napoleon bonaparte, v3-第17章

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enjoying　the　magnificent　weather；　spread　itself　over　the　boulevards；　the
quays；　and　the　public　squares；　on　which　were　prepared　an　infinite　variety
of　amusements。

The　heralds…at…arms　went　at　an　early　hour　through　all　the　public　places；
throwing　to　the　crowd；　which　pressed　around　them；　medals　struck　in　memory
of　the　coronation。　　These　medals　represented　on　one　side　the　likeness　of
the　Emperor；　his　brow　encircled　with　the　crown　of　the　Caesars；　with　this
motto：　Napoleon；　Empereur。　　On　the　reverse　side　was　the　figure　of　a
magistrate；　with　the　attributes　of　his　office　around　him；　and　that　of　an
ancient　warrior；　bearing　on　a　shield　a　hero　crowned；　and　covered　with　the
imperial　mantle。　　Above　was　written：　The　Senate　and　the　People。　　Soon
after　the　passage　of　the　heralds…at…arms　the　rejoicings　commenced；　and
were　prolonged　far　into　the　evening。

There　had　been　erected　on　the　Place　Louis　XV。；　which　was　called　then　the
Place　de　la　Concorde；　four　large　square　rooms　of　temporary　woodwork；　for
dancing　and　waltzing。　　Stages　for　the　presentation　of　pantomimes　and
farces　were　placed　on　the　boulevards　here　and　there；　groups　of　singers
and　musicians　executed　national　airs　and　warlike　marches；　greased　poles；
rope…dancers；　sports　of　all　kinds；　attracted　the　attention　of　promenaders
at　every　step；　and　enabled　them　to　await　without　impatience　the
illuminations　and　the　fireworks。

The　display　of　fireworks　was　most　admirable。　　From　the　Place　Louis　XV。
to　the　extreme　end　of　the　Boulevard　Saint…Antoine；　ran　a　double　line　of
colored　lights　in　festoons。　　The　palace　of　the　Corps…Legislatif；　formerly
the　Garde…Meuble；　was　resplendent　with　lights；　and　the　gates　of　Saint…
Denis　and　Saint…Martin　were　covered　with　lamps　from　top　to　bottom。

In　the　evening　all　those　interested　betook　themselves　to　the　quays　and
bridges；　in　order　to　witness　the　fireworks　which　were　set　off　from　the
Bridge　de　la　Concorde　（now　called　Bridge　Louis　XVI。）；　and　which　far
surpassed　in　magnificence　all　that　had　ever　been　seen。




CHAPTER　XXII。

Wednesday；　Dec。　5；　three　days　after　the　coronation；　the　Emperor　made　a
distribution　of　the　colors　on　the　Champ…de…Mars。

In　front　of　Ecole…Militaire　a　balcony　was　erected；　covered　with　awnings；
and　placed　on　a　level　with　the　apartments　on　the　first　floor。　　The　middle
awning；　supported　by　four　columns；　each　one　of　which　was　a　gilded　figure
representing　Victory；　covered　the　throne　on　which　their　Majesties　were
seated。　　A　most　fortunate　precaution；　for　on　that　day　the　weather　was
dreadful；　the　thaw　had　come　suddenly；　and　every　one　knows　what　a　Paris
thaw　is。

Around　the　throne　were　ranged　princes　and　princesses；　grand　dignitaries；
ministers；　marshals　of　the　Empire；　grand　officers　of　the　crown；　the
ladies　of　the　court；　and　the　council　of　state。

This　balcony　was　divided　on　the　right　and　left　into　sixteen　compartments；
decorated　with　banners；　and　crowned　with　eagles；　these　divisions
representing　the　sixteen　cohorts　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　　Those　on　the
right　were　occupied　by　the　Senate；　the　officers　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；
the　court　of　appeals；　and　the　chiefs　of　the　national　treasury；　and　those
on　the　left　by　the　Tribunate　and　the　Corps…Legislatif。

At　each　end　of　the　balcony　was　a　pavilion。　　That　on　the　side　next　the
city　was　styled　the　imperial　tribune；　and　intended　for　foreign　princes；
while　the　diplomatic　corps　and　foreign　personages　of　distinction　filled
the　other　pavilion。

