Chapter 30 – Destroy the defender
As dawn broke two days later the Marquis was awoken by the royal usher. The former was staying at the palace to be in close proximity to General Petard in the case of an attack.
‘Excuse me your lordship. I’m sorry to wake you at such an early hour. But there is a General Napoleon at the palace gates requesting an audience with yourself and General Petard?’
The Marquis’ pounding headache, accompanied by a seemingly unquenchable thirst served to delay his comprehension, and he stared blankly at the usher for a few moments.
‘I assume he is not alone?’ The Marquis eventually inquired calmly. The likely whereabouts of the mysterious men who had apparently vanished after being deployed on the beach two nights ago had only occurred to him during a dream the usher had just interrupted. They could only be an elite squad sent to neutralise the defensive positions in the Devil’s Orifice from the Montugan side, from the rear and by surprise. In the absence of those positions, there would be nothing to stop a massive French invasion force from entering the kingdom and overwhelming Montugan forces. The usher’s news ensured that this awakening was indeed far ruder than the usual ones in respect of which the Marquis often cursed Bacchus.
‘I am afraid to report that he is not. He is apparently accompanied by around a thousand infantry and also by around as many cavalry. The officer on night duty reports that they somehow managed to take all our batteries in the city and above the harbour by stealth during the early hours of the morning.’
‘Have you informed the crown prince and the Queen?’
‘My lord, I thought it would be better if it came from you.’
‘Of course,’ the Marquis agreed as he hurriedly dressed himself. ‘You are right. It is my failure,’ he concluded dejectedly. He hesitated. ‘My responsibility.’
‘What in God’s name is happening?’ General Petard interjected as entered the Marquis’s bedchamber. He could not suppress a yawn as he buttoned his jacket.
‘We have been fools,’ the Marquis replied. ‘Napoleon is outside the palace gates accompanied by a large force. He reportedly has the city and probably the rest of the kingdom under his control.’
‘Impossible!’ Petard walked towards a window facing the palace gates. The sun had risen. ‘My God!’ he exclaimed, and after a while he asked: ‘But how?’ The General turned around slowly whilst clasping his ashen face in his hands. ‘How did they get in? And why did I not hear any fighting?’ He removed his hands from his face as a realisation hit home. ‘The beach party… they must have crossed through the kingdom under cover of darkness to get to the mountain pass. Goddammit! If we had worked it out sooner we could have sent men after them.’
‘There was nothing that we could have done. They had a head start of several hours. Our reinforcements would not have arrived in time to prevent a surprise attack on our positions at the top of the pass from the rear. Any soldiers we could have sent would simply have encountered Napoleon’s forces coming down the Montugan side of the pass.’ The Marquis was less than convinced by his own words. ‘I doubt that we could have held them in the pass for long and we would have needed most of our forces to do so. This would have left the beach and the city vulnerable.’
‘The pass was impregnable from the French side. Knowing that, we should have expected a possible attack from the rear. It would have been so easy to have added a few secondary defensive positions facing the Montugan side.’ The General banged a clenched fist on a nearby table. ‘I cannot believe I overlooked that.’
‘Nor can I,’ the Marquis said dejectedly. ‘If we survive this day, I do not know how I will be able to face the king.’
‘It’s cold comfort…’ remarked the General with a wry smile. ‘But in our defence, King Jason, King Julien and Duke Le Riche all failed to recognise the vulnerability of the position from the rear. Everyone simply accepted that any French attack from the rear in the pass would have been as a part of a mopping up operation after a successful main force had already landed in the harbour or on the beach.’
‘Forgive me my lords,’ the Usher interjected. ‘I omitted to mention that General Napoleon said that you have twenty minutes to commence discussions with him. Ten have already passed. His adjutant is carrying a white flag.’
‘I suspect he wishes to demand our surrender failing which he will withdraw from the gates and lay siege to the palace with our own cannons,’ Petard said.
‘We have no time to lose. I will accompany you to the palace gates after I have spoken to the Crown Prince and the Queen,’ the Marquis suggested.
‘Let me do that,’ Petard ordered. ‘I am party to all the plans for their evacuation. You are not.’ Petard then turned to the Usher. ‘If you are asked, you are to say that you heard that the Crown Prince and the Queen were evacuated yesterday evening. None of the staff have seen the royals today yet, so there will be nobody to gainsay you. Their evacuation will be difficult enough without French search parties or Montugan republicans trying to capture them.’
