shadow of britain

Chapter 569 The Internationale

Hegel once said: All great political events and figures seem to appear twice in history, but he forgot to add: the first time in the form of tragedy, the second time in the form of farce.

This is true of Napoleon Bonaparte and his nephew Louis Bonaparte, and of a certain revolutionary song now widely sung in Paris. What is even more incredible and unknown is that the author of this song was the vulgar and short-sighted realist politician Arthur Hastings.

—Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte

"So, who leaked the secret? Have you found any clues internally?"

When Dumas heard about the heavy casualties of the French International Brigade, he immediately became indignant. This was not only because of the same republican ideals, but also because he almost became a part of this French volunteer army.

Compared to those clear enemies, he could not forgive the traitors within.

"We must get to the bottom of this and find out which bastard did this!"

Garibaldi sighed regretfully and said, "Alexander, if there is a traitor, the biggest traitor is the French government. Because the marching route of the French Republican Volunteer Army was not reported to Mazzini and others until the last minute. Although I also think there are traitors within Young Italy, it should be impossible for the traitor to pass on the news in such a short time.

According to Mazzini and his colleagues, the French volunteers were not stopped by the French border checkpoints when they crossed the Savoy border. But as soon as they crossed the border, the French border commander immediately sent someone on horseback to inform the Kingdom of Sardinia of the news. As I said, the French government betrayed us.

They strongly supported our expedition plan at the beginning, but suddenly changed their minds after the bombing of the Kaidao Sai Mansion, cut off the previously promised funds and weapons assistance, and drove us out of France. But at that time, the French government did not make a clear attitude and expressed their opposition to the expedition plan.

But when the time came, they tore off the mask completely. They not only informed the Kingdom of Sardinia of the actions of the volunteers, but also acquiesced to the execution of French citizens by the Kingdom of Sardinia just because of their republican beliefs. Brave Angelo Volontirelli! Indomitable Joseph Boller! These two great guys! I had a drink with them before.

Yet, just a few days ago, they were marched on foot to Chambery, the capital of the Duchy of Savoy, where they were sentenced to death and then shot in the same place where Efico Torra was killed. I do not expect the French government to justify their names, but I hope that at least we Italians will remember the names of these two internationalists. "

Dumas clenched his fists when he heard this: "Damn it! These are two heroes. I really wish I could stand beside them when they are ambushed by the Sardinian army. Although one more gun can't do much, at least I can kill a few more of Sardinia's authoritarian lackeys!"

Garibaldi was relieved but also a little sad when he heard this. He tapped Dumas' chest with his fist and said, "Alexandre, I knew you were a reliable man! If all the French could be like you, like Volontiriel and Borel, then Italy, Poland, and even Poland, Russia, Austria and Prussia could all be liberated."

Bismarck, who was listening to the story quietly at the side, couldn't help but curl his lips slightly when he heard this.

In the eyes of this Junker boy, although Prussia needs reform, it does not necessarily need liberation. For Germany, there are many problems that need to be solved urgently, and one of the problems is this group of so-called internationalists.

What is the difference between an internationalist and a traitor?
Perhaps the former has good intentions and the latter has bad intentions.

However, although their starting points are different, what they do is the same.

Take for example the old senior Heinrich Heine standing next to him.

If Prussia proposed to cede the Rhineland and his hometown of Düsseldorf to France, Heine would most likely agree with it.

After all, in the hearts of these Rhineland liberals, the puppet state of Westphalia established by Napoleon is their real homeland compared to Prussia.

The Rhinelanders were just a bunch of traitors among the Prussians and lackeys of the French. Bismarck felt like vomiting when he looked at them for any longer.

Republicans are a bunch of lunatics, internationalists are a bunch of fools, liberals are all morons, and the ones in front of us are obviously morons who are both crazy and stupid.

Of course, this Prussian patriot from Schönhausen, with an iron cross on his heart, would never say these words. But this still did not prevent him from being amazed at the rich diversity of species in the Town Hall Hotel.

Compared with this group of people, Bismarck even felt that the bastard Arthur Hastings seemed so amiable.

Bismarck had overheard this outside the house, and he said that there was a reason why this new school director, whom he hated so much, was so highly valued by the king.

He is neither a liberal nor an idealist, but a reality builder.

He not only valued national interests, but also demonstrated the necessary strength at critical moments, made wise decisions, and changed the course of history.

History is not driven by passion but by cold calculation, prudence and superhuman wisdom.

