Maupassant came in and collapsed into a chair in the room:
"I drew lot number 2, it's my turn to tell a story tomorrow!
But my mind is completely blank, I can't think of any decent story! Especially after you told the story of '80 years'!
I have no experience with long-distance voyages, nor have I encountered anything interesting on a ship...
Am I supposed to tell them about my romantic escapades with women? Émile would kill me!
Even if Émile were willing, I've never patronized beautiful women on a large ship; there are no 'brothels' on the 'Perelle'..."
Lionel was writing something at his desk and felt a headache upon hearing this, so he could only turn around.
Seeing Maupassant's distressed expression, he thought for a moment and said,
"How about I tell it for you tomorrow?"
Maupassant immediately sprang up from his chair, his face instantly clearing:
"Really? Lionel! You're truly my savior! This is great! I knew you'd have a solution!"
He was so excited he almost lunged forward to embrace Lionel.
Lionel waved his hand:
"Alright, alright, go get some rest, let me read quietly for a bit."
Maupassant left, profusely grateful.
The next afternoon, many people gathered again in the entertainment room, all eager to hear what story the "Meitang Group's" second storyteller would bring.
When it was Maupassant's turn, he stood up smiling, but cast his gaze towards Lionel:
"Ladies and gentlemen, given that Mr. Lionel Sorel's story was so brilliant that I feel ashamed in comparison, I have decided—
to transfer my storytelling opportunity to him!"
Everyone was surprised, their gazes instantly focusing on Lionel.
Lionel calmly stood up and walked towards the stage under everyone's astonished gaze.
"God, he's telling another one?"
"Was yesterday's story not good enough? He has new ideas again?"
"How does his brain work?"
A chorus of discussions rose and fell.
Lionel walked to the piano again, pulled out a silver coin, and placed it on the music stand.
He said to the pianist Jean Durand,
"Mr. Durand, please continue to play for me. Just play Chopin's 'Nocturne', Opus 9, No. 2."
Durand accepted the silver coin, a smile appearing on his face, and he bowed slightly:
"Very well, Mr. Sorel. However, from today on, my name on this ship will be '80 years'."
A knowing burst of laughter erupted in the entertainment room, significantly lightening the heavy atmosphere left by yesterday's story.
After the laughter subsided slightly, Lionel faced the crowd and began his new story, his voice steady, as if stating an impending fact:
"This story I'm about to tell takes place on a giant ship that will be built in the near future.
It is even larger and more luxurious than the 'Perelle' we are on today, with a displacement of a full 20,000 tons!"
A collective gasp rose from the audience—20,000 tons?
One must remember that the 'Perelle', with a displacement of 5,500 tons, was already a behemoth.
Everyone could only vaguely imagine what a 20,000-ton behemoth looked like; it wasn't a "miniature city," but a true "floating city" on the sea!
At this point, the 'Perelle' captain, who was also listening to the story in the cabin, immediately protested:
"Mr. Sorel, why can't the big ship in this story also be the 'Perelle'?
Our ship is already big enough to hold more stories!"
Lionel glanced at the grizzled old captain:
"Captain, you'll know why I'm not using the 'Perelle' once you've heard this story."
Hearing this, the captain could only grumble and sit back down.
Lionel continued to narrate:
"It is the pinnacle of human shipbuilding technology, a palace floating on the sea, a true city.
Therefore, people named it—the 'Titan'.
Its builders, its captain, all declared it to be an unsinkable giant ship!"
"Titan" is the name of a race of giants in ancient Greek mythology, so naming such a behemoth after it was, of course, very reasonable.
Lionel, however, had some regrets; the real historical 'Titanic' had a displacement of 55,000 tons, far larger than the 20,000 tons he mentioned.
But even the largest cruise ship of this era had a displacement of less than 7,000 tons, so 20,000 tons had already pushed the limits of everyone's imagination.
Lionel stood on the small stage, looking at the curious and astonished faces in the audience.
He knew what a shocking impact a story about an "unsinkable" giant ship eventually sinking would have in this age of navigation.
He smiled slightly and began to tell the story—
"Our story takes place on the 'Titan'. Its mission was also from Le Havre to New York.
Just as it was about to embark on its maiden voyage, a young painter named Jacques was playing cards with a few people on the dock.
He was lucky, winning some money, and most importantly, he won a ticket—
a steerage ticket for the 'Titan' bound for New York."
Those in the audience were at least second-class passengers, and upon hearing "steerage," they let out soft laughs and whispers.
Maupassant and the others, however, widened their eyes—Lionel and they had only just visited steerage yesterday, and today he could use it to tell a story?
They had seen what the environment was like, but for a poor painter, it truly was a ticket to a new world.
"And so, Jacques, with his easel on his back, boarded this massive ocean liner he had never imagined.
He lived in the bottom of the ship, crowded with hundreds of immigrants. But he was young, and even though he knew nothing of what lay ahead, he was full of hope and fearless."
Lionel paused, casting his gaze upon the well-dressed audience.
