The next morning, New York.
The newsboys' shrill cries echoed through the streets and alleys of Manhattan.
They waved newspapers, and no matter which one, the front page headlines were all occupied by the same reports.
The New York Herald's headline was bold and sensational:
"The King of Literature Arrives in New York!"
["Pérelle" brought not only nine distinguished French writers, but also the Old Continent's solemn recognition of American culture!
Émile Zola declared on the steps of City Hall: "New York astonishes us!"
This was not a perfunctory compliment, but a genuine marvel from a literary master at New York's vitality and ambition!]
The New York Tribune's headline similarly overflowed with pride:
"The Glory of Paris, Now Belongs to New York!"
[History will remember this day!
France's great contemporary writers are visiting a nation for the first time as a collective!
Émile Zola, Lionel Sorel, Alphonse Daudet, Edmond de Goncourt... This is contemporary French literature!
This itself represents that America has not only achieved astonishing feats in economy and industry, but has also attracted the most discerning eyes of the Old World in culture.
Mr. Zola is right, we possess a "vitality utterly distinct from those ancient cities of Europe."
The arrival of the French literary giants is not charity, but homage!]
The popular The New York Sun was even more direct: "The Great French Literary Giants Have Arrived!"
[Forget the clichés that Americans only understand steel and money! Look at the throngs of people at the pier yesterday! Listen to the enthusiastic applause in front of City Hall!
France, the nation with the most artistic taste in the world, has sent their treasures—the literary masters—to our doorstep!
Mr. Zola praised our city for its "soaring ambition," which resonated deeply with every New Yorker!
What does this mean? It means that not only are we building the tallest buildings and longest bridges, we are also creating a lifestyle that even Paris marvels at!]
Almost all newspapers dedicated special sections, detailing the grandeur of the welcome ceremony, quoting Zola's speech, and accompanied by woodcut illustrations of the writers posing for a group photo on the steps of City Hall.
The serious Zola, the aged Goncourt, the gentle Daudet, the brightly smiling Maupassant, and the serene Lionel...
...formed the most direct impression of "French Literature" for New York citizens.
A collective joy and pride of "we have been recognized" permeated the city's air.
Another topic also prominently featured in various newspapers and quickly became a new topic of conversation among New York's social circles and literature enthusiasts—
Lionel Sorel's eight stories told on the "Pérelle".
The New York Herald exclaimed with an exaggerated headline in its culture section: "Eight Miracles Born at Sea!"
[...According to dispatches from our special correspondent, during the voyage lasting several days, Mr. Lionel Sorel, to dispel the loneliness of the journey, improvised and told eight stories related to the sea and sailing in the salon of the "Pérelle"!
The breadth of topics, the ingenuity of the conception, were absolutely astonishing.
Including a pianist named "80 Years" who never set foot on land in his life, a massive ship named the "Titan", a pirate wandering the Caribbean Sea...
This is by no means simple entertainment; this is a spark of inspiration bestowed by the muse upon a true genius as she crossed the ocean!]
The New York Sun directly quoted a passenger from the "Pérelle":
[Mr. Sorel is a monster! His stories came one after another; they simply couldn't stop!
Especially that pirate named Jack Sparrow! God, I bet all American readers will fall in love with this guy! He captivated us all!
Can you imagine? Before arriving in New York, we had already enjoyed a literary feast at sea!]
These reports spread like wildfire.
American media asserted that it was precisely the anticipation of the New Continent and the longing for the American journey that ignited the young writer's fount of inspiration!
Lionel was bestowed the title of "Narrative Genius" by the media.
Public anticipation for the upcoming speeches was also raised to its peak!
————————
In the dining room of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, Lionel and his companions had breakfast while perusing the newspapers brought by the waiter.
Maupassant pointed to the report about himself in The Sun and smugly told Lionel:
"Look, Lionel! No matter how rich Americans are, what they still need is our French..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lionel stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth, choking him into silence.
Lionel put away the newspaper, saw that the hotel waiter nearby wasn't present, and then "fiercely" warned Maupassant:
"Guy, have you forgotten what I said before we set off? We can certainly appear reserved, arrogant, and critical; that's a symbol of taste and style.
But don't disparage America itself, and don't personally utter such foolish words as American culture needing French recognition, unless you want us to return to France early!"
Maupassant made "woo woo woo" sounds with his mouth, nodding repeatedly.
He struggled a bit before pulling the bread out of his mouth and said breathlessly:
"Sorry, I got a little carried away..."
