A Knight in Paris by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788675987
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd
Published: 2022-05-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

It had taken the Earl a long time to go to sleep as he listened to Lynetta’s soft breathing.

He awoke early and, slipping out of bed so as not to waken her, he went into his dressing room.

He drew back the curtains and looked out over the beauty of the Tuileries gardens. They had been restored to their past glory since Bonaparte had come to The Palace.

He found it extraordinary that one man should have changed the rampaging horror, terror and disruption of French life so quickly.

There was no doubt, the Earl mused, whatever his many enemies might say of him, that Bonaparte was a great man.

At the same time he had no wish to stay as his guest for any longer than was absolutely necessary.

He decided he would tell Daguerre to send for the furniture from the Château as quickly as possible and then he and Lynetta could be on their way to Calais.

He thought, however, it would make things easier if Daguerre came to him and he knew that the intermediary would be only too pleased to come to the Tuileries.

As soon as Hunt called him, he asked to speak to one of the many gilded Officials who appeared to have nothing to do.

When a man then came into his dressing room, the Earl arranged that he should take his Note-of-Hand to the Bank.

At the same time he asked Daguerre to visit him in The Palace immediately.

He was aware that this request would be instantly carried out with military precision and efficiency.

He was not at all surprised when, later in the morning, he saw the First Consul taking the salute with his troops.

The huge area of the Carrousel was crowded with the pomp and splendour of Royalty.

Riding a horse that had belonged to the late King, Bonaparte passed along the line of his men.

With his cropped hair, high nose and intense searching eyes, he just looked every inch a leader if not an Emperor.

He was attended by his Generals and, amid the glittering throng, he stood out in his black unlaced hat and plain blue uniform.

‘He might be an ordinary English sea Captain!’ the Earl thought with a smile.

But he well knew that there was nothing ordinary or insignificant about the little man on horseback.

In fact Bonaparte made him think of Julius Caesar.

He was sure, and he thought that it was just what the War Party in England would want to hear that, behind the façade of Roman Republican Reforms, he was intent on Imperial power.

“You will hardly believe it,” a distinguished Frenchman said to him in a low voice, “that two years ago this country was on the verge of collapse.”

“I agree with you, it is a miracle,” the Earl replied.

Equally he was somewhat apprehensive as to what part England was expected to play in the new Europe that Bonaparte was building so swiftly under our very noses.

When he had the chance of talking to the First Consul, the Earl realised that he had the supreme qualities of genius together with inexhaustible energy.

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