A Frenchman in the British navy! Fancy now!" "No, sir; a Corsican," replied Napoleon.

"Why should it not be so?
What have I received but scorn and insult from these Frenchmen?
You English are more fair, and England is the friend of Corsica.

Why should I not become a midshipman in your navy?
The only difficulty, I am afraid, will be my religion." "Your religion!" cried Lawley, with a laugh; "why, you young rascal! I don't believe you have any religion at all." "But my family have," Napoleon protested.

"My mother's race, the Ramolini" (and the boy rolled out the name as if that respectable farmer family were dukes or emperors at least), "are very strict.

I should be disinherited if I showed any signs of becoming a heretic like you English; and if I joined the British navy, would I not be compelled to become a heretic, like you, Lawley ?" Lawley burst into such a loud laugh over the boy's religious scruples, of which he had never before seen evidence, that he aroused one of the teachers with his noise, and had to scud away, for fear of being caught, and punished for neglect of duty.
But he kept Napoleon's letter of application.