rticular day, and dine on his knees at the
door of the refectory, the boy's haughty spirit swelling under this
dishonour, brought on a sudden vomiting, and a strong fit of hysterics.
The mathematical master passing by, said they did not understand what
they were dealing with, and released him. He cared little for common
pastimes; but his love for such as mimicked war was extreme; and the
skill of his fortifications, reared of turf, or of snow, according to
the season, and the address and pertinacity with which he conducted
their defence, attracted the admiration of all observers. Napoleon was
poor and all but a foreigner[4] among the French youth, and underwent
many mortifications from both causes. His temper was reserved and proud;
he had few friends--no bosom-companion; he lived by himself, and among
his books and maps. M. Bourienne, whose friendship for him commenced
thus early, says--"Buonaparte was noticeable at Brienne for his Italian
complexion, the keenness of his look, and the tone of his conversation
both with masters and comrades. There was almost always a dash of
bitterness in what he said. He had very little of the disposition that
leads to attachments; which I can only attribute to the misfortunes of
his family every since his birth, and the impression which the conquest
of his country had made on his early years." One day, at dinner, the
principal of the school happened to say something slightingly of Paoli.
"He was a great man," cried young Buonaparte, "he loved his country; and
I shall never forgive my father, who had been his adjutant, for
consenting to the union of Corsica with France. He ought to have
followed the fortunes of Paoli."

There is reason to believe that the levity and haughtiness with which
some of the young French gentlemen at this seminary conducted themselves
towards this poor, solitary alien, had a strong effect on the first
political feelings of the future Emperor of France. He particularly
resented their jokes about his foreign name _Napoleon_. Bourienne says
he often told him--"Hereafter I will do the French what harm I can; as
for you, you never make me your jest--you love me."

From the beginning of the revolutionary struggle, boy and youth, he
espoused and kept by the side of those who desired the total change of
government. It is a strange enough fact, that Pichegru, afterwards so
eminent and ultimately so unfortunate, was for some time his monitor in
the school of Brienne. B