I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 211 The Heroes of Paris and the Performance (6k, bonus chapter for Alliance Leader Tuo Xiao Wei Cheng Gan)
"...For God's sake, let us not try to force people to believe in a certain doctrine after all dogmatism has been eradicated; let us not fall into the contradiction with your fellow countryman Martin Luther, who immediately established Protestant theology by excommunicating people after overthrowing Catholic theology."

For three centuries, Germany has been completely preoccupied with peeling away the new mask of Martin Luther. Let us also stop creating trouble, so as not to become a burden on humanity any longer.

...When leading a movement, we should not lead a new obstinacy, nor should we play the role of a saint in a new religion, even if it is a religion of logic and reason.

—A letter from Proudhon to Karl dated May 17, 1846
When the knocking sounded, Mikhail was slightly taken aback, but he didn't think much of it and opened the door directly. He then saw a man with typical Russian features. He was not very old, and his clothes were not particularly nice, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.

Upon seeing Mikhail, the young man became instantly excited, and before Mikhail could speak, the young man excitedly said in Russian:
"Dear Mr. Mikhail, it's great to finally meet you! I've been reading your works recently on someone's recommendation, and after finishing them, I heard you were in Paris and really wanted to meet you, so I went to Mr. Belinsky to ask for your address."

After a brief chat, Mikhail, having ascertained the young man's identity, simply invited him in to sit down.

As mentioned before, there are actually quite a few Russians living in Paris now. Since they are traveling abroad, it is natural for them to stick together. In fact, there are some places in Paris that are specifically for Russian tourists.

Mikhail, for example, is now a figure of some importance. In Paris, any Russian who has heard of him finds it hard not to visit him. After all, they have only ever heard of French culture making its way through Russia, but now a Russian has truly made a name for himself in Paris.
In this situation, Mikhail, driven by his need for interpersonal connections and a deeper understanding of Paris in this era, naturally received many Russians who were living in Paris.

Besides the Russians having fixed places of activity and social circles, the Italian expatriates also had fixed places of activity. Speaking of this, Mikhail actually asked Panaeva for an Italian's address before leaving Russia.

To put it simply, Panayev and Panayeva had met an Italian man during a trip to Paris and had even spent some time with him. When they talked about Italy, the Italian man's face was contorted with rage, his eyes practically blazing with fury.
"All of Europe concluded that the Italian people were corrupt and decadent, and would never be able to escape foreign tyranny, but they were wrong. The priests and the corrupt bureaucratic class betrayed Italy, and no matter how hard they tried to subdue the people's love for their country through bribery and tyranny, the people would prove to everyone that they had the power to escape the brutal oppression of foreign powers and the priests!"

When Panayev asked him which city was his hometown, he replied:

"All of Italy! I have no fixed abode, but wander all over Italy and Europe. I recently returned from a long journey, and now I'm going to Paris for a short time. I don't know where I'll be in another month."

As for who this Italian was, his name was Giuseppe Garibaldi. He dedicated himself to the Italian Risorgimento movement and was hailed as the "sword of Italian unity." He was also known as one of the three great founders of Italy, along with Cavour and Mazzini, and was also called the "Father of the Fatherland" of Italy.

At the same time, Garibaldi also earned the title of "hero of two worlds" for his contributions to military adventures in South America and Europe.

It is worth mentioning that when the Paris Commune was later established, he was elected Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard in absentia, and he was also a staunch supporter of the First International.

It can only be said that Paris is a place that truly lives up to its reputation; if you're a big shot in Europe, you'll almost certainly make a trip to Paris.

Unfortunately, when Mikhail arrived in Paris, this great man had already left, simply because:

“I came to Paris with great hope, but my compatriots are now more concerned about the politics of Paris than about their unfortunate Italy. They think I am a dreamer! I risked a lot to talk to them about the situation in my homeland, but it was all in vain.”

