Chapter 1131: Fontainebleau Telegraph Room |
Just as Princess Mathilde was about to return to the hotel to send a telegram, Jerome Bonaparte stopped her once more.
In Mathilde’s puzzled eyes, Jerome Bonaparte slowly spoke to Princess Mathilde, "Fontainebleau has already installed a telegraph line to Paris, you need not go to the town’s telegraph office to send your message!"
Mathilde didn’t dwell on it, assuming it was just Jerome Bonaparte’s method to conveniently maintain contact with Paris.
(In fact, the telegraph room in the Fontainebleau Palace was meant to rapidly mobilize the Guard Army surrounding Paris in emergencies, allowing them to enter Paris in the shortest time possible.)
"Hmm!" Mathilde nodded, then opened the door and left the study.
Angelo von Beichu, who had been waiting near the study for the conversation between Princess Mathilde and the Emperor to end, immediately realized that the dialogue was over when he saw Mathilde in the corridor.
Beichu jogged to Princess Mathilde’s side, warmly inquiring whether she needed someone to escort her back to the hotel.
Mathilde shook her head and then asked Beichu, "Where is the telegraph room in Fontainebleau Palace? Could you take me there!"
"This..." Beichu hesitated.
Beichu was unsure if Mathilde had obtained the Emperor’s authorization to go to the telegraph room.
If Mathilde hadn’t received the Emperor’s authorization, how did she know about the telegraph room’s existence?
But if Mathilde had the authorization, why hadn’t Beichu, the Secretary General, received any message?
Mathilde seemed to notice Beichu’s concerns. She pointed in the direction of the study, smiling as she said to Beichu, "Your Majesty has already granted me permission to go to the telegraph room!
If you’re not assured, you can verify it in the study!"
"I wouldn’t dare!" Beichu quickly replied, lowering his head, "I’ll take you there right away!"
Princess Mathilde subtly nodded, her curiosity about the telegraph room growing.
With Beichu as a guide, the path to the telegraph room for Mathilde was smooth.
When Beichu opened the door to the telegraph room, Mathilde was stunned by the sight inside.
The room housed nearly thirty telegraph machines, with two or three operators beside each one.
In other words, there were at least seventy people in this room.
Mathilde immediately realized that such a large group was not merely for maintaining contact with Paris.
After all, only one telegraph line and machine were needed between the Fontainebleau Palace and the Tuileries Palace (one at each location).
The numerous telegraphs could not be solely for Paris communication.
"What’s going on here?" Mathilde turned to ask Beichu, "Why are there so many telegraphs in a single room?"
Beichu was silent for a moment, pondering before quietly answering Princess Mathilde, "Your Highness, these telegraph machines connect to various Guard Army command centers!
His Majesty’s purpose in doing this is to immediately dispatch troops into Paris in case of sudden events!"
Upon hearing Beichu’s explanation, Mathilde couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread and fear towards Jerome Bonaparte.
Mathilde had never imagined her brother, often appearing in public as the "friend of the French people," could orchestrate such a grand scheme in silence.
For a moment, Princess Mathilde seemed to not comprehend her brother.
If the French people knew that their beloved monarch was a potential executioner ready to suppress them, even the most loyal would hesitate to vote for Bonaparte.
"Mr. Beichu, this telegraph room must not be exposed to the outside world!" Princess Mathilde solemnly spoke to Beichu, "If what happens here is known to the people of Paris, the trust in the Empire might be irrevocably destroyed!"
"Your Highness, please rest assured!" Beichu firmly assured Mathilde, "I promise that nothing here will be transmitted to Paris!"
"Hmm!" Mathilde nodded slightly, then asked Beichu, "Which telegraph connects to Paris?"
"Please follow me!"
Beichu walked ahead, Mathilde closely following, and soon, they arrived at a telegraph machine.
"Your Highness, this telegraph is connected to the one at the Tuileries Palace!" Beichu introduced to Princess Mathilde.
"Alright!" Mathilde directed her gaze to the operator, commanding, "I’ll speak, and you will dispatch word-for-word!"
"Yes!" The operator placed a hand on the telegraph key, quietly awaiting Mathilde’s orders.
"The Emperor of France has agreed to meet with you. Please make sure to discreetly come to the Fontainebleau Palace!" Princess Mathilde dictated to the operator.
"Your Highness, is that all?" the operator repeatedly confirmed with Princess Mathilde.
