napoleon bonaparte, v3-第22章

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astonishing　magnificence。

In　the　month　of　December　it　is　very　rare　that　the　weather　is　fine；　but　on
that　day　the　heavens　seemed　auspicious　to　the　Emperor　and　just　as　he
entered　the　archiepiscopal　church；　quite　a　heavy　fog；　which　had　lasted
all　the　morning；　was　suddenly　dissipated；　and　a　brilliant　flood　of
sunlight　added　its　splendor　to　that　of　the　cortege。　　This　singular
circumstance　was　remarked　by　the　spectators；　and　increased　the
enthusiasm。

All　the　streets　through　which　the　cortege　passed　were　carefully　cleared
and　sanded；　and　the　inhabitants　decorated　the　fronts　of　their　houses
according　to　their　varied　taste　and　means；　with　drapery；　tapestry；
colored　paper；　and　some　even　with　garlands　of　yew…leaves；　almost　all　the
shops　on　the　Quai　des　Orfevres　being　ornamented　with　festoons　of
artificial　flowers。

The　religious　ceremony　lasted　nearly　four　hours；　and　must　have　been
extremely　fatiguing　to　the　principal　actors。　　The　personal　attendants
were　necessarily　on　duty　continually　in　the　apartment　prepared　for　the
Emperor　at　the　archiepiscopal　palace；　but　the　curious　（and　all　were　so）
relieved　each　other　from　time　to　time；　and　each　thus　had　an　opportunity
of　witnessing　the　ceremony　at　leisure。

I　have　never　heard　before　or　since　such　imposing　music：　it　was　the
composition　of　Messieurs　Paesiello；　Rose；　and　Lesueur；　precentors　of
their　Majesties；　and　the　orchestra　and　choruses　comprised　the　finest
musicians　of　Paris。　　Two　orchestras　with　four　choruses；　including　more
than　three　hundred　musicians；　were　led；　the　one　by　M。　Persuis；　the　other
by　M。　Rey；　both　leaders　of　the　Emperor's　bands。　　M。　Lais；　first　singer　to
his　Majesty；　M。　Kreutzer；　and　M。　Baillot；　first　violinists　of　the　same
rank；　had　gathered　the　finest　talent　which　the　imperial　chapel；　the
opera；　and　the　grand　lyric　theaters　possessed；　either　as　instrumental
players　or　male　and　female　singers。　　Innumerable　military　bands；　under
the　direction　of　M。　Lesuem；　executed　heroic　marches；　one　of　which；
ordered　by　the　Emperor　from　M。　Lesueur　for　the　army　of　Boulogne；　is　still
to…day；　according　to　the　judgment　of　connoisseurs；　worthy　to　stand　in　the
first　rank　of　the　most　beautiful　and　most　imposing　musical　compositions。
As　for　me；　this　music　affected　me　to　such　an　extent　that　I　became　pale
and　trembling；　and　convulsive　tremors　ran　through　all　my　body　while
listening　to　it。

His　Majesty　would　not　allow　the　Pope　to　touch　the　crown；　but　placed　it　on
his　head　himself。　　It　was　a　golden　diadem；　formed　of　oak　and　laurel
leaves。　　His　Majesty　then　took　the　crown　intended　for　the　Empress；　and；
having　donned　it　himself　for　a　few　moments；　placed　it　on　the　brow　of　his
august　wife；　who　knelt　before　him。　　Her　agitation　was　so　great　that　she
shed　tears；　and；　rising；　fixed　on　the　Emperor　a　look　of　tenderness　and
gratitude；　and　the　Emperor　returned　her　glance　without　abating　in　the
least　degree　the　dignity　required　by　such　an　imposing　ceremony　before　so
many　witnesses。

In　spite　of　this　constraint　their　hearts　understood　each　other　in　the
midst　of　the　brilliancy　and　applause　of　the　assembly；　and　assuredly　no
idea　of　divorce　entered　the　Emperor's　mind　at　that　moment；　and；　for　my
part；　I　am　very　sure　that　this　cruel　separation　would　never　have　taken
place　if　her　Majesty　the　Empress　could　have　borne　children；　or　even　if
the　young　Napoleon；　son　of　the　King　of　Holland　and　Queen　Hortense；　had
not　died　just　at　the　time　the　Emperor　had　decided　to　adopt　him。　　Yet　I
must　admit　that　the　fear；　or　rather　the　certainty；　of　Josephine　not
bearing　him　an　heir　to　the　throne；　drove　the　Emperor　to　despair；　and　I
have　many　times　heard　him　pause　suddenly　in　the　midst　of　his　work；　and
exclaim　with　chagrin；　〃To　whom　shall　I　leave　all　this？〃

After　the　mass；　his　Excellency；　Cardinal　Fesch；　grand　almoner　of　France；
bore　the　Book　of　the　Gospels　to　the　Emperor；　who　thereupon；　from　his
throne；　pronounced　the　imperial　oath　in　a　voice　so　firm　and　distinct　that
it　was　heard　by　all　present。　　Then；　for　the　twentieth　time　perhaps；　the
cry　of　'Vive　l'Empereur'　sprang　to　the　lips　of　all；　the　'Te　Deum'　was
chanted；　and'　their　Majesties　left　the　church　in　the　same　manner　as　they
had　entered。　　The　Pope　remained　in　the　church　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour
after　the　sovereigns；　and；　when　he　rose　to　withdraw；　universal
acclamations　accompanied　him　from　the　choir　to　the　portal。

