the second funeral of napoleon-第4章

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our　institutions；　or　the　price　of　butcher's　meat；　yet　there　is　no

knowing　what　MIGHT　have　happened　had　Mehemet　Ali　been　allowed　to

remain　quietly　as　he　was：　and　the　balance　of　power　in　Europe　might

have　beenthe　deuce　knows　where。



Here；　then；　in　a　nutshell；　you　have　the　whole　matter　in　dispute。

While　Mrs。　Corbett　and　the　Prince　de　Joinville　were　innocently

interchanging　compliments　at　St。　Helena；bang！　bang！　Commodore

Napier　was　pouring　broadsides　into　Tyre　and　Sidon；　our　gallant　navy

was　storming　breaches　and　routing　armies；　Colonel　Hodges　had　seized

upon　the　green　standard　of　Ibrahim　Pacha；　and　the　powder…magazine　of

St。　John　of　Acre　was　blown　up　sky…high；　with　eighteen　hundred

Egyptian　soldiers　in　company　with　it。　　The　French　said　that　l'or

Anglais　had　achieved　all　these　successes；　and　no　doubt　believed　that

the　poor　fellows　at　Acre　were　bribed　to　a　man。



It　must　have　been　particularly　unpleasant　to　a　high…minded　nation

like　the　Frenchat　the　very　moment　when　the　Egyptian　affair　and　the

balance　of　Europe　had　been　settled　in　this　abrupt　wayto　find　out

all　of　a　sudden　that　the　Pasha　of　Egypt　was　their　dearest　friend　and

ally。　　They　had　suffered　in　the　person　of　their　friend；　and　though；

seeing　that　the　dispute　was　ended；　and　the　territory　out　of　his

hand；　they　could　not　hope　to　get　it　back　for　him；　or　to　aid　him　in

any　substantial　way；　yet　Monsieur　Thiers　determined；　just　as　a　mark

of　politeness　to　the　Pasha；　to　fight　all　Europe　for　maltreating

him；all　Europe；　England　included。　　He　was　bent　on　war；　and　an

immense　majority　of　the　nation　went　with　him。　　He　called　for　a

million　of　soldiers；　and　would　have　had　them　too；　had　not　the　King

been　against　the　project　and　delayed　the　completion　of　it　at　least

for　a　time。



Of　these　great　European　disputes　Captain　Joinville　received　a

notification　while　he　was　at　sea　on　board　his　frigate：　as　we　find　by

the　official　account　which　has　been　published　of　his　mission。



〃Some　days　after　quitting　St。　Helena；〃　says　that　document；　〃the

expedition　fell　in　with　a　ship　coming　from　Europe；　and　was　thus　made

acquainted　with　the　warlike　rumors　then　afloat；　by　which　a　collision

with　the　English　marine　was　rendered　possible。　　The　Prince　de

Joinville　immediately　assembled　the　officers　of　the　'Belle　Poule；'

to　deliberate　on　an　event　so　unexpected　and　important。



〃The　council　of　war　having　expressed　its　opinion　that　it　was

necessary　at　all　events　to　prepare　for　an　energetic　defence；

preparations　were　made　to　place　in　battery　all　the　guns　that　the

frigate　could　bring　to　bear　against　the　enemy。　　The　provisional

cabins　that　had　been　fitted　up　in　the　battery　were　demolished；　the

partitions　removed；　and；　with　all　the　elegant　furniture　of　the

cabins；　flung　into　the　sea。　　The　Prince　de　Joinville　was　the　first

'to　execute　himself；'　and　the　frigate　soon　found　itself　armed　with

six　or　eight　more　guns。



〃That　part　of　the　ship　where　these　cabins　had　previously　been；　went

by　the　name　of　Lacedaemon；　everything　luxurious　being　banished　to

make　way　for　what　was　useful。



〃Indeed；　all　persons　who　were　on　board　agree　in　saying　that

Monseigneur　the　Prince　de　Joinville　most　worthily　acquitted　himself

of　the　great　and　honorable　mission　which　had　been　confided　to　him。

All　affirm　not　only　that　the　commandant　of　the　expedition　did

everything　at　St。　Helena　which　as　a　Frenchman　he　was　bound　to　do　in

order　that　the　remains　of　the　Emperor　should　receive　all　the　honors

due　to　them；　but　moreover　that　he　accomplished　his　mission　with　all

the　measured　solemnity；　all　the　pious　and　severe　dignity；　that　the

son　of　the　Emperor　himself　would　have　shown　upon　a　like　occasion。

The　commandant　had　also　comprehended　that　the　remains　of　the　Emperor

must　never　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　stranger；　and　being　himself

