Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 589 French soldiers never surrender!
Lionel realized that this was not simply enthusiasm or admiration for his reputation; it was fundamentally driven by self-interest.

He predicted that Jules Ferry would make a quick comeback, and now it has come true. It is estimated that many people have benefited from this, such as the mayor in front of us.

The carriage soon stopped in front of Sorel's house.

Joseph Sorel, the father, was already waiting at the door, wearing a new suit, looking a little nervous but also a little proud.

Lionel got out of the car, and the father and son hugged.

"Father."

"Leon, you're finally back." Old Joseph's tone was somewhat helpless. "The house... the doorstep has been practically worn out. It's even more lively than last time."

Mayor Bouchard also got out of his car, shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with old Joseph, said a lot of flattering words, and then took his leave with the band and the crowd.

The yard fell silent. Lionel followed his father into the house, while his mother, Marianne, rushed out of the kitchen, her eyes red: "Lion!"

After the mother and son hugged, the mother knelt down and touched Lionel's leg: "How is your injury? Does it still hurt?"

Lionel smiled and comforted her, "It's completely healed, it doesn't hurt at all, and I can even practice swordsmanship now."

Ivana, the older sister, also came down the stairs. Her complexion was much rosier than it had been two years ago, and she smiled when she saw Lionel: "Leon."

“Sister.” Lionel walked over and gently hugged her. “Congratulations.”

Ivana blushed: "Thank you."

The family sat in the living room. The mother brought in coffee and snacks, while the father began to complain.

"You wouldn't believe it, there hasn't been a moment's peace at home lately. The mayor has come three times, the speaker of the council twice, and the court president, the tax bureau chief, the high school principal... they've all come."

Everyone's offering to help with the wedding; one says they'll provide the venue, another says they'll arrange a band, and yet another says they'll cover the banquet.

Old Joseph sighed: "I told them to keep it simple, but they wouldn't listen. The mayor said that if we don't have enough space, the city hall can be lent to us."

The hotel owner in the north said he'd cover the entire wedding banquet, to the highest standard. Even the priest at the church said the ceremony could be exceptionally grand.

Ivana whispered, "Marcel's family was also frightened. His father came to us twice, saying that this was too expensive and they couldn't afford it."

Old Joseph quickly explained, "I told Dubois that our family could cover most of the expenses. But he's still not at ease. Our family is too conspicuous now."

Lionel nodded after listening: "I understand. It's alright, it's good to have a grand wedding, after all, it only happens once in a lifetime."

"But……"

Lionel said calmly, “Father, you can’t refuse. They’re using this opportunity to express their attitude and try to build a relationship. If you refuse, you’ll offend them.”

Old Joseph fell silent. He had spent his entire life as a junior clerk, accustomed to keeping a low profile, and now that he was constantly in the spotlight, he was indeed a little taken aback.

Lionel continued, "We'll just do what's polite. As for gifts, we'll accept them as long as they're not too expensive. But we don't owe them anything."

Old Joseph thought for a moment and nodded: "You're right. I'll listen to you."

Over the next few days, Lionel stayed home to help with wedding preparations, but mainly received a constant stream of visitors.

People come to my door every day, from morning till night. Some bring gifts, some offer congratulations, and some try to build a relationship.

Lionel patiently received everyone, accepting the gifts and saying the polite words that were due.

June 19th, the eve of the wedding.

In accordance with Alpine tradition, the groom Marcel Dubois's family held a "bachelor's funeral" today, symbolizing the end of his single life.

The backyard of Dubois's grocery store was decorated like a funeral, with black cloth hanging on the walls and an empty coffin in the middle.

An old hat and a cane were placed on the coffin, signifying the bachelor's status. Candles were lit around the coffin, creating a solemn yet somewhat comical atmosphere.

Marcel, dressed in black, sat beside the "coffin," his expression both awkward and amusing.

His friends surrounded him, pretending to mourn and saying witty things like "Goodbye, freedom" and "Marriage is a tomb."

Then everyone drank, ate barbecue, sang, and partied until midnight.

Finally, Marcel was lifted up by his friends, placed in a coffin in a show of ceremony, the lid was closed, then immediately opened again, pulled him out, and cheered "rebirth."

This custom is about saying goodbye to the past in the form of a funeral and welcoming a new life with a celebration.

The wedding took place the following day.

At eight o'clock in the morning, Marcel, surrounded by family and friends, went to Sorel's house to pick up his bride.

Traditionally, the bride is mixed in with a group of girls dressed similarly, and the groom has to find his bride based on their descriptions.

Ivana and six girls stood in the Sorel family's living room, all dressed in traditional Alpine attire—

White shirts, dark vests, embroidered aprons, and their hair braided with colorful ribbons. They stood in a row with their backs to the door.

Marcel was brought in blindfolded. Old Man Dubois began to describe: "The bride's hair is brown, a little darker than honey. She's about this tall."

He gestured and then said, "She's wearing a silver bracelet on her left wrist, the one that was passed down from your grandmother."

