Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 464 The Inherent Flaws of the French! (Bonus Chapter 15)

Lionel stood in the center of the stage, with soft flower petals beneath his feet and deafening cheers in his ears.

He raised his hands and pressed them down, signaling everyone to be quiet.

The shouts and applause gradually subsided like a tide, and nearly two thousand pairs of eyes focused on him, waiting.

He took a deep breath, and his voice echoed throughout Richelieu Hall: "Ladies and gentlemen, friends."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the excited faces below the stage.

"Thank you. Thank you for accompanying this little 'Golden Sun' café, and for Pierre, Lefebvre, Viscount Saint-Cyr... for more than thirty years."

"What we just watched together was definitely not a lighthearted comedy. I know I lied to you. It was heavy, so heavy that it didn't make you laugh, and even made you feel a little breathless."

Some people in the audience nodded silently.

"What did we see? We saw the passion of the revolution turn into the madness of the guillotine; we saw the glory of the empire behind the tears of countless families; we saw the restored 'order' which was nothing more than the dust of the past being covered up again."

"It seems like we French are always going in circles. We overthrow an old system, establish a new one; then not long after, we feel that the new system is not right, and we want to go back to the old one, or have another revolution."

So much blood was shed, so many people died, and what was the result? It seems like we're back to square one. That feels awful, doesn't it?

A low sigh and a chorus of agreement rose from the audience, who were deeply moved.

The feeling Lionel described is all too familiar!
“Some might ask, Lionel, did you write this play just to tell us that France is beyond saving? To make us despair?”

He shook his head, raising his voice slightly: "No! Quite the opposite!"

"I put this cycle, this pain, this absurdity and tragedy of the past thirty years on the stage not to make us feel discouraged, but to make us see clearly!"
Let us see clearly what has happened on this land beneath our feet, and understand what lies within the French national character that leads us to repeat the same mistakes!

"Only by seeing where the scars are can we know how to avoid being hurt again! Only by confronting our foolish history can we possibly break this damned cycle!"

"Pierre just wanted a peaceful life, Lefebvre wanted to save the country through industry, Viscount Saint-Cyr wanted to protect the honor of the nobility... They were not wrong—"

The mistake lies in the naive belief that a revolution, an emperor, or a king can solve all problems!

"The future of France does not lie in returning to any 'golden age' of the past. Such an era has never existed!"

Our future lies in accepting our history, acknowledging our mistakes, and learning to rebuild a France for all of us, piece by piece, from the ruins!

"This is very difficult, extremely difficult! Much more difficult than launching a revolution. But this is what is truly worth fighting for."

The three old friends in this play failed and were disillusioned. But they lived, struggled, and loved this land.

Before the curtain fell, they did say 'goodbye,' but that 'goodbye' shouldn't be our end as well.

Lionel's voice finally softened, filled with expectation:
"Those who can do things should do them, and those who can speak should speak. Give what little warmth and light you have, like a firefly, and you can shine a little light in the darkness. There is no need to wait for a torch."

If there is no torch thereafter—I will be the only light.

After saying this, he bowed deeply.

After a brief silence—

"Bravo!!!!!!"

A roar of cheers, more enthusiastic than ever before, erupted and swept through the entire theater like a tsunami!
Applause, stomping, whistling, and shouts of "Lionel" mingled together, creating a sound wave that almost lifted the roof off!

Lionel used the simplest language to express the unspoken frustrations in the hearts of countless French people and ignited a spark of hope.

This is not just a praise of a play, but a strong resonance with the inner spirit of the play!
The audience began chanting, "Bis!" (meaning "one more time" or "one more performance").
Lionel and Maupassant, along with all the actors, had to step onto the stage again and again to bow, wave, and accept this overwhelming respect.

Flowers continued to be scattered like raindrops once more.

The curtain rose, fell, and rose again... a total of seven times! Only then did the audience's excitement subside, allowing them to retreat backstage.

Meanwhile, backstage, another whirlpool of turmoil was already brewing!

Lionel and Maupassant were immediately overwhelmed by the surging crowds upon their arrival.

Dean Emil Perrin's chubby face was flushed with excitement as he tried to maintain order, but to no avail.

A theater manager waved his hands excitedly: "Mr. Sorel! Mr. Maupassant! A miracle! This is a miracle!"

The Lyon Grand Theatre! Your certified theatre! We must be the first to bring "Café" to the theater! Name your terms!

"The audience in Bordeaux is eagerly awaiting our arrival! Mr. Sorel, please give us priority consideration!"

"Marseille! Marseille needs this show! Our renovation project will be completed next month!"

Theater managers and owners across France have made it a custom to attend the very first performance of Lionel Sorel's new play.

Now their eyes were shining, as if they were seeing not a play, but a gold mine, a feast that could enhance the theater's reputation.

