English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I. John Ashton

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      CHAPTER IV.

       Table of Contents

      NAPOLEON AT THE ECOLE MILITAIRE—PERSONAL DESCRIPTION—PUSS IN BOOTS—VISIT TO CORSICA—SOLICITS SERVICE IN ENGLAND—REPORTED VISIT TO LONDON—SIEGE OF TOULON.

      On October 14 or 17, 1784, he left Brienne for the Ecole Militaire at Paris.

      Gillray, when he drew the picture (on next page) of the abject, ragged, servile-looking Napoleon, could hardly have realised the fact that Napoleon was then over fifteen years of age, and that, having been already five years at a military school, he must necessarily have carried himself in a more soldierly manner. He stayed at the Ecole Militaire till August 1875, when he obtained his brevet of second lieutenant of Artillery in the regiment of La Fère. Madame Junot20 tells an amusing anecdote of him at this period, which I must be pardoned introducing here, as it helps us to imagine his personal appearance. ‘I well recollect that on the day when he first put on his uniform, he was as vain as young men usually are on such an occasion. There was one part of his dress which had a very droll appearance—that was his boots. They were so high and wide, that his little thin legs seemed buried in their amplitude. Young people are always ready to observe anything ridiculous; and, as soon as my sister and I saw Napoleon enter the drawing-room, we burst into a loud fit of laughter. At that early age, as well as in after life, Bonaparte could not relish a joke; and when he found himself the object of merriment, he grew angry.

      DEMOCRATIC HUMILITY.

      Bonaparte when a boy received thro’ the King’s bounty into the Ecole Militaire at Paris.

      ‘My sister, who was some years older than I, told him that since he wore a sword he ought to be gallant to ladies; and, instead of being angry, should be happy that they joked with him. “You are nothing but a child—a little pensionnaire,” said Napoleon, in a tone of contempt. Cecile, who was twelve or thirteen years of age, was highly indignant at being called a child, and she hastily resented the affront by replying to Bonaparte, “And you are nothing but a puss in boots.” This excited a general laugh among all present, except Napoleon, whose rage I will not attempt to describe. Though not much accustomed to society, he had too much tact not to perceive that he ought to be silent when personalities were introduced, and his adversary was a woman.

      ‘Though deeply mortified at the unfortunate nickname which my sister had given him, yet he affected to forget it; and to prove that he cherished no malice on the subject, he got a little toy made, and gave it to me. This toy consisted of a cat in boots, in the character of a footman running before the carriage of the Marquis de Carabas. It was very well made, and must have been rather expensive to him considering his straitened finances. He brought along with it a pretty little edition of the popular tale of Puss in Boots, which he presented to my sister, begging her to keep it as a token of his remembrance.’

      Napoleon afterwards frequently called Junot, Marquis de Carabas, and, on one occasion, Madame Junot, in badinage, reminded Napoleon of his present to her, at which he got very angry.

      During his sub-lieutenancy he was very poor, yet he managed to go to Corsica for six months, whilst Paoli, who had been living in England, was there. There is a curious idea that, about this time (mentioned in more places than one21), he applied for service under the British Government.

      At this time Bonaparte scarce knew

       What for his maintenance to do—

       So he sat down, and quickly wrote

       A very condescending note,

       (Altho’ a wretched scrawl when written),

       Which to a Chieftain of Great Britain,

       He, soon as possible, dispatch’d,

       In which he swore he was attach’d

       Unto the British Constitution,

       And therefore form’d the resolution

       Of fighting in that country’s cause,

       For George the Third, and for his laws,

       If that his services were needed,

       And to his wishes they acceded.

       It seems that Bonaparte could trade well,

       He’d fight for any one that paid well;

       But he a disappointment got,

       Because his services were not

       By Britain’s chief Commander tried;

       The rank he sought for was denied.

       This was the cause of great displeasure,

       It mortified him above measure,

       And he gave England now as many a

       Curse, as before he e’er gave Genoa.