The drama of Saint Helena . upid enough ; the peoplewho live with him scarcely spoke above a whisper. Nevertheless, the sight which they tried to turninto ridicule impressed these proud servants of afree country, who would have bowed down to theground before the least, petty reigning king. Theboorish Cockburn contented himself with being rudeto Napoleon ; he could have been more offensive :familiar ! And, but for the barrier of ostensiblerespect with which the captive of Saint Helenasurrounded himself, perhaps Hudson Lowe, theGovernor, would not have hesitated even to intrudeupon the privacy o
The drama of Saint Helena . upid enough ; the peoplewho live with him scarcely spoke above a whisper. Nevertheless, the sight which they tried to turninto ridicule impressed these proud servants of afree country, who would have bowed down to theground before the least, petty reigning king. Theboorish Cockburn contented himself with being rudeto Napoleon ; he could have been more offensive :familiar ! And, but for the barrier of ostensiblerespect with which the captive of Saint Helenasurrounded himself, perhaps Hudson Lowe, theGovernor, would not have hesitated even to intrudeupon the privacy of his room ; to enter it with theregularity of a turnkey going the rounds of theprisoners cells. The principal reason that rendered etiquette re-quisite at Longwood also necessitated the maintenanceof pomp and circumstance. When, in the first periodof his exile, the Emperor went out driving, he nearlyalways had six horses to his barouche, two out-riders,and the officers of his escort galloping beside the ; -4HlS^ ? *^9w *. GENERAL GRAND MARSHAL BERTRAND (ABOUT 1850). THE TEDIUM OF SAINT HELENA 177 doors. Although his house was far from resembling;a palace, yet, by way of further protest, he retaineda grand marshal, Count Bertrand, and as much aspossible of the service and air of a Court. TheEnglishmen to whom he granted an audience foundan aide-de-camp—Gourgaud or Montholon, in full-dress uniform, topbooted and sword girt on—in theparlour ; at the door of the apartment in whichNapoleon was about to receive them they saw animposing-looking usher, resplendent with gold lace,the giant Noverraz. All the retainers of the un-acknowledged sovereign wore, at Saint Helena, theformer imperial livery : a green coat with gold- orsilver-embroidered collar and cuffs, a white kersey-mere waistcoat, black silk breeches, white silkstockings, and shoes with buckles. They dischargedtheir duties at Longwood with the same precision,gravity, solemnity, as at the Tuileries. For instance, at seven
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectnapoleo, bookyear1910
