The wanton princess rb-8

by Dennis Wheatley

  So next day he packed such things as he needed, while Fouché walked down to the village and drove back in the travelling coach that he had had stabled there. Roger left money with the Dufour couple and told them and the other servants that he might not be returning for some months; then, that afternoon, he and Fouché set off in the coach for Paris.

  They arrived on December 2nd, and Roger was made as welcome as ever at La Belle Etoile by the Blanchards. They had wonderful things to say about the happenings in Paris since he had last been there. The peace had brought not only scores of English 'milors' to France but also many Russian and German nobles. The Place du Carousel had been a sight to sec on review days when they all went there in their splendid equipages. The parties at the Tuileries were becoming ever more brilliant. Now, like a King and Queen, Napoleon and Josephine received at their Court all the Foreign Ambassadors who presented to them the visiting aristocracy from their countries: Lord Whitworth for Eng­land, M. Markoff for Russia and the Marquis dc Lucchesini for Prussia; and the Ambassadors in turn gave magnificent receptions for the First Consul and his wife. Never since the fall of the Bastille, thirteen years ago. had the theatres been so packed or the fetes been attended by so many thousands of well-dressed people.

  Business was booming, not only in the capital but throughout the whole country, for the Industrial Revolution had come to France. Napoleon's remaking of the roads and canals and his suppression of brigandage now made com­merce between cities swift and profitable. The bad old days of the almost worthless paper assignats were gone and the funds, which at the time of Brumaire had been down to seven francs, now stood at fifty two.

  In the autumn Napoleon had organized an Exhibition of Industry in the Louvre and converted many of its splendid apartments into an art gallery, where could be seen the great collection of Old Masters looted out of Italy and such masterpieces as the Venus dc Medici. It had again become fashionable to go to Mass. In return for the Concordat the Vatican had led the way in recognizing the new Kingdom of Etruria and the Helvetii and Batavian Republics as French Protectorates. Food was plentiful and cheap. New buildings were going up everywhere. The projects of Napoleon for the betterment of France seemed endless and he was looked on by the majority of the people as the giver of all good things.

  Next day, dressed again as a Colonel and wearing the sash of an A.D.C., Roger was received by the great man. Napoleon stared at him for a moment then snapped, 'How dare you present yourself to me in uniform! You forfeited the right to it months ago. Owing to your weak chest I gave you leave to spend the worst of last winter in the south. Your failure to report to me in the Spring amounts to desertion and I mean to have you court-martialled for it.'

  Roger had known this to be a risk that he would have to run, but felt fairly confident that he could surmount it. Making a pretence of beginning to take off his A.D.C.'s sash, he gave a shrug and replied, 'As you will. If my old friend and master has become an unjust tyrant in my absence there is naught that I can do about it. Strip me of my uniform. Have me drummed out, if it pleases you. Order your Court to condemn me; but I'd be unfortunate indeed if I were thrown into a French prison after having spent a good part of the year in an English one.'

  'An English prison?'

  'Yes. Before reporting to you in the Spring I thought I'd take advantage of the peace and spend a few weeks in England, so as to be able to inform you on my return how things were going there. A duel was forced upon me and for fighting it I was clapped into gaol. As soon as I was free I returned via Bordeaux, then went to St. Maxime for only long enough to see that all was well with my small property there. Then, although it is mid-winter, giving no thought to my chest, I came with all speed to Paris, so that I might with the least possible delay congratulate you on having become First Consul for life.'

  Napoleon grunted, 'I see! I sec! That certainly puts a different complexion on matters. But now there is peace I have no use for beaux sabreurs. At least not at present.'

  'No; not at present, First Consul,' Roger smiled. 'But I have a feeling that you will before we are much older.'

  'What the devil do you mean?'

  'I travelled north with Joseph Fouche. He gave me the impression that you are by no means satisfied with the con­duct of the English.'

  'Fouché, eh! That intriguing Jacobin! He has a finger in every pie and although I got rid of him he still catches news of everything in his spider's web.'

