Talleyrand laughed heartily upon hearing this and winked playfully, "Young man, usually flattery doesn't work on me. But this time is an exception; being considered on par with Voltaire in the art of oratory truly is the greatest compliment to me."
Having said that, the old lame man took his cane, pushed open the door of the small compartment, and walked out.
He was clearly in a good mood, as could be told from the tune he was humming.
"Plaisir d'amour", also known as "The Joy of Love".
This short, catchy, elegant, and lively secular romance was very popular in eighteenth-century France.
Arthur poured a cup of tea, looking out the window at the drizzling rain, savoring this exotic melody from Paris. He couldn't help but lift his fingertips, tapping the tabletop to the rhythm.
He felt as though he could glimpse the last century through these brief notes.
