The quarrel continued.
If we continue like this, there will be no need to do business.
The boss quickly squeezed into the crowd,
"Everyone!"
Of course no one paid any attention to him.
The boss had to raise his voice and shout: "Everyone! Calm down! Calm down! If you argue like this, you will inevitably fail to say the right thing and end up fighting. Do you want to stay in the situation?"
In Paris, getting into trouble is really not a big deal.
The old revolutionary area~
However, because a book is really not worth it.
Everyone calmed down.
The boss dug into the core of the crowd again, picked out a brand new and unopened copy of "Country Teacher", and handed it to the customer who wanted to buy the book.
"Okay, that's it."
The guest's expression changed slightly, but he finally sighed deeply and nodded helplessly: "Okay."
After he paid, he looked at the other prostitutes and left.
The storm ended here.
Tolstoy witnessed the whole process, feeling as if a kitten was scratching his heart, and he no longer had the intention to continue picking out books.
He walked over,
"Boss, check out."
The boss glanced at the other party and said curiously: "I heard it just now, are you Russian?"
Tolstoy nodded,
"Um."
The boss weighed the "Country Teacher" in his hand and asked curiously: "Can you understand this book?"
Tolstoy said: "You know, I haven't read it yet."
The boss thinks about it too.
"What can I say about this book... People who like it like it very much, and people who don't like it... can't say 'dislike', they just can't read it. I can read Mr. Verne's science fiction works all night long, but This book is really ridiculous.”
Tolstoy stretched out his hand to interrupt the other party,
"Stop talking."
The boss laughed loudly and said: "Yes, yes, I won't spoil it. Okay, let's pay the bill, 45 francs."
The price for a single book of short stories is quite high.
Tolstoy pointed to "Facing the Tricolor Flag" in his hand,
"And this one."
As a result, just as the boss was about to make a quotation, the crowd over there started making noise again.
"Hey hey hey! It's my turn!"
"No, there was a foreshadowing in the past that I didn't pay much attention to at the time. Looking back now, I think I should go back and take a look."
"You've finished reading, you've finished reading, why are you hogging the book!?"
…
The boss has a head full of black marks,
￣□￣｜｜
He cast an apologetic look at Tolstoy and quickly rushed into the crowd to resolve the quarrel.
Tolstoy couldn't help but feel helpless,
He took out 45 francs and put it in the small box where the bookstore owner collected money. Then he put "Facing the Tricolor Flag" back on the bookshelf and walked out of the bookstore with "The Country Teacher".
The bright sunshine in Paris shines down, exuding warmth,
"Huh~"
Tolstoy stretched his waist lazily.
Next, he should go to the Collège de France as planned, but the book in his hand aroused curiosity and reading addiction, and he wanted to read it first.
So, he found a nearby cafe.
The cafe has two areas, indoor and outdoor.
Tolstoy chose a spot in the open air, ordered a cup of espresso, sipped it, basked in the sun, and read "The Village Teacher."
Open the first chapter,
The first thing that catches the eye is the illustration.
It was a portrait,
The East Asian man is young, handsome, with bright eyes, but he looks a little weak, as if he is suffering from illness.
Tolstoy's pupils narrowed, showing a somewhat surprised expression.
As a literary giant, he has participated in many various activities, so his literary and artistic aesthetics are all online, and everyone's works can be seen.
He couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Impressionism?"
Although the style of Impressionism is outrageous, it is still more realistic than later Impressionism and Abstractionism, and respects the light and color seen by the eyes. However, compared to academicism, it does not pursue delicate shapes or historical themes.
Tolstoy was sure that the illustrator of "The Village Teacher" was no ordinary character.
Out of curiosity, he will turn to the end.
The name in the illustrator column clearly says:
Oscar-Claude Monet.
Tolstoy:? ? ?
"What...what is going on!?"
France’s national treasure painter actually drew illustrations for a Chinese writer.
Can't understand...
Tolstoy became even more curious, turned back to the first chapter, and read it carefully.
"
He knew that this last lesson had to be taught in advance.
Another sharp pain shot through his lungs, almost causing him to faint.
"
It seems that the protagonist is indeed suffering from illness.
Monet's brushwork is delicate and true.
Tolstoy continued reading, and soon he was attracted by the wonderful descriptions.
In particular, rural teachers refer to science as "Mr. Sai" and guide students to learn the three laws of classical mechanics. When reflecting on Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, Tolstoy even thought of Tsarist Russia.
For a time, he had a strong sense of immersion and read more seriously.
Soon, my perspective increased and I looked at the vast universe and the Milky Way.
Various new concepts emerge,
Tolstoy thought it would be difficult to read, but he did not expect that the author Lu Shi handled it very well and integrated various concepts of physics and astrophysics into the content, allowing readers to understand it without any obstacles.
Simplifying complex scientific problems is an ability that science fiction writers must possess.
