"Give them all the delicacies of
the season. When you serve the poisson, let it be with one 's,' and,
to make assurance doubly sure, flavor the wines with the quickest you
have."
"Quickest what?" asked Kleber, who was slightly obtuse.
"Humph!" sneered Napoleon. "On second thoughts, if reporters bother
you, take them swimming where the crocodiles are thickest--only
either don't bathe with them yourself, or wear your mail bathing-
suit. Furthermore, remember that what little of the army is left are
my children."
"What?" cried the obtuse Kleber. "All those?"
"They are my children, Kleber," said Napoleon, his voice shaking with
emotion. "I am young to be the head of so large a family, but the
fact remains as I have said. They may feel badly at my going away
and leaving them even with so pleasing a hired man as yourself, but
comfort them, let them play in the sand all they please, and if they
want to know why papa has gone away, tell them I've gone to Paris to
buy them some candy."
With these words Napoleon embarked, and on the 16th of October Paris
received him with open arms. That night the members of the Directory
came down with chills and fever.
Pages:
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95