Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 73 The Self-Cultivation of Another Swindler
It's not just con artists who need elaborate attire to win people's hearts; even holy priests do.

On the solemn pulpit of the last National Assembly session before the Easter holidays, Archbishop Guillaume Merme de Beauan of the Paris Diocese, dressed in a dignified ceremonial robe, stood with a solemn expression.

He stood on the sacred podium of the National Assembly, his face filled with compassion, and his voice, honed over forty years of preaching, was particularly solemn at this moment: "Respected members of parliament!"
While you are all working tirelessly for the prosperity of the nation, the improvement of laws, and the well-being of the people, an undercurrent from the abyss, a poisonous fog that is enough to corrode the very foundation of our national soul, is quietly spreading in the heart of France—Paris!
It has even flowed into our vast lands beyond Paris!

His voice was loud and infectious, echoing in the parliament hall; his gaze swept across the room, capturing the expressions of the members of parliament, whether they were curious, solemn, or uneasy.

After a brief pause, he continued to ring his resounding bell: "What I am talking about is not foreign invasion, nor natural disasters and famine, but a more insidious, more vicious, and more destructive spiritual plague!"

A book called "Decadent City"—especially one of its derivative works—is spreading at an alarming rate among citizens, and even among our young students, like a carefully woven web by Satan!
I believe many of you members of parliament here have already heard of this book!

A commotion broke out in the room. Bishop Gibel pounded the pulpit in anguish, the sound dull and clear: "What does it depict?"

His voice suddenly turned shrill: "It depicts how money is above the law! It depicts how sacred duties are shamelessly bought! It depicts how the temple of faith is defiled in the revelry of lust!"
It uses flowery language to cloak the most despicable bribery in a veneer of legitimacy; it uses vivid details to trample sacred oaths into nothingness; it uses seductive narratives to disguise a decadent lifestyle as the highest spiritual enjoyment!
Gentlemen, I ask you, when our young people idolize the protagonist in the book who rises to prominence by bribing clergy, disregarding sacraments, and indulging in personal desires, in which direction will the scales of justice in their hearts tip?

How much reverence for the law will remain in their hearts? And how much contempt will they hold for the will of the great God—the cornerstone of French morality and spirit for millennia?

Gilbert sighed: "This is by no means an exaggeration! As the president of the Paris Book Society, I receive countless letters every day from worried parents, upright clergy, and conscientious teachers!"
They wept to me, saying that their children, their parishioners, their students, after coming into contact with this poisonous book, had become listless, frivolous, and had lost their due reverence for sacred things! The future of France is being eroded by this silent poisonous fog!

After building up enough fear and anger, he finally revealed his true fangs: "But this book has actually obtained copyright registration from the 'Books and Libraries Bureau'—"

But while "Decadent City" itself showed some restraint in its obscene content, the "supplementary readings" derived from it are truly hellfire! Yet, it is very difficult for us to trace their origins!

This serves as a warning how weak and ineffective secular laws are in resisting such elaborately disguised spiritual corruption! Even the Holy See was concerned. Therefore, he dispatched Cardinal Raphael Montelli with a decree from the Holy See.

An elderly man with a full head of white hair, dressed in a robe even more magnificent than that of Bishop Gibel, had already arrived at the center of the pulpit as Gibel spoke.

Bishop Gibbon quickly gave up his position to him.

Cardinal Raphael Montelli stood tall, the gold thread on his robes gleaming in the gaslight, as if bathed in holy light.

"First, we hope that Parliament will grant the church, especially local parishes, greater and more proactive power in overseeing the content of books!"
The church has the right to make suggestions, inspect, and report any books in schools, public libraries, public reading rooms, and rural libraries!
We have churches throughout the city and countryside, and clergy who are well-versed in doctrine and can distinguish right from wrong. They are the most perceptive to detect anything amiss! This is the first and most effective line of defense against such spiritual plagues!
This is not about interfering with citizens' freedom of reading, but about protecting something more precious: the freedom of the mind!

