the second funeral of napoleon-第8章

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

Most　of　them　had　fine　tricolor　hangings　with　appropriate　inscriptions

to　the　glory　of　the　French　arms。



All　along　the　Champs　Elysees　were　urns　of　plaster…of…Paris　destined

to　contain　funeral　incense　and　flames；　columns　decorated　with　huge

flags　of　blue；　red；　and　white；　embroidered　with　shining　crowns；

eagles；　and　N's　in　gilt　paper；　and　statues　of　plaster　representing

Nymphs；　Triumphs；　Victories；　or　other　female　personages；　painted　in

oil　so　as　to　represent　marble。　　Real　marble　could　have　had　no　better

effect；　and　the　appearance　of　the　whole　was　lively　and　picturesque

in　the　extreme。　　On　each　pillar　was　a　buckler；　of　the　color　of

bronze；　bearing　the　name　and　date　of　a　battle　in　gilt　letters：　you

had　to　walk　through　a　mile…long　avenue　of　these　glorious

reminiscences；　telling　of　spots　where；　in　the　great　imperial　days；

throats　had　been　victoriously　cut。



As　we　passed　down　the　avenue；　several　troops　of　soldiers　met　us：　the

garde…muncipale　a　cheval；　in　brass　helmets　and　shining　jack…boots；

noble…looking　men；　large；　on　large　horses；　the　pick　of　the　old　army；

as　I　have　heard；　and　armed　for　the　special　occupation　of　peace…

keeping：　not　the　most　glorious；　but　the　best　part　of　the　soldier's

duty；　as　I　fancy。　　Then　came　a　regiment　of　Carabineers；　one　of

Infantrylittle；　alert；　brown…faced；　good…humored　men；　their　band

at　their　head　playing　sounding　marches。　　These　were　followed　by　a

regiment　or　detachment　of　the　Municipals　on　foottwo　or　three

inches　taller　than　the　men　of　the　Line；　and　conspicuous　for　their

neatness　and　discipline。　　By…and…by　came　a　squadron　or　so　of

dragoons　of　the　National　Guards：　they　are　covered　with　straps；

buckles；　aguillettes；　and　cartouche…boxes；　and　make　under　their

tricolor　cock's…plumes　a　show　sufficiently　warlike。　　The　point　which

chiefly　struck　me　on　beholding　these　military　men　of　the　National

Guard　and　the　Line；　was　the　admirable　manner　in　which　they　bore　a

cold　that　seemed　to　me　as　sharp　as　the　weather　in　the　Russian

retreat；　through　which　cold　the　troops　were　trotting　without

trembling　and　in　the　utmost　cheerfulness　and　good…humor。　　An　aide…

de…camp　galloped　past　in　white　pantaloons。　　By　heavens！　it　made　me

shudder　to　look　at　him。



With　this　profound　reflection；　we　turned　away　to　the　right　towards

the　hanging…bridge　（where　we　met　a　detachment　of　young　men　of　the

Ecole　de　l'Etat　Major；　fine…looking　lads；　but　sadly　disfigured　by

the　wearing　of　stays　or　belts；　that　make　the　waists　of　the　French

dandies　of　a　most　absurd　tenuity）；　and　speedily　passed　into　the

avenue　of　statues　leading　up　to　the　Invalides。　　All　these　were

statues　of　warriors　from　Ney　to　Charlemagne；　modelled　in　clay　for

the　nonce；　and　placed　here　to　meet　the　corpse　of　the　greatest

warrior　of　all。　　Passing　these；　we　had　to　walk　to　a　little　door　at

the　back　of　the　Invalides；　where　was　a　crowd　of　persons　plunged　in

the　deepest　mourning；　and　pushing　for　places　in　the　chapel　within。



The　chapel　is　spacious　and　of　no　great　architectural　pretensions；

but　was　on　this　occasion　gorgeously　decorated　in　honor　of　the　great

person　to　whose　body　it　was　about　to　give　shelter。



We　had　arrived　at　nine；　the　ceremony　was　not　to　begin；　they　said；

till　two：　we　had　five　hours　before　us　to　see　all　that　from　our

places　could　be　seen。



We　saw　that　the　roof；　up　to　the　first　lines　of　architecture；　was

hung　with　violet；　beyond　this　with　black。　　We　saw　N's；　eagles；　bees；

laurel　wreaths；　and　other　such　imperial　emblems；　adorning　every　nook

and　corner　of　the　edifice。　　Between　the　arches；　on　each　side　of　the

