"It was also an honor to meet our young scientists. Because you know that all the achievements are just a cloud of smoke, and time will wash them away. Even Alexander the Great and Caesar left only empty names. The only thing that is truly immortal is academia. Like Greece and Rome, the most precious treasures left to us are not those great conquests, but their academia and laws. You have a talent for studying things that are truly timeless, and that is truly honored and envied." Lafayette replied with a smile as well.
"Just as Rome was immortalized in with their laws. Isn't what you are participating in now, Your Excellency the Marquis, just as monumental, just as great as the light that shines through the ages?" Joseph replied with a smile as well.
"You have a point. What are your thoughts on the constitution?" The Marquis de La Fayette asked.
"I don't know much about politics." Joseph replied, "But I think that just as ancient Greek geometry was based on nine intuitive, indisputable axioms, so our Constitution should be based on such self-evident axioms. Your Excellency the Marquis, you have led the War of Independence in North America. The logic in the Declaration of Independence of the United States is actually quite interesting when one looks at it."
"Go on." Robespierre said.
"The Declaration of Independence says: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,' These two statements are the axioms of the entire Declaration of Independence, and the entire logical derivation behind the American Declaration of Independence is based almost exclusively on them. If we are going to have a true constitution that will last through the ages, then we need to find its axiomatic foundation as well. Personally, I feel that these two sentences from the American Declaration of Independence could just as easily be the axiomatic foundation of our Constitution. So, when we write our constitution, we first identify which rights our constitution is going to protect and then we center around how we are going to protect those rights. Anything that contradicts this goal can then be considered unconstitutional, and thus illegal and invalid."
"Interesting perspective." The Duke of Orléans interjected, "But Joseph, just now I heard you say that 'Ancient Greek geometry was based on nine intuitive, unquestionable axioms,' but shouldn't it have been ten axioms? What, you also think the fifth axiom should be expelled from the ranks of from the axioms?"
"Who wouldn't want that?" Joseph laughed, "Since the time of ancient Greece, there hasn't been a single person who has studied mathematics who hasn't wished they could prove the fifth axiom, kick it off the axiomatic bandwagon, and turn it into a theorem. I'd be really famous - even as famous as Mr. Lavoisier - if I could really solve such a puzzle."
By "Monsieur Lavoisier" in this context, Joseph was, of course, referring to the great chemist Lavoisier. But because of the last name, some people are reminded of something more.
"Mr. Lavoisier?" Robespierre said, "Well, Monsieur Lavoisier's intellectual accomplishments are admirable, and it may be said that he is the light of French science. To say the least, his nephew is also talented, only in the arts, and has recently made a name for himself with a play, and some people think that he would be just as good as if he is Corneille."
"He wrote Spartacus, which is indeed good tragedy but it's too radical. Especially that "Slave War Song" completely negates all existing order." Lafayette, on the other hand, didn't seem to be a big fan of the drama as he frowned and continued, "It's true that there are a lot of problems with the existing order and that it needs to be changed, but that change should be a reform that's peaceful and gentle, not a war that's going to be like a flash flood."
"None of us want a flash flood like this." Robespierre chimed in, "It's just that that His Majesty of ours is a bit stubborn. On this subject, I have actually spoken to Mr. Lavoisier Jr., who also recognizes that it is better to reform the existing order and establish an English-style State than a North American-style State, with the Glorious Revolution (a non-violent coup d'état by the English bourgeoisie and the new nobility to overthrow the rule of James II and prevent the restoration of the Catholic Church, in 1688. It was a revolution without bloodshed, which is why historians call it the "Glorious Revolution") was better than war. But he added that it is not easy to bring about such changes in France. So sometimes one has to go a little over the top to make a difference. It's as if you said to His Majesty our King, 'It's so dark in this house of yours, you must have an extra window.' And he never agreed. So you say to him, 'It is so dark in your house that I am going to put my hand to the roof.' Then His Majesty the King might be willing to talk to us about how to open the windows."