‘Of course my lord,’ the Usher replied dutifully.
The Marquis left the chamber and walked slowly to the main entrance of the palace as he waited for Petard to complete his brief engagement with the two royals. He exited the palace and slowly descended the marble stairs leading to the courtyard. He stood motionlessly as he looked down the cobble stone road which extended up to and beyond the palace gates. A number of French officers sat motionlessly on their horses. Napoleon’s slightly larger hat and his imposing posture set him apart from those around him. An officer sitting next to Napoleon brandished a white flag. A few Montugan guards stood on parade on the near side of the gate. Their duty officer stood in front of them.
‘At least the Queen and the crown prince are on their way,’ an out of breath Petard said as he joined the Marquis in the Courtyard. ‘I ensured that they were not seen by anyone.’ ‘How are they going to get past the French? Is there another entrance or a tunnel?’ the Marquis enquired as they commenced the three hundred yard walk to the palace gates.
‘Never you mind. The less you know the better,’ Petard responded. He then turned his attention to the French force ahead of them. ‘I assume you agree that we cannot hold this palace for long with three hundred men. The walls and the gate will eventually succumb to sustained cannon fire in the event of a siege.’
‘Indeed so. All the more so since Napoleon is arguably the best artillery commander there is.’ As he spoke, the Marquis returned the salute of the Montugan duty officer who was standing in front of the small guard room at the gates.
‘Is it correct that the city, the rest of the kingdom and the beach are in French hands?’ Petard lowered his voice as he addressed the duty officer.
‘Yes, General,’ the officer replied.
‘I heard no fighting. What happened?’
‘I gather that our artillery positions were all surprised from the rear in the early hours of the morning,’ the officer offered.
‘But I gave specific orders to all the batteries in the city to expect a possible attack from the rear,’ the Marquis retorted indignantly as he approached the locked gates. He followed Petard’s lead and saluted Napoleon.
The salute was promptly returned by Napoleon.
‘Good morning, General Bonaparte.’ Petard spoke loudly enough to ensure that his voice carried clearly through the gates. ‘Might I enquire whether the white flag is indicative of your wish to surrender or is it your wish simply to speak?’
‘General Petard, I presume. I regret to inform you that I have no experience of surrender, and neither do I have a coherent understanding of the concept.’ Napoleon was evidently pleased with himself. ‘Given, however, that the city of Monte Vista fell without a shot being fired, I dare say that some expertise in this area may be found amongst your royal guards.’
A few of the French officers could not help sniggering.
‘You should not be too hard on the men who manned your artillery positions,?
?? Napoleon continued. ‘Although the royal guards were warned not to exclude the possibility of an attack from the rear, they only expected a clandestine attack by a few dozen intruders on foot. The last thing they expected was cavalry. We casually approached each battery from the front as though we were a normal Montugan patrol. Your gunners and guards saw our horsemen approaching out of the darkness and did not react.’ Napoleon grinned. ‘By the time they realised that the approaching riders were French, it was too late for them to do anything. We were virtually on top of them. Amazingly, each battery we approached in this manner fell for the same thing.’
The Marquis grimaced as he realised it was now too late to wonder why a system of agreed challenges and passwords had not been employed to identify any approaching horsemen as friendly.
‘In fact, as you must realise, we captured Monte Vista without firing a shot,’ Napoleon added. ‘You will be pleased to know, however, that your guards in the pass put up a good fight once they recovered from the surprise of being attacked from the rear. They might even have prevailed had I had not also arranged for repeated charges from my men on the French side. Our first charge was decimated by your artillery, but your artillery positions could not focus on our subsequent charges whilst warding off simultaneous attacks from their rear.’
The Marquis could not help admiring the audacity and the genius of the tactics Napoleon had employed. His train of thought was interrupted as he became aware that one of the French officers was watching him intently, and his face dropped as he saw it was Commander Du Pont. The latter grinned maliciously at him in response.
‘What can I do for you then General?’ Petard asked.
‘First of all, I trust that we can dispense with any further unnecessary hostilities. I require your surrender and that of everyone in the palace including the Queen and the Crown Prince.’
