Chapter 513: Paul's Deadlock
From the votes counted in several towns so far, it was clear that Oscar Paul still wielded significant influence in Corsica.
After all, his father was the founder of the Corsican independence movement, who had built an army that expelled Genoese rulers and even achieved brief independence. When France later purchased Corsica, Paul himself led a rebellion against the French, though ultimately defeated. His reputation, however, had become legendary throughout Corsica.
As a result, candidates from Paul's faction secured a solid 35% of the votes.
The pro-French faction emerged as a surprising contender this time. With Count Buttafuoco unexpectedly setting aside old grudges to ally with the liberals, they garnered nearly 30% of the vote.
The anti-Paul faction, despite their relentless efforts to expose Paul's alleged embezzlement of organizational funds and collaboration with French forces, failed to gain much traction. Even with the financial backing of their sponsor, Chalmers, they only secured 15% of the vote.
The remaining 20% went to the independence moderates.
Had the independence factions remained united, as they had in the past, they could have secured over 70% of parliamentary seats, easily meeting the threshold for legislative control.
But now, the independence factions were consumed with infighting, paying little attention to the pro-French faction.
Southwestern Corsica, Outside the Village of Nungia
Two well-built men crouched on a hillside, using binoculars to survey the village nestled in the valley below.
The darker-skinned man on the left nodded approvingly.
"Agosta did well. The incendiary materials are hidden perfectly."
Lowering his binoculars, he turned to the young man beside him.
"Alright, Filippo, let's head back to town. We'll execute the plan tomorrow night. By the way, you've probably heard that the election results aren't looking great."
Filippo nodded, his expression grim.
"It seems those loyal to Mr. Paul only managed to secure just over a third of the votes. Those traitors deserve to rot in hell!"
"Exactly. That's why this mission is critical. Once we succeed, we'll bring Erioc and the others back under Mr. Paul's leadership."
"Yes, sir," Filippo replied, his jaw tightening as he forced himself to nod. "I won't let you down."
Nungia was a known base for independence supporters—over 30 members of the National Guard hailed from the village. Finding someone willing to ignite a fire there was nearly impossible.
Paul's nephew, Cesari, had to plead extensively before his three guards reluctantly accepted the mission. Filippo was the one tasked with actually starting the fire.
Back in the nearby town of Quarle, the three-man arson team entered an inn, only to overhear two men with heavy southern Italian accents laughing crudely.
"Can you believe it? When the police barged in, Paul wasn't even dressed! He just stood there dumbfounded. Dozens of people saw it, ha!"
"Imagine worshiping someone like a god, only to find out he's just an old lecher."
"And an impatient one at that! He didn't even bother courting that young lady—just took her by force. And her poor aunt! All she did was worry about her niece, and Paul subjected her to his 'affections' as well."
The men burst into raucous laughter again.
"Gotta say, his tastes are unusual. I heard that poor aunt is old enough to be a grandmother, and he still went for her. Ha! Maybe that's just a Corsican thing."
Filippo caught enough fragments—"Paul," "lecher," "took her by force"—to piece together the slander. He was incensed. Charging over, he grabbed one of the men by the collar and roared:
"How dare you insult Mr. Paul?!"
Agosta joined in, shoving the other man forcefully.
"You'll pay for those words!"
The two merchants, startled, stammered in defense.
"What's wrong with you? We're not making this up. It's all in the London Gazette!"
"Exactly! Paul was arrested for rape. Isabella's father nearly killed him in a rage."
"That's not true!" Filippo, a lifelong devotee of Paul, bellowed in denial as he lunged to strike them. "Stop slandering Mr. Paul!"
"Wait!" The older merchant raised his hands defensively and pointed to his suitcase. "I've got a copy of The Times in there. It has the same story. See for yourself!"
Filippo hesitated, releasing his grip. He rummaged through the suitcase and quickly found a copy of The Times.
It was from the previous week. The headline on the second page screamed: "Corsican Political Leader Arrested for Rape."
Filippo's hands trembled as he read. The article described how Paul had lured a noblewoman named Isabella to a secluded cottage, where he assaulted her. Her aunt, who had suspected something was amiss, followed them. Hearing a commotion inside, she knocked on the door, only to be dragged in and assaulted herself...
The article was replete with lurid details. Filippo couldn't bear to read further. He threw the paper aside and glared at the merchants.
"You're lying! This isn't true!"
"Stubborn fool," one merchant muttered as he packed up his belongings. "There were dozens of witnesses. The whole of England knows about this. Is he a relative of yours? If so, I'd keep the women in your family far away from him."
Filippo sank into a chair, clutching his head. He couldn't reconcile the accusations with the image of the man he had idolized for so long.
Of course, the entire story was fabricated by French intelligence.
The only thing that frustrated Fouché was his inability to find a man attractive enough in drag to ensnare Paul. If Chevalier d'Éon had been younger, he might have been ideal. [See Note 1]
In the end, Fouché had no choice but to use Isabella for the setup. To add drama, he included the "aunt" as another victim.
The scandal spread like wildfire in England.
The next day, a despondent Filippo picked up a copy of the Corsican Morning Post, which had reprinted the story with even more damning details. Anti-Paul politicians, led by Bartolomeo, seized the opportunity to amplify the scandal, even dispatching reporters to London for further coverage.
Clutching the newspaper, Filippo wandered aimlessly until he found himself at the outskirts of Nungia.
Note 1:
Chevalier d'Éon (1728–1810) was a legendary French spy known for his skill in disguising himself as a woman. His beauty in female attire captivated many aristocrats, who pursued him fervently, oblivious to his true identity. D'Éon exploited his charm to extract valuable intelligence, earning high praise from Louis XV.
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