‘Or at least that’s how it will be presented to the people of France,’ said Talleyrand. He dipped his head in acknowledgement of Napoleon’s neat circumvention of the new rules.

‘It seemed the obvious thing to do,’ Napoleon replied offhandedly. ‘It should be safe enough for me to leave Paris for a few months. The people will be loyal to the new regime for a while yet.’

‘I can imagine,’ said Talleyrand. ‘Fouché is busy censoring the newspapers and I hear that soon all theatre owners must have their plays approved by him as well. Meanwhile, your brother Lucien has been hard at work commissioning patriotic songs and monuments to the glorious dead.’

‘Your cynicism is misplaced,’ Moreau responded coldly. ‘Whatever you may think, the dead sacrificed their lives for France, which is more than you have done, citizen.’

Talleyrand shrugged. ‘I have devoted my life to the service of my country. That is my sacrifice.’

Moreau snorted. ‘What does a civilian know of sacrifice?’

‘Did not Danton, Desmoulins and Robespierre know the meaning of sacrifice?’ Talleyrand replied with icy calm.

‘Gentlemen!’ Napoleon raised a hand. ‘That’s enough. We do not have time for such petty altercations. Now then, to details. The plan was forwarded to the senior army commanders before Christmas. It was my intention that General Moreau’s Army of the Rhine would deliver the main blow.To achieve this it was to deploy one of its corps to pin the Austrian army in the region of the Black Forest, while the other three corps crossed the Rhine near Schaffhausen, turned the enemy flank and fell on the rear of the Austrian army.’

‘It sounds like a viable scheme.’ Talleyrand raised his fine eyebrows. ‘So why the past tense?’

‘Because General Moreau has pointed out what he believes are unwarranted risks in the original plan,’ Napoleon replied calmly. ‘If you wouldn’t mind, Moreau?’

‘Indeed.’ Moreau stood up and leaned over the map.‘It’s a bold plan, Bonaparte, I grant you that. But it’s too bold. There’s not enough room for three corps to manoeuvre at Schaffhausen. Besides, if the enemy got wind of the plan they could defeat my army in detail.’

‘Assuming they could march fast enough,’ added Berthier.

‘It is still a significant risk,’ Moreau insisted. ‘With all due respect to Bonaparte’s plan, in my view it would be wiser to advance on a broad front on the north bank of the Rhine. And that is what I shall do,’ Moreau concluded, and resumed his seat.