dom　for　each　one　of　them；　so　that　the　French　nation　may　be　masters　everywhere；　so　that　the　Guard　may　make　the　whole　earth　tremble；　and　France　may　spit　wherever　she　likes；　and　every　nation　shall　say　to　her；　as　it　is　written　on　my　coins；　〃God　protects　you。〃　'
  〃　'All　right！'　answers　the　army；　'we　will　fish　up　kingdoms　for　you　with　the　bayonet。'
  〃Ah！　there　was　no　backing　out　of　it；　look　you！　If　he　had　taken　it　into　his　head　to　conquer　the　moon；　we　should　have　had　to　put　everything　in　train；　pack　our　knapsacks；　and　scramble　up；　luckily；　he　had　no　wish　for　that　excursion。　The　kings　who　were　used　to　the　comforts　of　a　throne；　of　course；　objected　to　be　lugged　off；　so　we　had　marching　orders。　We　march；　we　get　there；　and　the　earth　begins　to　shake　to　its　centre　again。　What　times　they　were　for　wearing　out　men　and　shoe…　leather！　And　the　hard　knocks　that　they　gave　us！　Only　Frenchmen　could　have　stood　it。　But　you　are　not　ignorant　that　a　Frenchman　is　a　born　philosopher；　he　knows　that　he　must　die　a　little　sooner　or　a　litter　later。　So　we　used　to　die　without　a　word；　because　we　had　the　pleasure　of　watching　the　Emperor　do　THIS　on　the　maps。〃
  Here　the　soldier　swung　quickly　round　on　one　foot；　so　as　to　trace　a　circle　on　the　barn　floor　with　the　other。
  〃　'There；　that　shall　be　a　kingdom；'　he　used　to　say；　and　it　was　a　kingdom。　What　fine　times　they　were！　Colonels　became　generals　whilst　you　were　looking　at　them；　generals　became　marshals　of　France；　and　marshals　became　kings。　There　is　one　of　them　still　left　on　his　feet　to　keep　Europe　in　mind　of　those　days；　Gascon　though　he　may　be；　and　a　traitor　to　France　that　he　might　keep　his　crown；　and　he　did　not　blush　for　his　shame；　for；　after　all；　a　crown；　look　you；　is　made　of　gold。　The　very　sappers　and　miners　who　knew　how　to　read　became　great　nobles　in　the　same　way。　And　I　who　am　telling　you　all　this　have　seen　in　Paris　eleven　kings　and　a　crowd　of　princes　all　round　about　Napoleon；　like　rays　about　the　sun！　Keep　this　well　in　your　minds；　that　as　every　soldier　stood　a　chance　of　having　a　throne　of　his　own　（provided　he　showed　himself　worthy　of　it）；　a　corporal　of　the　Guard　was　by　way　of　being　a　sight　to　see；　and　they　gaped　at　him　as　he　went　by；　for　every　one　came　by　his　share　after　a　victory；　it　was　made　perfectly　clear　in　the　bulletin。　And　what　battles　they　were！　Austerlitz；　where　the　army　was　manoeuvred　as　if　it　had　been　a　review；　Eylau；　where　the　Russians　were　drowned　in　a　lake；　just　as　if　Napoleon　had　breathed　on　them　and　blown　them　in；　Wagram；　where　the　fighting　was　kept　up　for　three　whole　days　without　flinching。　In　short；　there　were　as　many　battles　as　there　are　saints　in　the　calendar。
