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daybreak from the funereal barge； and transferred to the car； and
fancy the car； a huge Juggernaut of a machine； rolling on four
wheels of an antique shape； which supported a basement adorned with
golden eagles； banners； laurels； and velvet hangings。 Above the
hangings stand twelve golden statues with raised arms supporting a
huge shield； on which the coffin lay。 On the coffin was the
imperial crown； covered with violet velvet crape； and the whole vast
machine was drawn by horses in superb housings； led by valets in the
imperial livery。
Fancy at the head of the procession first of all
The Gendarmerie of the Seine； with their trumpets and Colonel。
The Municipal Guard （horse）； with their trumpets； standard； and
Colonel。
Two squadrons of the 7th Lancers； with Colonel； standard； and music。
The Commandant of Paris and his Staff。
A battalion of Infantry of the Line； with their flag； sappers；
drums； music； and Colonel。
The Municipal Guard （foot）； with flag； drums； and Colonel。
The Sapper…pumpers； with ditto。
Then picture to yourself more squadrons of Lancers and Cuirassiers。
The General of the Division and his Staff； all officers of all arms
employed at Paris； and unattached； the Military School of Saint Cyr；
the Polytechnic School； the School of the Etat…Major； and the
Professors and Staff of each。 Go on imagining more battalions of
Infantry； of Artillery； companies of Engineers； squadrons of
Cuirassiers； ditto of the Cavalry； of the National Guard； and the
first and second legions of ditto。
Fancy a carriage； containing the Chaplain of the St。 Helena
expedition； the only clerical gentleman that formed a part of the
procession。
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 sunwith
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。＇
Among the company assembled under the dome of that edifice； the
casual observer would not perhaps have remarked a gentleman of the
name of Michael Angelo Titmarsh； who nevertheless was there。 But
as； my dear Miss Smith； the descriptions in this letter； from the
words in page 298； line 20THE PARTY MOVEDup to the words PAID TO
IT； on this page； have purely emanated from your obedient servant's
fancy； and not from his personal observation （for no being on earth；
except a newspaper reporter； can be in two places at once）； permit
me now to communicate to you what little circumstances fell under my
own particular view on the day of the 15th of December。
As we came out； the air and the buildings round about were tinged
with purple； and the clear sharp half…moon before…mentioned was
still in the sky； where it seemed to be lingering as if it would
catch a peep of the commencement of the famous procession。 The Arc
de Triomphe was shining in a keen frosty sunshine； and looking as
clean and rosy as if it had just made its toilette。 The canvas or
pasteboard image of Napoleon； of which only the gilded legs had been
erected the night previous； was now visible； body； head； crown；
sceptre and all； and made an imposing show。 Long gilt banners were
flaunting about； with the imperial cipher and eagle； and the names
of the battles and victories glittering in gold。 The long avenues
of the Champs Elysees had been covered with sand for the convenience
of the great procession that was to tramp across it that day。
Hundreds of people were marching to and fro； laughing； chattering；
singing； gesticulating as happy Frenchmen do。 There is no
pleasanter sight than a French crowd on the alert for a festival；
and nothing more catching than their good…humor。 As for the notion
which has been put forward by some of the opposition newspapers that
the populace were on this occasion unusually solemn or sentimental；
it would be paying a bad compliment to the natural gayety of the
nation； to say that it was； on the morning at least of the 15th of
December； affected in any such absurd way。 Itinerant merchants were
shouting out lustily their commodities of segars and brandy； and the
weather was so bitter cold； that they could not fail to find plenty
of customers。 Carpenters and workmen were still making a huge
banging and clattering among the sheds which were built for the
accommodation of the visitors。 Some of these sheds were hung with
black； such as one sees before churches in funerals； some were robed
in violet； in compliment to the Emperor whose mourning they put on。
Most of them had fine tricolor hanging