napoleon bonaparte, v3-第20节

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midst　of　the　brilliancy　and　applause　of　the　assembly；　and　assuredly　no
idea　of　divorce　entered　the　Emperor's　mind　at　that　moment；　and；　for　my
part；　I　am　very　sure　that　this　cruel　separation　would　never　have　taken
place　if　her　Majesty　the　Empress　could　have　borne　children；　or　even　if
the　young　Napoleon；　son　of　the　King　of　Holland　and　Queen　Hortense；　had
not　died　just　at　the　time　the　Emperor　had　decided　to　adopt　him。　　Yet　I
must　admit　that　the　fear；　or　rather　the　certainty；　of　Josephine　not
bearing　him　an　heir　to　the　throne；　drove　the　Emperor　to　despair；　and　I
have　many　times　heard　him　pause　suddenly　in　the　midst　of　his　work；　and
exclaim　with　chagrin；　〃To　whom　shall　I　leave　all　this？〃

After　the　mass；　his　Excellency；　Cardinal　Fesch；　grand　almoner　of　France；
bore　the　Book　of　the　Gospels　to　the　Emperor；　who　thereupon；　from　his
throne；　pronounced　the　imperial　oath　in　a　voice　so　firm　and　distinct　that
it　was　heard　by　all　present。　　Then；　for　the　twentieth　time　perhaps；　the
cry　of　'Vive　l'Empereur'　sprang　to　the　lips　of　all；　the　'Te　Deum'　was
chanted；　and'　their　Majesties　left　the　church　in　the　same　manner　as　they
had　entered。　　The　Pope　remained　in　the　church　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour
after　the　sovereigns；　and；　when　he　rose　to　withdraw；　universal
acclamations　accompanied　him　from　the　choir　to　the　portal。

Their　Majesties　did　not　return　to　the　chateau　until　half…past　six；　and
the　Pope　not　till　nearly　seven。　　On　their　entrance　to　the　church；　their
Majesties　passed　through　the　archbishop's　palace；　the　buildings　of　which；
as　I　have　said；　communicated　with　Notre　Dame　by　means　of　a　wooden
gallery。　　This　gallery；　covered　with　slate；　and　hung　with　magnificent
tapestry；　ended　in　a　platform；　also　of　wood；　erected　before　the　principal
entrance；　and　made　to　harmonize　perfectly　with　the　gothic　architecture　of
this　handsome　metropolitan　church。　　This　platform　rested　upon　four
columns；　decorated　with　inscriptions　in　letters　of　gold；　enumerating　the
names　of　the　principal　towns　of　France；　whose　mayors　had　been　deputized
to　attend　the　coronation。　　Above　these　columns　was　a　painting　in　relief；
representing　Clovis　and　Charlemagne　seated　on　their　thrones；　scepter　in
hand；　and　in　the　center　of　this　frontispiece　were　presented　the　arms　of
the　Empire；　draped　with　the　banners　of　the　sixteen　cohorts　of　the　Legion
of　Honor；　while　on　each　side　were　towers；　surmounted　by　golden　eagles。
The　inside　of　this　portico；　as　well　as　the　gallery；　was　shaped　like　a
roof；　painted　sky…blue；　and　sown　with　stars。

The　throne　of　their　Majesties　was　erected　on　a　stage　in　the　shape　of　a
semicircle；　and　covered　with　a　bluff　carpet　studded　with　bees；　and　was
reached　by　twenty…two　steps。　　The　throne；　draped　in　red　velvet；　was　also
covered　by　a　pavilion　of　the　same　color；　the　left　wing　of　which　extended
over　the　Empress；　the　princesses；　and　their　maids　of　honor；　and　the　right
over　the　two　brothers　of　the　Emperor；　with　the　arch…chancellor　and　the
arch…treasurer。

Nothing　could　be　grander　than　the　bird's…eye　view　of　the　garden　of　the
Tuileries　on　the　evening　of　this　auspicious　day；　the　grand　parterre；
encircled　by　illuminated　colonnades　from　arch　to　arch　of　which　were
festooned　garlands　of　rose…colored　lights；　the　grand　promenade　outlined
by　columns；　above　which　stars　glittered；　the　terraces　on　each　side　filled
with　orange…trees；　the　branches　of　which　were　covered　with　innumerable
lights；　while　every　tree　on　the　adjoining　walks　presented　as　brilliant　a
spectacle；　and　finally；　to　crown　all　this　magnificent　blaze　of　light；　an
immense　star　was　suspended　above　the　Place　de　la　Concorde；　and　outshone
all　else。　　This　might　in　truth　be　called　a　palace　of　fire。

On　the　occasion　of　the　coronation　his　Majesty　made　magnificent　presents
to　the　metropolitan　church。　　I　remarked；　among　other　things；　a　chalice
ornamented　with　bas…reliefs；　designed　by　the　celebrated　Germain；　a　pyx；
two　flagons　with　the　waiter；　a　holy…water　vessel；　and　a　plate　for
offerings；　the　whole　in　silver　gilt；　and　beautifully　engraved。　　By　the
orders　of　his　Majesty；　transmitted　through　the　minister　of　the　interior；
there　was　also　presented　to　M。　d'Astros；　canon　of　Notre　Dame；　a　box
containing　the　crown　of　thorns；　a　nail；　and　a　piece　of　the　wood　of　the
true　cross；　and　a　small　vial；　containing；　it　was　said；　some　of　the　blood
of　our　Lord；　with　an　iron　scourge　which　Saint　Louis　had　used；　and　a　tunic
which　had　also　belonged　to　that　king。