‘It is customary for a party who surrenders in circumstances such as these to be offered reasonable terms. To this end I would require to be informed of your intentions in regard to the kingdom, the royal family and the royal guards.’
‘The kingdom is no more. It is now a province of republican France.’
‘That constitutes a breach of the Treaty of Montuga,’ Petard declared indignantly.
‘I have been accused of worse things than breaching a treaty,’ Napoleon pointed out to the amusement of his entourage. ‘I see it as an occupational hazard which I must occasionally endure. I refuse to be bound by treaties which I did not have a hand in concluding. Besides, I do not see your king or his fleet here.’ The French consul smiled and glared knowingly at the two Montugan senior officers. ‘Could it be that, in breach of the Treaty of Montuga, the Montugan fleet has gone to Toulon to assist the British and possibly also to assist in the evacuation of French royalists, both of which would constitute assistance to the enemies of France?’ After a brief pause for effect, he continued. ‘I expect the Queen and the Crown Prince to be delivered to me immediately.’
‘That is not possible,’ Petard responded.
‘Why ever not?’
‘They were secretly evacuated from the kingdom early yesterday evening when it became apparent to us that some form of attack on the kingdom was imminent.’
‘I don’t believe you. Precisely how was this supposed evacuation achieved?’ Napoleon’s eyes narrowed as he spoke.
‘Plans to evacuate the royals have been in place since the trouble in France started. These are a closely guarded secret. Nobody apart from the royals and those entrusted with the evacuation are party to these plans,’ Petard explained. ‘All those entrusted to effect the evacuation are compelled to join it, leaving no-one capable of divulging the plans or the destination behind.’
Napoleon’s brow remained furrowed as he scrutinised Petard. He then turned to Du Pont.
‘Commander Du Pont, you will have someone attend at the Harbour Master’s office at once. Have the Harbour log checked. He must return with a list of any ships which have sailed between lunch time yesterday and now.’
‘Of course, General. Shall I prevent any merchant ships from sailing?’
‘I already have officers and troops at the Harbour. They have instructions to ensure that no vessels may sail without being searched to ensure that only goods or persons listed on a pre-approved manifest are on board. I intend to place a price of two hundred gold ounces on the heads of each royal. We shall soon see whether anyone knows of their whereabouts. Arrange for a notice to that effect to be put up in every noticeboard, public building and on every street of this province. If they are still in Montuga they will be found.’
Commander Du Pont lost no time in departing for the harbour.
‘What are your intentions if they are found?’ Petard inquired.
‘I might permit the local citizens to vote on whether their lives are to be spared or not. But, for the purpose of this discussion I intend to place reliance on your assurance that they have been evacuated. In the circumstances, I propose to exclude the royals from any concessions or assurances which I may be disposed to grant.’ Napoleon, who had remained on his horse throughout the conversation, now alighted from it. The other French officers did likewise.
‘What of my soldiers and my officers? I must insist that no harm comes to them.’
‘Every Montugan Guard and all of the Montugan nobility are to gather in the Courtyard of this palace, unarmed, at five this afternoon. They will all be expected swear an oath of loyalty to me and to France. You have my assurance that no harm will come to those soldiers who do.’
‘Does this assurance include the nobles?’
‘Yes,’ Napoleon replied. ‘However, if we subsequently discover that there are nobles or soldiers who have committed serious criminal offences against the people of Montuga, they will not enjoy any immunity from the ordinary prosecution of their crimes.’
‘What about those who refuse to take the oath?’ the Marquis asked.
‘As I explained earlier, this is now France. Anyone who refuses to swear loyalty to me and to France will be considered a traitor and an enemy of France. I trust I do not need to explain what happens to such people?’
The question was clearly rhetorical and the Marquis did not answer it. Napoleon continued:
‘Of course, it goes without saying that the palace is to be surrendered to me and that the French tricolour is to replace the Montugan royal standards throughout this province.’ Napoleon looked directly at both of them. ‘Now I do not intend to stand here discussing this matter through the bars of these gates any further. This is France and I require your surrender on the terms I mentioned. You may have ten minutes to consider your answer.’
Petard and the Marquis exchanged glances without saying a word. Each shrugged and nodded at the other.
