I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 215 Mikhail's Submersion (approx. 6k)

As the pinnacle of French theater, a new play performed at the Comédie-Française may fail, but on its opening day, it is impossible for the theater to be empty. After all, everyone in Paris knows the name of the Comédie-Française, and those who can regularly watch plays there are the true elite.

Because of its prestigious status, the Comédie-Française never had trouble selling out tickets for its new plays. As a result, even though Fernando, the manager of the Comédie-Française, had seen the overwhelming publicity in the newspapers and heard people in high society talking about the play, he still didn't take it seriously.

Why should truly excellent dramas need to use such vulgar methods to elevate their own status?

Moreover, many people seem to be focused on the play itself, but in reality, they are only interested in the handsome Russian writer. In this case, what good is it if the play attracts some viewers? Once the performance begins, his true colors will be revealed!
It was precisely because of his arrogance that Fernando was too lazy to even bother to find someone to write a critique of the play, nor was he bothered to use his power to suppress its momentum. When did the Comédie-Française become a rival to a mediocre theater and a new playwright?
However, as the premiere date drew closer, Fernando gradually realized that something seemed amiss. First of all, the regular audience seats would certainly be full, or rather, in France at that time, it had long been customary for playwrights to gather a large group of supporters and people to create an atmosphere for the premiere of a play.

On the one hand, it's to ensure the success of the premiere, and on the other hand, it's to prevent other competitors from causing trouble.

When Hugo's previous plays premiered, the audience was almost entirely composed of his supporters and friends.

However, since the play is being performed, it must be shown to those who are truly influential. On the one hand, it is for theater critics, whose opinions will, to some extent, influence public opinion. On the other hand, of course, it cannot be without those wealthy and influential ladies!

But the author of the new play to be performed at the Comédie-Française, a playwright who had already made a name for himself in Paris, said to Fernando with some unease: "I have invited many distinguished gentlemen and ladies, but they have all declined, citing other commitments. I am worried that they have all gone to see that Russian. If that is the case, will my play be greatly affected?"

To be honest, Fernando had guessed that something like this would happen, but he never imagined it would be this serious.
What despicable outsiders! How dare they resort to such vile tactics!

Seeing that things had come to this, Fernando could only say with a mixture of comfort and certainty, "Even so, what do you have to worry about? His underhanded tactics may gain some attention for a while, but for the discerning Parisian audience, only truly excellent plays can touch their hearts, nothing else will do."

Just you wait, tonight the theater he's in will be filled with boos. Even if he spends money to hire many people, as long as his play runs a few more times, he'll be drowned out by the boos of all of Paris!

Despite Fernando's genuine belief, seeing that things had come to this point, he still hastily contacted some strict play critics to watch the play.

Among these people, some are not just doing things for money, but genuinely examine plays with a love for theater. However, precisely because of this, when they are dissatisfied, their sharp criticism can almost ruin a play, and the public also has a high degree of trust in them.

Fernando was immediately relieved to have these troublesome people invited to the premiere of Mikhail's play.

In this way, even if the audience for the first performance is all his friends, his reputation will still be ruined the next day.

Strictly speaking, however, Mikhail did not hire many people to help create the atmosphere. Sometimes, being an outsider has its advantages. Since Mikhail did not have any obvious competitive relationship with most Parisian playwrights, and this was his first play.

Therefore, most people in the Parisian literary world only wanted to see him make a fool of himself and did not choose to do anything about it.

If you ask why, simply put, it's beneath him! How good can a Russian play be, no matter how good? Especially since it's his first time acting in this.

If there isn't much malicious obstruction, then Mikhail will simply choose to believe in the charm of the show.

And indeed, as Fernando thought, too many people came because of Mikhail's reputation or the hype surrounding the play itself.

Some people came out of curiosity to see what a drama about prostitutes would be like, some were simply showing their support because they liked Mikhail, and others might genuinely be attracted to his body.
However, the quality of the drama is the most important thing. If it cannot win the audience's approval, then everything mentioned above will vanish in an instant.

With these events unfolding, the day of the premiere of "La Traviata" arrived.

Thanks to Mikhail's promotion and efforts, tickets for "La Traviata" were almost completely sold out, making the Montmartre theater more lively than ever before on such a bustling night.

Étienne, who was in charge of entertaining guests and directing some people to maintain order, simply didn't know how to describe the scene he was seeing. He knew the streets near the Montmartre theater better than anyone else, but when he saw luxurious carriages carrying distinguished guests, he suddenly felt that the streets were so unfamiliar.

As time went by, under the lights and witnessed by Paris, the distinguished and dignified guests entered their private boxes with excellent views one by one. After they went in, a more vibrant audience appeared like a tsunami.