You can accuse him of being a complete asshole, but at the same time you have to admit that he is a strong man.

All serious Prussians like strong men, and Bismarck is no exception.

And he went one step further than the average Prussian, because in addition to admiration, he also hoped to become a strong man himself.

However, Arthur didn't know that he had unexpectedly gained a fan in Prussia even though he had done nothing.

What’s even more surprising is that this Prussian fan’s focus is different from other fans’.

While other fans like his achievements in natural philosophy, music, literature and animal protection, this fan likes his courage to order the police to open fire under the Tower of London.

Arthur leaned on the corner of the table and asked, "Giuseppe, what you mean by this is that it's not just the Italian peasants who don't support your expedition, but even some people in France are dissatisfied with you?"

This time, before Garibaldi could speak, Dumas waved his hand with a gloomy face and said, "Don't mention it! We encountered many twists and turns on the way from France to Göttingen. On our last night before leaving the French border, we stayed in a country inn. Because we were in a hurry to get on the road, we hadn't eaten anything since the night before.

Because we were about to escape and hadn't eaten for 18 hours, everyone had a good appetite. The innkeeper also congratulated us on our good appetite and cheerful demeanor. The host was very enthusiastic, his wife was very kind, and the homemade country wine tasted very good.

Because of their perfect hospitality, Giuseppe was infected by their enthusiasm, so he told them things that he shouldn't have told them. As a result, he saw the hotel owner's face suddenly sank. Giuseppe didn't understand what was going on at the time, so he asked him: "Did I make you unhappy?"

The innkeeper roared, "Of course! After listening to your frank speech, I really feel that it is my duty to arrest you."

Giuseppe didn't take his words seriously, thinking the innkeeper was joking, so he laughed. It wasn't until he noticed the other person's face was getting darker that he realized he was serious.

But Giuseppe did not back down. He untied the sailor knife on his waist and slammed it on the table, saying: "If you insist on doing this, then come and arrest me! It's still not too late before the last dessert of dinner is served. However, if you let me finish this dinner, I am willing to pay you double the bill because I am still hungry.'"

Bismarck heard this and asked curiously: "Did he do it?"

"You mean the innkeeper?" Garibaldi said cheerfully, as if he didn't feel how dangerous his situation was at the time: "He doesn't have the courage. I'm not bragging, but if it's a fair one-on-one duel, I've never been afraid of anyone in this world."

Bismarck just muttered: "I thought so before I met that English wild boar..."

Perhaps due to excessive eavesdropping on the phonograph, his hearing was impaired, so the English boar's ears were not very good. He simply raised his hoof to signal Bismarck not to interrupt: "Otto, listen to the story carefully, it's not time for questions yet."

Garibaldi began to speak: "After the host said that, we continued to eat as if nothing had happened. We all knew that if the innkeeper really wanted to arrest us, he would definitely not be able to do it alone. He would at least have to call on seven or eight capable helpers. His inn was the gathering place for all the young people in the village. They went there every night to drink, smoke, listen to the news and discuss national affairs.

People came in twos and threes for such daily gatherings. Soon, about ten young people came and started playing cards. Although the host no longer mentioned arresting me, his eyes still kept staring at us from time to time. In order to prevent him from taking risks, I shook my pockets vigorously, making the few gold coins in it jingle, so that he would know that there was money to be made from me.

Next, we had to deal with the group of young men who came to the inn to eat and drink. I knew I had to make friends with the innkeeper before he did. A young man who came to drink had just finished singing a song amid cheers. I saw the right moment, stood up, raised my glass and said, "It's my turn now!"

What song should I sing at this time? I think I should sing Bérenger's songs! I should sing his ironic songs that are grateful on the surface but critical in the heart! I jumped on the table in front of everyone and started singing Bérenger's "God of Good People."

At this point, Garibaldi became interested. The new Italian tenor even sang a verse on the spot at the top of his voice: "Ah! How content I am with my fate! I sing, and God gives me food and drink. I say: Merciful God, the Lord of all power, you are not willing to give us a soul made of wood. A heart, Lord, a heart that is sensitive to suffering! I will always say: Ah! How content I am with my fate!"

Garibaldi's impromptu singing immediately aroused applause. Even the chief tenor of the Paris Opera, Nouri, couldn't help but laugh and applaud him: "Giuseppe, you sang really well, even better than the other day in the hotel! Maybe you should consider changing your career and become a singer instead of continuing to be a sailor."

