Ten days later, in the capital city of France, Napoleon stepped off the sleek electric tram, a new type of transportation recently constructed to facilitate Paris's industrial needs.
As Napoleon's boots touched the ground, he instinctively straightened his uniform and tricorn hat. The people passing by paused to catch a glimpse of the renowned general, whispering their admiration and sometimes waving their hands and calling his name to get his attention.
Napoleon simply returned the gesture by lifting his tricorn hat and waving it in the air. Spotting a carriage nearby, he hailed it with his hat. The carriage driver, recognizing the esteemed figure before him, swiftly maneuvered the horses to a halt.
"General Bonaparte, what an honor to see you in person. I have read your tales in the newspaper and I must say, General…I am impressed!"
Napoleon smiled as he nodded his head in acknowledgment of his compliments.
"Where to General?" The carriage driver asked.
"To Tuileries Palace," Napoleon said.
"Ahh…very well then, sir, let me open the door for you in just a moment…" The carriage driver jumped down from his seat. With a graceful sweep of his hand, he opened the carriage door.
Napoleon climbed into the carriage with practiced ease, settling himself onto the comfortable seat. As the carriage driver closed the door behind him, Napoleon leaned back as he prepared himself mentally for the upcoming meeting with the Directory.
Two days after he arrived in Paris, he received a letter from the Directory, demanding him to explain why he had left his post in the Emirate of Diriyah without their orders.
Napoleon expected that to happen the moment he had decided to return to France and had already come up with an answer justifying his actions.
"All good, General?" The carriage driver asked from his perch.
Napoleon snapped out of his reverie and replied. "All good, Monsieur."
With that, the carriage set off, traversing the bustling streets of Paris toward its destination—Tuileries Palace.
Ten minutes later, the carriage arrived in front of the Tuileries Palace. One of the French guards stationed at the gates approached the carriage and opened the door.
Napoleon stepped out of the carriage, his gaze turning towards the carriage driver who had accompanied him on the journey.
"Thank you for your service," Napoleon said, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the fare.
The carriage driver shook his head, a warm smile gracing his lips. "No need for that, General. It's an honor to have transported you."
Napoleon's brow furrowed slightly, appreciating the driver's gesture but not wanting to take advantage of his kindness.
"I insist, Monsieur. You have done your part, and I must compensate you for your time and effort. It is only fair."
The driver paused for a moment, considering Napoleon's words. He nodded.
"Very well, General, if it means that much to you. I accept your payment with gratitude."
Napoleon handed the fare to the driver, who accepted it with a grateful nod. After that, he made his way inside the Tuileries Palace where the members of the Directory were waiting for him.
Moments later, Napoleon arrived in the grand chamber of the Tuileries Palace, where the members of the Directory awaited his presence.
As Napoleon entered, the air grew tense, and all eyes turned to him. The members of the Directory, seated around a large table, regarded him with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. They were eager to hear his explanation for leaving his post in the Emirate of Diriyah without their consent.
Napoleon took a moment to compose himself, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the individuals who held the fate of the nation in their hands. With unwavering confidence, he approached the table and took his designated seat.
"Good day, Citizens of the Directoire," Napoleon began. "I stand before you today to answer any questions you might have about me."
The members of the Directory leaned forward. One of them was Barras, who was fearful and apprehensive of Napoleon's growing popularity which was even more fueled by his sudden return to Paris.
"General Bonaparte, explain to us why you have returned to Paris without our authorization. Because as far as I remember, you were tasked to cut British access to India, a job that is not finished."
"Well, Citizen Barras, I believe we have successfully achieved that goal. Although not literally, we managed to cut off British message traffic to India that was originally passing through Egypt."
"You are right about that, General Bonaparte, but things have changed. Seeing your success in Egypt and the Middle East, we believe that France can kick the British out of India. We want you to return there as soon as possible, command the Army of the Orient, gain the support of the Tipu Sultan, and remove British influence in India."
"I'm afraid that I cannot do that, Citizen Barras," Napoleon said firmly. "Not after you deny my request for reinforcements which are needed to execute the campaign. Our forces in Africa and the Middle East are stretched too thin. Primarily because we want to secure the cities and make sure that they won't revolt," Napoleon explained.
"I see, then if we were to give you the reinforcements you needed to conduct the operation, are you going to return to the Emirate of Diriyah?"
"It's too late for that, Citizen Barras, because the way I'm looking at our situation in the mainland, you'll need the men I am requesting here rather than there."
"We can still send you the reinforcements you need. We'll gather conscripts and send them to you as soon as possible. But you must be the one commanding the Army of the Orient."
"Why are you so eager to send me back there, Citizen Barras?" Napoleon asked.
"Because you still have a mission to do. You could have been court-martialed for leaving your post without authorization," Barras replied, his tone growing increasingly stern.
"But the mission was done, Citizen Barras. My proposal to you was to take Egypt, and Egypt only. The reason why I expanded to the north and the Middle East was simply because of my ambition to extend France's influence in those regions. Even the idea of marching to India was mine when I asked for reinforcements. So technically speaking, Citizen Barras, I have fulfilled my mission. Now looking back, I haven't really answered why I returned. Do you really want to know?"
"Watch your tone, General Bonaparte. You may have achieved some success, but you are still accountable to the Dir…" Barras retorted.
"The reason why I returned is because I'm concerned about my country!" Napoleon interrupted, his voice cracked like a whip.
The chamber was silent as Napoleon's words hung in the air, the tension in the room palpable. The members of the Directory exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to respond to the general's outburst.
"In what condition did I depart from France, and in what condition do I discover her!" his voice bellowed. "I departed in times of peace, only to return to the ravages of war! I left behind territories won through conquest, and now the enemy encroaches upon our borders! I entrusted you with a well-stocked arsenal, yet not a single gun can be found! The riches I brought from Italy have vanished, replaced by insidious laws and rampant poverty! Our cannons have been sold, and thievery has become an institution! The resources of our nation lie depleted, drained to the last drop!"
The Directory was still speechless at Napoleon's outburst. Nevertheless, Napoleon continued, recalling the days prior to this meeting when he visited other cities near Paris.
"You think I wouldn't know? The first thing I did the moment I returned to France was to check her condition. I witnessed the decay, the disarray, and the suffering of our people. I saw the hunger in their eyes, the disillusionment that has settled upon them. Our once-great nation, the beacon of liberty and enlightenment, now stands on the brink of ruin. And for what? For the sake of petty politics, for personal gain, and for the perpetuation of a system that has lost touch with the needs of its citizens. Do you think I'm stupid to realize why you want me back in the Middle East? Instead of worrying about my popularity, you should be worrying about the state of our nation!"
"What, suddenly you forgot how to speak?" Napoleon sighed exasperatedly. "Oh my god…your silence is killing me."
Napoleon rose to his feet and straightened his uniform. "If you are not going to speak, I will take my leave. I am disappointed by your lack of action and vision for our country. But know this: I will not sit idly by while France crumbles. I will find a way to restore her glory."
With those final words, Napoleon turned on his heels and strode out of the grand chamber, leaving behind a stunned and silent Directory. As he exited the Tuileries Palace, he sighed deeply.
"That felt better."
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