the second funeral of napoleon-第6章

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something　loving　and　kindly；　that　has　kept　his　name　so　cherished　in

the　popular　memory；　and　gained　him　such　lasting　reverence　and

affection。



But；　Madam；　one　may　respect　the　dead　without　feeling　awe…stricken　at

the　plumes　of　the　hearse；　and　I　see　no　reason　why　one　should

sympathize　with　the　train　of　mutes　and　undertakers；　however　deep　may

be　their　mourning。　　Look；　I　pray　you；　at　the　manner　in　which　the

French　nation　has　performed　Napoleon's　funeral。　　Time　out　of　mind；

nations　have　raised；　in　memory　of　their　heroes；　august　mausoleums；

grand　pyramids；　splendid　statues　of　gold　or　marble；　sacrificing

whatever　they　had　that　was　most　costly　and　rare；　or　that　was　most

beautiful　in　art；　as　tokens　of　their　respect　and　love　for　the　dead

person。　　What　a　fine　example　of　this　sort　of　sacrifice　is　that

（recorded　in　a　book　of　which　Simplicity　is　the　great　characteristic）

of　the　poor　woman　who　brought　her　pot　of　precious　ointmenther　all；

and　laid　it　at　the　feet　of　the　Object　which；　upon　earth；　she　most

loved　and　respected。　　〃Economists　and　calculators〃　there　were　even

in　those　days　who　quarrelled　with　the　manner　in　which　the　poor　woman

lavished　so　much　〃capital；〃　but　you　will　remember　how　nobly　and

generously　the　sacrifice　was　appreciated；　and　how　the　economists

were　put　to　shame。



With　regard　to　the　funeral　ceremony　that　has　just　been　performed

here；　it　is　said　that　a　famous　public　personage　and　statesman；

Monsieur　Thiers　indeed；　spoke　with　the　bitterest　indignation　of　the

general　style　of　the　preparations；　and　of　their　mean　and　tawdry

character。　　He　would　have　had　a　pomp　as　magnificent；　he　said；　as

that　of　Rome　at　the　triumph　of　Aurelian：　he　would　have　decorated　the

bridges　and　avenues　through　which　the　procession　was　to　pass；　with

the　costliest　marbles　and　the　finest　works　of　art；　and　have　had　them

to　remain　there　for　ever　as　monuments　of　the　great　funeral。



The　economists　and　calculators　might　here　interpose　with　a　great

deal　of　reason；　for；　indeed；　there　was　no　reason　why　a　nation　should

impoverish　itself　to　do　honor　to　the　memory　of　an　individual　for

whom；　after　all；　it　can　feel　but　a　qualified　enthusiasm：　but　it

surely　might　have　employed　the　large　sum　voted　for　the　purpose　more

wisely　and　generously；　and　recorded　its　respect　for　Napoleon　by　some

worthy　and　lasting　memorial；　rather　than　have　erected　yonder

thousand　vain　heaps　of　tinsel；　paint；　and　plaster；　that　are　already

cracking　and　crumbling　in　the　frost；　at　three　days　old。



Scarcely　one　of　the　statues；　indeed；　deserves　to　last　a　month：　some

are　odious　distortions　and　caricatures；　which　never　should　have　been

allowed　to　stand　for　a　moment。　　On　the　very　day　of　the　fete；　the

wind　was　shaking　the　canvas　pedestals；　and　the　flimsy　wood…work　had

begun　to　gape　and　give　way。　　At　a　little　distance；　to　be　sure；　you

could　not　see　the　cracks；　and　pedestals　and　statues　LOOKED　like

marble。　　At　some　distance；　you　could　not　tell　but　that　the　wreaths

and　eagles　were　gold　embroidery；　and　not　gilt　paperthe　great

tricolor　flags　damask；　and　not　striped　calico。　　One　would　think　that

these　sham　splendors　betokened　sham　respect；　if　one　had　not　known

that　the　name　of　Napoleon　is　held　in　real　reverence；　and　observed

somewhat　of　the　character　of　the　nation。　　Real　feelings　they　have；

but　they　distort　them　by　exaggeration；　real　courage；　which　they

render　ludicrous　by　intolerable　braggadocio；　and　I　think　the　above

official　account　of　the　Prince　de　Joinville's　proceedings；　of　the

manner　in　which　the　Emperor's　remains　have　been　treated　in　their

