The Second Funeral of NapoleonThackeray, William Makepeace
History
The Second Funeral of Napoleon
Thackeray, William Makepeace
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Death and burial
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 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 sun--with 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.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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