Chapter 2372 The King's Shadow (Part 2)

In Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey", in order to keep Odysseus on the island forever, Calypso intends to give him eternal life.

Still, Odysseus intends to go home to see his predictably aging wife, who has been waiting for him for twenty years.

There were a lot of people gathered in this drawing room, young people and people like Maria Edgeworth, who was in her thirties, an old lady in this day and age.

Maria Edgeworth, who was eagerly discussing a topic with another woman, also a little older, stopped the conversation when they saw Georgiana approaching, and bowed to her.

"Good morning, ladies." Georgiana walked over.

"Good morning," Maria answered together with the old maid.

"What are you talking about?"

"This is Miss Elizabeth Lamont, we are talking about her new book." Maria introduced.

"What book is so interesting that you neglect breakfast." Georgiana asked.

Mrs. De Vaudet had arranged a table covered with a white cloth, on which a buffet of sandwiches and coffee was placed, and guests could chat while drinking coffee.

Lamont glanced at Edgeworth, who hesitated a little and said, "It's a collection of conversations, a conversation between an Ionian hat merchant and a jazz."

"Oh, what did they talk about?" She just asked casually, thinking they were talking about fashion topics like hats.

"It's about enclosures, ma'am, but they lived in the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth's time, and for what do you think she encouraged enclosures?" Edgeworth said.

Georgiana was too shocked to speak.

"The farmer considers the sheep to be the cause of all evil, because they add more value than all kinds of food, and thus drive agriculture out of the country. The squire becomes a rancher, and the yields of the land increase, causing rents to rise, and the farmer has to pay more to support his family, he was obliged to raise the price of his produce, so that the merchant and hatter had to spend more money on food. Seeing enclosures in this way ruined everyone, because they made the system All the people of the country pay a higher price for the possession of the former land, and the prices of all kinds of goods rise accordingly. Savings, and the land price in the New World is very cheap..."

"Where's the hatter? What did he say?" Georgiana interrupted Maria Edgeworth.

"He chatted about the mint, and the king made up for her losses by coinage," said Lamont, "because his majesty needs all kinds of cannon, anchors, wire rope, pitch, tar, steel, pistols, black powder to arm the navy. , these things he must buy from abroad, the price of which is determined by foreigners, even ignoring her other expenses, these expenses are borne by the king and nobles, and she obviously cannot rely on the taxes paid to her by her subjects. , the subjects need to have money before she can apportion it to the subjects, what if they have no money? Who will buy the hats of this foreign hat merchant? This is undoubtedly a question worth discussing, because the hats are exported in England It is made of wool, processed and sold at a higher price, and it is impossible for a farmer to sell his products at a lower price. Unless the prices of plows, wheelbarrows, and wool products are reduced accordingly, it will be difficult for him to live.”

"Who are you?" Georgiana asked Elizabeth Lamont.

"I am from Aberdeen, Scotland, ma'am. My brother is a member of the House of Commons. He is very worried about the Corn Law." Elizabeth replied, "The price of grain in the United States is obviously lower than that in the United Kingdom. The British grain is exported almost every year, but it is very expensive." There are few foreign imports, and the low price of foreign grain will make local farmers bankrupt. Although the reduction of grain production in the Baltic Sea has caused soaring food prices and social panic, a resistance movement broke out and banned foreign grain imports. It may be contradictory to say that grain Higher prices have also led to higher rents, and much of the land that had been converted to pasture not so long ago has been replanted with grain, because we no longer depend on wool, but on cotton."

"Her brother is the one who spoke in the House of Commons and asked the United States to pay back its pre-war debts in accordance with the Paris Peace Treaty." Maria Edgeworth said, "The asylum you opened in Paris used to belong to the Church of Scotland, and later Turned into a prison..."

"Wow." Georgiana exclaimed in disbelief.

"I didn't ask you to take me in." Elizabeth said with a smile, "There are other Scotch church monasteries in continental Europe. I heard that the monastery in Bavaria is very good at making cheese. I want to visit there during this trip."

"Which publisher would dare publish your book?" Georgiana asked, wishing to see who was so desperate.

"Do you think France will publish such a book?" Elizabeth asked.

Georgiana felt like saying no.

"America's land is not necessarily cheap." Georgiana said, "For example, in Louisiana, a lot of land is very poor. If you want to meet the standards for growing food, you need to improve the land, so they also need to invest in costs."

Both Elizabeth and Mary looked at her in bewilderment.

"The land used to breed sheep is usually very barren." Elizabeth said after thinking for a while, "I have to say that the waste of food in the United States is unimaginable in Europe."

"Developed agriculture at least makes them look tall and strong."

"Ma'am." Georgiana turned her head and looked at the young man. "The First Consul called you."

"Have some breakfast." Georgiana glanced back at the Corsican short and said to the two, "Don't waste the food."

"What will you do with Chiara?" Elizabeth said suddenly.

Georgiana, who was about to leave, looked at Lamont.

"She won't be able to go to the Louvre anymore?" Elizabeth continued.