"Meanwhile, the first-class cabin welcomed a distinguished guest, the American steel magnate, Mr. Cal Hockley.
Mr. Hockley was returning to New York with his 'trophy', a young noblewoman named Rose.
Rose's family had fallen into decline, but her mother, the Countess, desperately hoped to save their tottering family through this marriage."
Hearing this, many gentlemen and ladies showed expressions of understanding, exchanging knowing glances.
Such things were too common; the newly rich who had accumulated astonishing wealth in America longed to "gild" themselves with European noble titles and lineage.
And many impoverished old European aristocrats were happy to exchange their daughters' happiness for real money.
For the next period, Lionel smoothly recounted the story of the "Titanic", and the audience's hearts rose and fell with the love story of Jacques and Rose.
In the story, over just a few days of the voyage, Rose's and Jacques' hearts grew closer and closer, and finally, they came together in a corner of the cargo hold...
As he spoke of this, the audience below held their breath, even the sound of some men swallowing could be heard—such a steamy and exciting plot, and they could listen for free?
Lionel did not elaborate, but instead shifted the topic, beginning to describe how the watchman sailors discovered an anomaly, prompting dissatisfied murmurs from the audience who were eager for details.
But Lionel didn't make everyone wait too long; soon, the 'Titan' struck a huge iceberg.
Screams erupted from the crowd—
"Oh my God!"
"An iceberg!"
"In the North Atlantic!"
"Unsinkable? My heavens!"
Especially the old captain of the 'Perelle', his face instantly turned pale, finally understanding why Lionel didn't let this story happen on the 'Perelle'.
Lionel didn't give the audience much time to process their fear; he quickly drove the story to its climax.
"The hull was torn open, and icy seawater surged in. The 'Titan' began to sink irreversibly.
Panic spread, but the number of lifeboats was far from enough for everyone on board."
A deathly silence fell over the entertainment room, broken only by Lionel's voice.
"...Jacques helped Rose climb onto a broken piece of wood, but that piece of wood could only support one person.
He knew this was her only chance to survive, so in the biting cold seawater, he tightly held her hand and spoke his last words to her—
He made her promise him that no matter what, she must live, and live a wonderful life, have many children, watch them grow up, and die peacefully in a warm bed..."
Many ladies had already begun to sob softly, constantly wiping away tears with their handkerchiefs, and the men also looked solemn.
"Jacques let go of her hand, smiling, and slowly sank into the cold, dark depths of the North Atlantic."
Immense sadness and regret enveloped the entire entertainment room.
Sobs rose and fell.
"...Rose was rescued. She was found by a returning lifeboat and arrived in New York with the other survivors.
She did not marry Cal Hockley, who was also rescued, nor did she return to Europe, back to her family.
She lived under an assumed name, carrying the love and courage Jacques had left her, on that new continent..."
The story was finished.
Lionel stood silently on the stage, not uttering another word.
The people in the entertainment room also remained silent for a long time; some were sad, some were moved, and some were thinking.
Then, first one lady removed her gloves and clapped vigorously; then a gentleman also slowly began to clap.
Soon, the third, fourth, fifth... all the passengers in the entertainment room were applauding the story, their applause completely overpowering the sound of the waves.
After a good while, the applause died down, and people began to talk in low voices—
The story of the 'Titan' was truly rich in meaning!
It was far more than just a tragic love story.
It sharply critiqued the social realities of that era, from the vanity of American capitalists to the callousness of old European aristocrats.
It also mercilessly satirized the hypocrisy of high society, praised the sincerity and vitality of the common people, and the spirit of sacrifice that shone with human brilliance.
It even critiqued the blind superstition in technology—humanity's "unsinkable" creations were vulnerable before nature.
Everyone read something they wanted from this story; or rather, different corners of their hearts were touched by it.
Just then, someone, seemingly wanting to clear their head and alleviate the oppressive atmosphere of the shipwreck tragedy, subconsciously looked towards the porthole.
He exclaimed in surprise:
"Huh? It looks like the sky has cleared?"
Everyone turned their heads and only then noticed that the lead-gray sky outside the porthole, which had been gloomy for days, had somehow cleared, revealing large expanses of clear blue.
Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting bright spots on the floor, like small lakes.
More noticeably, the ship's swaying motion had become very slight, almost imperceptible.
Someone cheered: "The wind and waves have stopped! The 'autumn storm' is over!"
This sudden good weather seemed to give everyone a reprieve and release.
People stood up one after another, eager to leave the stuffy entertainment room and go out on deck for some fresh air.
Everyone poured onto the deck, and the salty, fresh air invigorated them.
People breathed greedily, stretched their limbs, and the long-unseen sun warmed their faces.
The sea was as calm as a giant blue mirror, with only white foam rising as the ship cut through it.
Some silently gazed into the distance, while others discussed the story they had just heard in small groups.
Just then, suddenly, a young passenger standing near the starboard railing let out a terrified scream, breaking the calm:
"Iceberg! A huge iceberg!"
All the passengers on deck who had just heard the story, including Lionel the storyteller, panicked!
(End of Chapter)