Authors: Simon Scarrow
THE GENERALS (66 page)
Two days later, Napoleon presented himself, in full uniform, before the Directors in the audience chamber of the Luxembourg Palace. There were far fewer officials there to witness the meeting than there had been on his last such appearance.The president of the Directory, Louis Gohier, greeted Napoleon cordially and offered him the congratulations and gratitude of the Directors, on behalf of the people of France. Then he glanced at Barras, and Napoleon noted that Barras gave a slight nod before Gohier turned back and continued.
‘The Directory, like all France, greets your unanticipated return with pleasure mingled with a little surprise. Only your enemies, whom we naturally regard as our own, could put an unfavourable interpretation on the patriotic motives which induced you to abandon your army.’
Napoleon felt his blood surge with anger but managed to keep his tone calm and respectful as he replied. ‘Citizen, the news that reached us in Egypt was so alarming that I didn’t hesitate to leave my army, but set out at once to come and share your perils.’ Napoleon grasped the hilt of his sword. ‘I swear that this sword will never be drawn except in defence of the republic, and its government.’
Barras leaned forward and smiled. ‘We are comforted to hear that, General. And we will endeavour to find a new command suited to a man of your talents and ambitions just as soon as we can, so that you might be spared the interminable politics that bedevil Paris.’
The words were spoken with such deliberate emphasis that Napoleon suddenly felt that his façade of loyalty was as transparent as the finest blown glass and that his ambition was on view for all to see. The ceremony ended and he approached the Directors and embraced each one of them in turn, in a frosty gesture of fraternity. As he left the palace the sentries at the gate presented arms and chorused, ‘Long live Bonaparte!’The cry was echoed by the dense crowd of civilians who pressed around his coach as it passed through the gates and on to the street. Napoleon smiled and waved to his public and wondered how many of them would still be so enthusiastic in their support for him in a month’s time.
‘It has to be soon,’ Napoleon said firmly as he looked round at the men in his study. ‘The Directors dare not discipline me now, for fear of the public reaction. But the moment my popular support fades they will move against me, and I will have no chance of leading the coup.’
Sieyès stirred uneasily.‘This isn’t about your salvation, General Bonaparte. It is about the salvation of France.’
‘Of course it is,’ Napoleon agreed readily. ‘I understand that, citizen, as I understand that I am merely the instrument through which our cause will achieve its aim. No man shall rise above his peers.’
‘Quite,’ Lucien intervened. ‘And that point must not be forgotten, whatever else happens. But my brother is right.We cannot wait any longer. Bernadotte is building his support amongst the Jacobins in the Council of the Five Hundred. Unless we move first he will be ready to act within a matter of weeks. Of course, the Directors will oppose him, but if he has the Council, and the mob, then they are finished, and we will have lost our chance. That being the situation, I say we make our move early in November. I have already won over General Moreau to our cause and most of the other generals in Paris will follow my brother.’
‘Until we have a new constitution,’ Sieyès reminded him firmly. ‘Then the general will step aside and return power to a civil authority.’
‘Of course.’ Napoleon nodded.
Sieyès gave him a searching look for a moment and then turned his attention back to Lucien. ‘When do we do it?’
‘November the ninth. My brother will be breakfasting with the officers of the Paris garrison before he goes on to inspect some new regiments. That will keep him at a distance while we neutralise the Directory.’
‘How can we achieve that?’ Ducos spoke for the first time, and Napoleon had to hide his instinctive dislike of the man.Thin and wheedling, Ducos embodied the worst of the politicians who had undermined the revolution. ‘We need three of the five Directors to authorise any votes put in front of the deputies and the senators. Sieyès and I can’t do it by ourselves.’
‘You won’t need to.’ Lucien smiled. ‘On the day, you two will go to Barras.You will offer him a deal. Bribe him if necessary. He is to resign his office for a suitable fee, or be placed under arrest along with Gohier and Moulin. Either way you two will be able to initiate the votes we will need to push our reforms through. November the ninth,’ Lucien repeated. ‘Are we agreed?’
There was a brief silence as the plotters considered the plans. One by one they nodded their assent, and Lucien stood up.‘Then there is no more to be said. On the tenth, if all goes to plan, France will wake to find itself with a new government.’
‘If all goes to plan?’ Sieyès shook his head ruefully.‘When does anything ever go to plan?’
‘Well, pray that it does.’ Napoleon forced himself to smile. ‘Otherwise that day may well be our last.’
Chapter 51
‘Barras cost us more than we anticipated,’ Lucien explained. ‘He wouldn’t go for less than two million francs.’
‘Two million!’ Napoleon whistled appreciatively. ‘I had no idea that a man’s principles were worth so much.’
‘Neither did he, I suspect.’
‘What about the others?’ Napoleon asked anxiously.
‘Moreau has placed Gohier and Moulin under house arrest. Lannes and Marmont have troops in place covering the entrances to the Tuileries. Moreau has the Luxembourg Palace surrounded and we have troops at Versailles and Murat’s cavalry detachment at St-Cloud. The Jacobin club has been closed and Bernadotte and the ringleaders of his group are being held on the premises.There have been no reports of any resistance so far. So, all is going well, and it’s time for your appearance before the senators.’
Napoleon looked at his brother.‘Are you certain that they will support us?’
‘Of course! We’ll have a clear majority, but there will be a few opponents. As for the rest, they won’t know which way to jump and won’t cause us any problems. Are you ready to go?’
‘As ready as I ever will be.’
