"You're going to organize the Volunteers against us?" This unexpected answer made Charles stunned.

Today, France's army strength is the first power in Europe, and it has been deeply feared by the rest of Europe for many years, but the count still confidently declares in front of him that he is not afraid of French interference at all, and wants to follow the example of the French people in those years and organize to defeat the intervention of European countries.

In any case, this pride is worth appreciating.

Although he says that he is not an idealist but a pragmatist, judging by his performance, Charles can always feel a kind of idealistic brilliance.

This is normal, if there is no idealism, who would put a good life of a rich man and choose to do such a dangerous thing?

"I understand your feelings for the Russian people, but I think you are a little overconfident, Russia is not a country like France." Charles sighed softly, "The simplest question is, what is the basis of your revolution?" As far as I know, the people of Russia are generally poor, the people are generally uneducated, they are tired enough just trying to survive, they don't understand what freedom is, they don't understand that you are saving them - so you can't get their response, so what kind of people can you rely on? It's nothing more than a group of people who have ideals and are willing to die, their spirit may be great, but their numbers are certainly small, can they support the revolution you want? If you have to face all of Europe, you don't even have enough people to prop up an army against us. If there is no bayonet to defend it, then the spirit will not survive no matter how great it is......"

"You're right. That's why I'm longing for your interference! The count burst out laughing, "The Russian people have little knowledge, though. They may not understand for a moment the effort and meaning of our unchaining of them, but they know what love is. They love their land, they love their whole Russian mother! As soon as you intervene, Mother Russia will be threatened with catastrophe, and this will arouse their enthusiasm, and they will stop at nothing to stand up in front of your bayonets! And then, the flame you bring with you will move them more than our thousand words. I have great affection and respect for the French nation, and their performance during those twenty years has convinced me that an awakened nation is indestructible - if you do come. Then the Russian nation will wake up in the face of the European attack, take up the sword, defend the Mother, and defend the newfound freedom! ”

Such a passionate and contagious declaration did not impress the Charles, but it made him understand that Count Bezukhov had made up his mind on the matter, and firmly believed that everything he was doing was right and for the benefit of the people he loved. In the presence of such people. No matter how much cold water is poured, it is meaningless.

He also doesn't want to engage in pointless verbal battles with others. Truth be told, they were now engaged in a hypothetical question, so there was no point in arguing about it - whether the Count's cause would succeed or not was a matter of two years, and resistance to the intervention of the French army was a matter of a long time. He didn't have to think about it at all, the mere overthrow of the Tsar's rule was enough to drain his energy.

The question before Charles was simple, whether he wanted to cooperate with Count Bezukhov or not.

And he didn't see any reason not to cooperate. Ultimately. As long as it is beneficial to him now, what has become of Russia and what does it matter to him?

"Okay. Sir, I have no comment on the revolution you are looking forward to. This is Russia's internal affair, and we do not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. Charles sighed softly, "But we do not mind having one more friend when it is necessary to be hostile to His Majesty the Tsar, and a friend of great strength and prestige. ”

"Then when will you become enemies of the Tsar?" The Count asked rhetorically.

"I can't say for sure." "We are pursuing a foreign policy of goodwill and friendship with all nations, at least for now, and do not want to be an enemy of anyone. ”

"I'm not a diplomat, but I know you're just a lie." The Count glanced at him coldly, "One country cannot and cannot be friendly with all. And as far as I know, you have reached some kind of tacit agreement with the British, and this tacit understanding means that a war against Russia is imminent. ”

Although he was tempted to ask him where the source of the news was, Charles didn't do it in the end, because he knew that even if he asked, he wouldn't tell.

"I don't know where you got the news, but I think that's a very biased statement." Charles forcibly denied the other party's words, "There is no doubt that the British have some kind of dissatisfaction with some of the practices of your country, but this dissatisfaction has not reached the point of wanting to fight each other, and besides, France is even more friendly to your country - we are a newly created regime, and we are already anxious about domestic affairs, and we cannot imagine making an ......enemy of a powerful country."

