The Fox of France

Chapter 240: Paulina's Path

In response to Joseph's inquiry, Paulina wasted no time in selling out Lucien.

"In the chapter I wrote, I described a scene involving gambling. At first, I used my imagination and what I had read in other books to write it. After I finished, I showed it to Lucien. He read it and said I was just making things up, that real gambling houses weren't like that at all. He even claimed that someone like me couldn't write a good novel."

I was indignant and argued with him, telling him he hadn't written anything, so what did he know? Lucien, as the Minister of Truth, claimed that writing novels fell within his purview and he had to understand it. Moreover, he said that if he couldn't even comprehend art, it would be inconvenient for him to lead the Salon.

He then said to me, 'You once said, "Without research, you have no right to speak," and also, "To know the taste of an apple, the best way is to take a bite yourself." So, I went with him to see..."

"Did it end well?" Joseph asked with a stern face.

"No, Lucien wouldn't let me," Paulina surprisingly spoke in Lucien's favor.

"He said, 'This apple is not for eating; it's a poisoned apple that would kill you if you took a bite. We just need to watch how others die after eating it.' Besides, even if I went down there, there's no way I'd get to taste it. Everyone at the gambling house knows him, and I was brought there by him. They wouldn't dare to win my money; on the contrary, they'd find ways to lose to me, treating it as a bribe for him.'"

Lucien said that accepting such bribes would harm the family's image, so we could only observe without participating."

While Joseph's anger had slightly subsided upon hearing the first part, he flared up again upon hearing Lucien's concern about the family's image.

"That scoundrel even cares about the family's image?" Joseph exclaimed. "Where is that scoundrel? Today, I must..."

"He left for Lyon a few days ago," Napoleon interjected, "but he should be back early tomorrow."

"Wait until he returns," Joseph said through clenched teeth, "Napoleon, you'd better discipline your brother."

"Don't worry; these days, I've been keeping a close eye on him," Napoleon said with determination.

Napoleon was telling the truth. He and Joseph were exhausted every day, while their younger brother led a life of debauchery. Although Napoleon aspired to be an Augustus rather than a Nero, the Nero-like lifestyle he was leading was truly abhorrent.

Currently, Napoleon's mindset could be summed up with a quote from a famous philosopher: "It's probably rooted in jealousy; that's for sure."

But Lucien, as the Minister of Truth, wasn't a mere figurehead. How did he know about this classified information and rush back to Paris immediately?

"You still dare to meet me?" Joseph asked.

"Why wouldn't I? I haven't done anything wrong," Lucien replied.

"Haven't done anything wrong? Do you want to claim that you've achieved something?" Joseph retorted with a bitter smile.

"Of course," Lucien said.

"Then go ahead and explain yourself," Joseph said through gritted teeth.

"Joseph, who do you think is the most respected woman in France?" Lucien asked.

"In France, the most respected woman? Well, that would be the Virgin Mary," Joseph replied.

"The Virgin Mary... darn it!" Lucien said. "Alright, let me rephrase it. Besides the Virgin Mary, who is the most respected female figure among the French people?"

"Why not just say it's Joan of Arc and save us the detour? Do you think I have as much time as you do?" Joseph retorted.

"Joseph, Joan of Arc was just a simple shepherd girl. How did she achieve the status she has today? Was it solely due to her piety? Of course, Joan of Arc was pious, but did her status come solely from her piety?"

If the one answering this question were Joan of Arc herself, she would undoubtedly answer without hesitation, "Of course." In her view, her accomplishments stemmed from God's grace.

But Joseph, although he occasionally uttered "Hallelujah" or "Amen," was well-known among his brothers as someone who didn't truly believe in God. Despite his occasional talk of God, they all knew that Joseph's notion of God was likely just a euphemism for natural laws. So Joseph wouldn't attribute Joan of Arc's status solely to her piety. "It's because of her contributions to saving France," Joseph replied as expected.

"Joseph, what's the reputation of our family? Do people think we're all saints with impeccable morals?" Lucien asked.

"Wait a moment," Joseph said, "I'm starting to understand your point. You mean that our Bonaparte family isn't renowned for our morals; we're known for exceptional talent. So, instead of a conventional reputation, what we need is a reputation for outstanding skills, is that it?"

"Yes, that's it," Lucien agreed. "I think Paulina's own writing shows potential, and Joseph, you also know that people are often more lenient towards women than men. For example, Paulina's works, if they were written by a male author, would honestly be average. But if it's a female author, and she's not just any female but a beautiful and esteemed one, and she also has some eccentricity, it's more likely to make her famous."

"I see," Joseph nodded. "You want to turn Paulina into a renowned female author."

"Not only that," Lucien said, "these days, there are more and more people who consider us 'poisonous weeds.' The revolutionary and democratic spirit that once defined us is dwindling. We need to add a dash of revolution, a taste of liberation to show the world. Imagine being a role model for women's liberation in our family; wouldn't that be great?"

"Your ideas are intriguing, but is it truly in Paulina's best interest with such a reputation?" Joseph asked with a stern expression. "With this kind of notoriety, her future path might not be easy."

"Joseph, Paulina's path was never going to be easy to begin with. She understands that very well. Don't underestimate your crazy sister," Lucien replied.

....

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