It is half-past eleven in the
morning. The ceremony of consecration is finished. It has lasted
four hours.
Reaching his apartments, Charles X. passes the sceptre to Marshal
Soult, the Main de Justice to Marshal Mortier. The shirt and the
gloves touched by the holy unction must be burned. The great
officers of the crown then escort the monarch to the royal banquet
in the great hall. There he eats under a dais with the Dauphin,
the Duke of Orleans, and the Duke of Bourbon, with their ducal
crowns, and he with the diamond crown upon the head.
The royal insignia have been placed upon the table which is served
by the great officers and the officers of the household. The
marshals of France stand before the sovereign ready to resume the
insignia. Around about are five other tables, where are placed the
members of the diplomatic corps, the peers of France, the
deputies, the cardinals, archbishops, and bishops. The royal
banquet lasts half an hour to the sound of military music. In the
evening the city of Rheims is everywhere illuminated.
XV
CLOSE OF THE SOJOURN AT RHEIMS
After his coronation Charles X. remained at Rheims during the 30th
and 3lst of May. On the 30th the ceremony of the Order of the Holy
Spirit was celebrated in the Cathedral. The interior presented the
same aspect as the day before. At 1 P.M. the order passed in
procession through the covered gallery as follows: the usher, the
herald, Marquis d'Aguessau, Grand Master of Ceremonies of the
order, having at his right the Count Deseze, Commander Grand
Treasurer, at his left Marquis de Villedeuil, Commander Secretary,
the Chancellor, two columns of Knights of the Holy Spirit.
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