Although he was not present, this did not prevent Mikhail from interacting with his friends, and the Italian hero's friend was undoubtedly surprised and delighted by Mikhail's visit.

Given this connection, when Garibaldi led 63 volunteer soldiers aboard the "Hope" on April 15, 1847, to return to his homeland after a 12-year absence, Mikhail might have been able to lend a hand.

After all, money has to be spent eventually, and Mikhail feels that he would feel more accomplished if he used it for certain causes rather than for his own enjoyment.

Frankly speaking, at this rate of spending, Mikhail might become an old friend of people from Italy, Germany, France, Britain, and a whole host of other countries.
While pondering these matters, Mikhail continued his normal conversation with the young Russian man who had come to visit him, discussing literature and life in Paris. As they talked, the young man, named Alexander, suddenly remarked:
“If Mr. Bakunin were still in Paris, he would definitely come to visit you. He has heard of your name for a long time and has been very interested in you. He has always wanted to have a good chat with you.”

Mikhail: “?”

Is the circle really that small?
That makes sense, though. Bakunin, Herzen, and Belinsky were old classmates; they were all in the same philosophy group back then. Moreover, Bakunin was able to study abroad with Herzen's financial support.

But to be honest, Mikhail thought it best not to meet Bakunin, mainly because this guy was a true keyboard warrior, the ultimate keyboard warrior.

This guy started out as a classic aristocrat, then as he got older he went abroad to engage in politics, and in 1844 he met Marx and they dated for a while.

His ideological leanings during this period were roughly between communism and anarchism. In 1843, he met Weitling, a pioneer of German communism. Under Weitling's influence, he embarked on the path of communism. However, soon after, his argumentative nature kicked in, and he began to feel that Weitling's communism was not true communism.

After getting to know Proudhon, his thinking became increasingly closer to anarchism.

As for how much of a debater he became and how radical he became, let's just say that later on, Bakunin and Kropotkin believed that they were the real communists, and that Marx was just a pseudo-communist, a nationalist who used the banner of communism.

That's right, it's that old Ma. This guy directly expelled Old Ma from the Leftist camp.
Incidentally, Ba Jin's pen name comes from Bakunin and Kropotkin, which shows the profound influence of anarchism on revolutions around the world. After all, even that unsuccessful young man believed in anarchism in his early years.

In Europe at that time, anarchism also had a huge influence. It can be said that Marx's scientific theory was gradually deepened through the critique of anarchism.

So what is anarchism?

In its simplest terms, anarchism is essentially about anarchy with order.

This idea has a long history, its origins can be traced back to the thoughts of Lao Tzu and Zhuangzi and the Stoics of ancient Greece. As for why this idea can attract so many believers, to some extent it is because some things are so obvious, namely that the government is unjust and there is almost no power that is not corrupt.

Of course, this is just the simplest summary; if we were to be more precise, it would take three days and three nights to explain.

Therefore, Mikhail simply thought of something in his mind and then continued talking to the Russian youth.

As the conversation drew to a close, a glint suddenly appeared in the eyes of the young Russian man named Alexander. After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked tentatively, "Mr. Mikhail, do you have any plans to visit Mr. Proudhon? I can introduce you to him."

Mikhail: “?”

Upon hearing this, Mikhail, who had already realized something, glanced at the young man, but did not reply immediately. Instead, he pondered for a moment.

Undoubtedly, despite the various problems with anarchism, it must have had its merits in France at that time; otherwise, Marx wouldn't have maintained a long-term relationship with Proudhon before gradually moving towards criticism and a break with him.

In other words, being willing to contact someone like Proudhon at this time, in a sense, means that you are a radical and a revolutionary. Moreover, through this relationship, it would be very easy for Mikhail to contact Marx later, since they are in the same circle and it would be difficult not to know each other.

In addition, to be honest, Proudhon, who is called the "father of anarchism" by many people, was actually a pretty good guy. You can say that his theories are not very good, but he was not a bad person.

