"If you have the chance to visit Paris, it would definitely be great..."
Pushkin's murmurings were naturally heard clearly by Boris Volkonsky, who was close at hand.
This is of course not surprising.
Because, since Peter the Great chose the "total Westernization" route for Russia and personally visited France to embrace the young King Louis XV, the Russian aristocracy has always been a loyal admirer of French culture.
Although these people hold the power of a country, they have been learning French since birth, communicating and thinking in French. In this context, admiring France is almost the "factory setting" of every aristocratic child.
Although Tsar Alexander I led his army into Paris more than ten years ago, this did not wipe away the admiration in people's hearts. On the contrary, after witnessing the wealth and prosperity of France, a group of noble officers became
The idea that "our country should be like this" arose in their hearts, and then they not only talked about it but also carried out actual actions. Secret societies formed revolutionary organizations, which eventually evolved into the December Mutiny a few years ago.
Although the current Russian Empire has absolute "military self-confidence" due to continuous war victories and territorial expansion, it has no "cultural self-confidence" and "theoretical self-confidence" at all.
Because he could completely understand his friend's thoughts, Boris did not dissuade him at all, but nodded slightly.
"I support you on this point, my friend. You are probably tired of staying in Petersburg and Moscow for many years. It would be a good thing to go to Paris. I believe Natalia will also support you."
Pushkin smiled silently and bitterly again.
He also believes that his wife will definitely support him - but her motives will definitely be completely different from his. What he wants to see are those exquisite palaces, huge art collections, and salons full of cultural atmosphere;
And his wife probably only thinks about dancing, dancing, dancing...
However, isn't this a good opportunity? Pushkin suddenly felt something in his heart.
If the "friend" who has become the emperor still remembers the original friendship between the two, then he will definitely receive him warmly in his court. And if the couple is warmly received by the French court, then not only can he take advantage of it
With the opportunity to get more cultural exchange opportunities, Natalia's vanity can also be greatly satisfied.
For a Russian noblewoman, is there any more exciting "privilege" than being surrounded by a group of noble ladies in Paris?
If this is true, then this opportunity can also be used to rekindle the relationship between the couple that has gradually cooled down, and their dull married life can regain its luster.
It was just a random idea at first, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense, and he even began to seriously consider when he would set off.
Of course, after all, France is thousands of miles away, and it is still a foreign country. It is impossible to "just leave". You must spend time in advance to prepare. However, if His Majesty the Emperor really still remembers him,
Then there won't be much difficulty at all.
Apply for a passport, get an entry permit through the French Embassy in Russia, take care of the housework, and then quietly set off to arrive in Paris a month later... there are only so many things to do.
The more he thought about it, the more tempted he became, and he even directly used his talent as a poet to start thinking about this journey.
Seeing his friend's suddenly whimsical expression, Boris immediately guessed what he was thinking.
"My friend, actually, you secretly ran away to see the King of Rome, right?" So he asked coldly.
His voice was very soft, but it was like thunder, and it immediately dragged Pushkin out of his reverie. His eyes widened, and he looked at his friend in shock, "You...how do you know?"
Seeing his friend in such panic, Boris felt distressed and funny at the same time, so he immediately comforted him.
"Friend, don't be like this! Don't worry, I didn't tell anyone. I knew it was just a guess... When you disappeared from the army for so long, you said you were out collecting news. Others didn't know you, so they didn't think much about it, but
As your friend for many years, since you have so much time, it would be strange if you didn’t go and see the biggest excitement!
Moreover, it’s nothing, right? You are not a high-ranking official, and you don’t have any military secrets. Even if you go to see the King of Rome, what will happen? Anyway, it will not cause any harm to our country, so I won’t
Too many things, I just remembered it now, so I just mentioned it casually..."
After hearing Boris's explanation, Pushkin finally calmed down and said, "You suddenly asked me this question, which scared me! Yes, I did run to see him, and even had a chat with him and Princess Theresa.
Huan, we have become friends. I was afraid of being criticized, so I hid it after I came back."
