The Fox of France

On a Sunday afternoon, just after lunch, Armand took Joseph to a café near the Archbishop's Palace. The Archbishop's Palace was the private domain of the Duke of Orleans, a high-ranking noble, and the eldest son of the Duke, who also happened to be named Joseph, had transformed the palace's corridors into various shops and cafes. Since these places were the private domains of the nobility, the royal police had no jurisdiction here, making it a haven for ordinary citizens – a place where the law did not apply.

As a result, this area became a hub for all kinds of "illegal activities" in Paris, and there was nothing quite like it. Smuggling, trading in contraband, and gatherings of organizations conspiring against the church and the king often took place here. It later became a significant meeting place for the famous Jacobin Club.

The man responsible for all this, Charles, Duke of Orleans (later inheriting his father's title and becoming the new Duke of Orleans), was a relative of the king and one of France's most prominent feudal lords. Yet, he was a staunch liberal, a devoted follower of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and a firm believer in the Enlightenment. He advocated for the establishment of a democratic, constitutional monarchy in France, with a clear separation of church and state. He also believed in abolishing the feudal system and slavery, and he counted many "conspirators" among his friends.

Armand and Joseph took a seat by the window in the café. The afternoon sun streamed through the window, illuminating a bright red rose placed in the center of their table.

"It seems we've arrived earlier than Mr. D'Ennade," Armand said with a smile.

A waitress approached them and asked, "What can I get for you, gentlemen?"

"Two cups of coffee, please," Armand replied.

The waitress retreated and soon returned with a tray, placing two cups of coffee in front of them.

"Six sous," she said.

Charles, the Duke, rented the shops at a low cost, but he had a condition: the prices of goods in these shops had to be relatively affordable. Sometimes, the Duke himself would disguise as a commoner, wearing trousers, and wander through these cafes, bars, and other shops.

Armand placed eight sous on the waitress's tray. She thanked him and left.

"Joseph, you can't stay cooped up in your room all the time. You should come here often, mingle, and meet various people. You'll learn a lot," Armand remarked, taking a sip of his coffee.

Joseph was about to respond when the café's door swung open once more. A man in his forties, wearing a gray woolen short coat, entered. He craned his neck, scanning the surroundings.

Armand waved his arm, trying to get his attention. Then he said to Joseph, "That's Captain D'Ennade. His eyes are as blind as a bear's in the Ardennes forest, and he can't see very well from a distance."

D'Ennade had obviously spotted them and made his way over, pulling a chair to sit beside them.

"Armand, it's true my eyes are as blind as a bear's, but my ears and nose are as sharp as a bear's too. I heard everything you said," D'Ennade laughed. "Well, is this Mr. Bonaparte, I presume? I am Henri D'Ennade, the director of the Dragon and Rose Theatre. You can call me Henri."

As he spoke, D'Ennade extended his hand to Joseph. Joseph shook it and said, "Joseph Bonaparte. I'm Armand's classmate..."

"Close friend," Armand added.

"You can call me Joseph," Joseph said.

"Well, Joseph, my purpose for being here, Armand should have told you," D'Ennade said. "For a long time now, our theater company has been in need of a well-educated playwright. I've been trying to convince Armand, but he's a lazy fellow and always takes his time. The last idea you provided us was splendid, especially the applause during the final curtain. The audience nearly tore the roof off with their clapping. After reviewing some of the scripts you translated, along with Armand's recommendation, I believe you can easily replace Armand as the playwright. I just wonder if you're interested in working part-time for my theater company."

As they discussed their collaboration and compensation, the café's door opened once again. It was a common occurrence in a place like this, people coming and going, and nobody paid much attention to it. A man in his thirties, wearing a black hat, green eyes, and a light red beard, walked in. He glanced around and spotted Armand and his companions. He walked over.

"Armand, I never expected to run into you here," he said.

"Ah, Mr. Philippe," Armand's words noticeably faltered when he saw this Mr. Philippe. He hurriedly stood up and introduced the other two, "This is my classmate Joseph, Joseph Bonaparte. And this is Mr. D'Ennade, the director of the Dragon and Rose Theatre."

Joseph and D'Ennade stood as well, offering their greetings to Mr. Philippe.

"No need to be so formal. Please, have a seat," Mr. Philippe said. "I'd like to introduce myself. I'm a friend of Armand's uncle, Mr. Lavaux, so I know Armand. I had some free time today, saw Armand here, and decided to say hello. So, what were you all discussing?"

"Mr. D'Ennade is the director of the Dragon and Rose Theatre, and he's looking for a playwright with a good sense of art. My classmate Joseph here fits the bill, so I introduced them," Armand quickly explained.

"The Dragon and Rose Theatre?" Mr. Philippe smiled. "Ah, the one that staged 'The Governor of the Island,' right? I watched it. The performance was impressive, especially during the final curtain when your Sampson suddenly stood up and turned out to be the tallest actor on stage. It was quite amusing. But what I liked most was your message – the noble are not always wise and upright, and the humble can be noble. The script was excellent! Who wrote it?"

Although Mr. D'Ennade didn't know Mr. Philippe's background, he could tell from Armand's attitude and Mr. Philippe's claim of being Mr. Lavaux's friend that Mr. Philippe was far from ordinary. He was likely a person of high status, or perhaps… a theory suddenly emerged in Mr. D'Ennade's mind.

So he respectfully replied, "Mr. Philippe, I originally drafted the script myself, and then Armand helped me refine it. As for the idea to have the tallest actor play Sampson, that was Mr. Bonaparte's creative touch."

"Ah, Armand, it's good to hear that you've been doing something meaningful," Mr. Philippe said with a smile. "Mr. D'Ennade, well, Joseph, I'm sure you both will create more remarkable works in the future."

With that, he stood, tipped his hat slightly, and said, "I see a friend of mine has arrived. I must take my leave."

After saying this, he walked away from their table and moved to another part of the café.

Seeing Mr. Philippe depart, Armand lowered his voice and said, "Joseph, this Mr. Philippe…"

Armand lowered his voice as well and said, "He's the owner of this place, Louis Philippe Joseph, Duke of Orleans, Charles Duke. I never expected to run into him here."

"This is the Duke of Orleans?" Joseph was taken aback. "He doesn't look like a high-ranking noble at all."

"The Duke is an unusual noble. He's the complete opposite of the queen," Armand whispered.

Joseph was not well-versed in history, but he knew some basic facts about the upcoming French Revolution. He understood the dangers of getting too involved with influential figures, especially during the turbulent times ahead. He even considered finding an excuse to return to Corsica before the Revolution started.

The three of them continued to discuss their collaboration and compensation before bidding each other farewell.

Upon returning to their lodging, they found Father Jean-Jacques with a letter in his hand. "Ah, Joseph, you're back? Your brother sent you a letter."

Joseph eagerly took the letter, thanked Father Jean-Jacques, and retreated to his room. He sat at the small table by his window, used a small knife to open the envelope, and read the contents.

The letter contained information Joseph was already aware of – Napoleon had secured the recommendation he needed, and in about a month, around November 20th, he would be ready to set out for Paris.