decided　rather　to　sink　his　ship　than　to　give　up　his　precious

deposit；　he　had　inspired　every　one　about　him　with　the　same

energetic　resolution　that　he　had　himself　taken　'AGAINST　AN　EXTREME

EVENTUALITY。'〃



Monseigneur；　my　dear；　is　really　one　of　the　finest　young　fellows　it

is　possible　to　see。　　A　tall；　broad…chested；　slim…waisted；　brown…

faced；　dark…eyed　young　prince；　with　a　great　beard　（and　other　martial

qualities　no　doubt）　beyond　his　years。　　As　he　strode　into　the　Chapel

of　the　Invalides　on　Tuesday　at　the　head　of　his　men；　he　made　no　small

impression；　I　can　tell　you；　upon　the　ladies　assembled　to　witness　the

ceremony。　　Nor　are　the　crew　of　the　〃Belle　Poule〃　less　agreeable　to

look　at　than　their　commander。　　A　more　clean；　smart；　active；　well…

limbed　set　of　lads　never　〃did　dance〃　upon　the　deck　of　the　famed

〃Belle　Poule〃　in　the　days　of　her　memorable　combat　with　the　〃Saucy

Arethusa。〃　　〃These　five　hundred　sailors；〃　says　a　French　newspaper；

speaking　of　them　in　the　proper　French　way；　〃sword　in　hand；　in　the

severe　costume　of　board…ship　（la　severe　tenue　du　bord）；　seemed　proud

of　the　mission　that　they　had　just　accomplished。　　Their　blue　jackets；

their　red　cravats；　the　turned…down　collars　of　blue　shirts　edged　with

white；　ABOVE　ALL　their　resolute　appearance　and　martial　air；　gave　a

favorable　specimen　of　the　present　state　of　our　marinea　marine　of

which　so　much　might　be　expected　and　from　which　so　little　has　been

required。〃Le　Commerce：　16th　December。



There　they　were；　sure　enough；　a　cutlass　upon　one　hip；　a　pistol　on

the　othera　gallant　set　of　young　men　indeed。　　I　doubt；　to　be　sure；

whether　the　severe　tenue　du　bord　requires　that　the　seaman　should　be

always　furnished　with　those　ferocious　weapons；　which　in　sundry

maritime　manoeuvers；　such　as　going　to　sleep　in　your　hammock　for

instance；　or　twinkling　a　binnacle；　or　luffing　a　marlinspike；　or

keelhauling　a　maintopgallant　（all　naval　operations；　my　dear；　which

any　seafaring　novelist　will　explain　to　you）I　doubt；　I　say；　whether

these　weapons　are　ALWAYS　worn　by　sailors；　and　have　heard　that　they

are　commonly　and　very　sensibly　too；　locked　up　until　they　are　wanted。

Take　another　example：　suppose　artillerymen　were　incessantly

compelled　to　walk　about　with　a　pyramid　of　twenty…four　pound　shot　in

one　pocket；　a　lighted　fuse　and　a　few　barrels　of　gunpowder　in　the

otherthese　objects　would；　as　you　may　imagine；　greatly　inconvenience

the　artilleryman　in　his　peaceful　state。



The　newspaper　writer　is　therefore　most　likely　mistaken　in　saying

that　the　seamen　were　in　the　severe　tenue　du　bord；　or　by　〃bord〃

meaning　〃abordage〃which　operation　they　were　not；　in　a　harmless

church；　hung　round　with　velvet　and　wax…candles；　and　filled　with

ladies；　surely　called　upon　to　perform。　　Nor　indeed　can　it　be

reasonably　supposed　that　the　picked　men　of　the　crack　frigate　of　the

French　navy　are　a　〃good　specimen〃　of　the　rest　of　the　French　marine；

any　more　than　a　cuirassed　colossus　at　the　gate　of　the　Horse　Guards

can　be　considered　a　fair　sample　of　the　British　soldier　of　the　line。

The　sword　and　pistol；　however；　had　no　doubt　their　effectthe　former

was　in　its　sheath；　the　latter　not　loaded；　and　I　hear　that　the　French

ladies　are　quite　in　raptures　with　these　charming　loups…de…mer。



Let　the　warlike　accoutrements　then　pass。　　It　was　necessary；　perhaps；

to　strike　the　Parisians　with　awe；　and　therefore　the　crew　was　armed

in　this　fierce　fashion；　but　why　should　the　captain　begin　to　swagger

as　well　as　his　men？　and　why　did　the　Prince　de　Joinville　lug　out

sword　and　pistol　so　early？　or　why；　if　he　thought　fit　to　make

