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of care: she had to look first after her old mother who was walking

ahead; then after No。 4 junior with the nursehe might fall into

all sorts of danger; wake up; cry; catch cold; nurse might slip

down; or heaven knows what。  Then she had to look her husband in the

face; who had gone to such expense and been so kind for her sake;

and make that gentleman believe she was thoroughly happy; and;

finally; she had to keep an eye upon No。 4 senior; who; as she was

perfectly certain; was about in two minutes to be lost for ever; or

trampled to pieces in the crowd。



These events took place in a quiet little street leading into the

Champs Elysees; the entry of which we had almost reached by this

time。  The four detachments above described; which had been

straggling a little in their passage down the street; closed up at

the end of it; and stood for a moment huddled together。  No。 3; Miss

X; began speaking to her companion the great…grandmother。



〃Hush; my dear;〃 said that old lady; looking round alarmed at her

daughter。  〃SPEAK FRENCH。〃  And she straightway began nervously to

make a speech which she supposed to be in that language; but which

was as much like French as Iroquois。  The whole secret was out: you

could read it in the grandmother's face; who was doing all she could

to keep from crying; and looked as frightened as she dared to look。

The two elder ladies had settled between them that there was going

to be a general English slaughter that day; and had brought the

children with them; so that they might all be murdered in company。



God bless you; O women; moist…eyed and tender…hearted!  In those

gentle silly tears of yours there is something touches one; be they

never so foolish。  I don't think there were many such natural drops

shed that day as those which just made their appearance in the

grandmother's eyes; and then went back again as if they had been

ashamed of themselves; while the good lady and her little troop

walked across the road。  Think how happy she will be when night

comes; and there has been no murder of English; and the brood is all

nestled under her wings sound asleep; and she is lying awake

thanking God that the day and its pleasures and pains are over。

Whilst we were considering these things; the grandfather had

suddenly elevated No。 4 senior upon his left shoulder; and I saw the

tartan hat of that young gentleman; and the bamboo cane which had

been transferred to him; high over the heads of the crowd on the

opposite side through which the party moved。





After this little procession had passed awayyou may laugh at it;

but upon my word and conscience; Miss Smith; I saw nothing in the

course of the day which affected me moreafter this little

procession had passed away; the other came; accompanied by gun…

banging; flag…waving; incense…burning; trumpets pealing; drums

rolling; and at the close; received by the voice of six hundred

choristers; sweetly modulated to the tones of fifteen score of

fiddlers。  Then you saw horse and foot; jack…boots and bear…skin;

cuirass and bayonet; National Guard and Line; marshals and generals

all over gold; smart aides…de…camp galloping about like mad; and

high in the midst of all; riding on his golden buckler; Solomon in

all his glory; forsoothImperial Caesar; with his crown over his

head; laurels and standards waving about his gorgeous chariot; and a

million of people looking on in wonder and awe。



His Majesty the Emperor and King reclined on his shield; with his

head a little elevated。  His Majesty's skull is voluminous; his

forehead broad and large。  We remarked that his Imperial Majesty's

brow was of a yellowish color; which appearance was also visible

about the orbits of the eyes。  He kept his eyelids constantly

closed; by which we had the opportunity of observing that the upper

lids were garnished with eyelashes。  Years and climate have effected

upon the face of this great monarch only a trifling alteration; we

may say; indeed; that Time has touched his Imperial and Royal

Majesty with the lightest feather in his wing。  In the nose of the

Conqueror of Austerlitz we remarked very little alteration: it is of

the beautiful shape which we remember it possessed five…and…twenty

years since; ere unfortunate circumstances induced him to leave us

for a while。  The nostril and the tube of the nose appear to have

undergone some slight alteration; but in examining a beloved object

the eye of affection is perhaps too critical。  Vive l'Empereur! the

soldier of Marengo is among us again。  His lips are thinner;

