the second funeral of napoleon-第3章

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authorities　of　the　island；　all　the　principal　inhabitants；　and　the

whole　of　the　garrison；　followed　in　procession　from　the　tomb　to　the

quay。　　But　with　the　exception　of　the　artillerymen　necessary　to　lead

the　horses；　and　occasionally　support　the　car　when　descending　some

steep　parts　of　the　way；　the　places　nearest　the　coffin　were　reserved

for　the　French　mission。　　General　Middlemore；　although　in　a　weak

state　of　health；　persisted　in　following　the　whole　way　on　foot；

together　with　General　Churchill；　chief　of　the　staff　in　India；　who

had　arrived　only　two　days　before　from　Bombay。　　The　immense　weight　of

the　coffins；　and　the　unevenness　of　the　road；　rendered　the　utmost

carefulness　necessary　throughout　the　whole　distance。　　Colonel

Trelawney　commanded　in　person　the　small　detachment　of　artillerymen

who　conducted　the　car；　and；　thanks　to　his　great　care；　not　the

slightest　accident　took　place。　　From　the　moment　of　departure　to　the

arrival　at　the　quay；　the　cannons　of　the　forts　and　the　'Belle　Poule'

fired　minute…guns。　　After　an　hour's　march　the　rain　ceased　for　the

first　time　since　the　commencement　of　the　operations；　and　on　arriving

in　sight　of　the　town　we　found　a　brilliant　sky　and　beautiful　weather。

From　the　morning　the　three　French　vessels　of　war　had　assumed　the

usual　signs　of　deep　mourning：　their　yards　crossed　and　their　flags

lowered。　　Two　French　merchantmen；　'Bonne　Amie'　and　'Indien；'　which

had　been　in　the　roads　for　two　days；　had　put　themselves　under　the

Prince's　orders；　and　followed　during　the　ceremony　all　the　manoeuvers

of　the　'Belle　Poule。'　　The　forts　of　the　town；　and　the　houses　of　the

consuls；　had　also　their　flags　half…mast　high。



〃On　arriving　at　the　entrance　of　the　town；　the　troops　of　the　garrison

and　the　militia　formed　in　two　lines　as　far　as　the　extremity　of　the

quay。　　According　to　the　order　for　mourning　prescribed　for　the

English　army；　the　men　had　their　arms　reversed　and　the　officers　had

crape　on　their　arms；　with　their　swords　reversed。　　All　the

inhabitants　had　been　kept　away　from　the　line　of　march；　but　they

lined　the　terraces；　commanding　the　town；　and　the　streets　were

occupied　only　by　the　troops；　the　91st　Regiment　being　on　the　right

and　the　militia　on　the　left。　　The　cortege　advanced　slowly　between

two　ranks　of　soldiers　to　the　sound　of　a　funeral　march；　while　the

cannons　of　the　forts　were　fired；　as　well　as　those　of　the　'Belle

Poule'　and　the　'Dolphin；'　the　echoes　being　repeated　a　thousand　times

by　the　rocks　above　James　Town。　　After　two　hours'　march　the　cortege

stopped　at　the　end　of　the　quay；　where　the　Prince　de　Joinville　had

stationed　himself　at　the　head　of　the　officers　of　the　three　French

ships　of　war。　　The　greatest　official　honors　had　been　rendered　by　the

English　authorities　to　the　memory　of　the　Emperorthe　most　striking

testimonials　of　respect　had　marked　the　adieu　given　by　St。　Helena　to

his　coffin；　and　from　this　moment　the　mortal　remains　of　the　Emperor

were　about　to　belong　to　France。　　When　the　funeral…car　stopped；　the

Prince　de　Joinville　advanced　alone；　and　in　presence　of　all　around；

who　stood　with　their　heads　uncovered；　received；　in　a　solemn　manner；

the　imperial　coffin　from　the　hands　of　General　Middlemore。　　His　Royal

Highness　then　thanked　the　Governor；　in　the　name　of　France；　for　all

the　testimonials　of　sympathy　and　respect　with　which　the　authorities

and　inhabitants　of　St。　Helena　had　surrounded　the　memorable

ceremonial。　　A　cutter　had　been　expressly　prepared　to　receive　the

coffin。　　During　the　embarkation；　which　the　Prince　directed　himself；

the　bands　played　funeral　airs；　and　all　the　boats　were　stationed

