knew
not a word; he had lessons at school in his mother tongue, which he
learned to read under the instruction of the Abbe Recco. The worthy
teacher arrayed his boys in two bodies: the diligent under the
victorious standard of Rome, the idle as vanquished Carthaginians.
Napoleon of right belonged to the latter, but he was transferred, not
because of merit, by the sheer force of his imperious temper.

This scanty information is all the trustworthy knowledge we possess
concerning the little Napoleon up to his tenth year. With slight
additions from other sources it is substantially the great Napoleon's
own account of himself by the mouthpiece partly of his mother in his
prosperous days, partly of Antommarchi in that last period of
self-examination when, to him, as to other men, consistency seems the
highest virtue. He was, doubtless, striving to compound with his
conscience by emphasizing the adage that the child is father to the
man--that he was born what he had always been.

In 1775, Corsica had been for six years in the possession of France,
and on the surface all was fair. There was, however, a little remnant
of faithful patriots left in the island, with whom Paoli and his
banished friends were still in communication. The royal cabinet,
seeking to remove every possible danger of disturbance, even so slight
a one as lay in the disaffection of the few scattered nationalists,
and in the unconcealed distrust which these felt for their conforming
fellow-citizens, began a little later to make advances, in order, if
possible, to win at least Paoli's neutrality, if not his acquiescence.
All in vain: the exile was not to be moved. From time to time,
therefore, there was throughout Corsica a noticeable flow in the tide
of patriotism. There are indications that the child Napoleon was
conscious of this influence, listening probably with intense interest
to the sympathetic tales about Paoli and his struggles for liberty
which were still told among the people.

As to Charles de Buonaparte, some things he had hoped for from
annexation were secured. His nobility and official rank were safe; he
was in a fair way to reach even higher distinction. But what were
honors without wealth? The domestic means were constantly growing
smaller, while expenditures increased with the accumulating dignities
and ever-growing family. He had made his humble submission to the
French; his reception had been warm and graceful. The authorities knew
of h