Egypt in one time and two movements--just as we did Italy; All you
private soldiers shall be princes, with lands of your own. Forward!"

"Forward, boys!" shouted the sergeants.

So we marched to Toulon, on our way to Egypt. As soon as the English
heard of it, they sent out all their ships of war to catch us; but when
we embarked, Napoleon said to us: "The English will never see us; and
it is only proper for you to know now that your general has a star in
the sky which will henceforth guide and protect us."

As 't was said, so 't was done. On our way across the sea we took Malta
(just as one would pick an orange in passing) to quench Napoleon's
thirst for victory; because he was a man who wanted to be doing
something all the time.

And so at last we came to Egypt; and then the orders were different. The
Egyptians, you know, are people who, from the beginning of the world,
have had giants to rule over them, and armies like innumerable ants.
Their country is a land of genii and crocodiles, and of pyramids as big
as our mountains, where they put the bodies of their dead kings to keep
them fresh--a thing that seems to please them all around. Of course you
can't deal with such people as you would with others. So when we landed,
the Little Corporal said to us: "Boys! The country that you are going to
conquer worships a lot of gods that must be respected. Frenchmen should
keep on good terms with everybody, and fight people without hurting
their feelings. So let everything alone at first, and by and by we'll
get all there is."

Now there was a prediction among the Egyptians down there that Napoleon