Page:Helen Leah Reed - Napoleons young neighbour.djvu/126

100 eighteen hundred feet high. It was on the windward side of the island, and only for a month or six weeks in the year was the weather pleasant. For three or four weeks it had the sun directly overhead; the rest of the year was wet and disagreeable. In the course of a single day there could be extreme changes of heat and cold.

At last the day of departure came. Sir George Cockburn and all the Emperor's suite, some of whom lived at a distance from The Briars, came over to escort him. The younger members of the family stood around the house, showing their sadness very plainly.

"You must not cry, Mdlle. Betsee," said Napoleon kindly. "You must come to see me next week, and very often."

"Oh, yes, I want to, but that will depend on my father."

Then Napoleon turned to Mr. Balcombe. "Balcombe, you must bring Misses Jane and Betsee next week to see me, eh? When will you ride up to Longwood?"

"Indeed, I will bring them soon," responded Mr. Balcombe.

"But where is your mother?" added the