the second funeral of napoleon-第3节

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masonry　demolished；　and　the　large　slab　which　covered　the　place　where

the　stone　sarcophagus　lay；　removed　by　a　crane。　　This　outer　coffin　of

stone　was　perfect；　and　could　scarcely　be　said　to　be　damp。



〃As　soon　as　the　Abbe　Coquereau　had　recited　the　prayers；　the　coffin

was　removed　with　the　greatest　care；　and　carried　by　the　engineer…

soldiers；　bareheaded；　into　a　tent　that　had　been　prepared　for　the

purpose。　　After　the　religious　ceremonies；　the　inner　coffins　were

opened。　　The　outermost　coffin　was　slightly　injured：　then　came；　one

of　lead；　which　was　in　good　condition；　and　enclosed　two　othersone

of　tin　and　one　of　wood。　　The　last　coffin　was　lined　inside　with　white

satin；　which；　having　become　detached　by　the　effect　of　time；　had

fallen　upon　the　body　and　enveloped　it　like　a　winding…sheet；　and　had

become　slightly　attached　to　it。



〃It　is　difficult　to　describe　with　what　anxiety　and　emotion　those　who

were　present　waited　for　the　moment　which　was　to　expose　to　them　all

that　death　had　left　of　Napoleon。　　Notwithstanding　the　singular　state

of　preservation　of　the　tomb　and　coffins；　we　could　scarcely　hope　to

find　anything　but　some　misshapen　remains　of　the　least　perishable

part　of　the　costume　to　evidence　the　identity　of　the　body。　　But　when

Doctor　Guillard　raised　the　sheet　of　satin；　an　indescribable　feeling

of　surprise　and　affection　was　expressed　by　the　spectators；　many　of

whom　burst　into　tears。　　The　Emperor　was　himself　before　their　eyes！

The　features　of　the　face；　though　changed；　were　perfectly　recognized；

the　hands　extremely　beautiful；　his　well…known　costume　had　suffered

but　little；　and　the　colors　were　easily　distinguished。　　The　attitude


itself　was　full　of　ease；　and　but　for　the　fragments　of　the　satin

lining　which　covered；　as　with　a　fine　gauze；　several　parts　of　the

uniform；　we　might　have　believed　we　still　saw　Napoleon　before　us

lying　on　his　bed　of　state。　　General　Bertrand　and　M。　Marchand；　who

were　both　present　at　the　interment；　quickly　pointed　out　the

different　articles　which　each　had　deposited　in　the　coffin；　and

remained　in　the　precise　position　in　which　they　had　previously

described　them　to　be。



〃The　two　inner　coffins　were　carefully　closed　again；　the　old　leaden

coffin　was　strongly　blocked　up　with　wedges　of　wood；　and　both　were

once　more　soldered　up　with　the　most　minute　precautions；　under　the

direction　of　Dr。　Guillard。　　These　different　operations　being

terminated；　the　ebony　sarcophagus　was　closed　as　well　as　its　oak

case。　　On　delivering　the　key　of　the　ebony　sarcophagus　to　Count　de

Chabot；　the　King's　Commissioner；　Captain　Alexander　declared　to　him；

in　the　name　of　the　Governor；　that　this　coffin；　containing　the　mortal

remains　of　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　was　considered　as　at　the　disposal

of　the　French　Government　from　that　day；　and　from　the　moment　at　which

it　should　arrive　at　the　place　of　embarkation；　towards　which　it　was

about　to　be　sent　under　the　orders　of　General　Middlemore。　　The　King's

Commissioner　replied　that　he　was　charged　by　his　Government；　and　in

its　name；　to　accept　the　coffin　from　the　hands　of　the　British

authorities；　and　that　he　and　the　other　persons　composing　the　French

mission　were　ready　to　follow　it　to　James　Town；　where　the　Prince　de

Joinville；　superior　commandant　of　the　expedition；　would　be　ready　to

receive　it　and　conduct　it　on　board　his　frigate。　　A　car　drawn　by　four

horses；　decked　with　funereal　emblems；　had　been　prepared　before　the

arrival　of　the　expedition；　to　receive　the　coffin；　as　well　as　a　pall；

and　all　the　other　suitable　trappings　of　mourning。　　When　the

sarcophagus　was　placed　on　the　car；　the　whole　was　covered　with　a

magnificent　imperial　mantle　brought　from　Paris；　the　four　corners　of

which　were　borne　by　Generals　Bertrand　and　Gourgaud；　Baron　Las　Cases

and　M。　Marchand。　　At　half…past　three　o'clock　the　funeral　car　began

to　move；　preceded　by　a　chorister　bearing　the　cross；　and　by　the　Abbe

Coquereau。　　M。　de　Chabot　acted　as　chief　mourner。　　All　the

authorities　of　the　island；　all　the　principal　inhabitants；　and　the

whole　of　the　garrison；　followed　in　procession　from　the　tomb　to　the

quay。　　But　with　the　exception　of　the　artillerymen　necessary　to　lead

the　horses；　and　occasionally　support　the　car　when　descending　some

steep　parts　of　the　way；　the　places　nearest　the　coffin　were　reserved

for　the　French　mission。　　General　Middlemore；　although　in　a　weak

state　of　health；　persisted　in　following　the　whole　way　on　foot；

together　with　General　Churchill；　chief　of　the　staff　in　India；　who

had　arrived　only　two　days　before　from　Bombay。　　The　immense　weight　of

the　coffins；　and　the　unevenness　of　the　road；　rendered　the　utmost

carefulness　necessary　throughout　the　whole　distance。　　Colonel

Trelawney　commanded　in　person　the　small　detachment　of　artillerymen

who　conducted　the　car；　and；　thanks　to　his　great　care；　not　the

slightest　accident　took　place。　　From　the　moment　of　departure　to　the

arrival　at　the　quay；　the　cannons　of　the　forts　and　the　'Belle　Poule'