"What are you being accused of? Traitor? With your situation at that time and now, is it your turn to be a traitor... Besides, although our relationship with France is not good now, it is not at war, and Emperor Napoleon II is not ours.
Dead enemy, what if you meet him? No one can accuse you of this. Even if someone does scold you, I think they will still be jealous of you to death!"
After hearing Boris's explanation, Pushkin himself couldn't help but laugh.
Yes, what did Potian do wrong? It was just watching the excitement, and he had no qualifications to betray the country.
But having said that, he didn’t want to get into trouble, so he still told Boris to keep it a secret.
"Since you wish so, then of course I will keep it a secret for you. Anyway, I have been keeping secrets for the past few years." Boris agreed without thinking, "However, I have a condition - if you really have
If I have the opportunity to go to Paris and really get the courtesy of His Majesty the Emperor, then I would also like to follow Zhan Zhanguang. Even if I can't chat and laugh with the Emperor like you, as long as I can be his guest, it will be enough for me to go home and boast about it for the rest of my life.
How about...? This isn’t too much of a request, right?”
"Of course it's not too much!" Pushkin couldn't help laughing, "Even if you don't tell me, I still want to invite you to come with us as a couple! That's it, as long as the emperor really gives a reply, then we will
Just find a time to go there together...the sooner the better."
After saying that, the two friends who had been friends for many years hugged each other again, appreciating the close friendship between them.
It was not until late in the evening that Pushkin and Boris reluctantly said goodbye to each other.
Although one is unrestrained and the other is cynical, these two friends are essentially enlightenmentists who love freedom and care about civil rights. Because of this, although they are very proud of the Russian Empire's "illustrious martial arts", they are also concerned about its current influence.
He was extremely dissatisfied with the status quo, but this dissatisfaction had nowhere to vent due to the high-pressure political atmosphere. In the end, he could only numb himself with cynicism or a dissolute life - which was also the standard epitome of the young Russian aristocrats at that time.
Now we have made an appointment to go to Paris together, just to find some fresh excitement in this dull and gloomy air.
After seeing off his friends, Pushkin returned to his bedroom, and at this time his little wife Natalia was lazily dressing herself up at the dressing table.
"My dear, has Boris left already?" Natalia turned her head and asked her husband.
"Yes, he came to say goodbye to me. He will go to Poland to fight in two days." Pushkin said while affectionately hugging his beloved wife from behind.
"Oh God, poor Boris! I hope he comes back safely." Natalia sighed softly, but there was not much worry on her face - this is quite normal, she and Boris have never been the same.
In any friendship, of course, one doesn’t care so much about the other person’s life and death.
Maybe in her heart, there aren't many things worth caring about... Pushkin thought to himself.
Although he has had countless romantic affairs, to this day, he still feels that these women are elusive, unpredictable, and even impossible to truly understand.
But no matter what, at least she is beautiful enough, and that's enough.
"Natalia, I told you bad news, and to make it up to you, I want to tell you good news -"
"What's the matter?" Natalia asked doubtfully.
"I made an appointment with him. When he comes back, we will find a time to travel to Paris with our family -" Pushkin replied slowly, "So, we can start preparing for this now."
"Really? My dear, that's great!" Just as Pushkin expected, Natalia became interested as soon as she heard the decision, and immediately responded to her husband with a more serious attitude than before, "I
I have long wanted to go there and have a look. It would be even better if I could have a chance to attend the dance there..."
Sure enough, dance, hmm.
Pushkin complained in his heart, while pretending to be very happy, and gave his wife better news, "You don't have to worry about this, you have many opportunities to attend balls in Paris, and you can even go to the best...
...Because I have a very good old friend in France. He is a well-known aristocrat, so he can not only take us to social places, he can even take us into the French court to see the world. I think it should be able to satisfy your wish.
——”
Pushkin was deliberately vague, not wanting to explain his previous dealings with the King of Rome in too much detail now, lest his wife leak the secret. Even so, what he said was enough to make Natalia excited.
