The news about Jero Bonaparte piqued Victor Hugo’s interest. As he put down the newspaper, eager to hear sothing about Jero Bonaparte from François Hugo, his unreliable second son dashed his hopes once again.
"Haven’t heard anything!" François Hugo shrugged, with a hint of self-mockery, said, "Father, you have to think. How could a rising political star like Prince Jero Bonaparte possibly be in the sa circle as ? Moreover, with soone like Baron Achille Fuld, who is solely focused on being the Bonaparte Clan’s lackey, of course, he wouldn’t allow Prince Bonaparte to engage in aningless socializing with soone like !"
"Oh? Are you saying that Achille Fuld has already beco Jero Bonaparte’s lackey?" Victor Hugo’s brows furrowed again, his words carrying an aggressive tone.
Beneath his core, he retained the integrity of a traditional nobleman and looked down on those bankers who only engage in opportunism. In Hugo’s view, those bankers were termites gnawing at the country’s foundations.
As a political rising star whom Hugo favored, he believed Jero Bonaparte shouldn’t have deep dealings with those people.
"Probably not yet!" François Hugo thought back to the situation at Baron Achille Fuld’s house yesterday and said in an uncertain tone, "Princess Mathilde doesn’t seem to like the baron, and Prince Jero also seems to keep a distance from the baron! In short, our Baron has thrust his warm face into their cold backside!"
After speaking, François Hugo couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Victor Hugo also smiled, feeling that his judgnt had not been wrong.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
The sound of knocking ca from outside the door, and both François Hugo and Victor Hugo turned to look at the red lacquered mahogany door.
"Who’s going?" Victor Hugo signaled François Hugo with his eyes to open the door.
"Alright!" François Hugo spread his hands and got up to head to the door.
Just as François Hugo’s rear end left the long sofa, the door to the piano room opened again, and Adèle Hugo appeared.
"Let do it!" Adèle Hugo replied to François Hugo from a distance.
Since the distance between the piano room and the door was shorter than from the sofa, the delighted François Hugo sat back on the sofa and made a "please" gesture, saying, "Alright!"
Adèle Hugo walked slowly to the door, opened the red mahogany door, and Jero Bonaparte and Eugène Roué appeared outside the security gate.
Jero Bonaparte, blocked by the security gate, took a look at the stunning young girl behind the gate and, after pausing a few seconds, asked her in a sowhat awkward Parisian accent.
"Excuse , is this Victor Hugo’s ho?"
"Pfft, hahaha..." Adèle Hugo couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Even though Jero Bonaparte had been living in Paris for nearly two years, his Parisian accent still carried a slight Italian tinge, making his pronunciation slightly amusing.
Of course, Jero Bonaparte was aware of his shortcomings and was trying hard to correct them. However, the progress of correction often did not satisfy him.
Jero Bonaparte continued to smile, waiting for the girl’s laughter to subside.
Eugène Roué, standing aside, watched Jero Bonaparte with a tense expression, fearing that the prince would leave in anger.
"Sorry, sorry!"
Realizing her faux pas, Adèle Hugo quickly apologized to Jero Bonaparte. Her father had taught her that mocking others’ shortcomings was impolite behavior.
"The unintentional act of a beautiful girl will always be forgiven by everyone!" Jero Bonaparte smiled as he repeated his earlier words, "Could you tell if Senator Victor Hugo lives here?"
This ti, he used a more respectful address.
"You’re here to see my father!" Adèle Hugo once again looked over Jero Bonaparte and Eugène Roué and opened the security gate, "Please co in!"
"Sorry to intrude!" Jero Bonaparte entered.
A burly middle-aged man with a full beard and an adult man who seed around the sa age as Jero Bonaparte ca to welco them.
The mont Jero Bonaparte saw the middle-aged man, he recognized him as Victor Hugo. He stepped forward, took Victor Hugo’s hand, and said with an excited expression, "Mr. Hugo, hello!"
Victor Hugo looked at the rising star of Paris in confusion, not understanding why Jero Bonaparte was so excited.
"Mr. Jero, your unexpected visit does catch sowhat off guard!" Victor Hugo glanced at Eugène Roué beside Jero Bonaparte and said, "Senator Roué, hello!"
Eugène Roué smiled slightly at Victor Hugo.
"I am a loyal fan of yours, Mr. Hugo. I’ve read your work ’Notre-Da Cathedral’ word for word!" Jero Bonaparte explained to Victor Hugo.
"Thank you!" Victor Hugo replied politely, feeling sowhat excited internally, "I suppose Mr. Jero’s visit to my ho is not just to discuss my work!"
"Discussing your work is only one aspect! I always look forward to Mr. Hugo’s next work. Do you have any ideas?" Jero Bonaparte did not want to quickly dive into political matters, so he asked about Hugo’s creative work instead.
Victor Hugo subconsciously glanced towards the study and replied, "Not at the mont!"
"That’s truly unfortunate!" Jero Bonaparte responded with a wistful expression.
At Victor Hugo’s invitation, Jero Bonaparte was invited into a separate small room.
Eugène Roué was also settled in the living room, accompanied by François Hugo.
Jero Bonaparte and Victor Hugo each sat in a pair of Gothic-style armchairs, with velvet cushions beneath them, enjoying the comfort.
"Mr. Hugo, I believe you are already aware of the purpose of my visit! Let get straight to the point!" Jero Bonaparte relaxed in the chair, with arms hanging on either side, hands folded between his legs. "I hope you will support in my presidential campaign!"
Victor Hugo nodded slightly after hearing Jero Bonaparte’s words, not revealing his intentions.
"I assu you have already reached so sort of agreent with the party backing ! You don’t really need my help!"
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