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.’
Tallyrand opened his hands. ‘As I have pointed out before, sire, diplomacy is a gradual process. In time I hope that I might be able to persuade the Portuguese to accept our position.’
‘In time you hopethat you might. . .’ Napoleon shook his head impatiently. ‘You prevaricate and vacillate far too much, Talleyrand. I have no more time for such diplomacy. I must have a result. You will inform the Portuguese that unless they close their ports to British trade by the first day of September, I will be obliged to occupy their country and remove their royal family from the throne.’
There was a stunned silence from Talleyrand before he swallowed and replied, ‘But sire, that is tantamount to a declaration of war.’
‘Yes, it is.’
‘But we have only just achieved peace on the continent.’
‘I want peace across the whole of Europe, on my terms. Nothing less will guarantee France’s pre-eminence above all nations.’
‘Or your pre-eminence above all sovereigns,’ Lucien added.