Invitation

During dinner, Joseph told Napoleon that in nine days, he would be attending the French Academy of Sciences to observe an experiment on the speed of light. He told Napoleon that if he were interested, he could find a way to ask for leave, and he could bring him along to broaden his horizons.

Napoleon's face was full of disdain, but from his eyes, Joseph could see that Napoleon was actually quite tempted; those words were merely the stubbornness of a duck that refuses to admit defeat even after it has died. So, while Napoleon was busy contemplating the matter, Joseph quickly took the opportunity to eat a few extra pieces of meat.

After seeing his brother off, Joseph continued with the final portion of his coursework at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand. That morning, just after finishing a rhetoric class, Joseph walked out of the classroom and ran straight into Armand.

"Ah, isn't that our great scientist?" Armand walked over with a laugh. "Hey, I really didn't expect you to be able to write a paper like that! Hey, buddy, you have to compensate me, because of that, I've had a miserable few days. You have no idea, these past few days my uncle has been praising your talent every single day, and my father has been using you to lecture me twenty-four hours a day... It's all because of you that my soul has suffered such tremendous damage these past few days..."

"Ah, Armand," Joseph said. "I sympathize with you, but as I have said before, parents always love to praise the children of others in front of their own, but when they write their wills and settle their estates, they always only remember the foolish children in their own home. So, this matter is actually nothing; you really don't need to be troubled by it."

"What I'm saying needs compensation is not just this little bit," Armand shook his head and said. "I've seen this kind of situation many times! But, damn it, yesterday, just yesterday, my lovely Fanny actually asked about you, and even said she really hoped to meet you. And the damn old man actually didn't object. My God! This is just too heartbreaking for me... No, you must compensate me."

Fanny was Armand's younger sister. Armand had always doted on this sister and loved to show off to others that he had such a sister. But if any of his fair-weather friends expressed a desire to get to know this lovely girl, Armand would immediately fall out with them. Because Armand knew very well that his fair-weather friends were just as unreliable as he was, the kind of guys who couldn't be trusted for life. These guys should have had the self-awareness to know what kind of young lady they shouldn't approach. And for such a guy to dare to propose getting to know her, knowing full well that Fanny was Armand's sister, meant it wasn't just a matter of having ill intentions toward his sister, but also that he didn't consider Armand a friend at all. So, naturally, Armand would fall out with those guys without hesitation.

"My friend," Joseph said, "since the matter involves your sister, this is indeed a reasonable request. Very well, tell me, what kind of compensation do you need me to make?"

"So straightforward?" Armand's eyes widened, and suddenly he reached out and grabbed Joseph by the shoulder. "You really want to see my Fanny?"

"No. Not at all," Joseph replied immediately.

"Hmm," Armand let go, but he suddenly reacted and said, "You don't feel honored? You don't want to see the lovely Fanny?"

"There is something wrong with your head!" Joseph scolded.

"You're right, my friend," Armand did not refute him, but sighed instead, and continued, "I also know that my attitude toward these things is not quite right, but I just can't control myself."

"Actually, it's nothing," Joseph comforted him. "You can still be saved, don't give up on treatment—well, actually, what I meant to say is, well, your sister is truly lucky to have a brother who can protect her so well. But in this era, there are simply too many irresponsible playboys."

"However, I must say, among my friends, you are still a rarity—not particularly scummy, not particularly dangerous, and more like a gentleman. So, I think I can tolerate you getting a little closer to Fanny..."

"That's not right, Armand," Joseph said. "This is not what you should be saying. Aren't you the one who hates 'gentlemen' the most? Hahaha..."

"Fine, I'm a guy who says one thing and does another, happy now? Well, the night after tomorrow is my sister Fanny's sixteenth birthday. Our family has invited some friends to our home to celebrate for her. I think, among my fair-weather friends, only you look somewhat like a decent human being... How about it, you have time, right? No saying you don't have time; I know you, you don't have anything to do right now. I've already given my word."

"The day after tomorrow?" Joseph looked up at the sky. "These days should all be sunny. I still have time to send that suit of mine to be cleaned."

