Most of the French chose to return to France by sea, but there was still one Frenchman who would go to Petersburg with the Russians. This Frenchman was Victor Treville. He has now left the Ministry of Truth to become a member of the French Olympic Committee, a newly formed French non-governmental organization. However, there are also rumors that he actually still receives a special allowance from the Ministry of Truth.

This time, Victor will follow the flame around Europe, both to escort the flame and to promote the "Olympic spirit". According to the arrangement of the "French Olympic Committee", he will contact the media in various places, encourage them to establish their own "Olympic committees", and finally "gather the Olympic committees of the civilized world to form an organization that transcends countries, beliefs, and races, and pursues the great unity of all mankind -- the International Olympic Committee."

Viktor's first task was to go to Russia and persuade His Majesty the Tsar and other important nobles to agree with this proposal and allow everyone to set up a non-governmental "Russian Olympic Committee" on their own.

The Russians had prepared a four-wheeled carriage for Viktor, but Viktor said he felt he would prefer to ride a horse, given the road conditions in the area.

Naturally, the Russians would not object to this small request from the guests. So General Bagration asked his adjutant to give up his horses to Victor and put him in the carriage instead of Victor to "guard the fire". He carried the torch and rode forward with Victor.

Victor turned over on his horse, when he was young, he also received some equestrian training, had a good foundation, and then received strict training in Toulon and other places, so Viktor's equestrian skills were quite good, and his neat horseback movements caused the applause of the Russian cavalry officers who gathered around him.

Victor knew that these people were basically young aristocrats. It can be seen that these people are full of interest in such things as the "Olympic flame".

Compared with Catholicism, the Orthodox Church is actually more receptive to Greek mythology, and even in their religious paintings, the image of God is basically copied from the Greeks depicting Zeus. Therefore, from a religious point of view, they have no resistance to this, and even many people feel that the appearance of this event is exactly God's will.

Victor drove his horse and ran side by side with Bagration. Bagration turned his head to look at Victor and smiled, "Your riding skills are very good!" ”

"General, your riding skills are also good. I signed up for the Olympic Games in the equestrian show jumping, I wonder if you are interested in coming to Paris, general, will you compete with me? ”

"Ah, I think so, but lately the uncivilized heretics have been dishonest there again. I'm afraid I won't be able to leave. Well, I have a friend who signed up for this program and he is better at riding than me. Others are in Moscow, and the flame is going to pass through Moscow, so I happen to have a letter, can I ask you to bring it there? ”

"I'm honored with it, General." Victor replied.

But he immediately asked: "General, Your Majesty the Tsar has agreed to the ...... of the Olympic truce during the Olympic Games, in accordance with the ancient customary law."

"Ah, yes, that's no problem. Since we Russians have agreed, we will never go back. We are not untrustworthy heretics. "But we also have to be wary of the infidels, you know, who may look like people, but they are bloodthirsty beasts at heart. They don't know what it means to keep their promises. We don't take the initiative to attack, at least not during the Olympics. But we have to be on guard against them. ”

"General." Victor smiled, "You know what? Even along my way here, the Turks have said something similar to what you just said countless times. It's just that they don't think you're going to keep your promises. They say that you have not once or twice torn up the agreements you have made with them. ”

"It's total slander!" General Bagration immediately retorted without hesitation, "What they say is as false as their claim that Jesus was just an ordinary prophet!" ”

Although there is a big difference between the Catholicism of the French and the Orthodox Christianity of the Russians in terms of doctrine, (in fact, the "Catholicism" of the French today is also very different from the Catholicism of any other country.) If it had been many years ago — if it had been many years ago, the Holy See would not have dared to say that they were heretics. But they are very consistent in their acknowledgment of the divinity of Jesus. So General Bagration's words are indeed very convincing, at least, the French will not continue to dwell on this issue.

Sure enough, Viktor immediately changed the subject and talked about the weather in the north of Russia.

"I've heard that in Moscow, it's very cold in the winter, and if you go outside without a hat, you just stay for a while and rub your ears with your hands, and you can rub your ears off – is it really that cold?"

"Who told you this?" Bagration frowned slightly, "Although Moscow is cold, it is not to such a point. Well, quite a few of our cavalry were Muscovites, and you see which one of them was missing ears? But the winters in Moscow are very cold compared to the warmth of Paris, well, for example - did you mention the 'tin plague'? ”

"The kind that Aristotle mentioned?" Victor Road.

"Ah, Commissioner Treville, you are so knowledgeable! Yes, that's it. Two years ago, somebody brought me a tin flask from Europe – well, you know, it's colder in Russia, so the men tend to take two sips – and one winter, I was out on a sleigh with this flask and ended up walking halfway through, guess what? ”

"What's wrong?" Victor asked.

"The tin flask puffed up on its own, and then the silver flask began to turn gray, and then very quickly, the gray spots expanded, and finally, my whole tin flask turned into a pile of ash. It is said that this problem only occurs in very cold places? ”

"Huh? And this kind of thing? "The buttons on this dress of mine are made of tin. When you get to Moscow, it won't turn into powder too, right? ”

"Ah, no, no. It's summer, and it's not cold in Moscow. Well, summer is almost the best time for Moscow. ”

"So if I'm going to travel to Moscow in the winter, I can't wear clothes with tin buttons. Otherwise, without the button, I would have frozen to death. Victor laughed.

The two men chatted as they galloped, and by the time they reached General Bagration's camp, they could already address each other as "you".