“Greater than Napoleon?” inquired the sergeant mischievously.
Mrs. Hardy gently pushed his foot under the table when she saw Eugene’s disturbed face, but the sergeant would not recall his question.
“No, no, not greater,” said the boy at length, “not greater; I cannot forget my emperor; but General Washington was better. He loved more his fellow-men.”
“Bravo!” said the sergeant; “you’ll make a first-class citizen of the United States yet.”
“Never,” said Eugene abruptly.
The sergeant and his wife looked earnestly at him.
“I shall be a Frenchman always,” said Eugene vehemently. “I may never see my country again; but I love her—I would die for her;” and he grew deathly pale, as he always did when he was much moved.
“That’s right,” said the sergeant. “The world wants more boys like you. Always stand up for your own country, but be charitable to others. France is a wide world, my boy, but there’s a wider.”
“You mean America?”
“No; I mean the world.”