aisle；　were　painted　trophies；　on　which　were　written　the　names　of

some　of　Napoleon's　Generals　and　of　their　principal　deeds　of　arms

and　not　their　deeds　of　arms　alone；　pardi；　but　their　coats　of　arms

too。　　O　stars　and　garters！　but　this　is　too　much。　　What　was　Ney's

paternal　coat；　prithee；　or　honest　Junot's　quarterings；　or　the

venerable　escutcheon　of　King　Joachim's　father；　the　innkeeper？



You　and　I；　dear　Miss　Smith；　know　the　exact　value　of　heraldic

bearings。　　We　know　that　though　the　greatest　pleasure　of　all　is　to

ACT　like　a　gentleman；　it　is　a　pleasure；　nay　a　merit；　to　BE　oneto

come　of　an　old　stock；　to　have　an　honorable　pedigree；　to　be　able　to

say　that　centuries　back　our　fathers　had　gentle　blood；　and　to　us

transmitted　the　same。　　There　IS　a　good　in　gentility：　the　man　who

questions　it　is　envious；　or　a　coarse　dullard　not　able　to　perceive

the　difference　between　high　breeding　and　low。　　One　has　in　the　same

way　heard　a　man　brag　that　he　did　not　know　the　difference　between

wines；　not　hegive　him　a　good　glass　of　port；　and　he　would　pitch　all

your　claret　to　the　deuce。　　My　love；　men　often　brag　about　their　own

dulness　in　this　way。



In　the　matter　of　gentlemen；　democrats　cry；　〃Psha！　　Give　us　one　of

Nature's　gentlemen；　and　hang　your　aristocrats。〃　　And　so　indeed

Nature　does　make　SOME　gentlemena　few　here　and　there。　　But　Art

makes　most。　　Good　birth；　that　is；　good　handsome　well…formed　fathers

and　mothers；　nice　cleanly　nursery…maids；　good　meals；　good　physicians；

good　education；　few　cares；　pleasant　easy　habits　of　life；　and

luxuries　not　too　great　or　enervating；　but　only　refininga　course　of

these　going　on　for　a　few　generations　are　the　best　gentleman…makers

in　the　world；　and　beat　Nature　hollow。



If；　respected　Madam；　you　say　that　there　is　something　BETTER　than

gentility　in　this　wicked　world；　and　that　honesty　and　personal　wealth

are　more　valuable　than　all　the　politeness　and　high…breeding　that

ever　wore　red…heeled　pumps；　knights'　spurs；　or　Hoby's　boots；

Titmarsh　for　one　is　never　going　to　say　you　nay。　　If　you　even　go　so

far　as　to　say　that　the　very　existence　of　this　super…genteel　society

among　us；　from　the　slavish　respect　that　we　pay　to　it；　from　the

dastardly　manner　in　which　we　attempt　to　imitate　its　airs　and　ape　its

vices；　goes　far　to　destroy　honesty　of　intercourse；　to　make　us　meanly

ashamed　of　our　natural　affections　and　honest；　harmless　usages；　and

so　does　a　great　deal　more　harm　than　it　is　possible　it　can　do　good　by

its　exampleperhaps；　Madam；　you　speak　with　some　sort　of　reason。

Potato　myself；　I　can't　help　seeing　that　the　tulip　yonder　has　the

best　place　in　the　garden；　and　the　most　sunshine；　and　the　most　water；

and　the　best　tendingand　not　liking　him　over　well。　　But　I　can't

help　acknowledging　that　Nature　has　given　him　a　much　finer　dress　than

ever　I　can　hope　to　have；　and　of　this；　at　least；　must　give　him　the

benefit。



Or　say；　we　are　so　many　cocks　and　hens；　my　dear　（sans　arriere

pensee）；　with　our　crops　pretty　full；　our　plumes　pretty　sleek；　decent

picking　here　and　there　in　the　straw…yard；　and　tolerable　snug

roosting　in　the　barn：　yonder　on　the　terrace；　in　the　sun；　walks

Peacock；　stretching　his　proud　neck；　squealing　every　now　and　then　in

the　most　pert　fashionable　voice　and　flaunting　his　great　supercilious

dandified　tail。　　Don't　let　us　be　too　angry；　my　dear；　with　the

useless；　haughty；　insolent　creature；　because　he　despises　us。

SOMETHING　is　there　about　Peacock　that　we　don't　possess。　　Strain　your

neck　ever　so；　you　can't　make　it　as　long　or　as　blue　as　hiscock　your

tail　as　much　as　you　please；　and　it　will　never　be　half　so　fine　to

look　at。　　But　the　most　absurd；　disgusting；　contemptible　sight　in　the