‘Open the gate!’ Petard ordered loudly. The Montugan royal guards complied with the order promptly but without enthusiasm. Petard withdrew his sword from its sheath and he approached Napoleon to present it in the traditional manner. Napoleon accepted it as the each of the royal guards lay their arms on the ground in front of them. Napoleon then entered the palace courtyard followed by several hundred of his men and their horses. As he did so the some disarmed royal guards stared forlornly at the unfolding events. Others simply shook their heads in disbelief. The speed with which the Montugan royal standard was replaced with the tricolour did nothing to lighten the mood of the royal guards as they complied with their orders to vacate the palace and to return to their homes. Petard was also requested to vacate his palace quarters and to return to his chateaux. The Marquis, however, was ordered to accompany Napoleon and three of his senior officers as they entered the palace.
‘Would you be kind enough to show my officers and I around and to introduce me to the members of the palace staff?’ Without waiting for a reply, Napoleon turned to one of his officers. ‘Arrange for a list of all the palace staff and all of their duties. We will need to decide who stays and who goes.’
After the
guided tour the Marquis was ordered to join Napoleon and his senior officers for a very early lunch in the chamber of Knights. It was a while before Napoleon turned to speak to the Marquis.
‘Will I be able to count on your oath of allegiance?’ Napoleon’s demeanour was disconcertingly at odds with the way his eyes studied the Marquis.
‘If I were privy to your intentions regarding myself, it might assist me to provide you with a meaningful answer,’ the Marquis replied.
‘What difference do my plans for you make?’ The polite tone gave way to one of slight irritation.
‘For one thing, a French court has pronounced the death sentence over me on trumped up charges. Secondly, one of your staff officers regards me as his mortal enemy.’
‘I know about your case. You are the one who delivered an address to a Court in Lyon which saved your life?’
‘Yes. In truth the address simply resulted in a stay of my execution which was eventually overturned.’
‘I read a transcript of that speech,’ Napoleon declared thoughtfully. ‘It was impressive.’
‘Thank you,’ was all the Marquis could manage in reply.
‘You recently led one of the two groups of royal guards who defeated my cavalry.’
‘Yes.’
‘You did well. Who came up with the idea that the Montugan cavalry should use the forest as cover in the way you did?’
‘It was King Jason’s idea.’
‘I knew that he and I had a lot in common,’ Napoleon mused. ‘It is indeed a pity that he refused my offer of an alliance. It is also a shame that he ignored my warning not to underestimate the French military. I delivered that warning after he informed me that the French army could not possibly enter Montuga without using its fleet. But that is precisely what we have done. Do you play chess at all?
‘Yes.’
‘In chess, and in war, one of the most important tactical weapons is to attack the defender. That is what I did. Montuga is virtually impregnable. I am surprised that no-one in Montuga saw that the defenders of the pass were vulnerable from the rear.’ Napoleon seemed to recognise that he was being a little immodest and he changed the subject. ‘While I was waiting to enter Montuga I encountered a farmer who said you arrived at his home a few weeks ago to execute him for his attempt to hand you and your son over to revolutionaries. The farmer said that he asked you for mercy and you granted it.’
‘That is true.’
‘I believe you to be a man of loyalty and of honour. Your record in the French navy is superb. I may have need of your experience since some revolutionaries, in their infinite wisdom, decided to execute so many nobles with military experience. The damage they did to the French navy is incalculable. It is of course most regrettable that you were responsible for the deaths of some of my men in battle. But, I cannot hold that against you since you owed me no loyalty at that time. For the rest, I think that you are a man I can work with. You shall remain at the palace until further notice. I will decide how best I can use you.’
‘What about the matter of my death sentence and, of course, Commander Du Pont?’
‘In exchange for your oath of loyalty you may consider your conviction and your sentence expunged. Do not concern yourself about the Commander. He takes his orders from me. In any event, as a Colonel in the French army, you will outrank him,’ Napoleon declared.
‘Consul, with respect,’ one of Napoleon’s Generals interjected. ‘This man owed both you and France a duty of loyalty at the time he fought against your forces. He is not a Montugan. He is a Frenchman. And that makes him a traitor.’