In　the　morning　Marshal　Murat；　Governor　of　Paris；　had　given　a　magnificent
breakfast　to　the　princes　of　Germany　who　had　come　to　Paris　in　order　to　be
present　at　the　coronation；　and　after　breakfast　the　marshal…governor
conveyed　them　to　Notre　Dame　in　four　carriages；　each　drawn　by　six　horses；
accompanied　by　an　escort　of　a　hundred　men　on　horseback；　and　commanded　by
one　of　his　aides…de…camp。　　This　escort　was　especially　noticeable　for　the
elegance　and　richness　of　its　uniforms。

The　day　after　this　grand　and　memorable　solemnity　was　one　of　public
rejoicing。　　From　the　early　morning　an　immense　crowd　of　the　populace；
enjoying　the　magnificent　weather；　spread　itself　over　the　boulevards；　the
quays；　and　the　public　squares；　on　which　were　prepared　an　infinite　variety
of　amusements。

The　heralds…at…arms　went　at　an　early　hour　through　all　the　public　places；
throwing　to　the　crowd；　which　pressed　around　them；　medals　struck　in　memory
of　the　coronation。　　These　medals　represented　on　one　side　the　likeness　of
the　Emperor；　his　brow　encircled　with　the　crown　of　the　Caesars；　with　this
motto：　Napoleon；　Empereur。　　On　the　reverse　side　was　the　figure　of　a
magistrate；　with　the　attributes　of　his　office　around　him；　and　that　of　an
ancient　warrior；　bearing　on　a　shield　a　hero　crowned；　and　covered　with　the
imperial　mantle。　　Above　was　written：　The　Senate　and　the　People。　　Soon
after　the　passage　of　the　heralds…at…arms　the　rejoicings　commenced；　and
were　prolonged　far　into　the　evening。

There　had　been　erected　on　the　Place　Louis　XV。；　which　was　called　then　the
Place　de　la　Concorde；　four　large　square　rooms　of　temporary　woodwork；　for
dancing　and　waltzing。　　Stages　for　the　presentation　of　pantomimes　and
farces　were　placed　on　the　boulevards　here　and　there；　groups　of　singers
and　musicians　executed　national　airs　and　warlike　marches；　greased　poles；
rope…dancers；　sports　of　all　kinds；　attracted　the　attention　of　promenaders
at　every　step；　and　enabled　them　to　await　without　impatience　the
illuminations　and　the　fireworks。

The　display　of　fireworks　was　most　admirable。　　From　the　Place　Louis　XV。
to　the　extreme　end　of　the　Boulevard　Saint…Antoine；　ran　a　double　line　of
colored　lights　in　festoons。　　The　palace　of　the　Corps…Legislatif；　formerly
the　Garde…Meuble；　was　resplendent　with　lights；　and　the　gates　of　Saint…
Denis　and　Saint…Martin　were　covered　with　lamps　from　top　to　bottom。

In　the　evening　all　those　interested　betook　themselves　to　the　quays　and
bridges；　in　order　to　witness　the　fireworks　which　were　set　off　from　the
Bridge　de　la　Concorde　（now　called　Bridge　Louis　XVI。）；　and　which　far
surpassed　in　magnificence　all　that　had　ever　been　seen。




CHAPTER　XXII。

Wednesday；　Dec。　5；　three　days　after　the　coronation；　the　Emperor　made　a
distribution　of　the　colors　on　the　Champ…de…Mars。

In　front　of　Ecole…Militaire　a　balcony　was　erected；　covered　with　awnings；
and　placed　on　a　level　with　the　apartments　on　the　first　floor。　　The　middle
awning；　supported　by　four　columns；　each　one　of　which　was　a　gilded　figure
representing　Victory；　covered　the　throne　on　which　their　Majesties　were
seated。　　A　most　fortunate　precaution；　for　on　that　day　the　weather　was
dreadful；　the　thaw　had　come　suddenly；　and　every　one　knows　what　a　Paris
thaw　is。

Around　the　throne　were　ranged　princes　and　princesses；　grand　dignitaries；
ministers；　marshals　of　the　Empire；　grand　officers　of　the　crown；　the
ladies　of　the　court；　and　the　council　of　state。

This　balcony　was　divided　on　the　right　and　left　into　sixteen　compartments；
decorated　with　banners；　and　crowned　with　eagles；　these　divisions
representing　the　sixteen　cohorts　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　　Those　on　the
right　were　occupied　by　the　Senate；　the　officers　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；
the　court　of　appeals；　and　the　chiefs　of　the　national　treasury；　and　those
on　the　left　by　the　Tribunate　and　the　Corps…Legislatif。

At　each　end　of　the　balcony　was　a　pavilion。　　That　on　the　side　next　the
city　was　styled　the　imperial　tribune；　and　intended　for　foreign　princes；
while　the　diplomatic　corps　and　foreign　personages　of　distinction　filled
the　other　pavilion。

From　this　gallery　an　immense　staircase　descended　into　the　Champ…de…Mars；
the　first　step　of　which　formed　a　bench　below　the　tribunes；　and　was
occupied　by　the　presidents　of　the　cantons；　the　prefects；　the　sub…
prefects；　and　the　members　of　the　municipal　council。　　On　each　side　of　this
staircase　were　placed　the　colossal　figures　of　France　making　peace　and
France　making　war。　　Upon　the　steps　were　seated　the　colonels　of　regiments；
and　the　presidents　of　the　electoral　colleges　of　the　department；　holding
aloft　the　imperial　eagles。

The　cortege　of　their　Majesties　set　out　at　noon　from　the　chateau　of　the
Tuileries；　in　the　same　order　adopted　at　the　coronation：　the　chasseurs　of
the　guard　and　the　squadrons　of　mamelukes　marching