round　with　their　oars　shipped。　　The　moment　the　sarcophagus　touched

the　cutter；　a　magnificent　royal　flag；　which　the　ladies　of　James　Town

had　embroidered　for　the　occasion；　was　unfurled；　and　the　'Belle

Poule'　immediately　squared　her　masts　and　unfurled　her　colors。　　All

the　manoeuvers　of　the　frigate　were　immediately　followed　by　the　other

vessels。　　Our　mourning　had　ceased　with　the　exile　of　Napoleon；　and

the　French　naval　division　dressed　itself　out　in　all　its　festal

ornaments　to　receive　the　imperial　coffin　under　the　French　flag。　　The

sarcophagus　was　covered　in　the　cutter　with　the　imperial　mantle。　　The

Prince　de　Joinville　placed　himself　at　the　rudder；　Commandant　Guyet

at　the　head　of　the　boat；　Generals　Bertrand　and　Gourgaud；　Baron　Las

Cases；　M。　Marchand；　and　the　Abbe　Coquereau　occupied　the　same　places

as　during　the　march。　　Count　Chabot　and　Commandant　Hernoux　were

astern；　a　little　in　advance　of　the　Prince。　　As　soon　as　the　cutter

had　pushed　off　from　the　quay；　the　batteries　ashore　fired　a　salute　of

twenty…one　guns；　and　our　ships　returned　the　salute　with　all　their

artillery。　　Two　other　salutes　were　fired　during　the　passage　from　the

quay　to　the　frigate；　the　cutter　advancing　very　slowly；　and

surrounded　by　the　other　boats。　　At　half…past　six　o'clock　it　reached

the　'Belle　Poule；'　all　the　men　being　on　the　yards　with　their　hats　in

their　hands。　　The　Prince　had　had　arranged　on　the　deck　a　chapel；

decked　with　flags　and　trophies　of　arms；　the　altar　being　placed　at

the　foot　of　the　mizzen…mast。　　The　coffin；　carried　by　our　sailors；

passed　between　two　ranks　of　officers　with　drawn　swords；　and　was

placed　on　the　quarter…deck。　　The　absolution　was　pronounced　by　the

Abbe　Coquereau　the　same　evening。　　Next　day；　at　ten　o'clock；　a　solemn

mass　was　celebrated　on　the　deck；　in　presence　of　the　officers　and

part　of　the　crews　of　the　ships。　　His　Royal　Highness　stood　at　the

foot　of　the　coffin。　　The　cannon　of　the　'Favorite'　and　'Oreste'　fired

minute…guns　during　this　ceremony；　which　terminated　by　a　solemn

absolution；　and　the　Prince　de　Joinville；　the　gentlemen　of　the

mission；　the　officers；　and　the　premiers　maitres　of　the　ship；

sprinkled　holy　water　on　the　coffin。　　At　eleven；　all　the　ceremonies

of　the　church　were　accomplished；　all　the　honors　done　to　a　sovereign

had　been　paid　to　the　mortal　remains　of　Napoleon。　　The　coffin　was

carefully　lowered　between　decks；　and　placed　in　the　chapelle　ardente

which　had　been　prepared　at　Toulon　for　its　reception。　　At　this

moment；　the　vessels　fired　a　last　salute　with　all　their　artillery；

and　the　frigate　took　in　her　flags；　keeping　up　only　her　flag　at　the

stern　and　the　royal　standard　at　the　maintopgallant…mast。　　On　Sunday；

the　18th；　at　eight　in　the　morning；　the　'Belle　Poule'　quitted　St。

Helena　with　her　precious　deposit　on　board。



〃During　the　whole　time　that　the　mission　remained　at　James　Town；　the

best　understanding　never　ceased　to　exist　between　the　population　of

the　island　and　the　French。　　The　Prince　de　Joinville　and　his

companions　met　in　all　quarters　and　at　all　times　with　the　greatest

good…will　and　the　warmest　testimonials　of　sympathy。　　The　authorities

and　the　inhabitants　must　have　felt；　no　doubt；　great　regret　at　seeing

taken　away　from　their　island　the　coffin　that　had　rendered　it　so

celebrated；　but　they　repressed　their　feelings　with　a　courtesy　that

does　honor　to　the　frankness　of　their　character。〃





II。



ON　THE　VOYAGE　FROM　ST。　HELENA　TO　PARIS。





On　the　18th　October　the　French　frigate　quitted　the　island　with　its

precious　burden　on　board。



His　Royal　Highness　the　Captain　acknowledged　cordially　the　kindness

and　attention　which　he　and　his　crew　had　received　from　the　English

authorities　and　the　inhabitants　of　the　Island　of　St。　Helena；　nay；

