The third more

Hugo has been in a state of uncertainty lately, always feeling that something is going to happen.

At this time, he had been away from Paris for many years, unaware that a major change was taking place in his former homeland. A young man with a sharp edge made his mark on the Parisian stage, and gradually replaced the attention of the older generation of writers. Those who loved him have always been fond of talent, and those who hate him have never given up any opportunity to denigrate.

Although many people do not recognize Galian's literary status, they have to admit that this man has always been firmly at the center of public opinion in Paris.

On the contrary, they have been away for too long, and ordinary people have gradually forgotten the name Hugo. Except for the brief sensation caused by the letter in Paris, which was quickly extinguished, even Bonaparte III secretly cursed, "The ghost of the old man does not die." ”

For a while, the name Hugo was not allowed to appear in the newspapers of Paris. Napoleon III will recall the horror of being dominated by the book "Little Napoleon" in 1852.

The commotion in Paris finally reached Brussels a month and a half later, and it was due to an accident.

Gautier finally couldn't stand the martial law in the Parisian literary and artistic circles and began to run abroad. Originally, he advocated aestheticism that was not tied to political and social morality, but the government did not let go of his writings either. After the two more poems were banned on charges of immorality, he finally couldn't bear the torture of literary prison, and took the train to Brussels alone to relax, visiting Hugo by the way.

After getting off the train, Gautier visited Hugo, who was scheduled to settle in Brussels, according to his previous mailing address.

It is not easy to find people in a foreign country, and when I found it in front of the Brussels square, I noticed a carriage that stopped in the square.

I saw a familiar figure struggling to carry furniture to the carriage, pausing from time to time and resting against the wall. The former nobles of the House of Lords of the July Dynasty are now in exile, which can not help but make people sigh.

"Your Excellency Hugo."

Gautier waved his hand excitedly and ran across the street. The old man carrying the luggage stopped what he was doing, raised his head, squinted his eyes at the stranger running over, and suddenly realized that it was a former friend.

"Is it Gautier?"

Hugo looked at the acquaintance in front of him in surprise and asked softly, "Wait, have you also been kicked out by the Bonaparte government?" ”

"Not really."

Gautier shook his head, he couldn't tell the other party that he was now a member of the Bonaparte royal family, otherwise Hugo might break off his friendship with Gautier on the spot.

So he cleverly shifted the conversation to the other side.

"Your Excellency Hugo, are you moving?"

"Ah, yes......"

Hugo sighed, pointed to the suitcase on the ground, and whispered, "A few days ago, the Belgian government suddenly ordered me to be expelled from Brussels for unknown reasons. I heard that it was pressure from Paris, and I had no choice but to go to England now. I didn't want any of the furniture, so I simply sold it, but I couldn't throw away the manuscripts in the suitcase. My wife and daughter went to London first, and when I was done with everything, I set off on my way. ”

With great difficulty, he picked up the suitcase and carried it in his hand.

When Gautier heard this, a look of surprise appeared on his face.

"Is it about the epistle?

"Letters? What Epistles? ”

Hugo asked curiously, "What are you talking about, Lord Gautier?" ”

"Are you saying that someone pretended to be me and published an article against Napoleon III's invasion of the Old Summer Palace? And Napoleon III was furious when he saw this article and banned a newspaper? ”

He relayed everything that had happened to Hugo, and also asked for information about the letter to verify its authenticity. He, like many in Paris, did not believe that the letter came from Victor Hugo.

"Hahaha, no wonder."

Hugo, who was still puzzled, was cheerful, he was first surprised, and then laughed.

I didn't expect someone in Paris to fight Napoleon III in his name.

"No wonder Napoleon III was so angry that he even pressured the Belgian government to get rid of me, but I didn't expect him to be put behind his back. In the past, he still tried to win over the leftists and the people, but now he has pierced that hypocritical face. Hehe, the government is sometimes a robber, but the people never will, that's a good saying. Napoleon III wanted to disguise himself as a friend of the people, but he never thought that his hypocritical face would be directly pierced. ”

Looking at the newspaper clippings delivered by Gautier, Hugo suddenly remembered the manuscript he was still revising in his hand, and remembered that in this drunken capitalist society, the increasingly acute contradictions and the disparity between the rich and the poor have allowed a painful fate to envelop the lower classes.

From 1852 onwards, he pondered three pressing social problems: poverty degraded men, hunger degraded women, and darkness weakened children.

Hugo was firmly on the side of the republic, because he firmly believed that only the republican system could guarantee social fairness, not cultivate a group of greedy and corrupt bureaucratic moths and a group of parasites that suck human blood.

"So what should I do?"

Seeing Hugo expelled by the Belgian government made me feel guilty. Hugo should not have suffered such a crime in the first place. And the culprit who planned this incident is still at large.

However, Hugo's next attitude was something that Gautier did not expect. He shook his head, and said generously, "So be it, and state to the others that the letter is indeed my handwriting, so that no one will doubt it." It doesn't matter what my situation is, it's important to let Napoleon III know that there are still people in Paris who are crusading against Napoleon III's tyranny, and that's enough. ”

"But you're being taken advantage of......"

"Whatever."

Hugo motioned to Gautier not to clarify the problem, and to make the mistake go on.

"His Excellency Hugo reminds me of another Parisian man of letters."

"Oh? Who is it? ”

"A young man."

Although he had a life-and-death duel with Garian before, he had an appreciative attitude towards what Garian did.

He single-handedly singled out the conservative faction of the Catholic Church, wrote "1984" and "The Sixth Prison" and various poems satirizing the Parisian government, which received great praise. Obviously a staunch revolutionary republican position, he later became a guest of honor at Princess Mathilde's mansion and participated in the Christmas celebration of the Bonaparte royal family. In order to curb the spread of syphilis, a safe TAO product called Durex was also specially developed. ”

Although Gautier hated Garion, he did not deny the young man's achievements in Paris.

"Oh yes, and your old rival Mérimée, who was also dumbfounded by him. Some even refer to him as the successor after Hugo, but of course not many people agree with this statement, although I have a holiday with this young man, but I have to be his effort. ”

Gautier chattered while Hugo listened quietly and patiently.

The connection class everyone appeared, and Hugo's heart was naturally mixed. He stacked his luggage into a resting chair and sat on it. One last glance at the Brussels fountain in front of him.

"There is no need for a successor, young people should have young people's ideas, and there is also a way for him to go, and the old road will not work."

Hugo shook his head with a smile and said teasingly, "Although there is no shortage of successors, I am now missing a son-in-law." It's time for Adele to get married. That guy Balzac had praised Adele's beauty in front of me before, but unfortunately, this guy left earlier than me, so he didn't have a chance. ”

"By the way, what's his name?"

Gautier said seriously, "His name is Garion. ”

Hugo remembered the name in his heart, and he whispered, "I hope that one day in the future, I can have afternoon tea with this rising star." ”