In the nineteenth century, traveling to Russia in January, even to a large city like Saint Petersburg, was a huge challenge for anyone.
Even Turgenev, a native Russian, usually only returned in the spring and came back to Paris by autumn.
However, if the matter were delayed until spring when the weather warmed, the premiere of Thunderstorm would miss the peak season, significantly impacting both box office revenue and influence.
Commissioning someone else to go meant the requirements might be hard to convey clearly, potentially forcing him to make a second trip anyway.
The "Yablochkov Candle" was the key to solving the problem of high-intensity stage lightning effects.
Tesla excelled at system design and control, while Yablochkov held the core of the specific light source. Without the right "bulb," even the best circuits were just talk.
The hesitation lasted only a short time.
Lionel knew that to realize the Thunderstorm he envisioned, he had to secure the best technical resources, regardless of where they were located.
He resolved to make a trip to Saint Petersburg.
He first wrote a brief letter to Émile Perrin, informing him that he needed to leave Paris briefly to seek crucial technical support for the theatre renovation.
Then, he explained the situation to Sophie and Alice.
Alice's concern was obvious:
"You're going to Russia? In winter? I heard it's so cold they can freeze off your ears. And it's so far..."
Sophie was more practical, knowing Lionel had made up his mind:
"Travel safely, Lionel. I will help you pack your luggage. Also, 'Orby Trading Company' has a dedicated route and an office in Saint Petersburg; you can contact them if you need assistance.
Many of our typewriters and bicycles were sent through 'Orby' channels; you are their cash cow now..."
As Sophie spoke, she quickly jotted down the contact information for the "Orby Trading Company" office in Saint Petersburg on a note for Lionel.
Lionel took the slip of paper and nodded:
"Thank you, Sophie, this is very helpful."
He then looked at Alice and Patty:
"Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as possible. I leave taking care of things here in Paris to you."
Patty, upon hearing that Master was going on a long trip to a place "full of snow and bears," looked visibly nervous, but she was also the most helpless in the situation.
However, as Debussy mentioned, after the winter set in, the train to Russia only ran about once a week.
Lionel did not stand on ceremony this time; he booked the most expensive seats and sleeper compartments, which included heating pipes and an attendant for tea, blankets, and luggage.
He certainly didn't want to die before his mission was accomplished.
During the interval before his departure, he worked intensely to finalize the script for Thunderstorm.
He first discarded the "Prologue" and "Epilogue" from the original Thunderstorm script.
These two sections depicted what happened many years after the main story of "Thunderstorm" concluded: Zhou Puyuan had long since donated his manor to the church to be used as a hospital.
The now-insane Fanyi and Shiping were being cared for in this hospital by nuns.
The story began and ended with the nuns bringing in a pair of young siblings who inquired about and discussed the two madwomen.
Mr. Cao Yu designed these two acts primarily to create a psychological distance between the audience and the story of "Thunderstorm," so that no one would be overly shocked or horrified by its content.
For Chinese audiences in the early twentieth century, Thunderstorm's violation of "ethical norms" was truly subversive.
Therefore, a veil had to be cast over the entire play through the prologue and epilogue, placing the audience at an appropriate distance for appreciation.
This also made the entire play too long, with a running time sometimes exceeding four hours.
Thus, most productions omitted these two acts.
The Parisian audience certainly did not need such psychological buffering, so Lionel dispensed with these two acts as well, making the story more condensed and tight.
Another difficult element of Thunderstorm to handle was the ending for Sifeng and Zhou Chong, who were electrocuted to death by a broken wire they accidentally touched in the courtyard.
Although Lionel had installed electric lights in his summer villa, for most French people, the fact that electricity could kill was still a novelty.
This scene was recounted through the mouth of Lu Gui.
If most of the audience did not know the common knowledge that "electricity can kill," it would certainly provoke confusion and discussion.
This would shift the audience's attention, which is a major taboo in a performance.
However, changing it to them being struck by lightning wouldn't work either, as it would give the scene too strong a religious connotation, making people think of God striking down Sodom with heavenly fire.
Lionel found himself caught in a dilemma...
A week later, on January 20th, Lionel boarded the train bound for Saint Petersburg at the Gare Saint-Lazare.
Thanks to his ample budget, he booked first-class compartments and sleepers for the entire journey, which greatly reduced the hardship of the long trip.
The carriage had warm heating, attentive service from waiters, and the dining car offered palatable food.
He spent most of his time in his compartment, continuing to polish the script for Thunderstorm.
The train rumbled forward, the scenery outside constantly changing.
The first day, within France and Germany, the fields and towns still held the vibrancy of Western Europe.
On the morning of the second day, upon reaching Berlin, after transferring to the train heading to Warsaw, the view outside gradually became vast and desolate, reaching Warsaw by night.
The train stopped here for a long time to change to the broad-gauge undercarriage suitable for Russia.
On the morning of the third day, the train finally arrived at its first major Russian city, Vilnius.
The weather had become extremely cold; Lionel saw that the platform staff were all wrapped in heavy sheepskin coats, their exhaled breath instantly crystallizing into frost.
Outside the window was an endless snowfield, uniformly white, occasionally broken by small villages covered in snow and dense forests, making the world appear exceptionally lonely.
The train stopped here to take on coal and resupply; the biting cold seemed capable of penetrating the carriage walls.
On the morning of the fourth day, after the long journey, the train finally slid slowly into the Nikolayevsky Station in Saint Petersburg.
The sound of the wheels grating against the rails gradually slowed, and a long whistle broke the silence of the winter morning.
Lionel packed his luggage, put on his thickest overcoat, wrapped a sable scarf around his neck, and put on a bearskin hat.
Shivering, he walked down from the carriage.
The piercing cold wind instantly hit his face, causing him to shudder involuntarily.
The platform was bustling with people, filled with the smell of coal smoke and steam.
He was about to look for signs or simply hire a porter when his gaze was drawn to a scene not far away.
A tall Russian man wearing a fluffy fur hat was holding up a sign written in both Russian and French, which clearly read:
"Welcome Mr. Lionel Sorel!"
This unexpected sight stunned Lionel.
He had no acquaintances in Saint Petersburg, and Yablochkov's telegram had not mentioned anyone meeting him.
Turgenev had no idea he was coming to Saint Petersburg; could it be Sophia?
How did she know?
Lionel suddenly felt a chill down his spine...
(End of Chapter)