While Napoleon was yet a subaltern in the army, a Russian officer with much self sufficiency remarked that his country fought for glory, and the French fought for gain. "You are perfectly in the right," answered Napoleon, "for everyone fights for that which he does not possess."
* * *
A person one day solicited the Empress Josephine to intercede with Napoleon in favour of a young man, who was condemned as an accomplice in a certain great crime. "It is the first favour of this kind that I have ever asked of you," said the empress to Napoleon, " and I hope you will grant it."
"I cannot, madam," said Napoleon.
"Can you refuse it to me ?"
"Yes, madam," Napoleon continued, " and when it is known that I have refused it to you, no one else will dare to ask it."
拿破崙還是陸軍中尉的時候，一個俄國軍官洋洋自得說，俄國人為光榮而戰，法國人則為利益而戰。拿破崙回答說：「你的話一點不錯。人總是要爭取自己沒有的東西。」
* * *
有一天，某人懇求約瑟芬王后為一個少年向拿破崙說情：那少年是一宗嚴重罪案的從犯，已經判刑。約瑟芬對拿破崙說：「這是我第一次向你提出這樣的請求，希望你會答應。」
拿破崙說：「夫人，我不可以照准。」
「你連我都拒絕？」
拿破崙說：「不錯，夫人。而當大家知道我連你都拒絕，以後就沒有人再敢請託。」