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lucien régnier. ([info]ex_quickwitt990) wrote in [info]toujoursliberer,
@ 2008-05-19 23:01:00

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Entry tags:jacques_belmont, leon_belmont, lucien_régnier

Subject: Lucien goes to Jacques for information about his brother
Where: The Embassy
Who: Lucien Régnier
Warnings: None
Open to: Jacques Belmont, others who might be at the Embassy


It was a beautiful day outside. That could be the only explanation for why Lucien didn’t mind the two futile trips he’d made so far to seek out his brother’s old friends. Neither of the friends had known where Chrétien currently was; they hadn’t been in contact with him since he’d left France, and Lucien could feel the worry nagging far more insistently at his mind. His older brother did sometimes have the tendency to forget himself, becoming so intensely involved with whatever was at hand—usually his speeches and La Patria—that he would forget to write home for weeks. A year without any word, though, was definite cause for concern, even with Chrétien.

The hour was barely past noon, so Lucien decided he had time for one more visit before finding somewhere to eat. He had a sheaf of his brother’s letters in hand; Chretien liked to ramble at length about his friends from the Jacobin Club, writing to Lucien of their revolutionary ideas and the discussions that they would have. One name came up fairly frequently: Jacques Belmont.

It was such that Lucien found himself before the Embassy, asking to be directed to the office of Monsieur Jacques Belmont. The footman was skeptical to admit him, seeing his plain manner of dress—he’d started forgoing the cravat and the neat overcoat several days ago—but Lucien’s tone was polite and insistent. He was asked to wait in the hall as the footman went to notify Jacques of Lucien’s presence, and he stood patiently, eyes trained on the paintings displayed upon the walls.


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[info]jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 03:12 am UTC (link)
Jacques looked up from his ledgers. "A visitor?"

"Yes, cityoen," the footman replied, impassive.

Jacques frowned over the pay dockets, gave up on trying to find out where the arithmatic had gone wrong, and glanced at his hands. Messy and inky as ever. He stood and washed off his hands before shrugging on his black coat with its tricolor rosette. "You might as well send him in."

The footman bowed and exited.

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-20 03:31 am UTC (link)
He gave the footman a neutral nod of thanks as he was admitted, and Lucien bowed slightly as he came face to face with Jacques. The sheaf of papers was now tucked in one of his pockets, and Lucien’s smile was polite as he greeted the other man.

“Monsieur Belmont.”

The only sign that he was nervous—what if Belmont did not know anything about Chrétien’s whereabouts?—was the slight set of his jaw as he introduced himself, “My name is Lucien Régnier… My brother Chrétien has spoken very highly of you.” He spoke directly, but he was inwardly cautious.

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[info]jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 03:36 am UTC (link)
Jacques bowed in reply. "It is a pleasure, Citoyen Régnier. Please, be seated."

He gestured at a chair on the other side of the desk before sitting himself. Jacques felt oddly awkward. This was his first job and it was strange, suddenly, to be on the other side of the desk. He forced his mind back on track, but frowned at the mention of Chrétien. They had argued viciously soon after Jacques's arrival in London and hadn't spoken since. "I... yes, I knew him."

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-20 03:47 am UTC (link)
I knew him. There was a certain dispassion, a certain reluctance to Belmont’s words… And that frown—that was indeed a far cry from the friendly camaraderie with which Chrétien had written about Jacques. His polite look turned curious, and he glanced down, nervousness betraying him somewhat.

“My brother has not been in contact with the family for some time, and my father… my father is in poor health. When we last heard from him, Chrétien had planned to travel to England.” Lucien looked up again, meeting Jacques’s gaze; his tone was sincere. “He spoke of you several times in his letters. I was wondering if you would – perhaps – have any news of his whereabouts.”

There was nothing as effective as being direct, at least in this matter, although it did seem as if Chrétien and Jacques were not quite the revolutionary brothers Lucien had thought they might be.

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[info]jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 03:58 am UTC (link)
Jacques sighed and opened a desk drawer. "I am sorry to be of so little help, citoyen. The last time I saw Chrétien... ah, here we are." He pulled out a letter, with address slightly smudged, and handed it over. "This was the last letter I recieved from him before coming to England myself. He... disagreed on certain policies I had to enforce since I work here."

Jacques gestured at his office, and ran a hand through his untidy queue. The memory of it was will painful; Jacques had very few close friends and it grieved him to think he had lost one of them to the blasted constitutional monarchy of England. Chrétien had been as good a Jacobin as Jacques! And then, after a few months in England, away from France, away from Robespierre and Desmoulins speeches....

