The Second Funeral of Napoleon
Page: 19

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 effect--the 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'etranger--into 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,
who--heaven help them!--have never shown themselves at all
murderously inclined towards you. A man knocks up his cabins