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166
Recollections of
[Ch. XIV.

beautiful black horse "Hope." The name pleased him; it was the first he had ridden on the island, and he liked the augury. After his long day sleeps he would court the drowsy god at night by desiring Marchand to read to him until the "sweet restorer, nature's soft nurse," came to his aid. Frequently, when the nights were illumined by the splendid tropical moon, would he rise at three o'clock, and saunter down to the garden long before old Toby, the slave, had slept off his first nap, and there he would regale himself with an early breakfast of delicious fruits with which our garden abounded. Our old Malay was so fond of the man Bony, as he designated the emperor, that he always placed the garden key where Napoleon's fingers could reach it under the wicket. No one else was ever favoured in the like manner, but he had completely fascinated and won the old man's heart, and Napoleon looked upon Toby with a

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