‘I see,’ Napoleon mused. ‘What else did he say?’
‘He is a clerk in a trading company. He believes in a greater union of the German states, and he accuses you of standing in the way of the destiny of the German people.’
‘What about his family? Did he confess any links to the Prussian court?’
‘Hardly, sire. Staps says that his father is a parson.’
‘Then he did a bad job of teaching his son the ten commandments.’ Napoleon stood in front of the youth and shook his head slowly. ‘Whatever happened to “Thou shalt not kill”, eh?’
Staps swallowed the blood in his mouth and raised his head to look squarely at the French Emperor. ‘You tell me, sire. After all, I have attempted to kill one man. You have killed tens of thousands.’
Napoleon was silent for a moment. ‘That is different. That is war. What you tried to do was murder.’
‘That’s a matter of perspective,’ Staps replied.
‘Really?’ Napoleon smiled faintly. His curiosity was aroused by the young Saxon. He turned to Rapp. ‘Is he securely bound?’
‘Yes, sire. I checked his bonds myself.’
‘Then I want your men to wait outside. You stay.’
‘Yes, sire.’
The sergeants picked up their jackets and bowed their heads before marching across the room to the door of the storeroom. Napoleon waited until the door had closed behind them and then took one of the stools and dragged it round and sat directly in front of Staps. General Rapp stood to one side, behind the prisoner, ready to intervene should he try anything, even tightly bound as he was.
Napoleon stretched his shoulders, easing the strain, and then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and clasping his fingers together. ‘Young man, surely you can see that what you attempted was evil. Not only evil, but irrational. You could not hope to escape.’
‘I was not concerned by that,’ Staps replied, licking his lips and wincing at the pain this provoked.‘I merely wanted to kill you. Nothing else mattered.’
‘That is absurd,’ Napoleon countered.‘You were prepared to commit suicide?’
‘I am still alive.’
‘For now. But not for much longer.’ Napoleon tilted his head slightly to get a better view of Staps’s eyes. ‘You must know that you face execution for what you tried to do.’
Staps shrugged. ‘Of course. I expect nothing less.’
‘Then why do it? Suicide is not the act of a sane man.’
‘I beg to disagree, sire.’ Staps eased himself up, straightening his back so he could face the Emperor squarely. ‘I did not happen upon this course of action by chance. I am not inspired by madness. I believe that the German people must be freed from the shackles imposed on them by you. I considered how best this might be achieved. Clearly one man alone cannot take on an empire and win. However, one man might take on an emperor alone, and vanquish him.’
‘And if you had murdered me, do you think that would have won you freedom for your people?’ Napoleon shook his head. ‘If I had been killed, France would still hold sway over your German states.’
Staps smiled. ‘It seems to me that France is a monster with but one head. Remove that and the beast is beaten.’
‘You flatter me.’
‘No. I see things clearly enough, sire. You are a great man. Like all tyrants. That is why killing you would have changed everything.’
‘But you did not kill me. Nothing has changed, and you have wasted your life without purpose.’
‘Perhaps. But there is a chance that my death might inspire others.’
‘Inspire them to suicidal attacks?’ Napoleon laughed drily. ‘What makes you think that I have not learned from today’s attempt? In future it will be impossible for a man like you to get close to me.’
‘Impossible?’ Staps pursed his swollen lips. ‘Not impossible. Only more difficult. In time, another man . . .’ he paused and smiled faintly, ‘or woman will get close enough to you to make another attempt, and succeed where I failed. The odds are against you in the long run, sire. Surely you must see that?’
‘Supposing it is not a question of odds, but of fate,’ Napoleon countered. ‘Some men are chosen by fate for greatness, and fate alone decides when their time is over.’
‘If you believe that, then what need have you of bodyguards? I suspect that you have no wish to put it to the test.’ Staps looked at the Emperor shrewdly. ‘There’s something else that worries you, sire.’
‘Oh?’
‘The fear that stalks all great men. You believe in your greatness, and the thought that a man of no consequence, such as I, could put an end to your life is an effrontery to your sense of that greatness.’
Napoleon stared at him fixedly for a moment, and Staps stared back, unblinking. After a moment Napoleon smiled and patted the young man on the knee. ‘There’s some truth in what you say. Yet now it is you who diminish yourself.’
‘Me?’
‘My dear Staps, you are no common man. What you did took great courage. I recognise that. Surely such dedication to your cause must be most uncommon amongst your kind.’
Staps narrowed his eyes momentarily. ‘My kind?’
‘Those who believe as you do. The comrades who share your beliefs and work with you to oppose me.’
Staps shook his head wearily. ‘I told your interrogators, there is no one else. What I did, I did alone.’
‘But you say you did it for all Germans?’
‘One man may act for the benefit of all.’
‘But surely it is arrogant for you to assume you know what is of benefit to all? That is if you are speaking the truth about acting alone.’
‘It is no more arrogant for me to assume that than for you to assume that you rule for the benefit of your subjects, and all those who live under the sway of France. Who is to say that one man knows better than another, be he an emperor or a humble clerk?’
Rapp stirred at the last remark and bunched his fists as he took a step towards the prisoner. Napoleon glanced at him and waved him away, then leaned back and thought for a moment.
‘If I accept that you did act alone, now that you have been apprehended the threat to me has ended. Provided that I do not make a martyr of you.’
Staps looked at Napoleon curiously. ‘You would let me live?’
‘I could,’ Napoleon replied. ‘Provided that you made a public apology for your act.’
‘An apology?’
‘You would have to admit that what you did was wrong. An act of temporary madness perhaps. And now you have seen things more clearly you realise that your action was foolhardy and without just cause. If you would say that in public then I would spare your life and have you returned to your home to live out your life in peace.’
Staps laughed, then winced and coughed, spraying flecks of blood across Napoleon’s breeches. A minute passed before the pain subsided enough for him to speak again. ‘And you would make an example of me. Living proof of your magnanimity.’
‘Why not? That’s what it is,’ Napoleon replied tersely. ‘I offer you life.’
‘You offer me shame, sire. You offer me the coward’s way out. I would rather die.’
‘Then you are a fool indeed. Where is the logic in choosing death over life?’
‘I did not act from logic, sire, but principle. Where is the value of principle if a man refuses to place his faith in it, come what may?’
Napoleon raised his hands. ‘Enough!’ He paused and took a deep breath before he continued in as calm a tone as he could manage.‘Staps, I must tell you that you have impressed me. You have as much courage as the bravest of my soldiers. I do not want to put an end to a life with as much promise as yours. It would be a waste. All I require is an apology. Here and now. I will not even ask for you to make it in public. Then you can return to your home.’