Still in London...
Chapter fifty three: London Invitations
London. Sunday the eleventh September.
"Mr. Livingston," said the man behind the desk. "Please forgive my not standing up but if I'm fit enough to sit and work I'm not fit enough to stand up and bow."
Livingston bowed once more and put an appeasing smile on his lips.
"I heard about the assassination attempt, monsieur. And I'm quite surprised you're already fit enough to work…"
D'Arcy eyes became cold and unpleasant.
"And yet you're here…"
Livingston nodded.
"And yet I'm here! I couldn't let the situation go on without trying to see you…"
"The situation?"
Livingston forced himself not to swallow.
Bad choice of words, once more. He was quite unhappy with himself this morning.
He hated to improvise and he hated even more knowing nothing about the man he was speaking with.
But he knew quite a lot about his uniformed companion.
Duroc was reputed to be Napoleon's creature. It was a good thing that he had forced himself into this interview. He had perhaps an ally.
It would not be too much.
"We Americans are quite worried about what is happening in Europe…"
D'Arcy looked at him with a false smile on his lips.
"Worried? Why should you worry, Mr. Livingston, we just vanquished your old nemesis. You should rejoice…"
Livingston smiled back.
"The people at home are probably rejoicing but I fear to take part with it. Invading Great Britain and pushing her Majesty out of the land could become a very important problem for the United States. If King George should decide that America is the best place to settle and prepare the counter strike, our situation could rapidly worsen…"
D'Arcy's smile became more genuine.
"Indeed it could, Mr. Livingston. The best English strategist promotes a regaining of the rebellious colonies into the bosom of the Crown as a prerequisite of a successful 'Reconquista'…" His eyes became very cold. "And if such a thing should happen we would be forced to forget our old friendship in order to be efficient enough to crush our enemy for the second time!"
Livingston shook his head.
"Such a thing won't happen. We have a professional army now…"
D'Arcy's smile became more predatory.
"Even if your army was able to crush –and even that not easily– a few thousands bad equipped natives, it doesn't mean that your men would be able to stand against a powerful and motivated…" he stopped and smiled," …British army."
The threat was there! Clearly enunciated and without the least doubt uttered to impress him.
And it had been uttered in a way he could only approve.
God how he hated to be forced to fence against someone he didn't know and who was evidently a master also in the diplomatic field.
"Your present army is, please correct me if I'm wrong, under the command of Brigadier General James Wilkinson…"
Livingston nodded.
"Indeed…"
"And could you please give us an idea of the forces he commands?"
Livingston smiled the shadow of his most diplomatic smiles.
"You will understand that this information, even if I knew the truth, would not pass the threshold of my…"
"Then let me, in token of our friendship, inform you" interrupted d'Arcy. "He had, as of three weeks ago, seven thousand eight hundred and fifty two men at his disposal. If we include the militias you Americans are so fond of you'll probably get twenty thousand men under arms. But clearly not under one sole command!"
D'Arcy moved and Livingston saw that he was hurting. But hurt didn't seem to bother him.
"You probably know by now that I command seventy thousand men here in England and that it is my goal to take these men to Louisiana…"
"Rumors got to me…" agreed Livingston. "And these rumors are worrying me and my government. Why so many men just to pacify what looks like a rather peaceful country?"
D'Arcy nodded.
"That's a legitimate question, Mr. Livingston. And it's even more legitimate if you consider that there's no need to pacify a country if you don't have the goal to steal their land from the original owners. So you and your government are right, I'm not taking my men to America to pacify Louisiana…."
He stopped talking and only looked at Livingston.
Livingston swore inwardly. He hated just these situations.
When he was the one being baited.
He sighed discreetly and looked at d'Arcy.
"And why are you taking your men to Louisiana then?"
D'Arcy accepted his opposite's defeat with grace and a smile.
"Because I need to end what I began, Mr. Livingston. As long as our British enemies have a stronghold in America we run the risk to see them use it to launch a campaign against our American possessions. And I trust the British to choose the day to invade Louisiana with uttermost care in order to embarrass our European dealings. So the only way to be sure that this will never happen is to launch a preventive strike against the British American colonies."
He looked the US ambassador in the eye.
"And with seventy thousand men I'm sure to succeed even if some unexpected Anglo Saxon solidarity should blossom between the Crown and some lately rebellious colonies…"
"Such a thing will never happen," protested Livingston.
"I'm sure you believe it and I'm even surer that my seventy thousand men will ensure that everybody in America does partake in your faith…"
Livingston exhaled loudly.
"This is madness, monsieur. You are threatening a friend and an ally."
