Chapter 1404: An Electrical Breakthrough Two Decades Ahead of Schedule
Joseph explained to his father:
“Actually, even if someone with ill intent were to infiltrate the House of Representatives, or even become its speaker, the damage would still be entirely controllable.”
Louis XVI, not entirely familiar with a bicameral system, looked at his son with curiosity.
Joseph continued, “On the surface, representatives can participate in legislation, set tax rates, and even form special committees to investigate any matter. However, they cannot directly manage any state affairs. That is the work of professional bureaucrats.
“All civil servants must undergo training at the Royal University of Administration and are only accountable to specific administrative departments. For example, diplomats always belong to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the House of Representatives has virtually no influence over them.”
Louis XVI immediately nodded thoughtfully.
Joseph walked through the gates of the Petit Trianon, passing between several palace guards, and continued, turning his head:
“In fact, you don’t need to worry at all. The House of Representatives will not only avoid jeopardizing national stability but will also aid in government administration—
“If ministers remain confined to Versailles, they will never be able to conceive of all the problems occurring in every corner of the nation.
A maid standing by the corridor curtsied to the two of them:
“Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness. Her Majesty the Queen is in the tea room.”
No sooner had she spoken than Joseph heard the faint clinking of tableware from upstairs, seemingly from the tea room.
He exchanged a glance with his father and quickened his pace.
At the tea room's entrance, the Countess of Debeninac curtsied, her voice a little loud:
“Your Majesty, His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have arrived.”
When she pushed open the door, Joseph saw his mother holding a teacup. Her face was flushed, and her expression was clearly unnatural.
He stepped forward, bowed, and then smiled, “Mother, I believe I smell, hmm, the scent of cream cake.”
Queen Mary’s eyes widened in surprise. “My dear, is your nose truly that keen?!”
Joseph glanced at the crumbs of cream clinging to the teacup saucer, yet he nodded vigorously with an exaggerated motion.
Queen Mary, like a child caught doing something wrong, pulled out a large slice of cherry cake from a nearby drawer and whispered:
“Well, I really only had a tiny bit.”
The Countess of Debeninac quickly added, “Your Royal Highness, this is a healthy cake prepared under Mr. Karem’s supervision.”
The so-called healthy cake was a “reduced-sugar version” made without sucrose, using only fructose and almond flour.
Queen Mary looked at her husband and son somewhat sheepishly:
“I... I was just a little hungry... I promise the Virgin Mary this is the only time.”
Joseph had warned her numerous times that even fructose cake should never be eaten in excess, as it could utterly destroy her pancreas.
However, Joseph turned the spoon beside the cake towards his mother and gently comforted her:
“This cake isn’t too big. If you want to eat it, go ahead; it's fine.”
“Really?”
A spark of joy flickered in Queen Mary's eyes, and then she heard her son say, “Our exercise time will increase by forty minutes later, which will completely counteract its effects.”
“Oh, my Virgin Mary...”
Queen Mary hesitated for two seconds, then picked up the spoon and instructed the Countess of Debeninac, “Armande, please bring some dessert for His Majesty the King and Joseph as well.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Queen Mary savored a bite of cake before noticing two strangers standing at the door. She quickly looked at Joseph and said:
“My dear, why didn’t you tell me you brought guests?”
“Oh, right,” Joseph gestured towards the two men. “They are Knight Kullen and Mr. Volta. Please, gentlemen, come in.”
The Kullen family held the hereditary title of 'Knight of Saint Louis,' so he was to be addressed as 'Knight' in formal settings.
The two quickly entered the room and respectfully bowed to the Queen:
“Your esteemed Majesty the Queen, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince commissioned us to create a special gift for you.”
“Oh? And what might that be?” Queen Mary smiled, glancing at her son. “I’m truly looking forward to it.”
“An invention just completed by the Royal Third Laboratory, which I wish to present to you.”
Joseph was actually concerned that his mother might be in low spirits due to her illness, so he constantly sought out interesting gadgets to distract her.
It just so happened that Kullen and Volta had submitted their latest experimental results the day before, so he had them demonstrate it at the Petit Trianon.
The two masters of electricity and their assistants laboriously carried a glass “trough” into the tea room, then began connecting numerous copper wires, wrapping them in sheepskin.
Once everything was ready, Kullen pointed to a button on the table connected to the copper wires, and respectfully addressed Queen Mary:
“Your Majesty, please press this and try.”
Seeing her son’s encouraging gaze, she cautiously pressed the wooden button.
Instantly, a tremendous “Ding-a-ling!” rang out from outside the door, startling Queen Mary, who immediately raised her hand.
The sound abruptly ceased.
She tried pressing the button again, and the bell immediately rang out once more.
She looked at Kullen in astonishment. “That’s incredible! What is this?”
“An electric bell, Your Majesty,” Kullen bowed. “When you press this button, the current from the Voltaic Pile Battery flows through the copper wires to a coil outside the room.
“The coil then generates magnetism, drawing a metal rod to strike the bell.
“As the rod strikes the bell, it simultaneously breaks the connection in the copper wires, causing the magnetism in the coil to disappear. A spring pushes the rod back to its original position, reconnecting the copper wires and generating magnetism again to strike the bell.
“This continuous repetition causes the bell to ring incessantly.”
Queen Mary was so astonished her mouth hung open:
“Good heavens, this is nothing short of magical!”
The Countess of Debeninac, meanwhile, immediately thought of the invention’s practical uses:
“Your Majesty, from now on, whenever you have something to instruct me, you simply need to press the button.”
Previously, the Queen would have to ring a bell to summon her maid, and sometimes the maid might not hear it if she was outside. Now, with the bell installed directly in the corridor, no one, unless deaf, would possibly miss it.
Louis XVI, unable to hide his curiosity, leaned closer and asked Kullen:
“How far can this device control a bell?”
Kullen quickly replied, “If Your Majesty wished, the bell could easily be placed in the Louvre Palace.”
Upon hearing this, Joseph secretly shook his head. With the voltage of the Voltaic Pile, wire resistance would deplete all current at most two hundred meters away.
Queen Mary, excitedly fumbling with the electric bell button, declared, “I want you to install these electric bells in all the grand halls of Versailles!”
Louis XVI, meanwhile, murmured, “I believe you both should receive this year’s Supreme Louis Prize for Physics.”
Kullen and Volta, however, simultaneously looked at Joseph, their voices filled with admiration. “In truth, Your Majesty, all of this stems from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s guidance.”
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