promised　a　pension　to　an　old　soldier　who　had　been　for　many　years　the

guardian　of　the　imperial　tomb；　and　went　so　far　as　to　take　into

consideration　the　petition　of　a　certain　lodging…house　keeper；　who

prayed　for　a　compensation　for　the　loss　which　the　removal　of　the

Emperor's　body　would　occasion　to　her。　　And　although　it　was　not　to　be

expected　that　the　great　French　nation　should　forego　its　natural

desire　of　recovering　the　remains　of　a　hero　so　dear　to　it　for　the

sake　of　the　individual　interest　of　the　landlady　in　question；　it　must

have　been　satisfactory　to　her　to　find；　that　the　peculiarity　of　her

position　was　so　delicately　appreciated　by　the　august　Prince　who

commanded　the　expedition；　and　carried　away　with　him　animae　dimidium

suaethe　half　of　the　genteel　independence　which　she　derived　from

the　situation　of　her　hotel。　　In　a　word；　politeness　and　friendship

could　not　be　carried　farther。　　The　Prince's　realm　and　the　landlady's

were　bound　together　by　the　closest　ties　of　amity。　　M。　Thiers　was

Minister　of　France；　the　great　patron　of　the　English　alliance。　　At

London　M。　Guizot　was　the　worthy　representative　of　the　French　good…

will　towards　the　British　people；　and　the　remark　frequently　made　by

our　orators　at　public　dinners；　that　〃France　and　England；　while

united；　might　defy　the　world；〃　was　considered　as　likely　to　hold　good

for　many　years　to　come；the　union　that　is。　　As　for　defying　the

world；　that　was　neither　here　nor　there；　nor　did　English　politicians

ever　dream　of　doing　any　such　thing；　except　perhaps　at　the　tenth

glass　of　port　at　〃Freemason's　Tavern。〃



Little；　however；　did　Mrs。　Corbett；　the　St。　Helena　landlady；　little

did　his　Royal　Highness　Prince　Ferdinand　Philip　Marie　de　Joinville

know　what　was　going　on　in　Europe　all　this　time　（when　I　say　in

Europe；　I　mean　in　Turkey；　Syria；　and　Egypt）；　how　clouds；　in　fact；

were　gathering　upon　what　you　call　the　political　horizon；　and　how

tempests　were　rising　that　were　to　blow　to　pieces　our　Anglo…Gallic

temple　of　friendship。　　Oh；　but　it　is　sad　to　think　that　a　single

wicked　old　Turk　should　be　the　means　of　setting　our　two　Christian

nations　by　the　ears！



Yes；　my　love；　this　disreputable　old　man　had　been　for　some　time　past

the　object　of　the　disinterested　attention　of　the　great　sovereigns　of

Europe。　　The　Emperor　Nicolas　（a　moral　character；　though　following

the　Greek　superstition；　and　adored　for　his　mildness　and　benevolence

of　disposition）；　the　Emperor　Ferdinand；　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　our

own　gracious　Queen；　had　taken　such　just　offence　at　his　conduct　and

disobedience　towards　a　young　and　interesting　sovereign；　whose

authority　he　had　disregarded；　whose　fleet　he　had　kidnapped；　whose

fair　provinces　he　had　pounced　upon；　that　they　determined　to　come　to

the　aid　of　Abdul　Medjid　the　First；　Emperor　of　the　Turks；　and　bring

his　rebellious　vassal　to　reason。　　In　this　project　the　French　nation

was　invited　to　join；　but　they　refused　the　invitation；　saying；　that

it　was　necessary　for　the　maintenance　of　the　balance　of　power　in

Europe　that　his　Highness　Mehemet　Ali　should　keep　possession　of　what

by　hook　or　by　crook　he　had　gotten；　and　that　they　would　have　no　hand

in　injuring　him。　　But　why　continue　this　argument；　which　you　have

read　in　the　newspapers　for　many　months　past？　　You；　my　dear；　must

know　as　well　as　I；　that　the　balance　of　power　in　Europe　could　not

possibly　be　maintained　in　any　such　way；　and　though；　to　be　sure；　for

the　last　fifteen　years；　the　progress　of　the　old　robber　has　not　made

much　difference　to　us　in　the　neighborhood　of　Russell　Square；　and　the

battle　of　Nezib　did　not　in　the　least　affect　our　taxes；　our　homes；

our　institutions；　or　the　price　of