"Perhaps you are right," Pichegru muttered. "Yes, I suppose with virtually the whole nation behind us we could exert a reasonable control over him. There is, though, another thing. Although I am satisfied that the majority of the people would welcome a Restoration, there are many prominent men who would not, and among them are several holding key posts in the Administration. When I was last in Paris, Carnot told me that did he have the King's pardon in his pocket he would still not consider his life worth ten sous were a Bourbon monarch once more installed at the Tuileries; and, though for long a member of the Committee of Public Safety, he has harmed no man without just cause. Barras, Cambaceres, Larevelliere-Lepeaux,
Cambon and Sieyes are of the same mind. As for villains like Rewbell, Tallien and others whose hands have dripped with innocent blood, they would rather die fighting in a ditch than trust to the mercy of a descendant of St. Louis. And rightly, for they would receive none."
Roger's blue eyes glinted. "What is to prevent you from having Rewbell hanged to the nearest flagstaff. As for the other ex-Terrorists, make a list of them; then when you reach Paris put a price upon their heads, and have them shot at sight."
"With Rewbell and Merlin I can deal at my pleasure. But the situation of the others is very different. As I advance on Paris they will do their utmost to rouse the mobs. They will denounce me in the Chamber as a traitor, and give tongue to their old rallying cry that the Revolution is in danger. When I reach the city scores of agitators paid or inspired by them will mingle with my troops, and will inevitably undermine the loyalty of a great part of them to myself. Overnight the forces upon which I must rely may melt away, or turn against me. That is the great danger."
Agitatedly the General began to walk up and down.
"I spoke of this to Fauche-Borel, and he at least had the sense to admit that I was right. He said that he would go to Paris and endeavour to arrange with certain Royalists there that the most dangerous of our potential enemies should be either bribed into silence or forcibly muzzled. That is what must be done. To be certain of success it is essential that a coup d'etat should be organized to synchronize with my arrival before the gates of Paris. But to bring a few hundred monarchists shouting into the streets is not enough. And how could a nonentity like Fauche-Borel succeed in doing more. What we need is someone who could win over to our designs a few such men as Barras and Dubois-Crancé. They have the power to arrest the ex-Terrorists who would otherwise sabotage our project That is what we must have. And I'll make no move till something of the kind has been arranged. But where in the world are we to find a man capable of such an undertaking?"
Roger sighed. "I fear, mon General, that he stands before you. Or at least one who might succeed in it if fortune favoured him."
"What! You! An Englishman! How could you possibly hope to gain the ear of the most powerful men in France, and persuade them to participate in a monarchist plot?"
"I told you a while back that I have lived long in France. Throughout the greater part of the Terror I was in Paris. I know well all the men you have named. There was a time when they trusted me completely. But I have been absent from Paris for above a year. Everything hangs on whether I can re-establish myself in their confidence. Either I shall be in prison within twenty-four hours of my return to the capital, or I will stand a fair chance of bringing about the conditions you require."
Pichegru suddenly took a step forward and, grasping Roger by the hand, exclaimed: "You are a brave man! And from the open expression of your countenance, I believe an honest one. I am prepared to trust you. If, on your return, you can give me your word that measures to stifle opposition will be taken at the right moment, I promise you that I will march my army on Paris. Not for my own ends, or for the King, but as the only hope I see of restoring peace and prosperity to my country."
Pressing the General's hand firmly, Roger replied: "I thank you for the confidence you place in me. That I will do my utmost you may rest assured, for the future happiness of my countrymen is concerned in this as much as the happiness of yours."
For a moment they, stood in silence with hands clasped, then Roger asked: "But what of the immediate future? Even should I succeed in keeping my freedom and manage to organize a plot designed to smother opposition by the fanatics of the old Jacobin Club, two or three weeks at least must elapse before I can return and report to you. What, in the meantime, are your intentions towards the Austrians?"
With a shrug the General replied: "The war must go on. My plans are laid and must be put into operation. The Austrians will be defeated, but that is their misfortune, and can have no bearing on this other matter."
"Ah, but it may!" Roger protested. "Should you inflict crushing defeats upon both their armies, that might cause them to sue for peace prematurely. If Britain becomes the only Great Power left with the right to make terms, any influence she might exert upon Louis XVIII to grant a Liberal Constitution is bound to be weakened. And in this, as in all other things, it is a good maxim to keep ever in the forefront of one's mind the ultimate object of the operation."
Again Pichegru stared at him, then muttered: "I would I had you for my Chief-of-Staff. Yet in this matter I have little, choice. General Jourdan is expecting me to launch a thrust against Heidelberg, and I'll confess that I am all impatience for this new stroke to bring additional glory to my army and myself."
Roger shrugged, but a diabolically subtle note had crept into his voice as he said: "Upon glory foolish people have become drunk, mon General. Personally, as a bon viveur, I am inclined to feel sorry for those who wake up with bad heads and empty pockets in the morning. But I have no admiration for them."
"There is no question of bad heads, or of pockets being full or empty."
"I differ from you there. Should I fail to bring about the conditions you require in Paris, and in the meantime you have launched this new offensive, all hope will be gone, not only of your doing what is best for France, but also of your securing any part of the great fortune that has been promised you. My master would, I know, approve my language in putting it to you that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
With a frown the General replied: "I fear that I am at a loss to comprehend your meaning."
"I pray you pardon me if my words have seemed obscure." Roger's blue eyes bored into the General's brown ones. "But I have told you that I am the emissary of Mr. Pitt, and you have yourself remarked on the great wealth of Britain. Do you agree to leave the Austrians more or less unmolested until the greater issue has been decided, here and now, as an earnest of our good intentions, I will make you a payment of a million francs."
r'A million francs!" Pichegru gasped; "but how could you?"
Smiling, Roger fished a paper from his inner pocket and said: "Here is a blank order on Mayer Anselm Bauer, banker of Frankfurt-on-Main. I am prepared to fill it in for a million francs, payable to you, if you can see your way to deal gently with the Austrians."
"A million," the General repeated with awe in his voice. "Is it true then that the streets of London are paved with gold?"
"Not quite. But many of our hunting nobility, whom you had supposed to devour game raw, are served with it cooked, and in considerable state, off gold plate, in their mansions. What say you to my proposition?"
"The money bags of these German Jews are said to be bursting; but a million in gold is an enormous sum to pay out on demand. I greatly doubt if this man Bauer could meet the order."