perhaps; than they were before! how white his teeth are! you can

just see three of them pressing his under lip; and pray remark the

fulness of his cheeks and the round contour of his chin。  Oh; those

beautiful white hands! many a time have they patted the cheek of

poor Josephine; and played with the black ringlets of her hair。  She

is dead now; and cold; poor creature; and so are Hortense and bold

Eugene; than whom the world never saw a curtier knight;〃 as was said

of King Arthur's Sir Lancelot。  What a day would it have been for

those three could they have lived until now; and seen their hero

returning!  Where's Ney?  His wife sits looking out from M。 Flahaut's

window yonder; but the bravest of the brave is not with her。  Murat

too is absent: honest Joachim loves the Emperor at heart; and

repents that he was not at Waterloo: who knows but that at the sight

of the handsome swordsman those stubborn English 〃canaille〃 would

have given way。  A king; Sire; is; you know; the greatest of

slavesState affairs of consequencehis Majesty the King of Naples

is detained no doubt。  When we last saw the King; however; and his

Highness the Prince of Elchingen; they looked to have as good health

as ever they had in their lives; and we heard each of them calmly

calling out 〃FIRE!〃 as they have done in numberless battles before。



Is it possible? can the Emperor forget?  We don't like to break it

to him; but has he forgotten all about the farm at Pizzo; and the

garden of the Observatory?  Yes; truly: there he lies on his golden

shield; never stirring; never so much as lifting his eyelids; or

opening his lips any wider。



O vanitas vanitatum!  Here is our Sovereign in all his glory; and

they fired a thousand guns at Cherbourg and never woke him!





However; we are advancing matters by several hours; and you must

give just as much credence as you please to the subjoined remarks

concerning the Procession; seeing that your humble servant could not

possibly be present at it; being bound for the church elsewhere。



Programmes; however; have been published of the affair; and your

vivid fancy will not fail to give life to them; and the whole

magnificent train will pass before you。



Fancy then; that the guns are fired at Neuilly: the body landed at

daybreak from the funereal barge; and transferred to the car; and

fancy the car; a huge Juggernaut of a machine; rolling on four

wheels of an antique shape; which supported a basement adorned with

golden eagles; banners; laurels; and velvet hangings。  Above the

hangings stand twelve golden statues with raised arms supporting a

huge shield; on which the coffin lay。  On the coffin was the

imperial crown; covered with violet velvet crape; and the whole vast

machine was drawn by horses in superb housings; led by valets in the

imperial livery。



Fancy at the head of the procession first of all





The Gendarmerie of the Seine; with their trumpets and Colonel。



The Municipal Guard (horse); with their trumpets; standard; and

Colonel。



Two squadrons of the 7th Lancers; with Colonel; standard; and music。



The Commandant of Paris and his Staff。



A battalion of Infantry of the Line; with their flag; sappers;

drums; music; and Colonel。



The Municipal Guard (foot); with flag; drums; and Colonel。



The Sapper…pumpers; with ditto。





Then picture to yourself more squadrons of Lancers and Cuirassiers。

The General of the Division and his Staff; all officers of all arms

employed at Paris; and unattached; the Military School of Saint Cyr;

the Polytechnic School; the School of the Etat…Major; and the

Professors and Staff of each。  Go on imagining more battalions of

Infantry; of Artillery; companies of Engineers; squadrons of

Cuirassiers; ditto of the Cavalry; of the National Guard; and the

first and second legions of ditto。



Fancy a carriage; containing the Chaplain of the St。 Helena

expedition; the only clerical gentleman that formed a part of the

procession。



Fancy you hear the funereal music; and then figure in your mind's

eye



THE EMPEROR'S CHARGER; that is; Napoleon's own saddle and bridle

(when First Consul) upon a white horse。  The saddle (which has been

kept ever since in the Garde Meuble of the Crown) is of amaranth

velvet; embroidered in gold: the holsters and housings are of the

same rich material。  On them y

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