‘Citizens! It is an honour to welcome General Bonaparte here today. Few words can begin to describe the debt that France owes to the young commander of our forces in Italy. Outnumbered and outgunned by the Austrians, nevertheless General Bonaparte defeated them in a string of victories that would have graced the record of Alexander the Great himself . . .’

Napoleon almost winced at the hyperbole, but had the presence of mind to stand stiffly and stare past Barras and the other Directors to the tapestry on the wall behind. It depicted a Roman triumph and Napoleon fixed his attention on it to avoid paying too much attention to the flowery phrases and craven appeals for support that tumbled from Barras’s lips as the address went on, and on, as the Director indulged himself in the long-winded oratory that politicians were inclined to treat as a birthright.

‘. . . so he has brought us peace with Austria and for the first time the people of France are unchallenged on our landward borders. Only England stands in the way of a general peace in Europe, and it is my supreme pleasure to announce that General Bonaparte has been appointed to command of the Army of England, with orders to prepare a large-scale assault across the channel.’ He paused to sweep his arm out towards Napoleon and beamed.

Napoleon’s lips twisted into a smile and he nodded his head, while inside he was furious with the Directory. The Army of England was little more than an aspiration. A few tired divisions of worn-out veterans gathered in camps scattered along the coast between Boulogne and Calais. Napoleon had little doubt that this was an attempt to lure him into obscurity, away from the battlefield and far from the gaze of the French people.

Barras rounded his speech off with a few more flowery phrases extolling the brilliance of the young warrior who had won the affection of his nation, and then stood aside and beckoned Napoleon towards the podium as the applause filled the audience chamber like a hailstorm clattering off roof tiles. As he approached the lectern Napoleon realised that it was higher than he had thought, and would make him look like a child as his shoulders and head would only just be visible over the top of it.Yet another clever ploy by Barras to undermine him, Napoleon realised. With a faint smile he stepped away from the lectern to the very edge of the podium so that behind him the audience would see the soldiers assigned to protect the Directors, and not the Directors themselves. From the corner of his eye he saw Barras frown as he realised that he had been trumped.

Napoleon drew a deep breath and placing his hands behind his back he waited until the audience chamber was quiet again. Then he gestured briefly towards Barras.