the second funeral of napoleon-第1章

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The　Second　Funeral　of　Napoleon



by　William　Makepeace　Thackeray

〃by　Michael　Angelo　Titmarch。〃





I。　　On　the　Disinterment　of　Napoleon　at　St。　Helena



II。　　On　the　Voyage　from　St。　Helena　to　Paris



III。　　On　the　Funeral　Ceremony









I。



ON　THE　DISINTERMENT　OF　NAPOLEON　AT　ST。　HELENA。





MY　DEAR　；It　is　no　easy　task　in　this　world　to　distinguish

between　what　is　great　in　it；　and　what　is　mean；　and　many　and　many　is

the　puzzle　that　I　have　had　in　reading　History　（or　the　works　of

fiction　which　go　by　that　name）；　to　know　whether　I　should　laud　up　to

the　skies；　and　endeavor；　to　the　best　of　my　small　capabilities；　to

imitate　the　remarkable　character　about　whom　I　was　reading；　or

whether　I　should　fling　aside　the　book　and　the　hero　of　it；　as　things

altogether　base；　unworthy；　laughable；　and　get　a　novel；　or　a　game　of

billiards；　or　a　pipe　of　tobacco；　or　the　report　of　the　last　debate　in

the　House；　or　any　other　employment　which　would　leave　the　mind　in　a

state　of　easy　vacuity；　rather　than　pester　it　with　a　vain　set　of

dates　relating　to　actions　which　are　in　themselves　not　worth　a　fig；

or　with　a　parcel　of　names　of　people　whom　it　can　do　one　no　earthly

good　to　remember。



It　is　more　than　probable；　my　love；　that　you　are　acquainted　with　what

is　called　Grecian　and　Roman　history；　chiefly　from　perusing；　in　very

early　youth；　the　little　sheepskin…bound　volumes　of　the　ingenious　Dr。

Goldsmith；　and　have　been　indebted　for　your　knowledge　of　the　English

annals　to　a　subsequent　study　of　the　more　voluminous　works　of　Hume

and　Smollett。　　The　first　and　the　last…named　authors；　dear　Miss

Smith；　have　written　each　an　admirable　history；that　of　the　Reverend

Dr。　Primrose；　Vicar　of　Wakefield；　and　that　of　Mr。　Robert　Bramble；　of

Bramble　Hallin　both　of　which　works　you　will　find　true　and

instructive　pictures　of　human　life；　and　which　you　may　always　think

over　with　advantage。　　But　let　me　caution　you　against　putting　any

considerable　trust　in　the　other　works　of　these　authors；　which　were

placed　in　your　hands　at　school　and　afterwards；　and　in　which　you　were

taught　to　believe。　　Modern　historians；　for　the　most　part；　know　very

little；　and；　secondly；　only　tell　a　little　of　what　they　know。



As　for　those　Greeks　and　Romans　whom　you　have　read　of　in　〃sheepskin；〃

were　you　to　know　really　what　those　monsters　were；　you　would　blush

all　over　as　red　as　a　hollyhock；　and　put　down　the　history…book　in　a

fury。　　Many　of　our　English　worthies　are　no　better。　　You　are　not　in　a

situation　to　know　the　real　characters　of　any　one　of　them。　　They

appear　before　you　in　their　public　capacities；　but　the　individuals

you　know　not。　　Suppose；　for　instance；　your　mamma　had　purchased　her

tea　in　the　Borough　from　a　grocer　living　there　by　the　name　of

Greenacre：　suppose　you　had　been　asked　out　to　dinner；　and　the

gentleman　of　the　house　had　said：　〃Ho！　Francois！　a　glass　of　champagne

for　Miss　Smith；〃Courvoisier　would　have　served　you　just　as　any

other　footman　would；　you　would　never　have　known　that　there　was

anything　extraordinary　in　these　individuals；　but　would　have　thought

of　them　only　in　their　respective　public　characters　of　Grocer　and

Footman。　　This；　Madam；　is　History；　in　which　a　man　always　appears

dealing　with　the　world　in　his　apron；　or　his　laced　livery；　but　which

has　not　the　power　or　the　leisure；　or；　perhaps；　is　too　high　and

mighty　to　condescend　to　follow　and　study　him　in　his　privacy。　　Ah；　my

dear；　when　big　and　little　men　come　to　be　measured　rightly；　and　great

and　small　actions　to　be　weighed　properly；　and　people　to　be　stripped

of　their　royal　robes；　beggars'　rags；　generals'　uniforms；　seedy　out…

at…elbowed　coats；　and　the　likeor　the　contrary　say；　when　souls　come

to　be　stripped　of　their　wicked　deceiving　bodies；　and　turned　out

stark　naked　as　they　were　before　they　were　bornwhat　a　strange