From　this　gallery　an　immense　staircase　descended　into　the　Champ…de…Mars；
the　first　step　of　which　formed　a　bench　below　the　tribunes；　and　was
occupied　by　the　presidents　of　the　cantons；　the　prefects；　the　sub…
prefects；　and　the　members　of　the　municipal　council。　　On　each　side　of　this
staircase　were　placed　the　colossal　figures　of　France　making　peace　and
France　making　war。　　Upon　the　steps　were　seated　the　colonels　of　regiments；
and　the　presidents　of　the　electoral　colleges　of　the　department；　holding
aloft　the　imperial　eagles。

The　cortege　of　their　Majesties　set　out　at　noon　from　the　chateau　of　the
Tuileries；　in　the　same　order　adopted　at　the　coronation：　the　chasseurs　of
the　guard　and　the　squadrons　of　mamelukes　marching　in　front；　the　Legion
d'　Elite　and　the　mounted　grenadiers　following　the　municipal　guard；　while
the　grenadiers　of　the　guard　closed　up　the　line。　　Their　Majesties　having
entered　l'Ecole…Militaire；　received　the　homage　of　the　diplomatic　corps；
who　were　stationed　for　this　purpose　in　the　reception…rooms。　　Then　the
Emperor　and　Empress；　having　donned　their　insignia　of　royalty；　took　their
seats　upon　the　throne；　while　the　air　was　rent　with　reiterated　discharges
of　artillery　and　universal　acclamations。　　At　a　given　signal　the
deputations　of　the　army；　scattered　over　the　Champ…de…Mars；　placed
themselves　in　solid　column；　and　approached　the　throne　amid　a　flourish　of
trumpets。　The　Emperor　then　rose；　and　immediately　a　deep　silence　ensued；
while　in　a　loud；　clear　tone　he　pronounced　these　words；　〃Soldiers；　behold
your　standards！　　These　eagles　will　serve　you　always　as　a　rallying　point。
They　will　go　wherever　your　Emperor　may　judge　their　presence　necessary　for
the　defense　of　his　throne　and　of　his　people。　　Will　you　swear　to　sacrifice
even　your　lives　in　their　defense；　and　to　keep　them　always　by　your　valor
in　the　path　to　victory？　　Do　you　swear　it？　　〃We　swear　it；〃　repeated　all
the　colonels　in　chorus；　while　the　presidents　of　the　colleges　waved　the
flags　they　bore。　　〃We　swear　it；〃　said　in　its　turn　the　whole　army；　while
the　bands　played　the　celebrated　march　known　as　〃The　March　of　the
Standards。〃

This　intense　enthusiasm　was　communicated　to　the　spectators；　who；　in　spite
of　the　rain；　pressed　in　crowds　upon　the　terraces　which　surrounded　the
enclosure　of　the　Champ…de…Mars。　　Soon　the　eagles　took　their　designated
places；　and　the　army　defiled　in　divisions　before　the　throne　of　their
Majesties。

Although　nothing　had　been　spared　to　give　this　ceremony　every　possible
magnificence；　it　was　by　no　means　brilliant。　　It　is　true；　the　object　of
the　occasion　was　imposing；　but　how　could　an　impressive　ceremony　be　held
in　a　deluge　of　melted　snow；　and　amid　a　sea　of　mud；　which　was　the
appearance　the　Champ…de…Mars　presented　that　day？　　The　troops　were　under
arms　from　six　in　the　morning；　exposed　to　rain；　and　forced　to　endure　it
with　no　apparent　necessity　so　at　least　they　regarded　it。　　The
distribution　of　standards　was　to　these　men　nothing　more　than　a　review；
and　surely　it　must　strike　a　soldier　as　a　very　different　matter　to　brave
the　weather　on　the　field　of　battle；　from　what　it　is　to　stand　idle；
exposed　to　it　for　hours；　with　shining　gun　and　empty　cartridge…box；　on　a
parade…day。

The　cortege　returned　to　the　Tuileries　at　five　o'clock；　after　which　there
was　a　grand　banquet　in　the　gallery　of　Diana；　at　which　the　Pope；　the
sovereign　elector　of　Ratisbonne；　the　princes　and　princesses；　the　grand
dignitaries；　the　diplomatic　corps；　and　many　other　persons　were　guests。
Their　Majesties'　table　was　placed　in　the　midst　of　the　gallery；　upon　a
platform；　and　covered　with　a　magnificent　canopy；　under　which　the　Emperor
seated　himself　on　the　right　of　the　Empress；　and　the　Pope　on　her　left。
The　serving　was　done　by　the　pages。　　The　grand　chamberlain；　the　grand
equerry；　and　the　colonel…general　of　the　guard　stood　before　his　Majesty；
the　grand　marshal　of　the　palace　on　his　right；　and　in　front　of　the　table；
and　lower　down；　the　prefect　of　the　palace；　on　the　left；　and　opposite　the
grand　marshal；　was　the　grand　master　of　ceremonies；　all　these　also
standing。　　On　either　side　of　their　Majesties'　table　were　those　of　their
imperial　highnesses；　of　the　diplomatic　corps；　of　the　ministers　and　grand
officers；　and　lastly　that　of　the　ladies　of　honor。　　At　night　there　was
given　a　reception；　concert；　and　ball。　　The　day　after　the　distribution　of
the　eagles；　his　imperial　highness　Prince　Joseph　presented　to　his　Majesty
the　presidents　of　the　electoral　colleges　of　the　departments；　and　the
presidents　of　the　colleges　of　the　arrondissements　and　their　prefects　were
next　introduced；　and　received　by　his　Majesty。

