Young bloods

Chapter 63

King Louis had played his hand well, Napoleon conceded in the days that followed. What could have turned into a violent overthrow of the monarchy ended in a public party that continued well into the evening. By ordering his troops back to barracks, wearing the red bonnet and toasting France with the crowd massing before the palace, Louis had won them over and they had cheered him to the heavens. But, as the euphoria quickly wore off, it was soon clear that a decisive confrontation between the King and his people had merely been delayed. The gate was repaired, the broken windows boarded up, and as the capital basked in ever hotter weather the palace was steadily fortified and its garrison strengthened by royalist volunteers who took up residence in the rooms on the ground floor. They were determined never to permit a repeat of the earlier outrage and steadily built up enough supplies of food, powder and weapons to withstand a siege.

Over at the National Assembly, Napoleon regularly listened to debates where deputy after deputy stood up to denounce the King's refusal to dismiss his palace guard. Robespierre was foremost amongst them, and where he led the Jacobins followed, broadcasting their views in increasingly fervent tones designed to stir up the anger of the Paris mob.

Amid all the growing tension, Napoleon almost ceased to care about the ongoing investigation into his role in the affair at Ajaccio. Then, on 10 July, a message from the War Office arrived at his lodgings. As he held the letter all the dread for his future rushed back and for a moment he dared not break the seal. Then with a grim expression he opened the letter, unfolded the paper and began to read.

From the Office of Citizen Lajard, Minister of War Dated 9 July in the Fourth Year of Liberty

To Lieutenant Buona Parte of the Regiment de la Fere Copy to Citizen Antoine Saliceti, deputy for Corsica.

Citizen, following representations by Citizen Saliceti, the Ministry of Justice yesterday rejected the charges brought against you and Colonel Quenza with respect to the assault on the garrison at Ajaccio earlier this year. Consequent to this the Artillery Committee at the Ministry of War has reported in favour of your rehabilitation as a serving officer. Further to this, the Committee has recommended that, due to the exigencies of the military situation, you be appointed to the rank of captain, effective 1 September. You are requested to remain in Paris pending appointment to your existing regiment, or such another as may require your services.

Yours respectfully, Citizen Rocard, secretary to the Minister of War

Napoleon felt a wave of relief wash through his body, and he quickly reread the letter. His career had been saved. Better than saved. He had been promoted to captain. Clearly the war was going badly enough to require the services of every able-bodied officer, no matter what sins they may have committed. Napoleon smiled at the irony of it all. That he had survived the serious charges brought against him was entirely due to France's defeats on the battlefield. Thank God for the war against Austria. He couldn't help smiling. And thank God for Antoine Saliceti.

He decided to send a note to Saliceti expressing his gratitude.

Napoleon delivered the note in person to Saliceti's clerk and received a brief acknowledgement from the deputy the following day. Saliceti affected to have had only a marginal influence on the judgement but informed Napoleon to stay in Paris and be ready to carry out a special task. There would be more details later, when Saliceti would brief him in person. But first there was a crisis to be resolved and Napoleon was advised to stay away from the Tuileries complex during August. Saliceti would give no more details at present.

The warning was clear enough, and ominous, and when Napoleon attended the fete to celebrate the anniversary of the fall of the Bastille it was clear to him that the public mood had now swung wholly against the King. For several days the streets were filled with delegations from across the country who had travelled to Paris to join the celebrations. Amongst the crowds were thousands of National Guard volunteers, most of whom were destined to join the armies at the front. However, as the month drew to an end and the last of the official events was concluded, several thousand of the volunteers remained, billeted close to the heart of the city. Napoleon had no doubt that their presence was part of some wider plot as the King and Assembly edged ever closer to open confrontation.

In the first days of August the newspaper-sellers' voices filled the streets with cries about an extraordinary document issued by the commander of the Prussian armies, the Duke of Brunswick. The Prussians were invading France to end the anarchy and restore authority to the King. Any civilian who opposed the army would be executed on the spot and if the people of Paris made any more attacks on the Tuileries, or threatened the King or Queen, then the Duke of Brunswick would order the annihilation of the city.

'Anyone would think that the King is on the side of the enemy,' Napoleon protested to Monsieur Perronet the day after news of Brunswick's document had arrived in Paris. They were sitting in the engineer's salon, reading a selection of the morning's papers.

'Perhaps he is. Who could blame him? The enemy offer him the only chance of regaining control of France.'

'That's absurd.' Napoleon shook his head. 'If his authority was based on foreign soldiers, he would simply be commanding an army of occupation. The people would never stand for it. Never.'

'Unless King Louis took your advice from the other day, and crushed the rabble.' Perronet sighed. 'It seems that the King must become a tyrant, if he is not to be destroyed.'

Napoleon thought about that for a moment, then nodded. 'You're right. It has come to that. Before the war with Prussia and Austria can be won, there must be a war between the King and the people.'