Some of them were professional theater critics, some were curious art school students, some were artists who came because of the reputation, and many more were ordinary audience members who frequently watched plays and had strong likes and dislikes. They were the ones who truly determined whether a play could succeed in Paris.

As the night deepened, the people in the box revealed meaningful expressions. The theater critics' expressions gradually became serious, and they began to scrutinize everything they saw. Baudelaire and his artist friends were already excited, while Pasteur and his other student friends, while somewhat reserved, were also curiously observing everything around them.

Meanwhile, the majority of the audience was gathering strength in this slightly restless atmosphere. Once they were moved, they would not hesitate to applaud. But once they felt they had been deceived, their boos would also drown out the theater without hesitation. This was truly the will of the majority!

Although Mikhail and the other actors backstage could not see these scenes, many voices still managed to penetrate the barriers, making some of the more well-known actors nervous, while also turning the faces of some less experienced actors pale.

The attention this drama has garnered recently and the commotion outside at this moment have clearly exceeded the expectations of many of them. However, their emotions related to this matter gradually calmed down when they saw the person in the center of the crowd.

For many of those present, the nearly two months spent with this young man was an extraordinary and magical journey.

What is most surprising is an indescribable respect. Unlike the class distinctions, oppression, and beatings commonly seen in the Paris theater scene today, everything in this gentleman's presence is so natural, yet he is by no means without authority.

Although he didn't talk much, his orders and advice always hit the nail on the head regarding the problems encountered during rehearsals, and following his instructions, all difficulties seemed to become easier.

How could such a genius not be admired wholeheartedly?
At the same time, what's most important is his strong yet not arrogant self-confidence, as if following him will definitely lead to the best results.

At that very moment, he suddenly clapped his hands lightly. When everyone present looked at him, his face, with its faint smile, inexplicably possessed a sacred quality, and he spoke those reassuring words in a firm tone:
"We will succeed. Get ready to go on stage."

Upon hearing this instruction, everyone present was instantly invigorated, and as they gradually made their way to their places, Marie Duplessie, the leading actress of the play, stayed until the very end.

She stared at Mikhail's indifferent face for a long while, then lowered her head deeply and asked in a slightly trembling voice, "May I kiss your hand?"

Such behavior is extremely rare in Parisian social circles today. Marie Duplessy, who had been with Mikhail for some time, was not sure whether he would agree, but a certain indescribable passion welled up inside her, prompting her to utter this unusual statement.

After a brief silence, Mikhail's voice reached her ears: "Why don't we shake hands?"

Upon hearing this, the young woman was taken aback for a moment, but she eventually grasped Mikhail's outstretched hand firmly.

At the same time, Mikhail's voice once again entered her ears clearly and powerfully:

"Please believe that your previous efforts have not been in vain, and tonight, you belong entirely to yourself, and perhaps in the future as well. May your wishes come true."

"I will."

Holding back tears that were about to spill from her eyes, Mary Duplessie embarked on a different destiny.

As everything was ready, the lights in the audience area dimmed, followed by three heavy knocks from the stage—a long-standing tradition symbolizing prayers for a successful performance in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As the audience gradually quieted down, the curtain rose, the stage lights came on, and at the same time, music to enhance the atmosphere began.

The first person to appear before the audience was a woman with a tragic beauty. In the surrounding darkness, she looked so empty and heavy. But when more lights came on, the luxurious living room was suddenly revealed, with velvet sofas, flowers, exquisite decorations, and a multitude of guests.

The woman quickly composed herself and began to move among the many customers with a smile.

Despite the lively scene, some of the ladies in the private room fell silent for some reason.

It may seem luxurious and full of guests, but what does such a lifestyle sometimes really mean?

As the plot unfolds, a young man steps into a more prominent position and begins to reveal his year-long unrequited love for her and his silent visits when she was ill. Because of his sincerity, the two eventually have dinner together.

As this scene slowly ended and the intermission began, many viewers who had been piqued started discussing the plot while taking a break.

Compared to the extreme and intense emotional expression of Romantic drama and the rigidity of Classicism, such a short play can actually bring a fresh experience to many viewers.

First of all, it evokes a sense of realism. Such a setting and story can instantly transport many people into a familiar situation, creating a sense of immersion almost effortlessly.

Just as some viewers were speculating about the next plot development, the second scene immediately put their hearts on the line. The first scene was actually a happy life scene. Thanks to the actors' excellent performances, the love and mutual sacrifice for each other undoubtedly brought smiles to many people's faces.

However, the appearance of the male protagonist's father undoubtedly made the atmosphere tense. Although they may have true love, Marguerite, who was still holding on, finally agreed to leave Armand after a painful inner struggle, in the face of Armand's future and his family's reputation.

When the play ended, the audience erupted in uproar:
"Although the father's words make sense, what should be done about matters of the heart? What should they do next?"

