Napoleon in 1812 - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

6. Paris, City of Light – 6

As soon as Emperor Napoleon arrived in Paris, he collaborated with the Imperial Council and issued three bills (though strictly speaking, two abolished existing policies). This announcement, which will be referred to as the ‘Luxembourg Decree’, was enough to make the whole of Paris very noisy.

In particular, the first issue of the Luxembourg Decree was almost salvation for the young people who were about to join the army and the French soldiers who should maintain their military status due to the change in the standard with the ‘Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree’ in 1812.

Withdrawal of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree, return to the conscription law of 1808.

As soon as the conscription reorganization was announced by the Imperial Council, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of War, young men in Paris and their entire family rushed out of their houses, waved the French flag and cheered. It seemed that the feeling of wanting to leave the army was the same as in any country in the world. They praised the Empire more sincerely than ever and were enthusiastic about the Emperor’s mercy.

‘The people of the Empire were more pleased with the abolition of the Imperial-Federal Mobilization Decree than with the great victory of the Russian expedition or with the defeat of Prussia and Austria’, said Jean-Pierre de Montalivet, lll the Minister of the Interior.

If the first part of the Luxembourg Decree was to save young French men and the families they needed to support, the second was to open the blocked mouths of numerous journalists, art and literature workers, including painters, novelists and sculptors.

They were not as happy from day one as those concerned by the first part. If they had criticized or satirized Napoleon Bonaparte’s rule or foreign strategy in the past, secret police officers who were hiding would have ran out to suppress and even capture them. They had a cautious attitude because they did not know when or where these officers would come back to suppress those who opened their mouths. Still, some courageous intellectuals wrote critical articles about the current situation of the Empire and actually reported on the incident in various media.

The imperial government kept its promise and made a gesture of respect for their freedom of expression, but the majority still had doubt.

“If time passes and trust is built in the government’s announcement, this problem will naturally be solved. However, in order to advance that time, we need to set an example first.”

Members of the Council took the initiative and posted pictures or cartoons satirizing themselves on posters. Their efforts were not in vain. The rigid and authoritarian atmosphere of the imperial society was gradually diluting.

There was also a controversy in many ways with the third part of the ‘Luxembourg Decree’.

The 19th century in Europe broadly recognized individual private property and rights. No matter how powerful the Emperor was, he could not take away the capitalists’ properties at will. And patents were also personal property rights.

But the Emperor’s order defied it head-on.

Of course, the third issue was not published as it was, for example, “Steal the property rights of the British capitalists!’ but everyone knew. Officials say, ‘Copy patents related to the British mechanical revolution, uncaught.’, and this was what the Emperor intended.

French engineers and technicians embarrassed. Stealing others’ properties openly was a bit… The Emperor’s response to this was as follows.

“Have you already forgotten the precedent for canned food and steam cars that France created and patented under international law?”

The British had copied the principle of canned food developed by a French confectioner named Appert,121 and patented it among themselves. That was not all. Britain had also stolen important components of the steam car, developed by French engineer Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, 131 and formulas for the assembly.

That was how the steam engine was today praised as a major industry that would lead the future.

Should we respect British patents when Britain is stealing French patents and inventions like this? This remark made by Napoleon Bonaparte was sufficient to give the French engineers psychological justification.

“No matter what pressure comes upon you, I will be your shield. Don’t worry and do your duty. The Empire’s economy is in your hands.”

The engineers nodded at the Emperor’s confident words. Thus they started to imitate the British industrial machines, and France prepared for another revolution.

Napoleon was setting off a signal to wake up France, which was now sleeping. Perhaps this was the most important and dense time in the history of the French Empire. But Napoleon, the Emperor who was supposed to lead this Empire, was now in a very difficult situation. The reason was that a woman who had no facial expression opened the door of the Tuileries Palace and pretended to be his wife and the Empress.

Napoleon soon knew who she was.

‘Marie-Louise…[4] Nabot abandoned Josephine and got a new Austrian Empress.’

Her father was Francis II, Emperor of Austria.

He did not know about it in the other world, but he was sure that Francis II here probably had a very bad opinion about Napoleon. Therefore, the possibility could not be ruled out that this woman was spying for Austria or that she may lead anti-war public opinion within France.

Concealing such vigilance, Napoleon approached Marie-Louise.

