the second funeral of napoleon-第7章

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choristers；　sweetly　modulated　to　the　tones　of　fifteen　score　of

fiddlers。　　Then　you　saw　horse　and　foot；　jack…boots　and　bear…skin；

cuirass　and　bayonet；　National　Guard　and　Line；　marshals　and　generals

all　over　gold；　smart　aides…de…camp　galloping　about　like　mad；　and

high　in　the　midst　of　all；　riding　on　his　golden　buckler；　Solomon　in

all　his　glory；　forsoothImperial　Caesar；　with　his　crown　over　his

head；　laurels　and　standards　waving　about　his　gorgeous　chariot；　and　a

million　of　people　looking　on　in　wonder　and　awe。



His　Majesty　the　Emperor　and　King　reclined　on　his　shield；　with　his

head　a　little　elevated。　　His　Majesty's　skull　is　voluminous；　his

forehead　broad　and　large。　　We　remarked　that　his　Imperial　Majesty's

brow　was　of　a　yellowish　color；　which　appearance　was　also　visible

about　the　orbits　of　the　eyes。　　He　kept　his　eyelids　constantly

closed；　by　which　we　had　the　opportunity　of　observing　that　the　upper

lids　were　garnished　with　eyelashes。　　Years　and　climate　have　effected

upon　the　face　of　this　great　monarch　only　a　trifling　alteration；　we

may　say；　indeed；　that　Time　has　touched　his　Imperial　and　Royal

Majesty　with　the　lightest　feather　in　his　wing。　　In　the　nose　of　the

Conqueror　of　Austerlitz　we　remarked　very　little　alteration：　it　is　of

the　beautiful　shape　which　we　remember　it　possessed　five…and…twenty

years　since；　ere　unfortunate　circumstances　induced　him　to　leave　us

for　a　while。　　The　nostril　and　the　tube　of　the　nose　appear　to　have

undergone　some　slight　alteration；　but　in　examining　a　beloved　object

the　eye　of　affection　is　perhaps　too　critical。　　Vive　l'Empereur！　the

soldier　of　Marengo　is　among　us　again。　　His　lips　are　thinner；

perhaps；　than　they　were　before！　how　white　his　teeth　are！　you　can

just　see　three　of　them　pressing　his　under　lip；　and　pray　remark　the

fulness　of　his　cheeks　and　the　round　contour　of　his　chin。　　Oh；　those

beautiful　white　hands！　many　a　time　have　they　patted　the　cheek　of

poor　Josephine；　and　played　with　the　black　ringlets　of　her　hair。　　She

is　dead　now；　and　cold；　poor　creature；　and　so　are　Hortense　and　bold

Eugene；　than　whom　the　world　never　saw　a　curtier　knight；〃　as　was　said

of　King　Arthur's　Sir　Lancelot。　　What　a　day　would　it　have　been　for

those　three　could　they　have　lived　until　now；　and　seen　their　hero

returning！　　Where's　Ney？　　His　wife　sits　looking　out　from　M。　Flahaut's

window　yonder；　but　the　bravest　of　the　brave　is　not　with　her。　　Murat

too　is　absent：　honest　Joachim　loves　the　Emperor　at　heart；　and

repents　that　he　was　not　at　Waterloo：　who　knows　but　that　at　the　sight

of　the　handsome　swordsman　those　stubborn　English　〃canaille〃　would

have　given　way。　　A　king；　Sire；　is；　you　know；　the　greatest　of

slavesState　affairs　of　consequencehis　Majesty　the　King　of　Naples

is　detained　no　doubt。　　When　we　last　saw　the　King；　however；　and　his

Highness　the　Prince　of　Elchingen；　they　looked　to　have　as　good　health

as　ever　they　had　in　their　lives；　and　we　heard　each　of　them　calmly

calling　out　〃FIRE！〃　as　they　have　done　in　numberless　battles　before。



Is　it　possible？　can　the　Emperor　forget？　　We　don't　like　to　break　it

to　him；　but　has　he　forgotten　all　about　the　farm　at　Pizzo；　and　the

garden　of　the　Observatory？　　Yes；　truly：　there　he　lies　on　his　golden

shield；　never　stirring；　never　so　much　as　lifting　his　eyelids；　or

opening　his　lips　any　wider。



O　vanitas　vanitatum！　　Here　is　our　Sovereign　in　all　his　glory；　and

they　fired　a　thousand　guns　at　Cherbourg　and　never　woke　him！





However；　we　are　advancing　matters　by　several　hours；　and　you　must

give　just　as　much　credence　as　you　please　to　the　subjoined　remarks

