Chapter 152: Renewing Contacts
Overall, Ernst felt satisfied with the performance of the Hechingen consortium's Marseilles branch—he would give it an eight out of ten. However, he still made some adjustments where necessary, praising and rewarding certain outstanding employees, and correcting shortcomings.
Other than checking the company's business situation, there wasn't much in Marseilles that particularly interested Ernst. After briefly touring a few unique sights on the second day, he departed.
Traveling by rail northward, he stopped first in Lyon, France's textile city, then switched routes toward Paris.
October 18, 1868
Paris, France
In this era, there's no European city that can quite match Paris for scale and quality—at least in Ernst's personal view. London of the same period is known for its smoky chimneys and black-water canals, a stifling environment. While Vienna and Berlin have decent environments, they aren't particularly large. St. Petersburg exudes gloom and depression.
Napoleon III's extensive refurbishments of Paris's old quarters revitalized the city and imbued it with artistry. Yet at this point in time, many Parisians detested these changes, accusing them of destroying the character of old Paris. Ernst, with his modern sensibilities, appreciates the look, but he can't fathom the locals' complaints. That doesn't stop them from disliking the newly rebuilt city, and even influential intellectuals, writers, and artists criticize it. Public pressure eventually forced Napoleon III's architect, Haussmann, to resign. But the renovation continued, and Paris would later build the Eiffel Tower, hated and ridiculed at the time.
Haussmann's remodeling laid the foundation for Paris's present-day layout. New avenues were lined with greenery, and public parks were spread throughout the city.
Ernst's procession wound slowly along the Paris streets, through crowds, heading toward the upscale aristocratic quarter.
…
At an estate in Paris
Following a servant's lead, Ernst entered a reception hall.
"Well, well—who'd have guessed that 'little Constantin's' son would be all grown up!" exclaimed an elderly Frenchman, white-haired and seated on a sofa, as he looked at his visitors.
This was the Count Jacob Medina (fictional), a onetime comrade-in-arms of Ernst's grandfather.
"Jaime Medina, come meet him. This young man's the grandson of my old friend. I can't believe it's been so many years since I saw Constantin—that brat must be in his seventies by now!" Jacob Medina said to his son.
Jaime Medina, who himself was around the same age as Prince Constantin, greeted Ernst courteously: "Hello, I'm Baron Jaime Medina. Welcome to Paris."
"You as well, Baron Jaime, and Count Medina—I wish you good health," Ernst said to the father and son.
"The youngsters of our family aren't around today; otherwise, I'd introduce you," Jacob Medina added. By "youngsters," he meant his three grandsons. Clearly, the Medina family had flourished better than the House of Hechingen, as Jacob himself had multiple siblings, and he had two sons and three grandsons.
"Shame our 'Commander' settled down in Bavaria and never returned. Maybe some of us 'old guard' from that era could've reunited. Now it's just me left," the old count lamented.
He was referring to "the Commander," meaning Ernst's maternal grandfather, Eugène de Beauharnais—Napoleon's stepson and adjutant. After Napoleon's Restoration, Beauharnais didn't come back to France to support him, but stayed in Bavaria at his father-in-law's advice.
"In those days, your grandfather and I served under the Commander. Later, we fought for different masters, but our old bond was unbreakable—oh, the clashes and hardships…" The elderly Jacob Medina recounted memories in a slow, resonant tone.
Ernst and Jaime Medina listened quietly as he described his youthful campaigns.
After finishing, the count turned to Ernst: "So, what brings you to Paris this time, young Ernst?"
Respectfully, Ernst answered, "My lord, my father asked me to pay a visit to the friends of my father and grandfather, nothing more."
Jacob Medina nodded. "Ah, it's rare for someone to remember us old folks. Please deliver my regards to your father when you return."
"With pleasure," Ernst said.
"We old veterans likely don't have much time left, so you younger ones should stay in touch— more friends, more paths. Especially among nobles…" Medina mused.
…
Ernst spent three days in Paris, calling on every former partner or ally of the House of Hechingen—most of whom, given their advanced ages, had either passed away or were quite feeble. But the visits helped him reconstruct the House of Hechingen's network in France. Going forward, mutual communication could at least yield reciprocal support in public debates.
In addition, Ernst also called on other major Parisian aristocrats, crossing all political lines, even including members of the Bonaparte family. Any ill feeling between the Hechingen and Bonaparte families is trivial by European standards—everyone sets aside differences for the sake of interests. The two houses never truly were enemies, just that Prince Constantin, being older, had stopped traveling abroad for years, thus diminishing contact.
By contrast, the Sigmaringen and Prussian branches had often kept in touch. For instance, Carol I became King of Romania thanks partly to Napoleon III's maneuvering, although history proved that investment a bust—Carol ultimately leaned toward his own clan, i.e. Prussia. So collaborations can lead to betrayals. Just look at the conflict now involving Leopold and Spain's throne.
Hence, "noble society" typically adopts an attitude of neither undue joy nor sorrow, always placing immediate interests first. Ernst in Paris wasn't there to secure their support so much as to reestablish ties. In noble circles, intelligence is the currency of vital transactions, and local aristocrats, being local power brokers, hold key information that can help the House of Hechingen avoid pitfalls.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10