"I've got to hurry up and gain some more victories or
these French will forget me. A man has to make a three-ringed circus
of himself to keep his name before the public these days."
"What are you fightin' for this time, sir?" asked the sailor, who had
not heard that war had been declared--"ile paintin's or pyramids?"
"I am going to free the people of the East from the oppressor," said
Napoleon, loftily.
"And it's a noble work, your honor," said the sailor. "Who is it
that's oppressin' these people down East?"
"You'll have to consult the Directory," said Napoleon, coldly.
"Leave me; I have other things to think of."
On the 10th of June Malta was reached, and the Knights of St. John,
long disused to labor of any sort, like many other knights of more
modern sort, surrendered in most hospitable fashion, inviting
Napoleon to come ashore and accept the freedom of the island or
anything else he might happen to want. His reply was characteristic:
"Tell the Knights of Malta to attend to their cats. I'm after
continents, not islands," said he; and with this, leaving a
detachment of troops to guard his new acquisition, he proceeded to
Alexandria, which he reached on the 1st of July.
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