He shook his head. "We... did not part on good terms."

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-20 04:21 am UTC (link)
Lucien took the letter apprehensively; he unfolded it, scanning its contents quickly but thoroughly. He took particular note of the date—months after the Feuillants had splintered off from the Jacobin Club, and certainly around the time its members had been rounded up and tried for treason… “Chrétien admired the oratory of Barnave very much,” Lucien remarked evenly, glancing at Jacques. What did it mean when even the Jacobin Club’s founding members were being hunted and guillotined without so much as a by-your-leave?

He was worried. More worried than he’d been before coming—Chrétien’s letter was full of his usual passionate rhetoric, but it was now directed against the club he had once so strongly supported… More accurately, it was directed against its current policies, not its inherent ideals. Lucien sighed, returning the letter to Jacques as he said, “I’m sorry, Monsieur Belmont, I did not wish to cause undue trouble… or to stir up bad memories. It is only that I am very concerned about my brother.”

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[info]jacques_belmont
2008-05-20 04:33 am UTC (link)
"He did," Jacques replied, rather sourly. "It is said Barnave went up the scaffold with a scrap of the ci-devant queen's gown in his pocket."

He took the letter back and shoved papers around in his desk until he could be reasonable again. Jacques closed the drawer. "Well. I am sorry I have no... specific information on your brother." However, it was worrying that Chrétien hadn't been writing. Chrétien adored his family- or at least, the Chrétien Jacques remembered had. Who knew if Chrétien really did care any more? England changed Frenchmen. Jacques thought rather bitterly of his father. "I do not blame you. I... I hope... is there anything I may do to help you?"

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-20 04:51 am UTC (link)
“There is that, too, of course.”

It was amazing what the guillotine did for previously respectable revolutionary leaders, though; even Lucien could see that. It did not take an intellectual to see the irony. When Barnave was in favor, his oratory had been hailed as highly influential—the hallmark of the republic. Even the lawyers from the Gironde, whose speeches Lucien himself had admired, were being blacklisted. Without the favor of the most radical Jacobins, those revolutionaries and their golden ideals were as good as traitorous. It was perhaps something Chrétien would have seen months ago, but Lucien was only beginning to understand.

He stood silently as Jacques arranged his papers. Gnawing on his lip, Lucien shook his head. He looked more his age—more uneasy, less formal. “No, you have already been very helpful… Chrétien’s other contacts knew even less than I did.” Lucien did not care how radically his brother’s beliefs had changed; regardless of whether he was a Jacobin any longer, Chrétien would always be his brother.

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[info]jacques_belmont
2008-05-21 05:14 am UTC (link)
"I am very sorry," Jacques said, with actual remorse. He still rather vaguely felt Chrétien could come back to the Jacobin Club. It was all the horrific influence of England, with its corruption and constitutional monarchy....

He glanced up. Lucien looked very young, all of a sudden, and Jacques felt a sudden stirring of pity. "The Embassy does have connections. If we ever find him, I shall let you know immediately. Where are you staying?"

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-21 09:37 pm UTC (link)
“Please, don’t,” Lucien said, his voice still even. At the other’s offer, he looked up, some measure of hopefulness in his expression. “That would be much appreciated, Monsieur Belmont…” He gave Jacques the address of the inn he was currently staying at, though Lucien clarified, “It is only a temporary address—but, if you do find him, you may tell him to contact our father or sister. They will have my address if I ever relocate.”

He smiled, genuinely now, and it showed. “Thank you very much.”

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[info]jacques_belmont
2008-05-21 10:32 pm UTC (link)
"It is the least I can do," Jacques said, with an unexpectedly warm smile. "Chrétien was like a brother to before...." He turned back to his papers a little brusquely and jotted down Lucien's address. "Well. I shall be sure to have him contact your family. Au revoir, citoyen. Vive la république!"

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-21 10:49 pm UTC (link)
Lucien dipped his head in a nod. “Thank you,” he repeated. In parting, he smiled and said, “Au revoir… Vive la Liberté.” With that, he exited Jacques’s office.

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[info]ex_the_ambas216
2008-05-20 10:36 am UTC (link)
It was as the young man began to leave that Léon stepped out of his own office, cigarette lit and in hand, ready to enjoy it after a morning's hard work on the Embassy's steps. He, of course could not help having heard snatches of the conversation that took place next door- he had not been purposefully listening, of course, he had other Embassy staff to do that and report back to him. But still, this young man interested him.

"Monsieur Régnier?" The Ambassador said, catching the young man's attention as he made his way from the building, "May I speak with you a moment?"