voyage　to　the　capital；　and　of　the　preparations　made　to　receive　him

in　it；　will　give　my　dear　Miss　Smith　some　means　of　understanding　the

social　and　moral　condition　of　this　worthy　people　of　France。





III。



ON　THE　FUNERAL　CEREMONY。





Shall　I　tell　you；　my　dear；　that　when　Francois　woke　me　at　a　very

early　hour　on　this　eventful　morning；　while　the　keen　stars　were　still

glittering　overhead；　a　half…moon；　as　sharp　as　a　razor；　beaming　in

the　frosty　sky；　and　a　wicked　north　wind　blowing；　that　blew　the　blood

out　of　one's　fingers　and　froze　your　leg　as　you　put　it　out　of　bed；

shall　I　tell　you；　my　dear；　that　when　Francois　called　me；　and　said；

〃V'la　vot'　cafe；　Monsieur　Titemasse；　buvez…le；　tiens；　il　est　tout

chaud；〃　I　felt　myself；　after　imbibing　the　hot　breakfast；　so

comfortable　under　three　blankets　and　a　mackintosh；　that　for　at　least

a　quarter　of　an　hour　no　man　in　Europe　could　say　whether　Titmarsh

would　or　would　not　be　present　at　the　burial　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon。



Besides；　my　dear；　the　cold；　there　was　another　reason　for　doubting。

Did　the　French　nation；　or　did　they　not；　intend　to　offer　up　some　of

us　English　over　the　imperial　grave？　　And　were　the　games　to　be

concluded　by　a　massacre？　　It　was　said　in　the　newspapers　that　Lord

Granville　had　despatched　circulars　to　all　the　English　resident　in

Paris；　begging　them　to　keep　their　homes。　　The　French　journals

announced　this　news；　and　warned　us　charitably　of　the　fate　intended

for　us。　　Had　Lord　Granville　written？　　Certainly　not　to　me。　　Or　had

he　written　to　all　EXCEPT　ME？　　And　was　I　THE　VICTIMthe　doomed　one？

to　be　seized　directly　I　showed　my　face　in　the　Champs　Elysees；　and

torn　in　pieces　by　French　Patriotism　to　the　frantic　chorus　of　the

〃Marseillaise？〃　　Depend　on　it；　Madam；　that　high　and　low　in　this　city

on　Tuesday　were　not　altogether　at　their　ease；　and　that　the　bravest

felt　no　small　tremor！　　And　be　sure　of　this；　that　as　his　Majesty

Louis　Philippe　took　his　nightcap　off　his　royal　head　that　morning；　he

prayed　heartily　that　he　might；　at　night；　put　it　on　in　safety。



Well；　as　my　companion　and　I　came　out　of　doors；　being　bound　for　the

Church　of　the　Invalides；　for　which　a　Deputy　had　kindly　furnished　us

with　tickets；　we　saw　the　very　prettiest　sight　of　the　whole　day；　and

I　can't　refrain　from　mentioning　it　to　my　dear；　tender…hearted　Miss

Smith。



In　the　same　house　where　I　live　（but　about　five　stories　nearer　the

ground）　lodges　an　English　family；　consisting　of　　1。　　A　great…

grandmother；　a　hale；　handsome　old　lady　of　seventy；　the　very　best…

dressed　and　neatest　old　lady　in　Paris。　　2。　　A　grandfather　and

grandmother；　tolerably　young　to　bear　that　title。　　3。　　A　daughter。

And　4。　　Two　little　great…grand；　or　grandchildren；　that　may　be　of　the

age　of　three　and　one；　and　belong　to　a　son　and　daughter　who　are　in

India。　　The　grandfather；　who　is　as　proud　of　his　wife　as　he　was

thirty　years　ago　when　he　married；　and　pays　her　compliments　still

twice　or　thrice　in　a　day；　and　when　he　leads　her　into　a　room　looks

round　at　the　persons　assembled；　and　says　in　his　heart；　〃Here；

gentlemen；　here　is　my　wifeshow　me　such　another　woman　in　England；〃

this　gentleman　had　hired　a　room　on　the　Champs　Elysees；　for　he　would

not　have　his　wife　catch　cold　by　exposing　her　to　the　balconies　in　the

open　air。



When　I　came　to　the　street；　I　found　the　family　assembled　in　the

following　order　of　march：





No。　1；　the　great…grandmother　walking　daintily　along；　supported　by

No。　3；　her　granddaughter。



A　nurse　carrying　No。　4　junior；　who　was　sound　asleep：　and　a　huge

basket　containing　saucepans；　bottles　of　milk；　parcels　of　infants'

