第22章 Chapter 22 October 1809: Jean's Strange Conversati

Things have changed since I visited Marienburg. Joseph is now King of Spain, but the Spanish people refuse to have him. Last summer they even defeated a French army without anyones help. Now an English army is helping them. So Julie is in Paris at present. Caroline and her husband, Marshal Murat, are King and Queen of Naples; but Murat is too busy in the army to live in Italy. Jerome is King of Westphalia, in Germany, and he has married a German princess. Louis still rules Holland, very badly. The Dutch hate him; so does Hortnse. Like Julie, she seems to feel safer in Paris.

I dont often see Julie, because Jean and I dont live in Paris now. We have a country house, a few miles from the city. We live very quietly, for a special reason: Jean is in trouble. A few months ago he came home suddenly. He was looking very tired and very unhappy. "What has happened, Jean?" I asked. "I thought you were in Austria with the Emperor."

"I was," he said. "But Ive quarreled with him. He always puts me in charge of the German soldiers who fight beside us. They fight very well. I said so, in a public report of a battle. That made Napoleon angry." "Was he angry because they fought well?" I didnt understand.

"All reports must show that French soldiers win our battles. Foreign soldiers cant do it for them. Those are Napoleons secret orders." Now I understood. Napoleon is so jealous of Jean that he doesnt want him to win another battle. So he gives Jean foreign soldiers who arent allowed to win anything. They may fight very well--- but the newspapers mustnt say so.

When Jean refused to accept those orders. Napoleon sent him back to Paris. He ordered Fouche himself told us that. Since Jean had no work to do in the city, he didnt want to live in it. We enjoy the peace here, and country life is good for Oscar. Nobody worries us, and we dont often have a visitor. But this morning we had a special one. Talleyrand came.

Talleyrand is an unusual person. He used to be our Foreign Minister, but last year he too dared to quarrel with Napoleon. "I advise your majesty not to start any new wars," he said. "If you cannot accept my advice, you must find a new Foreign Minister." So Napoleon had to find one. But Talleyrand is still a member of the government, and Napoleon still asks for his advice about many things.

His visit today was a mystery. I still dont really know what he wanted. Perhaps Jean does; but Talleyrand is too clever for me. "Why do I never see you in Paris, my dear prince?" he asked. Jean answered politely: "you know the reason. The emperor says that Im sick. So he had given me a long holiday."

Talleyrand nodded. He asked whether Jean was feeling better. Jean rides all day, and he looks very brown. So Talleyrand didnt wait for an answer. He asked another question: "Have you had any news form other parts of Europe?" "Ask Fouche," said Jean. "He reads my letters before I do. But I have had no important news."

"Not even from Sweden?" This seemed an ordinary question. Jean sometimes gets letters from the Sweden officers who were his prisoners in Liibeck. They are his friends now. That is no secret. But there was a change in this voice when he answered: "I had a letter from Sweden. Yes. It wasnt important. Didnt Fouche show it to you?"

"Monsieur fouch has a great sense of duty." Talleyrand replied. "He showed me the letter." "Then you know what was in it. So why do you ask me? The Swedes got tired of their unwise King Gustav. They sent him to Switzerland, and they crowned his uncle, King Charles the Thirteenth. But that happened about six months ago. It isnt news."

"It isnt news," Talleyrand agreed. "But its not unimportant either. This uncle is very old and ill. And he has no children. Isnt that true?" "He has a young cousin, Prince Christian of Schleswig Holstein. I met this gentleman once when I passed through his country. He will be the next King of Sweden. That has been agreed." "Yes, of course," said Talleyrand. "You took your army through Schleswig Holstein into Denmark. And when you were in Denmark, the Emperor sent you a message. He said: If you want to conquer Sweden, you have my permission. You yourself must decide whether this is necessary. And what did you do? You just looked at Sweden across that narrow sea. You didnt attack. I have often wondered why." "It wasnt necessary," said Jean. "The Tsar wanted to take Finland from the Swedes. The Emperor wanted to help him. I showed the Swedes that we were ready to attack. They understood. And they allowed the Tsar to have Finland." Talleyrand wasnt looking at Jean when he spoke again. He was staring at the gold head of his stick. "so you only looked at Sweden" he said. "did you like the view, my friend? Would you like to see more of that country?" These strange questions didnt seem to surprise Jean. "Sweden is a poor country," he replied. "But long ago it was a great one." "It could become a great one again. It only needs a strong king, with the right ideas. The Swedish noble families are looking for a man like that. Isnt that true, my dear prince?" Jean bent his head forward. He seemed to be thinking hard. At last he said: "Im tired, Monsieur Talleyrand. Im tired of your questions. Im tired of Fouche and his police. No one seems to trust me, and I cant trust no one. Im tired of all that. Very tired." Talleyrand rose at once. "I have something important to tell you. Then I will go." Jean too had got up. "What is it?" he asked. "some Swedish gentlemen have come to Paris. Their government wants France to be their friend. When these gentlemen arrived, they wanted to see you. They said that you are a friend of Sweden. Perhaps you can help them. " "I cant help them if the Emperor doesnt trust me. I can only harm their efforts. Do you want to do that, Monsieur Talleyrand?" "I want you to meet them at my house this afternoon. Listen to them. Try to please them. That is all. Do you understand?" "No, I dont understand, monsieur. I really dont. Youre much too clever for an ordinary man like me." "I will try to explain," said Talleyrand. "when the revolution came, I went to America. America taught me new ideas. It gave me a wider view of life and a wider sense of duty. France is my country; but I have a duty towards all Europe, and Sweden is part of Europe. Perhaps you have that sense of duty too? Now I must go. I have enjoyed our conversation. May we continue it at my house this afternoon? I hope so. Goodbye, dear prince. Goodbye, my beautiful princess!" Jean did go to Paris this afternoon, but he hasnt told me anything yet. So I still dont understand. Perhaps Talleyrand wants him to be our ambassador in Stockholm? Id like to see Persson again. But would I like to live there? Im not sure.