hand in mine. He tore it from me, and cried in a voice almost
choked with sobbing: 'She will not let me look at the soldiers of
my papa!'

"Madame de Montesquieu told me that it was the little prince's greatest
pleasure to see the Guards exercising on the _Place de Carrousel_, but
that she had deprived Mm of this pleasure to-day, because he had been
naughty and disobedient; that, when he heard the music and drums, his
despair and anger had become so great that she had been forced to resort
to severe means, and make him stand in the corner behind a chair. I
begged for the young king's pardon; I showed him the cup, and explained
the scene that was painted on it. The king laughed, and Madame de
Montesquieu pardoned him for the sake of his little cousin, Louis
Napoleon, who was so well behaved, and who was always held up to him as
a model[56]. Now you have heard the whole story, are you pleased with
it, Louis?"

[Footnote 56: Cochelet, vol. i., p. 212.]

"I like it very much," said the grave boy, "but I do not like my
cousin's governess, for having intended to prevent him from looking at
his father's soldiers. Oh, how handsome they must have been, the
soldiers of the emperor! Mamma, I wish I were also an emperor, and had
ever so many handsome soldiers."

Hortense smiled sadly, and laid her hand on the boy's head as if to
bless him. "Oh, m