Chapter 50 In the Name of Napoleon (asking for monthly ticket)
Lionel was also very surprised. Sorbonne University's administration had always been quite strict. Unless a visitor arrived in the Dean's carriage, they were to alight at the entrance and hand their carriage over to a servant or doorman for parking.
They would then walk into the campus with the students and teachers.
The fact that this carriage could break the rules and enter directly suggested that its owner's identity was not ordinary.
Just then, someone leaned in beside him and said with an envious tone, "How impressive..."
Lionel turned his head and saw that it was indeed Albert de Rohan—lately, he had been constantly finding excuses to approach him—so he asked, "Who is that?"
Albert shook his head, "I'm not sure—but I can guess."
He then pointed to the departing carriage, "Didn't you see the emblem on his carriage?"
By then, the carriage had gone far, and even without the 900-degree myopia he had in his previous life, Lionel couldn't see clearly.
Albert said somewhat proudly, "A golden imperial eagle, crossed scepters, bees, a crown... What do you think?"
Lionel was startled, "The Napoleon family?"
What Albert had just described was precisely the national emblem of the "First French Empire," also known as the "Napoleonic Empire," and simultaneously the emblem of the Napoleon family.
Although after the "Second Empire" fell 10 years ago, the Third Republic government tried its best to erase any traces of this emblem's existence, the history of France in the 19th century was inextricably linked with the Napoleon family, so this emblem was still ubiquitous.
However, using this emblem was another matter entirely; probably only members of the Napoleon family would not be disliked for it.
Lionel thought back for a moment, then said with some uncertainty, "Aren't Eugène Bonaparte and Empress Eugénie both in England? Can the Bonaparte family still appear so openly in Paris?"
Albert thought, "Finally, it's my turn to show off," so he cleared his throat and began to enlighten Lionel: "Although His Majesty Napoleon III fled to England with the Empress and the Crown Prince, many other members of the Emperor's family still live here.
And in France, in Paris, there are still many supporters of the Napoleon family. Under a republican system, as long as there are supporters, it's possible to gain votes; and with votes, one can naturally gain status...
Perhaps some of them are even better off now than when the Empire was still in power."
At this point, Albert couldn't help but let out two sneers.
Indeed, many "fringe members" of the Napoleon family had a good life after Napoleon III fled to England, some even becoming members of parliament.
Lionel had no interest in the complex entanglements between French politics and the Bonaparte family. He patted his clothes, "Alright, thanks for the explanation. Come on, let's go to class."
Albert hadn't expected Lionel's reaction to be so indifferent, so he quickened his pace to catch up with Lionel: "Hey, Lionel, you're still taking the 'public carriage' to Sorbonne. It's too embarrassing for me.
How about starting tomorrow, you take my carriage to class? I can have the coachman pick you up first..."
Lionel rejected the offer without a second thought, "The public carriage is fine; it's crowded and warm!"
Albert didn't give up, "It's spring now; the weather will get hot soon..."
Lionel, "I can sit on the roof, feel the breeze, and stay cool!"
Albert could only awkwardly shut his mouth.
Lionel looked back at him, sighed inwardly, and finally offered an explanation: "I'll buy my own carriage eventually."
Albert's eyes lit up, and he quickly chimed in, "Are newspapers commissioning articles from you now? I heard 'Le Gaulois' pays the most, 1 franc per line. If you just write another article about the old guard, you can...
Hey, wait for me..."
— — — — — —
Lionel's class didn't last long; at the first break, he saw the familiar figure of Mr. Duen, the dean of studies: "Lionel, the Dean wants to see you in his office."
Lionel felt that more and more people were calling him by his nickname, "Lionel," lately...
He suddenly remembered something a celebrity from his previous life had said: "Don't blame your surroundings for not having good people; when you become famous, everyone around you is a good person!"
He was only slightly famous now, and the "good person content" from teachers to classmates was visibly increasing.
Following Mr. Duen's footsteps, he arrived at the office of Dean Henri Patin—the last time he was here was over a month ago, and Albert was with him.
Mr. Duen knocked on the door, then pushed open the office door, and stepped aside to let Lionel enter the office.
As soon as Lionel entered, he saw a man of about 20 sitting upright on the office sofa. He had thick, slightly naturally wavy black hair; a well-defined face, a high nose bridge, thin yet arrogant lips, and a slightly pointed chin, conveying an almost cold resolve;
His figure was long and tall, as if naturally suited for wearing military uniforms and formal attire—and he was indeed wearing a "semi-formal" attire with imperial characteristics, a dark blue military academy-style uniform with shining silver buttons, gold trim on the shoulders symbolizing honor, and a bee-shaped brooch pinned to his left chest.
That was the secret family symbol—the bee, a symbol of the Empire's immortality.
Dean Henri Patin introduced, "This is the author of 'the old guard,' Lionel Sorel, from the Alps, one of the most outstanding second-year students in the Faculty of Arts."
Before he could introduce the young man on the sofa to Lionel, the other party stood up and extended his hand to Lionel: "Napoleon Victor Jérôme Frédéric Bonaparte, son of Napoleon-Joseph Charles Paul Bonaparte, nephew of His Majesty Emperor Napoleon III, and cousin of His Majesty Napoleon IV."
The string of long names made Lionel's head spin, but he still politely extended his hand and shook his, "Good morning, Mr. Bonaparte."
He noticed that the young man's hand was unusually soft, almost unmanly—"Looks like a pretty face!" Lionel thought to himself.
Victor Bonaparte's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, seemingly displeased with the overly republican address of "Mr. Bonaparte" and Lionel's neither humble nor overbearing tone.
Dean Henri Patin added, "Victor's father, Mr. Charles Bonaparte, is currently a senator. He is here today because of your article, 'the old guard.'"
He then motioned for Lionel to sit down and took a seat in the armchair opposite the main seat himself.
Victor Bonaparte did not sit down. He scrutinized Lionel from head to toe with a critical gaze, as if evaluating a newly presented, unsatisfactory item from a servant.
"Mr. Sorel," his voice carried a deliberately condescending flatness, "your work, hmm, 'the old guard,' is a... noteworthy novel."
He picked up the open "Sorbonne Faculty of Arts Bulletin" from the table, lightly tapping the title of "the old guard" with his fingertip: "Frankly, its literary value... hmm, Mr. Hugo's assessment might be a poet's exaggeration.
But undeniably, it has caused some... repercussions."
Lionel remained silent, waiting for him to continue. Dean Patin tried to ease the atmosphere: "Victor, it truly is a masterpiece, and your father also said..."
Victor Bonaparte raised a hand to interrupt Dean Henri Patin, his gaze sharply fixed on Lionel: "Repercussions, Mr. Sorel, are the key. The 'old guard' you depicted, though fictional, unexpectedly struck a chord with a group deliberately forgotten by the Republic—
Those old imperial veterans who bled for the French eagle flag, and are now fading away in poverty and oblivion, especially the most elite of the Imperial Guard."
Lionel remained noncommittal, leaning back slightly, showing no expression of surprise.
Victor Bonaparte suddenly took a step forward, closing in on Lionel, and said in an irrefutable, yet somewhat patronizing tone: "In the name of the great Napoleon, you have earned the friendship of the Bonaparte family!"
He then stared intently into Lionel's eyes, waiting for him to express his acceptance of this "friendship" with an excited tone.