第7章

类别:其他 作者:William Makepeace Thackeray字数:3614更新时间:18/12/17 17:13:25
Theeconomistsandcalculatorsmighthereinterposewithagreatdealofreason;for,indeed,therewasnoreasonwhyanationshouldimpoverishitselftodohonortothememoryofanindividualforwhom,afterall,itcanfeelbutaqualifiedenthusiasm:butitsurelymighthaveemployedthelargesumvotedforthepurposemorewiselyandgenerously,andrecordeditsrespectforNapoleonbysomeworthyandlastingmemorial,ratherthanhaveerectedyonderthousandvainheapsoftinsel,paint,andplaster,thatarealreadycrackingandcrumblinginthefrost,atthreedaysold。 Scarcelyoneofthestatues,indeed,deservestolastamonth:someareodiousdistortionsandcaricatures,whichnevershouldhavebeenallowedtostandforamoment。Ontheverydayofthefete,thewindwasshakingthecanvaspedestals,andtheflimsywood—workhadbeguntogapeandgiveway。Atalittledistance,tobesure,youcouldnotseethecracks;andpedestalsandstatuesLOOKEDlikemarble。Atsomedistance,youcouldnottellbutthatthewreathsandeaglesweregoldembroidery,andnotgiltpaper——thegreattricolorflagsdamask,andnotstripedcalico。Onewouldthinkthattheseshamsplendorsbetokenedshamrespect,ifonehadnotknownthatthenameofNapoleonisheldinrealreverence,andobservedsomewhatofthecharacterofthenation。Realfeelingstheyhave,buttheydistortthembyexaggeration;realcourage,whichtheyrenderludicrousbyintolerablebraggadocio;andIthinktheaboveofficialaccountofthePrincedeJoinville\'sproceedings,ofthemannerinwhichtheEmperor\'sremainshavebeentreatedintheirvoyagetothecapital,andofthepreparationsmadetoreceivehiminit,willgivemydearMissSmithsomemeansofunderstandingthesocialandmoralconditionofthisworthypeopleofFrance。 III。 ONTHEFUNERALCEREMONY。 ShallItellyou,mydear,thatwhenFrancoiswokemeataveryearlyhouronthiseventfulmorning,whilethekeenstarswerestillglitteringoverhead,ahalf—moon,assharpasarazor,beaminginthefrostysky,andawickednorthwindblowing,thatblewthebloodoutofone\'sfingersandfrozeyourlegasyouputitoutofbed;—— shallItellyou,mydear,thatwhenFrancoiscalledme,andsaid,\"V\'lavot\'cafe,MonsieurTitemasse,buvez—le,tiens,ilesttoutchaud,\"Ifeltmyself,afterimbibingthehotbreakfast,socomfortableunderthreeblanketsandamackintosh,thatforatleastaquarterofanhournomaninEuropecouldsaywhetherTitmarshwouldorwouldnotbepresentattheburialoftheEmperorNapoleon。 Besides,mydear,thecold,therewasanotherreasonfordoubting。 DidtheFrenchnation,ordidtheynot,intendtoofferupsomeofusEnglishovertheimperialgrave?Andwerethegamestobeconcludedbyamassacre?ItwassaidinthenewspapersthatLordGranvillehaddespatchedcircularstoalltheEnglishresidentinParis,beggingthemtokeeptheirhomes。TheFrenchjournalsannouncedthisnews,andwarneduscharitablyofthefateintendedforus。HadLordGranvillewritten?Certainlynottome。OrhadhewrittentoallEXCEPTME?AndwasITHEVICTIM——thedoomedone?—— tobeseizeddirectlyIshowedmyfaceintheChampsElysees,andtorninpiecesbyFrenchPatriotismtothefranticchorusofthe\"Marseillaise?\"Dependonit,Madam,thathighandlowinthiscityonTuesdaywerenotaltogetherattheirease,andthatthebravestfeltnosmalltremor!Andbesureofthis,thatashisMajestyLouisPhilippetookhisnightcapoffhisroyalheadthatmorning,heprayedheartilythathemight,atnight,putitoninsafety。 Well,asmycompanionandIcameoutofdoors,beingboundfortheChurchoftheInvalides,forwhichaDeputyhadkindlyfurnisheduswithtickets,wesawtheveryprettiestsightofthewholeday,andIcan\'trefrainfrommentioningittomydear,tender—heartedMissSmith。 InthesamehousewhereIlive(butaboutfivestoriesnearertheground)lodgesanEnglishfamily,consistingof——1。Agreat— grandmother,ahale,handsomeoldladyofseventy,theverybest— dressedandneatestoldladyinParis。2。Agrandfatherandgrandmother,tolerablyyoungtobearthattitle。3。Adaughter。 And4。