Napoleon's Young Neighbor Part 14

"Oh, sir, I have lost the Emperor."

All looked up, but the Admiral, whom Captain Poppleton addressed, did not change expression as the officer continued:

"We were riding along one of the paths on the side of the mountain, when suddenly the Emperor turned short around to the left and almost flew up the mountain. None of the generals accompanied him. I started, but I could not follow. My horse would not take the steep ascent. So I came back to you. If there is a plot--"

"Nonsense!" cried the Admiral, and his tone was echoed by Mr. Balcombe.

It was natural that Captain Poppleton should feel alarm at the sudden disappearance. But the Admiral was made of sterner stuff. "Go back to Longwood," he said quietly to the officer. "You will find Napoleon there."

This proved to be the case, for when he reached Longwood the Emperor was at dinner, and he laughed at poor Captain Poppleton for his fears.

If Betsy had ventured to express herself regarding the trouble between Sir Hudson Lowe and the Emperor in this, she certainly would not have favored the former.

"What do you really think," she asked her father one day, "about this quarrel between the Governor and the Emperor?"

Mr. Balcombe very properly, as an officer of the Government, was not inclined to give a direct reply. But Betsy understood him, when he said:

"Their disputes are generally on subjects so trivial that they hardly seem worth quarrelling about."

But she realized that to Napoleon these disputes were not trivial when she came upon him one day reading an English book. Looking at it, as he held it before her, she saw that it was a copy of "aesop's Fables," a book that in a translation children often use to improve their knowledge of French.

The page was open at "The Sick Lion." This is the famous account of the lion that, when lying sick, receives visits from many other animals who, instead of sympathizing, exult over his downfall. The lion makes no complaint until a donkey kicks him in the face. "I could have borne anything but this," he said.

As Betsy looked at the open page, Napoleon, pointing to the woodcut, said, "It is myself and your Governor." His expression showed the depth of his feeling on the subject.

In little ways Betsy was disappointed by the regulations made for Napoleon by Sir Hudson Lowe. She was exceedingly anxious, for example, that Napoleon should see a huge boa constrictor that a captain of an incoming vessel had brought to the island.

"It is a most wonderful creature," she said, as she described it to the Emperor. "They put a live goat into its cage, and I really believe that it swallowed it whole, for I could see the poor thing's horns poking almost through the boa constrictor's skin."

The Emperor smiled as Betsy told her tale. "Your boa constrictor sounds like the Marquis de Montchenu, or, rather, the latter, from the amount of food I have heard he consumes, must resemble a boa constrictor."

"He really does," responded Betsy. "Oh, I wish you could see him--not the Marquis, but the boa constrictor."

"I should like to see it; I will ask them to have it brought here to me."

As Betsy herself also desired this, she was naturally disappointed when those in authority decided that the boa constrictor could not be shown to Napoleon.

Napoleon was not the only one on the island affected by the many regulations made for his safety in the matter of sentries. The question of pa.s.ses, always troublesome to visitors, and the fact that after the sunset gun had been fired no one could pa.s.s the sentries without giving the countersign, were annoyances to all on the island. Once Betsy herself had an experience that was far from agreeable, although she was not the only one to suffer, as the incident concerned many others.

As might be supposed, picnics were a favorite form of diversion with the people of St. Helena, and they were particularly delightful when, as usually happened, young and old took part in them. One day there was a large picnic near the celebrated Friar's Valley. The Balcombes and all their friends were to go to it.

The day proved pleasant fortunately, for the journey was difficult.

After amusing themselves for hours, the party was at last surprised to hear the sunset gun from Ladder Hill. They found that none of the party had the countersign for the night, and they knew that if they ventured forth without it they would be made prisoners. This was one of the many strict rules made by the Governor to prevent the mishap of helpers coming to Napoleon after dark.

At last some of them decided that it was better to make an effort to reach home rather than spend the night outdoors. Betsy and her parents were among those who ventured to go toward home.

It was a starlight night, but the road was bad. Mr. Balcombe at last hailed a light.

"Who goes there?" cried the sentry.

"A friend."

"Advance, friend, and give the countersign."

Now this was just what none of the party could do, and as protests were useless, they all had to spend the night in the guard-room, where they were half eaten by fleas, mosquitoes, and other insects.

Those who had stayed on the picnic grounds laughed well at the more venturous who had gone ahead. Napoleon, when he heard the story, was highly diverted, pleased to have so good a chance to blame the Government.

CHAPTER IX

ALL KINDS OF FUN

Any one who had looked in on the sisters one day would have seen that they were greatly excited. Just at this time they were visiting Madame Bertrand, and during their stay a ball was to be given.

Plans that promised much pleasure for them had been made. They were to dine with the Emperor, and then go on to Deadwood in his carriage.

"Don't jerk so, please," cried Betsy, while the maid was arranging her hair.

"But you must have this Chinese coiffure, if you are going to the ball.

You would not wish to go looking like a little girl."

"Oh, no," responded Betsy faintly, inwardly rebellious, as her hair was jerked and strained on top of her head. She was willing to bear pain for the sake of appearing well, but when she looked in the gla.s.s she thought that she had never seen anything so hideous as the coiffure that the maid had arranged with such care. She no longer desired to appear like a young lady. Her hair had been drawn back so tight that her eyes were fairly starting from the socket. Had there been time she would have pulled the coiffure down, and indeed she was ready to cry with vexation, but she did not really dare to disarrange it now, for she dreaded the Emperor's ridicule. How he would laugh at the funny Chinese coiffure! In a few minutes she was to appear before him.

To her great surprise, when she and her sister entered the dining-room, the Emperor spared her, saying only:

"Mees Betsy, this is the only time I have ever seen you look really neat; but I don't like your frock. What is the matter?"

Poor Betsy! She was almost upset by the Emperor's tone. She looked at him closely, and decided that he meant just what he said. She had thought her little frock so pretty. Now, what could be the matter with it?

The Emperor understood her look of inquiry and answered in words.

"It is too short," he said. "You must have it made long before the ball."

He was certainly in earnest, and the young girl was really troubled.

"But I cannot do anything to it," she protested; "there is not time."

"Oh, but no one will wish to dance with you."

"It isn't as bad as that!"

"But it is."

Betsy knew that Napoleon meant what he said. He knew more about b.a.l.l.s and ball-gowns than any young girl on the island. Indeed, if his criticism had not been based on his knowledge of the customs of the modish world, Betsy would still have been inclined to trust to his judgment; for though at times she seemed to trifle with his wishes, in her heart she was always ready to please him.

So now, as sensitive as any more conventional girl to the impression she might make at a ball, Betsy ran off to find Josephine, the maid.