  〃Then　it　was　made　clear　beyond　a　doubt　that　Napoleon　bore　the　Sword　of　God　in　his　scabbard。　He　had　a　regard　for　the　soldier。　He　took　the　soldier　for　his　child。　He　was　anxious　that　you　should　have　shoes；　shirts；　greatcoats；　bread；　and　cartridges；　but　he　kept　up　his　majesty；　too；　for　reigning　was　his　own　particular　occupation。　But；　all　the　same；　a　sergeant；　or　even　a　common　soldier；　could　go　up　to　him　and　call　him　'Emperor；'　just　as　you　might　say　'My　good　friend'　to　me　at　times。　And　he　would　give　an　answer　to　anything　you　put　before　him。　He　used　to　sleep　on　the　snow　just　like　the　rest　of　usin　short；　he　looked　almost　like　an　ordinary　man；　but　I　who　am　telling　you　all　these　things　have　seen　him　myself　with　the　grape…shot　whizzing　about　his　ears；　no　more　put　out　by　it　than　you　are　at　this　moment；　never　moving　a　limb；　watching　through　his　field…glass；　always　looking　after　his　business；　so　we　stood　our　ground　likewise；　as　cool　and　calm　as　John　the　Baptist。　I　do　not　know　how　he　did　it；　but　whenever　he　spoke；　a　something　in　his　words　made　our　hearts　burn　within　us；　and　just　to　let　him　see　that　we　were　his　children；　and　that　it　was　not　in　us　to　shirk　or　flinch；　we　used　to　walk　just　as　usual　right　up　to　the　sluts　of　cannon　that　were　belching　smoke　and　vomiting　battalions　of　balls；　and　never　a　man　would　so　much　as　say；　'Look　out！'　It　was　a　something　that　made　dying　men　raise　their　heads　to　salute　him　and　cry；　'Long　live　the　Emperor！'
  〃Was　that　natural？　Would　you　have　done　this　for　a　mere　man？
  〃Thereupon；　having　fitted　up　all　his　family；　and　things　having　so　turned　out　that　the　Empress　Josephine　（a　good　woman　for　all　that）　had　no　children；　he　was　obliged　to　part　company　with　her；　although　he　loved　her　not　a　little。　But　he　must　have　children；　for　reasons　of　State。　All　the　crowned　heads　of　Europe；　when　they　heard　of　his　difficulty；　squabbled　among　themselves　as　to　who　should　find　him　a　wife。　He　married　an　Austrian　princess；　so　they　say；　who　was　the　daughter　of　the　Caesars；　a　man　of　antiquity　whom　everybody　talks　about；　not　only　in　our　country；　where　it　is　said　that　most　things　were　his　doing；　but　also　all　over　Europe。　And　so　certain　sure　is　that；　that　I　who　am　talking　to　you　have　been　myself　across　the　Danube；　where　I　saw　the　ruins　of　a　bridge　built　by　that　man；　and　it　appeared　that　he　was　some　connection　of　Napoleon's　at　Rome；　for　the　Emperor　claimed　succession　there　for　his　son。
  〃So；　after　his　wedding；　which　was　a　holiday　for　the　whole　world；　and　when　they　let　the　people　off　their　taxes　for　ten　years　to　come　（though　they　had　to　pay　them　just　the　same　after　all；　because　the　excisemen　took　no　notice　of　the　proclamation）after　his　wedding；　I　say；　his　wife　had　a　child　who　was　King　of　Rome；　a　child　was　born　a　King　while　his　father　was　alive；　a　thing　that　had　never　been　seen　in　the　world　before！　That　day　a　balloon　set　out　from　Paris　to　carry　the　news　to　Rome；　and　went　all　the　way　in　one　day。　There；　now！　Is　there　one　of　you　who　will　stand　me　out　that　there　was　nothing　supernatural　in　that？　No；　it　was　decreed　on　high。　And　the　mischief　take　those　who　will　not　allow　that　it　was　wafted　over　by　God　Himself；　so　as　to　add　to　the　honor　and　glory　of　France！
  〃But　there　was　the　Emperor　of　Russia；　a　friend　of　our　Emperor's；　who　was　put　out　because　he　had　not　married　a　Russian　lady。　So　the　Russian　backs　up　our　enemies　the　English；　for　there　had　always　been　something　to　prevent　Napoleon　from　putting　a　spoke　in　their　wheel。　Clearly　an　end　must　be　made　of　fowl　of　that　feather。　Napoleon　is　vexed；　and　he　says　to　us：
