‘The motion is carried,’ announced the president and Lucien raised his hands to silence the muttering that echoed round the hall. ‘This session is now suspended. It will be resumed at St-Cloud tomorrow. Honoured gentlemen, I would ask you to leave the chamber at once and make your arrangements for transfer to St-Cloud.’
As the senators began to mutter to each other, Napoleon edged closer to his brother and spoke softly. ‘That seemed to go well enough.’
‘For now, but there may well be a few problems tomorrow, once they wake up to the true scope of the new arrangements.’
‘And what will my part be? I felt a bit like a tailor’s dummy just standing there.’
‘It’s better that you say nothing. It’s important that you are seen to be above the debate. Leave that to the politicians and it will seem that the army is not forcing the issue. Otherwise the Jacobins who are still at large will have the mob on the streets before you know it.’
‘The mob will not be happy once they get wind of the changes.’
‘Once we secure the support of both houses tomorrow everything will seem perfectly legal and democratic. There will be no justification for opposing us, and any who attempt it will be arrested and dealt with according to the law, whatever we decide the law is after tomorrow.’ Lucien smiled, and slapped his brother on the shoulder. ‘Rest easy, Napoleon.We’ve done all that we set out to achieve. Tomorrow’s votes are no more than a formality.’
‘I hope so,’ Napoleon replied as he watched the last of the senators file out of the hall. Some looked back at him with nervous expressions, some with defiant glares.
The next day, the debates at St-Cloud were delayed as the halls chosen to act as makeshift debating chambers were not fully prepared, and the deputies and senators walked the grounds in small groups, talking quietly under the gaze of the grenadiers who guarded the building. Lucien and Napoleon were watching them from a balcony above the garden.
‘I don’t like the look of this,’ Lucien said quietly. ‘The delay is giving the Jacobins a chance to get organised. They could cause us a problem in the house of deputies.’
‘But you’re the president of the chamber,’ said Napoleon.‘You can control the debate, make sure it goes our way.’
‘I’ll do my best, of course, but the vote will be close. I think it best if you remain outside the chamber today. This lot have more balls than the senate and won’t be quite so easily impressed by your presence.’
As soon as the halls were prepared Lucien and his followers ushered the deputies inside, and as they took up their seats it was clear that many of them regarded him with open hostility.When the last of them was in position, the doors to the hall were closed and Napoleon joined the officers and men waiting in the courtyard of St-Cloud. As soon as the debate opened the cheers and roars of protest occasionally carried outside to those waiting for the outcome, where Napoleon paced anxiously up and down the flagstones round the long ornamental pond. At noon, Junot rode into the courtyard and dismounted. He marched to Napoleon’s side.
‘What’s the news, sir?’
‘Nothing! They sit there on their fat lawyer arses and talk and talk. God! It’s a wonder that the government ever decides on anything.’ He shook his head in frustration. ‘And Paris, Junot? What is the reaction on the streets?’
‘They’re tame enough. Rumours are circulating, but that’s all. We control all the streets around the Tuileries and the National Assembly. There won’t be any uprising, or protest that we can’t handle.’
‘Good . . . That’s something at least.’ Napoleon stared at the hall housing the deputies and slapped his hand against his thigh in irritation. ‘Damn it, why can’t they just get on with the vote?’
Junot was silent for a moment, then glanced round to make sure that he would not be overheard before he spoke in a low voice. ‘Sir, may I ask what the orders will be if the vote goes against us?’
Napoleon looked at him. ‘It won’t go against us.’
‘But what if it does, sir? What then?’
‘I tell you it won’t, and I’ll make sure of that right now.’ Napoleon turned to the nearest group of grenadiers, who were talking quietly as they puffed on their pipes. ‘You men, form up! You’re my escort to the debating chamber, so put those pipes out and smarten yourselves up!’
‘What are you doing, sir?’ Junot muttered.
‘It’s time I spoke to our worthy deputies myself, and put them right on a few issues.’
‘Is that wise, sir?’ Junot asked anxiously. ‘If you intervene, they will be calling you a tyrant on the streets of Paris before the day is out.’
‘Better that, than let those fools ruin everything that we have gained so far.’ Napoleon turned to the squad of soldiers formed up at his back and snapped his fingers. ‘Follow me!’
He led them inside the house, and up the flight of stairs that led to the debating chamber. Two men from the national guard stood outside the doors and they moved uncertainly to block Napoleon’s path.
‘Out of my way!’
‘General, you cannot enter. The chamber is in closed session.’
‘Then it’s time we opened the debate up,’ Napoleon replied and pushed the men aside. They were too shocked to react as he grasped the handles of the doors and thrust them open, so hard that one crashed back against the doorframe. Inside the ballroom hundreds of faces turned towards the doorway. Lucien, sitting on a large chair at a long table on a dais, glared at his brother. The speaker at the lectern pointed towards Napoleon. ‘What is the meaning of this intrusion, General Bonaparte? Why are there soldiers with you?’
Napoleon ignored the speaker as he marched into the chamber and indicated that his soldiers should form up beside the platform on which the lectern rested. He turned to Lucien. ‘I request permission to address the assembly.’
Lucien glanced round the hall. Most of the deputies seemed too stunned by the intervention to react. Several of the Jacobins were talking quietly to each other as they shot hostile looks towards his brother. If he denied Napoleon the chance to speak, then his brother would leave the chamber humiliated. Lucien realised that his hand had been forced. He cleared his throat.
‘The Assembly recognises General Bonaparte, and will hear him speak.’
Napoleon bowed his head. ‘Thank you, President.’ He climbed the three steps to the platform and strode towards the lectern. The speaker still stood there, and Napoleon gestured to the steps on the other side of the platform. ‘Return to your seat . . . please.’
For a moment Napoleon was worried that the man might defy him and refuse to give up the platform, but then he took a pace back and retreated towards the steps, causing a ripple of whispering and angry muttering to sweep through the hall. Lucien banged his gavel down several times until the chamber was silent again. When all was still, Napoleon gripped the edge of the lectern and stared out over the anxious white faces that surrounded him like a field of tennis balls. He felt a surge of contempt for these men who sat on their fat arses and talked while he and his men marched and bled for France. He drew a breath and began.
‘Citizens, my soldiers and I have been waiting for a decision for over three hours. I . . . we cannot understand the reason for the delay. Nor will France understand the reason.’
A man in the front row of seats to the left of the platform jumped up and stabbed his finger towards Napoleon.‘You do not speak for France! You are a soldier, a subordinate of the state. We are the voice of France!’
As the chamber filled with cries of support for the deputy, Lucien hammered his gavel furiously until silence returned.‘I am sure that General Bonaparte is aware of the authority of the Assembly of Deputies. He will not need reminding again. Please continue, General.’