the second funeral of napoleon-第5部分

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The　sword　and　pistol；　however；　had　no　doubt　their　effectthe　former

was　in　its　sheath；　the　latter　not　loaded；　and　I　hear　that　the　French

ladies　are　quite　in　raptures　with　these　charming　loups…de…mer。



Let　the　warlike　accoutrements　then　pass。　　It　was　necessary；　perhaps；

to　strike　the　Parisians　with　awe；　and　therefore　the　crew　was　armed

in　this　fierce　fashion；　but　why　should　the　captain　begin　to　swagger

as　well　as　his　men？　and　why　did　the　Prince　de　Joinville　lug　out

sword　and　pistol　so　early？　or　why；　if　he　thought　fit　to　make

preparations；　should　the　official　journals　brag　of　them　afterwards

as　proofs　of　his　extraordinary　courage？



Here　is　the　case。　　The　English　Government　makes　him　a　present　of　the

bones　of　Napoleon：　English　workmen　work　for　nine　hours　without

ceasing；　and　dig　the　coffin　out　of　the　ground：　the　English

Commissioner　hands　over　the　key　of　the　box　to　the　French

representative；　Monsieur　Chabot：　English　horses　carry　the　funeral

car　down　to　the　sea…shore；　accompanied　by　the　English　Governor；　who

has　actually　left　his　bed　to　walk　in　the　procession　and　to　do　the

French　nation　honor。



After　receiving　and　acknowledging　these　politenesses；　the　French

captain　takes　his　charge　on　board；　and　the　first　thing　we　afterwards

hear　of　him　is　the　determination　〃qu'il　a　su　faire　passer〃　into　all

his　crew；　to　sink　rather　than　yield　up　the　body　of　the　Emperor　aux

mains　de　l'etrangerinto　the　hands　of　the　foreigner。　　My　dear

Monseigneur；　is　not　this　par　trop　fort？　　Suppose　〃the　foreigner〃　had

wanted　the　coffin；　could　he　not　have　kept　it？　　Why　show　this

uncalled…for　valor；　this　extraordinary　alacrity　at　sinking？　　Sink　or

blow　yourself　up　as　much　as　you　please；　but　your　Royal　Highness　must

see　that　the　genteel　thing　would　have　been　to　wait　until　you　were

asked　to　do　so；　before　you　offended　good…natured；　honest　people；

whoheaven　help　them！have　never　shown　themselves　at　all

murderously　inclined　towards　you。　　A　man　knocks　up　his　cabins

forsooth；　throws　his　tables　and　chairs　overboard；　runs　guns　into　the

portholes；　and　calls　le　quartier　du　bord　ou　existaient　ces　chambres；

Lacedaemon。　　Lacedaemon！　　There　is　a　province；　O　Prince；　in　your

royal　father's　dominions；　a　fruitful　parent　of　heroes　in　its　time；

which　would　have　given　a　much　better　nickname　to　your　quartier　du

bord：　you　should　have　called　it　Gascony。





　　　　〃Sooner　than　strike　we'll　all　ex…pi…er

　　　　　On　board　of　the　Bell…e　Pou…le。〃





Such　fanfaronading　is　very　well　on　the　part　of　Tom　Dibdin；　but　a

person　of　your　Royal　Highness's　〃pious　and　severe　dignity〃　should

have　been　above　it。　　If　you　entertained　an　idea　that　war　was

imminent；　would　it　not　have　been　far　better　to　have　made　your

preparations　in　quiet；　and　when　you　found　the　war　rumor　blown　over；

