Flowers, Swords and France

"Next, we invite Mr. Victor Hugo, as the chairman, to address this conference!"

"Hugo!"

"Hugo"

After the host said the name, a burst of warm applause and cheers broke out from the audience, and everyone shouted the name of the famous writer together. ?. . And Charles, wearing a well-tailored black coat, blended into the crowd and applauded equally enthusiastically.

Today is August 1, 1849. Here is the Second World Peace Congress, a gathering of "liberal-minded" pacifists from all over the world. Unlike the others, Charles was invited by Victor Hugo.

In the midst of everyone's attention, Victor Hugo, who was also very formally dressed, walked onto the podium with great excitement.

He stared at the people in the audience and spoke after a moment.

"Gentlemen, I am very pleased that I have the honor of speaking on behalf of you at this glorious rostrum.

Since it is named the World Peace Conference, it goes without saying that this is a place where a group of people who are worried about world peace gather.

Yes, we should be worried.

because. Unfortunately, in Europe today we still see few prospects for peace. War is still raging in Europe, Sudan's artillery fire has just hit the Balkans, and the Cossacks' iron hooves are making Eastern Europe groan. Led by a group of ruthless villains, armies one after another destroyed the originally stable lives of various ethnic groups and made peace out of reach. However. Even though I am so worried, I still have no doubt about the ultimate peace of the world, because I see you. We all come from various countries on this continent, and some of us even come from as far away as America. We all come together for a common lofty goal. And are willing to contribute all their efforts to this goal. After seeing you, I can't help but be full of confidence in the future of world peace.

Here, I have reason to believe. Within a century, there will be a day. You France, you Russia, you Italy, you England, you Germany, you every country on the continent, you will not lose your different qualities. Do not lose your glorious individuality. And strictly form a higher-level unity, you will form European brothers and sisters.

Europeans will join hands. Unite and work together for tomorrow to create unlimited wealth for human progress. And one day, everyone will see that on both sides of the Atlantic, there will be two giant organizations - the United States of America and the United States of Europe. They will join hands to jointly maintain and defend world peace and justice. They will work for Make an indelible contribution to the prosperity and well-being of mankind! There was another storm of cheers. It was obvious that Victor Hugo's words were very satisfying to the attendees.

"No, you are not right, sir. Within a century, France and Germany fought three wars, and two full-scale wars broke out in Europe. Tens of millions of people died and rivers of blood flowed..." Of course Charles would not say that. When such embarrassing words came out, he just applauded enthusiastically like everyone else, as if he really agreed with the other person's views.

"Next, shall we invite Mr. de Treville, the State Secretary of the French Ministry of Railways, to speak?" Just when Charles felt a little bored, he suddenly heard these words from the podium.

He felt a little incredible and subconsciously looked towards the stage, but he happened to meet Victor Hugo's eyes. The other party smiled and nodded towards him, as if he was very smug about the surprise he had given Ciel.

Uh...what does this mean?

"Who is this Treville? Never heard of it."

"Secretary of State, you sound very powerful..."

Everyone whispered to each other, obviously feeling a little unprepared for Hugo's sudden move. Then, his eyes slowly focused on Ciel, who Hugo was looking at.

"Mr. de Treville, please come on stage and give a speech. Don't waste everyone's time." Hugo urged again.

Well, it seems there is no way around it. He planned to ask me to say something special to add momentum to the conference.

Ciel put aside his embarrassment and slowly walked up to the podium.

Along the way, people exclaimed from time to time. Apparently few people could believe that a State Secretary could be so young.

What on earth should I say? Ciel ignored their gazes and kept thinking about this question in his mind. Because of Hugo's sudden invitation, he didn't have time to prepare a draft in advance. This "surprise" was quite a big one...

"Hello everyone, I am Charles de Treville, currently the Secretary of State of the French Ministry of Railways. I am honored to be invited by the chairman to speak on such an important forum."

Ciel began with these words.

Then he paused and continued.

"As Mr. Hugo said, Europe today is not peaceful and is full of turmoil. Of course, because of this, everyone can feel the value of peace even more.

However... it is obvious that today, when various European countries maintain nearly 10,000 standing armies in normal times, if we want to obtain peace, we need to make more arduous efforts than imagined, and even take various terrible risks. "

How should I go on to satisfy them? Charles thought about this question secretly,

However, he couldn't think of an answer.

Forget it, just say what you want to say, he made up his mind.

"Peace is a good word, especially in this country. After centuries of bloody storms, each of us knows that it is hard-won." Charles did not look at the people in the audience, and then kept talking to himself, "It is precisely because of so many bloody storms that we can understand that only when the power of European countries reaches a certain degree of balance can peace come to the world. And destroying the balance means destroying peace. This is the same thing... Yes, a reasonable system will bring peace, and we welcome this kind of peace!"

