There were long consultations in W.’s cabinet, and I went often to our house in the rue Dumont d’Urville to see if everything was in order there, as I quite expected to be back there for Christmas.  A climax was reached when the marshal was asked to sign the deposition of some of the generals.  He absolutely refused—­the ministers persisted in their demands.  There was not much discussion, the marshal’s mind was made up, and on the 30th of January, 1879, he announced in the Conseil des Ministres his irrevocable decision, and handed his ministers his letter of resignation.

We had a melancholy breakfast—­W., Count de P., and I—­the last day of the marshal’s presidency.  W. was very blue, was quite sure the marshal would resign, and foresaw all sorts of complications both at home and abroad.  The day was gloomy too, grey and cold, even the big rooms of the ministry were dark.  As soon as they had started for Versailles, I took baby and went to mother’s.  As I went over the bridge I wondered how many more times I should cross it, and whether the end of the week would see me settled again in my own house.  We drove about and had tea together, and I got back to the Quai d’Orsay about six o’clock.  Neither W. nor Count de P. had got back from Versailles, but there were two telegrams—­the first one to say that the marshal had resigned, the second one that Grevy was named in his place, with a large majority.

[Illustration:  M. Jules Grevy, reading Marshal MacMahon’s letter of resignation to the Chamber of Deputies.  From L’Illustration, February 8. 1879.]

W. was rather depressed when he came home—­he had always a great sympathy and respect for the marshal, and was very sorry to see him go,—­thought his departure would complicate foreign affairs.  As long as the marshal was at the Elysee, foreign governments were not afraid of coups d’etat or revolutions.  He was also sorry that Dufaure would not remain, but he was an old man, had had enough of political life and party struggles—­left the field to younger men.  The marshal’s letter was communicated at once to the Parliament, and the houses met in the afternoon.  There was a short session to hear the marshal’s letter read (by Grevy in the Chamber of Deputies) and the two houses, Senate and Chamber of Deputies, were convoked for a later hour of the same afternoon.  There was not much excitement, two or three names were pronounced, but every one felt sure that Grevy would be the man.  He was nominated by a large majority, and the Republicans were jubilant—­thought the Republic was at last established on a firm and proper basis.  Grevy was perfectly calm and self-possessed—­did not show much enthusiasm.  He must have felt quite sure from the first moment that he would be named.  His first visitor was the marshal, who wished him all possible success in his new mission, and, if Grevy was pleased to be the President of the Republic, the marshal was even more pleased not to be, and to take up his private life again.