the second funeral of napoleon-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



rest　upon：　the　ten　thousand　wax…candles；　for　instance；　in　their

numberless　twinkling　chandeliers；　the　raw　tranchant　colors　of　the

new　banners；　wreaths；　bees；　N's；　and　other　emblems　dotting　the　place

all　over；　and　incessantly　puzzling；　or　rather　BOTHERING　the　beholder。



High　overhead；　in　a　sort　of　mist；　with　the　glare　of　their　original

colors　worn　down　by　dust　and　time；　hung　long　rows　of　dim　ghostly…

looking　standards；　captured　in　old　days　from　the　enemy。　　They　were；

I　thought；　the　best　and　most　solemn　part　of　the　show。



To　suppose　that　the　people　were　bound　to　be　solemn　during　the

ceremony　is　to　exact　from　them　something　quite　needless　and

unnatural。　　The　very　fact　of　a　squeeze　dissipates　all　solemnity。

One　great　crowd　is　always；　as　I　imagine；　pretty　much　like　another。

In　the　course　of　the　last　few　years　I　have　seen　three：　that

attending　the　coronation　of　our　present　sovereign；　that　which　went

to　see　Courvoisier　hanged；　and　this　which　witnessed　the　Napoleon

ceremony。　　The　people　so　assembled　for　hours　together　are　jocular

rather　than　solemn；　seeking　to　pass　away　the　weary　time　with　the

best　amusements　that　will　offer。　　There　was；　to　be　sure；　in　all　the

scenes　above　alluded　to；　just　one　momentone　particular　moment

when　the　universal　people　feels　a　shock　and　is　for　that　second

serious。



But　except　for　that　second　of　time；　I　declare　I　saw　no　seriousness

here　beyond　that　of　ennui。　　The　church　began　to　fill　with　personages

of　all　ranks　and　conditions。　　First；　opposite　our　seats　came　a

company　of　fat　grenadiers　of　the　National　Guard；　who　presently；　at

the　word　of　command；　put　their　muskets　down　against　benches　and

wainscots；　until　the　arrival　of　the　procession。　　For　seven　hours

these　men　formed　the　object　of　the　most　anxious　solicitude　of　all

the　ladies　and　gentlemen　seated　on　our　benches：　they　began　to　stamp

their　feet；　for　the　cold　was　atrocious；　and　we　were　frozen　where　we

sat。　　Some　of　them　fell　to　blowing　their　fingers；　one　executed　a

kind　of　dance；　such　as　one　sees　often　here　in　cold　weatherthe

individual　jumps　repeatedly　upon　one　leg；　and　kicks　out　the　other

violently；　meanwhile　his　hands　are　flapping　across　his　chest。　　Some

fellows　opened　their　cartouche…boxes；　and　from　them　drew　eatables　of

various　kinds。　　You　can't　think　how　anxious　we　were　to　know　the

qualities　of　the　same。　　〃Tiens；　ce　gros　qui　mange　une　cuisse　de

volaille！〃〃Il　a　du　jambon；　celui…la。〃　　〃I　should　like　some；　too；〃

growls　an　Englishman；　〃for　I　hadn't　a　morsel　of　breakfast；〃　and　so

on。　　This　is　the　way；　my　dear；　that　we　see　Napoleon　buried。



Did　you　ever　see　a　chicken　escape　from　clown　in　a　pantomime；　and　hop

over　into　the　pit；　or　amongst　the　fiddlers？　and　have　you　not　seen

the　shrieks　of　enthusiastic　laughter　that　the　wondrous　incident

occasions？　　We　had　our　chicken；　of　course：　there　never　was　a　public

crowd　without　one。　　A　poor　unhappy　woman　in　a　greasy　plaid　cloak；

with　a　battered　rose…colored　plush　bonnet；　was　seen　taking　her　place

among　the　stalls　allotted　to　the　grandees。　　〃Voyez　donc　l'Anglaise；〃

said　everybody；　and　it　was　too　true。　　You　could　swear　that　the

wretch　was　an　Englishwoman：　a　bonnet　was　never　made　or　worn　so　in

any　other　country。　　Half　an　hour's　delightful　amusement　did　this

lady　give　us　all。　　She　was　whisked　from　seat　to　seat　by　the

huissiers；　and　at　every　change　of　place　woke　a　peal　of　laughter。　　I

was　glad；　however；　at　the　end　of　the　day　to　see　the　old　pink　bonnet

over　a　very　comfortable　seat；　which　somebody　had　not　claimed　and　she

had　kept。



Are　not　these　remarkable　incidents？　　The　next　wonder　we　saw　was　the

arrival　of　a　set　of　tottering　old　Invalids；　who　took　their　places

under　us　with　drawn　sabres。　　Then　came　a　superb　drum…major；　a

handsome　smiling　good…humored　giant　of　a　man；　his　breeches

astonishingly　embroidered　with　silver　lace。　　Him　a　dozen　little

drummer…boys　followed〃the　little　darlings！〃　all　the　ladies　cried

out　in　a　breath：　they　were　indeed　pretty　little　fellows；　and　came

and　stood　close　under　us：　the　huge　drum…major　smiled　over　his　little

red…capped　flock；　and　for　many　hours　in　the　most　perfect　contentment

twiddled　his　moustaches　and　played　with　the　tassels　of　his　cane。



Now　the　company　began　to　arrive　thicker　and　thicker。　　A　whole　covey

of　Conseillers…d'Etat　came　in；　in　blue　coats；　embroidered　with　blue

silk；　then　came　a　crowd　of　lawyers　in　toques　and　caps；　among　whom