Tolstoy admired Lu Shi even more,
When he read that the students had memorized Cow's Three Laws and thus saved human civilization, he couldn't help but shudder.
Compared with "Country Teacher",
"War and Peace", "Anna Karenina", "Resurrection"...
My own works seem a bit small.
This insignificance is not the quality of the work, but the difference in topic selection.
In his later years, Tolstoy tended to discuss the depth of the soul and explore religion and human nature, which is why he was labeled "nihilist" by the Swedish Academy.
Where is Lu Shi?
This young man from the East chose more grand and grand materials. He looked up at the stars from a human perspective and praised the greatness of mankind.
Tolstoy took a deep breath,
"Teachers, education... hum hum hum… Those writers and poets have written thousands of things, but they are not as useful as this "Country Teacher"."
Once this book is published, I wonder how many people will be willing to devote themselves to education and become teachers.
Tolstoy couldn't wait to read the English version at the back,
Surprisingly, both the English and French versions are equally excellent, as if they could have been written by a native speaker.
After reading Tolstoy, I can’t even tell which language was the first language Lu Shi used when writing.
so,
"Which translator is this masterpiece?"
With doubts, Tolstoy turned to the last page and looked for the translation column.
The results are shocking:
——
Writer: Lu (Lu Shi).
Translation (French): Lu (Lu Shi).
——
In other words, this book was written in English and later translated into French,
And the translator turned out to be Lu Shi himself!
What kind of monster is this meow?
Tolstoy believed that even if he was proficient in four languages, he would not be able to do this.
He stood up suddenly and asked the people around him: "Excuse me, how to get to the Collège de France? I brought a map with me. Can you draw it for me?"
…
Père Lachaise Cemetery.
Lu Shi and the others walked slowly through rows of simple cemeteries and headed towards the gate.
The setting sun stretched their silhouettes very long.
Bernard Shaw sighed,
"I didn't expect it to be like this in the end."
Just now, everyone visited Oscar Wilde's tomb and laid flowers.
Verne was puzzled: "What?"
Bernard Shaw shook his head and said nothing.
Lu Shi said: "Mr. Superintendent and Mr. Wilde are both drama masters and the best of their generation, but their creative concepts are completely different. They compete openly and secretly, but in the end they decide the winner in this way. It is inevitable that they will feel sad." .”
As a writer, Verne certainly understood this feeling.
Several people didn't know how to comfort them.
Instead, Bernard Shaw smiled and said: "It's not like there's no winner, right? If Wilde reads your "Yes! Prime Minister", I'm afraid he will be so angry that he will jump out of his grave and break up with you."
Everyone laughed,
A few birds were frightened and flew away from branches or graves.
Roland said: "In fact, Mr. Wilde's later works have almost nothing to do with aestheticism."
Wilde's life was full of twists and turns.
Especially after he was found guilty and thrown into prison, reality struck him down.
Under such circumstances, how can we continue to adhere to aestheticism?
Bernard Shaw responded: "That's not as good as those comedians in Lu who have kidney problems."
Poincaré, Verne, and Roland had heard the joke about Napoleon's restoration of "kidneys" before, so they didn't ask again.
Roland introduced: "Speaking of which, Lachaise Cemetery has a relationship with His Majesty the Emperor. When Napoleon was in power, he announced that the cemetery could not refuse anyone who requested to be buried here. Subsequently, the cemetery became famous, and the remains of celebrities continued to be moved here. Come."
As he said that, Roland pointed not far away,
"Can you see clearly?"
Lu Shi and Bernard Shaw squinted and stood on tiptoe to look.
Bernard Shaw whispered: "That's... that's a girl? She seems to be playing the violin, right?"
Poincaré nodded,
"Yes, that's Chopin's grave."
Lu Shi was curious,
"Why is there a statue of a girl on a low tombstone?"
While stroking his beard, Poincaré introduced: "There are two theories: first, the statue expresses people's regret and mourning for the genius master; second, it is a beautiful love story about Chopin and his lover. "
In 1831, Chopin came to France to settle.
Later, he met George Sand, a French female writer who was 6 years older than him. Their sweet love brought infinite creative inspiration to Chopin.
But the good times did not last long, and the relationship between the two broke down. Chopin's creativity declined due to depression, and he died of lung disease.
"There have always been people who wanted to put this story on stage," Poincaré said.
Lu Shi and Bernard Shaw nodded at the same time,
From a story creation perspective, this is indeed a good prototype.
Especially since Chopin was only 39 years old when he died of illness, it is most appropriate to end the tragedy with this.
Bernard Shaw complained,
"You French women are so 'romantic'~"
Verne couldn't help laughing,
"We French men are quite 'romantic' too~"
After speaking, he faced Lu Shi and changed the topic: "After talking so much about drama, Professor Lu, have you ever considered putting "Country Teacher" on the stage?"
Lu Shi and Bernard Shaw had discussed this proposal before.
Neither of them felt it was appropriate.
Lu Shi shook his head,
"Drama is a far more intuitive way of expression. The background of "Village Teacher" is set in China. When people read it, it is like being shrouded in mystery through a veil, and they are willing to be patient to understand and accept it. But if it is moved to If the stage is not set in England or France, it will be difficult to attract an audience.”
Verne fell into deep thought,
After a long while, he said: "I disagree. I think art can move people."
It’s hard to say whether the two people’s views are right or wrong.
Mei Lanfang can achieve unprecedented success in the United States, but similarly, countless Peking operas have been sprayed to pieces by Americans.
Art does have its metaphysical side.
Lu Shi chuckled,
"Another point is that a celebrity once said, 'Every time a formula is added to a book, sales will drop by half.' So popularization is crucial. Can you imagine a bunch of gentlemen and ladies sitting in the audience, looking at the children on the stage? Do we mean 'the action and reaction forces between two interacting objects are always equal in magnitude, opposite in direction, and act on the same straight line'?"
Verne was asked,
"Ah this..."
On the contrary, the physicist Poincaré on the side laughed and said: "What's wrong with this? The physical formulas are so beautiful~ Is there any expression that is more elegant, concise, and more revealing than this?"
The others gave him a look.
At this time, they had reached the entrance of the cemetery,
At the door stood their carriage.
Not far away, another carriage came galloping in this direction. The horse raised its hooves and stopped just in front of a few people.
A middle-aged man in his early thirties jumped down and said hello: "Gentlemen!"
Verne stepped forward,
"Alex!"
Alex Herzel, Verne's long-time publisher.
His father, Herzel Sr., had published the works of Victor Hugo and others. He had excellent vision and rich experience. After discovering Verne's strength, he signed a contract with him.
Every month, Herzel would pay Verne a fixed salary.
What Verne had to do was publish two volumes in one year.
The cooperation between the two parties is very stable.
Moreover, old Herzel is also good at naming names.
The original title of "Five Weeks in a Balloon" was "A Voyage in the Air", which was changed by the elder Herzel;
The original title of "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" was "Underwater Journey", which was changed by the old Herzel;
These two books are undoubtedly a hit.
Little Herzel was no less competitive than his late father. When he received Lu Shi's "Country Teacher", he thought about localizing the name and changing it to be more eye-catching.
After all, this name doesn’t really have anything to do with science fiction.
But Lu Shi refused.
Fortunately, this book has enough gimmicks;
Monet illustrations;
Poincaré provided scientific endorsement;
Verne wholeheartedly recommends;
…
Buff is stacked directly.
So there is no need to worry about difficulties in publicity.
At this time, little Herzel's face was glowing red, and the excitement on his face was beyond words.
He said: "Mr. Verne! Professor Lu! Guess how many copies of "Country Teacher" have been sold in just three days after it went on sale?"
Lu Shi thought for a while,
"Twenty thousand volumes?"
Verne: "..."
Little Herzel: "..."
Roland: "..."
Poincaré: "..."
The four of them were all speechless by Lu Shi.
Bernard Shaw on the side complained: "Lu, you are really making up numbers without even taking a breath."
Lu Shi was a little embarrassed,
"I just...sigh...I estimated the sales based on "Roger Mystery". Maybe I'm a bit desperate."
Verne:? ? ?
Little Herzel:? ? ?
Roland:? ? ?
Poincaré:? ? ?
This time, the four of them were not speechless, but confused on the spot.
After a while, little Hetzel asked: "Professor Lu, do you mean that "Roger Mystery" sold 20,000 copies in three days?"
Lu Shi shook his head,
"That's not true. "Roger Mystery" only sold about 6,000 copies on the first day, and the first and second printings were only tens of thousands of copies. Now, I come to France for exchange, I don't know I’ve reprinted it several times.”
"Only" Shen Te Miao sold six thousand copies!
That’s a hardcover novel!
Little Herzel said with a headache: "I now know how popular Professor Lu's books are in London."
He had never seen someone from Versailles like Lu Shi.
Lu Shi was embarrassed,
"Well... if you don't say "Roger's Mystery", let's say "Country Teacher"."
Little Herzel complained in a low voice: "Originally, I wanted to show my merit and let you see the power of our French publisher. However, your 'twenty thousand copies' directly extinguished my enthusiasm."
As he spoke, he sighed,
"That's all. Let me tell you the number directly, thirteen thousand volumes."
After hearing this number, Verne was shocked.
"A single book priced at 45 francs, a short story, Chinese background, or hard science fiction. You told me that it sold 13,000 copies in three days?"
Little Herzel nodded,
"Well, all the bookstores have purchased so much goods from us, and there are still many bookstores waiting to restock."
After hearing this, everyone looked at Lu Shi.
They knew that the pseudonym "Lu" had taken Paris by storm in a matter of days.
(End of chapter)
