The next afternoon, as agreed, Lionel arrived at a secluded villa belonging to the Marquise de La Vilernoy, located in the suburbs of Saint-Honoré.
The Marquise clearly didn't want this meeting to attract attention and was already waiting for Lionel in the living room.
Dressed in a simple black dress today, she greeted him with a knowing smile:
"Mr. Sorel, you've arrived. This truly is an unexpected nuisance."
Lionel suppressed the urge to complain and reluctantly returned the greeting:
"Good day, Marquise."
Shortly after, Sophia's two witnesses also arrived.
They were two young aristocratic women, Miss de Mortemart and the Duchess de Berry.
They were both nervous and excited, with a solemn expression on their faces as if participating in a historical event; yet, their eyes couldn't hide their curiosity, especially when looking at Lionel.
After the pleasantries, the atmosphere immediately became formal and grave.
The Marquise de La Vilernoy, as the chief witness for Madame de Rothschild's side, spoke first:
"Ladies, we are gathered here to resolve the disagreement between Madame Éléonore de Rothschild and Mademoiselle Sophia Ivanovna Dourova-Shcherbatova in the most decorous and least damaging way possible. I propose that the duel be set for noon on the last Sunday of this month."
Miss de Mortemart and the Duchess de Berry exchanged a few whispers, then nodded in agreement:
"The time is acceptable."
It was Sophia's side's turn to propose conditions, and the Duchess de Berry spoke:
"As for the location, to avoid unnecessary attention, I suggest deep within the Saint-Germain-en-Laye forest in the western suburbs of Paris.
My family owns a secluded hunting lodge there, with a flat lawn at its entrance surrounded by tall hedges, providing ample privacy."
Lionel and the Marquise de La Vilernoy exchanged glances, then both expressed their agreement.
Next was the crucial part.
The Marquise looked at Lionel, gesturing for him to speak.
Lionel took a deep breath and said in as calm a voice as possible:
"Regarding weapons, Madame de Rothschild proposes the use of court swords.
This weapon is light and easy to control, more suitable for ladies, and can effectively reduce the risk of serious accidental injury."
Sophia's two witnesses exchanged a look, and Miss de Mortemart said:
"Mademoiselle Shcherbatova accepts the proposal of using rapiers."
Lionel nodded:
"Finally, regarding the rules. Although it is for the two of you to propose, we strongly recommend adopting the 'first blood' principle.
The duel will terminate the moment a visible wound, causing bleeding, appears on any part of either participant's body.
This meets the demands of honor and also ensures the safety of both ladies to the greatest extent."
Sophia's witnesses smiled upon hearing this, and the Marquise de La Vilernoy nodded:
"This is also Mademoiselle Shcherbatova's wish!"
The air in the living room immediately relaxed, and the brows of the ladies smoothed out.
Finally, both sides also agreed to bring their own doctors and to keep the details of the duel strictly confidential from everyone else.
Only after all this was said did Lionel truly breathe a sigh of relief, confirming that there was indeed a certain unspoken understanding among these noblewomen.
Sophia's two witnesses didn't stay long, rising to bid the Marquise farewell.
After seeing them off, Lionel put on his hat, ready to leave, but was unexpectedly called back by the Marquise de La Vilernoy.
This noblewoman, widowed for many years, had a servant bring fine white wine, and looked at the tall, handsome, and talented young man before her with seductive eyes.
"Care to join me for a couple of drinks—Adèle truly has good taste..."
——————
Lionel ultimately escaped the "clutches" of the Marquise de La Vilernoy, fleeing in a panic to Zola's villa in Médan.
He couldn't return to 117 Boulevard Saint-Germain recently, and he didn't have to worry about the remaining duel matters, so he naturally sought some peace and quiet.
Zola warmly welcomed Lionel, but even a straightforward man like him couldn't help but ask:
"Those two ladies are really going to..."
He didn't finish his sentence, closing his mouth sheepishly under the murderous glare of his wife, Madame Alexandrine.
Lionel took the opportunity to change the subject:
"Émile, I know you like photography. Could you take a picture for me?"
One of Zola's greatest joys in life was photography, and he immediately said:
"No problem, of you?"
Lionel shook his head:
"No, it's for Patty. Patty is going to the Municipal Girls' Primary School on Rue des Écoles, and she needs a 'school registration photo.'
Although the school will also take their photos, I think it would mean something different if you, Émile, take this picture."
Patty and Alice had both stayed at Zola's house for a long time before.
The Zolas, who had no children, were very fond of the two little girls, so they immediately agreed.
Lionel immediately wrote a letter, sending Zola's coachman to 117 Saint-Germain Avenue to pick up Patty and bring her to Médan, along with her prettiest clothes.
Not long after lunch that afternoon, Patty arrived at the villa by carriage.
Compared to Alice, Madame Alexandrine doted more on Patty, who spent all day in the kitchen with her, and she picked the little girl up as soon as she saw her.
"Lionel says you're going to school? Are you happy?"
Madame Alexandrine asked.
Unexpectedly, Patty pouted:
"I said I could read books at home by myself, or Alice could teach me, but the Young Master insists on sending me to school..."
Lionel also felt a bit helpless upon hearing this.
Patty didn't quite understand the significance of going to school yet.
With the "typing cooperative" now established, Alice certainly couldn't spend every day studying with Patty as she used to.
He himself couldn't possibly start teaching Patty primary school courses, and at the same time, he didn't like the idea of inviting a "Jane Eyre" into the house.
Traditional governesses were rarely...
So only one option remained—sending Patty to a girls' primary school.
The Municipal Girls' Primary School on Rue des Écoles was a girls' primary school that opened to ordinary citizens after Jules Ferry's law was passed.
Its predecessor was a church school, which had now been completely transformed into a secular primary school, considered a "model project" of the new education law.
For this purpose, Lionel specifically asked Albert's father for an enrollment slot.
Patty was already eleven years old, and after testing, her literacy level was equivalent to a fourth-grader's, so she was simply enrolled directly into fourth grade.
With the Vice Minister's letter of introduction and a child personally sent by the "Conscience of the Sorbonne" to the school, everything went smoothly.
It was just that Patty herself was somewhat reluctant—she was worried that without her, the Young Master would starve.
Lionel stepped forward and gently patted Patty's little head:
"Alright, hurry up and wash your face, Monsieur Zola is going to take your picture!"
...
More than an hour later, Patty's photo was taken.
Zola was still using the relatively early wet collodion photography method, which was complex to operate, required a portable darkroom, and had a relatively long exposure time.
So it took a good part of the morning to get it right.
Wet-plate photographs had to be immediately returned to the darkroom for developing after exposure to prevent the negative from drying, so Patty and Lionel soon saw the developed photo.
In the photo, Patty wore a plaid children's dress, her hair in braids, sitting upright with a smile on her face, her large eyes shining brighter than the stars at night!
Lionel looked at the black and white photo, remembered something, and said to Patty:
"Tomorrow, we're going to another place!"
Patty asked puzzled:
"Where? Home?"
Lionel smiled and said:
"No, to Renoir's! Let him paint a portrait of you!"
(End of Chapter)