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Updated: June 20, 2025
Left to himself the rest of the day, to the nurse Ilaria, or to Saveria the housekeeper, or to the common people amongst whom he strays at will, he listens to the conversation of sailors or of shepherds assembled on the public square, and their simple exclamations, their frank admiration of well-planned ambuscades and lucky surprises, impress more profoundly on him, often repeated with so much energy, the lessons which he has already learned at home.
"If we were in the open country, and each of us had his gun, he wouldn't talk in that way." "Here's a pretty folly!" cried Brandolaccio. "Don't you quarrel with the Padre, Orlanduccio!" "Will you be good enough to allow me to leave this room, Signor della Rebbia," said the prefect, and he stamped his foot in his impatience. "Saveria! Saveria!" shouted Orso, "open the door, in the devil's name!"
"Did not wish to," insisted Napoleon. "Well, wish it! I dare you to wish it!" cried Panoria, while Eliza looked on horrified at her little friend's suggestion. By this time Saveria had led the children from the grotto, and, walking on ahead, was returning toward their home. She did not hear Panoria's "dare."
"You shall see," Eliza declared again; and, running after Nurse Saveria, they were soon in the narrow street in which, standing across the way from a little park, was the big, bare, yellowish-gray, four-story house in which lived the Bonaparte family, always hard pushed for money, and having but few of the fine things which so large a house seemed to call for.
"Here we are, Saveria," Eliza cried in reply, but making no move to retire. Napoleon would have put the girls out, but the next moment a tall and stout young woman appeared at the entrance of the grotto. She was dressed in black, with a black shawl draped over her high hair, and held by a silver pin. On her arm she carried a large basket filled with fine fruit, pears, grapes, and figs.
"I could confess anything, rather," she said. "I would ask pardon three times a day." "And I would not," said Napoleon. "But then, I am a man." Just then the three children who were to accompany their father to Milelli, passed through the pantry, for they had been to bid Nurse Saveria good-by. Joseph caught the last word. "A man, are you!" he cried. "Then, why not be a man, and not a baby?"
"I have already said, Papa Charles, that it was not I," Napoleon answered, this time calmly and coolly; for his composure had returned. "That is a lie, Napoleon!" exclaimed Nurse Saveria, who, as the trusted servant of the Bonaparte family, spoke just as she wished, and said precisely what she meant, while no one questioned her freedom. "That is a lie, Napoleon, and you know it!"
She went to the sideboard, took out the basket of fruit, and then you may be sure there was an exclamation that attracted the attention of all in the room. "For mercy's sake!" she cried. "Who has taken the canon's fruit?" "Ah, yes, who?" echoed Uncle Lucien, wheeling about, and laying his hand upon Napoleon's shoulder. "Behold, Saveria! here is the culprit. He has taken my fruit."
The boy sprang toward the nurse in a rage, and, lifting his hand threateningly, cried, "Saveria! if you were not a woman, I would" and he simply shook his little fist at her, too angry even to complete his threat. "How now, Napoleon! what would you do?" his father exclaimed. But Saveria only laughed scornfully. "It must have been you, Napoleon," she said.
It was long before Orso fell asleep, and as a consequence he woke late late for a Corsican, at all events. When he left his bed, the first object that struck his gaze was the house of his enemies, and the archere with which they had furnished it. He went downstairs and asked for his sister. "She is in the kitchen, melting bullets," answered Saveria, the woman-servant.
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