fired　minute…guns。　　After　an　hour's　march　the　rain　ceased　for　the

first　time　since　the　commencement　of　the　operations；　and　on　arriving

in　sight　of　the　town　we　found　a　brilliant　sky　and　beautiful　weather。

From　the　morning　the　three　French　vessels　of　war　had　assumed　the

usual　signs　of　deep　mourning：　their　yards　crossed　and　their　flags

lowered。　　Two　French　merchantmen；　'Bonne　Amie'　and　'Indien；'　which

had　been　in　the　roads　for　two　days；　had　put　themselves　under　the

Prince's　orders；　and　followed　during　the　ceremony　all　the　manoeuvers

of　the　'Belle　Poule。'　　The　forts　of　the　town；　and　the　houses　of　the

consuls；　had　also　their　flags　half…mast　high。



〃On　arriving　at　the　entrance　of　the　town；　the　troops　of　the　garrison

and　the　militia　formed　in　two　lines　as　far　as　the　extremity　of　the

quay。　　According　to　the　order　for　mourning　prescribed　for　the

English　army；　the　men　had　their　arms　reversed　and　the　officers　had

crape　on　their　arms；　with　their　swords　reversed。　　All　the

inhabitants　had　been　kept　away　from　the　line　of　march；　but　they

lined　the　terraces；　commanding　the　town；　and　the　streets　were

occupied　only　by　the　troops；　the　91st　Regiment　being　on　the　right

and　the　militia　on　the　left。　　The　cortege　advanced　slowly　between

two　ranks　of　soldiers　to　the　sound　of　a　funeral　march；　while　the

cannons　of　the　forts　were　fired；　as　well　as　those　of　the　'Belle

Poule'　and　the　'Dolphin；'　the　echoes　being　repeated　a　thousand　times

by　the　rocks　above　James　Town。　　After　two　hours'　march　the　cortege

stopped　at　the　end　of　the　quay；　where　the　Prince　de　Joinville　had

stationed　himself　at　the　head　of　the　officers　of　the　three　French

ships　of　war。　　The　greatest　official　honors　had　been　rendered　by　the

English　authorities　to　the　memory　of　the　Emperorthe　most　striking

testimonials　of　respect　had　marked　the　adieu　given　by　St。　Helena　to

his　coffin；　and　from　this　moment　the　mortal　remains　of　the　Emperor

were　about　to　belong　to　France。　　When　the　funeral…car　stopped；　the

Prince　de　Joinville　advanced　alone；　and　in　presence　of　all　around；

who　stood　with　their　heads　uncovered；　received；　in　a　solemn　manner；

the　imperial　coffin　from　the　hands　of　General　Middlemore。　　His　Royal

Highness　then　thanked　the　Governor；　in　the　name　of　France；　for　all

the　testimonials　of　sympathy　and　respect　with　which　the　authorities

and　inhabitants　of　St。　Helena　had　surrounded　the　memorable

ceremonial。　　A　cutter　had　been　expressly　prepared　to　receive　the

coffin。　　During　the　embarkation；　which　the　Prince　directed　himself；

the　bands　played　funeral　airs；　and　all　the　boats　were　stationed

round　with　their　oars　shipped。　　The　moment　the　sarcophagus　touched

the　cutter；　a　magnificent　royal　flag；　which　the　ladies　of　James　Town

had　embroidered　for　the　occasion；　was　unfurled；　and　the　'Belle

Poule'　immediately　squared　her　masts　and　unfurled　her　colors。　　All

the　manoeuvers　of　the　frigate　were　immediately　followed　by　the　other

vessels。　　Our　mourning　had　ceased　with　the　exile　of　Napoleon；　and

the　French　naval　division　dressed　itself　out　in　all　its　festal

ornaments　to　receive　the　imperial　coffin　under　the　French　flag。　　The

sarcophagus　was　covered　in　the　cutter　with　the　imperial　mantle。　　The

Prince　de　Joinville　placed　himself　at　the　rudder；　Commandant　Guyet

at　the　head　of　the　boat；　Generals　Bertrand　and　Gourgaud；　Baron　Las

Cases；　M。　Marchand；　and　the　Abbe　Coquereau　occupied　the　same　places

as　during　the　march。　　Count　Chabot　and　Commandant　Hernoux　were

astern；　a　little　in　advance　of　the　Prince。　　As　soon　as　the　cutter

had　pushed　off　from　the　quay；　the　batteries　ashore　fired　a　salute　of

twenty…one　guns；　and　our　ships　returned　the　salute　with　all　their

artillery。　　Two　other　salutes　were　fired　during　the　passage　from　the

quay　to　the　frigate；　the　cutter　advancing　very　slowly；　and

surrounded　by　the　other　boats。　　At　half…past　six　o'clock　it　reached

the　'Belle　Poule；'　all　the　men　being　on　the　yards　with　their　hats　in

their　hands。　　The　Prince　had　had　arranged　on　the　deck　a　chapel；

decked　with　flags　and　trophies　of　arms；　the　altar　being　p