Chapter 26, The Fort of Calais

 In that summer, Napoleon smoothly passed his graduation exam and successfully graduated from the Military Academy. He was assigned to the Raphaël Legion and received the rank of Second Lieutenant in the artillery. On the day he left Paris, Joseph went to the stagecoach station to bid him farewell. Napoleon was dressed in a new gray-blue military uniform, a sword hanging at his waist, looking exceptionally spirited, except for being a bit short.

"You look quite like an officer," Joseph remarked, patting Napoleon's shoulder. "Work hard and become a general sooner."

"What's so great about being a general in France?" Napoleon whispered.

"Don't say that in front of others," Joseph advised. "Do your best in the army, hone your skills, and it will benefit you no matter what you do in the future."

After bidding farewell to Napoleon, Joseph returned to school. He had just sat down at his desk when the school principal's secretary, Will, entered.

"Monsieur Bonaparte, the principal would like to see you," Will said.

Joseph quickly stood up and followed Will to the two-story building where the principal's office was located.

"Will, what does the principal want?" Joseph asked as they walked along a path beside the flowerbed.

"It seems to be related to some engineering matter. I don't have all the details, but you'll find out when you meet with the principal," Will replied.

As they entered the Count of Dupont's building, a wig-wearing servant opened the door for them and took Joseph's hat, saying, "Monsieur Bonaparte, the Count is waiting for you in his office upstairs. Please follow me."

Joseph followed the servant upstairs and into the office of the Count of Dupont.

"Ah, Monsieur Bonaparte, you're here," the Count said.

"Principal, what can I do for you?" Joseph inquired.

"Yes, it's about some engineering matters. Have you ever been to Calais? The town known for lace production?" the Count suddenly asked.

"No, I haven't," Joseph replied.

"Calais is a decent town in the provinces, and it's a nice place to take a mistress or two for a vacation. But my mention of Calais is not related to that; it's about a military assignment. Would you be willing to go?" the Count asked with a smile.

"I'm willing to serve the country," Joseph quickly replied. "May I know more about the task?"

"It's about the aging forts in Calais. They need to build a new fort to protect the harbor, and they require a mathematical consultant. Originally, Monsieur Montresor was supposed to take on this task, but he has other commitments, so he recommended you. Joseph, may I call you that?"

"Of course, that's fine," Joseph said.

"Well, Joseph," the Count continued, "the school's salary is limited, enough to keep you from starving, but it won't provide a comfortable life. However, such assignments, though demanding, come with good income. A few of these tasks, and you can save a substantial amount. Look at Montresor; his salary is actually slightly higher than yours, but he earns at least six or seven times more through such work."

Joseph knew that Montresor had recommended him for this task not only because of his busy schedule but also as a way to help him. Gratefully, he said, "Thank you, Principal."

"Why thank me? You should thank Monsieur Montresor," the Count smiled. "However, he's a bit old-fashioned. If you want to show gratitude, sending him a substantial gift might offend his sensibilities... You'd be better off writing him an appreciative, scholarly article. Joseph, this time, when you take on the role of a mathematical consultant, both Montresor and I hope you'll use this opportunity to advance academically. While the task in Calais isn't urgent, if you have no other pressing matters, please get your current work in order and report to Calais as soon as possible."

Joseph knew this was the cue to leave, so he thanked the Count once again and exited the office. With the semester coming to an end and his schedule relatively light, he made arrangements and, three days later, set off for Calais with a letter of introduction from the Count.

In modern times, a high-speed train connects Paris and Calais, taking less than an hour to travel between the two. However, in this era, the journey took two full days, and Joseph arrived in Calais as the sun was setting.

As it was already late, Joseph decided not to go directly to the naval camp at the harbor. It was unlikely that anyone would receive him at this hour. Instead, he found an ordinary inn near the harbor and settled in for the night. After a night's battle with bedbugs, he woke up early the next day, determined never to stay in such a cheap inn again.

Following the cobbled streets, Joseph made his way toward the harbor. The Calais harbor was divided into two sections: one was the bustling civilian dock, with several docked merchant ships and other vessels. Although it was still early, sailors were already busy cleaning the decks. On the other side was the French Navy's military dock. It was much smaller than the civilian dock, with only one pier. Parked on the pier was a single-deck escort ship and a patrol boat with only two masts. The French Navy's main fleet was traditionally deployed in the Mediterranean, as Calais was too close to England. Standing at a high point on the shore and looking westward, on a clear day, you could even see the cliffs of Dover on the opposite side. Calais was only about thirty kilometers from the English military port of Dover in a straight line, and both the French and the British likely feared that one day they might be blocked in their own ports by the enemy's navy.

Joseph headed towards the military dock. He arrived at the guardhouse where a sentry with a red nose shouted, "Halt! This is a military zone. No entry!"

"I'm Joseph Bonaparte, a mathematics teacher from the Paris Military Academy, here to report to Commander Verluf," Joseph replied, presenting his introduction letter.

The sentry shifted his musket to his left hand and took the letter with his right. After a quick glance at the cover, he looked at Joseph and said, "Monsieur, please wait here for a moment."

He then turned and walked inside the gate, leaving Joseph waiting outside. After a while, he saw the sentry return with a captain.

"Mr. Bonaparte, I am Captain Saisse of the French Navy. Commander Verluf is not currently at the harbor; he is in the fortress on the hill. I can arrange for someone to escort you there."

"That would be appreciated," Joseph replied.

"Do you know how to ride a horse?" Captain Saisse asked.

"I have some experience," Joseph answered.

"Good," Captain Saisse said. He then turned to the sentry and ordered, "Pierre, go get two horses for us."

Pierre left and returned with two horses. These were regular military horses used for commuting and pulling, not for charging into battle.

Captain Saisse handed the reins of a gray mare with white spots to Joseph and said, "Monsieur Bonaparte, follow me, and I will go at a slower pace."

Joseph thanked him and took the reins, mounting the horse without assistance. Captain Saisse stood by, ready to lend a hand if needed. Seeing Joseph mount the horse effortlessly, he nodded and mounted the other horse, then urged the horses forward.

The fortress was not far from the military dock, situated on a small hill just beside the harbor. They rode for only a few minutes before approaching the fortress.

As they arrived at the fortress, Captain Saisse dismounted, and Joseph followed suit.

"Welcome to the headquarters of the fortress. Commander Verluf is here," Captain Saisse said. He led Joseph along a stone path, past the front gun emplacements, through a maple grove, and to a small, two-story white building.

"This is the headquarters of the fortress. Commander Verluf is here," Captain Saisse said, leading Joseph to the building.