Dennis Wheatley - The Dark Secret of Josephine

At first the woman who answered the door there refused to admit him on the plea that her mistress had to conserve her powers, so never saw clients after six o'clock. But Roger clinked his gold and slipped her a piece, which induced her to let him in and lead him to a parlour on the ground floor.

As she fit the candles in it he saw that on a table in its centre there lay scattered face up a pack of Tarot cards, and among them a large crystal on an ebony stand. There was no stuffed alligator hanging from the ceiling, no tambourines, or other charlatan's aids, left about; but Roger had not expected there would be, as he had often heard of Le Normand and she had the reputation of a mystic with genuine gifts. She had, according to current belief, correctly predicted the dates upon which numerous people who had consulted her would be sent to the guillotine and, with great boldness, foretold to Robespierre his approaching fall.

When he had waited there for a few minutes a middle-aged woman came in. Her clothes were of rich material but untidily worn, and beneath the fine lace draped over her head wisps of grey hair stuck out. She had big eves, very widely spaced, and regarded Roger from them with quiet self-composure. Having curtsied to his bow, she asked:

"What does the Citizen require of me?"

"I come," Roger replied, "not to ask you to tell my fortune, but on a business matter. First let me make it clear that I respect such gifts as yours; I have a dear friend who has several times foretold the future correctly for me, but through her I have also learned the limitations of such powers. They cannot always be called upon at will. Therefore, when used professionally there are times when aids having nought to do with the occult must be employed to give a client satisfaction."

A slow smile dawned in Madame Le Normand's large eyes, and she said: "Since the Citizen is so well informed upon such matters, I will not deny that a skilful probing of the enquirer’s circumstances is often most helpful in becoming en rapport."

Roger bowed. "I can then aid you beforehand with regard to two ladies who have an appointment to consult you at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. The taller of the two is Madame Tallien, the shorter and slighter Madame de Beauharnais."

"Why does the Citizen bring me this information?"

"Because I wish you to exert a beneficial influence on the mind of Madame de Beauharnais. She has recentiy received an offer of marriage, but is hesitating about accepting h. That she should do so is greatly in her interest, because her present position is precarious; whereas this match would both secure her own future and ensure a most promising future for her two children. The proposal does not come om myself but from General Buonaparte. It would, I think, be over­doing matters to disclose his name, but I should like you to speak well of him, as a man of generous disposition and a soldier of great promise, who will bring happiness to the woman he marries."

Producing the silk net purse through which the gold glittered dully, Roger laid it on the table and added: "If you are willing, I should like to leave this with you; so that you may buy some article of value, by which to remember your part m promoting the fortunes of a widow and two orphans."

The sibyl took up the purse and held it tightly clasped in both hands for a few moments, then she said quietly: "Citizen, you have lied to me. This purse may contain louis d'or but it is, nevertheless, foreign gold. It was not concern for a widow and two orphans that brought you here tonight. You have some other motive for desiring this marriage to take place. An endeavour to alter a person's Fate by such means always recoils on the head of him who makes it. It will do so in your case. Yet I will do as you wish; because never before have I felt so strongly the influence that guides me, and I already know beyond any shadow of doubt that to do so will be for the glory of France."

"Citoyenne." Roger replied a trifle huskily, "what you tell me is most perturbing; but in this I have no personal end to gain, and I honestly believe that this marriage will be to the advantage of Madame de Beauharnais; so I can only hope that Fate will let me off lightly."

Her strange, widely-spaced eyes held his for a few seconds, then she said: "I believe you. It must, then, be not you who will suffer, but the cause you serve.

As the door of the house closed behind Roger, he found himself badly shaken. For the first time it occurred to him that it might have been better to let Buonaparte break himself once and for all on the shores of England than simply to get him out of the way for the time being by engineering his being sent to Italy, from whence he might return covered with glory to become an even greater menace. But on second thoughts he decided that he was playing the right game. With England practically denuded of troops, the risk that the invasion might succeed was too great a one to take. Even now that awful possibility was far from having been ruled out, as it was by no means certain yet that Josephine would accept Buonaparte; or, even if she did, that the Directors would finally decide to give him the Army of Italy.

On the latter question Roger was given better grounds for hope when he went to see Barras the following morning. General Scherer had returned Buonaparte's plan to Carnot with a curt note to the effect that he had no use for it, and that if the Directory were set upon it they had better send the rash fool who had made it to carry it out. Thereupon Carnot had decided to support a policy of taking him at his word. But the proposal had still to get through the Comite.

It was Barras's vote which would now prove the deciding factor; but, in spite of all that Roger could say about the criminal lunacy of an attempt to invade England, the Director made it clear that he would not support the proposal that Buonaparte should supersede Scherer, unless the plan for exerting a secret influence over the Corsican by means of Josephine could be carried through. He added that no time must be lost in getting a definite decision from her, as once the proposal came officially before the Comite it would have to be settled one way or the other.

More anxious than ever now to learn what effect Josephine's after­noon visit to Le Normand had had, and feeling sure she would speak of it if he could get a word with her, Roger went that evening to Madame Tallien's, but Josephine did not appear there; so somewhat belatedly he went on to Madame de Chateau-Renault's. There he found her, but she was with Buonaparte, who soon afterwards escorted her home, and Roger was left to exercise as much patience as he could till next day.

As early in the afternoon as convention permitted, he went to the little villa in the Rue Chantereine. Josephine looked somewhat surprised to see him, but he took the bold line of saying that he had been sent by Barras to tell her that Carnot's opposition to Buonaparte's being given the appointment he so greatly desired had been overcome, and that it now remained only for her to say if she was willing to present it to him as her dowry.

Raising her eyebrows a little she said: "I was not aware that Barras expected any opposition to his plan. He led me to suppose that every­thing depended on myself."

"Ah! Roger hedged. "That was because he wished to give you time to get used to the idea, while he was working to win over two colleagues on Le Directoire . Now that he has done so, within forty-eight hours the matter must be settled one way or the other. As voting is by secret ballot he can still sabotage his own proposition if he wishes; and will, do you not consent But he would be mightily put out should you now refuse to take this splendid opening that he has been at such pains to provide for you."