"I'm threatening nobody, Mr. Livingston. I'm just uttering the truth and giving advice. I'm no fool, Mr. Livingston and I know quite well why your government has sent you. I know that you're quite upset to be forced to negotiate with me when you were so well prepared to negotiate with the first Consul of France."
D'Arcy's smile increased.
"And it would probably have been easier for you to negotiate with him since he doesn't believe in an oversea Empire." He shook his head. "He wants Europe, the whole of Europe and to get it he would have been ready to forget that France's future is also abroad. I'm not ready to forget it ever. Soon France will need the riches of Louisiana. We are at the brink of an economic and industrial revolution, Mr. Livingston. Soon we will need all the natural resources we can get. And transporting them from one end of the world to the other will be, with each passing year, easier and more profitable. So France needs to secure every resource we can find and that as quickly as possible."
His eyes shone with mirth.
"And I'm not deaf enough not to have heard the voices of some of your fellow Americans who look at French Louisiana and only see a land to be taken from its legitimate owners…"
"My government…"
"Has done, does and will do nothing to stop them!" interrupted d'Arcy. "Because your government is in agreement with them. The US government will keep a low profile and deny everything if accused of having helped those 'private' investors. But should we show even a little weakness he will jump at it and 'help' his citizens victims of a foreign and feudal regime… Or what's more probable your countrymen will bother the natives of Louisiana enough to make them loose their temper and slaughter a few innocent people forcing your Government to send troops to avenge those poor victims. And once your troops are settled in Louisiana with -for you- a rightful reason to stay, we will have a hell of a problem to get them out… If we have not already nipped this possibility in the bud!"
Livingston couldn't help but protest.
"I must protest, my government…"
"Has already done it dozens of time when dealing with natives," interrupted d'Arcy anew. "Late George Washington was even the world champion in slaughtering bad equipped savages who just happen to live on land he was coveting! You, as a government and as a people have shown that you won't respect words given or treaties signed if there is a possibility of profit in perjure. I'll do what I can to ensure France will never be a victim of American greed!"
Livingston was just about standing up when he got help from a very unexpected corner.
"Mr. Livingston is the envoy of an ally, monsieur. And France can't be compared with a bunch of restive natives who probably only got what they sought," grumbled Duroc. "The First Consul has shown me more than one time that friendship with the United States is a goal he pursues."
D'Arcy looked at Duroc with a frown.
"General, untrustworthiness does not depend on who has been cheated but on who's cheating!"
"Indeed," agreed Duroc. "But even you must recognize that there is a major difference between cheating a bunch of painted loonies and trying to do the same with the most powerful military power in the world…"
"Which should be China," said d'Arcy…
"Nobody in his right mind would choose to anger France!" continued Duroc without taking d'Arcy's comment into account. "And I'm sure the United States of America are keenly aware of what happened to France's last enemies!"
He lifted an eyebrow at Livingston who felt more than awful while slowly nodding.
"So we should stop threatening each other and come back to the reason of Mr. Livingston's presence here which, if I remember well, he had not yet been able to state."
Livingston repressed a smile and nodded toward Duroc.
Thank God he was his ally in this instance. He still had a chance to bring his demand through this meeting.
"Well, gentlemen," said Livingston while looking at d'Arcy, "as you probably already know the United States has recently had a few problems with Spain while using the Mississippi river and the port of New Orleans. The river is a vital element of our trade and the United States would like to propose a purchase of the city of New Orleans and the surrounding area north of the river. It would guarantee in the future a continuing flow for the trade goods coming down the river…"
D'Arcy frowned and looked at the US envoy with a very little smile.
"Mr. Livingston could you please repeat? I'm not sure I understand the reason of your endeavor. Why would a sane mind sellanything to a country whose citizens are on a daily basis settling on lands which didn't belong to them and whose government refuses to take measures against those same citizens when they come back to sell the goods they stole in Louisiana?"
He shook his head.
"And, on another scale, why should we sell to the United States our only American seaport?"
He shook his head and for a second hurt forced him to stop talking.
He soon came back to their conversation.
"Please Mr. Livingston since it is my goal to settle and to turn to good account our American possessions, why would I sell the gate that would permit France to get the riches of our American lands to the exact people who shut both eyes while some of its citizens are acting as if French Louisiana was nothing else than an extension of the United States? A terra nullius they can grab and exploit without remorse?"
Robert Livingston did not like what had just been said. He and his government knew perfectly well that quite a lot of American citizens had crossed the Mississippi river and had settled on the French side of said river. But until now they were quite sure that nobody in Paris or elsewhere in France had taken that fact into account.
"You can't hold my government responsible for acts committed by private persons on which the US government has since they settled outside his borders no more means to pursue."
That got him a feral smile.