Their　Majesties　did　not　return　to　the　chateau　until　half…past　six；　and
the　Pope　not　till　nearly　seven。　　On　their　entrance　to　the　church；　their
Majesties　passed　through　the　archbishop's　palace；　the　buildings　of　which；
as　I　have　said；　communicated　with　Notre　Dame　by　means　of　a　wooden
gallery。　　This　gallery；　covered　with　slate；　and　hung　with　magnificent
tapestry；　ended　in　a　platform；　also　of　wood；　erected　before　the　principal
entrance；　and　made　to　harmonize　perfectly　with　the　gothic　architecture　of
this　handsome　metropolitan　church。　　This　platform　rested　upon　four
columns；　decorated　with　inscriptions　in　letters　of　gold；　enumerating　the
names　of　the　principal　towns　of　France；　whose　mayors　had　been　deputized
to　attend　the　coronation。　　Above　these　columns　was　a　painting　in　relief；
representing　Clovis　and　Charlemagne　seated　on　their　thrones；　scepter　in
hand；　and　in　the　center　of　this　frontispiece　were　presented　the　arms　of
the　Empire；　draped　with　the　banners　of　the　sixteen　cohorts　of　the　Legion
of　Honor；　while　on　each　side　were　towers；　surmounted　by　golden　eagles。
The　inside　of　this　portico；　as　well　as　the　gallery；　was　shaped　like　a
roof；　painted　sky…blue；　and　sown　with　stars。

The　throne　of　their　Majesties　was　erected　on　a　stage　in　the　shape　of　a
semicircle；　and　covered　with　a　bluff　carpet　studded　with　bees；　and　was
reached　by　twenty…two　steps。　　The　throne；　draped　in　red　velvet；　was　also
covered　by　a　pavilion　of　the　same　color；　the　left　wing　of　which　extended
over　the　Empress；　the　princesses；　and　their　maids　of　honor；　and　the　right
over　the　two　brothers　of　the　Emperor；　with　the　arch…chancellor　and　the
arch…treasurer。

Nothing　could　be　grander　than　the　bird's…eye　view　of　the　garden　of　the
Tuileries　on　the　evening　of　this　auspicious　day；　the　grand　parterre；
encircled　by　illuminated　colonnades　from　arch　to　arch　of　which　were
festooned　garlands　of　rose…colored　lights；　the　grand　promenade　outlined
by　columns；　above　which　stars　glittered；　the　terraces　on　each　side　filled
with　orange…trees；　the　branches　of　which　were　covered　with　innumerable
lights；　while　every　tree　on　the　adjoining　walks　presented　as　brilliant　a
spectacle；　and　finally；　to　crown　all　this　magnificent　blaze　of　light；　an
immense　star　was　suspended　above　the　Place　de　la　Concorde；　and　outshone
all　else。　　This　might　in　truth　be　called　a　palace　of　fire。

On　the　occasion　of　the　coronation　his　Majesty　made　magnificent　presents
to　the　metropolitan　church。　　I　remarked；　among　other　things；　a　chalice
ornamented　with　bas…reliefs；　designed　by　the　celebrated　Germain；　a　pyx；
two　flagons　with　the　waiter；　a　holy…water　vessel；　and　a　plate　for
offerings；　the　whole　in　silver　gilt；　and　beautifully　engraved。　　By　the
orders　of　his　Majesty；　transmitted　through　the　minister　of　the　interior；
there　was　also　presented　to　M。　d'Astros；　canon　of　Notre　Dame；　a　box
containing　the　crown　of　thorns；　a　nail；　and　a　piece　of　the　wood　of　the
true　cross；　and　a　small　vial；　containing；　it　was　said；　some　of　the　blood
of　our　Lord；　with　an　iron　scourge　which　Saint　Louis　had　used；　and　a　tunic
which　had　also　belonged　to　that　king。

In　the　morning　Marshal　Murat；　Governor　of　Paris；　had　given　a　magnificent
breakfast　to　the　princes　of　Germany　who　had　come　to　Paris　in　order　to　be
present　at　the　coronation；　and　after　breakfast　the　marshal…governor
conveyed　them　to　Notre　Dame　in　four　carriages；　each　drawn　by　six　horses；
accompanied　by　an　escort　of　a　hundred　men　on　horseback；　and　commanded　by
one　of　his　aides…de…camp。　　This　escort　was　especially　noticeable　for　the
elegance　and　richness　of　its　uniforms。

The　day　after　this　grand　and　memorable　solemnity　was　one　of　public
rejoicing。　　From　the　early　morning　an　immense　crowd　of　the　populace；
enjoying　the　magnificent　weather；　spread　itself　over　the　boulevards；　the
quays；　and　the　public　squares；　on　which　were