to　have　said　nothing　about　what　you　intended　to　do？　　Fie　upon　such

cheap　Lacedaemonianism！　　There　is　no　poltroon　in　the　world　but　can

brag　about　what　he　WOULD　have　done：　however；　to　do　your　Royal

Highness's　nation　justice；　they　brag　and　fight　too。



This　narrative；　my　dear　Miss　Smith；　as　you　will　have　remarked；　is

not　a　simple　tale　merely；　but　is　accompanied　by　many　moral　and　pithy

remarks　which　form　its　chief　value；　in　the　writer's　eyes　at　least；

and　the　above　account　of　the　sham　Lacedaemon　on　board　the　〃Belle

Poule〃　has　a　double…barrelled　morality；　as　I　conceive。　　Besides

justly　reprehending　the　French　propensity　towards　braggadocio；　it

proves　very　strongly　a　point　on　which　I　am　the　only　statesman　in

Europe　who　has　strongly　insisted。　　In　the　〃Paris　Sketch　Book〃　it　was

stated　that　THE　FRENCH　HATE　US。　　They　hate　us；　my　dear；　profoundly

and　desperately；　and　there　never　was　such　a　hollow　humbug　in　the

world　as　the　French　alliance。　　Men　get　a　character　for　patriotism　in

France　merely　by　hating　England。　　Directly　they　go　into　strong

opposition　（where；　you　know；　people　are　always　more　patriotic　than

on　the　ministerial　side）；　they　appeal　to　the　people；　and　have　their

hold　on　the　people　by　hating　England　in　common　with　them。　　Why？　　It

is　a　long　story；　and　the　hatred　may　be　accounted　for　by　many　reasons

both　political　and　social。　　Any　time　these　eight　hundred　years　this

ill…will　has　been　going　on；　and　has　been　transmitted　on　the　French

side　from　father　to　son。　　On　the　French　side；　not　on　ours：　we　have

had　no；　or　few；　defeats　to　complain　of；　no　invasions　to　make　us

angry；　but　you　see　that　to　discuss　such　a　period　of　time　would

demand　a　considerable　number　of　pages；　and　for　the　present　we　will

avoid　the　examination　of　the　question。



But　they　hate　us；　that　is　the　long　and　short　of　it；　and　you　see　how

this　hatred　has　exploded　just　now；　not　upon　a　serious　cause　of

difference；　but　upon　an　argument：　for　what　is　the　Pasha　of　Egypt　to

us　or　them　but　a　mere　abstract　opinion？　　For　the　same　reason　the

Little…endians　in　Lilliput　abhorred　the　Big…endians；　and　I　beg　you

to　remark　how　his　Royal　Highness　Prince　Ferdinand　Mary；　upon　hearing

that　this　argument　was　in　the　course　of　debate　between　us；

straightway　flung　his　furniture　overboard　and　expressed　a　preference

for　sinking　his　ship　rather　than　yielding　it　to　the　etranger。

Nothing　came　of　this　wish　of　his；　to　be　sure；　but　the　intention　is

everything。　　Unlucky　circumstances　denied　him　the　power；　but　he　had

the　will。



Well；　beyond　this　disappointment；　the　Prince　de　Joinville　had

nothing　to　complain　of　during　the　voyage；　which　terminated　happily

by　the　arrival　of　the　〃Belle　Poule〃　at　Cherbourg；　on　the　30th　of

November；　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　A　telegraph　made　the　glad