Firstly, he came from a poor background; his father was a farmer, and he was proud of his peasant ancestors. He once said this in a debate with a nobleman who was proud of his noble birth:

“My ancestors for fourteen generations were all farmers. Please give me even just one example of a family with such noble ancestors.”

But such a background undoubtedly meant that he had to endure the hardships of life. However, he did not give up on himself in such a difficult life. Instead, he became a great theorist through self-study.

In 1848, when the June Uprising of the Parisian proletariat failed and the ruling class began a bloody crackdown, he, as a member of parliament, delivered a fiery speech in parliament, fiercely criticizing the ruling class and accusing them of indifference towards the people.

Even Old Ma, who had broken with him, praised his speech.

Because of his continued radical statements in the newspapers, he was sentenced to three years in prison in 1849 for his newspapers. Even so, he continued to fight during the early stages of his imprisonment. For example, he attacked Napoleon III, who had not yet become emperor, for his ambiguous policies, and questioned him: "Tell me, Mr. President, what kind of person are you: a man, a woman, or a hermaphrodite? A beast or a fish?"

At the same time, he has always lived a frugal life and has never compromised with the government or used his supporters to profit himself.

In short, Mikhail felt that getting to know the other party would be worthwhile, as it could improve his understanding of certain things to some extent. As for issues like revealing ideological tendencies, Mikhail could only say that it was fine to reveal them to a certain extent; he couldn't possibly go against his conscience in important matters.

Besides, this is Paris! Compared to others, what does it matter if one just gets to know Proudhon?
With that thought in mind, Mikhail finally replied under the young man's anxious gaze, "Of course, I have heard of this esteemed gentleman's name, but I do have a lot of things to do right now. I will visit him when I have time."

Upon hearing this reply, the young man beamed with joy and then couldn't help but say:

"Great! Your reply is exactly what I expected! You are exactly the kind of person I was looking for, Mr. Mikhail!"

Mikhail: “???”

You might as well be more explicit. What kind of person do you think I am?
Unfortunately, the excited young man did not elaborate further, and after sitting for a while longer, he bid farewell to Mikhail.

As he was leaving, the young man shook Mikhail's hand again with great emotion and said, "I look forward to seeing you again. I believe we will meet again in some place! And if you have any ideas about joining or starting an organization, please give me a chance."

Mikhail: “.”

Young man, you're in some danger.
"And we will definitely be there to support your play, Mr. Mikhail! If you need anyone to help you maintain order or do anything else, please don't hesitate to ask."

After saying these words, the spirited young man finally left.

After he left, Mikhail sat in his chair and pondered his current situation for a while.

Undoubtedly, as his fame grows, so does his influence and value in uniting the people. It is worth noting that in this day and age, a literary figure with great prestige can indeed serve as an opinion leader in the cultural sphere and even for many others.

Mikhail may not have reached that point yet, but he can already serve as a figurehead to some extent. To be honest, Mikhail really felt that after his European tour ended and he returned to Russia, even if Nicholas I, that great tyrant, looked down on the role of literature, and even if Mikhail's status was indeed very awkward, he might have to offer Mikhail a court position.
After all, Nicholas I was a great man, not a complete idiot. He wouldn't pass up a free cultural reputation, and who knows, he might point at Mikhail and say: Look! Yet another proof that Russia has won!

Then another question arises: what will Mikhail do then?
After pondering for a while, Mikhail, who could only offer a general idea, stood up and shook his head. "Well, what's done is done," he thought, "let's eat first." The restaurants that Dumas had recommended to Mikhail were indeed quite good, and having been in Paris for so long, Mikhail hadn't actually explored them all.

Even though Mikhail went to eat, he still couldn't find peace, because almost overnight, many Parisian newspapers completely changed their attitude towards his plays.

In addition, there were some other sensational news stories mixed in, so there is no doubt that anyone who glances at a newspaper today will probably be talking about Mikhail's news.

