"Actually, I never thought that the one who receives this money must be a native-born child of Montiel!"
Lionel's words stunned Guy de Maupassant and Paul Pigott, the editor-in-chief of Le Petit Parisien, who were in front of him.
At this moment, they were not in a Parisian salon or café, but in Montiel's only tavern, "The Black Oak."
A month ago, the owner here had just taken down the wooden sign that had hung for over a hundred years, officially closing the establishment; however, under the concern of the suddenly increasing "outsiders" and the "distinguished young Master Sorel," old Lanque re-hung the sign.
Fortunately, there were still a few barrels of wine and absinthe in the cellar, preventing young Master Sorel and the esteemed guests from Paris from being disappointed.
It was now nine in the morning.
Earl Rohan, the Deputy Minister of Public Education and Fine Arts, his retinue, and journalists from various newspapers were still on their way from Lagrande to Montiel.
Maupassant and Pigott, having a friendship with Lionel and wanting to have a good chat with him, arrived a day early.
Yesterday, one slept at the mayor's house, and the other at the priest's house, thrilling both the mayor and the priest.
Old Lanque, the tavern owner, brought the wine and was then sent away; the place was entirely theirs.
The "20,000 franc one-time scholarship" caused a sensation across France, and even Europe, a week ago.
Although France at that time already had a widespread scholarship system, most scholarships only ranged from dozens to a few hundred francs.
The highest were no more than 1,000-1,200 francs, which was equivalent to covering a student's living expenses for one year.
The figure of "20,000 francs" was so sensational that everyone initially thought it was a joke.
It was only after Lionel Sorel, "the Conscience of the Sorbonne," and the Rothschild Bank of Gap jointly endorsed this figure that everyone was astonished to realize it was true.
Even Jules Ferry, the Minister of Public Education and Fine Arts, couldn't sit still and instructed Deputy Minister Louis Philippe de Rohan to lead a delegation to Montiel for inspection.
For the Ministry of Education, this was both an opportunity to gain recognition; of course, if not handled well, it could also lead to embarrassment.
Lionel had attended balls at the Rohan family's estate, and outsiders generally believed their relationship was good, so sending Earl Rohan was most appropriate;
Earl Rohan, incidentally, brought along Maupassant, who was a workhorse in the ministry but also a friend of Lionel.
Accompanying them was a formidable interviewing team, including journalists from The Times of England and Die Preußische Zeitung of Germany.
Paul Pigott swirled the wine glass in his hand:
"Seriously, Lionel, 20,000 francs is no small sum. Isn't your method a bit extreme?"
Lionel smiled faintly:
"Extreme? Perhaps. Paul, we must recognize a reality – these 20,000 francs are a very awkward sum."
Maupassant made an exaggerated expression:
"Awkward? That's an astronomical sum! I only make less than 4,000 francs a year at the Ministry of Education! And this isn't Paris!"
Lionel nodded affirmingly:
"Yes, it seems like a lot, enough to instantly change the fate of any Montiel family – building houses, buying land, paying debts..."
"But on the other hand, it's not enough –"
"If it were used to build bridges, pave roads, or construct schools, it would be a drop in the ocean."
"How much would it cost to completely rebuild the road from Lagrande to Montiel? Probably many times 20,000 francs."
"Expand Saint Joseph's School? Hire better teachers? These all require continuous investment!"
"A one-time investment of 20,000 francs would quickly be swallowed up, after all..."
He pursed his lips; outside the tavern window, the mayor and the priest, along with several "upper-class" Montiel residents, could be seen standing anxiously at the crossroads, occasionally gazing into the distance.
Lionel shook his head helplessly, and the other two exchanged knowing smiles.
As a journalist, Pigott was accustomed to such dealings.
Maupassant, working at the Ministry of Education, was equally familiar with local tricks.
Maupassant proposed a sensible suggestion:
"Then why not establish a fund and use the interest to issue scholarships? A steady flow, continuous encouragement!"
Lionel laughed:
"Because 20,000 francs is 'too little'! Guy, if you calculate it, 20,000 francs, even at an annual interest rate of 5% – which is already very high – would be 1,000 francs a year."
