There was a dull scrape as the Prussian King slid his chair back and abruptly rose from his seat and strode towards the door. As soon as he had left the room, his staff and courtiers filed out behind him, their ears deafened by the thunderous celebration of the French.
Talleyrand leaned close to his ear and said, ‘Congratulations, sire.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I pray that you have won us a lasting peace.’
Napoleon turned to look up at his foreign minister. ‘What is there to pray for? Prussia is humiliated, and I have the Tsar wrapped round my little finger. Trust me, my dear Talleyrand. Russia has been tamed, completely.’
Chapter 33
The streets of Paris echoed with the sound of the salute being fired from the heights of Montmartre.Tens of thousands of people lined the route of the procession and waved coloured ribbons and tricolour flags the instant they caught sight of the head of the imperial convoy. A cuirassier regiment led the way, breastplates sparkling in the bright sunshine as their glossy mounts clattered over the cobbles. Behind them came a battery of the Guard artillery, caissons and gun carriages freshly painted and every brass fitting polished to perfection.The crews sat erect in their best uniforms as the wheels rumbled beneath them. Then came a battalion of the Old Guard, their bearskins making every man look like a formidable giant. Two companies of light infantry followed, bearing captured enemy standards. A short distance behind came the imperial carriage bearing the Emperor and Empress, and immediately behind them rode the marshals who had fought in the long campaign to subdue Prussia and Russia.
At the sight of Napoleon the cheering of the crowd increased in a deafening crescendo that drowned out even the sound of the salute being fired by the guns on Montmartre. Napoleon was sitting on a large cushion to elevate him above his wife and every now and again he waved to each side of the route, smiling as he acknowledged his people. At his side, Josephine sat still, as she knew that it was not her place to respond to acclaim that she had not won. As the procession turned down the rue St-Honoré and made for the Tuileries, she touched her husband’s leg.
‘Seems that you are the saviour of the nation, my love.’
Napoleon leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, prompting a fresh roar of approval from the crowds. They both laughed and Napoleon lifted his hat and raised it high.
‘I promised them victory and now they have it.’
‘Yes.’ Josephine nodded. ‘But the taste of victory will fade soon enough.The people tire of war.’
‘Nonsense!’ Napoleon flashed a frown at her.‘As long as war provides them with glory and spoils then I can lead the people anywhere.To the ends of the earth, if I should wish it.’
Josephine noted his tone and thought better of continuing that line of conversation. Instead she turned to the side and bowed her head serenely towards a group of veterans sitting on a wagon on the corner of a street leading off the procession route. Some had patches over their eyes. Others had lost limbs or were horribly disfigured, and yet they cheered as lustily as the people around them.
The procession passed across the Carrousel and through the wrought-iron gates that surrounded the entrance to the Tuileries palace. The Emperor’s carriage drew up in front of the steps that led up to the palace doors and footmen rushed to put in place a set of steps before opening the carriage door and bowing low. The emperor stepped out, and turned to offer his hand to his wife as she descended to join him. Then they steadily made their way up the steps, between the grenadiers forming a guard of honour on either side, and paused at the doors for one last wave to the crowds packing the Carrousel square before disappearing inside.
The following morning, with Paris unusually quiet as its people slept off the celebrations that had lasted long into the night, Napoleon held a meeting in his private office in the Tuileries. He sat at the head of a small table and tapped his fingers impatiently. Talleyrand sat to his left and Fouché to his right, and the chair opposite Napoleon was empty.
‘How dare Lucien be late,’ he muttered.
Talleyrand smiled. ‘Your brother is a man of the people, sire. I imagine he celebrated your achievements with the same spirit as the rest of Paris.’
‘Be that as it may, he should know better than to keep his Emperor waiting.’
‘Indeed, sire,’ said Fouché with a faint smile. ‘It is disrespectful.’
The door to the office opened and a footman bowed his head as Lucien entered, looking flushed but happy. ‘My apologies, brother! My coachman is nowhere to be found and I had to come on foot.’
‘Never mind,’ Napoleon responded tersely. ‘Sit down.’
Once Lucien was settled, Napoleon leaned back in his gilded chair and folded his hands together under his chin. ‘Gentlemen, you are my closest advisers. The reason I have summoned you here is to discuss what happens next. Despite our successes, we have work to do.’
‘Work?’ Lucien raised his eyebrows. ‘You have only just returned to the capital. The war is as good as over. Now that you have Russia as an ally, and Britain is denied access to any port on the continent, she cannot endure much longer. She must come to terms soon. Why, I have read reports of riots in the towns in the north of the country. The blockade is a success.Work is drying up in the mills and the people grow hungry and rebellious. Soon their King will be begging us for peace. Let us enjoy this moment. Surely you of all people need a rest after your exertions?’
‘I will rest when I decide to rest,’ Napoleon responded coolly. ‘And I will thank you not to interrupt me again.’
Lucien lowered his gaze. ‘I apologise, brother.’
Napoleon stared at him for a moment before he spoke. ‘The correct mode of address to your Emperor is your majesty, or in informal situations such as this you may call me sire.’
‘Yes . . . sire.’
‘Then let us proceed.’ Napoleon collected his thoughts and began. ‘The treaties signed at Tilsit have extended the influence of France from the Channel coast to the eastern frontier of Prussia, and from the Baltic to the toe of Italy. The Grand Army has proved that it has no equal on the continent and every enemy of France has been humbled, or is now an ally, save Britain alone. As Lucien has kindly pointed out, the Continental System is starting to undermine our last enemy. If we can ensure that the system is observed in all those ports directly under our control, it only remains to cut off the last remaining markets for British goods and then they will be compelled to sue for peace.’
Napoleon paused a moment. ‘While I have been away from the capital I have kept abreast of events in Europe, and it is clear that our attention must now focus on the Iberian Peninsula. Thus far Portugal has refused all our entreaties to cease trading with Britain. I will not tolerate this situation any longer.’ Napoleon looked at Talleyrand. ‘It would appear that the usual diplomatic channels have proved worthless.’