Hard Candies, Pastel Pencils, and a Special Guest Character
History Notes for Chapter 11 - A General Buffoon
You might have noticed that I skipped the history notes for Chapter 10 - Savages and Scoundrels. The explanation is simple: no research was needed for that scene. I did have a lot of fun coming up with a way for the Clan of the Dissipated to inflict maximum damage on the crew members, affectionally nicknamed the Cheater and The Pervert, while keeping the clan’s role in the incident a secret.
Now, back to our yummy research. In this scene, I wanted Louisa to buy gifts for herself and for her friends to help better define the girls’ different personalities. That Louisa used the ten Francs she pocketed while performing her Robin Hood-like heist in the last chapter was, well, so her. On a side note, if you have read any of the Lamentations and Magic series, you might have also picked up on her buying a lemon and lavender perfume, a scent often referenced in the series.
In addition to her friends, I needed Louisa to gift herself something both French and sharable. I immediately thought of candy and went on the hunt. Finding one of the oldest continuously operating confectioners in France took me a little research. Since 1827, Maison Boissier has been wowing its customers with beautiful, tasty treats that are expensive. Today, a small tin of the little hard candies runs about $20.
For Eugénie’s gift, I desired to display her introspective side and thought that making her an artist would be a good touch. It also reinforced the curriculum at Saint-Denis, where all the girls are required to take art, sculpture, and music. Thus, I set out to have Louisa find Eugénie some drawing pencils.
To include this simple item in the book, one needs to make sure of three things.
Were colored drawing pencils even invented in 1874?
Were they available in France?
How much would they cost?
The Staedtler Pencil company was around off and on for over a hundred years before the founder’s great-grandson invented the colored pencil. Staedtler was a German company, which made it probable that the art supplies were available in France. Pricing of the colored pencils remained elusive, so I decided that eight colored pencils costing two Francs would be an expensive gift since they represented a dock laborer’s daily wage. With this compromise to accuracy, I moved forward with gusto.
You do very well, my friends, to treat me with some little reverence, for in honouring me you are honouring both France and yourselves. It is not merely an old, grey-moustached officer whom you see eating his omelette or draining his glass, but it is a fragment of history. — Brigadier Etienne Gerard
Now, we get to the primary purpose of the chapter, which is to introduce Brigadier Etienne Gerard. If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan or an aficionado of Sir Author Conan Doyle, you might have heard of the French General, but maybe not. He was one of Doyle’s most successful characters outside the Holmes franchise. The link above will take you to a free version of a compilation of his stories. As a former soldier in Napoleon’s Grand Army, the brigadier recounts his exploits, which invariably show him to be a pompous, womanizing braggart whose bravery outweighs his intelligence.
While researching the Louisa Sophia and a Legion of Sisters, I looked into French adventure books written during the timeframe. I was seeking a famous French book or character that I could reference to add a little bit of French-only history. Instead of a French book, I found the renowned British author poking fun at the French through the brigadier.
After reading a couple of his short stories, I knew I needed to include the now public domain character— Brigadier Gerard — in my book. I did make one significant change for my Etienne. Given when the book takes place, he could not have served under Napoleon I, and instead he served during the reign of Napoleon III.
I think you may enjoy the character arc of Brigadier Gerard, and I hope that Sir Author Conan Doyle gets a nice chuckle at his French foil’s newest adventure.