the second funeral of napoleon-第4章

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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　placed　at

the　foot　of　the　mizzen…mast。　　The　coffin；　carried　by　our　sailors；

passed　between　two　ranks　of　officers　with　drawn　swords；　and　was

placed　on　the　quarter…deck。　　The　absolution　was　pronounced　by　the

Abbe　Coquereau　the　same　evening。　　Next　day；　at　ten　o'clock；　a　solemn

mass　was　celebrated　on　the　deck；　in　presence　of　the　officers　and

part　of　the　crews　of　the　ships。　　His　Royal　Highness　stood　at　the

foot　of　the　coffin。　　The　cannon　of　the　'Favorite'　and　'Oreste'　fired

minute…guns　during　this　ceremony；　which　terminated　by　a　solemn

absolution；　and　the　Prince　de　Joinville；　the　gentlemen　of　the

mission；　the　officers；　and　the　premiers　maitres　of　the　ship；

sprinkled　holy　water　on　the　coffin。　　At　eleven；　all　the　ceremonies

of　the　church　were　accomplished；　all　the　honors　done　to　a　sovereign

had　been　paid　to　the　mortal　remains　of　Napoleon。　　The　coffin　was

carefully　lowered　between　decks；　and　placed　in　the　chapelle　ardente

which　had　been　prepared　at　Toulon　for　its　reception。　　At　this

moment；　the　vessels　fired　a　last　salute　with　all　their　artillery；

and　the　frigate　took　in　her　flags；　keeping　up　only　her　flag　at　the

stern　and　the　royal　standard　at　the　maintopgallant…mast。　　On　Sunday；

the　18th；　at　eight　in　the　morning；　the　'Belle　Poule'　quitted　St。

Helena　with　her　precious　deposit　on　board。



〃During　the　whole　time　that　the　mission　remained　at　James　Town；　the

best　understanding　never　ceased　to　exist　between　the　population　of

the　island　and　the　French。　　The　Prince　de　Joinville　and　his

companions　met　in　all　quarters　and　at　all　times　with　the　greatest

good…will　and　the　warmest　testimonials　of　sympathy。　　The　authorities

and　the　inhabitants　must　have　felt；　no　doubt；　great　regret　at　seeing

taken　away　from　their　island　the　coffin　that　had　rendered　it　so

celebrated；　but　they　repressed　their　feelings　with　a　courtesy　that

does　honor　to　the　frankness　of　their　character。〃





II。



ON　THE　VOYAGE　FROM　ST。　HELENA　TO　PARIS。





On　the　18th　October　the　French　frigate　quitted　the　island　with　its

precious　burden　on　board。



His　Royal　Highness　the　Captain　acknowledged　cordially　the　kindness

and　attention　which　he　and　his　crew　had　received　from　the　English

authorities　and　the　inhabitants　of　the　Island　of　St。　Helena；　nay；

promised　a　pension　to　an　old　soldier　who　had　been　for　many　years　the

guardian　of　the　imperial　tomb；　and　went　so　far　as　to　take　into

consideration　the　petition　of　a　certain　lodging…house　keeper；　who

prayed　for　a　compensation　for　the　loss　which　the　removal　of　the

Emperor's　body　would　occasion　to　her。　　And　although　it　was　not　to　be

expected　that　the　great　French　nation　should　forego　its　natural

desire　of　recovering　the　remains　of　a　hero　so　dear　to　it　for　the

sake　of　the　individual　interest　of　the　landlady　in　question；　it　must

have　been　satisfactory　to　her　to　find；　that　the　peculiarity　of　her

position　was　so　delicately　appreciated　by　the　august　Prince　who

commanded　the　expedition；　and　carried　away　with　him　animae　dimidium

suaethe　half　of　the　genteel　independence　which　she　derived　from

the　situation　of　her　hotel。　　In　a　word；　politeness　and　friendship

could　not　be　carried　farther。　　The　Prince's　realm　and　the　landlady's

were　bound　together　by　the　closest　ties　of　amity。　　M。　Thiers　was

Minister　of　France；　the　great　patron　of　the　English　alliance。　　At

London　M。　Guizot　was　the　worthy　representative　of　the　French　good…

will　towards　the　British　people；　and　the　remark　frequently　made　by

our　orators　at　public　dinners；　that　〃France　and　England；　while

united；　might　defy　the　world；〃　was　considered　as　likely　to　hold　good

for　many　years　to　come；the　union　that　is。　　As　for　defying　the

world；　that　was　neither　here　nor　there；　nor　did　English　politicians

ever　dream　of　doing　any　such　thing；　except　perhaps　at　the　tenth

glass　of　port　at　〃Freemason's　Tavern。〃



Little；　however；　did　Mrs。　Corbett；　the　St。　Helena　landlady；　little

did　his　Royal　Highness　Prince　Ferdinand　Philip　Marie　de　Joinville

know　what　was　going　on　in　Europe　all　this　time　（when　I　say　in

Europe；　I　mean　in　Turkey；　Syria；　and　Egypt）；　how　clouds；　in　fact；

were　gathering　upon　what　you　call　the　political　horizon；　and　how

tempests　were　rising　that　were　to　blow　to　pieces　our　Anglo…Gallic

temple　of　friendship。　　Oh；　but　it　is　sad　to　think　that　a　single

wicked　old　Turk　should　be　the　means　of　setting　our　two　Christian

nations　by　the　ears！



Yes；　my　love；　this　disreputable　old　man　had　been　for　some　time　past

the　object　of　the　disinterested　attention　of　the　great　sovereigns　of

Europe。　　The　Emperor　Nicolas　（a　moral　character；　though　following

the　Greek　superstition；　and　adored　for　his　mildness　and　benevolence

of　disposition）；　the　Emperor　Ferdinand；　the　King　of　Prussia；　and　our

own　gracious　Queen；　had　taken　such　just　offence　at　his　conduct　and

disobedience　towards　a　young　and　interesting　sovereign；　whose

authority　he　had　disregarded；　whose　fleet　he　had　kidnapped；　whose