"Mr. Treville...... You are indeed a qualified diplomat. After looking at Charles in a daze, the Count couldn't help laughing, "Well, I don't mind if you tell me the truth, and I don't expect you and Monsieur Bonaparte to go to war against Russia immediately, I just want to tell you that as long as you lead France against the Tsar and crush his supporters, then you can get whatever you want, within my ability." ”

"I don't want to be an enemy of anyone, but ......," Charles said, still dodging to keep him from getting any grip on him, and then looking at the count with interest, "I'm still intrigued by you, and I assume for a moment...... If, I mean, if France is unfortunate enough to be an enemy of the Tsar, what reward will you give me? ”

"I am rich, and you should not doubt it, after all, I have just paid you two hundred thousand francs." Count Bezukhov straightened his back, "I am proposing this deal to you, first, to protect some of my men who are in danger, and secondly, to prove to you my sincerity and financial resources—please believe that whoever can give you two hundred thousand francs for nothing will be able to give you another two million francs for nothing." ”

In fact, your son only gave me 150,000, and he took the remaining 50,000 for his own sake—Charles did not say that.

"That sounds like an interesting proposition." Charles was still noncommittal, "But...... I think you may have misunderstood me that I don't value money that much. ”

"Wow! You don't value money! I was taken aback! Sir, as far as I know, your grandfather was the child of an old French aristocratic family, and when I was in Paris, your great-grandfather was beheaded by a mob! As a result, your grandfather changed his way and threw himself into Bonaparte's men, and you? You also continue the tradition and continue to serve that man's nephew! The Count glanced at Charles again, and there was no admiration in it, and certainly no contempt, but a kind of indifference at the sight of people with different values, "I am convinced that it is not only loyalty to the Emperor that compels you to do this, but more likely to be motivated by a pragmatist motive - fame, fortune, and a position beyond ordinary people, for these things." Maybe the number two million isn't appealing enough to you, but I don't believe you don't value money. ”

"I'm afraid that even you can't mention the numbers that appeal to me." Charles shrugged, "I admit that I'm not a person who is indifferent to fame and fortune, but I think I am indeed a person with high aspirations. We, the Treville family, are always greedy, and we are not as greedy as ordinary people, some people like to steal small coppers, and we only rob gold francs. ”

The Count continued to look at Charles, until at last he was sure that Charles was indeed unmoved by the monetary offer.

"Okay, so what are you going to want?" The Count straightened his back again. "Mr. Treville, I have sincerity."

When he said this, Charles finally smiled slightly. He used his dodge to gain himself an advantage in the negotiations - it was the Count who was anxious for the liberation of Russia, not him, so he could naturally go to the Count's appetite, and the Count did not know that they had really decided to go to war with Russia in the near future, which was indeed an unbalanced negotiation.

"First of all, I would like you to come up with a figure commensurate with the fame of the Bezukhov and Tréville families, two million is a remarkable figure for the average man, but too shabby for us, for the fate of the two great nations and peoples, France and Russia...... It's a little sorry for them. Charles sneered, and there was always something indescribable in his expression. Secondly, if you succeed, I can try to get France to recognize your victory, but, in return, I would like to force you to give an assurance, that if there is any armed conflict between France and other countries after the revolution has really taken place, Russia, a Russia in which you are in power, must remain friendly and neutral. ”

"You mean, in addition to heavy bribes, you are asking Russia to stay out of Europe for the time being?" The Count immediately understood what he meant.

"I won't stop you, if you want to understand it that way, what I'm talking to you about is now a hypothetical question." Charles was still noncommittal, "but I think that counteracting foreign interference by non-interference is a good deal—and even if you succeed, no matter how smooth your revolution is, you probably won't have the power to look beyond Europe in ten or twenty years, will you?" ”

"I can promise you that." After a moment's thought, the Count nodded. (To be continued.) )