For, even though he had been five years at Brienne school, he was still a country boy, and walked the streets gaping and staring at everything he saw, like a boy at his first circus.
"Why, boy! if I were not with you," said Demetrius, with the superior air of the boy who knows city ways, "I don't know what snare you would not fall into.

While you were staring at the City Hall, or the Soldier's Home, or that big statue of King Henry on the bridge, one of those street-boys who is laughing at you yonder would have picked your pockets, snatched your satchel, or perhaps (who knows ?) cut your throat.
Oh, yes! they do such things in Paris.

You must learn to look out for yourself here." "I think I am big enough for that," cried Napoleon.
"You big! why, you are but a child, young Bonaparte!" Demetrius exclaimed.

"But we'll make a man of you at the Paris school." The boys at the Paris Military School--the West Point of France in those days--proceeded at once to try to "make a man" of Napoleon in the same way that all boys seem ever ready to do; as, indeed, the boys at Autun and Brienne had done--by poking fun at the new cadet, mimicking his manners, ridiculing his appearance, and making life generally unpleasant.
But Napoleon had learned one thing by his bitter experiences at the other schools he had attended,--he had learned to control his temper, and take things as they came, with less of revenge and sullenness.
The kindly criticism of his friends, General Marbeuf and Inspector de Keralio, had left their effect upon him; and besides the companionship of his fellow-countryman, Demetrius Comneno, he had the good fortune to make his first really boy-friend in his roommate at the military school.
This was young Alexander des Mazes, a fine lad of his own age, "a noble by birth and nature," who conceived a liking for Napoleon at once, and was his friend for many years.
In Paris, too, he had the advantage of the friendship of a fine Corsican family,--the Permous, relatives of Demetrius, and old acquaintances of the Bonaparte family.

His sister Eliza was also at school at the girls' academy of St.Cyr; and Napoleon visited her frequently, and talked over home matters and other mutual interests.