"It was also an honor for me to meet our young scientists. Because you know that all great things are just a passing thing, and time will wash them away. Even Alexander the Great and Caesar only left empty names. Only scholarship is something that is truly immortal. Like Greece and Rome, the most precious treasures left to us were not the great conquests, but their scholarship and law. You have a talent for studying what is truly timeless, and that is truly respectable and enviable. Lafayette replied with a smile.

"Just like the immortality of Rome, in the same way as with their laws. Your Excellency Marquis, isn't what you are participating in now also the same immortal, the same great cause that illuminates the ages? Joseph replied with a smile as well.

"You have a point. What are your thoughts on the Constitution? Marquis Lafayette asked.

"I don't know much about politics." Josephus replied, "I think, however, that just as the geometry of ancient Greece was based on nine intuitive and unquestionable axioms and axioms, so our constitution should be based on such self-evident axioms." Your Excellency, Marquis, you have led the Revolutionary War in North America. Sister, you can see that the logic in the Declaration of Independence of the United States is actually very interesting. ”

"Go on." Robespierre said.

"The Declaration of Independence says: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In order to guarantee these rights, men establish governments among themselves, and the legitimate powers of government arise with the consent of those governed. These two sentences are the axioms of the entire Declaration of Independence, and the logic behind the entire North American Declaration of Independence is almost entirely based on these articles. If we are to create a true constitution that will last forever, then we must also find its axiomatic basis. Personally, I feel that these two sentences of the North American Declaration of Independence can be used as the axiomatic basis for our Constitution. Therefore, when we formulate the constitution, we first clarify the rights that our constitution wants to protect, and then we revolve around how to protect those rights. Anything that contradicts this objective can be considered unconstitutional, and thus illegal and invalid. ”

"Very interesting point." The Duke of Orleans interjected, "But Joseph, I heard you say just now that 'the geometry of ancient Greece was based on nine intuitive and unquestionable axioms and axioms,' but shouldn't it be ten axioms and axioms?" Why, do you also think that the Fifth Public should be expelled from the ranks of the Public Establishment? ”

"Who wouldn't want that?" Joseph laughed, "Since the time of the ancient Greeks, there has not been a man who has studied mathematics who has not wanted to prove the fifth hypothesis, to kick it out of the ranks of the public, and to turn it into a theorem." If I could solve such a problem, I would really be famous—even as famous as Monsieur Lavoisier. ”

"Monsieur Lavoisier" by Joseph is, of course, referring to Lavoisier, the great chemist. But because of this surname, someone remembered something more.

"Mr. Lavoisier?" Robespierre said, "Well, Monsieur Lavoisier's academic achievements are admirable, and it can be said that he is the light of French science." To say that his nephew is also very talented, but it is only artistically talented, and recently became famous for a play, some people think that he will have a Gao Naiyi. ”

"Spartacus, which he wrote, is indeed a good tragedy, but it is too radical. In particular, the "Slave War Song" completely negates all the existing order. Lafayette, on the other hand, seemed to be not very interested in the play, and he continued with a frown, "The existing order does have many problems that need to be changed, but this change should be a gentle reform, not a war like a flash flood. ”

"We don't want a flash flood like this." Robespierre also said, "It's just that our majesty is a bit stubborn. On this subject, I actually spoke with Monsieur Lavoisier the Younger, and he also admitted that it was better to reform the existing order, to create an English-style state than a North American one, the Glorious Revolution (a non-violent coup d'état in 1688 by the English bourgeoisie and the new aristocracy that overthrew the rule of James II and prevented the restoration of Catholicism. The revolution did not result in bloodshed, so historians call it the "Glorious Revolution") is better than war. But he added that it would not be easy to achieve such a change in France. So sometimes you have to overdo it to be touched. It's like when you say to our King, 'Your house is so dark, you have to open an extra window.'" But he would not answer. Then you said to him, 'Your house is so dark, I'm going to tear off the roof.' Then His Majesty may be willing to consult with us on how to open the windows. ”

This made everyone laugh. This metaphor actually originated from Lu Xun's article that Joseph had learned in his previous life, and after crossing over, he stole this metaphor and used it when he was chatting with Armand. Now it seems that Armand is also using this metaphor from him.

