Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 369 As long as we're not embarrassed, they're the ones who will be embarrassed.

The news that the "French Republican Youth Guard" surrounded Lionel's villa in Villeneuve has once again ignited public opinion in Paris.

Le Parisien was the first to publish a detailed report on its front page, with a highly provocative headline:
Patriotic Guard? Or Illegal Intimidation? — "Youth Guard" Surrounds Sorel Villa in the Dead of Night!

The report detailed the events of that evening and also quoted excerpts from a conversation between Lionel and Charles de La Rochefoucauld.

The report also included a meticulously drawn illustration—the glow of torches illuminating the excited faces of the young military cadets, creating a stark contrast with the closed doors of the villa.

The newspaper La République followed suit with a strongly worded commentary: "The Retreat of the Rule of Law – On the Incident of the 'Youth Guard' Surrounding the Writers' Residence."

The article sharply points out that regardless of one's views on Lionel Sorel's political views, coercing a citizen into a form of house arrest is a trampling on the spirit of the rule of law in the Republic.

The article questions whether Jules Ferry's cabinet has lost control of the situation and is even secretly condoning such extreme behavior.

The National Daily, on the other hand, attempted to justify the actions of the "Youth Guard" in an article titled "The Passion of Youth and the Future of the Nation."

The article argues that while the young people's actions may have been inappropriate, their motivation was to "defend the honor of France and the national interest."

This reflects the younger generation's deep love for their motherland and their natural vigilance against "erroneous ideologies."

The article suggests that Lionel Sorel's "inappropriate" remarks were the root cause of the controversy.

The Morning Post, The Voice, The Uncompromising Post... almost every newspaper joined the debate.

Supporters see it as a "spontaneous expression of patriotism," while opponents denounce it as "a remnant of authoritarianism" and "a disgrace to civilization."

In salons, cafes, and parliamentary corridors, people were fiercely debating the same topic: were these young people's actions patriotic or criminal?
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Bourbon Palace, Prime Minister's Office.

Jules Ferry slammed another newspaper down on the table; the front page featured the illustration of the villa being surrounded.

His face was ashen, and his chest heaved with anger. He himself had lost count of how many times he had lost his temper over Lionel during this period.

He growled, “Foolish! Utterly foolish! These muscle-bound cadets! Do they think they’re playing medieval chivalry?”

Surrounding the residence of a famous writer?! What do they want to turn the republic into? A country that can be arbitrarily coerced by a mob?!

He abruptly turned to the Minister of the Interior standing at his desk: "Immediately! Send men to Vernef and disperse those lawless brats!"

Interior Minister Ernest Constant looked troubled: "Mr. Prime Minister, please calm down. The Duke of La Rochefoucauld just spoke to me on the phone yesterday afternoon—"

He expressed his appreciation for your 'firm resolve' in pursuing colonial policies.

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Jules Ferry's head, instantly calming him down considerably.

The La Rochefoucauld family is deeply entrenched in the military and conservative forces, a force he needs to be wary of.

Edmond de Rohan also spoke up, saying, "Mr. Prime Minister, although these young people have acted excessively, they are the most steadfast supporters of colonial policies."

They have family interests or personal ambitions in Algeria and Tunisia. How many hearts would be chilled if we dispersed them now?

What will the public think? Those right-wing newspapers will definitely sensationalize it, saying we're suppressing patriotic youth!

Jules Ferry felt a sense of powerlessness: "Are we just going to let them run rampant? That would set a terrible precedent!"

Today they can surround Sorel, tomorrow they can surround anyone they don't like!

Ernest Constant carefully chose his words: "It's summer vacation now, these young people only do such stupid things when they have nothing better to do."

Young people lack patience; they'll disperse on their own in a few days, so we don't need to worry about them.

Jules Ferry opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found himself in a dilemma.

Suppressing these youths would offend the military and conservative forces, shaking the foundations of his colonial policies;
Leaving it unchecked would be tantamount to condoning the legitimacy of such violent coercion, undermining the rule of law and the authority of the government.

He felt as if he were sitting on a powder keg, with the fuse held in the hands of those fanatical youths and the forces behind them.

Finally, he waved wearily: "First... try to communicate with them. Lionel Sorel's safety must be ensured!"
He can't afford to get hurt, especially not at a time like this!

Jules Ferry looked at the cabinet ministers before him as if he were meeting them for the first time.

He felt a little irritated, so he turned to look out the window at the Parisian sky, but beneath that azure summer sky, there seemed to be unsettling undercurrents.

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The atmosphere was even worse on the second day of the siege of the Villa Vernef than the previous night.

They even inspected the little horse-drawn cart that the cook used to go out shopping, as if there was a whole world inside that tiny cart that could barely fit two people.

After finishing her homework in the afternoon, Patty wanted to play in the front yard for a while, but she was scared back by dozens of pairs of watchful eyes outside.

As evening fell, the "Youth Guard" simply set up a few tents nearby and lit a bonfire, making it seem as if they were going to set up camp for a long time.

