‘For the moment, yes. But in time the dead are forgotten and such a victory is remembered for ever.’ Napoleon waited for a response, and when it did not come he gestured towards a plain wooden chair on the opposite side of the fireplace. ‘Come and sit.’

Arthur crossed the room and eased himself down. Napoleon’s features were dimly visible by the light of the fire: heavy jowls and sunken eyes beneath a broad brow and short, dark hair.

‘Your officer said that you wanted to discuss surrender terms.’

‘That is what I said, but I have other reasons.’ Napoleon stared at Arthur curiously for an instant.

‘I am not interested in them,’ Arthur replied. ‘I am here to discuss surrender, or I leave at once.’

‘Very well, we will discuss surrender. But first, let me say how kind the years have been to you.’

‘What do you mean?’ Arthur asked suspiciously.

‘You don’t remember?’ Napoleon’s brow rose a fraction. ‘Ah, but I do. I never forget . . . Angers. The School of Equitation. Twenty-nine years ago. You played the violin.’

Arthur felt his blood turn cold. Though his mind was tired he recalled the happiest year of his youth, spent away from his mother, and brothers whose academic ability far outshone his own. A year when he had been released from the burden of his family to enjoy the company of his peers, under the kind patronage of the school’s aristocratic director. The Comte de Pignarole had perished in the Revolution. Arthur recalled a day when the school had entertained some young officers from a French artillery regiment. As the memory crept back he looked searchingly at Napoleon.

‘I see that you do remember.’A smile flickered on the weary features. ‘The world has changed so much since then, eh? And we have changed with it, and become great men.’

‘As I recall, we did not have much in common that day,’ said Arthur. ‘There was a disagreement.’

‘That’s right. You were all for the rights of the aristocrat, and I argued for the rights of the common man.’

‘And now you are a tyrant, and I am the one fighting to restore liberty.’

‘Liberty?’ Napoleon sneered.‘You want to restore the Bourbons, and they want to restore the corruption and privilege that drove the people to revolution in the first place. You mark my words, the Bourbons will not last. None of the ruling houses of Europe will survive. The Revolution opened people’s eyes. It will take some nations longer than others, but revolution will come to them all.’

‘I am not here to listen to this,’ Arthur interrupted. ‘We will talk of surrender, or I leave now. What are your terms?’

Napoleon stared coldly at him. ‘I am not accustomed to being spoken to in such a manner.’

Arthur shrugged.

‘Whatever the outcome of today’s battle, I am still Emperor of France.’