Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures #11 by Jeff Brown Page B

opened the French dictionary. He heard his mother’s voice in his head. “The three most important phrases in any language are hello , please , and thank you ,” she had once told him. “A polite visitor is a welcome one.”
    Stanley turned to the H s and found the word hello. He already knew that one: bonjour.
    Please was harder. Stanley frowned. The French phrase seemed like a strange jumble of letters: s’il vous plaît. Was it “sill vows plate”? But then he read that it was pronounced quite simply: “see voo play.” “See voo play,” Stanley repeated.
    And finally thank you. “Merci ,” Stanley said, stressing the “ee” sound on the end.
    â€œBonjour, s’il vous plaît, merci ,” Stanley said over and over, until he became very sleepy.
    Stanley awoke with a jolt as the plane touched down on the runway. Before long he heard French voices and was suddenly jostled around as the crate was lifted and carried off the plane. After a few minutes—and a bumpy ride—the crate was set down again.
    The top was pried off, and Stanley squinted in a sudden glare of morning light coming in through the window. He was in a bare room at the airport. Staring down at him was an officer in uniform.
    â€œBonjour !” Stanley said brightly.
    The officer jumped. “The art, it talks!” He gasped, staggering backward.
    Agent Lunette stepped in front of the man.
    â€œBonjour , Monsieur Lambchop,” Agent Lunette said. “Please excuse my associate. He has never seen a painting like you before.” He shook Stanley’s hand.

    Aunt Simone muscled Agent Lunette aside. “Stanley!” She bent down and kissed Stanley on one cheek and the other.
    â€œBonjour , Aunt Simone!” said Stanley. “Will you help me out of my frame, s’il vous plaît ?”
    His aunt carefully slid him out of his frame and stood him on solid ground.
    â€œMerci!” Stanley said, happy to have used his third French phrase. But all of a sudden his legs felt funny, and he slumped to the floor.
    â€œWhat is wrong?” Aunt Simone shrieked.
    â€œMy legs must have fallen asleep,” Stanley said. “I’ve had them folded behind me for the whole trip. I just need to bend them back and forth for a minute, and then I’ll be able to stand up.”
    Aunt Simone looked horrified. “This is how you welcome your guests?” she said to Agent Lunette as Stanley stretched. “By putting them in a box until they turn to mush?”
    â€œMadame,” said Agent Lunette. “We had to transport Monsieur Lambchop in this way to keep his mission a secret.”
    Aunt Simone wagged her finger. “It is against the Rights of Man! It is a crime!”
    â€œNon! ” Agent Lunette protested.
    â€œOui! ” Aunt Simone said.
    Stanley sprang up in between his aunt and Agent Lunette. “S’il vous plaît! ” he said. His legs were awake now. “I’m okay. Really.”
    They glared at each other over Stanley’s head. Then his aunt turned away in a huff.

    â€œThe Louvre opens in a few hours,” Agent Lunette said, recovering his composure. “We have prepared breakfast for you here, and then we will depart for the museum.”
    â€œMerci ,” Stanley said. “I’m starving!”
    â€œMadame, will you join us?” Agent Lunette said, turning toward Aunt Simone.
    Aunt Simone scowled at him then slowly nodded, reluctantly following them into the next room. There was a small table set with a white tablecloth. At each place setting was a plate with several rolls of different shapes and sizes, a boiled egg in a small cup, and a glass of orange juice. In the center was a bowl of fresh fruit, a vase of flowers, and crystal salt and pepper shakers.
    After sitting down and putting his napkin on his lap, just as his mother had taught him, Stanley took a rectangular roll and bit into it.