world　would　you　and　I　be；　leaving　the　barn…door　for　my　lady's

flower…garden；　forsaking　our　natural　sturdy　walk　for　the　peacock's

genteel　rickety　stride；　and　adopting　the　squeak　of　his　voice　in　the

place　of　our　gallant　lusty　cock…a…doodle…dooing。



Do　you　take　the　allegory？　　I　love　to　speak　in　such；　and　the　above

types　have　been　presented　to　my　mind　while　sitting　opposite　a

gimcrack　coat…of…arms　and　coronet　that　are　painted　in　the　Invalides

Church；　and　assigned　to　one　of　the　Emperor's　Generals。



Ventrebleu！　　Madam；　what　need　have　THEY　of　coats…of…arms　and

coronets；　and　wretched　imitations　of　old　exploded　aristocratic

gewgaws　that　they　had　flung　out　of　the　countrywith　the　heads　of

the　owners　in　them　sometimes；　for　indeed　they　were　not　particulara

score　of　years　before？　　What　business；　forsooth；　had　they　to　be

meddling　with　gentility　and　aping　its　ways；　who　had　courage；　merit；

daring；　genius　sometimes；　and　a　pride　of　their　own　to　support；　if

proud　they　were　inclined　to　be？　　A　clever　young　man　（who　was　not　of

high　family　himself；　but　had　been　bred　up　genteelly　at　Eton　and　the

university）young　Mr。　George　Canning；　at　the　commencement　of　the

French　Revolution；　sneered　at　〃Roland　the　Just；　with　ribbons　in　his

shoes；〃　and　the　dandies；　who　then　wore　buckles；　voted　the　sarcasm

monstrous　killing。　　It　was　a　joke；　my　dear；　worthy　of　a　lackey；　or

of　a　silly　smart　parvenu；　not　knowing　the　society　into　which　his

luck　had　cast　him　（God　help　him！　in　later　years；　they　taught　him

what　they　were！）；　and　fancying　in　his　silly　intoxication　that

simplicity　was　ludicrous　and　fashion　respectable。　　See；　now；　fifty

years　are　gone；　and　where　are　shoebuckles？　　Extinct；　defunct；　kicked

into　the　irrevocable　past　off　the　toes　of　all　Europe！



How　fatal　to　the　parvenu；　throughout　history；　has　been　this　respect

for　shoebuckles。　　Where；　for　instance；　would　the　Empire　of　Napoleon

have　been；　if　Ney　and　Lannes　had　never　sported　such　a　thing　as　a

coat…of…arms；　and　had　only　written　their　simple　names　on　their

shields；　after　the　fashion　of　Desaix's　scutcheon　yonder？the　bold

Republican　who　led　the　crowning　charge　at　Marengo；　and　sent　the　best

blood　of　the　Holy　Roman　Empire　to　the　right…about；　before　the

wretched　misbegotten　imperial　heraldry　was　born；　that　was　to　prove

so　disastrous　to　the　father　of　it。　　It　has　always　been　so。　　They

won't　amalgamate。　　A　country　must　be　governed　by　the　one　principle

or　the　other。　　But　give；　in　a　republic；　an　aristocracy　ever　so

little　chance；　and　it　works　and　plots　and　sneaks　and　bullies　and

sneers　itself　into　place；　and　you　find　democracy　out　of　doors。　　Is

it　good　that　the　aristocracy　should　so　triumph？that　is　a　question

that　you　may　settle　according　to　your　own　notions　and　taste；　and

permit　me　to　say；　I　do　not　care　twopence　how　you　settle　it。　　Large

books　have　been　written　upon　the　subject　in　a　variety　of　languages；

and　coming　to　a　variety　of　conclusions。　　Great　statesmen　are　there

in　our　country；　from　Lord　Londonderry　down　to　Mr。　Vincent；　each　in

his　degree　maintaining　his　different　opinion。　　But　here；　in　the

matter　of　Napoleon；　is　a　simple　fact：　he　founded　a　great；　glorious；

strong；　potent　republic；　able　to　cope　with　the　best　aristocracies　in

the　world；　and　perhaps　to　beat　them　all；　he　converts　his　republic

into　a　monarchy；　and　surrounds　his　monarchy　with　what　he　calls

aristocratic　institutions；　and　you　know　what　becomes　of　him。　　The

people　estranged；　the　aristocracy　faithless　（when　did　they　ever

pardon　one　who　was　not　of　themselves？）the　imperial　fabric　tumbles

to　the　ground。　　If　it　teaches　nothing　else；　my　dear；　it　teaches　one

a　great　point　of　policynamely