"Yes, she can continue to work in the Louvre in the future." Georgiana looked at Lamont and replied, "I will not bury talents because of some gossip."

Then she turned and followed the young man to Bonaparte.

Looking at him, Georgiana thought of Prince Eugen, whose mother was Louis XIV's "first love", but he didn't get any preference because of it. The depressed teenager left France and volunteered to participate in the Siege of Vienna. Later participated in the War of the Spanish Crown that broke out in Italy, causing France to lose Italy.

At that time, she was still "Linda Smith" and went to Europe for honeymoon with Mr. Smith. Like most "sensible people", she opposed aggression and expansion.

A vast territory means resources, even Siberia has wood and fur. But Machiavelli also believes that even a republic on orbit will inevitably cause a lot of damage due to foreign military use, just like the situation where Rome and Hannibal occupied Capua. If Capua is farther away from Rome, Sparta The Kremlin uprising took place here. This land of leisure and pleasure is enough to confuse the morale of the army. Rome in Hannibal's time was not as corrupt as it was in the later period, so Machiavelli believed that if Capua was farther away from Rome, the bad habits acquired by soldiers here would be difficult to correct, or Rome If the Republic is contaminated with bad habits through exchanges and shows signs of corruption, then the gains from conquest will be meaningless, and it will even bring about the collapse of the Roman Republic.

Occupy foreign lands, foreign customs enter the breast of Rome, frugality and other very good virtues give way, luxury and money take root, they can make the conqueror conquered.

Like Antony succumbing to the charms of Cleopatra and life at the Egyptian court.

She walked over and touched his arm lightly. The woolen uniform felt a little rough to the touch, not as smooth as the purple silk.

"Come on," said Bonaparte, smiling to Georgiana.

"where to?"

He withdrew the hand that was touched by her, and helped her to leave the living room and came to the garden outside. There was a group of people standing there. Standing French soldiers, they wear tall hats to make themselves look tall.

"Mercy!" one of the young men yelled at Georgiana before she could get close.

"Please let us go!" A thin woman beside him also cried.

This scene made her unbearable, and she looked at Bonaparte.

He looked at her calmly.

"This... this is..."

"Didn't you say that as long as you get married, you don't need to perform military service." He said calmly with his hands behind his back, "These two are painters, and they used to live in an abandoned house in the forest."

She was a little unresponsive.

"Are you willing to marry him? Emily, as long as you marry Quincy, you don't have to hide anywhere, and Quincy doesn't have to do military service, but you can no longer live in the place you were before." Bonaparte said to The two said loudly.

Not only Georgiana, but even Emily and Quincy were taken aback.

"Will you marry him, Emilie?" repeated Bonaparte.

Emily hesitated.

But Quincy didn't beg her, or ask Emily to agree to keep himself alive.

Georgiana pulled a diamond ring from her finger and threw it to Quincy.

"Whoever proposes doesn't give a ring." Georgiana said meeting Quincy's eyes.

Quincy didn't immediately go to pick up the ring on the grass. At this moment, Father Gregoire came out from the crowd of onlookers. He picked up the ring and handed it to Quincy.

"Today we gather in front of God and the guests to witness the sacred wedding of the couple. This is a precious treasure left by God since the creation of the world. Therefore, we should not enter at will, but should be respectful and serious." Gregory "If anyone knows of any reason why this marriage cannot take place, please speak up, or keep silent forever," Va said.

Grégoire deliberately paused, and no one spoke, so he said again, "I order you to confess before the Lord any reason that prevents your union."

"I have nothing." Quincy said, looking at Emily, "but I love you forever."

"What about you?" Gregoire asked Emily.

Tears filled her eyes, and she looked at the people around her almost in despair.

"Are you willing to accept him as your legal husband, to live with him by God's decree, to live with him in a holy marriage contract?" asked Grégoire.

Emily covered her mouth and cried.

"I want to set up an art gallery in Mechelen, where Quincy can work." Georgiana said aside.

Emily nodded now, and Quincy held her tightly with open arms.

There was warm applause all around.

"Where do you plan to build an art museum?" Bonaparte asked amidst the cheers of the crowd.

"Do you mind if I use some of the Louvre's 'inventory'?" she asked back.

"No!" He immediately vetoed it.

"So what if I use a copy?" She asked again. "Someone asked me what to do with Chiara just now. I asked her to come back to work and continue to copy the painting."

He smiled contortedly.

She didn't pinch him again, although she wanted to.

At this time, Quincy let go of Emily and put the ring that Georgiana gave her on Emily's hand.

She looked at the pair of young men and women who were kissing in front of everyone, and she felt sore in her heart.

"If you like that ring, I'll give you another like it," said Bonaparte.

Not wanting to talk to him at all, she turned and left.

Why didn't she think of it? This place would be great for a wedding, just need to move the buffet out. Although the weather was a bit cold, not as warm as May for roses, it was full of Belgian rhododendrons. This kind of flower blooms all year round, including the den battelaer forest and the greenhouse in Antwerp that Georgiana has been to before, and they look equally beautiful.