"
It is interesting to note that at this time the boy was still far from
reconciled to the idea of being French. He resented the fact that his
father's sword, at one time, had helped to further the conquest of
Corsica by France. It was to this fact, indeed, that Napoleon himself
owed his appointment to this military college. But the boy does not
let this consideration sway him. "I hope some time to be in a position
to restore her freedom to Corsica!" he exclaimed.
Napoleon's isolation from his fellow cadets was not entirely to his
disadvantage. Brienne possessed a good library, and here day after day
the boy might be found poring over the stories of great exploits of the
past, and dreaming his own day dreams. But his sword was not for
France. He pictured himself as her conqueror! One of his favorite
books was Plutarch's "Lives of Illustrious Men." He devoured the
"Iliad" and the "Odyssey" whole. "With my sword by my side, and Homer
in my pocket, I hope to carve my way through the world," he wrote to
his mother. Another well-thumbed volume was Caesar's "Gallic Wars."
We read of more than one instance of ill-will showing between Napoleon
and a clique of aristocratic classmates. But we do not find that he
was ever afraid of them or that he ever acted the sneak or the coward.
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