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velvet； embroidered in gold： the holsters and housings are of the
same rich material。 On them you remark the attributes of War；
Commerce； Science； and Art。 The bits and stirrups are silver…gilt
chased。 Over the stirrups； two eagles were placed at the time of
the empire。 The horse was covered with a violet crape embroidered
with golden bees。
After this came more Soldiers； General Officers； Sub…Officers；
Marshals； and what was said to be the prettiest sight almost of the
whole； the banners of the eighty…six Departments of France。 These
are due to the invention of M。 Thiers； and were to have been
accompanied by federates from each Department。 But the government
very wisely mistrusted this and some other projects of Monsieur
Thiers； and as for a federation； my dear； IT HAS BEEN TRIED。 Next
comes
His Royal Highness； the Prince de Joinville。
The 600 sailors of the 〃Belle Poule〃 marching in double file on each
side of
THE CAR。
＇Hush！ the enormous crowd thrills as it passes； and only some few
voices cry Vive l'Empereur！ Shining golden in the frosty sunwith
hundreds of thousands of eyes upon it； from houses and housetops；
from balconies； black； purple； and tricolor； from tops of leafless
trees； from behind long lines of glittering bayonets under schakos
and bear…skin caps； from behind the Line and the National Guard
again； pushing； struggling； heaving； panting； eager； the heads of an
enormous multitude stretching out to meet and follow it； amidst long
avenues of columns and statues gleaming white； of standards rainbow…
colored； of golden eagles； of pale funereal urns； of discharging
odors amidst huge volumes of pitch…black smoke；
THE GREAT IMPERIAL CHARIOT ROLLS MAJESTICALLY ON。
The cords of the pall are held by two Marshals； an Admiral and
General Bertrand； who are followed by
The Prefects of the Seine and Police； &c。
The Mayors of Paris； &c。
The Members of the Old Guard； &c。
A Squadron of Light Dragoons； &c。
Lieutenant…General Schneider； &c。
More cavalry； more infantry； more artillery； more everybody； and as
the procession passes； the Line and the National Guard forming line
on each side of the road fall in and follow it； until it arrives at
the Church of the Invalides； where the last honors are to be paid to
it。＇
Among the company assembled under the dome of that edifice； the
casual observer would not perhaps have remarked a gentleman of the
name of Michael Angelo Titmarsh； who nevertheless was there。 But
as； my dear Miss Smith； the descriptions in this letter； from the
words in page 298； line 20THE PARTY MOVEDup to the words PAID TO
IT； on this page； have purely emanated from your obedient servant's
fancy； and not from his personal observation （for no being on earth；
except a newspaper reporter； can be in two places at once）； permit
me now to communicate to you what little circumstances fell under my
own particular view on the day of the 15th of December。
As we came out； the air and the buildings round about were tinged
with purple； and the clear sharp half…moon before…mentioned was
still in the sky； where it seemed to be lingering as if it would
catch a peep of the commencement of the famous procession。 The Arc
de Triomphe was shining in a keen frosty sunshine； and looking as
clean and rosy as if it had just made its toilette。 The canvas or
pasteboard image of Napoleon； of which only the gilded legs had been
erected the night previous； was now visible； body； head； crown；
sceptre and all； and made an imposing show。 Long gilt banners were
flaunting about； with the imperial cipher and eagle； and the names
of the battles and victories glittering in gold。 The long avenues
of the Champs Elysees had been covered with sand for the convenience
of the great procession that was to tramp across it that day。
Hundreds of people were marching to and fro； laughing； chattering；
singing； gesticulating as happy Frenchmen do。 There is no
pleasanter sight than a French crowd on the alert for a festival；
and nothing more catching than their good…humor。 As for the notion
which has been put forward by some of the opposition newspapers that
the populace were on this occasion unusually solemn or sentimental；
it would be paying a bad compliment to the natural gayety of the
nation； to say that it was； on the morning at least of the 15th of
December； affected in any such absurd way。 Itinerant merchants were
shouting out lustily their commodities of segars and brandy； and the
weather was so bitter cold； that they could not fail to find plenty
of customers。 Carpenters and workmen were still making a huge
banging and clattering among the sheds which were built for the
accommodation of the visitors。 Some of these sheds were hung with
black； such as one sees before churches in funerals； some were robed
in violet； in compliment to the Emperor whose mourning they put on。
Most of them had fine tricolor hangings with appropriate inscriptions
to the glory of the French arms。
All along the Champs Elysees were urns of plaster…of…Paris destined
to contain funeral incense and flames； columns decorated with huge
flags of blue； red； and white； embroidered with shining crowns；
eagles； and N's in gilt paper； and statues of plaster representing
Nymphs； Triumphs； Victories； or other female personages； painted in
oil so as to represent marble。 Real marble could have had no better
effect； and the appearance of the whole was lively and picturesque
in the extreme。 On each pillar was a buckler； of the color of
bronze； bearing the name and date of a battle in gilt letters： you
had to walk through a mile…long avenue of these glorious
reminiscences； telling of spots where； in the great imperial days；
throats had been victoriously cut。
As we passed down the avenue； several troops of soldiers met us： the
garde…muncipale a cheval； in brass helmets and shining jack…boots；
noble…looking men； large； on large horses； the pick of the old army；
as I have heard； and armed for the special occupation of peace…
keeping： not the most glorious； but the best part of the soldier's
duty； as I fancy。 Then came a regiment of Carabineers； one of
Infantrylittle； alert； brown…faced； good…humored men； their band
at their head playing sounding marches。 These were followed by a
regiment or detachment of the Municipals on foottwo or three
inches taller than the men of the Line； and conspicuous for their
neatness and discipline。 By…and…by came a squadron or so of
dragoons of the National Guards： they are covered with straps；
buckles； aguillettes； and cartouche…boxes； and make under their
tricolor cock's…plumes a show sufficiently warlike。 The point which
chiefly struck me on beholding these military men of the National
Guard and the Line； was the admirable manner in which they bore a
cold that seemed to me as sharp as the weather in the Russian
retreat； through which cold the troops were trotting without
trembling and in the utmost cheerfulness and good…humor。 An aide…
de…camp galloped past in white pantaloons。 By heavens！ it made me
shudder to look at him。
With this profound reflection； we turned away to the right towards
the hanging…bridge （where we met a detachment of young men of the
Ecole de l'Etat Major； fine…looking lads； but sadly disfigured by
the wearing of stays or belts； that make the waists of the French
dandies of a most absurd tenuity）； and speedily passed into the
avenue of statues leading up to the Invalides。 All these were
statues of warriors from Ney to Charlemagne； modelled in clay for
the nonce； and placed here to meet the corpse of the greatest
warrior of all。 Passing these； we had to walk to a little door at
the back of the Invalides； where was a crowd of persons plunged in
the deepest mourning； and pushing for places in the chapel within。
The chapel is spacious and of no great architectural pretensions；
but was on