Armand told Joseph that his Spartacus was going to be staged in Paris recently.

"What, are you ready for that war song?" Joseph asked.

"Nope." Armand shook his head, "Still don't have a song that satisfies people." However, everyone felt that now was the perfect time for this script to be staged. It would be a shame to miss this period. So, for now, I'll use Edgar's one. ”

Edgar was a young "composer" in Armand's circle. As in later generations, the self-proclaimed "composers" of poor Parisian youths in this era were not necessarily fewer than those who called themselves "original musicians" in later generations. Edgar is one such "original musician". He had a few songs circulating in the small bars of Saint-Antoine, but writing a war song for "Spartacus" was a bit beyond the young man's ability.

"This is the best time to do it?" "In terms of sensationality, it is. But at this time, staging this work may bring you danger. Maybe ......"

At this point, Joseph stretched out his finger and pointed upwards, "Maybe they'll throw you in the Bastille for that." ”

"What are you afraid of? Then I'm really going to go down in history. Armand replied nonchalantly, "It's a big deal to go in and squat for a few years." It was worth it to exchange such a price for the opportunity to be recorded in history! ”

Since Armand had such an attitude, and Joseph knew that even if Armand were indeed thrown into the Bastille, he would not stay in it for long. Because at the beginning of the French Revolution, the Bastille was breached. Naturally, the prisoners who were imprisoned in the Bastille were released. Even, if Armand were to enter politics in the future, going to the Bastille would be a rare qualification.

"Since you say so. Then I won't advise you. Joseph patted Armand on the shoulder and said, "Anyway, be careful yourself." Well, when are you going to rehearse? Shall I go over and see when the time comes? ”

"The day after tomorrow, it's at the Peterson Theater. From eight o'clock in the morning. Armand replied.

The Théâtre Peterson is between the Saint-Antoine district and the Hôtel de Ville, not far from the Bastille. The Saint-Antoine district was a place where the poor lived, and the proximity to the theaters there was naturally not comparable to that of the rich districts to the west. However, Armand's play is more suitable for performance in such a place.

"Well, I'll be there then." Joseph replied.

Two days later, Joseph took Lucien with him to watch a rehearsal of Spartacus. The rehearsal went well, including Edgar's battle song, but Armand kept frowning and looking distraught.

"What's wrong, Aman?" Joseph said, "Isn't it going well?" The performances of the actors are also very good. ”

"That's good, hell!" "If it weren't for the idea you came up with before, I'd be very happy by now." But as long as Edgar's song, I always feel ...... I just thought...... It's like going to a big meal, only to find out that all the food is unsalted. It's simply ...... It's all your fault, Joseph, hell, if it weren't for you, I'd be as elated as those guys...... No, I'd be happier than they were. Damn it! Damn it! ”

Armand stamped his foot, said several damned words in one breath, and then said to Joseph with a bitter face; "Joseph, help me ...... you"

"What can I do about this?" Joseph's eyes widened and he said.

To be fair, Edgar's songs are not bad, melodic and beautiful, but, just as Armand used to complain: "It was a little too light, and what I needed was a roaring urban cannon, and he only gave me a trumpet." ”

Amanglen paused for a moment, and then smiled bitterly: "Also, if there is a way, there should have been a way for this long time." ”

Then he turned his head and said jokingly to Lucien, "Lucien, you are also studying music." If only you could write a good song. ”

But I didn't want Lucien to respond: "Okay, after watching today's rehearsal, I just want to try it." ”

This answer was a bit unexpected. He was stunned for a moment, and then smiled: "Then you have to hurry up, you know, this drama will be staged in half a month." ”

What Armand didn't expect was that four days later, Joseph suddenly took Lucien to find him.

"Armand, look at this." Joseph handed a piece of paper directly to Armand.

Armand took the paper, lowered his head, and looked at it. Then he began to hum the melody of the paper through his nose, and finally he jerked his head up and grabbed Joseph by the sleeve: "Joseph, this, this is excellent!" Where did this come from? ”

"The tune was written by Lucien." Joseph said, glancing at Lucien at the same time, "I wrote the lyrics. What do you think, Aman? ”

"How? That's great! It's almost like in my dreams. No, I should say that even in my dreams, I had never heard such a song, otherwise, I would have remembered. Armand was so happy that he couldn't help but dance.

"Armand, do you think this song will work?" Joseph asked.

"Of course, of course. It doesn't get any better than that. Armand replied with a fluttering eyebrow.

"But Armand, if you want to use this song, I have a request." Joseph said.

