This was sufficiently bad French, but it was understood. And the effect ashore was tremendous!
CHAPTER XIV
CONCLUSION
“Napoleon has come! Napoleon est ici! Vive Napoleon!”
For a time the simple French habitants were mute with astonishment. Then an answering shout rose: “Vive Napoleon! Vive la France!” It was like putting a match to fireworks. An indescribable excitement ensued. The settlers crowded the river bank. Trappers fired their guns in the air. And now from all the more distant houses, from the fort and from the watch-tower, many others—traders, soldiers, and even the governor and his secretary—came hastening to the landing-place.
Within five minutes more than a thousand people collected, all vastly astonished and overjoyed at the strange tidings.
A babel of eager questions now burst forth. Was it true? Where was the mighty Frenchman? And who was worthy to entertain him? All looked to Governor Delassus. With inward consternation the good governor bethought himself as to his somewhat scanty accommodations. In short, the prank was even more successful than the waggish Grimsby had anticipated. Intent on securing the full dramatic effect of his joke at the proper moment, the frivolous lieutenant had kept the bear out of sight, in the horse stalls, till the boat drew in to the bank. Then hauling him suddenly forth by his chain, he made him rear on his haunches in plain sight of all and shouted, “Voila Napoleon!”
Lewis and Moses, from the deck above, also cried, “Here’s Napoleon!” and burst into shouts of laughter.
A jest of this kind was quite in keeping with the rough humor of frontiersmen, but with these French people it fell very flat. They neither understood nor appreciated it; they were simply bewildered.