L'Illustration, No. 2518, 30 Mai 1891

The piece opens with a bustling report of the President’s ceremonial arrival in Toulouse, set against the backdrop of a grand triumphal arch and a photograph by Fachinetti. It quickly shifts to the feverish anticipation of a recreated 18th‑century performance at the tiny Trianon theatre, staged to benefit a new statue of the sculptor Houdon. Through witty commentary, the author sketches the fashionable crowd’s worries about seats, attire, and whether a garden snack will be served between acts.

Interwoven with the theatrical buzz is a sly critique of the national scandal surrounding the alleged theft of the “mélinite” secret, presented as a contagion of mistrust that rattles even the most naïve soldiers. The narrative blends vivid descriptions of mail‑coaches, bell‑ringing, and imagined nocturnal torch‑lit parades with a satirical look at how public panic can be soothed by simple gestures. By the end of the opening, listeners are left with a lively portrait of Parisian life—its pageantry, its gossip, and its uneasy balance between republican ideals and royal‑style spectacles.