"Don't be afraid Mr. Livinston. We, or to be more precise, I will deal with the intruders and to make them understand that I'm nothappy with what they have done, I'll use the only language I'm sure they will understand…"
He looked at Duroc.
"What have we learned in Syria when it comes to dealing with intruders, General?"
"We shoot the first few hundreds," answered Duroc with a happy smile. "And soon the others are finding good reasons to go back where they belong to… We never needed more than one or two slaughters to get the idea over that they are not welcome!"
Livingston couldn't help but admire the way d'Arcy had swung back Duroc from being his adversary to being his happy supporter.
This man was dangerous…
And he was clearly not a friend of the United States!
He would have to dispatch a note as soon as possible to his Government.
They probably still had no idea that the greatest threat for their hard won liberty was soon to disembark on their southern shores.
He grasped at what skills he could and decided to go on.
He was here; he was a diplomat and he was perhaps the only safety his country could get against this man.
"They chose to quit the United States, Mr. d'Arcy. What happens to them is no longer our problem, I assure you…"
D'Arcy frowned but said nothing.
Which was a very disquieting way to let his opposite go on with his attempt to defend his country.
He went on.
"You must understand that we have thousands of miles of border with the French possessions and that some of the natives are helping and welcoming those American citizens who trade with them. With our army we are simply unable to secure such a border…"
D'Arcy's smile became even more feral.
"I'm very convinced of just that same fact, Mr. Livingstone. And that's one of the reasons I take my whole army with me. Even with seventy thousand men I know I'll have difficulties to survey the whole length of the Mississippi river…" He sighed. "But, if my information is as accurate as it usually is, I won't need to secure the whole length of the border. The control of seven areas will be sufficient to curb ninety percent of all 'foreign' intrusions… And I won't need seventy thousand men to secure these seven areas; my light cavalry has shown here in Great Britain that it's up to the job of scrubbing the pelt of the land." He arched his eyebrows. "So I'll have the brunt of my armies at my disposal to crunch France's enemies… elsewhere!"
Duroc nodded his approval.
"We will free our Canadian brethren, Mr. Livingstone," said he. "It will be our foremost duty and doing this we will crush once and for all England's influence in the new world…"
Livingstone did not like the flame burning in Duroc's eyes. He had seen madmen enough in his life to know that those men could not be trusted.
But for now Duroc was his country's ally. He had to show a confidence he did not feel.
"And we would rejoice in seeing it done," lied he. "We could even help…"
Both d'Arcy and Duroc frowned.
"Help?" asked d'Arcy.
"Help" nodded Livingstone while swearing inwardly. He hated himself to be saying this but he felt that he had no choice. He could not afford to exit this office with d'Arcy his declared enemy. It was not what he had been sent to get but it would be better than dispatching home news of a new state of belligerence between his country and France. "We could provide much better bases in order to invade Canada. Boston is much better suited than New Orleans to land troops for such an endeavor."
D'Arcy nodded.
"Indeed it would, Mr. Livingstone, but it would mean a more formal association between our two countries… What do you have in mind?"
Livingstone made no effort to look happier than he was. He had been forced into this very proposition and they both knew the truth. No reason to play a silly game to save face.
"We are already allies, we could further our alliance into a more… military one."
That got him a genuine and satisfied smile…
"That would be at my total satisfaction Mr. Livingstone but your country is a proud new Nation, will your rulers easily accept a subordinate role in this association?"
Livingstone needed all his self control not to grind his teeth.
Why could this man not give him even the slight satisfaction of saving face for his country? It could have been played as if they would be equal partners. It could have been…
"Not that I will demand a formal junior partner status for our American ally," went on d'Arcy. "No I'm fully aware that you'll need to look as our equal partner. But nobody who counts will be misled, Mr. Livingstone. If we sign such a military alliance; it must be very clear that it will be France's overall commander who gives orders and the United States' armies who obeys…"
Livingstone could only nod. His country had no means to resist France if France should decide to invade it. They would perhaps be finally expelled but it would cost a price Livingstone was not ready to pay again in his lifetime. And with seventy thousand men encamped just over the border it would be foolish to give the impression that the USA were not seeking the alliance they just got…
"And," added d'Arcy, "if we get Quebec and Montreal back I would be much more disposed to sell New Orleans to the United States of America. We would have another seaport to replace New Orleans, wouldn't we?"
Livingstone had great difficulties not to sigh. He just got what he was sent to get. At a much higher price than he would have thought himself willing to pay but the end effect would just be the sale: his country would get the insurance that his Mississippi trade could never again be threatened…
And that was quite an achievement.
It's time to quit… Let's part on that last good news…
"Well, I think we've found an agreement. I suppose it would be best if, from now on, I work with your staff to produce a first draft for our new treaty?"
