I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 273 The Turning Point of the Interview and a Higher Appreciation

Although more than a year has passed, the young Parisian journalist Le Goff still remembers the noon when he first met Mikhail.

He could not forget the poet's demeanor and temperament, nor could he forget his charisma at the dinner table, which was almost comparable to that of the universally known Alexandre Dumas in Paris.

Of course, most importantly, Legov is now making a living off news about the author.

At that time, he happened to witness Mikhail's meeting with Dumas when he first arrived in Paris. Based on their conversation, he wrote several eye-catching articles and successfully gained a foothold in Paris through these articles.

Since then, Legov has written a news article about Mikhail almost every few days, and given the Russian writer's ability to generate buzz, almost every article by Legov has been published. Even though Mikhail had been away from Paris for a long time, Legov was still able to climb the ranks by writing news articles about the writer!

Like those similar news stories from before:

The legend of Mr. Mikhail continues, and London has fallen!

A Brief Discussion on the Profound Influence of Paris on Mr. Mikhail

"Mr. Mikhail's victory is, in fact, a victory for France!"

All of them were Legov's masterpieces, and almost all of them achieved very good results.

Thanks to these achievements, Legov has now successfully transformed from a penniless young man into a somewhat well-known journalist in Paris, which is why he has the opportunity to interview the Russian writer up close today.
That's right! He's back! And he's about to resume his activities in Paris!
Although he is not in Paris, there has been no shortage of discussion and praise about him, but it certainly cannot compare to the fact that he continues to live and work in Paris.

This will ensure a continuous flow of material for Legov.
Unfortunately, Legov wasn't the only one being interviewed today. When Legov arrived at a café based on information provided by Mikhail's friend Turgenev, he didn't immediately spot the unforgettable writer. Instead, he was met with a large group of fellow writers and other customers looking on in astonishment.

"Who is this? Why are so many people surrounding him waiting for him to answer questions?"

"It seems to be Mr. Mikhail, the author of 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea'."

"Mikhail?! That French writer who strutted around the entire British literary world?! Is it really him?"

"I asked him, it's him! Look at his demeanor and temperament, only someone like him could do something like that!"

"That's wonderful! I really want to ask him how he did it! And if I remember correctly, his works from England are about to be serialized in a Parisian newspaper, something like Sherlock Holmes? And a few fairy tales, which are said to be just as good as Andersen's works. When did he start writing fairy tales again? He's truly an incredible writer."

"Sigh! My daily reading of 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' is about to end. After this book is finished, where will I be able to find such a unique work? The novels in Paris that are labeled as science fiction are a complete mess; there are only one or two worth reading."

Listening to these discussions and looking at his colleagues who were like a wall, Legov, after observing for a while, no longer hesitated and charged towards a slightly open space. After scrambling and crawling, using both hands and feet, and enduring insults and beatings from his colleagues, Legov finally squeezed to a relatively forward position.

Being a journalist in Paris is all about getting the news! Especially when it's a big story like this!
By now, Legov had long been aware of this, but the pain still made him grimace.

Just as Legov caught his breath, a rather gentle-sounding voice rang out:

"Sir, haven't we met before? At David Fuller's restaurant a year ago?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it immediately quieted the surrounding noise and almost made Legov's heart stop for a few seconds. When he looked in the direction of the voice, he saw the young poet, who seemed more mature and elegant than a year ago, smiling at him. Then he spoke again, "What is your name?"

Legov: "!!!"

How could he even remember someone as insignificant as me, whom he only met once?!
I will never slander you in the newspapers again!

The news report should say that the literary czar caused Paris and London to fall one after another!
While Legov felt his mind go blank, he finally gave his name: "I am Legov, esteemed Mr. Mikhail!"

"Do you have any common questions you'd like to ask? I hope that in answering you, I can also answer the questions of the others present."

Mikhail, who did indeed remember meeting the young man, thought for a moment and then said this to the many reporters present.

Due to the tight schedule and heavy workload, Mikhail did not waste too much time after his brief chat with Turgenev yesterday, and quickly began arranging the next activities.

First and foremost, they need to make an appearance in the Parisian media. This will make it much easier for the general's family to find Mikhail in the newspapers after they arrive in Paris.

It's worth mentioning that although Mikhail didn't have much interaction with Bakunin, whether the latter wanted to join in the fun or had some other intentions, at this moment, Turgenev, sitting next to Mikhail, looked quite proud, while Bakunin stared somewhat blankly at the unusually lively scene before him.

Although he had heard a lot about Mikhail before, seeing him in person now would definitely be a completely different experience.
After a long while, Legov, still overwhelmed by the immense joy, finally came to his senses. After organizing his thoughts briefly, he spoke somewhat shakily under the watchful eyes of his colleagues:

"So, Mr. Mikhail, what kind of place do you think London is compared to Paris?"

While praising Paris would certainly be more popular in Paris, Mikhail, reflecting on his experience in London, ultimately stated objectively: "Paris and London each have their own characteristics, and in many ways, both Paris and London need to continue to improve."

It's easy to compare how bad things are, but what's truly important is to keep looking forward.

