"Hidden in the vast ocean is a gigantic creature. It is not a sea monster, but Britain's market."
In the waiting room of the Petit Trianon, Mr. Gaston Martin dipped his finger into his tea and drew a map on the table.
"You must treat it as a living creature. It has desires and fears. Sometimes passion makes it lose its reason; sometimes the scent of danger makes it cautious. The First Consul's continental trade routes have two main hubs: Strasbourg and Lyon. Strasbourg is the distribution center for French goods bound for Germany, Austria, and Russia. Lyon is the starting and ending point of the Mont Cenis Pass. Once that road is completed, it will become the New Silk Road. Goods from nearly all of Italy will pass through that mountain route."
"What does that have to do with British goods?"
"That is why the First Consul intends to enforce the Continental System. British goods are everywhere. The main purpose of building the Simplon Tunnel and the Mont Cenis Pass is to cross the Alps and allow French forces to enter Italy quickly, but the Simplon Tunnel's commercial value is far inferior to that of the Mont Cenis Pass. Do you remember what I told you last time? Trade is a non-military means of attack. The First Consul's approach to Milan is still confined to political objectives and strategic deployments. It takes time and effort, with little to show for it..."
"I cannot make him give it up," Georgiana said.
"What about starting with the customs offices?" Gaston said. "The Simplon Tunnel is too far from the coast for customs to reach easily, and the merchants in Italy and Germany all hope the customs authorities will intensify their seizures of British goods."
"You know I am British," Georgiana said.