This place is in the suburbs, with plenty of open space nearby, so it's easy to operate here.

Charles de La Rochefoucauld, still like a proud rooster, patrolled outside the villa fence, his defiant gaze sweeping over the lit study window on the second floor.

Meanwhile, other young people sang songs from time to time, especially those near Lionel's residence.

Sometimes they sing the victory song from the Great Revolution era, "We Will Succeed"—

"Ah, we will succeed, we will succeed, we will succeed!"

The people are constantly shouting today—

Ah, we will succeed, we will succeed!
Despite the traitors, victory will ultimately be achieved.

Sometimes they also sing the national anthem of the Second Republic, "The Girondins' Song"—

"Brothers, for the sacred cause,

When each of us is a martyr,

Let's not complain.
France will have to bless us one day.

The song played almost all night, only gradually fading into a low melody in the latter half of the night.

Many people would also flash lights at the doors and windows of Lionel's house, seemingly to check if anyone was trying to escape under the cover of night.

The government wasn't entirely inactive—they dispatched a team of police officers to guard the entrance to Lionel's villa to prevent anyone from storming in in a fit of rage.

However, they also stated that this was all the protection they could offer, since the other party had not yet clearly violated any laws.

As for "harassment"... the scope of this definition is entirely within the control of the police.

Lionel sat in his study, not as anxious as outsiders might have imagined.

He was reviewing the latest production reports from Sorel-Peugeot Mechanical Manufacturing Company, while also planning the preliminary route map for the Tour of Paris.

Sophie helped him organize the letters, while Alice was typing something on a Sorel 1 typewriter on another table.

Petty, meanwhile, was holding a copy of "The Montiel Secret Scrolls - Daily Practice During Summer Vacation," writing with a worried expression.

Sophie suddenly put down the letter in her hand: "Aren't you worried, Leon? They're like a pack of hyenas, lurking outside."

Lionel smiled. "Hyenas only swarm around weak prey."

He patted the report on the table: "Our bicycle sales have increased by another 25 percent this month."

As long as our machines are running, this noise will eventually disappear.

Then, looking at the people in the room, he smiled and made a suggestion: "Let's go to the 'English Café' for a big meal tomorrow!"

Sophie, Alice, Patty: "Huh?"

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The next morning, a large four-wheeled carriage was parked in front of Lionel's villa. Lionel and his entourage leisurely boarded the carriage and headed straight for Paris.

Several carriages of the "Youth Guard" immediately followed and entered the city; close behind were the carriages of the newspaper reporters.

Lionel first took Sophie and the others to Printemps department store, allowing the ladies to shop to their hearts' content.

The dozen or so burly men of the "Youth Guard" could only awkwardly peer around furtively from the other end of the shelf. Passing customers pointed and whispered among themselves, occasionally bursting into light laughter, as if they were visiting a zoo.

Afterwards, Lionel took them to "Le Bon Marché" to select various household items for winter.

This time, the "Youth Guard" were unable to enter and were blocked outside by the gatekeepers, so they had to split up and guard the front and back doors of "Le Bon Ma Chau".

As a result, they became an even more eye-catching sight in Paris, attracting the attention of shoppers and passersby alike.

At noon, Lionel and his companions went to the most upscale "English Café" in Paris for lunch—Lionel had only been there once before, when Gu Hongming invited him.

Although Lionel was impressed by the "Three Kings Set Meal," the high price deterred the ladies from ordering it.

However, the meal still cost more than 150 francs, which especially distressed Petty.

The feast lasted for a full two hours, and the "Youth Guards" watched it through the glass, drooling.

Lionel and his companions had begun to get used to this "companionship," but the other guests in the restaurant did not.

They frequently ordered the waiters to drive away the young guards as if they were annoying flies; some even went out themselves to reprimand them.

The young guards dared not speak out, because the guests who could dine in the "British Café" were all rich and noble, whose status was far beyond that of these young men.

In the afternoon, Lionel took Sophie and the others to the balloon launch point on the banks of the Seine to experience what it felt like to float in the air.

This was tough on the young military cadets who were following along. The "travel balloon" that Lionel had rented was going to float to Fontainebleau and back, a journey of 2 hours.

Fearing they would lose sight of their target, they had no choice but to drive the carriage, keeping their eyes fixed on the sky, and follow along. In the end, not only were their backsides aching from the jolting, but several of them also twisted their necks.

In the evening, Lionel chose to dine at the "Silver Tower" restaurant, another bustling and lively place.

During the meal, Alice pointed to the tall, burly men and whispered to Lionel, "Isn't it embarrassing to be followed by them all day?"

Lionel shrugged: "As long as we're not embarrassed, they'll be the ones who are!"

After dinner, we went to the Paris Opera to see the Moscow Ballet's classic production, "The Nutcracker," which they had just been invited to tour.

The ticket price for the play was 20 francs, which the followers obviously couldn't afford, so they had no choice but to wait outside.

