TheexpeditionpassedHavrethesamenight，andcametoanchoratValdelaHayeontheSeine，threeleaguesbelowRouen。
　　Herethenextmorning（10th），itwasmetbytheflotillaofsteamboatsoftheUpperSeine，consistingofthethree"Dorades，"
　　thethree"Etoiles，"the"Elbeuvien，"the"Pansien，"the"Parisienne，"andthe"Zampa。"ThePrincedeJoinville，andthepersonsoftheexpedition，embarkedimmediatelyintheflotilla，whicharrivedthesamedayatRouen。
　　AtRouensaluteswerefired，theNationalGuardonbothsidesoftheriverpaidmilitaryhonorstothebody;andoverthemiddleofthesuspension—bridgeamagnificentcenotaphwaserected，decoratedwithflags，fasces，violethangings，andtheimperialarms。Beforethecenotaphtheexpeditionstopped，andtheabsolutionwasgivenbythearchbishopandtheclergy。Afteracoupleofhours'stay，theexpeditionproceededtoPontdel'Arche。Onthe11thitreachedVernon，onthe12thMantes，onthe13thMaisons—sur—Seine。
　　"Everywhere，"saystheofficialaccountfromwhichtheaboveparticularsareborrowed，"theauthorities，theNationalGuard，andthepeopleflockedtothepassageoftheflotilla，desiroustorenderthehonorsduetohisglory，whichisthegloryofFrance。
　　Inseeingitsheroreturn，thenationseemedtohavefounditsPalladiumagain，——thesaintedrelicsofvictory。"
　　Atlength，onthe14th，thecoffinwastransferredfromthe"Dorade"
　　steameronboardtheimperialvesselarrivedfromParis。Intheevening，theimperialvesselarrivedatCourbevoie，whichwasthelaststageofthejourney。
　　HereitwasthatM。Guizotwenttoexaminethevessel，andwasverynearlyflungintotheSeine，asreportgoes，bythepatriotsassembledthere。Itisnowlyingontheriver，neartheInvalides，amidstthedriftingice，whitherthepeopleofParisareflockingouttoseeit。
　　Thevesselisofaveryelegantantiqueform，andIcangiveyouontheThamesnobetterideaofitthanbyrequestingyoutofancyanimmensewherry，ofwhichthesternhasbeencutstraightoff，andonwhichatempleonstepshasbeenelevated。Atthefigure—headisanimmensegoldeagle，andatthesternisalittleterrace，filledwithevergreensandaprofusionofbanners。Uponpedestalsalongthesidesofthevesselaretripodsinwhichincensewasburned，andunderneaththemaregarlandsofflowerscalledhere"immortals。"
　　Foureaglessurmountthetemple，andagreatscrollorgarland，heldintheirbeaks，surroundsit。Itishungwithvelvetandgold;fourgoldcaryatidessupporttheentryofit;andinthemidst，uponalargeplatformhungwithvelvet，andbearingtheimperialarms，stoodthecoffin。Asteamboat，carryingtwohundredmusiciansplayingfunerealmarchesandmilitarysymphonies，precededthismagnificentvesseltoCourbevoie，whereafunerealtemplewaserected，and"astatueofNotreDamedeGrace，beforewhichtheseamenofthe'BellePoule'inclinedthemselves，inordertothankherforhavinggrantedthemanobleandgloriousvoyage。"
　　Earlyonthemorningofthe15thDecember，amidstcloudsofincense，andthunderofcannon，andinnumerableshoutsofpeople，thecoffinwastransferredfromthebarge，andcarriedbytheseamenofthe"BellePoule"totheImperialCar。
　　And，nowhavingconductedourheroalmosttothegatesofParis，I
　　musttellyouwhatpreparationsweremadeinthecapitaltoreceivehim。
　　Tendaysbeforethearrivalofthebody，asyouwalkedacrosstheDeputies'Bridge，orovertheEsplanadeoftheInvalides，yousawonthebridgeeight，ontheesplanadethirty—two，mysteriousboxeserected，whereinacoupleofscoreofsculptorswereatworknightandday。
　　InthemiddleoftheInvalidAvenue，thereusedtostand，onakindofshabbyfountainorpump，abustofLafayette，crownedwithsomedirtywreathsof"immortals，"andlookingdownatthelittlestreamletwhichoccasionallydribbledbelowhim。Thespotofgroundwasnowclear，andLafayetteandthepumphadbeenconsignedtosomecellar，tomakewayforthemightyprocessionthatwastopassovertheplaceoftheirhabitation。
　　Strangecoincidence！IfIhadbeenMr。VictorHugo，mydear，orapoetofanynote，Iwould，inafewhours，havemadeanimpromptuconcerningthatLafayette—crownedpump，andcompareditslotnowtothefortuneofitspatronsomefiftyyearsback。Fromhimthenissued，asfromhisfountainnow，afeebledribbleofpurewords;
　　then，asnow，somefaintcirclesofdiscipleswerewillingtoadmirehim。Certainlyinthemidstofthewarandstormwithout，thispurefountofeloquencewentdribbling，dribblingon，tillofasuddentherevolutionaryworkmenknockeddownstatueandfountain，andthegorgeousimperialcavalcadetrampledoverthespotwheretheystood。
