friend; but he got angry because our Emperor didn't marry a Russian
woman. So he backs up our enemies the English. Napoleon had long
intended to pay his respects to those English ducks in their own nests,
but something had always happened to prevent, and it was now high time
to make an end of them. So he finally got angry himself, and said to us:
"Soldiers! You have been masters of all the capitals of Europe except
Moscow, which is the ally of England. In order to conquer London, as
well as the Indies, which belong to London, I find it necessary to go to
Moscow."

Well, there assembled then the greatest army that ever tramped in
gaiters over the world; and the Emperor had them so curiously well lined
up that he reviewed a million men in a single day.

"Hourra!" shout the Russians. And there they were--those animals of
Cossacks who are forever running away, and the whole Russian nation,
all complete! It was country against country--a general mix-up, where
everybody had to look out for himself. As the Red Man had said to
Napoleon, "It's Asia against Europe."

"All right!" replied the Emperor, "I'll take care." And then came
fawning on Napoleon all the kings of Europe,--Austria, Prussia, Bavaria,
Saxony, Poland, Italy,--all flattering us and going along with us. It
was splendid! The French eagles never cooed as they did on parade then,
when they were held high above all the flags of Europe. The Poles
couldn't contain themselves for joy, because the Emperor intended to set
them up again as a nation--and for that reason the French and the Poles
have been like brothers ever since.

"Russia shall be ours!" cried the army.