‘I am well aware of these facts,’ Napoleon replied without any indication of surprise or annoyance. ‘However, the revolutionaries butchered his wife and one of his children and he was also sentenced to death in one of the many trials which made a mockery of French justice. If I had suffered as this man has suffered, I too would have fled to Montuga and I too would also have fought against republicanism in France. He will now swear loyalty to me and to France and in return I will pardon his past.’
‘What if I don’t agree?’ The Marquis could not help feeling a sense of surprise that Napoleon’s attitude to his trial in particular, and to recent French justice in general accorded with his own. Napoleon’s condemnation of the execution of the members of his family also struck a chord.
‘You will then be handed over to Commander Du Pont for the implementation of your sentence. After all, I cannot be expected to save or to accommodate a French citizen who is a traitor.’
‘I don’t think I have much choice.’
‘As a born Frenchman, you certainly do not have any choice nor should you expect to have any such choice. I realise that you felt some duty to Montuga because the early Republicans failed you and because Montuga provided sanctuary to you. However, under my guidance France will once again become a great state and one to be proud of. You no longer have any cause for loyalty to any other country, least of all to a country which no longer exists. You have a chance to help me to restore justice, decency and order to France. Your country needs you now more than ever. I trust you will not turn your back on your people.’ Napoleon paused and switched to a whisper. ‘Of course, in consideration for the service you are to render to France, and as compensation for the injustices the Republic has caused you, it might not be inappropriate for your chateau in Lyon to be returned to you.’
A French colonel’s uniform was delivered to the Marquis’ room at the palace that afternoon. As he donned a French military uniform for the first time in several years, a familiar feeling of pride overcame him. He remembered his days as a captain in the French navy. All the while, Napoleon’s words that France needed him echoed in his mind. He realised that he missed his home in Lyon and that he missed France. Perhaps he was beginning to come to terms with the loss of his wife, because the thought of returning to the place where she had been killed did not seem nearly as intolerable as once it had been. In any event, it was time to drink to her memory. Without further ado, he uncorked one of the bottles of Montugan Shiraz he had been saving. He spent the rest of the afternoon pondering over the decision he needed to make, all the while realising that his decision to don the uniform represented the actions of one who had already decided.
At five that afternoon he joined Napoleon and his officers in the palace courtyard. About eight hundred of the disarmed royal guards had returned to the palace as instructed and they stood on parade in their uniforms. Several hundred armed French soldiers kept a wary eye on the guards from other parts of the courtyard and also from the walkways of the perimeter walls.
Audible murmurs rose from the ranks of the guards as they spotted the Marquis in the brand new uniform of a French Colonel. The scowls on many of the faces left little doubt about their general reaction. Most of the officers including General Petard refused to look in the Marquis’s direction. No doubt many of them now attributed the ease with which the kingdom had fallen to Napoleon to some traitorous act on his part.
‘You shall swear an oath of loyalty to me and to France in front of all your former colleagues,’ Napoleon said quietly to the Marquis. ‘And then you will administer the oath to each of the former royal guards. Anyone who refuses to swear the oath must be arrested immediately. Is that clear?’
‘Might I suggest a slight amendment of the oath which might make it easier for most of the Montugans to accept it?’ inquired the Marquis. ‘They could swear an oath of loyalty to you and to France for as long as this is France.’
‘Surely you cannot expect me to countenance such an oath. It is a meaningless nonsense.’
‘With respect, Consul, the opposite is true. The oath you require depends upon continued French control of Montuga. If the Montugan king was to regain control of Montuga, or if the kingdom fell into the hands of another power, the new power in control would insist upon a new oath.’ Napoleon listened carefully as the Marquis spoke. ‘I take it that you do not envisage France losing Montuga soon or at all.
’
‘I shall ensure that Montuga shall always remain a province of France.’
‘Then you have nothing to fear from the terms of the oath proposed by me. Furthermore, the fact that the oath has French control as a pre-requisite for its operation will make it easier for the royal guards to accept it. I will tell them that if the king were to return and if he were to regain power in Montuga, the terms of this oath would automatically fall away. This will assist them to accept that the oath is one of practical convenience and not one of disloyalty to their king. They need not know of your plans to ensure French rule in perpetuity.’
‘But I will never accept that the oath I require is one of convenience,’ Napoleon declared dismissively.