  〃　'Soldiers！　You　have　been　the　masters　of　every　capital　in　Europe；　except　Moscow；　which　is　allied　to　England。　So；　in　order　to　conquer　London　and　India；　which　belongs　to　them　in　London；　I　find　it　absolutely　necessary　that　we　go　to　Moscow。'
  〃Thereupon　the　greatest　army　that　ever　wore　gaiters；　and　left　its　footprints　all　over　the　globe；　is　brought　together；　and　drawn　up　with　such　peculiar　cleverness；　that　the　Emperor　passed　a　million　men　in　review；　all　in　a　single　day。
  〃　'Hourra！'　cry　the　Russians；　and　there　is　all　Russia　assembled；　a　lot　of　brutes　of　Cossacks；　that　you　never　can　come　up　with！　It　was　country　against　country；　a　general　stramash；　we　had　to　look　out　for　ourselves。　'It　was　all　Asia　against　Europe；'　as　the　Red　Man　had　said　to　Napoleon。　'All　right；'　Napoleon　had　answered；　'I　shall　be　ready　for　them。'
  〃And　there；　in　fact；　were　all　the　kings　who　came　to　lick　Napoleon's　hand。　Austria；　Prussia；　Bavaria；　Saxony；　Poland；　and　Italy；　all　speaking　us　fair　and　going　along　with　us；　it　was　a　fine　thing！　The　Eagles　had　never　cooed　before　as　they　did　on　parade　in　those　days；　when　they　were　reared　above　all　the　flags　of　all　the　nations　of　Europe。　The　Poles　could　not　contain　their　joy　because　the　Emperor　had　a　notion　of　setting　up　their　kingdom　again；　and　ever　since　Poland　and　France　have　always　been　like　brothers。　In　short；　the　army　shouts；　'Russia　shall　be　ours！'
  〃We　cross　the　frontiers；　all　the　lot　of　us。　We　march　and　better　march；　but　never　a　Russian　do　we　see。　At　last　all　our　watch…dogs　are　encamped　at　Borodino。　That　was　where　I　received　the　Cross；　and　there　is　no　denying　that　it　was　a　cursed　battle。　The　Emperor　was　not　easy　in　his　mind；　he　had　seen　the　Red　Man；　who　said　to　him；　'My　child；　you　are　going　a　little　too　fast　for　your　feet；　you　will　run　short　of　men；　and　your　friends　will　play　you　false。'
  〃Thereupon　the　Emperor　proposes　a　treaty。　But　before　he　signs　it；　he　says　to　us：
  〃　'Let　us　give　these　Russians　a　drubbing！'
  〃　'All　right！'　cried　the　army。
  〃　'Forward！'　say　the　sergeants。
  〃My　clothes　were　all　falling　to　pieces；　my　shoes　were　worn　out　with　trapezing　over　those　roads　out　there；　which　are　not　good　going　at　all。　But　it　is　all　one。　'Since　here　is　the　last　of　the　row；'　said　I　to　myself；　'I　mean　to　get　all　I　can　out　of　it。'
  〃We　were　posted　before　the　great　ravine；　we　had　seats　in　the　front　row。　The　signal　is　given；　and　seven　hundred　guns　begin　a　conversation　fit　to　make　the　blood　spirt　from　your　ears。　One　should　give　the　devil　his　due；　and　the　Russians　let　themselves　be　cut　in　pieces　just　like　Frenchmen；　they　did　not　give　way；　and　we　made　no　advance。
  〃　'Forward！'　is　the　cry；　'here　is　the　Emperor！'
  〃So　it　was。　He　rides　past　us　at　a　gallop；　and　makes　a　sign　to　us　that　a　great　deal　depends　on　our　carrying　the　redoubt。　He　puts　fresh　heart　into　us；　we　rush　forward；　I　am　the　first　man　to　reach　the　gorge。　Ah！　mon　Dieu！　how　they　fell；　colonels；　lieutenants；　and　common　soldiers；　all　alike！　There　were　shoes　to　fit　up　those　who　had　none；　and　epaulettes　for　the　knowing　fellows　that　knew　how　to　write。　。　。　。　Victory　is　the　cry　all