'I have it. You will have heard of our misfortunes in San Domingo?'
Roger's heart gave a lurch and seemed to descend to his boots. The last thing he wanted was to be ordered off to the West Indies, and if he was but did not go it would almost certainly mean Napoleon's finishing with him for good.
'No, First Consul,' he replied, striving to keep the anxiety out of his voice. 'Since my return to Paris yesterday I have seen no one of importance before waiting on you; and Fouché made no mention of the island except that the Negro general Toussaint l'Ouverture had been sent back to France a prisoner.'
Napoleon made an impatient gesture. 'Oh, Leclerc did well enough on his arrival on the island. He found Cap Haitien in possession of the Negro General, Christophe. But he had sailed from France in thirty-two ships carrying twenty thousand men; so, although he had to land his troops on the beach a few miles from the town, the very sight of our force was enough to scare the blacks into abandoning it. After that he soon had the island under control and he dealt with l'Ouverture as I had directed.
'But that was in the winter, when those fevers that apparently rise from the lowland swamps lie dormant. Since then, alas, the situation has become very different. With the warmer weather our men began to go down with the fatal sickness. By high summer they were dying like flies. That encouraged the Negroes to revolt. Seeing our increasing weakness, whole battalions of them that we had trained and armed for our service deserted and went over to the enemy. By October this accursed yellow fever had reduced Leclerc's effectives from twenty thousand to two thousand; and against the black hordes he was hard put to it even to hang on in Cap Haitien. Now that he is dead, unless courage and intelligent leadership save the day for us we may be forced to abandon the island altogether.' 'Lcclerc dead!' Roger exclaimed.
'He was stricken with the pestilence and died early in November.'
'I am most distressed to hear it. He was a charming and intelligent as well as a brave man.'
'Yes,' Napoleon nodded glumly, 'he was a good man and I am sorry now that I chose him for that command. I did so only because he was up to his ears in debt. Like all my family, with the exception of my mother, Madame Leclerc has no idea of the value of money. She is appallingly extravagant and poor Leclerc was half out of his wits wondering how to pay her bills. My idea was that, after a few years as Captain General on that great island, he would have returned rich enough to live like a millionaire for the rest of his life.'
As Napoleon spoke. Roger was wondering anxiously what was coming next. Never having commanded a formation he thought it unlikely that he was to be sent out to take Leclerc's place; but with Napoleon one could never tell. He had sent Duroc, who had no diplomatic experience, as his Ambassador to St. Petersburg and had recently made Savary, another soldier, Chief of Police. Roger thought it more likely that he was to be despatched to this devilish island as A.D.C. to some other General, or as the First Consul's personal representative, to send him an on-the-spot report of the situation.
Pausing at one of the tall windows Napoleon stood staring out for a full minute. Roger, silently regarding the back of the short, stalwart figure, continued to wait for the blow to fall.
15
White Magic
Suddenly the First Consul swung round, his expression changed to brisk geniality. 'We must do what we can to console Pauline. I had intelligence yesterday by a fast sloop that she is on her way home. Her ship should dock at Bordeaux in a week or ten days' time. Someone must meet her, tell her of my grief for her, and act as her escort. She prefers well-born men to rough soldiers. You, Breuc, are the very man for this task. Take one of my coaches, proceed to Bordeaux with all speed and, when Madame Leclerc lands, do all you can to bring the smiles back to those bright eyes of hers.'
Roger could hardly believe his ears. To be given this intriguing mission instead of being packed off probably to die of yellow fever in the jungles of San Domingo seemed too good to be true. Jerking to attention, he cried, ‘Mon General, you can rely on me.' Then with a laugh lie uttered one of those 'Gasconades' that at times he used to support his role as a Frenchman. ' 'Twill be a sad day when the master whose thousand activities have again made France great cannot find a use for a man with the qualities of his servant, "le brave Breuc":
'You impudent fellow,' Napoleon replied. But he loved flattery, so he smiled and pulled Roger's ear as he added, 'You are almost as conceited as that gallant who commands the Hussars of Conflans. What is his name? Yes, Brigadier Gerrard. Very well; keep your sash, and take good care of my favourite sister.'
After visiting the stables and arranging for a comfortable coach with a team of six horses and outriders to lake him on his way to Bordeaux next morning, Roger went to the Rue du Bac. There Talleyrand received him, but could give him only a few minutes as he was about to leave to attend a reception at the Prussian Embassy. Roger gave him a somewhat edited account of his misfortunes in England, then enquired the reason for Bourrienne's dismissal.
Having taken snuff, the Foreign Minister replied, 'Poor fellow, he lost his place through a mere peccadillo, but unfortunately one that is a heinous crime in Napoleon's eyes. He takes no exception to his Generals looting the territories over winch they are sent to rule, or to me in maintaining myself in reasonable comfort by accepting, now and then, a few francs from the Ambassadors whose business I choose to expedite; because that is foreign money. But for some reason I have never understood poor Bourrienne was paid no salary. He was permitted to draw such money as he needed from the First Consul's private purse. Such an arrangement was well enough in its way, but not one by which one could put aside a comfortable fortune. In consequence, Bourrienne entered on a speculation with one of these army contractors. Extraordinary to relate it did not turn out well, so he endeavoured to recoup himself by drawing on the Public Funds. Savary got wind of this and reported it to the First Consul. To rob the French Exchequer is the one thing that he will not permit even his family to do; so Bourrienne was sent packing, and without even a gratuity, after his many years of faithful service.'
'Indeed! It is unlike Napoleon to show ingratitude; and I am most sorry for our old friend.' 'And I.' Talleyrand took another pinch of snuff, then flicked the grains from his lapels with a lace handkerchief. 'Meneval is highly competent, but Bourrienne was the finest personal assistant any monarch could have. He had a marvellous memory, could speak and write many languages, and take down dictation as fast as anyone could speak. He knew how all the departments worked, was well versed in international law and had known Napoleon from the days when they were cadets together at Brienne. To retain his services for a million francs would have been cheap at the price. But our little man has at times these queer quirks of moral rectitude which, I must confess, I find surprising in anyone almost as unprincipled as myself.'
Roger then told Talleyrand about his new mission. The diplomat raised an eyebrow. lMon cher ami, I at the same time congratulate you and deplore your fortune in being charged with acting as the official protector of this lady. She has been well named la belle des belles and you would not be human did you not swiftly become a prey to a desire to sleep with her. I think that as far as she was capable of being in love she loved Leclerc; so you may find her still chilled by his death and unresponsive to any man's attentions. But the Bonapartes are a lecherous breed, and Pauline is the most libidinous of them all. Did you know that not long after Leclerc was despatched to serve with the Army of the Rhine she entered on affaires with three Generals simultaneously; Moreau. Macdonald and Beurnonville? On comparing notes they found her out, but that gives you the measure of her amorous propensities.'