"Dear, is this true?" She looked at her husband almost in disbelief. After receiving Pushkin's affirmative reply, she immediately became excited, "Why didn't you tell me before?"
"You haven't asked me before." Pushkin shrugged pretending to be innocent. "But don't worry, I'm not joking with you. I'm serious. Let's go to Paris and feast our eyes there. Good luck.
If you do, you can still shine in the social world there... How about that? Is there anything else you're not satisfied with?"
"What else can you be dissatisfied with? That's it!" Natalia hugged her husband and kissed him hard on the cheek, "Let's start preparing now!"
Although she has become a wife, Natalia, who is only 19 years old, is still a bit childish after all, and the great news her husband brought her made her radiant with excitement. After the marriage, the couple's enthusiasm cooled down.
The feeling of fatigue afterwards was also swept away.
In Petersburg and Moscow, she is recognized as the great beauty of the world. She has long been accustomed to everyone's compliments and stars. But if she can shine on the stage in Paris, that will be the highest achievement in her life.
And she could hardly wait to get such an opportunity.
And a husband who can provide such an opportunity looks even more lovely than before.
Although she didn't have much education, she was not stupid. Of course she could sense that what her husband said was somewhat untrue, and there must be some hidden secrets, but she didn't care about that at all.
As long as she could help herself open the door to the Paris social scene and the palace, she would not bother to ask more questions about who the mysterious nobleman her husband mentioned was and how this opportunity came about.
=========================
While the Pushkin couple were looking forward to and excited about their next scheduled trip, the atmosphere in the Winter Palace not far from their residence was much more solemn.
At the moment, the Tsar is receiving his Foreign Minister Count Karl Nesselrod, and the palace attendants around him dare not take a breath. It is obvious that the Tsar is not in a good mood at the moment.
"Shameless little bastard!" His Majesty the Tsar could be heard scolding even through the thick door. "Who does he think he is? That he can stand by and point fingers at me? And he keeps telling a lot of high-sounding lies.
, has he forgotten that the Bonaparte family killed ten times and a hundred times more people than me?"
While His Majesty the Tsar was swearing angrily, Foreign Minister Count Nesselrod stood aside expressionlessly, waiting for His Majesty to finish venting.
As a veteran diplomat who held diplomatic power during the emperor's time and participated in the Congress of Vienna, he has long been accustomed to seeing the big world, so he has long been free of sorrow and joy, and is aloof. Naturally, such small scenes are also
Don't put it in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, he seems to be offending you, but in fact he has given in." After the atmosphere calmed down a little, the Foreign Secretary reported to Your Majesty in a respectful tone, "This shows that you can do whatever you want to the Poles without any
People will come and lift a finger for them, and I think that’s a good thing.”
"I hope he gets hot-headed and comes to have a good fight with me, so that I don't have to endure his noisy nonsense." The Tsar sneered, but his face finally looked better, "Those damn Poles, let me
We have lost such a big embarrassment, now I will never show any mercy to them again, any organized resistance must be crushed into powder, no matter how high the price is paid!"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Earl Nesselrod first agreed with His Majesty, and then changed the subject, "However, having said that, we must resolve this matter as soon as possible. After all, judging from the public reaction caused by the emperor,
Look, most people are not sympathetic to our cause... dragging it out will only make us look worse."
The minister's words made the Tsar even more irritable, which only increased his hatred of the Poles and his anger towards the British - he had always disliked the British, and now he was even more angry.
"All this must be the fault of the British. They just want to see my jokes. In order to trouble me, they are even willing to applaud Bonaparte. This is really ridiculous." The Tsar frowned angrily, "That's all too.
Because of the damn British, we have no way to deal with that little bastard and can only let him talk nonsense. But fortunately, at least Prussia and Austria have a rock-solid relationship with us, and they will block that little bastard for us.
Bastard - if he dares to send a single soldier against Prussia and Austria, then I will declare war on him without hesitation and take this opportunity to completely wipe the Bonaparte family off the map of Europe, just wait and see!"