Young bloods - Scarrow Simon. Страница 72

If the people of Auxonne and many of the soldiers in the barracks were preoccupied with the coming parliament, the same could not be said of most of the officers. They continued with their drinking and whoring and joining the hunts and attending the balls organised by the region's nobility. Since Napoleon kept himself apart from most of the officers he received fewer and fewer invitations to attend such events. Even though this self-enforced solitude depressed him from time to time, there was little that Napoleon could do about it. He was already sending as much of his pay as he could afford home to his family in Corsica to help his mother feed them. What little was left meant that he could barely afford to eat, let alone join Alexander and the others for a night of drinking in the meagre taverns of Auxonne.

His prolonged absences from the officers' mess meant that he instantly attracted attention on the rare occasions when he did make a visit. Napoleon noted the sidelong glances, barely concealed laughter and low-key comments that he assumed were directed at him. He did his best to ignore them. Sometimes he encountered Alexander in the mess and was able to enjoy his friend's company until Alexander was joined by some of his cronies. Then the conversation inevitably turned towards Napoleon as the other officers indulged themselves in a favourite pastime, namely making fun of Napoleon and his Corsican origins. Napoleon curbed his temper and endured the teasing as far as he could.

As the new year of 1789 came, and winter gave way to spring, the charged political atmosphere that had gripped France began to divide the members of the officers' mess according to their class and their principles.

When the new parliament opened in May, the men of the regiment scoured every report that reached Auxonne from Paris. It took several days for all twelve hundred deputies to present their credentials, and then it turned out that the King's ministers had not yet decided whether the three estates should meet separately, or together. So the days stretched into weeks as the clergy of the first estate and the nobility of the second estate refused to share a debating chamber with the deputies representing the common people of France. The lack of a spirit of compromise fed the tensions both in the officers' mess at Auxonne and in the streets of the town.

Napoleon, who was by now well versed in the arguments that had been put forward for constitutional reform, was a natural supporter of the cause of the third estate.There were a few others like him, but most of the officers stood by their noble origins and loudly proclaimed their support for the traditional privileges of the nobility, and denounced the aspirations of the common people.

One evening, towards the end of June, as rain lashed down on Auxonne, Napoleon hurried across the parade ground between the artillery school and the officers' mess. Stepping out of the rain he removed his dripping greatcoat and hat and passed them to the waiting steward. A group of junior officers, including the Des Mazis brothers, was playing a noisy game of cards on tables to one side of the fireplace and Napoleon made his way past them and turned to warm his back at the hearth. He caught Alexander's eye and nodded a greeting.

'What, not reading a history book tonight, Napoleon?'

'You know, you could learn a thing or two from books,' he replied wearily.

Alexander shrugged. 'What is it to me what happened a thousand years ago? Anyway, have you heard the news?'

Napoleon shook his head.

'There's been an outbreak of rioting in Seurre,' said Alexander. 'Something to do with bread prices. The colonel's sending a detachment down there to calm things down.'

'Seurre?' Napoleon frowned. 'Where's that?'

'Small town, two days' march from here. My brother's leading the detachment. He'll soon put that rabble to flight.'

'I'm sure he will.'

Alexander stared at him a moment. 'What does that mean?'

'Just that those rioters will be weak with starvation and armed with sticks and knives.What chance have they got against trained soldiers armed with muskets? They'll run at the first volley.'

'Of course they will, the cowardly scum.'

'Cowardly scum?' Napoleon shook his head. 'No. They're just ordinary people. Hunger has driven them to act.'

'Napoleon,' Captain Des Mazis interrupted, 'be careful. You sound like you're on their side.'

'No. I'm not.We cannot afford to let these rioters defy the law. Even so, I understand their grievances. I sympathise with them.'

Captain Des Mazis frowned. 'You sympathise with them?'

'Of course, sir.' Napoleon looked down at the floor thoughtfully. 'They are subjected to all manner of taxes: the tithe, the hearth tax and capitation tax.When all those are paid, they are left with a pittance, and it means that they spend their lives struggling to survive. I can understand their despair. And I can understand their anger when they look at the nobility and the clergy and see them enjoying lives of luxury, unburdened by any tax. What astonishes me is that they have put up with it for so long. I can only begin to imagine the suffering that has driven those people in Seurre to take action.'

He looked up and saw that most of the other officers were looking at him with open hostility. Even Alexander looked annoyed by his explanation. There was an awkward silence, then Captain Des Mazis' chair scraped back and he stood up.

'Lieutenant Buona Parte, I find your sentiments offensive. There is no place for such views in this mess and I would be obliged if you did not raise the matter again. Do you understand?'

Napoleon felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment and anger. 'Sir, I meant no offence. I was merely trying to explain the motives of these rioters.'

'You're a soldier, Lieutenant, not a politician, nor a philosopher, thank God.You swore an oath of loyalty to the King, not to the common rabble. And this mess will not tolerate any attempt to justify the illegal actions of dangerous rioters. Do I make myself clear?'

'Yes, sir,' Napoleon replied quietly. 'Perfectly clear.'

'Good. Then I would ask you to leave the mess at once, to spare us any more of your ill-considered opinions. Now go.'

'Yes, sir.' Napoleon saluted as his cheeks burned with shame. He turned away from the hearth and started towards the door.

'One final thing, Lieutenant,' Captain Des Mazis called after him.

Napoleon paused and turned back. 'Sir?'

'Seeing as you have such a keen understanding of these criminals, I'm assigning you to my detachment tomorrow. Let's see how sympathetic you are when you have to confront a screaming mob of these… animals.' He made a cold, thin smile. 'Perhaps you can try to reason with them.'

Napoleon felt his cheeks flush with anger. Then he turned away and strode stiffly out of the officers' mess.

Chapter 51

The expedition to Seurre brought back uncomfortable memories of the Lyons uprising to Napoleon. As the detachment marched through small villages he was aware of the inhabitants watching them with barely concealed resentment and hostility.The soldiers camped at the end of the first day's march on a neglected common in the middle of a wretched collection of hovels. Captain Des Mazis and his brother had ridden off to spend the night with a local landowner, leaving Napoleon in charge of the camp.

As the soldiers prepared the evening meal several small and pitifully thin children wandered up through the tent lines and stood and stared at the steam wisping up from the cooking pots. Napoleon watched as one of the corporals turned to the children with a warm smile.

'It's all right. Come, tell me your names.'

They stared back at him with sunken eyes until he squatted down and beckoned to them. Then one of the children, a slight boy with a shock of blond hair, stepped forward uncertainly.