startling　sight　shall　we　see；　and　what　a　pretty　figure　shall　some　of

us　cut！　　Fancy　how　we　shall　see　Pride；　with　his　Stultz　clothes　and

padding　pulled　off；　and　dwindled　down　to　a　forked　radish！　　Fancy

some　Angelic　Virtue；　whose　white　raiment　is　suddenly　whisked　over

his　head；　showing　us　cloven　feet　and　a　tail！　　Fancy　Humility；　eased

of　its　sad　load　of　cares　and　want　and　scorn；　walking　up　to　the　very

highest　place　of　all；　and　blushing　as　he　takes　it！　　Fancy；but　we

must　not　fancy　such　a　scene　at　all；　which　would　be　an　outrage　on

public　decency。　　Should　we　be　any　better　than　our　neighbors？　　No；

certainly。　　And　as　we　can't　be　virtuous；　let　us　be　decent。

Figleaves　are　a　very　decent；　becoming　wear；　and　have　been　now　in

fashion　for　four　thousand　years。　　And　so；　my　dear；　history　is

written　on　fig…leaves。　　Would　you　have　anything　further？　　O　fie！



Yes；　four　thousand　years　ago　that　famous　tree　was　planted。　　At　their

very　first　lie；　our　first　parents　made　for　it；　and　there　it　is　still

the　great　Humbug　Plant；　stretching　its　wide　arms；　and　sheltering

beneath　its　leaves；　as　broad　and　green　as　ever；　all　the　generations

of　men。　　Thus；　my　dear；　coquettes　of　your　fascinating　sex　cover

their　persons　with　figgery；　fantastically　arranged；　and　call　their

masquerading；　modesty。　　Cowards　fig　themselves　out　fiercely　as

〃salvage　men；〃　and　make　us　believe　that　they　are　warriors。　　Fools

look　very　solemnly　out　from　the　dusk　of　the　leaves；　and　we　fancy　in

the　gloom　that　they　are　sages。　　And　many　a　man　sets　a　great　wreath

about　his　pate　and　struts　abroad　a　hero；　whose　claims　we　would　all

of　us　laugh　at；　could　we　but　remove　the　ornament　and　see　his

numskull　bare。



And　such（excuse　my　sermonizing）such　is　the　constitution　of

mankind；　that　men　have；　as　it　were；　entered　into　a　compact　among

themselves　to　pursue　the　fig…leaf　system　a　l'outrance；　and　to　cry

down　all　who　oppose　it。　　Humbug　they　will　have。　　Humbugs　themselves；

they　will　respect　humbugs。　　Their　daily　victuals　of　life　must　be

seasoned　with　humbug。　　Certain　things　are　there　in　the　world　that

they　will　not　allow　to　be　called　by　their　right　names；　and　will

insist　upon　our　admiring；　whether　we　will　or　no。　　Woe　be　to　the　man

who　would　enter　too　far　into　the　recesses　of　that　magnificent　temple

where　our　Goddess　is　enshrined；　peep　through　the　vast　embroidered

curtains　indiscreetly；　penetrate　the　secret　of　secrets；　and　expose

the　Gammon　of　Gammons！　　And　as　you　must　not　peer　too　curiously

within；　so　neither　must　you　remain　scornfully　without。　　Humbug…

worshippers；　let　us　come　into　our　great　temple　regularly　and

decently：　take　our　seats；　and　settle　our　clothes　decently；　open　our

books；　and　go　through　the　service　with　decent　gravity；　listen；　and

be　decently　affected　by　the　expositions　of　the　decent　priest　of　the

place；　and　if　by　chance　some　straggling　vagabond；　loitering　in　the

sunshine　out　of　doors；　dares　to　laugh　or　to　sing；　and　disturb　the

sanctified　dulness　of　the　faithful；quick！　a　couple　of　big　beadles

rush　out　and　belabor　the　wretch；　and　his　yells　make　our　devotions

more　comfortable。



Some　magnificent　religious　ceremonies　of　this　nature　are　at　present

taking　place　in　France；　and　thinking　that　you　might　perhaps　while

away　some　long　winter　evening　with　an　account　of　them；　I　have

compiled　the　following　pages　for　your　use。　　Newspapers　have　been

filled；　for　some　days　past；　with　details　regarding　the　St。　Helena

expedition；　many　pamphlets　have　been　published；　men　go　about　crying

little　books　and　broadsheets　filled　with　real　or　sham　particulars；

and　from　these　scarce　and　valuable　documents　the　following　pages　are

chiefly　compiled。



We　must　begin　at　the　beginning；　premising；　in　the　first　place；　that

Monsieur　Guizot；　when　French　Ambassador　at　London；　waited　upon　Lord

Palmerston　with　a　request　that　the　body　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon

should　be　given　up　to　the　French　nation；　in　order　that　it　might　find

a　final　resting…place　in　French　earth。　　To　this　demand　the　English

Government　gave　a　ready　assent；　nor　was　there　any　particular

explosion　of　sentiment　upon　either　side；　only　some　pretty　cordial

expressions　of　mutual　good…will。　　Orders　were　sent　out　to　St。　Helena

that　the　corpse　should　be　disinterred　in　due　time；　when　the　French

expedition　had　arrived　in　search　of　it；　and　that　every　respect　and

attention　should　he　paid　to　those　who　came　to　carry　back　to　their

country　the　body　of　the　famous　dead　warrior　and　sovereign。



This　matter　being　arranged　in　very　few　words　（as　in　England；　upon

most　points；　is　the　laudable　fashion）；　the　French　Chambers　began　to

debate　about　the　place　in　which　they　should　bury　the　body　when　they

got　it；　and　numberless　pamphlets　and　newspapers　out　of　doors　joined

in　the　talk。　　Some　people　there　were　who　had　fought　and　conquered

and　been　beaten　with　the　great　Napoleon；　and　loved　him　and　his

memory。　　Many　more　were　there　who；　because　of　his　great　genius　and

valor；　felt　excessively　proud　in　their　own　particular　persons；　and

clamored　for　the　return　of　their　hero。　　And　if　there　were　some　few

individuals　in　this　great　hot…headed；　gallant；　boasting；　sublime；

absurd　French　nation；　who　had　taken　a　cool　view　of　the　dead

Emperor's　character；　if；　perhaps；　such　men　as　Louis　Philippe；　and

Monsieur　A。　Thiers；　Minister　and　Deputy；　and　Monsieur　Francois

Guizot；　Deputy　and　Excellency；　had；　from　interest　or　conviction；

opinions　at　all　differing　from　those　of　the　majority；　why；　they　knew

what　was　what；　and　kept　their　opinions　to　themselves；　coming　with　a

tolerably　good　grace　and　flinging　a　few　handfuls　of　incense　upon　the

altar　of　the　popular　idol。



In　the　succeeding　debates；　then；　various　opinions　were　given　with

regard　to　the　place　to　be　selected　for　the　Emperor's　sepulture。

〃Some　demanded；〃　says　an　eloquent　anonymous　Captain　in　the　Navy　who

has　written　an　〃Itinerary　from　Toulon　to　St。　Helena；〃　〃that　the

coffin　should　be　deposited　under　the　bronze　taken　from　the　enemy　by

the　French　armyunder　the　Column　of　the　Place　Vendome。　　The　idea

was　a　fine　one。　　This　is　the　most　glorious　monument　that　was　ever

raised　in　a　conqueror's　honor。　　This　column　has　been　melted　out　of

foreign　cannon。　　These　same　cannons　have　furrowed　the　bosoms　of　our

braves　with　noble　cicatrices；　and　this　metalconquered　by　the

soldier　first；　by　the　artist　afterwardshas　allowed　to　be　imprinted

on　its　front　its　own　defeat　and　our　glory。　　Napoleon　might　sleep　in

peace　under　this　audacious　trophy。　　But；　would　his　ashes　find　a

shelter　sufficiently　vast　beneath　this　pedestal？　　And　his　puissant

statue　dominating　Paris；　beams　with　sufficient　grandeur　on　this

place：　whereas　the　wheels　of　carriages　and　the　feet　of　passengers

would　profane　the　funereal　sanctity　of　the　spot　in　trampling　on　the

soil　so　near　his　head。〃



You　must　not　take　this　description；　dearest　Amelia；　〃at　the　foot　of

the　letter；〃　as　the　French　phrase　it；　but　you　will　here　have　a

masterly　exposition　of　the　arguments　for　and　against　the　burial　of

the　Emperor　under　the　Column　of　the　Place　Vendome。　　The　idea　was　a

fine　one；　granted；　but；　like　all　other　ideas；　it　was　open　to

objections。　　You　must　not　fan