  Beginning to pace up and down with his hands clasped behind his back, Napoleon went on. 'But he's right, of course. They are thwarting me in India. They are still sitting at the Cape and refuse to evacuate Malta. Their journals, too! No doubt you saw them. Article after article, maligning me most shamefully. 'Tis disgraceful that they should allow their scribblers to write filth about a friendly Head of State. But I've no wish for war. Under me France has become prosperous as never before. I intend to keep it so. Yet this haggling with them infuriates me. They agreed the peace terms so they should keep them; but I suppose one can expect no better from a nation of shopkeepers.'

  'In view of their recent treatment of me I'd like nothing better than to have at them again,' Roger remarked. 'But since you are set on maintaining the peace, why not let me resume my old duties as assistant to Bourrienne?'

  'Bourrienne!’ Napoleon stopped pacing and frowned again. 'He is here no longer. I got rid of him last October.'

  'Got rid of Bourrienne!' Roger exclaimed. 'Mon General, I can scarce believe it. Why, he was your oldest friend and invaluable to you. What frightful crime did he commit?'

  ' 'Tis naught to do with you. And no man is indispensable.

  Meneval now serves me just as well and has all the help he needs. No, for the moment I have no use for you, so you had best return to the sunshine of the south.'

  Although Roger was well aware of Napoleon's duplicity, he had formed the opinion that he really meant what he had said about not wanting a renewal of the war, which was a considerable relief; but he had been so taken aback at the dismissal of Bourrienne that for a moment he was at a loss to think of any other suggestion which might lead to his employ­ment. He had just made up his mind to bow himself out and see Talleyrand, who might find a use for him, when Napoleon suddenly snapped his fingers and cried:

  'I have it. You will have heard of our misfortunes in San Domingo?'

  Roger's heart gave a lurch and seemed to descend to his boots. The last thing he wanted was to be ordered off to the West Indies, and if he was but did not go it would almost certainly mean Napoleon's finishing with him for good.

  'No, First Consul,' he replied, striving to keep the anxiety out of his voice. 'Since my return to Paris yesterday I have seen no one of importance before waiting on you; and Fouché made no mention of the island except that the Negro general Toussaint l'Ouverture had been sent back to France a prisoner.'

  Napoleon made an impatient gesture. 'Oh, Leclerc did well enough on his arrival on the island. He found Cap Haitien in possession of the Negro General, Christophe. But he had sailed from France in thirty-two ships carrying twenty thousand men; so, although he had to land his troops on the beach a few miles from the town, the very sight of our force was enough to scare the blacks into abandoning it. After that he soon had the island under control and he dealt with l'Ouverture as I had directed.

  'But that was in the winter, when those fevers that apparently rise from the lowland swamps lie dormant. Since then, alas, the situation has become very different. With the warmer weather our men began to go down with the fatal sickness. By high summer they were dying like flies. That encouraged the Negroes to revolt. Seeing our increasing weakness, whole battalions of them that we had trained and armed for our service deserted and went over to the enemy. By October this accursed yellow fever had reduced Leclerc's effectives from twenty thousand to two thousand; and against the black hordes he was hard put to it even to hang on in Cap Haitien. Now that he is dead, unless courage and intel­ligent leadership save the day for us we may be forced
to abandon the island altogether.' 'Lcclerc dead!' Roger exclaimed.

  'He was stricken with the pestilence and died early in November.'

  'I am most distressed to hear it. He was a charming and intelligent as well as a brave man.'

  'Yes,' Napoleon nodded glumly, 'he was a good man and I am sorry now that I chose him for that command. I did so only because he was up to his ears in debt. Like all my family, with the exception of my mother, Madame Leclerc has no idea of the value of money. She is appallingly extrava­gant and poor Leclerc was half out of his wits wondering how to pay her bills. My idea was that, after a few years as Captain General on that great island, he would have returned rich enough to live like a millionaire for the rest of his life.'

