The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 1530: Chapter 259: Association of the Just in Paris (2)

Sir Arthur Hastings, the newly appointed British envoy to France, once tactfully criticized his former subordinate: ”The new police from various parties are all spying on directions, monitoring and informing on each other. Even when such informing is done out of belief and with the best motives, not for money, informing remains informing. In fact, I would prefer informants to do so out of motives of money and carnal desires, because taking pride in informing is a highly dangerous trend. Although this greatly expands intelligence sources, from a long-term perspective, the paltry immediate gains do not outweigh the damage to the purity of the police system and the corrosion of good social customs...”

—Alexander Herzen, 1850 in Paris

Ordinary people would probably find it hard to believe that such a group’s young men, who were recently imprisoned in jails and barracks, could view their fate so optimistically.

They clinked glasses, cheerfully and loudly discussing various anecdotes from the detention period, laughter echoing in the living room of Arthur Mansion.

When Arthur mentioned their optimistic mindset, Herzen even teased him, saying, ”When we were taken to the interrogation committee to hear the verdict, we did the same. The officers of the guard all stood straight, the police officers were also neatly dressed and standing solemnly, the door opened grandly, the short Duke Sergei Mikhailovich Golitsyn was dressed in formal attire, with ribbons over his shoulders, and the Police Chief Zienski wore his guard officer’s uniform, even Secretary Oransky wore a light green military dress for today’s grand occasion. Oransky saw us like this and had to put on a stern face and walk to the center of the hall to announce to us: loud talking, especially laughing and joking, is a disrespectful behavior toward the holy decree we are about to hear!”

Though Herzen and others had quite a good mindset, in Arthur’s lifelong view of walking on thin ice, using such methods to claim one’s bravery was evidently not worthwhile.

However, on this splendid day, he did not have the intention to dampen the young people’s spirits, so he only tactfully persuaded them, saying, ”Brother, you can’t do this. Your luck this time doesn’t mean your luck will be just as good next time. Although I’m not much older than you, I must offer some old-fashioned advice: don’t emulate the reckless behavior in French novels unless you’re ready to sacrifice like Mr. Alexander Dumas.”

With a smile, Herzen poured a glass of Madeira wine for Arthur, saying, ”I dare not say how many similarities I share with Mr. Dumas or boast of greater courage than him, but at least I have the honor of making friends with you just like him.”

The Red Devil, sipping monastery wine by the fireplace, swept his tail over the ashes on the carpeted floor upon hearing this, ”This kid does know how to hit the nail on the head.”

Sajin was planning to say a few words of gratitude to Arthur, having with him a gift from his mother to give Arthur before departure.

But just as he stood up, he glimpsed that newspaper on Arthur’s coffee table.

It was a copy of France’s Constitutional Newspaper from a few weeks ago.

The headline read ”Lyon Agitators’ Riot Decisively Suppressed—Army Defends National Security with the Sword of Law.”

The sixteenth day of the flower month of the Republican Year Four, under God’s protection and guided by the sacred July Monarchy’s constitution, the unrest in Lyon, which persisted for days, finally subsided yesterday.

On the 9th of this month, a gang of vagrants from other regions and unemployed wanderers, taking advantage of the government crackdown on illegal societies, incited riots in the Cruevalse District. The rioters used tyrannical means to coerce honest Lyon textile workers to cease their economic contribution to the nation, and on the streets, they spread shocking slogans and leaflets calling for ’abolition of property’ and ’wealth redistribution’, urging Lyon workers to launch a general strike.

According to testimony from the Constitutional Guard Headquarters, on the first day of the riot, the mob wielded scythes and torches to storm the City Hall tax vault, burning tax ledgers valued over 300,000 francs. Even more outrageous, the gang leaders declared ’children are future warriors too’, inciting ignorant children to hide behind barricades and throw stones at the National Guard.

In light of the insane and heinous actions of the rioters, the King urgently convened members of the Cabinet Minister joint meeting and quickly passed a temporary bill proposed by Home Secretary, Adolphe Thiers. In response to the second riot in Lyon in three years, Thiers made the wise decision: Only the iron fist of the law can awaken the lost; behind the barricades are all criminals, within shooting range are none but enemies.

The next morning, Marshal Brooser led the twenty-sixth infantry regiment, the sixth cavalry squadron of the Constitutional Guards, and thirty field artillery units into Lyon, quickly securing each intersection and major stronghold within the city, deploying heavy artillery on the suburban highlands to demonstrate the sacred inviolability of constitutional principles with the majesty of state force.

According to military sources, the insurgents used cannon on the tower of Saint Nizier Church to attack law enforcers, and Marshal Brooser, to protect innocent surrounding citizens, had to order the destruction of this desecrated sanctuary (pictured: Marshal Brooser comforts the public in front of the church’s broken walls). After six days of fierce battle, as of yesterday, the main streets of Lyon have been completely cleared of riot remnants and order has been restored. Shops in Lyon have reopened, and the sound of weaving looms in the textile workshops once again harmonizes with the gurgling waters of the Rhone River.

Louis Dupont, a grocer from Saint Jean District, tearfully confessed to this newspaper: ”Thanks to the King’s army, they saved our breadbasket!”

(pictured: In front of Dupont’s shop, which has been looted by vandals, a squad of soldiers helps citizens clear the glass shards, Dupont’s son—ten-year-old Little Pierre smiles embracing the relief bread distributed by the government)

Bishop Claude de Bonnal of Lyon, during last Sunday’s mass, denounced the violence: ”Poverty is never an excuse for evil, just as Satan once disguised as an angel of light.”

(pictured: Devout believers tearfully kiss the cross, offering prayers for the soldiers’ sacrifice and the stability of the monarchy)

The Home Office today announced that during this turmoil, hundreds of rioters were executed on the spot, over six hundred detained pending trial. The iron-blooded minister Thiers sternly declared: Anyone who threatens the constitutional foundation of France with violence will be pierced through the chest by the sword of the Kingdom!

(pictured: An officer of the National Guard holds the constitution text high in one hand, stepping on a broken scythe and torch below)

Reportedly, Parliament urgently allocated 500,000 francs to comfort affected citizens and authorized the Lyon Chamber of Commerce to rebuild the burned silk exchange.

This newspaper reminds all citizens: Poverty must be washed away by labor, not riots; progress should be sought gradually within the framework of law. Be vigilant against anonymous flyers spread in the streets. It is reported that these evil prints, bearing the images of a red flag and the guillotine, are circulating through underground channels. Anyone who reports hidden treasonous documents will be rewarded with fifty francs by the government according to Article 7 of the Security Enhancement Law.

Advertisement insert: ”Saint Rock Insurance Company—providing special compensation for riot losses to patriotic merchants” (rate only 1.5%)

When Herzen and the young men saw this newspaper, the boisterous laughter gradually quieted down as they passed around this newspaper from Paris.

Their joyful mood from escaping death was also gone.

Arthur then gently swirled his teacup, his gaze fixed on the hard sugar cube slowly dissolving in the bright red tea.

Regarding the Lyon workers’ uprising event, his mood was not as excited as the first time he saw it in 1831.

In contrast, unlike Herzen and others’ grave mood, he felt a sense of relief.

Because these sufferings were not brought by his subordinates; instead, his friend Louis was quite likely to receive lenient treatment from Louis Philippe.

Not only was Herzen’s luck good, but Louis was also, or rather, anyone who made friends with Arthur had good luck; this was the only thing he could be happy about.