Aswecameout，theairandthebuildingsroundaboutweretingedwithpurple，andtheclearsharphalf—moonbefore—mentionedwasstillinthesky，whereitseemedtobelingeringasifitwouldcatchapeepofthecommencementofthefamousprocession。TheArcdeTriomphewasshininginakeenfrostysunshine，andlookingascleanandrosyasifithadjustmadeitstoilette。ThecanvasorpasteboardimageofNapoleon，ofwhichonlythegildedlegshadbeenerectedthenightprevious，wasnowvisible，body，head，crown，sceptreandall，andmadeanimposingshow。Longgiltbannerswereflauntingabout，withtheimperialcipherandeagle，andthenamesofthebattlesandvictoriesglitteringingold。ThelongavenuesoftheChampsElyseeshadbeencoveredwithsandfortheconvenienceofthegreatprocessionthatwastotrampacrossitthatday。
Hundredsofpeopleweremarchingtoandfro，laughing，chattering，singing，gesticulatingashappyFrenchmendo。ThereisnopleasantersightthanaFrenchcrowdonthealertforafestival，andnothingmorecatchingthantheirgood—humor。Asforthenotionwhichhasbeenputforwardbysomeoftheoppositionnewspapersthatthepopulacewereonthisoccasionunusuallysolemnorsentimental，itwouldbepayingabadcomplimenttothenaturalgayetyofthenation，tosaythatitwas，onthemorningatleastofthe15thofDecember，affectedinanysuchabsurdway。Itinerantmerchantswereshoutingoutlustilytheircommoditiesofsegarsandbrandy，andtheweatherwassobittercold，thattheycouldnotfailtofindplentyofcustomers。Carpentersandworkmenwerestillmakingahugebangingandclatteringamongtheshedswhichwerebuiltfortheaccommodationofthevisitors。Someoftheseshedswerehungwithblack，suchasoneseesbeforechurchesinfunerals;somewererobedinviolet，incomplimenttotheEmperorwhosemourningtheyputon。
MostofthemhadfinetricolorhangingswithappropriateinscriptionstothegloryoftheFrencharms。
AllalongtheChampsElyseeswereurnsofplaster—of—Parisdestinedtocontainfuneralincenseandflames;columnsdecoratedwithhugeflagsofblue，red，andwhite，embroideredwithshiningcrowns，eagles，andN\'singiltpaper，andstatuesofplasterrepresentingNymphs，Triumphs，Victories，orotherfemalepersonages，paintedinoilsoastorepresentmarble。Realmarblecouldhavehadnobettereffect，andtheappearanceofthewholewaslivelyandpicturesqueintheextreme。Oneachpillarwasabuckler，ofthecolorofbronze，bearingthenameanddateofabattleingiltletters:youhadtowalkthroughamile—longavenueofthesegloriousreminiscences，tellingofspotswhere，inthegreatimperialdays，throatshadbeenvictoriouslycut。
Aswepasseddowntheavenue，severaltroopsofsoldiersmetus:thegarde—muncipaleacheval，inbrasshelmetsandshiningjack—boots，noble—lookingmen，large，onlargehorses，thepickoftheoldarmy，asIhaveheard，andarmedforthespecialoccupationofpeace—
keeping:notthemostglorious，butthebestpartofthesoldier\'sduty，asIfancy。ThencamearegimentofCarabineers，oneofInfantry——little，alert，brown—faced，good—humoredmen，theirbandattheirheadplayingsoundingmarches。ThesewerefollowedbyaregimentordetachmentoftheMunicipalsonfoot——twoorthreeinchestallerthanthemenoftheLine，andconspicuousfortheirneatnessanddiscipline。By—and—bycameasquadronorsoofdragoonsoftheNationalGuards:theyarecoveredwithstraps，buckles，aguillettes，andcartouche—boxes，andmakeundertheirtricolorcock\'s—plumesashowsufficientlywarlike。ThepointwhichchieflystruckmeonbeholdingthesemilitarymenoftheNationalGuardandtheLine，wastheadmirablemannerinwhichtheyboreacoldthatseemedtomeassharpastheweatherintheRussianretreat，throughwhichcoldthetroopsweretrottingwithouttremblingandintheutmostcheerfulnessandgood—humor。Anaide—
de—campgallopedpastinwhitepantaloons。Byheavens！itmademeshuddertolookathim。
