When Georgiana returned to her office at Old City Castle, Phyllis informed her at the door that she had a visitor.
Then she saw Lucien Bonaparte's back.
She dismissed Phyllis and returned to the office. Lucien was smoking a cigar.
"What are you doing here?" Georgiana asked.
Lucien did not answer her question.
"I rigged his election campaign," Lucien said. "And during the coup as well. At the time, I thought extraordinary times called for extraordinary measures. Sometimes dirty methods were needed to achieve victory. Napoleon is a very hard-hearted man, because only that way can he remain calm. The fate of a battle can rest on a single instant, a single thought. If the Spark is lit when the crucial moment comes, even the smallest reserve force can win. At Marengo, he actually won by sheer luck. If Desaix had not appeared in time to save him, he would have been driven into the Po River long ago."
"He's a liar," Georgiana said expressionlessly. "He deceived me."
"You're not angry?" Lucien asked.
"What are you doing here?" Georgiana asked again.
"Do you know La Marseillaise?" Lucien began to sing. "Arise, children of the fatherland, the day of glory has arrived! See the tyrant raising his bloodstained banner against us, raising his bloodstained banner! Can you hear them? The savage soldiers howling across our land, rushing to your side to slaughter your wives and sons. What vile plot do this band of traitors and kings harbor? For whom are these damned chains prepared? For whom are they prepared? For us Frenchmen! What a disgrace, what fury! How can we tolerate it, to drive mankind back into slavery! He wants to restore slavery! He wants to drive us back into slavery!"
Lucien suddenly roared with excitement.
"I barely recognize him anymore.