"Issuing it once a year would involve statistics, review, and distribution, all of which require costs and manpower. Moreover, who would supervise?"
"So I'd rather this money directly become a special allowance for Teacher Reynaud –"
"For the past forty years, he has taught all grades, all subjects, while only earning an annual salary of 720 francs."
"This is a disgrace to France, a disgrace to the Ministry of Education!'"
Maupassant, a junior clerk at the Ministry of Education, shrugged:
"Hey, don't look at me like that, I've only been with the ministry for half a year!"
He then showed an ambiguous smile:
"Actually, the owners of this money – those 'Parisian friends' – could handle these tedious procedures."
"They have plenty of time, are not short on money, and accountants and lawyers are readily available...'"
Before Lionel could answer, Pigott scoffed:
"Ha, get ladies into such trouble? This money isn't even enough for them to host one ball."
"And if Lionel were to suggest it, what do you think they'd say?'"
Pigott covered his mouth with his palm, like a lady's small fan, then pinched his voice high:
"Oh ho ho ho, little Lion has grown up –"
"He's learned to trick money out of us under various pretexts. 'The Conscience of the Sorbonne' is no different from any other handsome young man, is he...'"
All three laughed – though Lionel was embarrassed, and Maupassant was envious.
Lionel took another sip of wine, pondered for a moment, and then offered a more realistic consideration:
"Let me give you another calculation –"
"I am the first person from Montiel to pass the Sorbonne entrance exam in fifty years. And now, in all of Montiel, there isn't a single child studying at secondary school outside the village!"
"This means that even the smartest fifth-grader in the school right now, if he were to study until secondary school graduation, it would be at least seven years from now."
(Note: French secondary schools at the time were seven-year programs)
"And to get into one of those four universities in Paris, it would be even more difficult, possibly happening ten or fifteen years from now."
"All your perfect ideas about 'equal distribution' and 'steady flow' are vulnerable in the face of this harsh time cycle!'"
Maupassant and Pigott were stunned.
Lionel's tone became slow and solemn:
"For ordinary families in Montiel, sending a child to school is an extremely 'expensive' investment."
"Children at home herd sheep, chop firewood, milk cows, cook, and when older can even work in the fields, essentially adding half a laborer to the family;"
"Or they could be sent to Lagrande, Gap, or Lyon as apprentices, saving the family at least 200 francs in food costs per year."
"Parents could also withhold 100 francs from the meager pocket money the master gave the child."
"After ten years of apprenticeship, that could amount to at least 3,000 francs."
"Now you tell them to have their child study hard for more than a decade, only for an extremely slim chance to receive a few thousand francs after being averaged out."
"Do you think, even if that figure were raised to 10,000 francs, how much appeal would it have for parents in Montiel?'"
The tavern fell silent, and both Pigott and Maupassant sank into thought.
They came from Paris, accustomed to the narrative of knowledge changing destiny, yet they overlooked the suffocatingly high opportunity cost of education in 19th-century French villages.
Lionel sighed:
"Only if the bait is big enough, big enough to make one overlook the long cycle and tiny probability, big enough to create the impulse to 'take a gamble'..."
"only then can it truly motivate Montiel's parents to make the decision to send their children to school instead of to workshops."
"20,000 francs, paid in a lump sum, is like a golden apple hung at the finish line; though distant, its glow is dazzling enough."
"Only with this golden apple suspended there will people begin to run."
"After all, we are the nation in all of Europe most keen on speculation and gambling...'"
Pigott fell into deep thought, and after a long while, posed a new question:
"Then this might ultimately benefit families who already have some money."
"Also, if some opportunistic parents from outside temporarily move to Montiel with their children for the prize money, that wouldn't be fair to the local poor children."
"How can you ensure this situation is prevented?'"
Lionel seemed to have anticipated this question, revealing a questioning look:
"Why prevent it? And how could it possibly be prevented?"
"What?"
Maupassant and Pigott were astonished once more.
(End of Chapter)
---------------------
Support me on P@treon
[email protected]/charaz
$3 -> 50 chapters in advance
$5 -> 100 chapters in advance
$10 -> 200+ chapters in advance
Check my pinned post on P@treon