Chapter 668: Mission and Duty
In the Boroscaphe's VIP cabin, after confirming that Camellia was out of danger, Joseph entrusted her care to the more professional Perna. He then quietly stepped out of the room.
The captain and others waiting at the door promptly saluted him.
Sorel approached and asked, "Your Highness, how is Miss Delvaux?"
"Perna said she's out of danger," Joseph replied. "Fortunately, we're over a hundred kilometers from Paris, so the river water is relatively clean. There should be no risk of infection."
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
"Ah, that's a blessing. Thank God."
"If not for the Seven Birds signaling us, no one would have noticed someone had fallen overboard."
"Yes, if it had been a few minutes later, it might've been too late…"
Joseph turned to Sorel.
"Were you the first to notice Camellia falling into the water?"
"Yes, Your Highness," Sorel nodded, then briefly recounted what had happened.
Joseph bowed slightly to her.
"On Camellia's behalf, I sincerely thank you."
"I merely did what little I could, Your Highness," Sorel replied hastily. "In the end, it was your miraculous 'procedure' that saved Miss Delvaux."
Joseph waved a hand dismissively and asked, "Are you certain that Hérault had no accomplices?"
Sorel nodded firmly.
"Absolutely not, Your Highness. Although the two ships were about half a chain apart, my vision is excellent. I could clearly see there were only the two of them there."
One chain is 185 meters, so half a chain is roughly 93 meters.
"What a cruel woman," Joseph muttered, shaking his head. He suddenly thought of something and asked, "How did the Seven Birds manage to relay the message about Camellia falling overboard so quickly to the Boroscaphe?"
He suspected it might have been flag signals, but those typically conveyed only general commands, like "stop" or "turn left." Yet the captain had mentioned that the Seven Birds precisely identified Camellia's location in the water.
Captain Bliss quickly explained:
"Your Highness, we river transporters have a system of hand signals for communication. It can convey detailed messages clearly."
He demonstrated by holding his arms at an angle.
"For example, this represents the letter 'B.' And this means 'F.'"
He moved through a sequence of gestures, almost like a dance.
"Your Highness, I just spelled out the words 'Bless you.' If the movements are fast enough, a whole sentence can be sent to a ship several chains away in about ten seconds."
Joseph's eyes lit up at this revelation.
Communication in this era was abysmal. On a battlefield, where tens of thousands of troops might spread over several kilometers, transmitting orders from the commander to subordinates via riders could take 10 to 30 minutes—or more.
If this method of signaling could be adapted for military use, with relay points stationed at intervals, commands could be transmitted over kilometers in just three to five minutes!
Information, after all, was a force multiplier on the battlefield.
If both sides identified a crucial position simultaneously, the side with faster communication could deploy troops to secure it before the other's messenger even arrived.
The more Joseph thought about it, the more he saw this technique's potential. He patted Captain Bliss on the arm.
"You may soon receive a special commendation from the General Staff."
"Uh?" Bliss looked bewildered.
Joseph jotted down his idea for a "shipowner signaling system" and turned to Sorel.
"By the way, why were you on the Seven Birds?"
"Because I was a guest aboard."
"You bought a ticket to observe the race?"
Sorel's face flushed bright red, and she stammered, "I… I bet 400 francs on that ship to win. The ticket came as a bonus."
Joseph sighed.
"You don't seem very lucky with bets… That ship won't win.
"How about this? I'll gift you a 400-franc wager on the Boroscaphe winning. It's my own ticket—consider it a token of thanks for saving Camellia."
"Oh, I couldn't…" Sorel hesitated briefly, then curtsied. "Thank you, Your Highness. I desperately need this money to help Mr. Hartkey return to his tribe. I'll repay you as soon as I get my wages."
"It's a small gesture; no need to repay me," Joseph said with a smile. "By the way, who is Mr. Hartkey?"
"He's a Creek tribesman from the Americas, Your Highness. He and four companions were captured by slave traders in Britain. I rescued them and am now trying to send them back to North America."
"You're truly a kind and compassionate soul," Joseph said admiringly.
The following evening.
The Boroscaphe reached Le Havre first and dropped anchor for the night, having left the nearest competitor, the Seven Birds, over 20 kilometers behind.
In this era, without navigation lights or equipment, night travel was impossible.
In Camellia's cabin, the ship's movements roused Perna, who had been dozing by her bedside.
She sat up, looked around, and realized the ship had stopped moving. A wave of relief washed over her.
After a short nap and the ship's newfound stillness, her seasickness had mostly abated, leaving only a faint dizziness.
Perna glanced at the still-sleeping Camellia, gently brushed her forehead, and noted that her fever had entirely subsided.
She checked her pulse, counting silently, and nodded slightly.
"Her recovery is going well."
As she placed Camellia's hand back under the blanket, her gaze unintentionally fell on the maid's lips, now tinged with color. Memories of Joseph's "kiss" during the rescue flashed through her mind.
Perna's cheeks instantly turned crimson. Nervously, she shook her head and muttered to herself:
"That was just a rescue… nothing more."
But a faint pang of jealousy stirred in her chest. What if that kiss had been meant for her…
"What am I thinking?" she scolded herself, stealing another glance at the sleeping Camellia. She hurriedly left the cabin, shutting the door behind her as if afraid Camellia might hear her thoughts.
Yet, as she stepped out, the scene from the rescue replayed endlessly in her mind.
"No, no, it was 'artificial respiration,'" she muttered firmly to herself. "It's advanced medical technique, not a kiss—not a kiss!"
Wait. She suddenly froze, whispering to herself:
"Such a life-saving technique, if widely taught, could save countless lives.
"And as a doctor, I haven't mastered it yet. How can I use it to save others?" Her expression turned resolute.
"Yes, that's my mission and duty as a physician!"
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