Napoleon bowed his head graciously to either side as he passed through the cheering crowds. He had been told that the natives measured a man’s status by his finery and wore his best uniform coat, hurriedly adorned with ample gold lace, and a silk sash of red and blue tied about his waist. This was not France, where a man was obliged to demonstrate his pious devotion to duty with no thought of reward if he was to win the affection of the public. They were in a new land, far from home, and needed to win the support of the local people if the influence of France was to spread into the east and encroach upon the territory and trade routes of England.

Besides, he reflected with a faint smile as he progressed along the streets, he had liked the image he cut in his fine uniform as he had examined himself in a mirror earlier that day. And his pride in his achievements, and those of his army, merited this celebration. In less than a month he had won a new land for France, and his mind churned with phrases and grand figures of speech that he would deploy when he wrote the dispatch to France telling them of the magnificent victory gained in the very shadow of the great pyramids. A fine phrase, he thought. One to note down the moment he had time to return to his papers.

Of course, he admitted to himself, the remnants of the enemy army still had to be brought to battle and annihilated. But after losing their capital and melting away into the desert it was surely only a matter of time before the fellahin levies returned to their homes, and then Murad Bey would have only a few thousand Mamelukes and Bedouin allies to continue the fight. What chance had they to frustrate French ambitions? Napoleon had already decided to hunt them down and destroy them utterly. Then there would be peace and France could begin to milk her latest conquest, wringing wealth out of Egypt to finance the sinews of war back in Europe. The Directory would be in his debt more than ever. Parisian society would worship him alongside the greatest heroes of France, and - his heart warmed at the thought - Josephine would glow with pride in her husband. One day he would return to her embrace as the great conqueror and they would be the most dazzling couple in Paris.

At that moment he felt a yearning for her more deep and profound than any he had experienced before and his mind dwelt on her every feature and facet of character in adoring detail. He could recall the scent of her hair, and the sweetness of her favourite perfume, and the soft, yielding flesh of her body. The thought sparked a hot surge of lust and Napoleon hurriedly forced her from his mind as he stiffened his spine and bowed his head to a group of merchants raising their arms in greeting.

Napoleon cleared his throat and spoke as clearly as he could. ‘Salaam aleikum.’

There was an instant of surprise in their expressions and Napoleon feared he had got the greeting wrong, then they smiled in delight and bowed their heads as they replied.

Junot edged his horse forward and grinned. ‘Seems to have gone down well, sir.’

‘Yes. But we’ll need to do far more than exchange a few pleasantries with them.’

‘Sir? What do you mean?’

‘Not now, Junot. We’ll talk later. Just enjoy the moment.’ Napoleon patted Junot’s shoulder. ‘Just think. In years to come, when you are old and grey, you will tell your grandchildren that you rode at General Bonaparte’s side as he captured Cairo for France.’

Junot suddenly looked serious. ‘I will treasure this moment, sir. Always.’

‘As will I, Junot.’ Napoleon nodded.‘I just wish Josephine was here to see it.’

Junot’s expression became more strained for an instant, and he looked away, quickly waving his hand in response to a fresh chorus of cheers from the crowd.

That night Napoleon entertained his senior officers and the local dignitaries in the banquet hall of the Pasha’s palace. The French band had played during the first part of the feast as the guests sat on cushions before low tables set with platters of an eastern design.What was music to European ears was clearly little more than a discordant racket to the Egyptians and in the face of their pained expressions Napoleon had the band dismissed for the rest of the night. In deference to the locals, and to the chagrin of his officers, there was no alcohol at the tables and the Frenchmen sat with glazed expressions of boredom as several long-winded speeches were made by Cairo’s leading worthies. In his reply Napoleon set out the ambition of the revolution to free peoples across the world from oppression. No longer would they be tyrannised by Mameluke warlords. He promised that his men would respect the Muslim faith, local customs and property.

His words were received with polite applause and nodding of heads and then the guests returned to their meals, and a low hubbub of conversation echoed off the high walls of the chamber. Napoleon was seated on a raised dais at the end of the hall, with Berthier, Desaix, Junot and the most influential imam and sheikh of the city. Sheikh Muhammad el Hourad had made a small fortune from his dealings with French merchants who traded with Alexandria and had a good grasp of the language of his new masters. As he reached to pour Napoleon a fresh goblet of water he smiled and said, ‘Tell me, General, this revolution of yours, does it truly seek to rid the world of oppression?’

‘Of course.’ Napoleon nodded. ‘Its values are inspired by the greatest and most enlightened philosophies of the civilised world. No Frenchman today is required to demean himself before any other. We are all equal before the law and any man can forge his own path to success and greatness. What people of the world would not want to share in that vision?’

The sheikh nodded his head. ‘A fine ambition, General, but I wonder if your vision will have much purchase in less . . .’ he paused for a moment, then smiled faintly,‘less civilised lands, such as our own.’ He gestured round the hall. ‘These people are not of the fellahin; they would not welcome any change to our social order. I fear there would be much resistance to the values of your revolution.’

‘I understand, but surely you would agree that all men should have the chance to free their talents from the chains of their social caste?’

‘If that was the will of Allah, then it would be so.’

‘If it is the will of men, then it is so,’ Napoleon countered. ‘And now that we have freed Egypt from the Mamelukes, it will be so here, as it is in France.’

There was a tense silence as Muhammad el Hourad digested this and then translated it to the imam. The latter’s expression hardened into frank hostility and he muttered his reply to the sheikh.

‘He says that it would seem we have lost one oppressor only to have gained another.’

Junot leaned forward and spoke earnestly.‘But we are not here to oppress. We are here to free your people.’

‘Free our people?’The sheikh pursed his lips. ‘Forgive me, but I am confused.You see, whenever Allah has been good enough to see that foreign newspapers reach us here in Cairo, I have read of the wars in Europe. I have heard of the exploits of the great General Bonaparte in Italy. I have heard how France has spread her rule over other countries and grown rich off the spoils of war.’ He paused and turned his gaze to Napoleon. ‘I ask myself how such conquests can spread liberty and - what are the words of your national motto?’ He clicked his fingers. ‘Ah yes, liberty, equality and fraternity. Is that not so?’

‘Those are the words.’

‘Then, forgive me, General. I am not a sophisticated man, and, as you have implied, this is not a civilised land, but I wonder how such fine principles can be delivered by the application of fire and the sword.’ He looked at Napoleon and raised his eyebrows, inviting a reply.

Napoleon returned his gaze coldly. ‘France is at war with the tyrannies of Europe because they fear the example we have set. France would live in peace, but for the desire of other nations for war. When we have finally defeated our enemies we will be free to fully embrace the ideals that gave birth to the revolution. And we will be free to extend our ideals to other lands, far from Europe. As you pointed out, this is not a civilised land. One day it will be, under French guidance.’