Zola nearby also reminded the others upon seeing this:
"Gentlemen, we must be careful with our words throughout the journey; the waiters serving us can all speak French!
Americans also have their dignity; some things can only be said in their own newspapers, we cannot say them."
The others quickly nodded to show they understood.
After breakfast, it was already 10 o'clock in the morning.
According to prior arrangements, the writers divided into three groups to give speeches at different institutions, officially commencing their "literary evangelism" journey.
————————
Émile Zola, Edmond de Goncourt, and Alphonse Daudet went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Zola gave a lecture there titled "Naturalism: From Science to Fiction."
He analogized literary creation with scientific observation and experimental methods, emphasizing the decisive role of environment and heredity on individual destiny, showcasing the grand theoretical system of "Naturalism."
A middle-aged man who looked like a scholar asked:
"Mr. Zola, from Romanticism to Naturalism, French literature always finds new paths.
Do you think American literature can only find its own unique path if it breaks free from the traditions of British literature?"
Zola mused for a moment before answering:
"Tradition is the soil, but the crop must adapt to the local climate; every nation needs to write about its own unique reality.
America's reality—it's your cities, it's your West, it's your immigrants, it's your industries...
They themselves contain immense power, even more powerful than many of you imagine.
Dig into your own reality, and your own voice will naturally be born; it doesn't need to deliberately break free from anyone, because it is already unique!"
Zola's answer greatly inspired many writers present who aspired to establish an indigenous American literature!
————————
Meanwhile, at New York University, the atmosphere was much livelier.
Here, Maupassant lectured on "Modern Parisian Social Life: Class, Gender, and the City in Fiction."
His dashing appearance and humorous wit were inherently very attractive.
The Parisian social scene he depicted, the vanity of the petty bourgeoisie, and the emotional games between men and women were full of allure for these American students.
A bold female student stood up and asked:
"Mr. Maupassant, are Parisian women really as... as bold and pleasure-seeking as depicted in French novels?"
A wave of good-natured laughter and whispers rose from the audience.
Maupassant's eyes flashed with triumph; he spread his hands and replied in an ambiguous tone:
"My dear young lady, Paris is far bolder than anything described in any novel."
The questioning female student sat down, blushing, looking at Maupassant with eyes full of adoration.
This answer also triggered loud laughter and applause from the entire audience, and the atmosphere reached its climax.
——————————
Lionel, Huysmans, and Céard went together to Columbia University.
Columbia University's campus had a classical colonial style, and compared to the wildly growing city around it, it appeared somewhat cramped.
The lecture hall was packed, with not only students but also many New York intellectuals who had come upon hearing the news.
Lionel's speech was titled "Ten Years of French Realism: From Flaubert to the Contemporary Era."
He traced the evolution of the Realism movement in French literature since Flaubert's Madame Bovary.
He also combined his own creative practice to explain how to perceive and write "truth."
The entire speech was delivered in French, with content that was both profound and easy to understand, capturing the attention of the entire audience.
When it came to the Q&A session, a young man wearing glasses stood up:
"Mr. Sorel, your novels often directly depict desire and sin.
Do you think a novelist has a responsibility to avoid depicting these decadent dark sides so as not to have a negative impact on readers?"
The hall fell silent; everyone looked at Lionel, worried that this slightly provocative question might affect Lionel's impression of the university.
Lionel's face showed no displeasure; he even smiled slightly.
Then he replied in a calm tone:
"Facts themselves are never decadent; only lies are decadent."
Someone in the audience repeated the sentence softly, with a thoughtful expression in their eyes.
This concise answer won the approval of most listeners, and enthusiastic applause erupted in the hall.
————————
The first round of public speeches was a great success.
That evening, several major New York evening newspapers reported on the grandeur of the speeches.
Especially Lionel's line, "Facts themselves are never decadent; only lies are decadent," and Maupassant's line, "Paris is bolder than all novels," further ignited the curiosity and enthusiasm of New Yorkers for these French writers.
In the evening, the nine individuals each had invitations and went their separate ways for the first time.
Lionel went as agreed to the Morgan family's mansion in Manhattan.
This was a magnificent brown sandstone building, with a weighty, imposing style, and its interior decorations were exceedingly lavish, with every room displaying art treasures from around the world.
And the patriarch of this financial family—John Pierpont Morgan—his very first, direct statement stunned Lionel:
"Mr. Rothschild insisted that I meet with you..."
(End of chapter)