"Hey, Joseph, you just received a prize of six hundred francs, don't you plan to get another formal suit? You need at least four such outfits to ensure you can rotate them. But... your social activities are few, you basically don't go to those salons, but at least you should have two."

"I am very short on money," Joseph shook his head.

"My uncle said that even if you are short on money now, you will definitely be wealthier than him in the future," Armand said.

"Then, what kind of gift should I bring?" Joseph asked.

"No need, no need," Armand said. "It's enough that you can come."

Regarding Armand's father inviting him to their home, and the vague hints Armand had dropped, Joseph thought about it carefully and realized it was actually quite reasonable.

The Lavoisier family were aristocrats in Paris, although their title was not high, merely that of a viscount. However, the aristocrats of Paris were always very arrogant; not to mention "Corsican aristocrats" like Joseph, even "provincial aristocrats" were, in their eyes, merely synonymous with ignorant bumpkins. If it had been a few decades earlier, someone of Joseph's status would not have been qualified to be a guest in their home at all.

However, today is different from a few decades ago. In recent years, France's economic situation has not been good, which has also affected the income of the nobility. Everything in Paris is expensive, and it is not easy to live there. The aristocrats of Paris, especially the minor aristocrats, are generally having a hard time these days. Armand's father and the great chemist Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier were cousins. Compared to the great chemist who was skilled at management, the economic situation of Armand's family was much worse. Although they had noble status, the output of their limited land could not support the family's expenses, especially with two playboys in the house. If it weren't for the frequent help from their cousin, Armand's family would have been deep in debt long ago.

Now, Armand's sister is also gradually growing up. In this period, for minor noble families, in order to preserve their property and status, children other than the eldest son often could not receive any inheritance and could only become lawyers, merchants, artists, and the like, relying on their own skills to support themselves. As for the daughters, there was even less security. Generally speaking, if a noble's daughter wanted to marry a noble of equal status, she had to provide a large dowry. For many noble families, this was a very heavy burden. Therefore, in order to save on dowry money, some noble families would reduce the dowry, marry their daughters off to the provinces, or simply send them to a convent.

From previous conversations, Joseph knew that Armand's sister, Fanny, was very doted upon at home. Both Armand and his father loved this daughter very much. Now that this daughter was grown, her marriage had become a matter of great concern for everyone. If they wanted to find a family of equal social standing for her, Armand's family simply could not come up with that much dowry money. Marry her to a provincial bumpkin? Neither Armand nor his father felt they could accept that. As for the convent or anything of the sort, if anyone dared to suggest that path in front of Armand, he would undoubtedly throw his glove into that person's face without hesitation!

Joseph thought about his own situation again, and it actually seemed quite good. He was also a noble, and although he was only a Corsican noble, he was still a noble nonetheless. He currently had no money and no status, but his future prospects were quite promising. If Armand's family married Fanny to him, first of all, they certainly wouldn't have to pay much of a dowry. And he was someone Armand knew and trusted; plus, with that comment from the great chemist about him, they wouldn't have to worry about Fanny having a hard life after she truly married him. Considering it this way, Joseph felt that the invitation from Armand's family was quite understandable.

Two days later, Joseph put on his only formal suit, boarded a public carriage, and arrived at Armand's home on Le Peletier Street. Getting off the carriage not far from Armand's house, Joseph looked around and immediately saw the ruins of the famous Royal Academy of Music.

This opera house was the one featured in the later famous musical The Phantom of the Opera. It was built in 1671 but was destroyed by a fire in 1763. It wasn't until the Second Empire that the opera house was rebuilt. But now, there was only a ruin left after the fire.

Armand's home was right next to these ruins. As an aristocrat, his house was not small; it was a two-story building with two gardens, one in the front and one in the back.

Following the address, Joseph arrived at the door. By this time, music could already be faintly heard coming from the small building. At the entrance, a servant was waiting to greet the guests. Joseph walked up and identified himself. The servant immediately went inside to announce him, and a short while later, he saw Armand coming out with a beaming smile on his face.