There was a knock on the door and with a hiss of frustration he thrust Marie from his mind and turned away from the fire.
‘Yes? What is it?’
The door clicked open as a young staff officer stepped into the room and bowed neatly. ‘Sire, a deputation from the senate in Paris has arrived.’
‘A deputation? What on earth are they doing here?’
‘They requested an audience with you, sire.’
‘Now?’ Napoleon frowned. ‘No. Let them rest for the night. They must have had an arduous journey. Let them rest.’
The officer hesitated a moment before he continued,‘Sire, they were insistent on seeing you tonight.They are led by your brother Lucien.’
At the mention of his brother Napoleon was tempted to change his mind. Lucien would not have made such a trip without good cause, but Napoleon was too weary to contemplate any business of state that evening. Besides, the prospect of another evening making love to Marie Walewska was more than enough reason to defer meeting Lucien and his senatorial companions until morning. Napoleon cleared his throat.
‘Welcome them to headquarters in my name. Feed them and find them the finest quarters available. Find out why they are here and report on that to me by tomorrow morning. Is that clear?’
‘Yes, sire.’
‘Good.Then tell my cook to prepare a light supper, with champagne, and send an invitation to Countess Walewska to join me at ten o’clock. Before then I shall want a hot bath. Now go.’
‘Yes, sire.’ The officer bowed his head and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.The room was quiet again, and the only sounds were the muffled moan of the wind, the occasional hiss and crackle from the fire and the distant sounds of voices of the younger staff officers at a drunken party somewhere in the castle. Napoleon eased himself back into the chair with a faint smile as he contemplated the evening that lay ahead.
It was not until ten the following morning that Lucien and the other senators were admitted into the Emperor’s presence. Napoleon had chosen to wear the uniform of a Colonel of Chasseurs of the Guard, set off by a jewelled star on his breast and a sash across one of his gold epaulettes. He sat at a desk on a dais in the castle’s best reception room with two grenadiers of the guard standing to attention a short distance away on either side, like statues. It was draughty, but Napoleon considered that he must let his guests know that though they were far from the splendours of Paris they were still in the presence of the Emperor of France. The deputation had been entertained graciously according to his order, but had remained tight-lipped about the purpose of their mission across the heart of Europe in the middle of winter.That in itself was an indication of the seriousness and secrecy of their business. Nevertheless, Napoleon did not look up from the fair copy of a letter he was reading as they entered the chamber and advanced towards the dais.The footsteps stopped in front of him, then after a brief delay there was a light cough and Lucien spoke.
‘Sire, we—’
‘Wait!’ Napoleon held up a hand to silence his brother, and continued reading a moment longer.Then he picked up his pen, dipped it into the inkwell and signed his name with a flourish before setting the pen down and looking up with a stern expression. ‘Now then, gentlemen, what can I do for you?’
Lucien stared back at his brother coldly.‘We requested an immediate audience with you last night . . . sire.’
‘I know. I had other business that needed attending to first.’
‘Really? More important than attending to a deputation of members of the government of France?’
‘You are senators, Lucien,’ Napoleon responded quietly. ‘It is I who am the government of France, whether I am in Paris, or here in Warsaw. You would do well to remember that when you address me.’
Lucien bit his lip, then took a sharp breath and nodded. ‘Yes, sire. Of course.’
Napoleon inclined his head slowly. ‘Very well. I will permit you to make your presentation.’
Lucien shifted uncomfortably and glanced at the guardsmen before he continued. ‘Sire, might we speak with you in a more private setting?’
‘Forgive me, but I was given to believe that your business with me was of some importance.’
‘Well, yes.’
‘Then let us accord it the setting it deserves. Now, I have plenty of other business to attend to today and I’d be obliged if you got to the point.’
‘Yes, sire.’ Lucien drew himself up. ‘We have been sent from Paris to represent the views of the senators, as well as the members of the other houses of the legislature. In the first instance we are required to congratulate your majesty on the defeats you have inflicted on the enemy, and to wish your majesty well in your ongoing campaign against Frederick William and his Russian allies. It is hoped that you will crush the enemy swiftly and bring the war to a conclusion.’
Lucien paused and Napoleon bowed his head in acknowledgement. ‘I thank the senate for its kind wishes. But I don’t think that you have come all this way just to congratulate me.’
‘There is more,’ Lucien admitted.‘It is the view of the senate that the time has come for France to make peace and enjoy all that your majesty, and our courageous soldiers, have laboured so long to win. Austria has been humbled. Prussia is occupied and the Tsar’s armies dare not venture far from their homeland. Your triumph is complete, sire, and now you can enjoy the fruits of peace.’
‘My triumph will be complete when Russia joins my alliance against Britain and I finally dictate the terms of peace in London. Then, and only then, can there truly be peace.’
‘But since the defeat of our fleet at Trafalgar there is no prospect of defeating Britain, sire.’
‘Which is why I issued the Berlin decrees,’ Napoleon explained with forced patience. ‘If we cannot beat them at sea, and they do not dare to face us on land, then we must strike at their Achilles heel. Trade. Trade is the lifeblood of Britain. That is why I have forbidden trade with Britain from any port in Europe over which we hold influence. As their trade with the continent withers so the British merchants will lose markets for their goods. Their factories and mills will begin to close. There will be popular unrest, and when the people of Britain are hungry and desperate enough they will rise up and Britain will have a revolution, just as we did, gentlemen. And when that happens King George and his aristocrat followers will share the fate of King Louis and his aristos. And then there will be peace.’
He paused to let his words sink in and Lucien licked his lips nervously. ‘That is a fine strategy, sire. In principle.’
‘And it will work in practice,’ Napoleon insisted. ‘Given enough time.’
‘That is to be hoped. But at present the decrees are being flouted openly. Our brother, King Louis of Holland, turns a blind eye to trade with Britain, and word has reached Paris that Marshal Masséna is selling licences to Italian merchants to trade with Britain.’