  As Napoleon spoke. Roger was wondering anxiously what was coming next. Never having commanded a formation he thought it unlikely that he was to be sent out to take Leclerc's place; but with Napoleon one could never tell. He had sent Duroc, who had no diplomatic experience, as his Ambassador to St. Petersburg and had recently made Savary, another soldier, Chief of Police. Roger thought it more likely that he was to be despatched to this devilish island as A.D.C. to some other General, or as the First Consul's personal representative, to send him an on-the-spot report of the situa­tion.

  Pausing at one of the tall windows Napoleon stood staring out for a full minute. Roger, silently regarding the back of the short, stalwart figure, continued to wait for the blow to fall.

  15

  White Magic

  Suddenly the First Consul swung round, his expression changed to brisk geniality. 'We must do what we can to console Pauline. I had intelligence yesterday by a fast sloop that she is on her way home. Her ship should dock at Bordeaux in a week or ten days' time. Someone must meet her, tell her of my grief for her, and act as her escort. She prefers well-born men to rough soldiers. You, Breuc, are the very man for this task. Take one of my coaches, proceed to Bordeaux with all speed and, when Madame Leclerc lands, do all you can to bring the smiles back to those bright eyes of hers.'

  Roger could hardly believe his ears. To be given this intriguing mission instead of being packed off probably to die of yellow fever in the jungles of San Domingo seemed too good to be true. Jerking to attention, he cried, ‘Mon General, you can rely on me.' Then with a laugh lie uttered one of those 'Gasconades' that at times he used to support his role as a Frenchman. ' 'Twill be a sad day when the master whose thousand activities have again made France great cannot find a use for a man with the qualities of his servant, "le brave Breuc":

  'You impudent fellow,' Napoleon replied. But he loved flattery, so he smiled and pulled Roger's ear as he added, 'You are almost as conceited as that gallant who commands the Hussars of Conflans. What is his name? Yes, Brigadier Gerrard. Very well; keep your sash, and take good care of my favourite sister.'

  After visiting the stables and arranging for a comfortable coach with a team of six horses and outriders to lake him on his way to Bordeaux next morning, Roger went to the Rue du Bac. There Talleyrand received him, but could give him only a few minutes as he was about to leave to attend a recep­tion at the Prussian Embassy. Roger gave him a somewhat edited account of his misfortunes in England, then enquired the reason for Bourrienne's dismissal.

  Having taken snuff, the Foreign Minister replied, 'Poor fellow, he lost his place through a mere peccadillo, but unfortunately one that is a heinous crime in Napoleon's eyes. He takes no exception to his Generals looting the territories over winch they are sent to rule, or to me in maintaining myself in reasonable comfort by accepting, now and then, a few francs from the Ambassadors whose business I choose to expedite; because that is foreign money. But for some reason I have never understood poor Bourrienne was paid no salary. He was permitted to draw such money as he needed from the First Consul's private purse. Such an arrangement was well enough in its way, but not one by which one could put aside a comfortable fortune. In consequence, Bourrienne entered on a speculation with one of these army contractors. Extraor­dinary to relate it did not turn out well, so he endeavoured to recoup himself by drawing on the Public Funds. Savary got wind of this and reported it to the First Consul. To rob the French Exchequer is the one thing that he will not permit even his family to do; so Bourrienne was sent packing, and without even a gratuity, after his many years of faithful service.'

  'Indeed! It is unlike Napoleon to show ingratitude; and I am most sorry for our old friend.' 'And I.' Talleyrand took another pinch of snuff, then flicked the grains from his lapels with a lace handkerchief. 'Meneval is highly competent, but Bourrienne was the finest personal assistant any monarch could have. He had a marvel­lous memory, could speak and write many languages, and take down dictation as fast as anyone could speak. He knew how all the departments worked, was well versed in inter­national law and had known Napoleon from the days when they were cadets together at Brienne. To retain his services for a million francs would have been cheap at the price. But our little man has at times these queer quirks of moral rectitude which, I must confess, I find surprising in anyone almost as unprincipled as myself.'

