Page:Helen Leah Reed - Napoleons young neighbour.djvu/115

Rh "I mean, why did you change your religion?" Betsy explained.

"Fighting is a soldier's religion," he replied. "I never changed that. The other is the affair of women and priests. Quant à moi, I always adopt the religion of the country I am in. And now," he said at last, "you have seen all the plates, and there are your little brothers coming up to find out what our Santini has made for them."

Santini was Napoleon's lamplighter, a clever little fellow, who could make all kinds of toys and was always ready to play amusing tricks to entertain the children.

"What has he now?" the little boys asked as the man approached with a box under his arm.

The children jumped about excitedly. Even the girls were curious, as, taking the box from under his arm, Santini displayed a tiny carriage to which were harnessed two pairs of mice. In spite of Santini's efforts, they did not at once start off, as he had expected, to draw the carriage, and the boys appealed to the Emperor.

"Pinch the tails of the leaders, and then they will go," commanded Napoleon.