Withthisprofoundreflection，weturnedawaytotherighttowardsthehanging—bridge（wherewemetadetachmentofyoungmenoftheEcoledel\'EtatMajor，fine—lookinglads，butsadlydisfiguredbythewearingofstaysorbelts，thatmakethewaistsoftheFrenchdandiesofamostabsurdtenuity），andspeedilypassedintotheavenueofstatuesleadinguptotheInvalides。AllthesewerestatuesofwarriorsfromNeytoCharlemagne，modelledinclayforthenonce，andplacedheretomeetthecorpseofthegreatestwarriorofall。Passingthese，wehadtowalktoalittledooratthebackoftheInvalides，wherewasacrowdofpersonsplungedinthedeepestmourning，andpushingforplacesinthechapelwithin。
Thechapelisspaciousandofnogreatarchitecturalpretensions，butwasonthisoccasiongorgeouslydecoratedinhonorofthegreatpersontowhosebodyitwasabouttogiveshelter。
Wehadarrivedatnine;theceremonywasnottobegin，theysaid，tilltwo:wehadfivehoursbeforeustoseeallthatfromourplacescouldbeseen。
Wesawthattheroof，uptothefirstlinesofarchitecture，washungwithviolet;beyondthiswithblack。WesawN\'s，eagles，bees，laurelwreaths，andothersuchimperialemblems，adorningeverynookandcorneroftheedifice。Betweenthearches，oneachsideoftheaisle，werepaintedtrophies，onwhichwerewrittenthenamesofsomeofNapoleon\'sGeneralsandoftheirprincipaldeedsofarms——
andnottheirdeedsofarmsalone，pardi，buttheircoatsofarmstoo。Ostarsandgarters！butthisistoomuch。WhatwasNey\'spaternalcoat，prithee，orhonestJunot\'squarterings，orthevenerableescutcheonofKingJoachim\'sfather，theinnkeeper？
YouandI，dearMissSmith，knowtheexactvalueofheraldicbearings。WeknowthatthoughthegreatestpleasureofallistoACTlikeagentleman，itisapleasure，nayamerit，toBEone——tocomeofanoldstock，tohaveanhonorablepedigree，tobeabletosaythatcenturiesbackourfathershadgentleblood，andtoustransmittedthesame。ThereISagoodingentility:themanwhoquestionsitisenvious，oracoarsedullardnotabletoperceivethedifferencebetweenhighbreedingandlow。Onehasinthesamewayheardamanbragthathedidnotknowthedifferencebetweenwines，nothe——givehimagoodglassofport，andhewouldpitchallyourclarettothedeuce。Mylove，menoftenbragabouttheirowndulnessinthisway。
Inthematterofgentlemen，democratscry，\"Psha！GiveusoneofNature\'sgentlemen，andhangyouraristocrats。\"AndsoindeedNaturedoesmakeSOMEgentlemen——afewhereandthere。ButArtmakesmost。Goodbirth，thatis，goodhandsomewell—formedfathersandmothers，nicecleanlynursery—maids，goodmeals，goodphysicians，goodeducation，fewcares，pleasanteasyhabitsoflife，andluxuriesnottoogreatorenervating，butonlyrefining——acourseofthesegoingonforafewgenerationsarethebestgentleman—makersintheworld，andbeatNaturehollow。
If，respectedMadam，yousaythatthereissomethingBETTERthangentilityinthiswickedworld，andthathonestyandpersonalwealtharemorevaluablethanallthepolitenessandhigh—breedingthateverworered—heeledpumps，knights\'spurs，orHoby\'sboots，Titmarshforoneisnevergoingtosayyounay。Ifyouevengosofarastosaythattheveryexistenceofthissuper—genteelsocietyamongus，fromtheslavishrespectthatwepaytoit，fromthedastardlymannerinwhichweattempttoimitateitsairsandapeitsvices，goesfartodestroyhonestyofintercourse，tomakeusmeanlyashamedofournaturalaffectionsandhonest，harmlessusages，andsodoesagreatdealmoreharmthanitispossibleitcandogoodbyitsexample——perhaps，Madam，youspeakwithsomesortofreason。
Potatomyself，Ican\'thelpseeingthatthetulipyonderhasthebestplaceinthegarden，andthemostsunshine，andthemostwater，andthebesttending——andnotlikinghimoverwell。ButIcan\'thelpacknowledgingthatNaturehasgivenhimamuchfinerdressthaneverIcanhopetohave，andofthis，atleast，mustgivehimthebenefit。
Orsay，wearesomanycocksandhens，mydear（sansarrierepensee），withourcropsprettyfull，ourplumesprettysleek，decentpickinghereandthereinthestraw—yard，andtolerablesnugroostinginthebarn:yonderontheterrace，inthesun，walksPeacock，stretchinghisproudneck，squealingeverynowandtheninthemostpertfashionablevoiceandflauntinghisgreatsuperciliousdandifiedtail。Don\'tletusbetooangry，mydear，withtheuseless，haughty，insolentcreature，becausehedespisesus。