Chapter 53: Intrigue and Manipulation
In the aftermath of the recent turmoil, Paris seemed to have settled down somewhat. Barricades were gradually dismantled, and previously closed shops had reopened. Other than slightly higher prices and scarcer goods, it appeared that not much had changed.
Aunt Sophie had returned, and Louis was finally free from his heavy household chores. Louis had recently picked up chess, and he was getting addicted to it. With the school temporarily closed and no other way to pass the time, he had resorted to playing chess with Lucien.
Lucien took advantage of this opportunity to use household chores as their wager during their chess matches, successfully shifting his share of the work to his younger brother. The Bonaparte family seemed to produce exceptional elder brothers.
Schools had started to return to normal, but curiously, Joseph's Paris Military Academy was still suspended. This wasn't entirely unexpected. Louis and Lucien attended private schools, while Joseph's academy was funded by the state, and the king was far from pleased with the state of the military.
So, Joseph found himself with more leisure time. Seeing Sophie just finishing her cleaning, he struck up a conversation.
"Sophie, in these tumultuous days, I hope everything is alright at your home," Joseph inquired.
Sophie shook her head and replied, "There's nothing good about it. The days are just as tough, if not tougher. Bread prices have risen, and what's worse is that even if you have the money, it's hard to find bread to buy."
Joseph thought to himself that it seemed like some people couldn't sit still. "Sophie, is it really that difficult to buy bread now?" he asked.
"You're a respectable gentleman, sir. You don't need to worry about such matters. You might not know, but I had to run through four different neighborhoods just to buy today's bread. I even tore my apron in the rush. It's unbelievable. Wasn't everything supposed to get better, and our lives easier?" Sophie lamented.
Joseph shook his head. Since the start of the Estates-General, there had been an influx of people into Paris. Not only were there representatives from all over France, but also a considerable number of farmers and vagrants who had come to Paris. This had put additional strain on Paris' already limited food supply.
In such a situation, a revolution had occurred. However, the revolution had not increased the availability of food; it had disrupted existing orders. When established orders were disrupted, and new ones hadn't yet taken hold, the transportation and sale of food were bound to be disrupted, and efficiency would drop. So, rising bread prices and even the inability to buy it became natural consequences.
Moreover, in these conditions, panic buying and hoarding took place, further driving up prices and making it even more difficult to obtain bread. If certain individuals took advantage of this situation and deliberately increased panic, the problem would become even more severe.
"Soon. I don't want to resort to violence to remove them, but their economic conditions won't allow them to stay in military service without working for long. The National Guard has established discipline, and those who consistently miss their duties will be discharged. It won't be long before these ruffians can't remain in the National Guard."
"Even if they're removed from the National Guard, they still pose a threat to order," Barnave argued.
"Do you want us to suppress them immediately?" La Fayette asked.
"Isn't there something we can do to..."
"We shouldn't attempt things beyond our capabilities; it will only weaken our strength needlessly," La Fayette interrupted. "At times, it's acceptable to retreat a little. You all know that King Louis is still indecisive. He doesn't want to let go of the old system and accept the new one, but he also dares not take the path of Charles I. We believed that King Louis was a monarch suited for constitutional rule, didn't we? However, some individuals are intent on delivering him to the guillotine. This prince, despite his revolutionary image, isn't a suitable constitutional monarch."
The assembled representatives nodded in agreement, knowing exactly whom La Fayette was referring to.
"In the current situation, I don't think this prince can remain still either. We should quietly watch his performance. We can use him to exert pressure on the king and, at the same time, use the king to challenge him. I understand him, and he's bound to reveal his flaws. When the time is right, we can take action, which will be more effective than hasty decisions."
After this speech, La Fayette glanced at his friends. They sat in silence, as though he had convinced them.
"There's one more reason I invited you all today," La Fayette continued.
"What is it?" asked Sieyes.
"I'd like to introduce you to a new friend, a progressive bishop," La Fayette replied.
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