Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 583 Some are happy, some are sad

Harper's Weekly was Lionel's collaborator in the American serialization, so it also serialized the English translation of "The Sinking of the Titan" in three issues.

The serialization of this novel had an explosive impact!

Readers in all major American cities—New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia—are talking about "The Sinking of the Titan."

At a bookstore on Fifth Avenue in New York, the owner had to restock the issue containing the novel's ending three times. Each time, it sold out within a day.

The bookstore owner said to his wife incredulously, "I've never seen readers so enthusiastic. Not even when Uncle Tom's Cabin was first published."

Holding a copy of "Modern Life," his eyes were dreamy: "People are tired of the hypocrisy of the old world and yearn for genuine humanity, like Jacques Junson."

Inside the bookstore, the customers' discussions were lively and direct.

“Carl Kaneci, the son of a steel tycoon, is one of those ‘successful’ people in our country! Rich, vulgar, and wants to buy everything with money, including bloodlines!”

"But Ruth chose Jacques. She chose art, she chose truth, she chose love!"

"In fact, she chose freedom! In front of the Statue of Liberty, she chose a new name and a new identity."

This is not only the spirit of France, but also the spirit of America—to abandon the old world and create a new self!

"But Jacques is French."

"So what? France gave the Statue of Liberty, and France also gave Jacques Juniper. He is the part of old Europe that has not yet decayed."

Art, humanity, sacrifice… these are things we Americans also need, not just steel, oil, and steam engines.”

The discussion quickly spread to the newspapers. The New York Times literary review wrote:

"The Sinking of the Titans" is not just a romance novel; it also marks the end of an era.

The class barriers, hypocritical etiquette, and technological arrogance of the old world all crumbled under the impact of the iceberg.

And hope for a new world emerges amidst the disaster!

The Boston Globe was even more blunt:

Britain built the Titan, but France built the Jacques Juniper.

The former sank, while the latter gained immortality through the memories and name of their lover.

What does this imply? Material forces decay, but spiritual values ​​are eternal!

Soon, the novel was no longer just a literary topic; it became a cultural phenomenon!
Young couples in New York City gaze out from Manhattan toward Bedloe Island, where a 15-foot-deep foundation is being excavated to build the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty.

As they imagined the magnificent sight of the colossal statue of the goddess standing on Bedloe Island, they reminisced about the scene where Ruth changed her name there.

Students at the New York Academy of Art began frequently using the excuse, "I need to recreate the scene of Jacques painting Ruth's portrait," to find models for themselves, and it always worked.

Even some pioneers of the feminist movement have begun quoting this novel to argue for women's right to choose their own identity.

"Ruth DeWitt-Buckert was a name given to her by others, while Rose Juniper was a name she chose herself. This is a symbol of female autonomy."

The image of Carl Canage, the son of a steel tycoon, quickly became a regular feature in satirical cartoons.

He was depicted as a gorgeously dressed but empty-hearted puppet, waving a checkbook as he attempts to board a lifeboat.

American society has long harbored complex feelings toward the British aristocracy—admiring its history and culture on the one hand, but resenting its arrogance and class system on the other.

The sinking of the Titans perfectly releases this aversion, while at the same time preserving a positive connection with European culture through the French character of Jacques.

As for France... American readers generally believe that this novel proves the spiritual foundation of Franco-American friendship.

France gifted the Statue of Liberty to the United States, and a French writer in turn gifted the United States a novel about freedom. One critic wrote:

"This is a double gift. The bronze statue symbolizes political freedom, and the novel symbolizes personal freedom. Both come from France and will take root in the New World."

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Pittsburgh winters are always gloomy. Smoke billows from countless chimneys, hanging low over the city and filtering the sunlight into a dull yellow.

Andrew Carnegie sat in his office, staring at the magazine on his desk.

The page in Harper's Weekly was the third installment of the "Sinking of the Titan" series.

He had already finished reading it. In fact, he read it twice. The first time was last night at home, and the second time was this morning after he arrived at the office.

Now he's fixated on that name: Carl Kanechi.

Carl Canage, the son of a steel tycoon, is the fiancé of the female protagonist, Ruth DeWittbuck.

An American upstart, dressed in a bespoke British suit and speaking with a British accent, is trying to buy a noble title with money.

In the novel, Carl Canage is not a villain in the traditional sense. He does not kill, does not commit crimes, and does not even show obvious malice.

After the Titan struck the iceberg, instead of rescuing Rose, he squeezed onto a lifeboat himself and even bribed the crew with his own money.

After being rescued, he frantically searched for Ruth, as if looking for a valuable item that had been accidentally lost.

