A day later, in the opulent chambers of the Palace of Versailles, Sieyes stood before Napoleon's desk, observing as the First Consul signed a bill with determined strokes of his pen.
The bill in question pertained to the restoration of the Gregorian Calendar as the official standard of the French Republic, effectively replacing the confusing revolutionary calendar that had been adopted seven years prior.
"There was considerable controversy surrounding this bill, Your Excellency, I must say," Sieyes remarked, his tone respectful yet tinged with concern. "Some argued that your proposal implies opposition to the core principles of the revolution."