"Understood!" Although that's what Mikhail said, many reporters present, eager to grab attention, were busy taking notes.

"Compared to Paris, London is simply not worth mentioning!"

What are your views on British literature? Where do you see yourself in the British literary world today?

"British literature has its own unique characteristics and strength. As for me? In Britain, I am just a new writer who has achieved some success."

You call your activities in the UK "some success"?

Many reporters simply ignored this statement and instead wrote: "All British writers are new writers in his eyes!"

"So what are your plans and intentions for Paris next? Are you aware that quite a few young literary groups in Paris have claimed they want to join your literary school?"

"I"

……

In this back-and-forth interview, many people present were only listening to what they wanted to know, and given Legov's previous style, he should have exaggerated or even distorted these replies. However, this time, Legov was relatively objective in recording Mikhail's replies one by one.

Legov wondered if it was just his imagination, but he always felt that the young writer seemed more concerned with public affairs and the conditions of the lower classes, and would unconsciously talk about these issues, sometimes even comparing Paris and London.

Of course, such remarks were not what many gentlemen in Paris wanted to see, so even if Le Goff recorded them, they would most likely be edited out by the newspapers.

In fact, newspaper censorship in Paris has become much stricter recently. Anti-government journalists are frequently fined and shut down, and anti-government speech and negative reports are almost impossible to publish normally. Even opposition members of parliament are often blocked or have their right to speak revoked.

The tightening of newspaper censorship naturally led to soaring food prices, the closure of many factories, unemployment, the emergence of more and more tabloids and underground publications, and an increase in demonstrations and protests.
Even though few can clearly explain the consequences, an unsettling atmosphere seems to be gradually spreading.
With a mix of inexplicable emotions, Legov finally finished asking all the questions he wanted to ask. After answering so many questions, even though the reporters and onlookers were still excited, Mikhail was ready to end the interview and go do something else.

So, when Mikhail chose a suitable moment to squeeze into the crowd, many people present suddenly realized that Mr. Mikhail had disappeared without a trace.
Legov and the others present: "?"

When exactly did he leave?
Is this why British newspapers called him Sherlock Holmes?

After successfully extricating himself from the troublesome situation, Mikhail quickly began to visit his old acquaintances in Paris as planned. More than a year had passed, and the circumstances of many of them had already changed.

First and foremost is Victor Hugo, who was at a turning point in his life. More than a year has passed, and Hugo has long since extricated himself from the scandal of being caught cheating. His own reputation and the deaths of others are propelling Hugo to the forefront.

Who in the French literary world today can surpass him?

Chateaubriand had become an old, decrepit paralyzed man. Others either lacked his talent or his status and experience. Many princes and nobles considered him a friend, and with the right opportunity, he could very well be appointed a minister.
But Hugo did not seem happy during this period. Simply put, on the one hand, he was aware of the plight of the masses and the reality of inequality, but on the other hand, he had his family to support and had to take responsibility for many people.

Thus, in his heart, the desire to endure suffering and the yearning to stand out were intertwined, and the spirit of self-sacrifice and the desire for fame were at the same time at work.

Perhaps it was because of this conflicted state of mind that when the increasingly dignified Hugo met Mikhail again after a long separation, he was both amazed by the young man's remarkable achievements and, looking at this young man who had already gained such a great reputation, somewhat emotionally discussed the future with Mikhail:
"Now that life has come to this point, what should we do next, Mikhail? If you return to Russia, your reputation may far surpass mine in France. So what will you do next?"

"Mr. Hugo."

In response to Hugo's remarks, Mikhail simply smiled and shook his head, saying, "Of all things, reputation is the most fragile. Yesterday's hero may become a criminal tomorrow. Perhaps the only thing we can do is to be true to our own hearts."

This also applies to Hugo. Although Hugo was still struggling and conflicted during this period, with the arrival of the 1848 revolution, he first floated under the banner of Napoleon III for a while. But in the end, when Hugo realized that Napoleon III's promise to eliminate poverty and move towards a republic was a lie, he still chose to be true to his conscience and thus began his life of exile.

Hearing these words, Hugo felt as if Mikhail had spoken into the depths of his heart. After talking with Mikhail for a while, he heard Mikhail ask, "Mr. Hugo, I wonder if Paris has received any news that a Russian general is coming to Paris to handle some business?"

"A Russian general?"

After a moment's thought, Hugo replied, "That's right. He seems to be in Paris to handle some diplomatic affairs. Many people in Parisian high society are planning to host him, and there will likely be many banquets and balls. Do you know this general?"

"Of course, he took good care of me in many ways."

"I see."

Hugo wasn't particularly surprised by this news. After all, if Mikhail could achieve such success in France and England, he would certainly receive even more attention in culturally barren and impoverished Russia.

If Russia's system hadn't been so outdated, Mikhail might have been the youngest member of parliament Hugo had ever met.

"He already valued you before you even became famous? Then this general must have extremely high literary cultivation and excellent judgment. If the Parisian high society knew about this, they would surely think more highly of this general."

Although the general doesn't seem to have a high level of literary cultivation, that's absolutely right.
(End of this chapter)