"Indeed," agreed d'Arcy. "But I have two other topics I would like to point out. The first which is of utter importance for the world and the second which could be a very real opening for your country…" He looked his opposite directly in the eyes. "I know that that first point has been lengthily discussed by what you call the founding fathers and that, till now, you have achieved no real consensus on that very point. So, please let it be known to your government that France will not sign an association or an alliance with a country where human beings are treated as slaves. Slavery is no longer an acceptable mean of economic growth and a modern Nation governed by wisdom and progress should stop suing it." He frowned at Livingstone. "We won't force our present allies to abandon that ugly habit but it is sure that we will never sell a part of territory where free French citizens live to a country where they would become slaves just because they are a little darker than everybody else…"
Livingston could only nod hoping his face wasn't showing that he was scared shitless. This very point had at more than one occasion threatened to split the States into two opposite factions. Two belligerent opposite factions!
Bringing this news could very well shatter the delicate balance of power of his country. It could be the death stroke to…
"I do know" said d'Arcy "that there is a lot of bad blood in Washington between pros and contras on this problem. But as I have seen here in London, some decisions are often more easily made if it appears that a foreign power is forcing your hand. On this point let your colleagues be very conscious that for France slavery is not only a fact of the past but a proof of barbarism and a very loathsome practice. No friend of us could remain such while human beings are sold or beaten to death by people just because they believe themselves better!"
"It will be difficult…" said Livingston.
"But not impossible, Mr. Livingston, not impossible at all. We did it and we do believe that our country is a better one for it." D'arcy's eyes became hard as flint. "You should perhaps try it in your own household…"
Livingston was, for a few seconds, unable to speak. What could he say. His slaves never complained but then would he if he were somebody's salve complain?
Probably not…
D'arcy closed his eyes and took a few seconds to breathe heavily.
"But there I come to the second point I was willing to include in our little exchange. As a token of my willingness to transcend my former hostility."
He looked at Duroc who walked to the wall and put a new map in place.
A map of the western continent.
A map where there was very big blue surface going from the Mississippi river to the pacific ocean.
"As you can see this is not a map of former French Louisiana. This is the map of what I secured for France these last years for France."
Livingston could only shake his head.
"There are quite a few Spanish territories you consider yours there…"
"I don't consider them mine, Mr. Livingston. They are mine. Or I should say they belong to France!"
D'Arcy looked at Livingston.
"What do you know about the Treaty of San Ildefonso?"
"Not much… It was an alliance between Spain and France against the United Kingdom?"
"Indeed… It was that. But not only. It was a military alliance but it was also a way for Spain to trade of a part of its oversea problems in North America in exchange of lost possessions. I was there, Mr. Livingston and even if everybody saw Berthier negotiating for France it was me and my scheme behind the scene. Because I had a real idea about what was in the best interest of France! So I traded Louisiana and a great part of Spanish North America against a few nothings like a kingdom in central Italy and whole of the British Isles in the Caribbean sea!"
D'Arcy smiled at the US envoy.
"As you see I got half a continent against Tuscany and a handful of islands only a major sea power will ever be able to defend. But since Spain believes herself as exactly such a major sea power, everybody came out of this bargain sure that he was the winner…"
D'Arcy raked his hair with his left hand while closing his eyes and swallowing. Clearly he was hurting.
"I should perhaps…" said Livingston.
D'arcy shook his head.
"Soon, Mr. Livingston, soon but not yet." He tried to smile. "Sorry, Mr. Livingston but clearly I should have listened to my wife this morning…"
"There is a last important point I'd like to define and I couldn't let you quit this negotiation without letting you know that, if the price is right, I'm very much in favor of selling the southern part of the present French North America. But such a bargain could only be considered between allies and friends…"
Livingston looked at his opposite and nodded.
"You want us between you and Spain…"
"Indeed, since we will share quite a long borderline I believe it would be in France's interest to have only one neighbor to watch. It's much safer."
"There's British America…"
"Not for very long, Mr. Livingston. Not for very long. I'm convinced that before this year ends there will be no longer a red frock West of Ireland…"
He looked at the map.
"Please convey my offer to your Government, Mr. Livingston. Soon France will have thousands of troopers in Louisiana. I really hope to get most of them back to Europe within a few months. I do believe a peaceful neighbor would help to limit our future military attendance in America…"
He smiled again while closing hos eyes.
"I'm sure, if your offer is sound that we could consider a real bargain which could benefit to both sides…"
As soon as Livingston was gone Duroc called four men and commandeered d'Arcy back to his bed.
"No comments Boss" said he. "Or I'll send a message to your wife!"
