Upon hearing that Mathilde was worried about his safety, Louis Bonaparte was exceptionally agitated. After the agitation passed, Louis Bonaparte realized that his behavior might have been over the top; Mathilde was, after all, already married, and they had beco individuals on parallel paths that would never cross again, not to ntion that he was currently terminally ill and could face death at any mont.
After calming down, Louis Bonaparte, in a manner akin to entering a sage mode, stamred, "Your sister, my cousin... how is she doing now?"
Jero shook his head and sighed, "Ever since she divorced that Russian magnate, she's been wandering around to ease her mind daily. Although she pretends to be nonchalant on the surface, I know that failed marriage really hit her hard!"
Jero's voice was not very loud, but when it reached Louis Bonaparte's ears, it was like a giant bell striking through his eardrums and hitting his brain. Louis Bonaparte's mind went blank, and he muttered softly, "It's all my fault! If only I hadn't..."
Mathilde and Louis Bonaparte were once childhood sweethearts, cousins fond of each other and dreaming about the future together. None of the Bonaparte Clan believed back then that their future would turn them into familiar strangers.
When Louis Bonaparte was twenty years old, his mother, the forr Queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Odense, and Jero Bonaparte's father, Old Jero, discussed an engagent for the two children. Old Jero agreed to Queen Odense's request. Queen Odense arranged an apartnt in Switzerland for her only remaining son and also provided Louis Bonaparte with 3 million francs in cash and bonds, allowing him an annual inco of 120,000 francs.
At that ti in France, a small factory owner would only earn about 20,000 francs a year by working tirelessly, and the 120,000 francs in annuities were enough for the young couple to support themselves in Switzerland.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Louis Bonaparte did not follow Odense's arrangents but instead insisted on carrying out a second coup, the one in Strasbourg.
Louis Bonaparte was successfully imprisoned. This ti, the July Monarchy was not as lenient as the first ti; even though the celebrities in Paris pleaded for Bonaparte, Pri Minister Surt obstinately sentenced Louis Bonaparte to life imprisonnt.
The life sentence caused Mathilde, Jero's sister, to feel a sense of darkness in her life.
As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. When Old Jero's creditors heard about Louis Bonaparte being sentenced to life imprisonnt, they imdiately thought that Odense might not help Old Jero repay his foreign debts as in-laws, so they flocked to collect their debts. Mathilde had no choice but to marry a 26-year-old Russian magnate to help her father repay his foreign debts. This marriage lasted less than five years before it was on the verge of breaking, and Mathilde returned from Moscow to Paris, while Louis Bonaparte also escaped from prison.
"No..." Jero spread his hands and sighed, feeling sad about the misfortune of his "sister" and cousin: "This is a tragedy in itself; if there's anyone to bla, it should be on rciful God for allowing two truly loving people to suffer! Bla fate for being as unfathomable as a heartless temptress! Bla my father for owing such a massive foreign debt!"
Louis Bonaparte remained silent, his eyelids slightly drooping. In his heart, he had once held resentnt toward Uncle Jero (Old Jero), but whenever he thought of the support from his cousin and cousin, the resentnt in his heart was washed away.
"Forget it! Let's not talk about these old, trivial matters anymore!" Louis Bonaparte had actually long since let it all go, but on this special occasion today, Jero stirred up his mories of past affections.
"Yes! Let's not talk about it!" Jero decisively cut off the topic, knowing that so things must be stopped when they're about to go too far.
"Jero, my brother!" Louis Bonaparte decided to get to the point, speaking with deep emotion in his hoarse voice, "After I die, would you be willing to take up the flag of the Bonaparte Clan leader and continue fighting for the cause of the Bonaparte Clan!"
Louis Bonaparte's words made Jero's heart beat two tones faster.
The great flag of the Bonaparte Clan? How revolutionary a title it is!
Although now the Bonaparte Clan is left with only nominal titles and a bunch of superficial honors, these things can help Jero obtain what he wants under certain circumstances.
In France, Bonaparte no longer just represents an individual, a family; it stands as a symbol.
Silver coins bearing Napoleon's effigy circulate into French countryside, the French farrs might not necessarily know who Napoleon was or what he did, but all they need is to find soone they recognize among the crowd, that person only.
Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew, the defender of farrs, the supporter of land division, enough to stir up mighty waves in France.
Jero's wild thoughts also inexplicably caused unease in Louis Bonaparte's heart; he was unwilling to see the title of Bonaparte Clan Leader falling onto anyone's head other than Jero Bonaparte, for fear of what tales they might spin about him after his death.
"My dear cousin!" Louis Bonaparte grasped Jero Bonaparte's wrist urgently, saying, "Although the Bonaparte Clan has fallen into the dust, believe , one day the Bonaparte Clan will ascend the throne once again!"
"Yes!" Jero nodded without doubt; history has proven the impact of the Bonaparte surna in France.
Louis Bonaparte paused, then spoke softly, "My cousin, I suppose you know better than I the current situation in France!"
Jero Bonaparte responded gloatingly, "The regicide has been ousted from the throne (regicide was what the Orthodox Faction called Louis Philippe, here Jero satirically refers to Louis Philippe), and the Republic, amidst the backing of the Parisian sans-culottes, has scrambled out of the grave once again!
Unfortunately, in this hastily ripened, shoddy Republic, there's no second Robespierre, no second Danton, no second Marla; they don't even have a second Fouché.
There's only a Lamartine who was previously reciting poetry and composing music, an unimpressive Mountain Party, and a crowd of remnants amidst the ruins of the dynasty along with country bumpkins returning to Paris. A chaotic Republic serves no other purpose but noise, and how can the Republican Faction successfully govern when with this bunch of parasites! I deduce this Republic is dood soon!"
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