‘An oath delivered on pain of death to the de facto power in control is nothing other than an oath of pure convenience. It is folly to pretend otherwise. You have declared this kingdom to be part of France and you have the power to enforce your declaration. You can only command this loyalty for as long as this is France. That does not, of course, exclude the possibility of your earning the unconditional loyalty of some of these men in the fullness of time. Such loyalty, however, is never earned at gunpoint or by decree.’ As he spoke he studied Napoleon’s face to ascertain whether or not the seeds he was sowing were landing in fertile soil.
Napoleon stared calmly at the Marquis for some time before he face broke into a smile.
‘I knew I made the right decision to have you on board,’ he eventually remarked. ‘I cannot fault the logic of your argument. Furthermore, if it makes it easier for you to persuade more royal guards and nobles to agree to take the oath, it may avoid a lot of unpleasantness.’ Napoleon paused for several moments. ‘There is one thing, however.’
‘What might that be?’ the Marquis enquired hesitantly.
‘I will not permit you to take that oath. You are a Frenchman. France and I expect unconditional loyalty from you….in perpetuity.’
The Marquis nodded in agreement and he swore the oath of loyalty to Napoleon and to France before his former colleagues in the royal guard. He realised that Napoleon had cornered him into a public ceremony which would probably be irreversible. The fact that he would be the one to preside over the taking of each of the oaths of the royal guards to Napoleon and to France was also calculated to ensure that he would henceforth always be regarded as a traitor and as a Frenchman by the Montugans. Nonetheless, he proceeded to address the men.
‘Former colleagues. I realise that this is a difficult day for all of us. You all know me to be a man of my word. And so, I hope you will believe me when I say that I played no part in what has happened here today. Until this morning, I served Montuga and only Montuga.’ He paused as he stared into a sea of faces, some hostile, some blank and none of which were friendly. He took some comfort from the fact that at least none of the former royal guards said anything to contradict him. He continued to speak.
‘I realise that for most Montugans, swearing an oath to Napoleon and to France will not be easy. The fact remains, however, that this is now French territory whether we like it or not. You will understand that France will not permit an enemy within. However, I have asked the French Consul, General Napoleon to amend the terms of the oath in order to recognise that many will take it purely because France now controls Montuga. I am delighted to say that the General has seen it fit to agree to my request. If you are a Montugan, the oath you will be asked to swear to is one of loyalty to Napoleon and to France, but only for as long as this is France. Should King Jason manage to return to Montuga and should the royal Ensign once again fly over this palace, your oaths will automatically fall away. I trust that this will address any misgivings you may have. I put it to you all that this oath is one you can live with in good conscience. I recommend this oath to you all and I ask you all to choose it instead of the alternative. I know many of you may be angry with me for presenting myself here in this uniform and for the oath which I swore before you. As a born Frenchman, however, I have not been afforded the luxury of taking the same oath which I negotiated for all of you. I hope that my efforts to do one last thing for my former Montugan contemporaries will not have been in vain.’
The end of the Marquis’ speech was followed by a deafening silence. However, the expressions on the faces of the royal guards and the Montugan nobles and their general mood gradually became less hostile as the import of his words gradually dawned on everyone. Eventually, and much to the Marquis’s surprise, most of the guards demonstrated their approval of the Marquis’s efforts with short round of applause which, although restrained, also seemed strangely respectful.
All but one of the Montugan officers queued in descending order of their former rank to take the oath administered by the Marquis. General Petard approached the Marquis who stood in front of the seated French officers on a temporary platform erected for the occasion. The Marquis was relieved that Petard’s expression was noticeably less hostile than it had been before his unexpected announcement. Petard made a point of placing particular emphasis on the final portion of the oath:
‘…for as long as this is France.’ Petard donned a bemused expression as he uttered those words. Petard’s mode of delivering the oath was emulated by every subsequent officer and soldier. One or two of them even surreptitiously winked at the Marquis as they uttered the final section of the oath. Eventually a remaining reluctant minority decided to reconsider their position. As the Marquis had predicted, and faced with the prospect of possible execution, the amended terms of the oath eventually found favour with all the guards. After the swearing in ceremony, the guards were ordered to change out of their uniforms and to surrender them in favour of assorted clothes with which they were provided. They were then ordered to return home and to await a forthcoming announcement about an opportunity for them to join the French army.