Therefore, during his walk to the restaurant and while waiting for his meal, Mikhail had heard related discussions more than once:
"Three Poems to Bewitch a Noblewoman? No way, I need to finish reading this news article first. You can go now!"

"Why are you leaving? Look at this article! 'Winning the Favor of Ladies: All You Need to Do'! Is there some secret to it?"

"And this one too, oh my God! I..."

And so, the two gentlemen who had been speaking stood there for a long time. They had initially thought they could learn something from it, but when they came to their senses, they only felt a sense of bewilderment and dizziness.
-

"On this barren land of mine, you are the last rose"—what a beautiful title! What beautiful thing is it used to describe?

"It seems to be the script that was criticized as morally corrupt just a couple of days ago."

"What?! Why has the newspaper's attitude changed so drastically?!"

-

"It's still this Mr. Mikhail's news! The news about him is getting more and more unbearable! What kind of madman has the audacity to write such an article, to be able to compose a beautiful poem after walking a few steps?"

"It is estimated that Mr. Mikhail's money has filled the pockets of these newspapers and journalists to the brim."

To maintain secrecy, the articles in these Parisian newspapers naturally did not reveal the specific content of Mikhail's play, but focused more on describing personal feelings and recording certain events. At the same time, some newspapers also took the opportunity to criticize the conservative and rigid theater censorship system.

Mikhail could certainly have predicted the shift in the tone of some newspapers, but he really hadn't expected some of them to go to such lengths.
Is it because they think I can get close to some important person that they're being so attentive?

However, to be honest, Mikhail did not place all his hopes on the noble ladies in the salon.

If this path fails to be opened up, then Mikhail must have had a backup plan, but it seems that it is no longer needed now.

Now that things had taken a turn for the better, Mikhail didn't delay. His purpose in going out today was naturally to find Étienne, the manager of the Montmartre Theatre, to inquire about the time required for the re-review.

However, as Mikhail finished his meal and walked toward the Montmartre theater, the manager was still flipping through newspapers, his mouth never closing and his eyes wide open.

While looking at these things, he naturally recalled what Mikhail had said just a few days earlier: "I'll think of another way."

I thought you were just thinking about it, but it turns out you're serious!
What kind of power do you have to get so many newspapers to speak well of you?

The thought of this problem involuntarily brought to mind Mikhail's strong, large hands.
After the initial shock, Etienne perked up immediately. "Great! With this kind of public opinion, does it mean that the play might have a chance to be staged?"
So, after all these twists and turns, and with the added boost from that Russian youth, could this play really become a hit? If so, perhaps our Montmartre Theatre can take another step forward with this play?
Thinking of this, Etienne couldn't help but reveal a rather bright smile.

In fact, if you ask him, there is still some room for maneuver in the censorship process for this play. The biggest advantage is actually Mikhail's identity. After all, although the censorship department said that this play is morally corrupt, if you look at it from another perspective, what does it have to do with us French people if a Russian script is morally corrupt?
This is similar to the situation where you absolutely cannot criticize France from within France, but if you want to criticize another country from within France, the French government might even give you some funding.
However, the difficulty of this matter lies in how to persuade those important figures who truly have the power to define this matter. It seems that the esteemed Mr. Mikhail has successfully persuaded some of these important figures thanks to his genius.

Just as Étienne was preparing to submit the script for review again, before he could even set off, the prestigious French theater censorship committee sent someone with a message that essentially said: "Except for a few words that need further revision, it is basically approved."

Just then, Mikhail arrived. When Etienne excitedly and somewhat incoherently told Mikhail the news, Mikhail simply waved his hand calmly before continuing:

"Now that the censorship has been approved, we should quickly rehearse the play and bring it to the theater. Have you arranged everything I mentioned before?"

"of course."

As the theater manager, Etienne was indeed very professional. When faced with Mikhail's question, he only reacted slightly before nodding and saying, "Do you have any other plans? We can start as soon as everything is ready."

"There's one more arrangement; please make a note of it."

(End of this chapter)