1848, May 16, 7:00 AM.
A priest in a white robe holding a Bible appeared at Louvre Mansion. Behind him were several burly men in linen coats, responsible for carrying Louis Napoleon's coffin to the carriage outside after the priest finished his prayers.
Due to time constraints, all the originally cumbersome rituals were simplified, and everything would be reopened once Louis Napoleon set foot on French soil.
The priest came before Louis Napoleon and read prayers over him.
After the prayers were recited, Jerome Bonaparte and Miss Howard, as family and half-family members, gazed affectionately at Louis Napoleon in the coffin before it was closed.
"May the Lord bless our brother! He will go with the Lord..." the priest mumbled a string of prayers again.
The first stage of the funeral ceremony concluded.
The long-waiting burly men carried the mahogany coffin on their shoulders and slowly descended the stairs, followed by Jerome Bonaparte and others.