Twolittlegreat—grand,orgrandchildren,thatmaybeoftheageofthreeandone,andbelongtoasonanddaughterwhoareinIndia。Thegrandfather,whoisasproudofhiswifeashewasthirtyyearsagowhenhemarried,andpayshercomplimentsstilltwiceorthriceinaday,andwhenheleadsherintoaroomlooksroundatthepersonsassembled,andsaysinhisheart,\"Here,gentlemen,hereismywife——showmesuchanotherwomaninEngland,\"—— thisgentlemanhadhiredaroomontheChampsElysees,forhewouldnothavehiswifecatchcoldbyexposinghertothebalconiesintheopenair。 WhenIcametothestreet,Ifoundthefamilyassembledinthefollowingorderofmarch:—— ——No。1,thegreat—grandmotherwalkingdaintilyalong,supportedbyNo。3,hergranddaughter。 ——AnursecarryingNo。4junior,whowassoundasleep:andahugebasketcontainingsaucepans,bottlesofmilk,parcelsofinfants\' food,certaindimitynapkins,achild\'scoral,andalittlehorsebelongingtoNo。4senior。 ——Aservantbearingabasketofcondiments。 ——No。2,grandfather,spickandspan,cleanshaved,hatbrushed,whitebuckskingloves,bamboocane,browngreat—coat,walkingasuprightandsolemnasmaybe,havinghisladyonhisarm。 ——No。4,senior,withmottledlegsandatartancostume,whowasfriskingaboutbetweenhisgrandpapa\'slegs,whoheartilywishedhimathome。 \"Mydear,\"hisfaceseemedtosaytohislady,\"Ithinkyoumighthaveleftthelittlethingsinthenursery,forweshallhavetosqueezethroughaterriblecrowdintheChampsElysees。\" Theladywasgoingoutforaday\'spleasure,andherfacewasfullofcare:shehadtolookfirstafterheroldmotherwhowaswalkingahead,thenafterNo。4juniorwiththenurse——hemightfallintoallsortsofdanger,wakeup,cry,catchcold;nursemightslipdown,orheavenknowswhat。Thenshehadtolookherhusbandintheface,whohadgonetosuchexpenseandbeensokindforhersake,andmakethatgentlemanbelieveshewasthoroughlyhappy;and,finally,shehadtokeepaneyeuponNo。4senior,who,asshewasperfectlycertain,wasaboutintwominutestobelostforever,ortrampledtopiecesinthecrowd。 TheseeventstookplaceinaquietlittlestreetleadingintotheChampsElysees,theentryofwhichwehadalmostreachedbythistime。Thefourdetachmentsabovedescribed,whichhadbeenstragglingalittleintheirpassagedownthestreet,closedupattheendofit,andstoodforamomenthuddledtogether。No。3,MissX——,beganspeakingtohercompanionthegreat—grandmother。 \"Hush,mydear,\"saidthatoldlady,lookingroundalarmedatherdaughter。\"SPEAKFRENCH。\"Andshestraightwaybegannervouslytomakeaspeechwhichshesupposedtobeinthatlanguage,butwhichwasasmuchlikeFrenchasIroquois。Thewholesecretwasout:youcouldreaditinthegrandmother\'sface,whowasdoingallshecouldtokeepfromcrying,andlookedasfrightenedasshedaredtolook。 ThetwoelderladieshadsettledbetweenthemthattherewasgoingtobeageneralEnglishslaughterthatday,andhadbroughtthechildrenwiththem,sothattheymightallbemurderedincompany。 Godblessyou,Owomen,moist—eyedandtender—hearted!Inthosegentlesillytearsofyoursthereissomethingtouchesone,betheyneversofoolish。Idon\'tthinkthereweremanysuchnaturaldropsshedthatdayasthosewhichjustmadetheirappearanceinthegrandmother\'seyes,andthenwentbackagainasiftheyhadbeenashamedofthemselves,whilethegoodladyandherlittletroopwalkedacrosstheroad。Thinkhowhappyshewillbewhennightcomes,andtherehasbeennomurderofEnglish,andthebroodisallnestledunderherwingssoundasleep,andsheislyingawakethankingGodthatthedayanditspleasuresandpainsareover。 Whilstwewereconsideringthesethings,thegrandfatherhadsuddenlyelevatedNo。4senioruponhisleftshoulder,andIsawthetartanhatofthatyounggentleman,andthebamboocanewhichhadbeentransferredtohim,highovertheheadsofthecrowdontheoppositesidethroughwhichthepartymoved。 Afterthislittleprocessionhadpassedaway——youmaylaughatit,butuponmywordandconscience,MissSmith,Isawnothinginthecourseofthedaywhichaffectedmemore——afterthislittleprocessionhadpassedaway,theothercame,accompaniedbygun—