The Shadow of Great Britain

363: Chapter 219 Fashion Spokesperson (4K) 363: Chapter 219 Fashion Spokesperson (4K) Just as the young assistant was pondering which competitor sent this gentleman to cause trouble and was preparing to coax him out, the perfumer who had been observing from the back all this time quickly voiced out, “David!”

He stepped forward, pushing the assistant aside, “You go over there and watch, this gentleman is a connoisseur, I will take care of him personally.”

Immediately after, the perfumer asked with a smile, “Are you from Paris?

Or rather, did you or your ancestors ever serve in the court of the Emperor?

This matter of the cheese scent, I’ve heard Mr.

Rubin mention it once, not many people know about it!”

What surprised Arthur was that the other party was actually speaking in French, but since he had the preconceived notion, Arthur didn’t mind showing off the acting skills he had learnt from Victor.

To play a Frenchman well, the key lies in getting that air of arrogance just right.

Just like the joke Britons often say: What is the difference between the French and God?

The difference is, God does not think He is French, but the French think they are God.

Eld often mocked Great Dumas, claiming that Alexander had gas that rose upward.

Arthur deliberately slowed his speech, slightly lifted his chin to a forty-five-degree angle, and said, “Really?

I don’t see it as a secret.

Among those I know, there should be at least three people aware of this.”

“Three people?” The perfumer asked more humbly, “May I boldly ask, who are these three people?

Perhaps they are also our long-standing customers.”

Arthur straightened his collar with an air of importance, “An old cripple, a young fool, and a big fat man.”

After hearing these words, the perfumer pondered for a while but could only guess one.

He inquired cautiously, “May I ask who the old cripple you mentioned is…”

Arthur gestured impatiently with a wave of his hand, “Of the Perigord family.”

The perfumer immediately showed respect as he exclaimed, “Indeed, it must be Mr.

Talleyrand!”

“This gentleman!” Arthur, pretending to be angry and raising his cane, accused, “Are you suggesting that I am insulting the smart and wise Mr.

Talleyrand by calling him an old cripple?”

“Of course not.” The perfumer shook his hands dismissively as he explained while mopping his sweat with a handkerchief, “You certainly didn’t mean that, how could I dare spoil your great friendship with Mr.

Talleyrand?”

“So you’re the one insulting Mr.

Talleyrand?” Arthur snorted, “I should talk this over with him when I visit the Embassy next time!”

“Not at all, not at all!” The perfumer quickly dissuaded, “Sir, I have no disrespect for Mr.

Talleyrand.

To tell you the truth, when I was learning perfumery from Mr.

Rubin in Paris, I always revered Mr.

Talleyrand!”

Arthur challenged, “Really?

You say you revere Mr.

Talleyrand, do you have any proof?”

Seeing Arthur’s skepticism, the perfumer quickly added, “Of course, of course I have proof!

I am well-versed in Mr.

Talleyrand’s history; I take any chance I can to inquire about him, dreaming of one day navigating among the high society’s soirees and salons like Mr.

Talleyrand.

You probably know that back in the day, Mr.

Talleyrand charmed Madame de Staël and Madame Récamier to distraction, both noble and beautiful ladies were jealous over him in the salons.”

Hmm?

An unexpected gain?

Arthur asked in a raised voice, “Is that so?”

The perfumer, seeing his interest, began to tell the story with a smile, “Of course, this was over thirty years ago, when Mr.

Talleyrand was still young.

He was supposed to attend Madame de Staël’s salon, but at the party, his attention was captivated by Madame Récamier, the entire party almost revolved around her.”

Madame de Staël, therefore, in a fit of anger asked Mr.

Talleyrand: ‘If both Madame Récamier and I fell into a river, whom would you save?’

Everyone thought Mr.

Talleyrand was going to embarrass himself that day, as this question has long troubled gentlemen for centuries, but Mr.

Talleyrand’s response was undoubtedly innovative.”

“What did he say?”

The perfumer replied with a smile, “Mr.

Talleyrand said: ‘Madame, you are so great, surely you can swim!’ Everyone was amused by his reply.

Oh, look…

if I was half as eloquent as Mr.

Talleyrand, I reckon I would have become a royal perfumer by now.”

Upon hearing this, Arthur took out a small notebook from his coat pocket and casually jotted down a few lines.

The perfumer was puzzled by his action, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing much.” Arthur replied, “I, like you, am always fascinated by anecdotes of Mr.

Talleyrand.

However, I have a poor memory, so I need to write them down.

I want to share this tale with others at the next party.”

The perfumer did not say much to this, but he was still curious about the other two people Arthur just mentioned, “I wonder who the young fool and the big fat man you mentioned are…”

At that, Arthur raised an eyebrow in warning, “How can you insult an Emperor and a world-famous author like that?”

The perfumer was taken aback, “As for the author, I don’t know whom you mean, but isn’t the Emperor short?”