Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 105 The Aroused Desire
The air in Paris in early May is filled with the clean mist from the Seine and the fragrance of flowers that fill the streets, carried by the spring breeze throughout the city.

But in the offices of Modern Life, the air was thick with an unprecedented, almost anxious anticipation.

Mr. George Charpentier stood by the window; he rarely came to this place filled with the smells of ink, sweat, and tobacco.

Beside him were his editor-in-chief, Émile Bergera, and Pierre Renoir, who looked so haggard that his cheekbones were prominent.

Their gaze fell downstairs, where they could see the entrance to the "Charpentier Bookstore" on the first floor, and a newsstand across the street.

Today marks the first public appearance of "The Curious Cases of Benjamin Bouton".

It was also the moment for George Charpentier to test whether his "high-stakes gamble" would succeed.

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Madame Rothschild's mansion in the Saint-Germain district has always been a symbol of taste and style, but she only used it for parties and salons.

Here, velvet curtains hang low, and soft light spills onto Louis XV-style gilded furniture and oriental carpets. The air is filled with the sweet aroma of fine cigars, expensive perfumes, and freshly baked madeleines.

Several elegantly dressed ladies and two equally impeccably dressed gentlemen were sitting around a small round table inlaid with mother-of-pearl. In the center of the table were not tea sets, but several newly delivered copies of "Modern Life" magazine, still smelling of fresh ink.

“George’s judgment has finally improved this time; this book, *Modern Life*, finally has a true ‘modern life’,” Mrs. Rothschild’s words elicited a soft laugh.

With her lace-gloved fingertips, she turned the pages of the newspaper; the front page featured a novel titled "The Curious Case of Benjamin Buton."

Although she had read it a week in advance, Mrs. Rothschild felt a mix of excitement, pride, and a touch of grievance when she saw the author's name, "Lionel Sorel," under the title.

She had clearly agreed to sponsor the publication of Lionel's first novel, but he effortlessly secured the serialization of "Modern Life".

Thinking back to a little over a month ago, in the Sorbonne's small reception room, he was still so weak and poor... and of course, very confident, proud, even arrogant.

Now he has so quickly found the confidence to back up this arrogance.

Is this talent? Mrs. Rothschild's eyes became even more mesmerized as she thought about this.

“This is the real Lionel, not that ridiculous imposter…” A surge of pride welled up inside her.

"What is this?" a noblewoman exclaimed.

A small card, about five inches square, fell from the newspaper in her hand. It featured a beautifully drawn and brightly colored printed picture.

An old man lay dying on his hospital bed, while outside the window, the firelight of burning barricades illuminated the terrified and sorrowful profile of a young woman.

This painting has distinct Impressionist characteristics, using the interplay of light and shadow to weave together the shadow of death and the frenzy of war, creating a tragic tension.

“I have some in mine too,” another lady exclaimed in surprise.

The painting in her hand was different from the previous one; it depicted a willow basket, inside which one could vaguely make out a baby's swaddling clothes. A thin, small hand stretched out, as if calling for its parents, or perhaps accusing fate of injustice...

The remaining people also flipped through their newspapers, but most of them were the same as the previous two, with only one different color picture:

A man looked back in terror, and in the distance he could vaguely see a commotion of people and the glow of burning fire, as if a cataclysmic upheaval was about to engulf him.

A young woman covered her mouth with her fan: "The Virgin Mary! It's so beautifully painted! It's a work of art!"

Another man chimed in, "The light and shadow, the colors, the composition... it's a masterpiece!"

It was only then that everyone noticed a small note at the beginning of Benjamin's "The Curious Cases of Bouton" stating that each issue of the magazine would only include one of these four illustrations at random!
Moreover, the four illustrations, when strung together, form the main plot of the novel in this issue.

The salon fell silent for a moment, then erupted in exclamations of sudden realization: "Oh my God! So, to collect all four illustrations..." Mrs. Rothschild smiled: "That's right, my dear, theoretically, you need to buy at least four copies of *Modern Life*, and pray you're lucky enough to get different illustrations. Or..."

You need to have enough friends willing to exchange with you.

A subtle, competitive excitement permeated the salon, as if a flame deep within the hearts of these gentlemen and ladies had been ignited.

A noblewoman of similar age to Madame Rothschild smiled slyly: "Four illustrations? There are only three here!"

Mrs. Rothschild responded with an unquestionable tone: "Soon there will be four—I mean, every one of you here will have a set of these illustrations!"

She then called her groom: "Andrei, go and buy a few more copies of 'Modern Life'—how many? It doesn't matter, take 50 francs with you. Keep buying until we all have the illustrated set!"

Immediately afterwards, Mrs. Rothschild flipped the newspaper back to the front page: "Well, the illustrations serve the novel—George has invested so much, he wouldn't do it for a mediocre work, would he?"

Only then did everyone come to their senses. The four small, exquisite, and colorful illustrations that required a "hunt" to collect were like the most tempting candies, firmly grasping their desires and making them almost ignore the novel itself.

Only after being reminded did they realize this, and they turned back to the front page of the newspaper to begin reading "The Curious Cases of Benjamin Buton".

Soon, the novel's peculiar use of flashbacks at the beginning, the dying words amidst the smoke of war, the horrifying infant against the backdrop of the French Revolution, and the father Luc de Boudon's choice of abandonment amidst fear and revolutionary fervor...

These plot points immediately captivated them.

The group occasionally exchanged hushed conversations about fate, time, fatherly love, and fear...

The atmosphere at the salon gradually intensified.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

“Mr. Charpentier, look, the carriages are lined up in a long queue!” Emil Béjara pointed excitedly downstairs.

George Charpentier nodded almost imperceptibly, trying to maintain his gentlemanly demeanor, but the smile on his lips was impossible to suppress.

"After today, who will dare to say that I am not as good as my father, or that I am a spendthrift?" He also had a surge of emotions inside him, but he could not vent them in front of his subordinates.

Just then, the stairs creaked loudly, and a young man came running up, panting: "Sir... the newspapers are sold out. The bookstore has prepared 2000 copies, and they've all been sold out."

How to do? "

Georges Charpentier was about to say "print more immediately" when he suddenly remembered Lionel's instructions. Controlling his excitement, he replied to the eager employee in a cold tone: "Sold out? Then tell them sold out, there are none left."

The employee was taken aback: "Aren't we going to print more?"

Georges Charpentier gritted his teeth: "No reprints! That's all for this issue!"

Émile Bergera and Renoir looked at him in disbelief.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

While the gentlemen and ladies of high society had thick stacks of *Modern Life* newspapers laid out before them, Lionel also had a thick stack in front of him—

Panama Canal Five-Year Bonds

He said incredulously and indignantly, "No, is he crazy? He actually believed it?"

　Sorry, I had something to do today and I'm a little late.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)