1.2.1-Robertawickham

Quatrevingt-treize 1.2.1: Angleterre et France mêlées
Welp, that was a nice twist at the end.

The chapter is called England and France mixed. Obviously that refers to the French-crewed Claymore, but I think there’s more to it as well. The faux-peasant on the boat is dressed like he’s from Bretagne/Brittany, as is Michelle Fléchard from the last chapter. Given that region’s location, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a history of it being considered almost British, or at least less French than other regions.

The secret agent who turns out to be a double agent at the end, Gélambre, is working for (and betraying) the Count of Artois, aka the future Charles X, aka the dude who will be overthrown by the July Revolution. Gélambre is also working for Prieur de la Marne, whom French Wikipedia informs me was a representative to the Estates-General and later the Convention (of which he became president for a while), a montagnard, and a member of the Committee of Public Safety, who was known for his honesty. I don’t have a point here. I just looked that stuff up for curiosity.

The question, of course, is who’s the faux-peasant to be guillotined.

Edited to add that this is our first actual glimpse of the counterrevolution, while in the last chapter we saw the revolution. The counterrevolution is sneaking around under false colors while the revolution is (despite being engaged in brutal warfare, which Hugo doesn’t whitewash) open and honest about its loyalties, as well as adopting little children. As a modern person, I suspect I don’t really have the same instinctive negative reaction to sneaking around under false colors that a 19th century person would. I wonder if the average reader would have found that highly dishonorable in Hugo’s time.

Commentary
Pilferingapples I do wonder if it’s a modern-person thing, or a military person thing, or what; I remember the discussion around Javert being a spy, and how that wasn’t just something that would OF COURSE make the enemy hate you when you were found but a sort of dirt-station assignment in itself at the time.

I do of course feel all defensive and growly towards this ship, but that’s about it being anti-revolution more than its methods. I totally get that they’re running a sneak mission! Sensible! I’m still not sure how sensible putting their leader guy in peasant duds is, but I’m willing to wait and see how this pans out.