Victor Hugo's face gradually became ugly, but Charles did not notice it at all, and continued to talk.

"A reasonable system can bring peace, but an unreasonable system certainly cannot bring peace. We are somewhat uneasy about the current European system. It is already shaky and increasingly unable to maintain balance.

Why do we say this? We have seen that Austria is almost dying under the revolutionary trend, and Russia has crossed its borders and unscrupulously displayed the power of the Tsar through sabers throughout Eastern Europe. In this situation, can we call it a balance? No, absolutely not! The balance has collapsed, so peace has disappeared.

So, is this current system fair in other places? No, absolutely not. Due to a sad and outdated historical factor, our country The position in this system is too low. So low that it is almost unwilling to maintain the system. Is this situation reasonable? Shouldn't this powerful country and this prosperous nation be in a superior position? Doesn't she have the right to demand a more reasonable system? I firmly believe that she does!

So, in my opinion. The way to achieve peace in Europe is very simple, that is to put France in the superior position she deserves, and then let her help the crumbling system on the European continent to return to normal, so that balance and peace will return to Europe! "

Charles stopped, but did not find the applause. Everyone looked at him in astonishment, as if they were looking at a strange guest who fell from the sky.

Even Hugo looked at Charles with an unhappy face, as if he was very dissatisfied with his words.

"You mean that only if France can be domineering to neighboring countries like in the past, she will be willing to help Europe achieve peace?" A question came from the audience.

Of course I mean this, Charles answered in his heart.

"Of course I don't mean that," Charles shook his head gently, "I'm just saying that peace requires a system, and the maintenance of a system requires the great powers to make sufficient efforts. As a great power, France deserves the status it deserves, and then she - and other great powers - will maintain peace..."

Charles ignored their gazes and continued to talk.

"Peace can only come from the power of order. Only when every great power maintains a balance in a system can small countries live in such a system and maintain peace. Once the system is destroyed and loses its balance, the status of small countries will also be precarious. Therefore, in order to maintain peace, we should strive to maintain a certain balance of power in Europe. This principle is also common in the world, and so is Asia. At the same time, maintaining a capability to quickly rebuild a new balance of power if the balance of power is unfortunately broken... This requires the efforts of all great powers and an effective international mechanism..."

"In other words, you support the peace that the great powers maintain after they divide the spoils? A peace that allows Europe to maintain a standing army of millions of people ready to fight at any time?" The questioning from the audience was still relentless. "A peace that has been thrown into the garbage heap along with the Holy Alliance?"

"Of course, every country is not equal. Where the big countries go, the small countries should naturally stay away. Is there anything wrong with that?" Charles answered as a matter of course, "The idea that the big countries should pay a greater obligation to maintain peace, but can only enjoy the same benefits as the small countries, is obviously naive and unworkable! It is even extremely dangerous! From this point of view, although the Holy Alliance is outdated, some of its spirit can be preserved, if France can be respected enough..."

Even the United Nations allows some countries to have veto power. Charles will not say this again.

As expected, there were boos from the audience.

"What nonsense!"

"It's unbelievable that such a person can actually speak on the stage!"

"Let him get off!"

"This is just my personal opinion. Of course you can disagree." Charles still maintained his composure in the noise. He smiled and bowed slightly to the people below, and then walked down the podium generously.

This result is not surprising. Among a group of people who shout nice but meaningless slogans such as "peace", "progress" and "prosperity", it is obviously not a wise move to promote words with practical meanings such as "balance of power", "order", "balance" and "great power".

However, Charles was too lazy to care about so much. What can they do to him anyway?

There is only one thing to worry about...

"Char. How can you say these words? Isn't it too aggressive?" In the lounge. Victor Hugo took a sip of coffee, and then looked at Charles with great displeasure, "In this situation, you are not in parliament or a government meeting, how can you speak so aggressively? Moreover, you are not in parliament or in a government meeting. , your understanding of peace is too narrow. Peace is a cause that everyone should pursue seriously, rather than a gift given by some big countries in their spare time. "...

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was in a hurry and didn't prepare a draft. So I just spoke randomly." Charles apologized in a low voice, and then drank a cup of coffee himself. "If I had time to prepare, or if you told me in advance, it might be easier for me to talk..."

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

"Forget it, I wouldn't have let you on stage if I had known earlier." Hugo sighed and shook his head, finally exposing the matter. "I originally wanted you to show your face on this occasion, but you messed it up yourself. It's really..."

He was not particularly averse to the views Charles had said before—even Victor Hugo, who claimed to be a cosmopolitan and humanist. The origin of Chinese nationalism is also inevitable. Naturally, he also supports some of Charles's views and hates the current European order under the Vienna System, which is unfavorable to France.

