The Shadow of Great Britain

765: Chapter 363 The two-faced Stendhal 765: Chapter 363 The two-faced Stendhal “Bonaparte?”

Stendhal didn’t know how long it had been since he had heard that surname.

In France, that surname had almost become a taboo that couldn’t be openly mentioned.

Some hated it to the marrow, while others revered it as if it were divine.

And Stendhal certainly belonged to the latter.

He had countless times relived the scenes of the campaign to Russia with Napoleon in his dreams, recalling the retreat from Moscow.

Just like Napoleon’s famous saying: “From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step.”

For Stendhal, who had witnessed Napoleon fall from grace, this pain had even become insufferable.

His life was deeply tied to the rise and fall of the Napoleonic Empire; both prospered and suffered dishonor together.

When the news of Napoleon’s death reached him from Saint Helena Island in 1821, Stendhal felt as if the sky had collapsed.

He had been expelled from Italy for sympathizing with the Carbonari, and upon returning to Paris, he was repeatedly suspected for his association with the Bonapartist faction.

His painstakingly crafted work “The Red and the Black” was censored by the authorities, and no publishing house was willing to release it privately.

By the time he arrived in London, he had nearly run out of savings to even pay his rent.

If Arthur had only read the letters Hugo sent to the “British,” his understanding of Stendhal might have been limited to that.

A true Bonapartist, a zealous devotee of the Emperor, that could summarize his entire life.

But, was that really the case?

As it happened, Arthur had also obtained a document describing Mr.

Stendhal’s early experiences from the hands of Sir Victor.

Just like the protagonist Julian in his novel “The Red and the Black,” Stendhal was quite a contradictory person.

He was a Bonapartist, but he wasn’t as pure in his beliefs as other Bonapartists.

At his core, Stendhal identified more as a Republican, viewing Napoleon as a tyrant who had stolen national power and stripped citizens of their freedoms.

On the other hand, he also enjoyed the status, money, and honor he had during Napoleon’s time.

This was as contradictory as his views on the common people.

When he was just eleven, he had participated in a meeting of the revolutionaries, but that meeting didn’t leave him with entirely positive impressions.

“In short, I was then, as I am today, I love the people, I detest their oppressors, but to live with the people would be an endless torture.

They are dirty and stinky, their speech vulgar, their behavior low.

And my tastes are highly aristocratic, still so today.

I would do anything for the people, strive for their happiness with all my might, but I would rather spend two weeks in prison every month than live with shopkeepers.”

Stendhal agreed with Republican ideals but didn’t wish to live among them.

Since the beginning, he had not approved of Napoleon’s actions, but to make a living, he still had to bind himself with the Bonapartists.

He first aspired to be a world-renowned playwright, to the point that when his cousin secured a position for him in the Heavy Cavalry Corps, he stalled for six months before taking the role.

And when he realized he lacked that particular talent, he then wished to become a baron of the empire, a knight of honor, a department head whose salary could rival that of princes.

In 1804, when Stendhal found himself in desperate need of a job, he even brazenly forged a letter of recommendation from General Michaud, boasting about how bravely he had fought in the cavalry.

However, through Victor’s investigation, Stendhal had been indulging himself in Milan during those years, so he could not possibly have participated in those battles.

Beyond becoming a baron of the empire, Mr.

Stendhal also harbored a rather grand ambition; he wanted to become a great lover.

Unfortunately, God had not granted him an appearance that could dazzle thousands of young girls.

As far as Arthur could see from the editorial department, this gentleman was a bit short, slightly overweight, with short legs and a long torso, a big head with thick black hair, brown eyes, and thin lips that didn’t really correlate with handsome.

If there was anything commendable about his appearance, it was his skin, which was as delicate as a woman’s.

Regrettably, according to the documents provided by Sir Victor, Mr.

Stendhal was as shy and clueless in matters of the heart as an innocent girl.

Even with so many disadvantages, Mr.

Stendhal would still adequately prepare for his goals.

He would seek advice on the art of seduction from seasoned players, and earnestly note down the advice they gave.

Then he would rigidly follow those written rules in his pursuit of women, his approach very much scholarly.

Regarding this peculiar trait of Stendhal’s, even the head of the Security Department Victor couldn’t help but make a jest, “Due to his sensitive identity, I was once ordered to follow him for a while.

Although I don’t want to insult anyone, this gentleman’s attempts at love were practically a joke.

He was at the time courting an actress, who found his behavior laughable, and as a result, he felt deeply insulted.

The actress bluntly said that his words lacked sincerity, and the gentleman was taken aback since this topic was not written in his little notebook.

Watching his antics, even I cringed so much I wished I could crawl into a hole.”