concerning　the　Procession；　seeing　that　your　humble　servant　could　not

possibly　be　present　at　it；　being　bound　for　the　church　elsewhere。



Programmes；　however；　have　been　published　of　the　affair；　and　your

vivid　fancy　will　not　fail　to　give　life　to　them；　and　the　whole

magnificent　train　will　pass　before　you。



Fancy　then；　that　the　guns　are　fired　at　Neuilly：　the　body　landed　at

daybreak　from　the　funereal　barge；　and　transferred　to　the　car；　and

fancy　the　car；　a　huge　Juggernaut　of　a　machine；　rolling　on　four

wheels　of　an　antique　shape；　which　supported　a　basement　adorned　with

golden　eagles；　banners；　laurels；　and　velvet　hangings。　　Above　the

hangings　stand　twelve　golden　statues　with　raised　arms　supporting　a

huge　shield；　on　which　the　coffin　lay。　　On　the　coffin　was　the

imperial　crown；　covered　with　violet　velvet　crape；　and　the　whole　vast

machine　was　drawn　by　horses　in　superb　housings；　led　by　valets　in　the

imperial　livery。



Fancy　at　the　head　of　the　procession　first　of　all





The　Gendarmerie　of　the　Seine；　with　their　trumpets　and　Colonel。



The　Municipal　Guard　（horse）；　with　their　trumpets；　standard；　and

Colonel。



Two　squadrons　of　the　7th　Lancers；　with　Colonel；　standard；　and　music。



The　Commandant　of　Paris　and　his　Staff。



A　battalion　of　Infantry　of　the　Line；　with　their　flag；　sappers；

drums；　music；　and　Colonel。



The　Municipal　Guard　（foot）；　with　flag；　drums；　and　Colonel。



The　Sapper…pumpers；　with　ditto。





Then　picture　to　yourself　more　squadrons　of　Lancers　and　Cuirassiers。

The　General　of　the　Division　and　his　Staff；　all　officers　of　all　arms

employed　at　Paris；　and　unattached；　the　Military　School　of　Saint　Cyr；

the　Polytechnic　School；　the　School　of　the　Etat…Major；　and　the

Professors　and　Staff　of　each。　　Go　on　imagining　more　battalions　of

Infantry；　of　Artillery；　companies　of　Engineers；　squadrons　of

Cuirassiers；　ditto　of　the　Cavalry；　of　the　National　Guard；　and　the

first　and　second　legions　of　ditto。



Fancy　a　carriage；　containing　the　Chaplain　of　the　St。　Helena

expedition；　the　only　clerical　gentleman　that　formed　a　part　of　the

procession。



Fancy　you　hear　the　funereal　music；　and　then　figure　in　your　mind's

eye



THE　EMPEROR'S　CHARGER；　that　is；　Napoleon's　own　saddle　and　bridle

（when　First　Consul）　upon　a　white　horse。　　The　saddle　（which　has　been

kept　ever　since　in　the　Garde　Meuble　of　the　Crown）　is　of　amaranth

velvet；　embroidered　in　gold：　the　holsters　and　housings　are　of　the

same　rich　material。　　On　them　you　remark　the　attributes　of　War；

Commerce；　Science；　and　Art。　　The　bits　and　stirrups　are　silver…gilt

chased。　　Over　the　stirrups；　two　eagles　were　placed　at　the　time　of

the　empire。　　The　horse　was　covered　with　a　violet　crape　embroidered

with　golden　bees。



After　this　came　more　Soldiers；　General　Officers；　Sub…Officers；

Marshals；　and　what　was　said　to　be　the　prettiest　sight　almost　of　the

whole；　the　banners　of　the　eighty…six　Departments　of　France。　　These

are　due　to　the　invention　of　M。　Thiers；　and　were　to　have　been

accompanied　by　federates　from　each　Department。　　But　the　government

very　wisely　mistrusted　this　and　some　other　projects　of　Monsieur

Thiers；　and　as　for　a　federation；　my　dear；　IT　HAS　BEEN　TRIED。　　Next

comes



His　Royal　Highness；　the　Prince　de　Joinville。



The　600　sailors　of　the　〃Belle　Poule〃　marching　in　double　file　on　each

side　of



THE　CAR。



＇Hush！　the　enormous　crowd　thrills　as　it　passes；　and　only　some　few

voices　cry　Vive　l'Empereur！　　Shining　golden　in　the　frosty　sunwith

hundreds　of　thousands　of　eyes　upon　it；　from　houses　and　housetops；

from　balconies；　black；　purple；　and　tricolor；　from　tops　of　leafless

trees；　from　behind　long　lines　of　glittering　bayonets　under　schakos

