The Second Funeral of Napoleon
Page: 29

open air.

When I came to the street, I found the family assembled in the
following order of march:--


--No. 1, the great-grandmother walking daintily along, supported by
No. 3, her granddaughter.

--A nurse carrying No. 4 junior, who was sound asleep: and a huge
basket containing saucepans, bottles of milk, parcels of infants'
food, certain dimity napkins, a child's coral, and a little horse
belonging to No. 4 senior.

--A servant bearing a basket of condiments.

--No. 2, grandfather, spick and span, clean shaved, hat brushed,
white buckskin gloves, bamboo cane, brown great-coat, walking as
upright and solemn as may be, having his lady on his arm.

--No. 4, senior, with mottled legs and a tartan costume, who was
frisking about between his grandpapa's legs, who heartily wished him
at home.


"My dear," his face seemed to say to his lady, "I think you might
have left the little things in the nursery, for we shall have to
squeeze through a terrible crowd in the Champs Elysees."

The lady was going out for a day's pleasure, and her face was full
of care: she had to look first after her old mother who was walking
ahead, then after No. 4 junior with the nurse--he might fall into
all sorts of danger, wake up, cry, catch cold; nurse might slip
down, or heaven knows what. Then she had to look her husband in the
face, who had gone to such expense and been so kind for her sake,
and make that gentleman believe she was thoroughly happy; and,
finally, she had to keep an eye upon No. 4 senior, who, as she was
perfectly certain, was about in two minutes to be lost for ever, or
trampled to pieces in the crowd.

These events took place in a quiet little street leading into the
Champs Elysees, the entry of which we had almost reached by this
time. The four detachments above described, which had been
straggling a little in their passage down the street, closed up at
the end of it, and stood for a moment huddled together. No. 3, Miss
X--, began speaking to her companion the great-grandmother.

"Hush, my dear," said that old lady, looking round alarmed at her
daughter. "SPEAK FRENCH." And she straightway began nervously to