"Secondly, we urge Parliament to consider significantly strengthening doctrinal and moral education in public schools run by non-church organizations! Let our children learn to distinguish right from wrong and to revere the sacred from a young age!"
Secular knowledge is important, but without the guidance of faith and morality, knowledge will only become a tool for evil!

"Third, those booksellers who dare to publish and disseminate such books that openly blaspheme against God, corrupt morality, and endanger society must be punished even more severely! Let them know that the price they pay for poisoning the soul of France will be unbearable!"

The writer who produced this kind of work must be dragged out and brought to court, so that his ass will be worn raw on the prison floor!

Many members of parliament in the room began pounding their fists on the table and shouting...

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.

"Extra! Extra! The Vatican has dispatched a Cardinal to Paris, determined to eradicate this scourge from the publishing industry!"

The cries of newsboys outside the window pounded on the eardrums of Gabriel Marel, editor-in-chief of Le Bourgeois, making his head spin.

At that moment, he was holding a copy of Le Figaro, the very same copy that the newsboy outside the window was hawking.

The headline above, about the two religious figures' speeches in the National Assembly, felt like red-hot needles piercing Gabriel Marel's thick fingers. "Gibber...you two-faced viper!" Gabriel growled through clenched teeth, his fingers nearly crushing the newspaper.

The newspaper article, with its depiction of Bishop Gibber's compassionate and patriotic demeanor on the parliamentary platform, and the Cardinal Raphael Monteli from Rome whom he introduced, sent a chill down Gabriel's spine.

He had hoped that the 10,000 francs "donation" would buy him a chance to catch his breath, after all, the reluctant and hypocritical look on Gibert's face when he accepted the money was still fresh in his mind.

If they followed their unspoken rules of the game, the archbishop would, as usual, say a few kind words to the cardinals, shifting all the blame onto the "underground printing workshop" and that mysterious "honest Parisian."

Then he implied that he could extract more "atonement money" from Gabriel to quell the situation.

But he was wrong, terribly wrong.

Cardinal Montelli’s three requests in Parliament, especially the first and third, were practically death knells aimed at Gabriel and Le Bourget!

That bastard Gilbert not only didn't cover for him, but he's very likely to exaggerate things in front of the Cardinal!
That ten thousand francs is less valuable than feeding a dog! At least a dog would wag its tail after eating it!

However, he was only angry, not flustered. He had encountered this situation many times in his 30-year media career. When Le Bourgeois was still called Ladies of Paris, he was once wanted by the court for reporting on the affair of one of Napoleon III's mistresses keeping a lover.

But he only went to England to hide for six months before returning to Paris after paying a fine.

The only thing that pains him right now is that "Decadent City" is selling so well that it's practically a mint in the newspaper office.

The thought that there were two more parts to this novel made him drool – even if he were driven out of Paris again, he could use this to make a comeback.

After much deliberation, he took out a piece of stationery and wrote a letter urging "an honest Parisian" to finish his manuscript:

Mr. "An Honest Parisian":
The first volume of "Decadent City" sold very well, and readers eagerly awaited the publication of the second volume. Although I know that excellent works require time to mature, the readers in Paris couldn't wait, the readers in France couldn't wait.

I earnestly request that you submit your completed or soon-to-be-completed second manuscript to me within the next two weeks! Even if it is only partially finished, it would be appreciated.

To show our sincerity: the final payment for the manuscript is ready and will be delivered to you as soon as the manuscript arrives, without any delay!
Wait patiently for good news, and don't hesitate!

Your anxious collaborator, GM

Gabriel read the letter over and over again, making sure it was completely safe, before stuffing it into the envelope. He then licked the seal with his thick tongue and sealed the letter.

He didn't care whether "an honest Parisian" would be intimidated by the report in Le Figaro; he believed that if given enough temptation, the impoverished writer would definitely take the risk.

As for the third installment of "Decadent City"—ha, let's wait until both of them have weathered the current crisis.

Thinking of this, he shouted, "Pierre, you lazy donkey, get in here right now!"

After handing the letter to the recipient, Gabriel instructed, "This time, you continue to stand guard outside the post office and follow that poor boy to see where he goes and who he meets."

(End of this chapter)