The most hurtful passage for Carnegie appears in the latter half of the novel—

While the survivors waited on the rescue ship, Carl Canage said to a businessman who had also been rescued:
“My losses are too great. I bought her so much jewelry, all of it is on the ship. And that custom-made carriage…”

……

This single line is enough for the reader to see what Carl Kanege cared about. Not human lives, not love, but his investments—

Jewelry, carriages, and the fiancée who could bring him social status.

Andrew Carnegie knew the name "Carl Canage" no coincidence; anyone who had read the novel would recognize him. This was Lionel Sorel's revenge; he still believed he had orchestrated the attack he suffered in Nevada.

Carnegie recalled how, two years earlier, Sorel had sneaked into the mining area right under his nose, and then the title of "Tin Coin Emperor" had been bestowed upon him.

But what wrong have they done? Which major American company doesn't do this? The "company town" they control already treats the miners quite well.

They even built a primary school so that the miners' children could receive an education!

In the end, he paid a heavy price—not only did he spend tens of thousands of dollars to eliminate the Western bandits, but he also had to persuade major American publishers and bookstores.

The works of those French writers are now well protected by copyright in the United States, and everyone receives considerable royalties, especially Lionel Sorel.

He thought the matter was over. But clearly, Sorel didn't think so.

The sinking of the Titans does not say that "Andrew Carnegie is a bad guy," nor does it portray Carl Canage as a pure villain.

But that's the worst part!
If Carl Canage were a villain, readers would hate him, but would also feel, "This isn't a real person; it's just a fictional character."

But Carl Kaneci was not a villain. He was a man raised by capital who revealed his hypocrisy in the face of real trials.

He was cowardly, selfish, and superficial, but not entirely intentionally—that's how he grew up and was educated; he didn't know there were other ways to live.

The implication of this writing style is fatal: it is not the evil of a few individuals, but rather capital, class, vanity... that together shaped people like Carl Canage.

That is, Andrew Carnegie.

Carnegie took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to the window. Outside lay his kingdom: blast furnaces, chimneys, railway tracks, coal wagons…

He was not yet the king of Pittsburgh, but he was the fastest-growing steel company, supporting the construction of American railroads, bridges, and skyscrapers.

This is everything he is proud of.

But now, a French novel has created an image in the public's mind of a coward who only cares about his own investments in the face of disaster.

Andrew Carnegie cared more than just about wealth; he also worked hard to cultivate the image of an "American Dream capitalist."

As a teenager, he came to America from Scotland with his family, penniless, and then started from scratch, working hard to accumulate wealth...

Now Lionel Sorel's novels threaten this image.

The Andrew Carnegie he wanted people to remember was not a cold-blooded steel tycoon—at least not now.

Carnegie walked back to his desk and pulled the bell. A few seconds later, his secretary, James Black, came in.

“Mr. Black,” Carnegie said, “please have a seat.”

James Black sat down in the chair opposite the desk and took out his notebook and pencil.

Carnegie didn't speak immediately. He picked up Harper's Weekly again and turned to the pages about the sinking of the Titan.

"Did you read it?" he asked.

James Black hesitated for a moment: “I read it, sir.”

What do you think?

The secretary became even more cautious: "This is a novel, sir. A fictional story."

"Carl Canage, son of a steel tycoon, from Pittsburgh. Who do you think readers would think of?"

James Black did not answer. The question did not need an answer.

Carnegie threw the magazine back on the table: “That French writer. Lionel Sorel. He still remembers the tin coins. He’s getting revenge on me with his novel.”

"Perhaps it's just a coincidence, sir. It's just that the names are similar."

Carnegie shook his head: "It's no coincidence. Sorel is a writer; he did it on purpose! We need to do something about it."

"gentlemen?"

Carnegie turned around and decisively ordered: "Contact New York City. I want to donate money to build a library."

James Black looked up, his eyes wide with surprise: "The library?"

"The Citizens' Library is open to the public free of charge. It has a reading room, bookshelves, and books."

Everyone—workers, students, women, children—can go in and read for free.

The secretary quickly took notes: "What's the scale?"

"The area must be large enough, the building must be beautiful enough and eye-catching enough, so that everyone knows that it was donated by Andrew Carnegie."

"funds?"

"I will provide all of it. There should be a monument at the entrance, clearly stating who donated it."

James Black couldn't help but advise, "Sir, this will cost a lot of money. Our working capital..."

Andrew Carnegie waved his hand to interrupt: "I know what I'm doing. This money has to be spent, or we'll suffer even greater losses."

Not just New York, but Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago… I want every major city in America to have a Carnegie Library in the future!

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While France, Britain, and the United States were all embroiled in controversy surrounding "The Sinking of the Titans," Lionel stood amidst the crowd at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, dressed in a solemn black suit.

He is here today to bid farewell to a friend, a master.

(Two chapters finished, goodnight everyone.)
(End of this chapter)