　　AsfortheChampsElysees，therewasnoendtothepreparations;thefirstdayyousawacoupleofhundredscaffoldingserectedatintervalsbetweenthehandsomegildedgas—lampsthatatpresentornamentthatavenue;nextday，allthesescaffoldingswerefilledwithbrickandmortar。Presently，overthebricksandmortarrosepedimentsofstatues，legsofurns，legsofgoddesses，legsandbodiesofgoddesses，legs，bodies，andbustsofgoddesses。Finally，onthe13thDecember，goddessescomplete。Onthe14ththeywerepaintedmarble—color;andthebasementsofwoodandcanvasonwhichtheystoodweremadetoresemblethesamecostlymaterial。Thefunerealurnswerereadytoreceivethefrankincenseandpreciousodorswhichweretoburninthem。Avastnumberofwhitecolumnsstretcheddowntheavenue，eachbearingabronzebuckleronwhichwaswritten，ingoldletters，oneofthevictoriesoftheEmperor，andeachdecoratedwithenormousimperialflags。Onthesecolumnsgoldeneagleswereplaced;andthenewspapersdidnotfailtoremarktheingeniouspositioninwhichtheroyalbirdshadbeenset:forwhilethoseontheright—handsideofthewayhadtheirheadsturnedTOWARDStheprocession，asiftowatchitscoming，thoseontheleftwerelookingexactlytheotherway，asiftoregarditsprogress。
　　DonotfancyIamjoking:thispointwasgravelyandemphaticallyurgedinmanynewspapers;andIdobelievenomortalFrenchmaneverthoughtitanythingbutsublime。
　　Donotinterruptme，sweetMissSmith。Ifeelthatyouareangry。
　　Icanseefromherethepoutingofyourlips，andknowwhatyouaregoingtosay。Youaregoingtosay，"IwillreadnomoreofthisMr。Titmarsh;thereisnosubject，howeversolemn，buthetreatsitwithflippantirreverence，andnocharacter，howevergreat，atwhomhedoesnotsneer。"
　　Ah，mydear！youareyoungnowandenthusiastic;andyourTitmarshisold，veryold，sad，andgray—headed。IhaveseenapoormotherbuyahalfpennywreathatthegateofMontmartreburying—ground，andgowithittoherlittlechild'sgrave，andhangitthereoverthelittlehumblestone;andifeveryousawmescornthemeanofferingofthepoorshabbycreature，Iwillgiveyouleavetobeasangryasyouwill。TheysaythatonthepassageofNapoleon'scoffindowntheSeine，oldsoldiersandcountrypeoplewalkedmilesfromtheirvillagesjusttocatchasightoftheboatwhichcarriedhisbodyandtokneeldownontheshoreandprayforhim。Godforbidthatweshouldquarrelwithsuchprayersandsorrow，orquestiontheirsincerity。Somethinggreatandgoodmusthavebeeninthisman，somethinglovingandkindly，thathaskepthisnamesocherishedinthepopularmemory，andgainedhimsuchlastingreverenceandaffection。
　　But，Madam，onemayrespectthedeadwithoutfeelingawe—strickenattheplumesofthehearse;andIseenoreasonwhyoneshouldsympathizewiththetrainofmutesandundertakers，howeverdeepmaybetheirmourning。Look，Iprayyou，atthemannerinwhichtheFrenchnationhasperformedNapoleon'sfuneral。Timeoutofmind，nationshaveraised，inmemoryoftheirheroes，augustmausoleums，grandpyramids，splendidstatuesofgoldormarble，sacrificingwhatevertheyhadthatwasmostcostlyandrare，orthatwasmostbeautifulinart，astokensoftheirrespectandloveforthedeadperson。Whatafineexampleofthissortofsacrificeisthat（recordedinabookofwhichSimplicityisthegreatcharacteristic）
　　ofthepoorwomanwhobroughtherpotofpreciousointment——herall，andlaiditatthefeetoftheObjectwhich，uponearth，shemostlovedandrespected。"Economistsandcalculators"therewereeveninthosedayswhoquarrelledwiththemannerinwhichthepoorwomanlavishedsomuch"capital;"butyouwillrememberhownoblyandgenerouslythesacrificewasappreciated，andhowtheeconomistswereputtoshame。
　　Withregardtothefuneralceremonythathasjustbeenperformedhere，itissaidthatafamouspublicpersonageandstatesman，MonsieurThiersindeed，spokewiththebitterestindignationofthegeneralstyleofthepreparations，andoftheirmeanandtawdrycharacter。Hewouldhavehadapompasmagnificent，hesaid，asthatofRomeatthetriumphofAurelian:hewouldhavedecoratedthebridgesandavenuesthroughwhichtheprocessionwastopass，withthecostliestmarblesandthefinestworksofart，andhavehadthemtoremainthereforeverasmonumentsofthegreatfuneral。