‘Good. Come then, brother, it’s time to change the world.’
They left Napoleon’s study and made for the front door as Josephine emerged from the sitting room opposite. Napoleon had not told her about the plot, but the frequent comings and goings of politicians and generals at all hours of the day and night had made it quite clear that something was being hatched and Josephine stared at him with an anxious expression.
‘Whatever happens today, my love, I pray you have good fortune.’
Napoleon went to her, drew her into his arms and kissed her on the lips. ‘I’ll send word to you as soon as there is an outcome.’
‘Napoleon!’ His brother beckoned to him. ‘We have to go, now.’
Napoleon kissed her once more and broke away from her, hurrying out of the house without a backward glance. Josephine followed him as far as the door and watched as he climbed into Lucien’s carriage. With a crack of the driver’s whip, it lurched forward and rattled down the street, in the direction of the Tuileries.
The soldiers outside the National Assembly cheered as soon as they saw Napoleon descend from the carriage. He wore his finest uniform and his new bicorn hat with a large revolutionary cockade attached. A broad red sash was tied round his waist and a jewelled sword hilt glittered in the clear autumn sunlight. The two brothers entered the building and made for the chamber where the senators sat in tense expectation. As Napoleon entered the room the senators rose to their feet and applauded, many only half-heartedly, he noted. The president of the chamber indicated the speaker’s lectern and Lucien stepped up, and opened with the text he had agreed with Napoleon the previous night.
‘Senators! The Directors have met and agreed the following motion which is to be put before the house. That the existing constitution be suspended and that, while a new constitution is drawn up, three Provisional Consuls, General Bonaparte and Citizens Sieyès and Ducos, will be charged with the government of the republic. Furthermore, that both legislative assemblies are temporarily relocated to St-Cloud where they will be safe from any attempt by the Jacobin-inspired mob to intervene in the processes of government. There is no need for any debate of this matter and voting will proceed at once.’ He turned and bowed to the president of the chamber and did not move from the lectern as the vote was called. A clear majority of the assembly showed their support and after due prompting a number of waverers raised their hands.
‘The motion is carried,’ announced the president and Lucien raised his hands to silence the muttering that echoed round the hall. ‘This session is now suspended. It will be resumed at St-Cloud tomorrow. Honoured gentlemen, I would ask you to leave the chamber at once and make your arrangements for transfer to St-Cloud.’
As the senators began to mutter to each other, Napoleon edged closer to his brother and spoke softly. ‘That seemed to go well enough.’
‘For now, but there may well be a few problems tomorrow, once they wake up to the true scope of the new arrangements.’
‘And what will my part be? I felt a bit like a tailor’s dummy just standing there.’
‘It’s better that you say nothing. It’s important that you are seen to be above the debate. Leave that to the politicians and it will seem that the army is not forcing the issue. Otherwise the Jacobins who are still at large will have the mob on the streets before you know it.’
‘The mob will not be happy once they get wind of the changes.’
‘Once we secure the support of both houses tomorrow everything will seem perfectly legal and democratic. There will be no justification for opposing us, and any who attempt it will be arrested and dealt with according to the law, whatever we decide the law is after tomorrow.’ Lucien smiled, and slapped his brother on the shoulder. ‘Rest easy, Napoleon.We’ve done all that we set out to achieve. Tomorrow’s votes are no more than a formality.’
‘I hope so,’ Napoleon replied as he watched the last of the senators file out of the hall. Some looked back at him with nervous expressions, some with defiant glares.
The next day, the debates at St-Cloud were delayed as the halls chosen to act as makeshift debating chambers were not fully prepared, and the deputies and senators walked the grounds in small groups, talking quietly under the gaze of the grenadiers who guarded the building. Lucien and Napoleon were watching them from a balcony above the garden.
‘I don’t like the look of this,’ Lucien said quietly. ‘The delay is giving the Jacobins a chance to get organised. They could cause us a problem in the house of deputies.’
‘But you’re the president of the chamber,’ said Napoleon.‘You can control the debate, make sure it goes our way.’
‘I’ll do my best, of course, but the vote will be close. I think it best if you remain outside the chamber today. This lot have more balls than the senate and won’t be quite so easily impressed by your presence.’
As soon as the halls were prepared Lucien and his followers ushered the deputies inside, and as they took up their seats it was clear that many of them regarded him with open hostility.When the last of them was in position, the doors to the hall were closed and Napoleon joined the officers and men waiting in the courtyard of St-Cloud. As soon as the debate opened the cheers and roars of protest occasionally carried outside to those waiting for the outcome, where Napoleon paced anxiously up and down the flagstones round the long ornamental pond. At noon, Junot rode into the courtyard and dismounted. He marched to Napoleon’s side.
‘What’s the news, sir?’
‘Nothing! They sit there on their fat lawyer arses and talk and talk. God! It’s a wonder that the government ever decides on anything.’ He shook his head in frustration. ‘And Paris, Junot? What is the reaction on the streets?’
‘They’re tame enough. Rumours are circulating, but that’s all. We control all the streets around the Tuileries and the National Assembly. There won’t be any uprising, or protest that we can’t handle.’
‘Good . . . That’s something at least.’ Napoleon stared at the hall housing the deputies and slapped his hand against his thigh in irritation. ‘Damn it, why can’t they just get on with the vote?’
Junot was silent for a moment, then glanced round to make sure that he would not be overheard before he spoke in a low voice. ‘Sir, may I ask what the orders will be if the vote goes against us?’
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