The Yale expositor., 1914-01-15
CHAPTER /.
The ProphecN.

from the great entry of an old farm
house in the valley under the Jura
mountains. The grandmother, sitting
white-capped in the center Of the hub
hub, heard one more willingly than the
others. for not only was Francois her
best loved but also the story ne asked
for was the story she liked to tell.
Smiling, the grandmother began:
You must know. my children, that ii
was on a day in the month of May, in
the year 1913, that he came. You
Lucie, and you, Pierre, and Marie
We're not born, only Francois and
Tomas. Francois was the older-not
quite three years old. The mother had
gone 10 care for your Aunt Lucie, who
was i'll, and / kept the house tor your
father. 1t VAS the year OF the great
conscription. when the emperor took
all the men to fight, not only the
strong ones, but the boys, and the old
and infrm. if they might but drag
themselves at the tail of a regiment.
So the few men who were not under
the flag were sorely needed by their
families, for it was necessary, if the
women and children were not TO
starve, that some should stay to work
in the fields. Your father was of the
few who had escaped in our village of
NiCques.
One morning man appeared in
the village and said that Napoleon
would pass this way within a few
hours.
Outside heard the neighbors call
ing the same two words Napoleon
comes'-one called il to another. If
the trumpet of the angel sounded the
end of the world, they could not have
had more fear. Then your father
kissed me, and kneeled and held you,
Francois, and Tomas, in his arms, and
! saw tears, but he was brave-but
yes. Courage. little mother, he said.
for me and for the babies. Courage.
And at that your father who was
my little lad once. you know, my desrs,
had gone, and | stood with an ache
where my heart should have been, and
for a moment was stupid and could
not think.
AS stood so. like blow there was
rush of galloping horses in a shower
of noise down the street, and my
heart stopped, for the horses drew up
the middle OF the floor when the door
opened.
1t opened, that door there, and
against the light | saw men crowding
in the entry. They wore uniforms of
bright colors. and swords hung at their
sides, and on their heads were hats
with trimmings of gold Then | saw
Napoleon. With step toward me
he spoke in a kind voice, half smiling.
Madame, he said, will you let us
use this room and this table for an
hour? You shall not be disturbed in
your work.
Il made my courtesy TO these great
gentlemen as had been taught. and !
found myself saying quite easily to his
majesty the emperor. as easily as if !
talked to Monsieur le Cure. to whom
| was accustomed, that he was wei.
come; that | would serve him gladly
IL he wished to command me. And
then | left them. | went into the
kitchen and began to get dinner, but
was so dazed that | could not seem
to make the soup as usual. When,
suddenly, | heard a child cry, and with
no thought then but of my babies,
flew to the door of the great room and
stood looking, for | could not pass the
sentinel.
Among the officers in their uni
forms there lay on the floor little Fran.
co.'s in his night-dress, and all the Of
ficers looked at him and laughed. The
child, sleeping in the farther room
had walked at the voices and Ia
climbed down from his crib alu iod
died out to see. The glitter OF the uni
forms must have pleased him. and as
they all bent over the papers on the
table he had pulled at the sword OF
one whom | afterward knew to be the
great Marshal Ney. He wore a dark
coat all heavy with gold lace, my chill
dren, and white pantaloons and high
shining black boots, and across his
breast a scarlet ribbon. He sat next
the emperor. The marshal, turning
sharply at the tug, knocked the little
one over. Il was then Francois cried
out
Napoleon himself who spoke as
peered under the sentinels arm. HI
shook his finger at his officer.
Marshal. Marshal. he cried, are
you not too quick to overthrow 81
young soldier. so full of love FOL
arms?'
The emperor seemed to joke, TO
he laughed a little. yet there was
sound In his voice as IL some part wa
serious. He turned sharply to tn,
mayor What is the childs name?
"Thes mayor was our friend an
knew the babies. Francois Beauprt
sire, he answered trembllngly.
"The emperor gave a short NOD
Make him kpeel, he said. Marsha
your sword
ct was still for moment. and a
the officers stood up silent, and the
the emperor took the marshal's swor
and struck the baby's shoulder ligh