he　took　enough　poison　to　kill　a　regiment；　but　it　had　no　effect　whatever　upon　him。　Another　marvel！　he　discovered　that　he　was　immortal；　and　feeling　sure　of　his　case；　and　knowing　that　he　would　be　Emperor　for　ever；　he　went　to　an　island　for　a　little　while；　so　as　to　study　the　dispositions　of　those　folk　who　did　not　fail　to　make　blunder　upon　blunder。　Whilst　he　was　biding　his　time；　the　Chinese　and　the　brutes　out　in　Africa；　the　Moors　and　what…not；　awkward　customers　all　of　them；　were　so　convinced　that　he　was　something　more　than　mortal；　that　they　respected　his　flag；　saying　that　God　would　be　displeased　if　any　one　meddled　with　it。　So　he　reigned　over　all　the　rest　of　the　world；　although　the　doors　of　his　own　France　had　been　closed　upon　him。
  〃Then　he　goes　on　board　the　same　nutshell　of　a　skiff　that　he　sailed　in　from　Egypt；　passes　under　the　noses　of　the　English　vessels；　and　sets　foot　in　France。　France　recognizes　her　Emperor；　the　cuckoo　flits　from　steeple　to　steeple；　France　cries　with　one　voice；　'Long　live　the　Emperor！'　The　enthusiasm　for　that　Wonder　of　the　Ages　was　thoroughly　genuine　in　these　parts。　Dauphine　behaved　handsomely；　and　I　was　uncommonly　pleased　to　learn　that　people　here　shed　tears　of　joy　on　seeing　his　gray　overcoat　once　more。
  〃It　was　on　March　1st　that　Napoleon　set　out　with　two　hundred　men　to　conquer　the　kingdom　of　France　and　Navarre；　which　by　March　20th　had　become　the　French　Empire　again。　On　that　day　he　found　himself　in　Paris；　and　a　clean　sweep　had　been　made　of　everything；　he　had　won　back　his　beloved　France；　and　had　called　all　his　soldiers　about　him　again；　and　three　words　of　his　had　done　it　all'Here　am　I！'　'Twas　the　greatest　miracle　God　ever　worked！　Was　it　ever　known　in　the　world　before　that　a　man　should　do　nothing　but　show　his　hat；　and　a　whole　Empire　became　his？　They　fancied　that　France　was　crushed；　did　they？　Never　a　bit　of　it。　A　National　Army　springs　up　again　at　the　sight　of　the　Eagle；　and　we　all　march　to　Waterloo。　There　the　Guard　fall　all　as　one　man。　Napoleon　in　his　despair　heads　the　rest；　and　flings　himself　three　times　on　the　enemy's　guns　without　finding　the　death　he　sought；　we　all　saw　him　do　it；　we　soldiers；　and　the　day　was　lost！　That　night　the　Emperor　calls　all　his　old　soldiers　about　him；　and　there　on　the　battlefield；　which　was　soaked　with　our　blood；　he　burns　his　flags　and　his　Eaglesthe　poor　Eagles　that　had　never　been　defeated；　that　had　cried；　'Forward！'　in　battle　after　battle；　and　had　flown　above　us　all　over　Europe。　That　was　the　end　of　the　Eaglesall　the　wealth　of　England　could　not　purchase　for　her　one　tail…feather。　The　rest　is　sufficiently　known。
  〃The　Red　Man　went　over　to　the　Bourbons　like　the　low　scoundrel　he　is。　France　is　prostrate；　the　soldier　counts　for　nothing；　they　rob　him　of　his　due；　send　him　about　his　business；　and　fill　his　place　with　nobles　who　could　not　walk；　they　were　so　old；　so　that　it　made　you　sorry　to　see　them。　They　seize　Napoleon　by　treachery；　the　English　shut　him　up　on　a　desert　island　in　the　ocean；　on　a　rock　ten　thousand　feet　above　the　rest　of　the　world。　That　is　the　final　end　of　it；　there　he　has　to　stop　till　the　Red　Man　gives　him　back　his　power　again；　for　the　happiness　of　France。　