Mathilde contemplated for a moment longer and continued to instruct the telegraph operator, "Add this, please ensure that whoever receives this telegram sends it to Madam Tilde’s Mansion as soon as possible!"
After saying this, Mathilde paused, "That’s all I have to say!"
The telegraph operator made a rough calculation in his mind on the number of times he needed to press the telegraph key and immediately began his work.
Soon, the ticking sound reached Mathilde’s ears.
About ten minutes later, the telegraph operator stopped his actions and breathed a sigh of relief as he replied to Mathilde, "Your Highness, all the content has been sent to the Tuileries Palace!
It is expected to arrive at the Tuileries Palace in about ten minutes!"
"I understand! Thank you very much!" Mathilde responded politely.
Afterward, Mathilde, having completed her task, left the telegraph room accompanied by Beichu.
...
Meanwhile, the telegram from Fontainebleau Palace quickly arrived at the Tuileries Palace a hundred kilometers away after its long journey of more than ten minutes.
The telegraph operator stationed at the Tuileries Palace telegraph room, upon receiving the telegram from Fontainebleau Palace, swiftly converted the telecommunication signals into text.
Once all the Morse code was translated into text, the telegraph operator left the room to find an administrator from the Tuileries Palace in hopes of reaching Chief Steward Bashirio.
The administrator, realizing the telegram had been sent from Fontainebleau Palace, led the telegraph operator without hesitation to find Chief Steward Bashirio of the Tuileries Palace.
"Is this a telegram from Fontainebleau Palace?" Bashirio asked the telegraph operator.
"Indeed!" The telegraph operator replied to Bashirio confidently.
"Alright!" Bashirio said simply and then dismissed the telegraph operator.
Once the telegraph operator left, Bashirio opened the telegram to examine its contents.
After reading it, Bashirio realized it was a telegram from Princess Mathilde to the mansion.
Thus, Bashirio personally took a carriage to deliver the telegram to the steward guarding Madam Tilde’s Mansion.
The steward from the Tuileries Palace warmly welcomed Bashirio upon his arrival.
After some brief pleasantries, Bashirio handed the telegram to the steward and inquisitively asked, "Whom did His Majesty plan to meet?"
The steward informed Bashirio of Cavour’s delivery of a visiting card, to which Bashirio responded with a knowing look.
Subsequently, Bashirio insisted on leaving Madam Tilde’s Mansion despite the steward’s repeated attempts to persuade him to stay.
After Bashirio left Madam Tilde’s Mansion, the steward also departed by carriage for Cavour’s hotel.
Given that Madam Tilde’s Mansion was located near the Bois de Boulogne, the carriage traveled east-northeast along the snow-hardened road, quickly reaching the vicinity of the Saint-Germain District.
After half an hour of traversing through the city, the steward finally found Cavour’s hotel.
After disembarking from the carriage and learning of Cavour’s whereabouts from the hotel reception, the steward swiftly arrived at Cavour’s room door.
At this moment, Cavour was lying on his bed with his eyes closed, indulging in a moment of relaxation, when the unexpected knocking broke his already shallow slumber.
Climbing out of bed, Cavour glanced at the increasingly dim sky outside, feeling slightly puzzled.
He couldn’t fathom who would knock at this hour, as even Princess Mathilde should only respond the day after receiving his visiting card.
Cavour opened the door with a perplexed look, revealing the silhouette of the steward before him.
"Mr. Garibaldi, hello!" The steward courteously greeted Cavour.
"Sir, hello! Please come in!" Upon recognizing the visitor’s appearance, Cavour felt a hint of joy.
It was unexpected that the visitor was the actual steward of Princess Mathilde.
This indicated that Mathilde had received his visiting card and consequently dispatched the steward to respond.
The steward entered the room and faithfully recounted the telegram’s contents to Cavour.
Upon hearing the news that the Emperor planned to meet with him, Cavour’s face was overtaken by visible delight.
He had initially assumed that he would need considerable effort to secure an opportunity to meet the Emperor, then use interests to alleviate the Emperor’s negative sentiment towards the Sardinian Kingdom’s "betrayal."
(France’s military exercise in the Mediterranean Fleet had already vaguely hinted to Cavour that the exercise was aimed at them.)
Unexpectedly, the Emperor was eager to meet him so soon.
Could this mean that the Emperor was less emotionally affected by the Sardinian Kingdom’s "betrayal" than he had imagined?