news　known　at　Paris；　where　the　Minister　of　the　Interior；　Tanneguy…

Duchatel　（you　will　read　the　name；　Madam；　in　the　old　Anglo…French

wars）；　had　already　made　〃immense　preparations〃　for　receiving　the

body　of　Napoleon。



The　entry　was　fixed　for　the　15th　of　December。



On　the　8th　of　December　at　Cherbourg　the　body　was　transferred　from

the　〃Belle　Poule〃　frigate　to　the　〃Normandie〃　steamer。　　On　which

occasion　the　mayor　of　Cherbourg　deposited；　in　the　name　of　his　town；

a　gold　laurel　branch　upon　the　coffinwhich　was　saluted　by　the　forts

and　dykes　of　the　place　with　ONE　THOUSAND　GUNS！　　There　was　a　treat

for　the　inhabitants。



There　was　on　board　the　steamer　a　splendid　receptacle　for　the　coffin：

〃a　temple　with　twelve　pillars　and　a　dome　to　cover　it　from　the　wet

and　moisture；　surrounded　with　velvet　hangings　and　silver　fringes。

At　the　head　was　a　gold　cross；　at　the　foot　a　gold　lamp：　other　lamps

were　kept　constantly　burning　within；　and　vases　of　burning　incense

were　hung　around。　　An　altar；　hung　with　velvet　and　silver；　was　at　the

mizzen…mast　of　the　vessel；　AND　FOUR　SILVER　EAGLES　AT　EACH　CORNER　OF

THE　ALTAR。〃　　It　was　a　compliment　at　once　to　Napoleon　andexcuse　me

for　saying　so；　but　so　the　facts　areto　Napoleon　and　to　God　Almighty。



Three　steamers；　the　〃Normandie；〃　the　〃Veloce；〃　and　the　〃Courrier；〃

formed　the　expedition　from　Cherbourg　to　Havre；　at　which　place　they

arrived　on　the　evening　of　the　9th　of　December；　and　where　the

〃Veloce〃　was　replaced　by　the　Seine　steamer；　having　in　tow　one　of　the

state…coasters；　which　was　to　fire　the　salute　at　the　moment　when　the

body　was　transferred　into　one　of　the　vessels　belonging　to　the　Seine。



The　expedition　passed　Havre　the　same　night；　and　came　to　anchor　at

Val　de　la　Haye　on　the　Seine；　three　leagues　below　Rouen。



Here　the　next　morning　（10th）；　it　was　met　by　the　flotilla　of

steamboats　of　the　Upper　Seine；　consisting　of　the　three　〃Dorades；〃

the　three　〃Etoiles；〃　the　〃Elbeuvien；〃　the　〃Pansien；〃　the

〃Parisienne；〃　and　the　〃Zampa。〃　　The　Prince　de　Joinville；　and　the

persons　of　the　expedition；　embarked　immediately　in　the　flotilla；

which　arrived　the　same　day　at　Rouen。



At　Rouen　salutes　were　fired；　the　National　Guard　on　both　sides　of　the

river　paid　military　honors　to　the　body；　and　over　the　middle　of　the

suspension…bridge　a　magnificent　cenotaph　was　erected；　decorated　with

flags；　fasces；　violet　hangings；　and　the　imperial　arms。　　Before　the

cenotaph　the　expedition　stopped；　and　the　absolution　was　given　by　the

archbishop　and　the　clergy。　　After　a　couple　of　hours'　stay；　the

expedition　proceeded　to　Pont　de　l'Arche。　　On　the　11th　it　reached

Vernon；　on　the　12th　Mantes；　on　the　13th　Maisons…sur…Seine。



〃Everywhere；〃　says　the　official　account　from　which　the　above

particulars　are　borrowed；　〃the　authorities；　the　National　Guard；　and

the　people　flocked　to　the　passage　of　the　flotilla；　desirous　to

render　the　honors　due　to　his　glory；　which　is　the　glory　of　France。

In　seeing　its　hero　return；　the　nation　seemed　to　have　found　its

Palladium　again；the　sainted　relics　of　victory。〃



At　length；　on　the　14th；　the　coffin　was　transferred　from　the　〃Dorade〃

steamer　on　board　the　imperial　vessel　arrived　from　Paris。　　In　the

evening；　the　imperial　vessel　arrived　at　Courbevoie；　which　was　the

last　stage　of　the　journey。



Here　it　was　that　M。　Guizot　went　to　examine　the　vessel；　and　was　very

nearly　flung　into　the　Seine；　as　report　goes；　by　the　patriots

assembled　there。　　It　is　now　lying　on　the　river；　near　the　Invalides；

amidst　the　drifting　ice；　whither　the　people　of　Paris　are　flocking

out　to　see　it。



The　vessel　is　of　a　very　elegant　antique　form；　and　I　can　give　you　on

the　Thames　no　better　idea　of　it　than　by　requesting　you　to　fancy　an

immense　wherry；　of　which　the　stern　has　been　cut　straight　off；　and　on

which　a　temple　on　steps　has　been　elevated。　　At　the　figure…head　is　an

immense　gold　eagle；　and　at　the　stern　is　a　little　terrace；　filled

with　evergreens　and　a　profusion　of　banners。　　Upon　pedestals　along

the　sides　of　the　vessel　are　tripods　in　which　incense　was　burned；　and

underneath　them　are　garlands　of　flowers　called　here　〃immortals。〃

Four　eagles　surmount　the　temple；　and　a　great　scroll　or　garland；　held

in　their　beaks；　surrounds　it。　　It　is　hung　with　velvet　and　gold；　four

gold　caryatides　support　the　entry　of　it；　and　in　the　midst；　upon　a

large　platform　hung　with　velvet；　and　bearing　the　imperial　arms；

stood　the