empty and silent.
Napoleon returned to Barras’ office at noon and quickly assigned the officers to their positions. Even those senior to him in rank readily nodded their assent and hurried off to their posts. As the last of them left, Napoleon turned to Barras and saw that behind the earlier bluster of a politician the man was anxious, fearful even, and seemed resigned to defeat.
‘Don’t worry, citizen. We’re in a strong position and the men are prepared to fight. When Danican makes his move in the morning he’ll get far more than he bargained for. If we can cut down his men quickly enough, then they’ll break and run for it.’
‘And if they don’t?’
‘Then we will just have to defend the palace room by room.’
‘I see.’ Barras gave him a searching look.‘And are you prepared to die for the republic, Brigadier Bonaparte?’
‘I am,’ he replied firmly, then smiled. ‘In any case, it makes no difference if I am willing to die for the republic or not. Our lives are in the hands of fate now. But I have to admit, I am intrigued to know what the outcome will be, once this fight is settled.’
‘Intrigued?’ Barras laughed. ‘Good God, man! You’re a cool one. And if we’re both still alive at the end of it, then I will make sure that the nation knows your name.’
As the afternoon wore on, the royalists began to be more bold. Individual men crept closer to the Tuileries through the gardens, or climbed to the upper floors of neighbouring buildings, and took pot shots at any faces they saw at the palace windows.When the sun started to sink towards the distant rooflines Napoleon was squinting out across the gardens as Junot muttered, ‘Doesn’t look as if Murat managed to reach the guns. Danican’s men must have got there first.’
‘You’d better pray that they didn’t. Otherwise they’ll pound the Tuileries into rubble. In any case, you’re being unfair to Murat.’
‘Really, sir? I thought he looked like a typical cavalryman. Spoiling for a fight. All mouth and no mind.’
‘Right now, perhaps that makes Murat the best man for the job. He’s—’
Napoleon was interrupted by the crackle of gunfire from the far end of the Tuileries gardens. Through the trees lining the central avenue he glimpsed figures running to each side. Moments later a handful of mounted men charged down the avenue, brandishing the silvery curves of their sabres. Behind them came the guns, each limbered up and drawn by teams of horses. At the rear came the main body of Murat’s cavalry. They halted halfway down the avenue to discharge their pistols and carbines as the braver souls amongst the royalists rose up to take a shot.
Napoleon turned to Junot. ‘There, I was right about him. Come on!’
In the safety of the courtyard Murat had dismounted and was waiting by one of the guns he had snatched from under the noses of the rebels. As Napoleon and Junot approached he slapped the breech of the cannon with his leather gauntlets.
‘Here are the cannon you requested.’
Napoleon laughed and grasped Murat’s hand. ‘Well done! Now we have them!’
‘Was there any trouble?’ Junot asked.
‘Trouble? Oh, nothing much.’ Murat shrugged indifferently. ‘The other side almost beat us to it. There must have been three companies of militia. But they scattered at the first sign of a blade.’
Napoleon’s gaze fell to the bloody gash on Murat’s thigh, and he noticed that several of the other riders were injured as well. Clearly, there had been more to it than Murat had implied, but Napoleon had been in the army long enough to know that the best of the cavalry were inclined to such studied understatement. He turned to inspect the guns. Eight of them, all light pieces as he had ordered.
‘Major, have your men position two of the guns on the terrace to cover the gardens and have the others taken to the courtyard at the front of the palace. I’ll site each one personally.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Before Murat turned away, Napoleon grasped his shoulder. ‘That was a fine piece of work, Major.When this is over, you can be sure that everyone will know of Joachim Murat’s role in the defeat of the traitors.’
‘Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.’ Murat could not contain a boyish smile. Then he saluted and turned to stride off and carry out his orders.
Night had fallen as the last of the cannon was eased into position behind the barricades at the main gateway leading out on to the Carrousel. The sky was thick with clouds and the air was cold and clammy, and as the first chill flecks of rain began to fall Napoleon gave orders for the powder kegs to be covered with waxed canvas. It was vital that the guns have dry powder ready for the next morning. Without artillery support the thinly spread government forces would not stand a chance.
Light glowed round the edges of the shutters of the royal suite where Barras had settled in for the night with his closest political associates, but Napoleon did not begrudge the man his creature comforts. It was better that Barras kept away from the men protecting the palace, in case he felt tempted to give any orders. A grenadier had found Napoleon a sword and another man lent Napoleon his greatcoat. At midnight, as the drizzle turned into steady, freezing rain, Napoleon settled with his back to the wheel of a gun carriage and pulled the thick woollen folds of the garment tightly about his shoulders. He willed himself not to sleep, in case the royalists attempted an attack under cover of the foul weather. But there was no sound other than the steady hiss as rain struck the cobbles in a shimmering film of tiny explosions.
The rain continued through the night and into the dawn as the men on watch duty stared into the gloom, tense and alert for any sign of attack. As the thin milky light spread across the Carrousel and revealed a handful of the royalists still sheltering behind their wagons, Napoleon roused Junot, who had fallen asleep an hour or so earlier, and told him to pass the word along the line to stand to. Sodden, shivering forms of men rose up stiffly behind the barricades and reached for their muskets. Their ears strained to pick up any sound of the approach of the royalist assault columns. But the streets were still as dawn gave way to dull daylight hemmed in beneath a thick blanket of dark rain clouds.
Junot returned from his errand and crouched down beside Napoleon.
‘There’s little sign of any movement around the palace, sir. Seems that Barras’s information wasn’t accurate.’
‘Maybe not.’ Napoleon scratched his chin and glanced up at the sky as the rain cleared away. For a moment a single shaft of light angled across the Carrousel from a fleeting gap in the clouds, and then it was gone. He smiled. ‘Perhaps the rain has doused their spirits a little. After all, most of them are just part of the mob. Even the militia have little field experience. On a day like this, it’ll be as much as they can bear to stick their noses outside the door.’
The morning wore on, and the defenders waited for the royalist attack with increasing impatience.Then, just before noon, the sound of drums drifted across the Carrousel.The men around Napoleon raised their muskets and levelled the muzzles on the barricades as they waited for the first of the rebels to appear.The beating of the drums gradually increased in volume and now they could hear the sounds of cheering, rising and falling in waves. Before the noise was loud enough to drown out his orders Napoleon rose up and cupped his hands to his mouth.
‘No man will fire until the order is given! If blood is to be shed today, then let it be the fault of the royalists!’
There was a puff from behind the nearest wagon in the Carrousel and Napoleon ducked as a ball whined past his head.
‘Well.’ Junot grinned. ‘That’s the culpability issue settled. We can start killing the bastards as soon as we like.’
‘Only when I give the order!’ Napoleon snapped irritably, and was at once angry with himself for letting his nervous exhaustion reveal itself. He turned and called down the line. ‘Gun crews! Stand to! Load with canister!’
The canvas covers were whipped back immediately as the gunners opened ammunition cases and took out the charges. As soon as they had been rammed home the packs of lead balls secured in tin containers were thrust down the muzzles up against the charge and the crews stood by their weapons.
The sound of the drums and the cheers of the approaching royalists echoed round the buildings facing on to
