Being at Marseilles once when quite a youth, and happening to be in a party of young people, Napoleon had retired into a corner of the room with a book, while the rest were dancing and amusing themselves. They asked him, in vain, to join their youthful sports. "Playing and dancing," he replied, "is not the way to form a man."
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On the day of Napoleon's coronation, Carayon Nisas, the tribute, was asked by the emperor, "How did the republicans seem to be affected by the ceremony of the day?" "They are in raptures, sire," said the flatterer, bowing low, "and are felicitating themselves on the auspicious event." "I believe you have not told the truth," was the emperor's answer.
拿破崙年輕的時候，有一次在馬賽市，和一群年輕人一起。他拿着一本書，退到房間一角，而其他年輕人則跳舞取樂。他們邀拿破崙參與嬉戲，但拿破崙不為所動，回答說：「遊玩、跳舞，不能成就一個人。」
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拿破崙加冕那天，問保民官卡萊雍．尼沙：「主張共和政體者，對今天的典禮，看來有什麼感受？」媚貴的尼沙深深鞠了個躬，回答說：「陛下，他們欣喜若狂，為這件美事額手稱慶。」拿破崙說：「我想，你言不由衷。」