Page:The fortunes of Fifi (IA fortunesoffifi00seawiala).pdf/265

 "Oh, Sire," replied Cartouche, with shining eyes, "how good of your Majesty to command me! For, otherwise, I never could have thought it anything but wrong to tie Fifi to me for life. But one must obey the Emperor."

"Yes," cried Fifi, quite forgetting herself in her joy, "one must obey the Emperor."

And then the Emperor kissed Fifi on the check, and pulled Cartouche's ear, saying to him:

"You mutinous rascal, you would disobey your Emperor; but remember the sergeant and the file of soldiers are ready when Mademoiselle Fifi calls for them. So, good by, and good fortune to you both, and if anything befalls you, you know where to find your Emperor."

The Empress gave Fifi her hand to kiss and said, smiling:

"I shall not forget a little present for your wedding," and Fifi and Cartouche went away, the two happiest creatures in Paris.

Fifi returned in the imperial carriage, and Cartouche returned on the top of an omnibus, but each of them was in a heaven of his own.

Fifi reached home first, and when Cartouche ar