They surrounded Lionel, handing him business cards and letters of intent for cooperation like snowflakes.

Among the crowd were his colleagues. Alexandre Dumas fils stood a little further away, nodding to him; the tall Henrik Ibsen pushed his way through the crowd and went straight to Lionel.

He gripped Lionel's hand tightly: "Mr. Sorel! You have pioneered a completely new kind of historical drama! No, you have transcended historical drama. Congratulations!"

High-ranking officials and dignitaries also came backstage, and people came in an endless stream to offer their congratulations, including politicians, bankers, wealthy businessmen, and cultural celebrities...

Everyone wanted to say a few words to tonight's hero, even if it was just a short "congratulations," turning the backstage area into a noisy salon.

Maupassant was surrounded by a group of friends and admirers. He excitedly recounted the interesting stories about collecting materials and assisting in the creative process, his face beaming with joy and satisfaction.

He glanced at Lionel, who was surrounded by people, from time to time, his eyes filled with gratitude.

Lionel moved among the crowd, responding to congratulations as best he could, and exchanging brief conversations with people he knew and didn't recognize.

This night belongs to the Comédie-Française, to "Café," and even more so to Lionel Sorel!

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The next day, public opinion in Paris was in an uproar.

News and reviews of the premiere of "Café" swept the front pages of all newspapers, something unprecedented in Paris.

Even the previously sensational "Thunderstorm" never received such treatment.

A single play has managed to squeeze out space from political debates, social news, and international affairs, taking center stage.

Le Figaro published its editorial in the most prominent position on its front page, with an exceptionally eye-catching headline:
Lionel Sorel declares war on the inherent weaknesses of the French nation!

"...With astonishing courage, Mr. Sorel exposed the darkest corner of the French national soul."

He revealed our oscillation between radicalism and conservatism, our fascination with absolute power, and our tragic character, consumed by the cycle of revolution and restoration...

This isn't a play about the past; every scene has a parallel in today!

Although Le Gauls holds a conservative stance, it too must acknowledge the power of this drama:

We must admit that "The Café" conquered Paris with its unparalleled artistic power.

It forces us to consider what keeps France trapped in a vicious cycle of glory and collapse.

The Republic newspaper, however, lavished its praise:
...The Café transcends drama; Lionel Sorel is no longer a writer, but a doctor of the French nation!
Every French person should go to the theater and receive this spiritual baptism!

Popular newspapers such as Le Parisien used more colloquial language to describe the grand occasion of the opening night.

The reporters focused on how the audience went from expecting laughter to falling into deep thought, and finally responding with thunderous applause.

All the reviews also unanimously praised the artistic excellence of "Café"—

The stage setting is realistic, the lighting is stunning, the characters are vividly portrayed, and there is also the extraordinary skill of condensing a grand history into a small space.

In the living room of the apartment at 117 Boulevard Saint-Germain, sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the entire space.

Sophie placed a large stack of newly delivered newspapers on the coffee table, her face showing an incredulous expression.

She picked up Le Figaro and pointed to the title of the editorial: "Lional, I still don't quite understand. Café satirized the fervor of the revolution, the vanity of the empire, and didn't even spare the Bourbon Restoration..."

Logically, you should have offended many people and attracted a lot of criticism. Why does it seem like everyone is praising it now? Even the most conservative newspapers haven't jumped up to criticize it?

Lionel picked up his coffee and took a small sip: "It's simple, Sophie. Only 'indiscriminate attacks' can earn 'indiscriminate praise'."

Seeing Sophie's puzzled expression, he further explained: "If I only satirize the revolutionaries, then the royalists will applaud."
If I merely mocked the restored Bourbon dynasty, the republicans would be pleased, and the old aristocracy would see me as an enemy.

He put down his coffee cup and gestured in the air as if he were balancing a scale.

"But now, I've put them all on stage and let them each show their ridiculous, pathetic, and tragic sides."

I did not particularly favor either side, nor did I deliberately let either side off the hook.

When people from each camp are watching the show, they will see the side they oppose make a fool of themselves, and they will secretly rejoice.

At the same time, they will also see that their own side is not so glorious either. Therefore, this kind of 'criticism' is not targeted at any specific position.

Sophie suddenly realized: "Because 'criticizing everyone' makes it seem fair, and no one will think you're specifically targeting him."

It's like... like you fired a few shots into the room, the bullets whizzed past everyone's scalps, but no one was actually hit.

The result was that everyone in the room was so impressed with you that they applauded you and praised your marksmanship.

Lionel was amused by her analogy: "That's pretty much the idea, Sophie. It's a shame you're not a writer."

Just then, there was a knock on the apartment door.

(Third update. I'll try to write another one today. Please vote with your monthly tickets.)
(End of this chapter)