"Say it, my friend. I'll promise you if you're going to let me run naked on the street, or I'll give you my chaste ass! Armand replied with a laugh.

"Don't talk nonsense, take the children badly!" Joseph said.

"Well, my friend, tell me what you want."

"Don't tell anyone else without my consent that I am the lyricist of this song and that the composer is Lucien." Joseph said.

Armand could understand Joseph's request. He didn't care about being caught in the Bastille, but that didn't mean Joseph didn't care either. He was arrested in the Bastille, but what about Joseph's two minor brothers, and if he did, what would happen to his brother? Moreover, he also knew, at least he felt so, that Joseph's goal in life was mainly in science, and he did not want other things to interfere too much with his research. As for Lucien, he was very talented, but after all, he was still a child under the age of fifteen at this time, and such a possible entry into the Bastille naturally could not involve him.

"No problem. I assure you, in my personality, that I will not say it even at the Last Judgment without your consent. "Armand said very seriously.

"My friend, there's no need to be so serious." Joseph laughed, "I'm just trying to avoid some unnecessary trouble." ”

"I know." "I'm not afraid to go into the Bastille, but I don't want to see any of my friends in the Bastille. ”

Armand did not immediately take the song to the troupe for rehearsal, because if he did, even if he did not say who the author was, one might have guessed the possible author of the song based on the fact that he had just met Joseph and Lucien. To say that Armand is actually a careful person.

It wasn't until two days later that Armand came up with the song and asked the troupe to try it, and this time the effect was said to be very good, but Armand was still not satisfied. It is said that he feels that some lines now do not seem to be called this song, and many places still need to be revised. And the actors also put forward a lot of opinions about the stage and performance. So Armand got busy again.

After another week, Armand again came to invite Joseph and Lucien to the rehearsal of his play. This time, however, Joseph was on a business trip, so only Lucien and Armand went to see the rehearsal together. A few days later, when Joseph returned to Paris, the drill on Armand's side was almost complete. At least, according to Lucien, the play "is no worse than Molière's works." ”

But Armand still did not seem satisfied, and now he stayed in the theater all day, repeatedly hesitating about trivial things, and his cheekbones were a lot higher. Joseph knew that this guy had drilled the horns and had a problem with his mentality. If he is allowed to continue like this, and he does not get it right, and he becomes seriously ill after the success of the performance, or even "called by the Lord", ah, no, how can he be "called by the Lord" given the implicit satire of Christianity in his works? It must have been "damned" and dragged to hell by the devil.

But Joseph didn't want to see Armand fall on the stage after the success of the premiere - as beautiful as it may seem, it was not yet the time for Armand to fall.

Joseph knew that the so-called "problems" that plagued Armand today were not really big problems, and that no matter what decisions were made, they would not make much difference. It's just that he himself drilled the horns of the bull so much that he couldn't make a choice.

"Armand, have you ever heard such a story? There was a man who placed two identical piles of forage on the left and right sides of a donkey, at the same distance. And guess what happened to that donkey? Joseph said, putting his arm around Armand's shoulder.

"I know that the donkey ended up starving in the middle. Joseph, you are such a bad fellow, you compare me to that stupid donkey! Are you really sure that the forage on both sides is exactly the same, though? ”

"Donkey! If it weren't exactly the same, would you hesitate for that long? ”

"Of course it's not exactly the same, there are some differences between them. It's just that I don't know which one is better. ”

"That's it, that's easy." As he spoke, Joseph pulled out a silver coin of an irregular shape (ancient Roman silver coins were beaten silver coins, and in general, they were not perfectly round) and said, "Let this be a judgment." You see. On this side is the idol of the god Bacchus, and on this side is a bunch of grapes. My friend, you know that tragic art comes from the sacrifice to this deity. Let's let Him help us to judge. You toss the silver coins. If the head is facing up, then God Bacchus is also in favor of this practice, and if the grapes are facing up, then he is denying this practice. What do you think? ”

Bacchus is the Roman name of Dionysus, the god of wine in Greek mythology, whose priesthood does not include art, but considering that ancient Greek tragic art originated from the sacrificial activities to him. It was fitting that Joseph would ask Him to judge.

"A Roman dinar?" Armand took the silver coin from Joseph's hand and looked at it carefully, "It should be something from the period of the Republic, maybe Crassus (one of the former triumvirate of ancient Rome and the Roman consul who finally suppressed the Spartacus uprising.) I have held this silver coin. Unfortunately, the condition is not very good, if it weren't for the grapes on the back, I would almost not have recognized the front as Bacchus's head. It's a good thing, though. Well, just do as you say. ”