Marcel reached out to touch it. The girls, trying to suppress their laughter, trembled. He kept touching the third one, and finally found the silver bracelet!
"This is it!" Marcel exclaimed excitedly. The girls turned around, and sure enough, the third one was Ivana. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were bright.

The crowd cheered. Marcel removed his blindfold, looked at Ivana, and kept grinning foolishly.

Next is the "white ribbon obstacle".

The wedding procession started from Sorel's house and headed to the town hall to register. Every so often along the way, children would block the path with white ribbons.

Ivana had to cut the ribbon with scissors to pass through, symbolizing her ability to overcome obstacles in her married life.

The children sang while pulling the ribbons, having a wonderful time.

After cutting seven or eight ribbons, the procession arrived at the city hall. Mayor Bouchard was already there, dressed in his finest attire.

After a simple ceremony, Marcel and Ivana signed their marriage certificate, witnessed by their fathers and Lionel.

The group then proceeded to the church. At the church entrance, Marcel took a small cloth bag from his pocket, opened it, and inside was a pair of iron-soled shoes.

This is the ancient "iron shoe gift." The groom gives the bride a pair of iron-soled shoes, symbolizing that the bride needs the endurance to face the harsh life in the Alps.

Marcel knelt down on one knee and helped Ivana put on the iron shoes. After Ivana put them on, she took a few steps, and the soles of the iron shoes struck the stone floor with a dull thud.

The church ceremony was even more solemn. The parish priest presided over the ceremony, the choir sang specially prepared songs, and Marcel and Ivana exchanged rings.

After the ceremony, witnesses Joseph and Dubois took velvet bags and collected donations in the church, raising funds for the poor, which is also a tradition.

Normally, guests would only ceremonially toss in a copper coin of one shengding, but this time, they were unusually enthusiastic about throwing silver coins into the bag, and even more than one.

The bags jingled and soon became full; then they were handed over to the priest, who would buy food and distribute it to the poor.

As they left the church, the guests threw grains of wheat and rice at the newlyweds, symbolizing prosperity and fertility.

Then comes the real highlight – the wedding banquet.

The banquet was held at the Northern Hotel, where the banquet hall was filled with long dining tables, each covered with a snow-white linen tablecloth, and the silverware gleamed and the porcelain exquisite.

The aperitif alone lasted a full two hours. Champagne, local sparkling wine, various cheeses, sausages, and desserts were served continuously.

The weather was fine in June, and some of the cocktail parties were held in the hotel garden. People walked around with wine glasses in hand, chatting and laughing.

Lionel, as the bride's brother, was also busy socializing. Mayor, speaker, judge, principal, factory owner... all the important people in Gapper were there.

Everyone had to shake his hand and say a few words of flattery.

He also saw Adrian Lafont—the son of the court clerk who had once pursued Ivana—unabashedly exchanging pleasantries and toasting with Marcel.

Even Colonel Émile Langlois, from the nearby Grenoble defense district, attended the wedding banquet.

This burly officer had a thick mustache, wore a crisp uniform, and had many medals hanging on his chest.

Colonel Langlois approached with a glass of wine: "Mr. Sorel, I've long admired your work. I've read your pieces in the newspapers, especially 'Old Man Milon'!"
Hey, that old man's killing those Prussian devils is really something else!

"You flatter me," Lionel replied politely.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Colonel Langlois left with his wine glass, while two young officers behind him approached.

One of them introduced himself: “I am Jean-Pierre Dupont, now a lieutenant, and I really enjoyed your Study in Scarlet.”

Lionel also exchanged a few polite words with him.

Then another officer stepped forward: "Mr. Sorel, I am Second Lieutenant Henry Philippe Pétain..."

When Lionel heard the name, his mind went blank, and he began to carefully examine the young man in front of him who was about the same age as him.

Philippe Pétain was not tall, but he stood straight, with a serious face and firm eyes; he was a typical French soldier.

He didn't notice Lionel's odd behavior and continued speaking to himself: "I love your 'The Old Man and the Sea' the most. Saint-Jacques's spirit of never giving up and never surrendering is my role model and the spirit that every French soldier should have."

Lionel then snapped out of his daze and shook hands with the other man: "Hello, Philip. Thank you for liking it. I believe... you will definitely become an outstanding soldier in the future."

Philippe Pétain was thrilled upon hearing this: "Thank you for your encouragement, sir. I will do my best."

The formal dinner began after the appetizer reception.

One dish after another was served: white salmon from Lake Anzee with cream sauce, sava sausage stewed in white wine, grilled cheese with potatoes, wild boar choy, blueberry tart, sava cake...

During the banquet, a ball was held. Ivana, following etiquette, was led by her father to her husband Marcel, and then they danced together in front of the guests.

The festivities finally drew to a close when waiters served onion soup at one in the morning. People sipped their soup, chatted, and enjoyed the warm atmosphere…

As Lionel watched all this, he suddenly felt that the gloom that had shrouded his heart for months had finally been dispelled.

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Just as this grand ceremony in Lionel's hometown came to a close, another "grand event" was just beginning in London, across the Channel.

(Second update complete. Thank you everyone, please vote with your monthly tickets.)

(End of this chapter)