Chapter 79 Chatting
"Having said so much, what good does it do you? It's worth your good words for the Hungarians!" Franz asked curiously.
Often the sincerity is the most touching. Ernst said bluntly: "For the immigrants in East Africa."
Franz walked slowly to the desk, lay lazily on the sofa, and said, "It seems that you really attach great importance to the East African region, and with all due respect, Europe is far more valuable than a rotten place like Africa. , don’t refute yet.”
Franz continued: "I have also studied places like Africa. The French are very close to North Africa. As the territory of the ancient Romans around the Mediterranean, North Africa's strategic position is indeed worthy of attention. The British also controlled the Cape Town colony. After all, the Cape of Good Hope is the throat of the sea to Asia. The most valuable things left in Africa are ivory and gold. As far as I know, they are distributed in West Africa. As for East Africa, I really don’t know much about it, so I’m curious why you are so Optimistic about the potential of East Africa, Ernst?"
It’s not that Franz is really interested in Africa, he’s just curious why Ernst wasted so much manpower, material and financial resources to develop a piece of land with no important resources and a harsh environment.
Ernst asked: "Can I find a seat to sit down?"
"Of course, please feel free, don't be rigid here, Ernst." Franz said.
Ernst found a chair, moved it across from Franz, and sat in front of Franz.
"Speaking of East Africa! Your Majesty, do you believe that gods really exist?" Ernst asked back.
As a Catholic, Franz said without hesitation: "Of course I believe in the existence of God!"
What Ernst was talking about was naturally not the God of Christianity. As a native of the motherland in his previous life, Ernst was originally a staunch atheist, but what happened to him through this kind of metaphysics, so now Ernst is at least psychologically beginning to Shaken faith.
Of course, Ernst does not believe in Christianity, and he was not a Westerner in his previous life, so he scorned everything about God. If God really existed, he would definitely not choose Ernst as a time traveler.
Ernst has a deep sense of mission in his heart, and it is this power that drives Ernst to continue his relationship with Africa, which he has been connected with in his previous life.
Can't tell what this power is, feeling? Belief? Or ideal, neither can be accurately described.
"Your Majesty, it is a very mysterious force like that religion that drives my actions, and I am also happy to do so, so many questions have no answers, so I naturally did so." Ernst tried his best to explain that kind of Feeling, but can't describe it.
"God's guidance?" Franz muttered to himself. As the emperor of an empire, Franz actually felt the same way. It was a desire for the development of Austria and the continuation of the family's glory. Lanz is convinced that he has such a mission, but he always feels powerless in the face of the deteriorating situation, a feeling of contradiction.
"The current East Africa is indeed a bottomless pit for me. There are no important resources worthy of description except for animals and indigenous people, but it is an area like East Africa that has no history and no one pays attention to it, which can satisfy the unconstrained imagination in my heart." Thoughts, I am like a painter who can add any color I want on the curtain of East Africa, but in Europe I am just a mediocre little prince! I will be bound by European rules, and it is difficult to express my nature ..."
…
Trieste.
"The number of people today is much higher than before, and there are many more Serbian accents." Jean Degu, a staff member of the Hechingen Ocean Fleet, and his partner Phil Moore said.
"Is East Africa really worth visiting?" asked Phil Moore.
Jean Decourt took out a bottle of cheap Italian red wine, took a sip and said, "It looks okay! It's no different from the European countryside, except that it's more desolate."
"The population in Europe, especially in the empire, is still too much, and the land will always be so much. The population has grown faster and faster in recent years, and there are always people who want to go out to make a living."
Phil Moore said with emotion: "Yes, the population of the empire is still growing very fast. For example, many people of our generation came from the countryside. A few decades ago, our fathers were still working in noble manors. , and now we come to the factories in the cities to work for the capitalists."
"Fortunately, you and I are quite educated. Otherwise, you should still be doing manual work in factories or docks. How can you write on paper like you are now, and you can get paid for guiding immigrants!"
"Oh! When it comes to the factory, do you still remember that Flender? A few days ago in the tavern, I heard from a former worker that he died suddenly on the job. He was a man with good arms and legs. I fell on the machine that worked day and night for more than ten hours..."
Looking at the two people in front of me chatting from East Africa to Europe, from the countryside to the city.
Among the immigrants, there was a young man who was moved. His name was Crick, and he was a Serbian from the Hungarian countryside. He was only 15 years old this year and he came out to make a living.
Crick, who was born in a peasant family for generations, naturally has no special skills, so he has a lot of strength. The family land is left to his elder brother, and Crick can only come out to find a job.
It happened that the East African colony was recruiting people. Crick actually had no idea, but the requirements of the East African colony were very simple, and food and lodging were not a problem, and there was still money to be paid, so Crick followed the staff and A few vagrants from the same village came to Trieste.
Crick was more active in the village. He stepped forward and asked Jean Decourt, "Uncle, have you ever been to East Africa?"
Jean Degou looked at the young man in front of him and said: "I have been to two or three ports in East Africa with the ship, Dar es Salaam port, Tanga port and the latest Mombasa, I have been to them all."
"Is East Africa really the same as in the newspapers?" asked Crick.
Jean De Guthus said: "If you are talking about Africa, most of it is true. North Africa is full of sand, all the way along the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Occasionally, there are a few oases full of Arabs. The Atlantic coast, that is West Africa, where the slave trade started, where gold and ivory are said to exist, but the climate is very harsh, hot and humid, and white sandy beaches can be seen in the south, which is also a barren land. The conditions in South Africa are very good, where is The territory of the British. As for East Africa, there are no special resources, but the ports I have been to seem to be pretty good. Although they are not as good as European cities, they are much better than rural conditions."
Jean Degou’s words reassured the immigrants a lot. At least they know that East Africa is not a barren land, and life there should be no worse than in the village.
(end of this chapter)