a
bell to arouse the guard who slept in the hall. Larger rooms were
provided for his toilet; and he studied where he recited, in still
another suite. There was a common refectory in which four simple meals
a day were served: for breakfast and luncheon, bread and water, with
fruit either fresh or stewed; for dinner, soup with the soup-meat, a
side-dish and dessert; for supper, a joint with salad or dessert. With
the last two was served a mild mixture of wine and water, known in
school slang as "abundance." The outfit of clothing comprised
underwear for two changes a week, a uniform consisting of a blue cloth
coat, faced and trimmed with red, a waistcoat of the same with white
revers, and serge breeches either blue or black. The overcoat was of
the same material as the uniform, with the same trimming but with
white lining. The studies comprised Latin, mathematics, the French
language and literature, English, German, geography, drawing, fencing,
music, vocal as well as instrumental, and dancing.

[Illustration: In the Museum of Versailles. Marie-Laetitia Ramolino
Bonaparte "Madame Mere"--Mother Of Napoleon I.]

Perhaps the severe regimen of living could have been mitigated and
brightened by a course of study nominally and ostensibly so rich and
full; but in the list of masters, lay and clerical, there is not a
name of eminence. Neither Napoleon nor his contemporary pupils
recalled in later years any portion of their work as stimulating, nor
any instructor as having excelled in ability. The boys seem to have
disliked heartily both their studies and their masters. Young
Buonaparte had likewise a distaste for society and was thrown upon his
own unaided resources to satisfy his eager mind. Undisciplined in
spirit, he was impatient of self-discipline and worked spasmodically
in such subjects as he liked, disdaining the severe training of his
mind, even by himself. He did learn to spell the foreign tongue of his
adopted country, but his handwriting, never good, was bad or worse,
according to circumstances. Dark, solitary, and untamed, the new
scholar assumed the indifference of wounded vanity, despised all
pastimes, and found delight either in books or in scornful
exasperation of his comrades when compelled to associate with them.
There were quarrels and bitter fights, in which the Ishmaelite's hand
was against every other. Sometimes in a kind of frenzy he inflicted
serious wounds on his fellow-students. At length even the tea