Volume 103 — "LE GRAND FRANÇAIS."
Reading edition
["With all his faults, M. de Lesseps is perhaps the most remarkable—we may even say the most illustrious—of living Frenchmen."—The Times.]
Jacques Bonhomme loquitur:— Someone should suffer—yes, of course— For the depletion of my stocking; But Le Grand Français? Bah! Remorse Moves me to tears. It seems too shocking. Get back my money? Pas de chance! And then he is the pride of France! I raged, I know, four years ago, Against those Panama projectors. The law seemed slack, inquiry slow; How I denounced them, the Directors, Including him—in some vague fashion; But then—Bonhomme was in a passion! And now to see the gendarme's hand— Half-shrinkingly—upon his shoulder, Our Grand Français—so old, so grand! Ma foi, it palsies the beholder. And will it lessen my large loss To fix a stain on the Grand Cross? Too sanguine? Too seductive? Yes! But was it not such hopeful charming That led him to his old success? The thought is softening, and disarming; O'er Suez and the Red Sea glance, And see what he has done for France! Peste on this Panama affair! Egyptian sands sucked not our savings As did those swamps. Still I can't bear To see him suffer. 'Midst my cravings For la revanche, I'd fain not touch Our Greatest Frenchman—'tis too much!