"It's okay. I don't particularly care about this reputation." Ciel shook his head.

"Even if you don't care, there is no need to make it like this, right?" Hugo shook his head helplessly, a little dissatisfied with the performance of this junior, "The atmosphere was originally so good, but in the end, your call made peace The conference seems full of resentment and murderous intent. Those who don’t know think that I think the same way as you!”

In this case, wouldn't it be better if you didn't let me speak in the first place? A flash of displeasure flashed through Ciel's heart.

"Forget it, it's all in the past anyway. There are newspapers that criticize you verbally, so you don't need me to do it for you." Hugo took another sip of coffee. "So, what do you want from me?"

"It's nothing important." Charles replied calmly, "I just want to discuss something with you."

"What's going on?" Seeing that Charles's expression was so calm, Hugo asked casually.

"It's really nothing." Charles smiled slightly, and then continued calmly. "Mr. Bonaparte is very dissatisfied with the work of Prime Minister Barrow. He intends to directly remove the Prime Minister from his position soon."

"Bang." The cup in Hugo's hand fell heavily on the table, and then he looked straight at Charles. Obviously, this matter was not as trivial as Ciel intended to downplay it.

Hugo paused for a moment before accepting this information, and then his eyes suddenly became rather uneasy.

"Has he really decided that way?"

"Yes, and it is a decision that cannot be changed." Ciel nodded.

"Why do you do this?" Hugo could no longer maintain his composure and raised his voice slightly.

"Why can't we do this?" Charles still replied slowly, "Don't you see it? The cabinet led by Mr. Barrow is not very efficient, and it is always disrespectful to the president, and there is no way to do it well. to carry out the will of the National Assembly..."

"Then why did this decision have to be made so suddenly?" Hugo asked, "The parliament didn't know."

"The Parliament has adjourned." Charles spread his hands helplessly, "When the Parliament reconvenes, they will know the news..."

"I'm afraid Mr. Bonaparte deliberately wanted to take advantage of the prorogation of Parliament to purge Mr. Barrow?" Hugo sneered. "Don't make it sound like it was a coincidence."

Although he was indeed very dissatisfied with Prime Minister Barrow, he was even more dissatisfied with Louis Bonaparte's independent approach.

"Well, you can say that." Charles nodded simply, "Now that the Party of Order has a dominant position in the parliament, if they appeal to the parliament, who knows how long the quarrel will last? So we might as well do this. …”

"Then after the meeting is adjourned, won't the Party of Order still be hysterical?" Hugo asked.

"That's not true," Charles shook his head slightly, "because Mr. President plans to continue appointing people from the Party of Order as prime minister... By then they will probably be in a quarrel and have no time to pursue Mr. President."

Hugo frowned again, obviously still disapproving of Louis Bonaparte's approach.

"I just want to ask you today if you can speak in parliament and support Mr. President's decision..."

"No." Hugo directly rejected Ciel's request, "Ciel, I won't do that."

"Why?"

"Why? Is there any need to say this?" Hugo laughed, "Charles, haven't you noticed? Louis Bonaparte is completely different from what he showed before. Under the kind and generous surface, this People have endless ambition and desire for power... We cannot let him do whatever he wants in this country. It is too dangerous. If we allow him to do whatever he wants, sooner or later, the people of this country will have to bow their heads and call this man emperor. Hooray! Can you accept this?"

"In other words, you are opposed to my proposal?" Charles did not answer his question directly.

"Of course!" Hugo answered directly, and then he asked Charles, "So, are you going to submit to this person unconditionally? Did I overestimate you before? Are you only willing to be a loyal servant?"

His question triggered a silence.

It seems that he can only say this and nothing else. Charles sighed in his heart, and suddenly felt a little lost.

His proposal was just to try and avoid the breakup between Victor Hugo and Louis Bonaparte. As a result, from now on, this is impossible - even the lightest one can't be accepted, so the heavy one is impossible.

Victor Hugo has vaguely felt what Louis Bonaparte, whom he once supported, wants, so he embarked on the path that he seemed destined to take - unswervingly opposing the future Emperor Napoleon III.

And Charles' efforts seem to be completely impossible to achieve.

Forget it, it doesn't matter. He thought.

Everyone has their own personality, and then they meet their own destiny according to their own personality. Sometimes this cannot be forcibly changed.

There is no need to force changes, just let these things happen as they are supposed to.

"Okay," he put aside the coffee and smiled again, "Since you can't accept my advice, then just pretend that I didn't say anything. I just mentioned it casually, not in accordance with anyone's will, please don't take it too seriously.")