New snippet of Scott film in which Napoleon and crew cover their ears when a cannon is fired. Only one who doesn’t cover his ears is the one ordering the firing of the cannon.
“The last days of Napoleon Bonaparte living in exile on St Helena before his death. Suffering critical physical and mental health problems he is forced to confront his past.
While Barras had directed operations on the 9th of Thermidor, the overthrow of Robespierre had been partly due to a woman–Tallien’s mistress, whom he afterwards married. She was known as ‘Our Lady of Thermidor’, and gathered about her a new society of influential men and pretty women. Here the banker Ouvard, the most brilliant financier of the day, first encountered Napoleon Buonaparte.
General Barras dominated this society. Another of its members was General Hoche, whose ardent soul and indomitable spirit were reflected in an expressive countenance.
Mme de Beauharnais adorned these circles by the sweetness of her nature and the charms of her mind. It was there that fortune, which was to raise her to such heights, made her acquainted with Bonaparte, then only commander of an artillery brigade, but already, on the occasions when his frigid reserve forsook him, betraying the profundity of his schemes and the burning ambition which filled his soul.
It was some time before the 13th of Vendemiaire that Bonaparte was introduced into Mme Tallien’s circle. Of all those composing it, he was perhaps the least prominent and the least favoured by fortune.
Politics furnished the usual stuff of conversation, but did not altogether engross it. Often, in the middle of the liveliest discussions, little groups would form in the drawing-room, where people were chatting frivolously to forget the grave interests which had too often preoccupied them.
Bonaparte rarely joined in. But when he did so, it was with a kind of abandon. He then exhibited a gaiety full of fire and wit.
One evening he assumed the tone and manner of a fortune-teller, seized Mme. Tallien’s hand and talked a flood of nonsense. Then all wanted to have their hands read. But when it was Hoche’s turn, his mood seemed to change. He studied carefully the lines of the hand offered him, and said in a solemn voice, clearly with malicious intent:
“General, you will die in your bed.”
For a moment Hoche’s face kindled with generous anger, but a sally from Mme Beauharnais dispersed the cloud, and revived the gaiety which had been chilled by this incident.
The equality prevailing in those days was chiefly based on a feeling of goodwill which over-rode differences in wealth and standing. The revolution had demolished such brilliant lives, it had taught us to put so little faith in the stability of the present, that no one could either blush for his distress or pride himself on his affluence.
A decree of the Committee of Public Safety dated Fructidor, year III, made officers on active service a grant of cloth for a uniform coat, waistcoat and breeches. Bonaparte applied for the benefit of this order. But as he had no right to it, not being on the active list, he was refused. Mme Tallien gave him a letter to M. Lefevre, quartermaster of the seventeenth division, and shortly before the famous day of Vendemiaire, the commissary acknowledged Mme Tallien’s recommendation by a grant of cloth to Bonaparte.
