Chapter 70: The Vote (Part 3)

 Joseph raised his head and glanced at Armand, then at Robespierre, and said, "Armand, Mr. Robespierre, you both know that I am friends with Lafayette..."

"Joseph, we are all friends with Lafayette. But Joseph, Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas," Armand said, quoting a Latin phrase: "I love my friend, but I love truth more."

Robespierre smiled as he observed the exchange.

"Alright, Armand," Joseph said, his brow furrowed. "While I cherish my friendship with General Lafayette, I cannot betray my principles. However, I suggest a different method for the club's elections."

"What do you mean by a different method?" Robespierre asked.

"Currently, the club votes by a show of hands, right?" Joseph continued. "What if we change it to a secret ballot? Think about it, Lafayette has been the president for a long time, and he wields a lot of influence. With an open show of hands, some may succumb to pressure and vote against their will. We can list the candidates on a ballot, and voters can simply check the name they prefer. Then, they place their ballots in an empty box, and when the voting is done, we can open the box in public to count the votes. This way, we avoid the complications of open voting while ensuring fairness."

Joseph's words hadn't even finished when Armand expressed his dissatisfaction. "Joseph, isn't it honorable to openly support or oppose something? Why be so secretive?"

Joseph furrowed his brow, about to retort, but to his surprise, Robespierre spoke first.

"Armand, I find Joseph's proposal quite reasonable. It's a good idea," Robespierre said slowly.

"But as representatives of the people, shouldn't we be transparent in our choices? Why be so clandestine?" Armand seemed unconvinced.

"Armand," Robespierre frowned, "the club is not a parliament, and its members are not representatives of the people. Furthermore, do those who don't quite meet the standards of sainthood not have inherent rights? Morality is something we use to hold ourselves accountable, not to impose on others. For instance, I don't believe that carousing with a bunch of women every night is a proper way to live, but I still consider you and the late Mr. Mirabeau as my good friends."

"You're right, Maximilien," Armand lowered his head.

Robespierre's words surprised Joseph. Such a reasonable statement from "The Incorruptible" Robespierre was unexpected. Amidst his astonishment, Joseph couldn't help but think that Robespierre was a dangerous individual who could artfully find justifications for his political interests.

With this visit from Robespierre, Joseph couldn't afford to miss the club meeting two days later. That evening, he finished his dinner and boarded a lightweight carriage, heading to the Jacobin Club.

Joseph entered the club, exchanging greetings with people he knew, both familiar and unfamiliar faces. Suddenly, a familiar figure caught his eye.

"Hey, Bonaparte, long time no see!" the person greeted him with a smile.

"Duke of Orleans? You're back?" Joseph was surprised, as the person he was talking to was the Duke of Orleans, who had been sent as the ambassador to England recently.

"Yes, I'm back," the Duke of Orleans replied, his attitude reminiscent of a sly fox.

Although the Duke of Orleans had been in England, his sources of information remained strong. As soon as he noticed the damage to his political rival Lafayette's reputation, he promptly returned.

"With Lafayette's current reputation, even if he publicly reveals the conspiracies he had against you, I doubt anyone would believe him anymore. However, being away from the country for so long, I wonder how much influence the Duke still wields," Joseph silently pondered.

The meeting was about to begin when the room was nearly full. Lafayette announced the start of the meeting.

As the chairman, Lafayette began by defending himself, stating that he had always acted in the interest of France. He went on to accuse "extremist ideas" of aiming to destroy the country and its traditions. After a lengthy speech, he acknowledged the prevalence of these ideas within the club and implored the members to support him and resist these dangerous thoughts.

After Lafayette's speech, Robespierre stood up and asked if he could share his thoughts.

"Yes!" came the response from the crowd.

Robespierre then made his way to the podium, passing by Lafayette, who wore a scowling expression filled with disdain. In contrast, Robespierre had a polite smile on his face.

Robespierre began his speech by expressing his respect for French tradition. He asserted that some radicals were trying to turn France into a republic, a notion that he found unpalatable and destined to fail. He even said, "Republic? What is that?"

But then he stated that King Louis XVI's hostility towards the revolution and his opposition to the constitution were evident. Even if he now declared his support for the constitution, it could not be trusted. Allowing such a person to continue as king would only harm France. Everyone had to acknowledge this fact and refrain from self-deception.

"The truth never harms us; it is our attitude toward the truth that does. If we ignore everything and bury our heads in the sand like ostriches, telling ourselves, 'None of this exists,' that is when we truly harm ourselves. Clearly, the current king is no longer trustworthy! I oppose a republic, but I also oppose Louis XVI continuing as king."

With these words, Robespierre raised his eyes, casting a glance at the Duke of Orleans, who immediately began to applaud.

If Louis XVI were to abdicate, his son, Louis XVII, would be the first in line for the throne. Louis XVII was still a minor, and according to French tradition, a regent from the royal family needed to take over as the king's proxy. Currently, the only eligible candidates for regent were Louis XVI's brother, the Count of Provence (historically known as Louis XVIII), Louis XVI's other brother, the Count of Artois, and the Duke of Orleans.

The first two were staunch royalists who openly opposed the revolution, so the only viable choice for regent was the Duke of Orleans. When Robespierre expressed his stance, the Duke of Orleans naturally found it agreeable.

Robespierre then went on to argue that while he opposed extremist republican ideas, he believed that thoughts should be free. He stated, "Opposing one idea can only be done with another idea, not with swords."

Joseph found Robespierre's words rather pointed and laden with dark humor, a quality he had not expected from him.

Finally, Robespierre proposed a secret ballot to ensure that club members' votes in the upcoming elections would not be influenced by those in power.

This proposal exceeded Lafayette's expectations. He knew this voting method would be detrimental to him, but if he openly opposed it, he would practically confirm the accusations of "interfering with voting through power." So, he remained silent, wearing a stern expression.

The vote followed. Although it was a secret ballot, Joseph still voted for Robespierre. There was no other choice for a prudent man like him.

Then came the vote count, with one person announcing the votes while several others supervised. The two candidates were neck and neck, with Lafayette taking the lead at times and then Robespierre surging ahead. In the end, the results were announced: Robespierre won by a two-vote margin, becoming the Jacobin Club's chairman.

Lafayette's face was grim, likely pondering who had betrayed him. But Robespierre's expression wasn't particularly jubilant either, as he had expected one more vote according to his calculations.

"We have a traitor among us," Robespierre couldn't help but think.

Lafayette took the stage again. Everyone assumed he would deliver some remarks as the outgoing chairman. However, he declared, "Regrettably, I've noticed that extreme ideas have taken hold in the Jacobin Club. The club's principles have diverged greatly from what they were when we established it."

He scanned the room and continued, "Now that our political beliefs have changed so drastically, I announce my departure from the Jacobin Club. Those who, like me, oppose these political beliefs, please join me in leaving."

Joseph was completely stunned by Lafayette's unexpected move. Lafayette had turned his secret vote into a farce, and now the question was which side he should stand with.

At that moment, one person took the lead and walked over to join Lafayette. Seeing this person, Robespierre's smiling face suddenly stiffened.

"Fouché, I didn't expect it to be you!" Robespierre gritted his teeth.