preparations；　should　the　official　journals　brag　of　them　afterwards

as　proofs　of　his　extraordinary　courage？



Here　is　the　case。　　The　English　Government　makes　him　a　present　of　the

bones　of　Napoleon：　English　workmen　work　for　nine　hours　without

ceasing；　and　dig　the　coffin　out　of　the　ground：　the　English

Commissioner　hands　over　the　key　of　the　box　to　the　French

representative；　Monsieur　Chabot：　English　horses　carry　the　funeral

car　down　to　the　sea…shore；　accompanied　by　the　English　Governor；　who

has　actually　left　his　bed　to　walk　in　the　procession　and　to　do　the

French　nation　honor。



After　receiving　and　acknowledging　these　politenesses；　the　French

captain　takes　his　charge　on　board；　and　the　first　thing　we　afterwards

hear　of　him　is　the　determination　〃qu'il　a　su　faire　passer〃　into　all

his　crew；　to　sink　rather　than　yield　up　the　body　of　the　Emperor　aux

mains　de　l'etrangerinto　the　hands　of　the　foreigner。　　My　dear

Monseigneur；　is　not　this　par　trop　fort？　　Suppose　〃the　foreigner〃　had

wanted　the　coffin；　could　he　not　have　kept　it？　　Why　show　this

uncalled…for　valor；　this　extraordinary　alacrity　at　sinking？　　Sink　or

blow　yourself　up　as　much　as　you　please；　but　your　Royal　Highness　must

see　that　the　genteel　thing　would　have　been　to　wait　until　you　were

asked　to　do　so；　before　you　offended　good…natured；　honest　people；

whoheaven　help　them！have　never　shown　themselves　at　all

murderously　inclined　towards　you。　　A　man　knocks　up　his　cabins

forsooth；　throws　his　tables　and　chairs　overboard；　runs　guns　into　the

portholes；　and　calls　le　quartier　du　bord　ou　existaient　ces　chambres；

Lacedaemon。　　Lacedaemon！　　There　is　a　province；　O　Prince；　in　your

royal　father's　dominions；　a　fruitful　parent　of　heroes　in　its　time；

which　would　have　given　a　much　better　nickname　to　your　quartier　du

bord：　you　should　have　called　it　Gascony。





　　　　〃Sooner　than　strike　we'll　all　ex…pi…er

　　　　　On　board　of　the　Bell…e　Pou…le。〃





Such　fanfaronading　is　very　well　on　the　part　of　Tom　Dibdin；　but　a

person　of　your　Royal　Highness's　〃pious　and　severe　dignity〃　should

have　been　above　it。　　If　you　entertained　an　idea　that　war　was

imminent；　would　it　not　have　been　far　better　to　have　made　your

preparations　in　quiet；　and　when　you　found　the　war　rumor　blown　over；

to　have　said　nothing　about　what　you　intended　to　do？　　Fie　upon　such

cheap　Lacedaemonianism！　　There　is　no　poltroon　in　the　world　but　can

brag　about　what　he　WOULD　have　done：　however；　to　do　your　Royal

Highness's　nation　justice；　they　brag　and　fight　too。



This　narrative；　my　dear　Miss　Smith；　as　you　will　have　remarked；　is

not　a　simple　tale　merely；　but　is　accompanied　by　many　moral　and　pithy

remarks　which　form　its　chief　value；　in　the　writer's　eyes　at　least；

and　the　above　account　of　the　sham　Lacedaemon　on　board　the　〃Belle

Poule〃　has　a　double…barrelled　morality；　as　I　conceive。　　Besides

justly　reprehending　the　French　propensity　towards　braggadocio；　it

proves　very　strongly　a　point　on　which　I　am　the　only　statesman　in

Europe　who　has　strongly　insisted。　　In　the　〃Paris　Sketch　Book〃　it　was

stated　that　THE　FRENCH　HATE　US。　　They　hate　us；　my　dear；　profoundly

and　desperately；　and　there　never　was　such　a　hollow　humbug　in　the

world　as　the　French　alliance。　　Men　get　a　character　for　patriotism　in

France　merely　by　hating　England。　　Directly　they　go　into　strong

opposition　（where；　you　know；　people　are　always　more　patriotic　than

on　the　ministerial　side）；　they　appeal　to　the　people；　and　have　their

hold　on　the　people　by　hating　England　in　common　with　them。　　Why？　　It

is　a　long　story；　and　the　hatred　may　be　accounted　for　by　many