He came in two minutes.
"He's on the line now," they said.
I took up the receiver, trembling.
"Hello!" I called. "Est-ce que c'est l'Empereur Napoleon
a qui j'ai l'honneur de parler?"
"How's that?" said Napoleon.
"Je demande si je suis en communication avec l'Empereur
Napoleon--"
"Oh," said Napoleon, "that's all right; speak English."
"What!" I said in surprise. "You know English? I always
thought you couldn't speak a word of it."
He was silent for a minute. Then he said:
"I picked it up over here. It's all right. Go right ahead."
"Well," I continued, "I've always admired you so much,
your wonderful brain and genius, that I felt I wanted to
speak to you and ask you how you are."
"Happy," said Napoleon, "very happy."
"That's good," I said. "That's fine! And how is it out
there? All bright and beautiful, eh?"
"Very beautiful," said the Emperor.
"And just where are you?" I continued. "Somewhere out in
the Unspeakable, I suppose, eh?"
"Yes," he answered, "out here beyond."
"That's good," I said. "Pretty happy, eh?"
"Very happy," said Napoleon. "Tell everybody how happy
I am."
"I know," I answered. "I'll tell them all. But just now
I've a particular thing to ask.
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