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〃 'By my salvation！' said he； 'when once my omelette is made we will see about satisfying that man yonder。'
〃 'So you admit； now； that it was a man？' said the hunchback wife。 'What made you say that it was not a head a minute ago； you great worry？'
〃The woman breaks the eggs； fries the omelette； and dishes it up without any more grumbling； somehow this squabble began to make her feel very uncomfortable。 Her husband sits down and begins to eat。 The hunchback was frightened； and said that she was not hungry。
〃 'Tap！ tap！' There was a stranger rapping at the door。
〃 'Who is there？'
〃 'The man that died yesterday！'
〃 'Come in；' answers the hemp…grower。
〃So the traveler comes in； sits himself down on a three…legged stool； and says： 'Are you mindful of God； who gives eternal peace to those who confess His Name？ Woman！ You saw me done to death； and you have said nothing！ I have been eaten by the pigs！ The pigs do not enter Paradise； and therefore I； a Christian man； shall go down into hell； all because a woman forsooth will not speak； a thing that has never been known before。 You must deliver me；' and so on； and so on。
〃The woman； who was more and more frightened every minute； cleaned her frying…pan； put on her Sunday clothes； went to the justice； and told him about the crime； which was brought to light； and the robbers were broken on the wheel in proper style on the Market Place。 This good work accomplished； the woman and her husband always had the finest hemp you ever set eyes on。 Then； which pleased them still better； they had something that they had wished for for a long time； to…wit； a man… child； who in course of time became a great lord of the king's。
〃That is the true story of The Courageous Hunchback Woman。
〃I do not like stories of that sort； they make me dream at night；〃 said La Fosseuse。 〃Napoleon's adventures are much nicer； I think。〃
〃Quite true；〃 said the keeper。 〃Come now； M。 Goguelat； tell us about the Emperor。〃
〃The evening is too far gone；〃 said the postman； 〃and I do not care about cutting short the story of a victory。〃
〃Never mind； let us hear about it all the same！ We know the stories； for we have heard you tell them many a time； but it is always a pleasure to hear them。〃
〃Tell us about the Emperor！〃 cried several voices at once。
〃You will have it？〃 answered Goguelat。 〃Very good； but you will see that there is no sense in the story when it is gone through at a gallop。 I would rather tell you all about a single battle。 Shall it be Champ…Aubert； where we ran out of cartridges； and furbished them just the same with the bayonet？〃
〃No； the Emperor！ the Emperor！〃
The old infantry man got up from his truss of hay and glanced round about on those assembled； with the peculiar sombre expression in which may be read all the miseries； adventures； and hardships of an old soldier's career。 He took his coat by the two skirts in front； and raised them； as if it were a question of once more packing up the knapsack in which his kit； his shoes； and all he had in the world used to be stowed； for a moment he stood leaning all his weight on his left foot； then he swung the right foot forward； and yielded with a good grace to the wishes of his audience。 He swept his gray hair to one side； so as to leave his forehead bare； and flung back his head and gazed upwards； as if to raise himself to the lofty height of the gigantic story that he was about to tell。
〃Napoleon； you see； my friends； was born in Corsica； which is a French island warmed by the Italian sun； it is like a furnace there； everything is scorched up； and they keep on killing each other from father to son for generations all about nothing at all'tis a notion they have。 To begin at the beginning； there was something extraordinary about the thing from the first； it occurred to his mother； who was the handsomest woman of her time； and a shrewd soul； to dedicate him to God； so that he should escape all the dangers of infancy and of his after life； for she had dreamed that the world was on fire on the day he was born。 It was a prophecy！ So she asked God to protect him； on condition that Napoleon should re…establish His holy religion； which had been thrown to the ground just then。 That was the agreement； we shall see what came of it。
〃Now； do you follow me carefully； and tell me whether what you are about to hear is natural。
〃It is certain sure that only a man who had had imagination enough to make a mysterious compact would be capable of going further than anybody else； and of passing through volleys of grape…shot and showers of bullets which carried us off like flies； but which had a respect for his head。 I myself had particular proof of that at Eylau。 I see him yet； he climbs a hillock； takes his field…glass； looks along our lines； and says； 'That is going on all right。' One of the deep fellows； with a bunch of feathers in his cap； used to plague him a good deal from all accounts； following him about everywhere； even when he was getting his meals。 This fellow wants to do something clever； so as soon as the Emperor goes away he takes his place。 Oh！ swept away in a moment！ And this is the last of the bunch of feathers！ You understand quite clearly that Napoleon had undertaken to keep his secret to himself。 That is why those who accompanied him； and even his especial friends； used to drop like nuts： Duroc； Bessieres； Lannes men as strong as bars of steel； which he cast into shape for his own ends。 And here is a final proof that he was the child of God； created to be the soldier's father； for no one ever saw him as a lieutenant or a captain。 He is a commandant straight off！ Ah！ yes； indeed！ He did not look more than four…and…twenty； but he was an old general ever since the taking of Toulon； when he made a beginning by showing the rest that they knew nothing about handling cannon。 Next thing he does； he tumbles upon us。 A little slip of a general…in…chief of the army of Italy； which had neither bread nor ammunition nor shoes nor clothesa wretched army as naked as a worm。
〃 ' Friends；' he said； 'here we all are together。 Now； get it well into your pates that in a fortnight's time from now you will be the victors； and dressed in new clothes； you shall all have greatcoats； strong gaiters； and famous pairs of shoes； but； my children； you will have to march on Milan to take them； where all these things are。'
〃So they marched。 The French； crushed as flat as a pancake； held up their heads again。 There were thirty thousand of us tatterdemalions against eighty thousand swaggerers of Germansfine tall men and well equipped； I can see them yet。 Then Napoleon； who was only Bonaparte in those days； breathed goodness knows what into us； and on we marched night and day。 We rap their knuckles at Montenotte； we hurry on to thrash them at Rivoli； Lodi； Arcola； and Millesimo； and we never let them go。 The army came to have a liking for winning battles。 Then Napoleon hems them in on all sides； these German generals did not know where to hide themselves so as to have a little peace and comfort； he drubs them soundly； cribs ten thousand of their men at a time by surrounding them with fifteen hundred Frenchmen； whom he makes to spring up after his fashion； and at last he takes their cannon； victuals； money； ammunition； and everything they have that is worth taking； he pitches them into the water； beats them on the mountains； snaps at them in the air； gobbles them up on the earth； and thrashes them everywhere。
〃There are the troops in full feather again！ For； look you； the Emperor （who； for that matter； was a wit） soon sent for the inhabitant； and told him that he had come there to deliver him。 Whereupon the civilian finds us free quarters and makes much of us； so do the women； who showed great discernment。 To come to a final end； in Ventose '96； which was at that time what the month of March is now； we had been driven up into a corner of the Pays des Marmottes； but after the campaign； lo and behold！ we were the masters of Italy； just as Napoleon had prophesied。 And in the month of March following； in one year and in two campaigns； he brings us within sight of Vienna； we had made a clean sweep of them。 We had gobbled down three armies one after