This is the opera house, the liveliest place in all of Paris.

At the end of the day, Lionel and his friends had a great time, while the "Youth Guard" were more exhausted than dogs.

Back at his villa in Villeneuve, Lionel turned to the "sentinel" at the door and said, "Tomorrow I want to go to the Louvre, the Bois de Boulogne..."

You need to be prepared!

The next day, the newspaper published a follow-up report by a reporter: "The 'Youth Guard of the French Republic' has become the 'Lional Sorel Guard'."

In the report, the reporter wrote in a sarcastic tone:
[It seems these passionate future soldiers have already practiced how to serve their superiors under Mr. Sorel before dedicating themselves to France!]

And Lionel kept his word, taking Sophie and the others out for a whole day of eating, drinking, and having fun.

Especially when they went to the Bois de Boulogne, they all rode bicycles.

Sophie and Alice rode women's bicycles that were still in the research and development stage, while Patty rode a children's version specially developed for her.

Many paths in the Bois de Boulogne are inaccessible by horse-drawn carriage and can only be accessed on foot or by bicycle.

So the military academy students who were tracking the bicycles today had it even harder than yesterday, as they had to chase after them on foot.

The appearance of the new bicycle excited the reporters, who quickly sketched it out in their notebooks with pencils...

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After two days of turmoil, the morale of the "French Youth Guard" was somewhat low.

They could take turns following Lionel, but they couldn't stand being stared at like monkeys wherever they went.

Many people have begun to question the meaning of what they are doing.

Lionel, looking out the second-floor window, also noticed the change in atmosphere—at least tonight, the people singing below his window were much quieter.

But he was also suffering from back pain and exhaustion. The high-density schedule would be torture for anyone, especially since they could only travel by horse-drawn carriage most of the time.

Sophie walked over to Lionel—she was equally exhausted these past two days—and asked softly, "Shall we continue tomorrow?"

Lionel nodded: "They're getting bored and tired. You should leave first so they won't keep stalking and harassing you."

Tomorrow, tell the cook to go shopping and not come back until the situation stabilizes.

Sophie nervously grabbed his arm: "Leon, what about you?"

Lionel patted her hand reassuringly: "Don't worry, I have a way."

Just as he was about to rest, a brief commotion came from downstairs. It seemed that a carriage was approaching and negotiating with the "Youth Guard".

The carriage stopped at the door; soon, the doorbell of the villa rang.

The people inside the room were all taken aback. Who would come to visit at this time?
Lionel gestured for the others to stay upstairs, then went down the stairs and looked out through the peephole.

A man stood outside the gate, his figure somewhat blurry in the light of the porch, but Lionel recognized him instantly.

A look of surprise flashed across his face, then he opened the door, walked across the front yard, and stood in front of the person.

Standing outside the door was none other than Albert de Rohan, the son of Count Edmond de Rohan and his good classmate.

Lionel quickly opened the door and asked in surprise, "Weren't you in Algeria? Why are you back in Paris?"

At this point, Albert had completely lost his former playboy air. Not only did his face show signs of vicissitude, but his skin had also darkened considerably, and he had grown a large beard.

Upon seeing Lionel, he couldn't help but hug him tightly, almost crying out, "Leonel, you've suffered so much!"

Then he whispered in Lionel's ear, "You should leave... they're plotting something!"

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On the same night, at 77 Champs-Élysées, the mansion of the Count of Rohan.

The shrewd deputy minister was sitting by the fireplace in the living room, leisurely in a chaise lounge, drinking wine, with a hardcover book open on his lap.

A short while later, a young man walked in, looking travel-worn: "Father."

It was his eldest son, and first in line to the throne, Alfred de Rohan.

Count Roang didn't even look up: "How is it?"

Alfred smiled and said, “You’re right. The Bonaparte family has many talented people, but he’s a fool.”

With just a little prompting, he's like a powder keg ready to be lit...

Count Rohan glanced at the clock on the fireplace and asked, "Where is Albert? Where is he?"

Alfred hesitated for a moment before answering, "He should have arrived in Paris today, but he didn't come back; he probably went directly to Villeneuve."

"Father, Albert... will he be in danger?"

Count Rohan shook his head: "If he can't even handle such a small situation, then his year-long trip to Algeria was a waste."

He's not so stupid as to miss the hints in your letter. Don't worry, there will be others too... It's going to be quite a spectacle..."

Alfred hesitated, but still asked the question that had been bothering him: "Father, is it worth it? You're already the deputy minister..."

From a rational perspective, we could simply stand on the shore without having to go into the water…

Upon hearing this question, Count Rohan remained silent for a long time, then sighed: "Sometimes what you 'do' is not determined by your reason—"

He pointed to the family crest on the wall: "It's decided the moment you're born. Some obligations are neither resistable nor escapeable."

Reason can only help us know 'what to do' so that we're on the boat when the flood comes.

(End of this chapter)