Désirée by Annemarie Selinko Read Free Book Online Page A

man who gives you the feeling that he can really command."
    To think that all that happened only two months ago! It seems an eternity since the first time I saw Joseph and Napoleone in our parlour. When Julie and I went in, they both jumped up and bowed almost too politely, not only to Julie but to me, too. Then we all sat, stiff and strained, around the oval mahogany table. Mama was on the sofa, with Joseph Buonaparte next to her. On the other side of the table sat the poverty-stricken General, on the most uncomfortable chair in the house, with Etienne next to him. Julie and I were between Mama and Etienne.
    I have just been thanking Citizen Joseph Buonaparte," said Mama, "for his kindness yesterday in seeing you home, Eugénie."
    At that moment Marie came in with liqueur and Julie's cake. While Mama filled the glasses and cut the cake, Etienne tried to make conversation with the General. "Is it indiscreet, Citizen General," he asked, "if I inquire whether you are in our city on official business?"
    Joseph answered at once for the General. "Not at all. The Army of the French Republic is a people's army, and is main tained by the citizens' taxes. Every citizen, therefore, has the right to know what is being done by our army. Am I not right Napoleone?"
    The name Napoleone sounded very foreign. We couldn't help all staring at the General.
    "You may ask anything you like, Citizen Clary," the General replied. "I, at all events, make no secret of my plans, my opinion the Republic is only wasting its resources in this endless defensive warfare on our frontiers. Wars of defense merely cost money and bring in neither glory nor the means of replenishing our exchequer. . . . Thank you, Mme Clary, thank you very much." Mama had handed him cake on a plate. He turned again at once to Etienne. "We must pass on of course, to offensive warfare. It will help our finances, and will show Europe that the people's army has not been defeated."
    I had paid attention—but not to the words. His face was no longer concealed by his hat, and though it's not a handsome face, it seems to me more wonderful than any face I have ever seen or dreamt of. And suddenly I understood why on the day before I had been attracted to Joseph Buoanaparte. The brothers are like each other, but Joseph's features are not so strong and not so compelling as Napoleone's. They had only suggested the existence of a stronger face for which I had seemed to be longing. Napoleone's face fulfilled my expectations.
    "Offensive warfare?" I heard Etienne ask in dismay. We all sat in dead silence, and I realized that the young General must have said something startling. Etienne was looking at him open-mouthed. "Yes, but, Citizen General, has our army, with very limited equipment, as we are given to understand . . ."
    The General waved his hand and laughed. "Limited? That's not the word! Our army is a beggars' army. Our soldiers at the frontiers are in rags; they march into battle in wooden shoes. And our artillery is so wretchedly equipped that you might think Carnot, our Minister of War, planned to defend France with bows and arrows."
    I leaned forward and looked hard at him. Afterward Julie told me my behaviour had been dreadful. But I couldn't help it. I particularly wanted to see him laugh again. He has a thin face with tightly drawn skin, very sunburned, and surrounded by reddish-brown hair. His hair comes down to his shoulders; it is not dressed or even powdered. When he laughs his drawn face suddenly becomes very boyish, and he looks much younger than he really is.
    I pulled myself together because someone was saying to me, "Your health, Mlle Clary." They all had their glasses and were sipping the liqueur. Joseph had put his glass close to mine; his eyes were sparkling, and I remembered what we had arranged the day before. "Oh," I told him, "call me Eugénie as the others do." Mama raised her eyebrows, but Etienne was too engrossed in his conversation with the General to