Garibaldi's face flushed and he smiled enthusiastically. "I have indeed thought that if I had done nothing else in my life, I could have been a singer. I have a tenor voice, though not as good as yours. But if I were trained, I would certainly have a fairly wide range."

As a professional, Nuri spoke highly of the Italian folk singer: "You really picked the right song that day. Berenger's lyrics, passionate singing, the rhythm of the refrains and the poet's fame made everyone present fascinated. I still remember that after you sang it for the first time, the young people collectively asked you to sing it again. Giuseppe, you should know that such a request is the highest compliment for a singer."

Dumas also recalled the scene of that day: "Giuseppe has such a unique infectious power. Do you remember the scene when he finished singing? The group of young men jumped onto the table and hugged him and shouted: 'Long live Béranger! Long live France! Long live Italy!' Even in the theater in Paris, such a scene is rare."

Even a mean guy like Heine admired Garibaldi's friendliness: "At dawn, the young men came to see us off and walked with us for several miles. Even the innkeeper who threatened to arrest us was infected. Do you remember the bag he stuffed into our bag when we left the inn? It contained a piece of bread with ham in it, but it was hidden by Alexander."

If it weren't for the people involved saying it themselves, Arthur would never have believed that such an experience existed in the world.

However, considering the great things that Garibaldi would do in the future, you have to admit that there is definitely something extraordinary about this guy. Although Young Italy was defeated this time, Garibaldi was able to escape, all thanks to the help of the friends he made.

Maybe he is indeed a little naive, but if it weren't for this innocent enthusiasm, sincere attitude, and unique personal charm, how could he have so many friends who are willing to risk their lives to help him.

However, what Arthur was most happy about was the unexpected discovery of musical talent in Garibaldi.

He knew that Italy was rich in tenors, but he didn't expect to meet one so easily.

The leading role of "Turandot" has been booked in advance by Nouri, but this does not mean that Garibaldi's voice has no use.

Arthur seemed to be moved by Garibaldi's singing. The reactionary academic authority was aroused by the drama and his eyes became red and tears flowed after a little emotion.

He held his forehead and shook his head slightly. "What a great story! This is true internationalism. Giuseppe, those authoritarians can't defeat us!"

"We?" Dumas was confused for a moment. He didn't understand how Arthur suddenly changed his camp.

But Garibaldi took Arthur's words seriously. He said optimistically: "The fact that fate allowed me to escape death tells me that I am destined to help Italy achieve unification. Thank you for your support, Arthur. I don't want to call you Sir. This is not because I don't respect you, but because I respect you from the bottom of my heart. So I don't want to use those fancy titles to alienate the distance between us."

Arthur pulled a handkerchief from his chest and blew his nose: "Do you have any paper?"

"Sure, what are you going to do?"

Garibaldi directly took out the newspaper that was full of Arthur's negative information: "Come, say goodbye to your past. Tear them to pieces and say goodbye to the old world!"

Unexpectedly, Arthur did not tear up the newspaper as Garibaldi had expected. Instead, he took out a pen from his jacket pocket and wrote a long list of French lyrics on the newspaper, attaching the musical score.

Since he had been arranging musicals with Mendelssohn and others these days, Arthur drew the musical notation effortlessly, and it wasn't long before he presented the new song to everyone.

"Giuseppe, I don't know how to express my support for you, but since you like to sing, I think it's best to give you a suitable song. And apart from you, there should be no better singer for this song."

Noori leaned close to Arthur, took a quick glance, and then sang the lyrics: "Rise up, slaves who are starving and cold, rise up, suffering people all over the world! The blood in your hearts is boiling, and you must fight for the truth! The old world will be shattered, slaves, rise up! Don't say we have nothing, we want to be the masters of the world..."

Even though he was a noob, he couldn't help but exclaim when he saw this song: "This is really a Béranger-style song, and it is indeed suitable for Giuseppe. Maybe after Turandot, we can also stage another act of Spartacus. In this way, the identities of Giuseppe and his friends will also be solved naturally. After all, it is quite strange to have a few guys who can't play instruments in an orchestra."

Garibaldi was also excited to try the tune he heard from Nuri: "This is not only suitable for me, but also for Young Italy and Free Poland. It is a true internationalist song. Perhaps I should send it to Mazzini in London and ask him to publish it in our magazine. Even based on this song alone, they should not continue to suspect that there is something wrong with Arthur."

(End of this chapter)