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the second funeral of napoleon-第13章

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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 ground;

his hands before him; a small clerical train following after。  Why

didn't they move?  There was the National Guard keeping on

presenting arms; the little drummers going on rub…dub…dubrub…dub…

dubin the same steady; slow way; and the Procession never moved an

inch。  There was evidently; to use an elegant phrase; a hitch

somewhere。



'Enter a fat priest who bustles up to the drum…major。'



Fat priest〃Taisez…vous。〃



Little drummerRub…dub…dubrub…dub…dubrub…dub…dub; &c。



Drum…major〃Qu'est…ce donc?〃



Fat priest〃Taisez…vous; dis…je; ce n'est pas le corps。  Il

n'arrivera paspour une heure。〃



The little drums were instantly hushed; the procession turned to the

right…about; and walked back to the altar again; the blown…out

candle that had been on the near side of us before was now on the

off side; the National Guards set down their muskets and began at

their sandwiches again。  We had to wait an hour and a half at least

before the great procession arrived。  The guns without went on

booming all the while at intervals; and as we heard each; the

audience gave a kind of 〃ahahah!〃 such as you hear when the rockets

go up at Vauxhall。



At last the real Procession came。



Then the drums began to beat as formerly; the Nationals to get under

arms; the clergymen were sent for and went; and presentlyyes;

there was the tall cross…bearer at the head of the procession; and

they came BACK!



They chanted something in a weak; snuffling; lugubrious manner; to

the melancholy bray of a serpent。



Crash! however; Mr。 Habeneck and the fiddlers in the organ loft

pealed out a wild shrill march; which stopped the reverend

gentlemen; and in the midst of this music



And of a great trampling of feet and clattering;



And of a great crowd of Generals and Officers in fine clothes;



With the Prince de Joinville marching quickly at the head of the

procession;



And while everybody's heart was thumping as hard as possible;



NAPOLEON'S COFFIN PASSED。



It was done in an instant。  A box covered with a great red crossa

dingy…looking crown lying on the top of itSeamen on one side and

Invalids on the otherthey had passed in an instant and were up the

aisle。



A faint snuffling sound; as before; was heard from the officiating

priests; but we knew of nothing more。  It is said that old Louis

Philippe was standing at the catafalque; whither the Prince de

Joinville advanced and said; 〃Sire; I bring you the body of the

Emperor Napoleon。〃



Louis Philippe answered; 〃I receive it in the name of France。〃

Bertrand put on the body the most glorious victorious sword that

ever has been forged since the apt descendants of the first murderer

learned how to hammer steel; and the coffin was placed in the temple

prepared for it。



The six hundred singers and the fiddlers now commenced the playing

and singing of a piece of music; and a part of the crew of the

〃Belle Poule〃 skipped into the places that had been kept for them

under us; and listened to the music; chewing tobacco。  While the

actors and fiddlers were going on; most of the spirits…of…wine lamps

on altars went out。



When we arrived in the open air we passed through the court of the

Invalids; where thousands of people had been assembled; but where

the benches were now quite bare。  Then we came on to the terrace

before the place: the old soldiers were firing off the great guns;

which made a dreadful stunning noise; and frightened some of us; who

did not care to pass before the cannon and be knocked down even by

the wadding。  The guns were fired in honor of the King; who was

going home by a back door。  All the forty thousand people who

covered the great stands before the Hotel had gone away too。  The

Imperial Barge had been dragged up the river; and was lying lonely

along the Quay; examined by some few shivering people on the shore。



It was five o'clock when we reached home: the stars were shining

keenly out of the frosty sky; and Francois told me that dinner was

just ready。



In this manner; my dear Miss Smith; the great Napoleon was buried。



Farewell。











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