The　Emperor　conversed　with　the　greater　part　of　these　officials　on　the
needs　of　each　department；　and　thanked　them　for　their　zeal　in　assisting
him。　　Then　he　recommended　to　them　especially　the　execution　of　the
conscript　law。　　〃Without　conscription；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃we　should　have
neither　power　nor　national　independence。　　All　Europe　is　subject　to
conscription。　　Our　success　and　the　strength　of　our　position　depend　on　our
having　a　national　army；　and　it　is　necessary　to　maintain　this　advantage
with　the　greatest　care。〃

These　presentations　occupied　several　days；　during　which　his　Majesty
received　in　turn；　and　always　with　the　same　ceremonial；　the　presidents　of
the　high　courts　of　justice；　the　presidents　of　the　councils…general　of
departments；　the　subprefects；　the　deputies　of　the　colonies；　the　mayors　of
the　thirty…six　principal　cities；　the　presidents　of　the　cantons；　the　vice…
presidents　of　the　chambers　of　commerce；　and　the　presidents　of　the
consistories。

Some　days　later　the　city　of　Paris　gave；　in　honor　of　their　Majesties；　a
fete　whose　brilliance　and　magnificence　surpassed　any　description　that
could　possibly　be　given。　　On　this　occasion　the　Emperor；　the　Empress；　and
the　princes　Joseph　and　Louis；　rode　together　in　the　coronation　carriage；
and　batteries　placed　upon　the　Pont…Neuf　announced　the　moment　at　which
their　Majesties　began　to　ascend　the　steps　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville。　　At　the
same　time；　buffets　with　pieces　of　fowl　and　fountains　of　wine　attracted　an
immense　crowd　to　the　chief　squares　of　each　of　the　twelve　municipalities
of　Paris；　almost　every　individual　of　which　had　his　share　in　the
distribution　of　eatables；　thanks　to　the　precaution　which　the　authorities
took　of　distributing　to　none　except　those　who　presented　tickets。　　The
front　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville　was　brilliant　with　colored　lamps；　but　what
seemed　to　me　the　finest　part　of　the　whole　display　was　a　vessel　pierced
for　eighty　cannon；　whose　decks；　masts；　sails；　and　cordage　were　distinctly
outlined　in　colored　lights。　　The　crowning　piece　of　all；　which　the　Emperor
himself　set　off；　represented　the　Saint…Bernard　as　a　volcano　in　eruption；
in　the　midst　of　glaciers　covered　with　snow。　　In　it　appeared　the　Emperor；
glorious　in　the　light；　seated　on　his　horse　at　the　head　of　his　army；
climbing　the　steep　summit　of　the　mountain。　　More　than　seven　hundred
persons　attended　the　ball；　and　yet　there　was　no　confusion。　　Their
Majesties　withdrew　early。　　The　Empress；　on　entering　the　apartment
prepared　for　her　at　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　had　found　there　a　most
magnificent　toilets…service；　all　in　gold。　　After　it　was　brought　to　the
Tuileries　it　was　for　many　days　her　Majesty's　chief　source　of
entertainment　and　subject　of　conversation。　　She　wished　every　one　to　see
and　admire　it；　and；　in　truth；　no　one　who　saw　it　could　fail　to　do　so。
Their　Majesties　gave　permission　that　this；　with　a　service　which　the　city
had　presented　to　the　Emperor；　should　be　placed　on　exhibition　for　several
days；　for　the　gratification　of　the　public。

After　the　fireworks　a　superb　balloon　was　sent　up；　the　whole　circumference
of　which；　with　the　basket；　and　the　ropes　which　attached　it　to　the
balloon；　were　decorated　with　countless　festoons　of　colored　lights。