live Chateaubriand! The liberty of the press for ever!"
They wanted to unharness the horses and yoke themselves to the carriage:
"Don't!" he entreated. "It's very far, it's very far, you can't do it!"
At last the driver succeeded in clearing a way, and set out at a gallop. (Cf. Falloux, Mémoires d'un royaliste, vol. I. p. 60.)—B.
[494] The famous restaurateur in the Palais-Royal. Alas, at the moment of writing this note, Chevet's has just put out its fires and closed its doors!—B.