第 12 节
作者:猜火车      更新:2021-02-21 11:57      字数:4397
  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。
  End