  Roger then told Talleyrand about his new mission. The diplomat raised an eyebrow. lMon cher ami, I at the same time congratulate you and deplore your fortune in being charged with acting as the official protector of this lady. She has been well named la belle des belles and you would not be human did you not swiftly become a prey to a desire to sleep with her. I think that as far as she was capable of being in love she loved Leclerc; so you may find her still chilled by his death and unresponsive to any man's attentions. But the Bonapartes are a lecherous breed, and Pauline is the most libidinous of them all. Did you know that not long after Leclerc was despatched to serve with the Army of the Rhine she entered on affaires with three Generals simultaneously; Moreau. Macdonald and Beurnonville? On comparing notes they found her out, but that gives you the measure of her amorous propensities.'

  'Then after six weeks aboard ship she must be ripe for some masculine entertainment,' Roger smiled.

  'Perhaps: unless she seduced the Captain of the ship on the way over, and has formed a passion for him, as such hot-blooded women are apt to do. I wish you luck with her but, should you succeed, I advise you not to become deeply involved, for I am convinced that to set your affections on such a woman could lead only to unhappiness.'

  Still pondering this sage counsel, Roger set out for Bor­deaux. His coach covered the three hundred and forty miles in six days. On reaching the port he engaged the best suite of rooms in the most comfortable hostelry, pending Madame Leclerc's arrival.

  Pauline's ship docked four days later and Roger went aboard at once. Her Captain, a fine handsome man in his early thirties, received him in his stern cabin and together they drank some excellent triple-distilled Rum termed Sugarcane Cognac. Over this warming tipple the Captain gave him an account of the way in which things had gone wrong in San Domingo.

  That a great number of the troops had fallen victim to yellow fever was only half the story. The real cause of the disaster had been Napoleon's decree that the estates of the French planters should be restored to them and the Negroes be reduced once more to a state of slavery. Leclerc, realizing the danger of promulgating such a decree, had refrained from doing so, but General Richpanse, the Governor of Guade­loupe had, and the news had spread like wildfire to the other islands. With Toussaint a prisoner and Christophe defeated the great majority of the Negroes had been quite willing to accept the Government of France and to regard themselves as French citizens; but when they learned that they were again to become slaves, the whole black population of the island rose in revolt.

  Had a state of peace been maintained many of the troops stricken with the fever might have been nursed back to health. As it was, French detachments up-country, already weakened by the ravages of the disease, had been cither massacred or driven into the forts along the coast. Cap Haitien had been beseiged by a rabble of Negroes many thousands strong led by their witch doctors and screaming for
French blood. The situation had become so threatening that Leclerc had feared he would have to evacuate the island and had sent a company of troops to escort Pauline and her ladies down to the beach.

  Despite her frivolous nature, she had played her part as a Governor's wife in a way that did her the greatest credit. During the early months of the occupation she had enor­mously enjoyed being the First Lady of the land, designed a special costume for her staff and an orchestra, received all the notables most graciously and given a constant succession of concerts, dances and expeditions to beauty spots.

  Then, as the Spring advanced, a number of unknown infections had broken out. She had been inflicted with sores on her hands and arms and several of her household had gone down with yellow fever, which was already spreading as a serious epidemic among the troops. But Pauline had refused to be intimidated and go into isolation with her little son and immediate entourage. Instead she had insisted on continuing to hold her receptions and concerts to maintain morale, and could not be prevented from visiting the stricken soldiers in the hospitals.

  When the crisis came and Leclerc had determined on a last sortie against the great horde of Negroes, he had sent a party of Grenadiers to bring Pauline and her household down to the beach but she had refused to accompany them, proudly declaring to the other women, 'You may go if you wish, but I shall not. I am the sister of Bonaparte.'

  Ignoring her defiance, four soldiers had picked her up, put her in a chair and carried her off toward the waiting ships. But she had never gone aboard. News had arrived that Leclerc's sortie had succeeded, the blacks had broken and temporarily fled; so she had had herself carried back to the Residence, yawned gracefully and said, 'How I despise these stupid panics.'