The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 651 - 319: The Handover of an Era_2

And later when he discovered that Voltaire was illegally reselling Prussian national debts, he merely laughed and said, ’Our philosopher friend here doesn’t quite act like a philosopher when it comes to money,’ before he swept the matter under the rug.

Talleyrand, slightly intoxicated, with a flush on his cheeks, said, "When I discovered Voltaire’s experiences, I felt like I struck gold. As leaders of the Enlightenment movement, both were distinguished figures; why should I choose the life of hardship like Rousseau, instead of the pleasurable life of Voltaire? So, from that moment on, I decided to replicate the successful path of Voltaire. Of course, I don’t have the talent for literary creation like Voltaire, so I had to work harder on this ’gift of gab’."

Arthur topped up Talleyrand’s glass, "Looking at the results, your efforts with the ’gift of gab’ were clearly very successful."

Talleyrand laughed heartily in response, "No, it wasn’t just my effort, but also because Madame du Barry was indeed a very enchanting woman. She was kind, and she loved to seek enjoyment in life. To some extent, her feelings for me were not that of a lover’s, but more like the care and curiosity of an elder woman toward an impetuous youth."

"I remember she once asked me, ’Why are you always so gloomy? Is it bad luck, or are you just being modest?’"

"And I, who had just graduated from the Theological Seminary but was struggling to make a name for myself, told her, ’Finding a woman in Paris is much easier than finding a monastery.’"

"Perhaps my melancholic mood moved her, or maybe she liked my Voltaire-esque response. So, it wasn’t long before she secured me a position as a bishop of a monastery. The generous salary and ample free time allowed me to escape tedious and useless secular matters and spend more time in social circles."

"It was with this bishopric that I could attend various grand social gatherings and meet many people who would later be of help to me. I even had the fortune of meeting Mr. Voltaire himself when he returned to Paris to spend his twilight years, from whom I learned quite a bit about making witty remarks."

"The only regret is that I couldn’t protect my fortunate beginning—Madame du Barry—during the Great Revolution. She was naive and good-hearted but lacked an understanding of politics and human nature, which ultimately led her to the guillotine."

Upon hearing this, Arthur smiled and asked, "It seems you are quite nostalgic for the old era."

Talleyrand, with one hand on the back of his chair, gently swirled his wine glass, "You young people can never understand such feelings. In my view, those who did not live around 1789 cannot comprehend what the true pleasure of life means. The society back then still held many of the old traditions of Europe, while the subsequent Great Revolution swept them all away.

People back then still maintained proper noble etiquette, but those so-called politicians that followed were nothing but ruffians, thugs, thieves, robbers, and fraudsters. Frankly, many of them did indeed engage in such activities." freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Arthur, upon hearing this, suddenly remembered something and recited word for word, "If I were born twenty years earlier, I would have been a true Royalist, living out my life in peace. If I were born twenty years later, I would have been a steadfast proponent of the new ideologies, vowing to create a new era. Regrettably, I was born at a time of transition; thus, all I can do is stand here, gripping the iron wheel of the world to prevent the European Continent from derailing once again."

Talleyrand’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, and his swirling of the wine glass momentarily stalled.

He was silent for a while, then burst into an unbridled laugh, "My boy, if you had been in France half a century earlier, you certainly would have been the next Voltaire. But on second thought, being Arthur Hastings in England half a century later isn’t so bad either.

Just as you said, at least you can be a steadfast proponent of new ideologies without any burden, vowing to create a new era."

He sighed, "Perhaps I really am getting old, always saying this and that. The older I get, the more I tend to reminisce about the past; it seems I’m indeed lagging behind the youth. Of course, I’ve no interest in continuing to associate with thieves, robbers, and fraudsters."

"You can solve problems with the nobility using a few witty words, but dealing with a bunch of ruffians requires a knife. So, leave such matters to energetic young people like you."

Having said this, Talleyrand slowly stood up and took his coat from the rack. As he buttoned up his hat, he said, "The item you want will be sent to you the day after tomorrow. But be careful, learn your strategic boundaries before you act. You’re young, and you’re not in desperate straits; there’s no need to risk your life unless absolutely necessary.

"My boy, I must say, you’re very lucky. With your status, if you had been born twenty years earlier, you’d never have had the chance to reach your current position, let alone progress further. But now the times have changed, the entry threshold for the upper classes has been lowered from the less-valued younger sons of noble families to ambitious young men like you."

Arthur stood up, doffed his hat, and thanked him, "Even luckier for me, though I have not met Voltaire, I have received your precious guidance."