food；　certain　dimity　napkins；　a　child's　coral；　and　a　little　horse

belonging　to　No。　4　senior。



A　servant　bearing　a　basket　of　condiments。



No。　2；　grandfather；　spick　and　span；　clean　shaved；　hat　brushed；

white　buckskin　gloves；　bamboo　cane；　brown　great…coat；　walking　as

upright　and　solemn　as　may　be；　having　his　lady　on　his　arm。



No。　4；　senior；　with　mottled　legs　and　a　tartan　costume；　who　was

frisking　about　between　his　grandpapa's　legs；　who　heartily　wished　him

at　home。





〃My　dear；〃　his　face　seemed　to　say　to　his　lady；　〃I　think　you　might

have　left　the　little　things　in　the　nursery；　for　we　shall　have　to

squeeze　through　a　terrible　crowd　in　the　Champs　Elysees。〃



The　lady　was　going　out　for　a　day's　pleasure；　and　her　face　was　full

of　care：　she　had　to　look　first　after　her　old　mother　who　was　walking

ahead；　then　after　No。　4　junior　with　the　nursehe　might　fall　into

all　sorts　of　danger；　wake　up；　cry；　catch　cold；　nurse　might　slip

down；　or　heaven　knows　what。　　Then　she　had　to　look　her　husband　in　the

face；　who　had　gone　to　such　expense　and　been　so　kind　for　her　sake；

and　make　that　gentleman　believe　she　was　thoroughly　happy；　and；

finally；　she　had　to　keep　an　eye　upon　No。　4　senior；　who；　as　she　was

perfectly　certain；　was　about　in　two　minutes　to　be　lost　for　ever；　or

trampled　to　pieces　in　the　crowd。



These　events　took　place　in　a　quiet　little　street　leading　into　the

Champs　Elysees；　the　entry　of　which　we　had　almost　reached　by　this

time。　　The　four　detachments　above　described；　which　had　been

straggling　a　little　in　their　passage　down　the　street；　closed　up　at

the　end　of　it；　and　stood　for　a　moment　huddled　together。　　No。　3；　Miss

X；　began　speaking　to　her　companion　the　great…grandmother。



〃Hush；　my　dear；〃　said　that　old　lady；　looking　round　alarmed　at　her

daughter。　　〃SPEAK　FRENCH。〃　　And　she　straightway　began　nervously　to

make　a　speech　which　she　supposed　to　be　in　that　language；　but　which

was　as　much　like　French　as　Iroquois。　　The　whole　secret　was　out：　you

could　read　it　in　the　grandmother's　face；　who　was　doing　all　she　could

to　keep　from　crying；　and　looked　as　frightened　as　she　dared　to　look。

The　two　elder　ladies　had　settled　between　them　that　there　was　going

to　be　a　general　English　slaughter　that　day；　and　had　brought　the

children　with　them；　so　that　they　might　all　be　murdered　in　company。



God　bless　you；　O　women；　moist…eyed　and　tender…hearted！　　In　those

gentle　silly　tears　of　yours　there　is　something　touches　one；　be　they

never　so　foolish。　　I　don't　think　there　were　many　such　natural　drops

shed　that　day　as　those　which　just　made　their　appearance　in　the

grandmother's　eyes；　and　then　went　back　again　as　if　they　had　been

ashamed　of　themselves；　while　the　good　lady　and　her　little　troop

walked　across　the　road。　　Think　how　happy　she　will　be　when　night

comes；　and　there　has　been　no　murder　of　English；　and　the　brood　is　all

nestled　under　her　wings　sound　asleep；　and　she　is　lying　awake

thanking　God　that　the　day　and　its　pleasures　and　pains　are　over。

Whilst　we　were　considering　these　things；　the　grandfather　had

suddenly　elevated　No。　4　senior　upon　his　left　shoulder；　and　I　saw　the

tartan　hat　of　that　young　gentleman；　and　the　bamboo　cane　which　had

been　transferred　to　him；　high　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd　on　the

opposite　side　through　which　the　party　moved。





After　this　little　procession　had　passed　awayyou　may　laugh　at　it；

but　upon　my　word　and　conscience；　Miss　Smith；　I　saw　nothing　in　the

course　of　the　day　which　affected　me　moreafter　this　little

procession　had　passed　away；　the　other　came；　accompanied　by　gun…

banging；　flag…waving；　incense…burning；　trumpets　pealing；　drums

rolling；　and　at　the　close；　received　by　the　voice　of　six　hundred

choristers；　sweetly　modulated　to　the　tones　of　fifteen　score　of

fiddlers。　　Then　you　saw　horse　a