Napoleon finds a clever way to discover that he’s being ripped off while decorating his home.

>It was characteristic of [Napoleon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Jacques-Louis_David_-_The_Emperor_Napoleon_in_His_Study_at_the_Tuileries_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg) that he wanted value for money in all this. Concerned that the upholsterers were cheating him he asked a minister how much the ivory handle at the end of a bell-rope should cost. The minister had no idea, whereupon Napoleon cut it off, called for a valet, told him to dress in ordinary clothes and inquire the price in several shops and order a dozen. When he discovered they were one-third cheaper than billed he simply struck one-third off the charges made by all the tradesmen. ________________________ **Source:** Roberts, Andrew. "Consul." *Napoleon: A Life*. New York: Penguin, 2014. 248. Print. **Original Source Listed:** Holland, *Foreign Reminiscences* pp. 213-14. ________________________ **Further Reading:** [Napoleone di Buonaparte / Napoléon Bonaparte / Napoleon I](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon)