Upon hearing that Mathilde was worried about his safety, Louis Bonaparte was exceptionally agitated. After the agitation passed, Louis Bonaparte realized that his behavior might have been over the top; Mathilde was, after all, already married, and they had become individuals on parallel paths that would never cross again, not to mention that he was currently terminally ill and could face death at any moment.
After calming down, Louis Bonaparte, in a manner akin to entering a sage mode, stammered, "Your sister, my cousin... how is she doing now?"
Jerome shook his head and sighed, "Ever since she divorced that Russian magnate, she's been wandering around to ease her mind daily. Although she pretends to be nonchalant on the surface, I know that failed marriage really hit her hard!"
Jerome's voice was not very loud, but when it reached Louis Bonaparte's ears, it was like a giant bell striking through his eardrums and hitting his brain. Louis Bonaparte's mind went blank, and he muttered softly, "It's all my fault! If only I hadn't..."
Mathilde and Louis Bonaparte were once childhood sweethearts, cousins fond of each other and dreaming about the future together. None of the Bonaparte Clan believed back then that their future would turn them into familiar strangers.
When Louis Bonaparte was twenty years old, his mother, the former Queen of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Odense, and Jerome Bonaparte's father, Old Jerome, discussed an engagement for the two children. Old Jerome agreed to Queen Odense's request. Queen Odense arranged an apartment in Switzerland for her only remaining son and also provided Louis Bonaparte with 3 million francs in cash and bonds, allowing him an annual income of 120,000 francs.
At that time in France, a small factory owner would only earn about 20,000 francs a year by working tirelessly, and the 120,000 francs in annuities were enough for the young couple to support themselves in Switzerland.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. Louis Bonaparte did not follow Odense's arrangements but instead insisted on carrying out a second coup, the one in Strasbourg.
Louis Bonaparte was successfully imprisoned. This time, the July Monarchy was not as lenient as the first time; even though the celebrities in Paris pleaded for Bonaparte, Prime Minister Surt obstinately sentenced Louis Bonaparte to life imprisonment.
The life sentence caused Mathilde, Jerome's sister, to feel a sense of darkness in her life.
As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. When Old Jerome's creditors heard about Louis Bonaparte being sentenced to life imprisonment, they immediately thought that Odense might not help Old Jerome repay his foreign debts as in-laws, so they flocked to collect their debts. Mathilde had no choice but to marry a 26-year-old Russian magnate to help her father repay his foreign debts. This marriage lasted less than five years before it was on the verge of breaking, and Mathilde returned from Moscow to Paris, while Louis Bonaparte also escaped from prison.
"No..." Jerome spread his hands and sighed, feeling sad about the misfortune of his "sister" and cousin: "This is a tragedy in itself; if there's anyone to blame, it should be on merciful God for allowing two truly loving people to suffer! Blame fate for being as unfathomable as a heartless temptress! Blame my father for owing such a massive foreign debt!"
Louis Bonaparte remained silent, his eyelids slightly drooping. In his heart, he had once held resentment toward Uncle Jerome (Old Jerome), but whenever he thought of the support from his cousin and cousin, the resentment in his heart was washed away.
"Forget it! Let's not talk about these old, trivial matters anymore!" Louis Bonaparte had actually long since let it all go, but on this special occasion today, Jerome stirred up his memories of past affections.
"Yes! Let's not talk about it!" Jerome decisively cut off the topic, knowing that some things must be stopped when they're about to go too far.
"Jerome, my brother!" Louis Bonaparte decided to get to the point, speaking with deep emotion in his hoarse voice, "After I die, would you be willing to take up the flag of the Bonaparte Clan leader and continue fighting for the cause of the Bonaparte Clan!"
Louis Bonaparte's words made Jerome's heart beat two tones faster.
The great flag of the Bonaparte Clan? How revolutionary a title it is!
Although now the Bonaparte Clan is left with only nominal titles and a bunch of superficial honors, these things can help Jerome obtain what he wants under certain circumstances.
In France, Bonaparte no longer just represents an individual, a family; it stands as a symbol.
Silver coins bearing Napoleon's effigy circulate into French countryside, the French farmers might not necessarily know who Napoleon was or what he did, but all they need is to find someone they recognize among the crowd, that person only.
Napoleon Bonaparte's nephew, the defender of farmers, the supporter of land division, enough to stir up mighty waves in France.
Jerome's wild thoughts also inexplicably caused unease in Louis Bonaparte's heart; he was unwilling to see the title of Bonaparte Clan Leader falling onto anyone's head other than Jerome Bonaparte, for fear of what tales they might spin about him after his death.
"My dear cousin!" Louis Bonaparte grasped Jerome Bonaparte's wrist urgently, saying, "Although the Bonaparte Clan has fallen into the dust, believe me, one day the Bonaparte Clan will ascend the throne once again!"
"Yes!" Jerome nodded without doubt; history has proven the impact of the Bonaparte surname in France.
Louis Bonaparte paused, then spoke softly, "My cousin, I suppose you know better than I the current situation in France!"
Jerome Bonaparte responded gloatingly, "The regicide has been ousted from the throne (regicide was what the Orthodox Faction called Louis Philippe, here Jerome satirically refers to Louis Philippe), and the Republic, amidst the backing of the Parisian sans-culottes, has scrambled out of the grave once again!
Unfortunately, in this hastily ripened, shoddy Republic, there's no second Robespierre, no second Danton, no second Marla; they don't even have a second Fouché.
There's only a Lamartine who was previously reciting poetry and composing music, an unimpressive Mountain Party, and a crowd of remnants amidst the ruins of the dynasty along with country bumpkins returning to Paris. A chaotic Republic serves no other purpose but noise, and how can the Republican Faction successfully govern when with this bunch of parasites! I deduce this Republic is doomed soon!"