The Sultan's Daughter

^' Who is this tiresome individual? '

'Joseph Fouché.'

Talleyrand raised his eyebrows. 'Indeed! That is most unfortunate. Fouche is the most dangerous blackguard unhung, and if you have made an enemy of him in the past your case is serious.'

'Alas, I have; and this evening I received a letter from him requiring me to report to him at his Ministry. Should he arrest me, I was hoping that I might count on your protection.'

Before replying, Talleyrand took out his snuff-box, tapped the lid, took a pinch and dusted the specks from his satin coat with a flick of his lace handkerchief. Then he said gravely, ^'1 would give it you willingly, had I the means; but I am at the moment no more than a private citizen.'

Roger nodded. ^'1 knew that you were no longer Foreign Minister. A rumour reached us in Egypt that you had been deprived of your post owing to a difference of opinion with some Americans, and I was most distressed to hear it.'

^' Oh, that! ' Talleyrand gave his low, rich laugh. ^' My compliments on the delicacy of the way in which you put it. Our ^'' difference of opinion " was that those boors refused to subscribe to accepted European custom and pay me a miserable hundred thousand francs before I would enter into negotiations with them about some of their ships we were holding. But I was not deprived of my post. I resigned, and that although no pressure was brought on me to do so.'

^' You surprise me.' Roger raised his eyebrows. ^' May one ask what led you to give up such an interesting and er . . . lucrative post? '

^' You may. I had made enough out of it to live respectably for some time to come and, although I should resent anyone else terming me a rat, you will know the old proverb about rats leaving the sinking ship. The Directory is doomed and I have an aversion to being drowned. Moreover, the canaille had become so vociferous about me that I felt it politic to retire into private life for a while. When the Legislature again gave freedom to the Press I became the target for every kind of abuse. They even had the impudence to write most scurrilously about my private life and, still worse, to question my foreign policy. As you are aware, I have always maintained that the only hope for lasting peace and prosperity in Europe lies in a rapprochement between France and Britain. They dubbed me an emigre Anglophile and asserted that my aim was to wreck the Revolution. As though it could be wrecked further than it already had been by those foul-mouthed, bloodthirsty Jacobins.'

At that moment the footman arrived with the champagne and brioches. Standing up, Talleyrand limped over to the table and poured the wine himself. As he handed a glass to Roger he went on, ^' So, by resigning when I did, I both diverted the attentions of the mud-slingers from myself and gracefully bowed my way out of this Government that is now execrated by everybody. But, of course, I took steps to continue doing what little I could to prevent the Directory from further poisoning our foreign relations. I persuaded them to appoint my old friend, Reinhard, in my place. He is a most admirable man nad accepts my guidance without question. He realizes, too, that he is no more than a stopgap and will take no umbrage at my replacing him as soon as we can get rid of these dolts now occupying the Luxembourg.'

' You are convinced, then, that the Government will fall? ' Roger asked, before taking a large bite out of one of the delicious brioches.

' As certain as one can be of anything. But I have digressed too long. When do you propose to pay your call on Fouche? '

'Tomorrow; or rather, this morning. It would certainly not improve my case to wait until he has me fetched. All I can do is put a bold face on matters, endeavour to convince him, as I have you, that I have served France well in these past two years and intend to continue to do so; and trust that, powerful though he has become, he will think twice about having me arrested as a secret agent. After all, it is only his word against mine that I was not born a Frenchman, and should he arbitrarily spirit me away I am sure you will be good enough to set on foot enquiries as to what has become of me.'

' On that you may rely. Go to him early. Tell him you have an appointment with me here at midday. That may give him pause. Should you not be here by twelve o'clock I will go straight to Bonaparte. I had a long interview with him this morning and during it enquired after you. He holds you in high regard and, as you are one of his aides-de-camp, he is entitled to demand an explanation as to why you are being held. Even so, I shall be much relieved if you are able to keep our appointment. As Minister of Police, Fouche has almost unlimited powers and is answerable to no one other than the Directory. If he does detain you it may prove far from easy to get you out of his clutches.'

^' It is that I fear. And I am most grateful to you for what you propose to do. When last I saw him, he had just received an order of banishment signed by Barras. To find him back here in Paris and wielding such power came as a great shock to me. How in the world has such a villain succeeded in making his way back into public life? '

Talleyrand smiled. 'Dear friend, you have answered yourself. Because he is a villain. Birds of a feather, you know. This past year or more, the Directory has had the greatest difficulty in surviving. It has succeeded only by the use of bribery, blackmail and treachery. It is by no means easy to find officials willing to employ such methods who are, at the same time, capable administrators. And no one could question Fouche's ability. When he bobbed up again, they decided to let bygones be bygones and reap the benefit of his special talent for villainy.'

^' It still amazes me that they should have put into his hands the immense powers enjoyed by a Minister of Police.'

^' They did not do so to begin with. If you wish, I could give you particulars of his rogue's progress.'

Roger replied that he would very much like to hear them; so his host took his malacca cane and, with his graceful limp, left the room. Some minutes later he returned carrying a folder. As he sat down again and opened it he said, ^' While I was at the Foreign Ministry I naturally had my own intelligence service. When I was about to leave, it occurred to me that if I brought some of these dossiers with me they might later prove useful.'

Flicking over the contents of the folder, he went on, 'There are pages and pages about Fouches activities during the Terror, but no doubt you are already informed thereon. Ah, here we are! "Banished from Paris by order of Director Barras. Settled in Montmorency Valley. Near destitute. Started pig-farming on a capital said to be less than one hundred louis."' Talleyrand sniffed. ^' What a revolting occupation to choose. But I suppose there is money in it.'

^' He had a pig farm on the outskirts of Paris before he was banished,' Roger volunteered. 'I gathered, though, that he was making very little out of it because someone else had put up the capital. But, I pray you, continue.'

^'" Early in '97 returned to Paris, started a small company for delivering food to troops in north-west France. Got rid of partners and began to do well on his own. Helped to secure the acquittal of the financier Hinguerlot from charges preferred against him before the Tribunal of Melun. This led to establishing valuable connections with the other Parisian bankers. Undertook the organization of profitable smuggling operations on the Dutch frontier. Made overtures to the self-styled King Louis XVIII, then at Mitau. Offered information and assistance to bring about a Restoration."'

^' Can that really be true? ' Roger asked. ^'1 would not have thought even Fouche capable of such a volte-face. Besides, he is a regicide and must have been crazy to imagine that the King would take into his service one of his brother's murderers.'