“It’s been almost a week since you came back from the expedition, and you’ve never called me. I came here to see how long you would leave me alone at the cold Fleury Palace. Don’t tell me, you had a sweet night with other women again?”

“… That can’t be true. So far, I’ve been dealing with the affairs of the Empire, which scattered throughout the night, reducing my sleep. I thought I sent a letter to the Fleury Palace asking for your understanding because I was so busy…”

“You always made excuses like that. But every time, all I saw was a woman running away with her body covered, and you coughing while wiping away a cold sweat.”

With those short words from her, he immediately guessed what kind of private life the previous Nabot had.

Napoleon sighed inwardly.

He was like an onion with something new everytime…

“Is my duty as your wife over, now that I’ve given birth to the son of an enemy? If you’re going to do this, why did you keep sending such sad letters to me even before our marriage?”

Marie-Louise was apparently not a believer in Napoleon’s words. Napoleon had a headache because of her pathetic words. Aside from spying or not, Napoleon made a sign to Baron Fain next to him, thinking that appeasing that woman was the first priority.

“Well, Your Highness the Empress. His Majesty the Emperor really did not call other women, he only looked at business. In the meantime, he held two meetings with the Council…”

Baron Fain, the chief secretary, smoothly talked about what Napoleon did after returning from the expedition. It was not even a lie to avoid her anger. It was all true.

Marie-Louise must have realized the reality, whether Baron Fain’s words were true or his credibility was quite high.

She bowed her head with a red face, perhaps embarrassed.

Napoleon clicked his tongue at the sight.

“Marie, I know I’ve done a lot wrong in the past. I must have been a cold husband to you… No, I was.”

It irritated him again to apologize for what he had not done wrong.

But he tried to ease the annoyance and managed to carry on.

Because he was convinced that Marie-Louise was not acting.

‘I can tell by her tone, mood, and eyes. This young, emotional Austrian woman can’t act.

Anyway, she was the woman who gave birth to the son (Napoleon II) of the former owner of this body, Napoleon Bonaparte. He had never actually spent a night with her, but he knew that he could properly run the Empire only if he cooperated internally and externally.

“It was very stupid of me. I will try to restrain myself from hurting you in the future. We’re not all mature. Let’s make our relationship better from now on.”

He did not know if the original Nabot loved her passionately. Even so, there would be no significant change in the way Napoleon treated her now.

I’m not going to show her the ugly side of the past, playing around with women. But it will be hard to treat her like a lover or wife.’

It was a bit embarrassing.

He had to match a complete stranger as a wife and Empress, but he did not know the right line. But at least he did not mean to kick her out of that position, treat her harshly or turn her away just because he did not love her. Marie-Louise, on the other hand, was thrilled to hear this from Napoleon.

“I never thought I’d hear your sincere apology. That’s right. How can a marital relationship go awry because of just one person’s fault? I will also reflect on my hasty actions… Please finish your duties. I’m sorry to have interrupted you. But please stop by the palace after work. Shouldn’t we show our young son the image of his father? Until you leave for the battlefield again.”

Marie-Louise left a comment like this.

‘I tried to keep the same attitude from before the expedition as much as possible, but how would I know.’

Napoleon looked behind her as she left, and thought she was a foolish but not easy woman.

Napoleon’s frustrating troubles were just beginning. When he met her face to face and talked to her, she was not a perverse evil woman. An Austrian spy? Well, Napoleon’s intuition said she was not one either.

But there was a different problem.

“How should I treat the son of this body… I ended up with a family. I’ve avoided that kind of relationship all my life in the other world.

Napoleon, a war-fighting genius and innovator in state management but a novice as a father, was really at a loss to deal with his son. In the other world, Napoleon had several lovers, but never married or had children (although he may have an illegitimate child he did not know).

There were two main reasons.

If Napoleon, who had become the living power of the French Republic itself, had children, then there would have been room for radical monarchists and imperialists who wanted to make Napoleon an absolute monarch. The second was Napoleon’s deep distrust in his family members. To be honest, the second reason was more important.

‘So, it turns out, in this world, you are dressed up like nobles, and you are pretending to be a imperial family, eating well and living well, right? Those vanity, ambition, and greed have not changed. Well, I didn’t even expect it to change.’

When he thought of them, Napoleon was naturally cynical.

TL notes

[1] Jean-Pierre de Montalivet

[2] Nicolas Appert

[3] Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot

[4] Marie-Louise d’Autriche