The Generals

Napoleon frowned, and lowered his head as if bowing it in thoughtful reflection on the Pope’s message. In reality he sought only to hide his face from the other members of the audience since he feared that some amongst them might read his mind from his troubled expression. He was burdened with anxiety over the reaction of the tribunes’ assembly towards the peace he had brought to France.Talleyrand, Fouché, Lucien and their followers had been busy preparing the ground for a vote to make Napoleon First Consul for life. Instead the tribunes had offered to renew Napoleon’s current office for another ten years.

Was this his reward for bringing the first peace that France had known since the revolution? He fumed and clenched his fist, then thrust it inside his jacket to keep it out of sight. Did the fools really think he would quietly accept this sop when so much work still had to be done to drag France back to the summit of European power? Did they really think that there was anyone else who could have achieved as much as Napoleon had in the short time since he had risen to power? France needed him. More than she needed the ingrates of the tribunes’ assembly. When the time came for the people of France to make their feelings clear Napoleon would make sure that the spiteful and petty spirits who stood between him and the glorious realisation of France’s ambitions would be swept away with all the other dead weight that was holding the nation back.

He took a deep breath and looked up again.The cardinal had reached the end of the Pope’s message and was descending from the pulpit. He made his way, at a solemn pace, towards the altar and prepared to offer the sacrament to the consuls. Napoleon had been expecting this moment; the Catholic Church would hardly pass up the opportunity to use the ceremony to establish its pre-eminence over even those who ruled France. As the cardinal turned round, wafer in one hand and goblet in the other, Napoleon rose to his feet, bowed curtly and marched boldly down the aisle between the ranks of France’s most powerful men. He kept his chin up, and his gaze fixed on the arched exit from the cathedral. Even so, he was aware of the looks of astonishment, and amused admiration, from those on the periphery of his vision.

‘Was that wise?’Talleyrand asked, as they stood on the balcony of the Luxembourg Palace a short time later, acknowledging the cheers of the vast crowd that had gathered to celebrate the Concordat. The First Consul and his foreign minister were basking in the adulation of the people.

‘It was necessary. It was important to show the Pope, as well as our people, that the state owes no allegiance to the Church.’

‘Yes, well, I imagine that’s exactly how His Holiness will see things the moment he receives a report from the cardinal. I just hope it doesn’t sour the Concordat so soon after it has been signed.’

‘It won’t,’ Napoleon replied confidently. ‘The Church needs the agreement as much as we do.’ He glanced at the foreign minister. ‘The real difficulty that faces us is keeping the peace with England. It is vital that you win us as much time as possible before war breaks out again.’

‘I will do what I can,’ Talleyrand responded evenly.

‘No.’ Napoleon shook his head. ‘You will do what I say. The fate of us all depends upon it.’ He turned back to the crowds and gave them a final wave before turning away and striding back through the tall glazed doors into his office, followed by Talleyrand. Fouché was sitting to one side of the desk waiting for them. Napoleon had thought it wise not to share the public acclaim with Fouché, who had become a sinister figure already, and was likely to become hated and feared in the months to come. Napoleon took his seat behind the desk and Talleyrand found a chair as far from Fouché as was politely possible.

‘Half of Paris must be out there.’ Fouché smiled. ‘It seems that the people have come to love you, First Consul.’

‘Love?’ Napoleon shrugged. ‘Perhaps that is what they feel for me. Now. But the mob is a fickle beast.We all saw that during the revolution. So I care little about their love. What concerns me is not providing the people with any reason to oppose the new order. That is our mission, gentlemen. As long as we succeed in that we can do as we will to remake France, and carry her influence into other lands.’ He paused to let his words sink in. ‘They have the peace they wanted. They have law and order. We must extend the benefits of the consulate even further. I want every man in France to have the chance to rise through his own merits rather than because he is the son of an aristocrat. I want us to provide the people of France with the means to gain an education and an opportunity for advancement. We will have a national system of education.We will also have a national system of public reward to celebrate achievement.’ His mind raced ahead. ‘A decoration for achievement in all fields, civilian as well as military.We’ll create a body of men who will be honoured by the nation, a legion of honour if you will.’

‘Legion of honour?’ Talleyrand pursed his lips. ‘A laudable notion, though I am not sure that our military recipients will be pleased to rub shoulders with scientists, artists and the like.’

‘Maybe, but they will have to get used to it. What matters is that we tie everyone into the new regime.’

‘And what of those people who would rather not be part of it?’

‘That is where our friend Fouché plays his part.’

Fouché bowed his head politely.

Napoleon continued. ‘While the government offers the carrot, Fouché will wield the stick.There will be tight censorship of the newspapers, the theatres and public meetings. No one will be permitted to spread ideas that undermine the regime. At the same time Fouché will be empowered to set up a system of military tribunals in the areas where there is any kind of unrest. As far as anyone needs to know the purpose of the tribunals is to provide summary justice to any rebels who are captured. In practice, they will provide us with a means, and a justification, for arresting any troublesome royalists and radicals.’

‘I see. And when were you pla

‘As soon as I become First Consul for life.’

Talleyrand could not help an amused smile. ‘Do you really think the assemblies will permit you to assume such power?’

‘Not for a moment,’ Napoleon admitted.‘That is why you and the rest of my followers are going to propose an amendment to the tribunes’ motion offering me a renewal of my term of office.’ Napoleon folded his hands. ‘You will accept the motion, on condition that there is a plebiscite on my assuming the post of First Consul for life, with the right to choose my successor.’

For a moment the other men were silent, and then Fouché leaned forward with an excited glint in his eye. ‘Brilliant . . . Quite brilliant. They can hardly protest if the decision is passed over to the people. Not without making it look as if they were betraying democracy. They’ll have no choice but to vote for the amendment.’

Talleyrand nodded his appreciation. ‘They’ll be completely outflanked.’

Napoleon kept his silence as the other men reflected on his masterstroke. It was the perfect political manoeuvre and the fact that his opponents would be forced to support the plebiscite gave him a thrill of added pleasure.

‘There is one thing we must keep in mind,’ said Talleyrand. ‘The need to move swiftly. The public adulation will inevitably die away once they get used to peace. The amendment can be pushed through quickly enough, but we must insist that the popular vote takes place as soon as possible.’

‘Of course,’ Napoleon agreed. ‘There is no reason why it could not happen as early as August.’

Talleyrand considered this for a moment and nodded. ‘By August, then.’