Despite it being common knowledge that the higher ranks in the royal guard were exclusively nobles, Napoleon announced that each royal guard who volunteered for military service in the French army could expect to receive a rank in accordance with his original rank in the royal guard.
The Marquis knew that most of Napoleon’s officers and soldiers did not hail from the noble classes. It was evident that Napoleon’s announcement about people of noble birth retaining their ranks seemed to irk many of them. But they all remained tight lipped.
The Montugan nobles were the next group to take the amended oath. None of them declined to do so, particularly after it was made clear to them that although some effort to address inequalities in Montugan society could be expected, Napoleon would not permit the looting and executions which had occurred in republican France. Napoleon also made it clear that although the rich would face higher taxation, it was not his intention to achieve greater equality by impoverishing the rich. The unconditional oaths of loyalty of around two dozen nobles of French birth who were now residents of Montuga were once again administered directly by Napoleon. None of the former French nobles refused to consent to taking the oath.
A large group of Montugan republicans arrived to hold a huge celebratory rally in front of the palace. They sang Napoleon’s praises and frequently found cause to shout ‘Vive le France!’ Some called for the heads of the nobles and for those of the royal family.
As the former royal guards walked past the rally, many republicans insulted and taunted them. French soldiers intervened to prevent the two sides from becoming embroiled in a violent confrontation.
‘I must congratulate you,’ Napoleon declared whilst beaming at the Marquis. ‘The amended oath you suggested did the trick. It has been well received and has prevented a lot of unnecessary unpleasantness.’
As one who had once faced the prospect of execution, the Marquis did not particularly appreciate Napoleon’s attempt at understatement.
Napoleon continued:
‘How many of the royal guards and Montugan nobles did not heed the call to assemble here? Do you know?’
‘I believe
that all the nobles turned up,’ the Marquis replied. ‘I estimate that approximately one hundred and twenty guards did not report.’
‘I shall require a list of all those who took the oath and everyone who did not. The latter will be afforded one further opportunity to do so.’
‘That is a good idea,’ the Marquis declared. ‘I am sure that most of those who were absent would consent to taking the amended oath if offered the opportunity,’ the Marquis said as he focused on a squad of French cavalrymen who were about to leave the palace to go on a patrol. ‘May I ask a question?’
‘Of course,’ Napoleon replied.
‘When you were in the Devil’s orifice, how did you manage to keep all your horses quiet?’
‘The cavalry remained in the Nanoux valley until the first companies of infantry emerged from hiding from the French side of the pass to support the surprise attack from the Montugan side. I must admit though, that keeping one thousand soldiers quiet in a mountain pass for eight to ten hours was not easy. We were assisted by heavy rains which had fallen a few hours before we entered the pass. All the rivers were swollen and that possibly drowned out any inadvertent noise which could have given us away.’
‘The same heavy rains also allowed your expeditionary force to land on the Montugan beach without being detected. You had a considerable amount of good fortune.’
‘The weather had nothing to do with it. That unit regularly passes undetected. Often right under the noses of the enemy. And as for fortune, good planning seldom requires the intervention of providence.’ Napoleon paused as he considered the Marquis’s uniform. ‘Does it not feel good to be a Frenchman again?’
‘In a way it does. I suppose that I will become more comfortable with it as soon as the feeling of betrayal completely subsides,’ the Marquis replied frankly. But he quickly added. ‘But, as you said, I am after all French, and now that Montuga is a province of France, there can be no reason for any divided loyalty.’
‘I am pleased to hear it. I meant what I said about France needing people of your calibre. For one, I intend to have you sitting in judgment on some of the judges who presided over some of the trials which took place in France. We could start with one Monsieur Rigar. He was the one who presided over your trial, did he not?’
‘As tempting as poetic justice may be, I could not sit in judgement on Monsieur Rigar. I would be doing exactly what he did. I would be a judge in my own case and I would have to recuse myself.’
‘Let him apply to you to recuse yourself. You could surely refuse to do so citing his refusal to recuse himself at your trial.’
‘With respect, Consul, there is no justice if one permits one injustice to justify the perpetration of another. If I am to play any role in reforming French justice, all trials would have to be conducted justly.’
‘You are right, of course,’ Napoleon agreed. ‘And your response confirms that my instincts about you were right.’ A thin smile crossed his face as he walked off in the direction of the palace.