1836: I Became a Literary Giant in Great Britain

Chapter 105 Babbage

Three days later, in the famous drawing room of Murray Bookshop at 50 Albemarle Street, the details of the contract were finally finalized.

Murray and Harper's lawyers were naturally top professionals in London, and the draft contract they brought was as thick as a small book.

Every clause inside is meticulously designed and full of traps.

Michelle naturally brought his lawyers with him, but his composure and calmness impressed even the two seasoned lawyers.

This most famous London writer is not just a storyteller; his mind is just as intelligent as Mr. Sherlock Holmes'.

He wasn't bogged down by the complicated legal jargon; instead, he pinpointed several key points and demanded revisions.

For example, the definition of "net profit".

The lawyer's draft included costs for advertising, transportation, warehousing, and even afternoon tea expenses for the bookstore's executives.

Michel crossed out the latter items, keeping only the hard costs of printing, paper, and binding.

"Mr. Murray."

He said this to Murray, whose face looked rather grim.

"I imagine you wouldn't want Lord Byron's spirit in heaven to see his publisher calculating things so meticulously, would you?"

That one sentence left Murray speechless for a long time.

Ultimately, both sides made concessions.

Thus, a publishing contract that was considered "unconventional" in the Victorian era was born.

In the UK market, Michel takes 60 percent of the net profit from books.

In the North American market, he receives 10% of the sales price of each book as royalties.

The contract term is ten years.

In exchange, the advance payment naturally cannot be as exaggerated as before.

In the UK, Murray Books paid £2500.

In the United States, Harper Publishing Group paid £3000.

The total advance payment of £5500 was delivered to Michelle after the contract was signed.

When Michel pulled the two thin pieces of paper out of the envelope, his hands felt heavy.

£5500.

In this day and age, this is a huge sum of money that would allow a middle-class family to live comfortably for decades.

In a typical London location, a three-story house with a garden costs only seven or eight hundred pounds.

That amount of money was enough for him to buy half a street.

Money is finally no longer a problem.

Therefore, it's time to put the plans that were previously shelved due to a lack of funds back on the agenda.

Michelle's first thought was to buy a shop.

On the one hand, he needed a place to store the letters from his readers; on the other hand, it was also paving the way for his family's handmade sock workshop.

After all, to penetrate the London market, you need a foothold in London.

Buy a shop, no, buy a suitable property.

Once the thought popped into my head, I couldn't suppress it anymore.

Michelle went out early the next morning.

Unlike renting a place, he doesn't have that much time to look for one now.

So instead of wandering around aimlessly like a headless fly, he went to Bentley first.

As a well-known publisher in London, Bentley's network and information channels were far more efficient than Michel's own efforts to figure things out.

After hearing Michelle's purpose for coming, Bentley seemed even more excited than Michelle herself.

"Buy a shop? Michelle, you've finally come to your senses! It should have been done a long time ago!"

He patted Michelle on the shoulder and shouted loudly.

"London house prices are rising every year, buddy, you've finally found a good investment."

"Let me introduce you to the most reliable real estate agent in all of London, named Finch. My family's properties are all managed through him, so don't worry, he definitely won't rip you off."

Bentley was extremely efficient and wrote a letter of recommendation on the spot.

In the afternoon, Michelle met the real estate agent named Finch in an office not far from Fleet Street.

Mr. Finch was about fifty years old, dressed in a well-tailored tuxedo, his hair was neatly combed, and he had a professional smile on his face.

His attitude immediately became exceptionally enthusiastic after seeing Bentley's letter of recommendation.

"Mr. LeBron, hello! Mr. Bentley already gave us a heads-up."

"It is my honor to serve you."

As he spoke, he handed Michelle a steaming cup of black tea.

"What specific requirements do you have regarding the location and type of shop?"

Michelle took a sip of tea and spoke slowly.

"I need a street-facing shop, not too small, preferably with a front for business and a back for independent living and storage."

"The location...not too remote, but not in the most bustling commercial district either, just convenient transportation is fine."

"But we need to maintain a certain image; we might need to sell higher-end products in the future."

Mr. Finch listened attentively, his quill pen flying across the paper as he took notes.

"Understood."

He put down his pen and confidently raised his head.

"Mr. LeBron, based on your request, I happen to have a few very suitable options here."

"If you don't mind, we can set off to take a look now."

"certainly."

Michelle stood up.

He was already getting impatient.

Mr. Finch truly deserves to be London's top real estate agent.

The properties he recommended were indeed quite good, precisely addressing Michelle's needs.

The first location is on Regent Street, near St. James's and Regent's Park.

It was a three-story brick building with a spacious shop on the first floor. The huge glass windows were considered a very fashionable design at the time.

The second and third floors are the living areas, with spacious and bright rooms, and even a small backyard.

"This is a very good spot, Mr. LeBron," Finch said from the side.

The area is frequented by educated and respectable people, and it's not far from Regent's Park, indicating great potential for future development.

Michelle nodded; this place was indeed nice.

The price is also quite attractive.

But he did not immediately express his opinion, instead gesturing for Finch to move on to the next location.

The second property was located near the fleet, right next to the Thames River.

The advantage here is convenient transportation; the river port is not far away, making it extremely convenient to both import and export goods.

The shop itself is very large, with a huge warehouse attached to the back.

The downside is that the environment is somewhat noisy, and the air is always filled with the fishy smell of river water and the smell of coal smoke.

Michelle kept that in mind, and then they went to see the third place.

The third location faces the City of London across the river.

Finch clearly admired this place the most.

"Mr. LeBlanc, this is the future of London!"

He pointed to the bustling area on the other side of the river, his voice trembling with excitement.

"The new London Bridge is complete, and foot traffic here is skyrocketing every year! Buy property here now, and the value will at least double in five years!"

The shop he recommended was right next to the main road; it was a brand new building with an impressive exterior and a spacious interior.

Michel had to admit that Finch had a very sharp eye.

Almost everything he said came true.

The South Bank area has indeed experienced rapid development over the next few decades.

Michelle was most interested in this third property; although it was nearly 20% more expensive than the first two, it was worth the price.

He was almost ready to make the decision on the spot.

However, just as he was about to speak, he caught a glimpse of a strange building next door out of the corner of his eye.

It's strange because it stands out from all the surrounding Georgian-style red brick buildings.

The main structure of that building actually used a large amount of metal.

The building's facade reflects a blinding light under the sun.

Through the glass window, you can vaguely see that the inside is an extremely spacious and tall exhibition hall with a great sense of space.

The rear part of the building resembles a huge factory.

The towering chimneys point straight to the sky, and the overall design is simple yet powerful, full of aesthetics ahead of its time.

This building, like an intruder from the future, appeared abruptly on the streets of London in 1837.

What intrigued Michel even more was the building's unique character.

On the huge door, a few large characters were hastily painted in white paint.

"Good house for sale".

The handwriting was crooked and messy, conveying a sense of despair and haste.

"Mr. Finch"

Michelle pointed to the building.

"What's that building next door for? Is it also for sale?"

Upon hearing Michel's question, Finch's smile froze for a moment.

He glanced in the direction Michelle was pointing and then gave a regretful look.

"Oh, you mean the one next door..."

Finch sighed and lowered his voice.

"Mr. LeBron, I advise you not to get your sights set on that place."

Why?

"Because that's Babbage's asylum."

"9

Finch's tone carried a mysterious air.

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