were　sundry　venerable　Judges　in　scarlet；　purple　velvet；　and　ermine

a　kind　of　Bajazet　costume。　　Look　there！　there　is　the　Turkish

Ambassador　in　his　red　cap；　turning　his　solemn　brown　face　about　and

looking　preternaturally　wise。　　The　Deputies　walk　in　in　a　body。

Guizot　is　not　there：　he　passed　by　just　now　in　full　ministerial

costume。　　Presently　little　Thiers　saunters　back：　what　a　clear；　broad

sharp…eyed　face　the　fellow　has；　with　his　gray　hair　cut　down　so

demure！　　A　servant　passes；　pushing　through　the　crowd　a　shabby　wheel…

chair。　　It　has　just　brought　old　Moncey　the　Governor　of　the　Invalids；

the　honest　old　man　who　defended　Paris　so　stoutly　in　1814。　　He　has

been　very　ill；　and　is　worn　down　almost　by　infirmities：　but　in　his

illness　he　was　perpetually　asking；　〃Doctor；　shall　I　live　till　the

15th？　　Give　me　till　then；　and　I　die　contented。〃　　One　can't　help

believing　that　the　old　man's　wish　is　honest；　however　one　may　doubt

the　piety　of　another　illustrious　Marshal；　who　once　carried　a　candle

before　Charles　X。　in　a　procession；　and　has　been　this　morning　to

Neuilly　to　kneel　and　pray　at　the　foot　of　Napoleon's　coffin。　　He

might　have　said　his　prayers　at　home；　to　be　sure；　but　don't　let　us

ask　too　much：　that　kind　of　reserve　is　not　a　Frenchman's

characteristic。



Bangbang！　　At　about　half…past　two　a　dull　sound　of　cannonading　was

heard　without　the　church；　and　signals　took　place　between　the

Commandant　of　the　Invalids；　of　the　National　Guards；　and　the　big

drum…major。　　Looking　to　these　troops　（the　fat　Nationals　were

shuffling　into　line　again）　the　two　Commandants　tittered；　as　nearly

as　I　could　catch　them；　the　following　words



〃HARRUM　HUMP！〃



At　once　all　the　National　bayonets　were　on　the　present；　and　the

sabres　of　the　old　Invalids　up。　　The　big　drum…major　looked　round　at

the　children；　who　began　very　slowly　and　solemnly　on　their　drums；

Rub…dub…dubrub…dub…dub（count　two　between　each）rub…dub…dub；　and

a　great　procession　of　priests　came　down　from　the　altar。



First；　there　was　a　tall　handsome　cross…bearer；　bearing　a　long　gold

cross；　of　which　the　front　was　turned　towards　his　grace　the

Archbishop。　　Then　came　a　double　row　of　about　sixteen　incense…boys；

dressed　in　white　surplices：　the　first　boy；　about　six　years　old；　the

last　with　whiskers　and　of　the　height　of　a　man。　　Then　followed　a

regiment　of　priests　in　black　tippets　and　white　gowns：　they　had　black

hoods；　like　the　moon　when　she　is　at　her　third　quarter；　wherewith

those　who　were　bald　（many　were；　and　fat　too）　covered　themselves。

All　the　reverend　men　held　their　heads　meekly　down；　and　affected　to

be　reading　in　their　breviaries。



After　the　Priests　came　some　Bishops　of　the　neighboring　districts；　in

purple；　with　crosses　sparkling　on　their　episcopal　bosoms。



Then　came；　after　more　priests；　a　set　of　men　whom　I　have　never　seen

beforea　kind　of　ghostly　heralds；　young　and　handsome　men；　some　of

them　in　stiff　tabards　of　black　and　silver；　their　eyes　to　the　ground；

their　hands　placed　at　right　angles　with　their　chests。



Then　came　two　gentlemen　bearing　remarkable　tall　candlesticks；　with

candles　of　corresponding　size。　　One　was　burning　brightly；　but　the

wind　（that　chartered　libertine）　had　blown　out　the　other；　which

nevertheless　kept　its　place　in　the　processionI　wondered　to　myself

whether　the　reverend　gentleman　who　carried　the　extinguished　candle；

felt　disgusted；　humiliated；　mortifiedperfectly　conscious　that　the

eyes　of　many　thousands　of　people　were　bent　upon　that　bit　of

refractory　wax。　　We　all　of　us　looked　at　it　with　intense　interest。



Another　cross…bearer；　behind　whom　came　a　gentleman　carrying　an

instrument　like　a　bedroom　candlestick。



His　Grandeur　Monseigneur　Affre；　Archbishop　of　Paris：　he　was　in　black

and　white；　his　eyes　were　cast　to　the　earth；　his　hands　were　together

at　right　angles　from　his　chest：　on　his　hands　were　black　gloves；　and

on　the　black　gloves　sparkled　the　sacred　episcopalwhat　do　I　say？

archiepiscopal　ring。　　On　his　head　was　the　mitre。　　It　is　unlike　the

godly　coronet　that　figures　upon　the　coach…panels　of　our　own　Right

Reverend　Bench。　　The　Archbishop's　mitre　may　be　about　a　yard　high：

formed　within　probably　of　consecrated　pasteboard；　it　is　without

covered　by　a　sort　of　watered　silk　of　white　and　silver。　　On　the　two

peaks　at　the　top　of　the　mitre　are　two　very　little　spangled　tassels；

that　frisk　and　twinkle　about　in　a　very　agreeable　manner。



Monseigneur　stood　opposite　to　us　for　some　time；　when　I　had　the

opportunity　to　note　the　above　remarkable　phenomena。　　He　stood

opposite　me　for　some　time；　keeping　his　eyes　steadily　on　the　grou