Bonaparte rang, and an usher appeared.
“Tell Josephine to bring the boy to me.” Then, walking up and down his study, he muttered, “Four men! And a child taught them courage! Were any of the robbers wounded?”
“There were no balls in the pistols.”
“What! no balls?”
“No; they belonged to the conductor, and he had taken the precaution to load them with powder only.”
“Very good; his name shall be known.”
Just then the door opened, and Madame Bonaparte entered, leading the boy by the hand.
“Come here,” Bonaparte said to him.
Edouard went up to him without hesitation and made a military salute.
“So you fired at the robbers twice, did you?”