That was a good laugh for everyone. This metaphor, in fact, originated from Lu Xun's article that Joseph had learned in his previous life. After traversing the world, he stole the metaphor and used it during a casual conversation with Armand. Now, it seems that Armand is also using the analogy he heard from him.
"That thought is not without merit." Lafayette also laughed, then frowned slightly and said, "It's just that I'm still a little worried. This play has aroused the emotions of the citizens, especially those of the sans-culottes at the bottom. And once their emotions are up, they may not want to settle for just opening a window."
"But if not, His Majesty the King will feel no pressure at all and will not agree to any changes at all." The Duke of Orleans, however, said so.
The Marquis de La Fayette raised his head and looked deeply at the Duke of Orleans but did not make a sound.
The Duke of Orleans continued, "What's more, Gilbert, as you know, His Majesty the King has mobilized his army, which is also putting pressure on us. Hell - you're the one who told me this news. -- How can we not have a little response?"
"The French army does not act against its own people. Our army is there to protect the homeland, not to slaughter people." Lafayette replied.
"You can guarantee that?" Duke Orleans asked immediately afterward.
"Of course I can!" Lafayette replied without hesitation.
"And can you guarantee that those mercenaries won't slaughter the people as well?"
The Marquis de La Fayette did not reply.
"What would the French army do if those mercenaries shot at the people? Do they defy the king's orders and go to war with those foreign mercenaries; or do they stay out of it and watch the fun?" Duke Orleans pressed again.
The Marquis de La Fayette remained silent.
"You know, the army doesn't know what to do." The Duke of Orléans continued, "If the army engages those mercenaries of the king, that means the war has begun. This is not what you wish to see. If they are allowed to slaughter people, I'm sure that's not what you want to see either. Besides, the military interfering in politics is not a good thing in the long run. Once this habit is formed, it's an endless source of trouble."
To this statement of the Duke of Orleans, the Marquis de La Fayette actually agreed with it in his heart, so he remained unable to speak.
"So the balance of power is very much against the people today. There can be no fair negotiation without an equalization in the balance of power." The Duke of Orléans continued, "Nor will His Majesty have the sincerity to accept our advice under such circumstances. So it is necessary for us to have the power of the people displayed in some way, so that the king may come to his senses before he does anything irrational."
'I'm afraid you want the people to feel that the king is their enemy so that you can override him in the future or even replace him.' The Marquis de La Fayette thought this, but he did not say it out loud. Although he himself had no intention of replacing the king (the Marquis de La Fayette was not of royal birth and did not have the right of succession), the idea of overriding the king and keeping the power of the kingdom in his own hands was just that much in his mind. Although he couldn't become a king, it wasn't impossible for him to become Richelieu or a palace minister like Pepin. So, it was just as good for him to discredit the king and turn the people against him. So he still could not refute it but could only say, "What power can a play show?"
Duke Orléans smiled, "A group of slaves, if determined to revolt, can also shake the mighty Rome. The people of France today are stronger than the slaves of Rome; and France is much weaker than Rome. At least the Roman legions will do their best to suppress the slaves, our armies won't - and the king knows this, and the only ones he can trust are the hillbillies and the German mercenaries. If our king had been wiser, he would have been able to read the message the play was sending him. As long as the King is willing to compromise, we can use this to achieve the goal of constitutional government."
"And if the king still refuses to compromise?" The Marquis de La Fayette asked again.
"Then arm the National Guard and use that force to even the playing field with the mercenaries." Robespierre said, "The National Guard's combat skills certainly don't match those of the mercenaries, but in terms of numbers, they can easily be made to outnumber the mercenaries several times over, if not ten times over, whenever the need arises."
"I hope our king understands the message of this play. Does he really want to go the way of Charles I?" The Duke of Orleans added.
Marquis de La Fayette frowned. The Duke of Orleans' words were a bit too revealing.
'It's true what Shakespeare said: 'The closer to our blood, the more they want to drink it.' (from Macbeth)'
He thought for a moment but finally spoke, "Our majesty is not a stubborn man like Charles I. He will follow the trend of the times and become a monarch who his people love."