When Napoleon was a colonel of artillery, he once happened to be seated between two Prussian officers, who intimated a wish to be favoured with some specimen of that talent and genius for which Napoleon was already noticed. Napoleon listened to them for several minutes with complacency, until wearied by their importunity, he made the following tart reply: "I am by no means a man of talent or genius, gentlemen, neither do I consider myself altogether a fool; yet I feel well convinced that I am between two!"
✽ ✽ ✽
One day, the Emperor Napoleon, seeing near him one of those beings who know not a posture sufficiently humble, by which they suppose they can obtain some favours, said to those who surrounded him: "I know not how it happens that, in order to understand this man, who is eight inches taller than myself, I am obliged to stoop every time that I speak to him."
拿破崙任砲兵團上校時，有一次坐在兩個普魯士軍官之間。當時拿破崙的才華已惹人注目，那兩個軍官都希望他賜教。拿破崙聽他們說了幾分鐘，最初也頗為自得，但終於給他們央求得不耐煩，回答也不留情面：「兩位，我不是天才，但也不認為自己是蠢材。我只是深深感到，有兩個蠢材在我兩邊而已。」
✽ ✽ ✽
有一次，拿破崙國王看見身旁有一個人，是那種脅肩媚貴長恐不足的人。拿破崙對左右說：「我不知道為什麼會這樣。這個人比我高八英寸，但是，要弄清楚他說什麼，我每次都得俯身跟他說話。」