"Valence, the governor's nephew, struck me."

"Ah!" said Bonaparte, laughing, "and you have come to me to strike
him back?"

The child shook his head.

"No," said he, "I have come to you because I want to fight him--"

"Fight Valence?"

"Yes."

"But Valence will beat you, child; he is four times as strong
as you."

"Therefore I don't want to fight him as children do, but like
men fight."

"Pooh!"

"Does that surprise you?" asked the child.

"No," said Bonaparte; "what do you want to fight with?"

"With swords."

"But only the sergeants have swords, and they won't lend you
one."