The body rolled off and tumbled down the side of the hole on to the other corpses. At once the orderly led the way back to the side of the monastery and they laid the stretcher down.

‘Thanks for the help, sir.’

‘The very least I could do.’ Napoleon nodded and turned to make his way back to the staff officers and Dr Desgenettes.‘Time we got back to the siege, gentlemen. Doctor!’

‘Sir?’

‘If there’s anything you need, just send word to Junot, and he’ll deal with it. In the meantime, since the army knows about the plague outbreak, there’s no point in remaining here. I noticed a small hill not far from the camp. Make arrangements to move your hospital to that site.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Carry on, then.’ Napoleon strode over to his horse and swung himself into the saddle. He was well aware of the astonished looks from his staff and the men of the escort, and had to stop himself from smiling. He knew that word of his act would spread round the army just as quickly as the news of the plague, and the men would, once again, take him as one of their own, enduring every risk that they did in the common bond that made them march as hard and fight as hard as they did. He knew it had been a risk, but a calculated one. He had not come into direct contact with the body and hoped that would spare him from infection. He would find out soon enough, he reflected, and then wheeled his horse about and spurred it back towards the camp.

When Napoleon and his staff returned to his headquarters he found the commander of the artillery train waiting for him. The man jumped to his feet and shuffled to attention as his commander rode up to his tent. With a weary sigh Napoleon realised that something had gone wrong. Steeling himself for the man’s report, he dismounted.

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

‘Colonel Pesset, you’re supposed to be at Haifa, waiting for the siege guns.’>

‘Yes, sir,’ the colonel replied unhappily.

‘Then explain yourself. What are you doing here?’

‘Sir, I beg to report, the guns have been lost.’

‘Lost? How?’

‘The ships carrying them from Egypt were intercepted by the Royal Navy, just off Mount Carmel, and captured.’

Berthier and the other staff officers exchanged glances and watched Napoleon closely for his response.

‘Captured?’ Napoleon responded evenly. ‘All of them?’

‘Yes, sir.’