"It's not unreasonable." Lafayette also laughed, and then frowned slightly, "It's just that I'm still a little worried, this play has mobilized the emotions of the citizens, especially those low-level sans-culottes." And once their emotions are up, they may not be satisfied with just opening a window. ”

"But if it weren't, His Majesty wouldn't feel the pressure at all and wouldn't agree to any change at all." The Duke of Orleans said so.

The Marquis de Lafayette raised his head and glanced deeply at the Duke of Orleans, but remained silent.

The Duke of Orleans continued: "What's more, Gilbert, you also know that His Majesty the King has mobilized the army, which is also putting pressure on us. Hell, you told me the news. - How can we not have a little response? ”

"The French army will not do anything to its own people. Our army is there to protect the Motherland, not to slaughter people. Lafayette replied.

"Can you guarantee it?" The Duke of Orleans then asked.

"Of course you can!" Lafayette replied without hesitation.

"Then can you guarantee that those mercenaries will not slaughter people either?"

The Marquis de Lafayette did not answer.

"What will the French army do if those mercenaries shoot at the people? They went to war against the foreign mercenaries against the king's orders; Or do you want to stay out of the way and watch the excitement? The Duke of Orleans asked again.

The Marquis de Lafayette remained silent.

"You know, the army doesn't know what to do." The Duke of Orleans continued, "If the army engages the king's mercenaries, it means that the war has begun. This is not what you want to see. If they are allowed to slaughter people, I am sure, this is not what you want to see. Moreover, the military's interference in politics is not a good thing in the long run. Once this habit is formed, it is endless. ”

The Marquis de Lafayette actually agreed with the Duke of Orleans's statement in his heart, so he still couldn't speak.

"So, now the balance of power is very unfavorable to the people. Without a balance in the balance of power, there can be no fair negotiations. The Duke of Orleans continued, "Under such circumstances, His Majesty will not be sincere in accepting our opinion. Therefore, it is necessary for us to show the power of the people in some way, so that the king may sober up, lest he do anything irrational. ”

"I'm afraid you want to make the people think that the king is their enemy, so that they can replace him in the future, or even replace him." The Marquis de Lafayette thought so, but he did not say it. Because although he did not have the idea of replacing the king, (the Marquis de Lafayette was not from the royal family and had no inheritance rights), he also had the idea of overriding the king and holding the power of the kingdom tightly in his own hands. Although he could not become a king, it was not impossible to become Richelieu, or even further, to become a palace minister like Pepin. Therefore, it is also good for him to ruin the king's reputation and pit the people against the king. So he still can't refute it, he can only say: "What power can a play show?" ”

The Duke of Orleans smiled: "A group of slaves, if determined to resist, can also shake the mighty Rome." The French people today are stronger than the slaves of Rome; France, on the other hand, was much weaker than Rome. At least the Roman legions would do their best to suppress the slaves, but our army would not - the king knew this, and the only people he could trust were the mountain men and the German mercenaries. If our king had been smarter, he would have been able to read the message that the play had conveyed to him. As long as the king is willing to compromise, we can achieve the goal of constitutional government. ”

"What if the king still refuses to compromise?" The Marquis de Lafayette asked again.

"Then arm the National Guard and use this force to form a balance of power with the mercenaries." Robespierre said, "The National Guard certainly did not have the same combat skills as the mercenaries, but in terms of numbers, it was easy to make them several times or even ten times as many as the mercenaries if they needed to." ”

"I hope our king understands the message of this play. Did he really want to follow the path of Charles I? The Duke of Orleans said again.

The Marquis de Lafayette frowned, the Duke of Orleans' words were a little too explicit.

"It's as Shakespeare said: 'The closer people are to us, the more they want to drink our blood.'" (Utterance of "Macbeth")"

He thought for a moment, and finally spoke: "Our Majesty is not a stubborn man like Charles I, he will follow the trend of the times and become a king who is supported by the people." ”