After the gathering, Lionel politely declined the invitations from Maupassant, Huysmans, and others to "see the world" and walked back alone.
On one hand, it was to organize his thoughts, and on the other, it was to exercise and maintain his physical fitness.
When he first arrived in this world, Lionel's body was weak from long-term malnutrition, merely a large skeletal frame.
As his economic conditions improved and Petty's cooking skills advanced, his meals became increasingly rich and nutritious, recently even to the point of excess.
To stay healthy, Lionel had recently made a conscious effort to increase his walking frequency, which was also a daily activity for gentlemen in France.
"Exercise" in this era was different from later times—if you were seen jogging in a park, you'd be arrested as a lunatic by the police within 20 minutes.
Aside from fishermen, almost no one swam. Gentlemen and ladies vacationing by the sea mostly just sunbathed on the beach.
What was considered "exercise" were only those aristocratic pursuits: fencing, horsemanship, rowing, tennis, croquet (similar to gateball)…
And then there was mountaineering, hiking, hunting, and fishing.
Lionel hadn't had the chance to try any of these yet—they usually required going to specialized clubs.
Typically, once his annual income and bank savings increased to a certain level, investment managers would soon contact him and recommend he join a club.
Mr. Phileas Fogg, the protagonist of Jules Verne's novel Around the World in Eighty Days, gained membership to the Reform Club because he had 40,000 pounds in Barings Bank.
However, Lionel's current assets had not yet met the standard, so he remained an outsider to Paris's "high society life."
It was just that he personally didn't care; otherwise, he could have long since become a favored guest at many ladies' salons through Madame Rothschild's connections.
Walking along, Lionel reviewed the afternoon's debate. For him, with over a century of literary history and theoretical development experience, "naturalism," "romanticism," "realism," and so on, were all outdated.
But he couldn't possibly introduce "magical realism" now—especially when the extraordinary adventures of benjamin button had just begun, it would undoubtedly be an overly premature offense.
Instead, what he witnessed a few days ago at "Old Man Lemaitre's" tavern gave him great inspiration.
Although the old shoemaker held Le Petit Parisien in his hands, he didn't read it verbatim but improvised based on his own understanding.
As the author, Lionel not only felt no displeasure but greatly admired the old shoemaker's "re-creation."
Because he was facing ordinary tavern patrons with not very high cultural levels, sophisticated rhetoric and profound metaphors were lost on them. Instead, exaggerated, commonplace descriptions allowed them to feel immersed and enjoy the story.
In Lionel's view, this was also a form of praise, praising the extraordinary adventures of benjamin button for possessing some of the most unadorned, essential qualities of a story.
If only high-end clubs and salons could embrace this novel, the extraordinary adventures of benjamin button would have failed.
He "wrote for people," and the old shoemaker "read for people"—a story, if it loses a broad audience base, is a failure by Lionel's current standards.
Unconsciously, Lionel arrived at the apartment at 64 Lafitte Street. Opening the door, he was met with a rich aroma of meat—Petty seemed to have improved the recipe again?
To hell with all literary concepts and creative methods!
Lionel just wanted a hot bowl of soup now!
— — — —
It was another Monday, and Lionel finally returned to Sorbonne for classes.
Although Mr. Duen said he could take leave whenever he wanted, Lionel still had some self-awareness.
It was already mid-May; if he didn't come to class soon, the annual exams would be upon them, usually written in mid-June and oral in late June.
If he failed, he would have to repeat a year, and even if he was now a famous writer, it would still be a blemish on his life.
After all, academic reputation and literary fame are not interchangeable—of course, dropping out directly is another matter, as Jules Verne was an example.
Albert de Rohan was particularly excited to see his "good brother" Lionel return to class.
Ever since he appeared in the newspapers as "Lionel Sorel's good friend," he had unexpectedly received praise from his father, Count Rohan, who even increased his living allowance by 100 francs, making him much more financially comfortable.
However, after class at noon, Albert was about to pull Lionel away for a big meal when they were stopped by a newspaper—Le Figaro.
Professor Hippolyte Taine specifically handed this newspaper to Lionel, flipped to a particular page, and said, "Read this carefully; don't underestimate it."
Lionel saw the headline and immediately realized the article was fiercely critical:
Beware! A Literary Freak Show is Playing in Paris—A Review of Sorel's New Work the extraordinary adventures of benjamin button and its Commercial Farce
The article was signed: Jules Arsène Arnaud Claretie.
Lionel had no impression of this name, so he continued reading and discovered that the criticism against him was incredibly sharp:
Our literary taste is being fooled by a meticulously planned circus act! Who is the protagonist? A young author named Lionel Sorel, and his highly exaggerated the extraordinary adventures of benjamin button.
What trick is Mr. Sorel playing this time? It's simple: a freak show! Just like those tents at the fair that attract onlookers with two-headed sheep and conjoined twins! Literature, our noble Muse, when did it stoop to attracting attention by displaying such unnatural, horrifying "monsters"? This is a blatant trampling of literary dignity!
Some might argue: Ah, this is symbolism! Symbolizing the chaotic era of the Great Revolution! What a profound metaphor!—Please! Don't flatter yourselves! Using such an extreme, absurd, purely sensational "freak" to symbolize the magnificent, complex, and profound historical changes? That's like trying to explain the entire ocean with a single drop of ink!
What is the great tradition of French literature? It is the sublime sentiments of heroes in Corneille's writings, the incisive wisdom of Molière's insights into human nature, the shining light of Voltaire's reason, and Balzac's profound brushstrokes depicting all facets of society! Its foundation lies in a deep insight into human nature, a precise portrayal of society, the refinement of language through countless trials, and the eternal pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty!
The popularity of the extraordinary adventures of benjamin button is by no means a victory for literature. It is a sad symptom of the current social superficiality and vulgar taste! It caters to people's low-brow interest in shallow thrills and collecting curiosities. We, who cherish literary values, must remain highly vigilant! Open your eyes, readers! Don't be fooled by those flashy little pictures and an absurd story about an "old baby"!
Professor Hippolyte Taine reminded him meaningfully again, "Don't underestimate Claretie; he will enter the French Academy in the future…"