The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 766 - 363: Two-Faced Stendhal_2

However, Victor’s opinion of Stendhal was not merely one of disdain; he truly acknowledged the abilities of this profit-chasing man.

Although his position in the military supply department was secured by his cousin Earl Pierre Daru, Stendhal himself actually performed rather well there. During Napoleon’s most disgraceful retreat from Moscow, Stendhal, serving as a quartermaster, displayed exceptional calmness and composure.

But one noteworthy point was Stendhal’s claim that after Napoleon abdicated in 1814, he had declined an important position offered by the restored Bourbon Dynasty, which did not match the official documents Victor had.

In official records, not only had Stendhal not refused any positions, but he had also promptly betrayed Napoleon and immediately sworn loyalty to the restored Louis XVIII.

The reason he later did not remain in France was simply that Louis XVIII took no interest in him.

When Stendhal left Paris for Milan, he actually had quite a sum of money on him, for after all, someone working for years in such a lucrative part as the military supply division could not be penniless.

As for why he later ended up impoverished in Milan, one must mention Mr. Stendhal’s failed literary career and his consistently disastrous romantic endeavors.

Before "The Red and the Black," Stendhal had already published several works. Among these, the most successful was "On Love," published in 1822.

How successful was this book?

According to Victor’s meticulous investigation, "On Love" sold a total of 17 copies over ten years.

And of those seventeen, one copy had already been sent to Arthur along with Victor’s letters.

However, even though his publishing sales were dismal, Mr. Stendhal did not reduce his level of spending.

He had just arrived in Milan when an old lover in Milan started causing trouble with him.

The lady informed Stendhal that her husband was very jealous of her relationship with him and hoped he would leave Milan and cut off all ties with her.

To prove himself, Stendhal immediately gave the old lover 3,000 Francs for a trip.

Afterward, Stendhal even bribed the lady’s maid, hoping she would speak well of him.

The maid told Stendhal that actually, everything the lady had told him was a lie: her husband was not jealous at all, and she had only said so because she feared Stendhal might encounter her new lovers.

Unconvinced, Stendhal hid in the lady’s rural temporary residence’s wardrobe that very night, arranged by the maid, peering through the keyhole to confirm the cunning schemes the lady had played on him.

When Arthur read this, he almost visualized Victor’s uncontrollable grin.

"If you want to get words out of this gentleman, just invite him for drinks. As long as he drinks enough, he will tell you everything. Don’t be fooled by his reserved appearance; this guy is cut from the same cloth as Yulian in his works. But he doesn’t have Yulian’s handsome face nor his courage to risk it all. While I still have no concrete evidence, I have heard that he once tried to seduce the wife of his cousin, Earl Daru, who secured his position in the military supply department. Unfortunately, his ’formulaic approach’ failed."

By the way, Stendhal greatly detested clericalism in thought. But while in Milan, he was always working for the Pope. The Pope had sent him to work at the consulate in Trieste, but because he supported liberals and couldn’t keep his mouth shut, the Austrians controlling the area were unwilling to accept him. Infuriated, this gentleman huffed back to Paris, intending to pick up his pen and continue his dream of becoming a great playwright.

If you could keep this gentleman in London, the Security Department would be very pleased. Although he poses no real threat to our operations in Paris, his mouth is truly annoying. I know he lacks the courage for a revolution, but he does like associating with revolutionaries, forcing us to keep him under surveillance. I have already told you all the techniques to manage him in my letter; the choice is yours."

Lastly, my dear friend, on the significant favor I did you, don’t send Dumas or the young Bonaparte back to Paris at the last moment. If you must release them, please notify me in advance with the time and place of their landing in France; I will arrange for their pickup."

While Arthur was still pondering how to handle Stendhal, he had just come to his senses when he saw the man already kneeling on one knee, performing the hand-kissing ritual to exhibit his loyalty to Louis.

"I... I really didn’t expect to see you in London. France has long been bereft of Napoleon’s glory, and you wouldn’t believe how many in Paris constantly miss the leadership of the purest Bonaparte like you carrying France forward."

Looking at Stendhal’s excited but utterly insincere face, the Red Devil burst into laughter, slapping his thigh, "Today I’ve truly seen Yulian himself, Arthur. You could learn quite a bit from him."

Arthur paid no attention to the Red Devil; he just glanced at the flattered Louis, then lit his pipe, pushed open the door, and walked out.

He had no interest in participating in such farcical acts. Although he occasionally engaged in such behavior himself, seeing someone who exceeded him in every way still made him somewhat uncomfortable.