and　bear…skin　caps；　from　behind　the　Line　and　the　National　Guard

again；　pushing；　struggling；　heaving；　panting；　eager；　the　heads　of　an

enormous　multitude　stretching　out　to　meet　and　follow　it；　amidst　long

avenues　of　columns　and　statues　gleaming　white；　of　standards　rainbow…

colored；　of　golden　eagles；　of　pale　funereal　urns；　of　discharging

odors　amidst　huge　volumes　of　pitch…black　smoke；



THE　GREAT　IMPERIAL　CHARIOT　ROLLS　MAJESTICALLY　ON。



The　cords　of　the　pall　are　held　by　two　Marshals；　an　Admiral　and

General　Bertrand；　who　are　followed　by



The　Prefects　of　the　Seine　and　Police；　&c。



The　Mayors　of　Paris；　&c。



The　Members　of　the　Old　Guard；　&c。



A　Squadron　of　Light　Dragoons；　&c。



Lieutenant…General　Schneider；　&c。



More　cavalry；　more　infantry；　more　artillery；　more　everybody；　and　as

the　procession　passes；　the　Line　and　the　National　Guard　forming　line

on　each　side　of　the　road　fall　in　and　follow　it；　until　it　arrives　at

the　Church　of　the　Invalides；　where　the　last　honors　are　to　be　paid　to

it。＇





Among　the　company　assembled　under　the　dome　of　that　edifice；　the

casual　observer　would　not　perhaps　have　remarked　a　gentleman　of　the

name　of　Michael　Angelo　Titmarsh；　who　nevertheless　was　there。　　But

as；　my　dear　Miss　Smith；　the　descriptions　in　this　letter；　from　the

words　in　page　298；　line　20THE　PARTY　MOVEDup　to　the　words　PAID　TO

IT；　on　this　page；　have　purely　emanated　from　your　obedient　servant's

fancy；　and　not　from　his　personal　observation　（for　no　being　on　earth；

except　a　newspaper　reporter；　can　be　in　two　places　at　once）；　permit

me　now　to　communicate　to　you　what　little　circumstances　fell　under　my

own　particular　view　on　the　day　of　the　15th　of　December。



As　we　came　out；　the　air　and　the　buildings　round　about　were　tinged

with　purple；　and　the　clear　sharp　half…moon　before…mentioned　was

still　in　the　sky；　where　it　seemed　to　be　lingering　as　if　it　would

catch　a　peep　of　the　commencement　of　the　famous　procession。　　The　Arc

de　Triomphe　was　shining　in　a　keen　frosty　sunshine；　and　looking　as

clean　and　rosy　as　if　it　had　just　made　its　toilette。　　The　canvas　or

pasteboard　image　of　Napoleon；　of　which　only　the　gilded　legs　had　been

erected　the　night　previous；　was　now　visible；　body；　head；　crown；

sceptre　and　all；　and　made　an　imposing　show。　　Long　gilt　banners　were

flaunting　about；　with　the　imperial　cipher　and　eagle；　and　the　names

of　the　battles　and　victories　glittering　in　gold。　　The　long　avenues

of　the　Champs　Elysees　had　been　covered　with　sand　for　the　convenience

of　the　great　procession　that　was　to　tramp　across　it　that　day。

Hundreds　of　people　were　marching　to　and　fro；　laughing；　chattering；

singing；　gesticulating　as　happy　Frenchmen　do。　　There　is　no

pleasanter　sight　than　a　French　crowd　on　the　alert　for　a　festival；

and　nothing　more　catching　than　their　good…humor。　　As　for　the　notion

which　has　been　put　forward　by　some　of　the　opposition　newspapers　that

the　populace　were　on　this　occasion　unusually　solemn　or　sentimental；

it　would　be　paying　a　bad　compliment　to　the　natural　gayety　of　the

nation；　to　say　that　it　was；　on　the　morning　at　least　of　the　15th　of

December；　affected　in　any　such　absurd　way。　　Itinerant　merchants　were

shouting　out　lustily　their　commodities　of　segars　and　brandy；　and　the

weather　was　so　bitter　cold；　that　they　could　not　fail　to　find　plenty

of　customers。　　Carpenters　and　workmen　were　still　making　a　huge

banging　and　clattering　among　the　sheds　which　were　built　for　the

accommodation　of　the　visitors。　　Some　of　these　sheds　were　hung　with

black；　such　as　one　sees　before　churches　in　funerals；　some　were　robed

in　violet；　in　compliment　to　the　Emperor　whose　mourning　they　put　on。

Most　of　them　had　fine　tricolor　hangings　wi