A　lot　of　them　say　that　he　is　dead！　Dead？　Oh！　yes；　very　likely。　They　do　not　know　him；　that　is　plain！　They　go　on　telling　that　fib　to　deceive　the　people；　and　to　keep　things　quiet　for　their　tumble…down　government。　Listen；　this　is　the　whole　truth　of　the　matter。　His　friends　have　left　him　alone　in　the　desert　to　fulfil　a　prophecy　that　was　made　about　him；　for　I　forgot　to　tell　you　that　his　name　Napoleon　really　means　the　LION　OF　THE　DESERT。　And　that　is　gospel　truth。　You　will　hear　plenty　of　other　things　said　about　the　Emperor；　but　they　are　all　monstrous　nonsense。　Because；　look　you；　to　no　man　of　woman　born　would　God　have　given　the　power　to　write　his　name　in　red；　as　he　did；　across　the　earth；　where　he　will　be　remembered　for　ever！　。　。　。　Long　live　'Napoleon；　the　father　of　the　soldier；　the　father　of　the　people！'　〃
  〃Long　live　General　Eble！〃　cried　the　pontooner。
  〃How　did　you　manage　not　to　die　in　the　gorge　of　the　redoubts　at　Borodino？〃　asked　a　peasant　woman。
  〃Do　I　know？　we　were　a　whole　regiment　when　we　went　down　into　it；　and　only　a　hundred　foot　were　left　standing；　only　infantry　could　have　carried　it；　for　the　infantry；　look　you；　is　everything　in　an　army〃
  〃But　how　about　the　cavalry？〃　cried　Genestas；　slipping　down　out　of　the　hay　in　a　sudden　fashion　that　drew　a　startled　cry　from　the　boldest。
  〃He；　old　boy！　you　are　forgetting　Poniatowski's　Red　Lancers；　the　Cuirassiers；　the　Dragoons；　and　the　whole　boiling。　Whenever　Napoleon　grew　tired　of　seeing　his　battalions　gain　no　ground　towards　the　end　of　a　victory；　he　would　say　to　Murat；　'Here；　you！　cut　them　in　two　for　me！'　and　we　set　out　first　at　a　trot；　and　then　at　a　gallop；　ONE；　TWO！　and　cut　a　way　clean　through　the　ranks　of　the　enemy；　it　was　like　slicing　an　apple　in　two　with　a　knife。　Why；　a　charge　of　cavalry　is　nothing　more　nor　less　than　a　column　of　cannon　balls。〃
  〃And　how　about　the　pontooners？〃　cried　the　deaf　veteran。
  〃There；　there！　my　children；〃　Genestas　went　on；　repenting　in　his　confusion　of　the　sally　he　had　made；　when　he　found　himself　in　the　middle　of　a　silent　and　bewildered　group；　〃there　are　no　agents　of　police　spying　here！　Here；　drink　to　the　Little　Corporal　with　this！〃
  〃Long　live　the　Emperor！〃　all　cried　with　one　voice。
  〃Hush！　children；〃　said　the　officer；　concealing　his　own　deep　sorrow　with　an　effort。　〃Hush！　HE　IS　DEAD。　He　died　saying；　GLORY；　FRANCE；　AND　BATTLE；'　So　it　had　to　be；　children；　he　must　die；　but　his　memory　never！〃
  Goguelat　made　an　incredulous　gesture；　then　he　whispered　to　those　about　him；　〃The　officer　is　still　in　the　service；　and　orders　have　been　issued　that　they　are　to　tell　the　people　that　the　Emperor　is　dead。　You　must　not　think　any　harm　of　him　because；　after　all；　a　soldier　must　obey　orders。〃
  As　Genestas　went　out　of　the　barn；　he　heard　La　Fosseuse　say；　〃That　officer；　you　know；　is　M。　Benassis'　friend；　and　a　friend　of　the　Emperor's。〃
  Every　soul　in　the　barn　rushed　to　the　door　to　see　the　commandant　again；　they　saw　him　in　the　moonlight；　as　he　took　the　doctor's　arm。
  〃It　was　a　stupid　thing　to　do；〃　said　Genestas。　〃Quick！　let　us　go　into　the　house。　Those　Eagles；　cannon；　and　campaigns！　。　。　。　I　had　quite　forgotten　where　I　was。〃
  〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　our　Goguelat？〃　asked　Benassis。
  〃So　long　as　such　stories　are　told　in　France；　sir；　she　will　always　find　the　fourteen　armies　of　the　Republic　within　her；　at　need；　and　her　cannon　will　be　perfectly　able　to　keep　up　a　conversation　with　the　rest　of　Europe。　That　is　what　I　think。〃
  A　few　moments　later　they　reached　Benassis'　dwelling；　and　soon　were　sitting　on　either　side　of　the　hearth　in　the　salon；　the　dying　fire　in　the　grate　still　sent　up　a　few　sparks　now　and　then。　Each　was　absorbed　in　thought。　Genestas　was　hesitating　to　ask　one　last　question。　In　spite　of　the　marks　of　confidence　that　he　had　received；　he　feared　lest　the　doctor　should　regard　his　inquiry　as　indiscreet。　He　looked　searchingly　at　Benassis　more　than　once；　and　an　answering　smile；　full　of　a　kindly　cordiality；　such　as　lights　up　the　faces　of　men　of　real　strength　of　character；　seemed　to　give　him　in　advance　the　favorable　reply　for　which　he　sought。　So　he　spoke：
  〃Your　life；　sir；　is　so　different　from　the　lives　of　ordinary　men；　that　you　will　not　be　surprised　to　hear　me　ask　you　the　reason　of　your　retired　existence。　My　curiosity　may　seem　to　you　to　be　unmannerly；　but　you　will　admit　that　it　is　very　natural。　Listen　a　moment：　I　have　had　comrades　with　whom　I　have　never　been　on　intimate　terms；　even　though　I　have　made　many　campaigns　with　them；　but　there　have　been　others　to　whom　I　would　say；　'Go　to　the　paymaster　and　draw　our　money；'　three　days　after　we　had　got　drunk　together；　a　thing　that　will　happen；　for　the　quietest　folk　must　have　a　frolic　fit　at　times。　Well；　then；　you　are　one　of　those　people　whom　I　take　for　a　friend　without　waiting　to　ask　leave；　nay；　without　so　much　as　knowing　wherefore。〃
  〃Captain　Bluteau〃
  Whenever　the　doctor　had　called　his　guest　by　his　assumed　name；　the　latter　had　been　unable　for　some　time　past　to　suppress　a　slight　grimace。　Benassis；　happening　to　look　up　just　then；　caught　this　expression　of　repugnance；　he　sought　to　discover　the　reason　of　it；　and　looked　full　into　the　soldier's　face；　but　the　real　enigma　was　well…nigh　insoluble　for　him；　so　he　set　down　these　symptoms　to　physical　suffering　and　went　on：
  〃Captain；　I　am　about　to　speak　of　myself。　I　have　had　to　force　myself　to　do　so　already　several　times　since　yesterday；　while　telling　you　about　the　improvements　that　I　have　managed　to　introduce　here；　but　it　was　a　question　of　the　interests　of　the　people　and　the　commune；　with　which　mine　are　necessarily　bound　up。　But；　now；　if　I　tell　you　my　story；　I　should　have　to　speak　wholly　of　myself；　and　mine　has　not　been　a　very　interesting　life。〃
  〃If　it　were　as　uneventful　as　La　Fosseuse's　life；〃　answered　Genestas；　〃I　should　still　be　glad　to　know　about　it；　I　should　like　to　know　the　untoward　events　that　could　bring　a　man　of　your　calibre　into　this　canton。〃
  〃Captain；　for　these　twelve　years　I　have　lived　in　silence；　and　now；　as　I　wait　at　the　brink　of　the　grave　for　the　stroke　that　will　cast　me　into　it；　I　will　candidly　own　to　you　that　this　silence　is　beginning　to　weigh　heavily　upon　me。　I　ha