"She was willing to sacrifice almost everything for him, but even so, the best thing she could do was leave him. But what then? How could they possibly get back together? It seems impossible."

While ordinary viewers discussed it this way, professional critics were amazed. Undoubtedly, from a professional perspective, this conflict was quite ingenious. It's precisely because of love that one must leave the other, but what should one do after leaving that person?

Even though this conflict was already intense enough, it continued to escalate in the following scene:
For the sake of her lover, the heartbroken Margaret returned to her original life, as if she had suddenly fallen from the sunlight into darkness. Even though she was in enough pain, the male protagonist, unaware of the truth, turned his love into hatred and ultimately humiliated her in public.

In front of everyone, he threw the money he had won at her and loudly denounced it as "paying back the debt he owed her" and "overnight fee."

For the Parisian audience, they certainly knew how hurtful such an insult could be. If it were truly the woman who had betrayed him, that would be one thing, but from the audience's omniscient perspective, Marguerite clearly left him because she loved him. She was heartbroken yet still had to endure such an insult.

Therefore, by the time this scene ended, many viewers were quite angry.

Why did he go to such lengths? Why was he so reckless?

"What should we do next? Will he ever find out the truth? And if he does, how can he repent? Can they really never be together again?"

Meanwhile, the female audience members were undoubtedly the ones who felt the most empathy and experienced the strongest emotional fluctuations. Perhaps because they thought of something or were completely immersed in the story, some of them became depressed, while others were moved to tears by the actors' superb performances.

After such an emotional climax, the fourth act takes a slight turn for the worse in a somber atmosphere. Due to the enormous blow, Margaret falls ill and is unable to recover. Creditors come to collect their debts, and her property is auctioned off.

Just as the audience's emotions were becoming increasingly somber, the male protagonist seemed to finally learn the truth. After he rushed back from abroad, the two people who still loved each other finally cleared up the misunderstanding, poured out their hearts to each other, and began to look forward to a new future.

After that scene ended, the atmosphere in the arena became lively again:

"See? I knew it! They'll have a happy ending!"

"This is such a happy ending! It would have been such a shame if the misunderstanding hadn't been cleared up! I just wonder how they'll live their lives now?"

However, at the same time, some viewers did notice something was amiss:
"There seems to be another scene. What is this scene about? Their life after they fell in love?"

"I don't know. Doesn't this complete the story? What else could it be?"

While the audience was discussing these questions, the fifth act soon revealed the answers for them:

It's still the scene from the beginning of Act IV, but the color scheme is darker and the mood is heavier, as if the reconciliation just now was like a bubble.

And it seems that this was indeed the case. The male protagonist did not arrive, but Marguerite was already on her deathbed. After making her last effort, she heard the noise of a festival outside the window, and Marguerite passed away while calling out Armand's name.

Unfortunately, Armand, having learned the truth, finally arrived shortly afterward, only to find Marguerite's body.
This sudden plot twist not only intensified the tragic effect and emotional impact, but also left the audience stunned and speechless amidst their profound grief. After being given a glimmer of hope, this was the ending?!
Perhaps because the final scene had such a profound impact on many viewers, the huge theater fell into a kind of silence after the play had completely ended.

In the end, it was Baudelaire and his friends, who were in the audience, who were the first to react. When they couldn't help but clap and shout, the previously silent scene was instantly ignited like a powder keg, and the applause and cheers seemed to make the whole theater shake.

Upon hearing this sound, the actors backstage breathed a deep sigh of relief, and their previously pale faces regained some color. As the applause grew louder, they followed the usual procedure for the curtain call, all going up on stage to stand side by side and bow to the audience.

But this is still not the end. After the collective bow, the applause will be focused on the main characters in the play, and according to custom, wealthy admirers or special supporters will throw bouquets onto the stage, usually presented by ladies to male actors.

Unfortunately, despite the enthusiastic response from the audience and the fact that the actors on stage had noticed many ladies with various expressions taking action and coming to the front row with bouquets, the male lead of the play only had a few scattered bouquets in front of him.

Seeing this, the theater manager, Etienne, who was beaming with pride, knew who the audience wanted to see. So, after a short while, at his urging, a figure appeared from backstage and walked step by step onto the stage.

When he appeared, the actors on stage almost immediately cleared the center position and then pushed him to the front in a crowd.

After he stood firm in the center, before he could say anything, a woman who seemed unable to contain her emotions suddenly threw a bouquet at Mikhail. As if it were a signal of attack, in an instant, Mikhail felt countless things flying towards him.

Mikhail: “???”

Are the flowers you brought thornless?

And surely none of you will take advantage of the chaos to throw things at me, right?!

Faced with the numerous unidentified flying objects, Mikhail was indeed momentarily bewildered, and then these things truly engulfed him.
(End of this chapter)