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-20 05:53 pm UTC (link)
Lucien had been preoccupied in his own thoughts as he took his leave, bidding Jacques goodbye. Already his mind was racing—there were some people, former friends of Chrétien’s, who he no longer thought might have recent news about his brother. Apparently Chretien’s trip to England had less to do with gathering support for the revolution and more with avoiding his former fellow Jacobins.

He sighed, still gnawing at his lip as he exited into the hallway. He was completely unprepared for the request directed his way—Lucien turned quickly, head tipped and a questioning look in his eyes. He glanced involuntarily back towards Jacques’s office. “Of course,” he responded politely, though he had no idea who this man was. “But I am at a disadvantage here, Monsieur…?”

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[info]ex_the_ambas216
2008-05-20 07:24 pm UTC (link)
"My name is Léon Belmont, the ambassador. It was my son who you spoke with earlier. You will forgive me, of course, but I could not hope but over hear some of your conversation. You are here to look for your brother?" He asks, taking a draw of the cigarette and looking over the young man again.

"England is not a very safe place for loyal Frenchmen at present, as I am sure you will discover for yourself if you have not yet. Your brother, if he is still in England and has not moved on, may not be easy to find at all, and I doubt it is under his real name that you would find him." Which was true, at least in Léon's opinion. The English did not like Revolutionaries, and least of all they liked the French. A man, possibly trying to spread Revolutionary feelings would not last long, not long at all. And there were already more Frenchmen in England than the Committee of Public Safety knew about, far too many for them to keep an eye on through their understaffed Embassy.

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-21 09:46 pm UTC (link)
The ambassador. Lucien kept his neutral expression, though his eyes had widened slightly; he bowed quickly, trying to look as unassuming as possible.

“Monsieur Ambassador… Yes, I’m here to look for my brother. He has not been in contact with the family for some time.” He paused as the other spoke, lowering his eyes. The image painted of his brother’s situation was not robust at all, and Lucien nodded slightly. “I know, sir. I will keep looking for him; Monsieur Belmont, your son, was quite helpful.” That was not entirely a lie - at least, now, Lucien knew slightly more about his brother’s allegiances. What went unsaid, at least to Lucien, was that London was almost certainly safer than Paris for a revolutionary who sympathized with the likes of the Feuillants.

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[info]ex_the_ambas216
2008-05-21 10:50 pm UTC (link)
"Don't bow to me. You would not bow to a baker, would you, Monsieur? We are all equals now." He said, with a fair bit of amusement, although his tone was not cruel. "You would not bow to a baker, or a fisherman, or an accountant would you?"

"I heard. My son is much more... in tune with some aspects of the Revolution than I am not." He smiles slightly, "Sometimes I believe I am merely here because I am the only Frenchman the English can vaguely tolerate." He took another drag of the cigarette, and then flicked the ashes away onto the steps. "Is there anything further you would ask of us, in order to help you in your search?"

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-21 11:14 pm UTC (link)
He tilted his head slightly, his expression careful. “Certainly we are. But some habits are difficult to break, Monsieur Ambassador.” Lucien could still hear his father’s voice in his head, reminding him to always pay proper respect where it was due by rank—but it was indeed a new era now, wasn’t it?

Lucien wasn’t sure if the remark was meant to be humorous, but he took it as such, smiling slightly. “No, there isn’t anything… Your son has promised to contact me or my family if Chrétien is found, and that is the most I could ask for. Thank you.”

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[info]ex_the_ambas216
2008-05-22 06:27 pm UTC (link)
"Of course. Old habits are most difficult to break, but we must try, mustn't we, Citizen?" He smiles, "That is what the French Republic is all about. Out with old, bad habits, and in with new good ones."

"I am glad Jacques has made himself useful to you. I do hope you have luck in finding your brother, although he may already have left England. And it may be safer for you not to be searching." Léon warns, flicking ash onto the steps a second time before taking a deep drag. "I am sure your family do not wish to loose two sons."

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[info]ex_quickwitt990
2008-05-22 07:57 pm UTC (link)
Lucien had always been far better at reining in his emotions than Chrétien and Evonne were, and, true to form, his expression didn’t change despite the sarcastic thoughts on the tip of his tongue. “Of course. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité,” he said. They were noble ideals, and yet idealism did not always translate into reality. What had happened to judicial liberties? And fraternity… So much for fraternity.

He smiled, his gaze shuttering as the ambassador continued. “Thank you, Monsieur. I will keep your advice in mind.” Lucien, of course, had no intention of ceasing his search for Chrétien.

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