Simon Scarrow - Fire and Sword

‘Perhaps this peace of yours will, in their eyes, look like subjugation.’

‘It is possible. But that is not important. As long as they do as I wish they can have their peace.’

Josephine smiled. ‘That is precisely the kind of imposition that they resent so much. Why, take that business with Hanover. That’s typical of the way you treat other nations and why we are surrounded by wary enemies rather than allies. First of all you offer Hanover to the Prussians to bribe them to stay out of the war with Russia and Austria. Then, when the British approach you about holding peace negotiations, you go behind Frederick William’s back and offer Hanover to them as a bargaining counter.’

‘It was a rational enough move,’ Napoleon protested.

‘Really? And did you not consider the possibility that the British would inform Frederick William of your duplicity? How indignant, how angry do you think such a ploy might make the Prussians? Or did you think they might see it as a rational enough move as well?’ Josephine shook her head. ‘Sometimes you shock me, Napoleon. You make your grand plans with so little regard for the opinion of others. And now, as a consequence, you face dragging France into another war.’

‘I do not drag France. She goes willingly wherever I lead her.’

‘I think you will find that many of the people are considerably less willing than they were.’

‘That is not true.’

‘Because you say so? On what evidence?’

‘I have the evidence of my own eyes, Josephine. Wherever I go crowds cheer me.’

‘Of course they do. They could hardly do otherwise with Fouché’s men scouring the streets looking for any signs of disloyalty as an excuse for arresting your political enemies.’

‘Perhaps there is some truth in that. But my soldiers love me as a father.’

‘An army is apt to idolise any general who is in the habit of leading them to victory. But the soldiers are only a small portion of any nation.’

Napoleon laughed. ‘They are the most important portion of a nation, my dear Josephine. Without the army I am nothing.’

‘Then you had better look after your soldiers more carefully. You cannot continue to call young men to arms indefinitely to replace those you lose in war. I read the newspapers too, and I know that there are thousands who go into hiding to avoid military service. Hardly proof of their devotion to the army of France and her Emperor, I’d say. The people do not want any more war, my love. They want genuine peace and a chance to prosper, that’s all.’ She paused and considered a new thought, before continuing, ‘Why must there be war? Why not give Talleyrand a chance to negotiate a peace with Prussia? Let them keep Hanover and let us have peace. If you showed willing, I am sure there could be peace with Prussia, and all the other European powers, even perhaps a lasting peace with Britain.’

‘A lasting peace with Britain?’ Napoleon shook his head at the fanciful suggestion.‘If that was possible, we would have had it years ago.’

‘Well at least there could be peace in Europe. The other nations might be prepared to live in harmony with us, as long as you don’t continue to treat Europe as if it was your personal property.’

‘What do you mean?’

Josephine was surprised. ‘Why, my love, you have been distributing kingdoms to your family and your marshals as if they were sweets.’

‘They have earned their rewards,’ Napoleon answered firmly. ‘Unlike those who merely inherit their titles.’

Josephine stared at him for a moment. ‘Is that what it is all about? A crusade on behalf of the worthy?’

‘Don’t be so foolish.’

‘I don’t think that I am being foolish,’ Josephine reflected. ‘It seems to me that you have resented aristocratic and royal blood as long as I have known you. And you seem to go out of your way to raise men up from the lowest stations in life to the highest posts of state. Napoleon,’ she reached for his hand and squeezed it affectionately,‘you are the man I love. You have achieved more in your life than any ten kings or emperors. Every man in Europe considers you its finest living general. Most of the people love you. All that remains is to establish your place in history. Now is the time to think carefully about the future.Will you be remembered as the man who loved war and glory above all else? Or as the man who led France to greatness and lasting peace? You can choose that, and history will remember you as one of the finest rulers that ever lived.’

There was a pleading tone in her voice, but Napoleon brushed her concerns aside. ‘A man is only a ruler if he is free to exert his will over others. I would have peace, Josephine, I really would. But only on my terms.’

She shook her head sadly. ‘Then there will be war. Always war, until you conquer all, or you are destroyed, and France falls with you.’

‘If that is what God wills.’

‘God? Since when did you acknowledge His authority?’

‘Since it became good politics to.’

‘And if God wants peace?’

‘Then He will bless my cause and abandon all those who oppose me.’

Another sheet of lightning illuminated the Paris skies and burst into the bedchamber, painting their exposed flesh deathly white for an instant.There was a pause of a few seconds before the thunder cracked the heavens and then rumbled away. Napoleon spoke again. ‘I think the storm is passing.’

Josephine shook her head. ‘The worst is yet to come.’

That night, the air in the capital was hot and humid and those who met in the Emperor’s private office wore only shirts, save Talleyrand, who refused to make any concession to climate and still wore his coat and cravat. Napoleon sat at the head of the table, with Berthier and Fouché to his left, and Talleyrand to his right. The meeting was lit by the glow of candelabras suspended from the ceiling and the heat of the little flames only added to the stifling atmosphere. Napoleon finished reading the report that his foreign minister had prepared for him, and slapped it down on the table.

‘It seems that you do not think it wise for France to risk another war at the moment?’

Talleyrand nodded. ‘Indeed, sire. We would risk being isolated and fighting another war against a coalition of enemies.’

Berthier patted a handkerchief against his temple. ‘I thought it was only Prussia that constituted a threat.’

‘No,’ Talleyrand replied flatly. ‘My sources in Moscow tell me that even though the Tsar was overawed by our victory at Austerlitz he is still an implacable enemy of the Emperor. If Prussia goes to war, then the Tsar will pledge his support to Frederick William. Worse still, since we defeated Austria and imposed harsh terms on them, there has been no shortage of resentment in Vienna and the danger is that the war party may yet sway the opinion of Emperor Francis towards intervention.’ Talleyrand paused a moment and then continued, addressing Napoleon directly. ‘I am sure that your army could defeat Prussia on its own, sire. But could it prevail against the armies of three nations? Four, if we count Britain.’

Napoleon pursed his lips. It was true that a victory against such odds was unlikely. Worse still, the last campaign had cost him the lives of many fine men who would be difficult to replace. The fresh drafts of conscripts that had filled out the ranks of the Grand Army were younger than ever and lacked experience of war. And yet his enemies, who had suffered so many defeats, still seemed able and willing to raise fresh armies to oppose him. In the end they must be defeated once and for all, before they bled France dry. He looked up at his foreign minister.

‘What would you advise me to do,Talleyrand?’

‘Sire, war with Prussia would not serve the interests of France. Our true enemy is Russia. She looms across Europe from the icy wastes of the north to the Black Sea in the south. Her lands are vast, and her people countless. The Tsar’s inner circle have ambitions to spread the influence of Russia into Poland towards Prussia, and into the Balkans, the Ottoman empire and even across the mountains that border India. All the while the powers of central Europe are fighting each other Russia is biding her time, and waiting for the opportunity to snap up the lands that border her frontiers. You cannot guarantee the predominance of France while Russia remains undefeated, sire.’