Bonsoir
Voici l'article original paru dans le journal en question à la date du 10 juin 1840. J'ai pu lire cet article dans un original de ce journal, dispo à la British Library. Le récit a son importance, comme on le sait, car il fut publié avant l'exhumation et donc ne put être influencé par les témoignages de ce moment-là.
Bonaparte’s Body
The following account of the body and coffins of Napoleon Bonaparte will be interesting at the present time, when so much attention is attracted to that great warrior by the proposal to remove his remains from St. Helena, his place of exile and death, to a more natural resting spot in France. It is entitled “Serjeant Abraham Millington’s memorandum concerning the demise of General Bonaparte”, and was inserted in the Ceylon Chronicle some time since, that paper vouching for its truth:-
On Sunday, the 6th of May 1821, I was sent for, while attending divine service, to make a tin coffin for General Napoleon Bonaparte. On Monday, the 7th, I was ordered to attend at Longwood House, for the purpose of soldering up the body of General Buonaparte in the tin coffin, which was performed in the following manner, in presence of Generals Bertrand and Montholon, Madame Bertrand, the French chaplain, the French surgeon, Mr. A. Darling, Dr. Rushop [1], of his Majesty’s 20th Regiment of Foot, several of the French domestics, and Samuel Ley, private of the 20th Regiment. The body of the late General Napoleon Bonaparte, in full dress [2], was deposited in a tin coffin, which was lined with white silk and cotton: his cocked hat was laid across his thighs, and on the left breast of his coat was a gold star and cross, and several other medals of the same metal; several pieces of coin of various sizes and different values, were also put into the coffin. His heart was deposited in a silver urn or tureen, filled with spirits, to which I soldered a lid or cover of the same material, which was placed between the small part of his legs [3]. His stomach was deposited in a silver mug, in which there were spirits, which also was put in the coffin. A siver [4] plate, knife, fork and spoon, and a silver service cup, were also deposited in the coffin. Previously to placing the body of the General in the coffin, the tin lid of the coffin being lined with white silk, and stuffed with cotton, it was put in its place, and I soldered it on the coffin, enclosing the late General Napoleon Bonaparte, with all the above-mentioned articles. This tin coffin, with its contents, were then enclosed in a mahogany coffin, and they were then enclosed in a lead coffin, and all were afterwards enclosed in a mahogany coffin, which made in all four coffins. [5]
Notes
[1] Il s'agit de Rutlegde. Millington ne le connaissant pas, n'étant pas lui-même du 20è régiment, il se sera trompé sur le nom.
[2] En italique dans le texte original du journal.
[3] La traduction française donna "entre les parties inférieures des jambes" mais on voit que le texte n'est pas si précis en fait: il pourrait s'agir de la partie supérieure des jambes vu que, pour Napoléon, cette partie pouvait apparaître à Millington comme "the small part of his legs"...
[4] Il s'agit sans doute d'une faute de frappe du journal et le bon mot aurait dû être "silver".
[5] La traduction française n'est pas tout à fait conforme au texte, mais en garde le même sens.
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