And so at last we came to Egypt; and then the orders were different. The
Egyptians, you know, are people who, from the beginning of the world,
have had giants to rule over them, and armies like innumerable ants.
Their country is a land of genii and crocodiles, and of pyramids as big
as our mountains, where they put the bodies of their dead kings to keep
them fresh--a thing that seems to please them all around. Of course you
can't deal with such people as you would with others. So when we landed,
the Little Corporal said to us: "Boys! The country that you are going to
conquer worships a lot of gods that must be respected. Frenchmen should
keep on good terms with everybody, and fight people without hurting
their feelings. So let everything alone at first, and by and by we'll
get all there is."
Now there was a prediction among the Egyptians down there that Napoleon
would come; and the name they had for him was Kebir Bonaberdis, which
means, in their lingo, "The Sultan strikes fire.
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