A Dinner Engagement was a virtual representation of one of Arno Dorian's genetic memories, relived by a Helix initiate through the Helix Navigator.
Description[]
Seeking to find and kill Louis-Michel le Peletier, Arno and Élise met with the Marquis de Sade at the Louvre.
Dialogue[]
- Élise: Are you sure about this?
- Arno: Not particularly, no. But the Marquis is on the National Convention with le Peletier. He might have some insight.
They found de Sade writing.
- De Sade: Ah... Which is a more incisive commentary on corruption in the bishopric? Seven nuns seducing a parish priest into debauchery, or an enourmously-endowed Benedictine sodomizing a goat named Pius?
- Arno: No force in heaven or on earth will make me answer that question.
- De Sade: Quite right, Arno, the goat it is. So, what can I do for you and your charming companion?
De Sade bowed before Élise in an attempt to charm her.
- Élise: Louis-Michel le Peletier. What can you tell us about him?
- De Sade: Ah, dear Louis. He went from abolishing the death penalty to calling for the King's head in two short years.
- Arno: Where can we find him?
- De Sade: I'm afraid I don't often socialize with my fellow deputies. Something about my distaste for the beheading of the innocent. Speaking of innocents...
De Sade moved towards Élise.
- Arno: De Sade...
- De Sade: Hum?
- Arno: Le Peletier.
- De Sade: Well, I believe he often takes meals at a certain café near le Palais-Royal. I believe you can find him there.
- Arno: If we don't, I'll be back.
- De Sade: Really? Well then, I hope I'm mistaken.
De Sade looked at Élise.
- Élise: No, you don't.
Arno took Élise with him. Arriving at Palais-Royal, Arno surveyed the area. He saw a cart loaded with wine.
- Driver: Wine delivery for the palace.
- Guard: Take it 'round back.
He then saw a washer working in the palace instructing one of the other washers.
- Washer: Make sure you clean those windows properly this time, or Monsieur le Peletier will have my head.
- Remy: Yes, Madame.
Arno then saw le Peletier passing by Jean-Lambert Tallien.
- Tallien: (Good day), Citizen le Peletier.
- Le Peletier: Citizen Tallien.
Arno began his infiltration.
- Citizen 1: What do you think the Austrians will do?
- Citizen 2: You read Brunswick's little manifesto. "If the least violence be offered to their Majesties the king, the queen and the royal family, we will inflict an ever memorable vengeance by delivering over the city of Paris to military execution and complete destruction, and the rebels guilty of the said outrages to the punishment that they merit."
- Citizen 1: Hmph. It'll be the Huguenots all over again.
Arno found the wine cart.
- Merchant: Are you trying to poison my customers?
- Driver: I'm sorry, sir?
- Merchant: This wine is cut with lead sugar! One glass of this, and-
- Driver: I don't know what-
- Merchant: I've been doing this for thirty years, boy, I think I know what tainted wine tastes like!
- Driver: There's 50 livres worth of wine here! What am I supposed to do with it?
- Merchant: Well, you can sell it as a remedy for sore nipples for all I care, but I'm not buying a drop of it.
Trying to poison my customers....
Ought to call the gendarmes....
Poisoned wine! What's next? Infected bread?
This is criminal, this is!
You're lucky to escape a murder charge. - Driver: Sorry, sir.
I'll have it taken away as soon as the cart returns.
Forgive me.
Yes, sir.
Pardon, monsieur.
Arno stole one the bottles of poisoned wine.
- Arno: This may come in handy.
Arno found the washer.
- Washer: (Mister) le Peletier complained of streaks last week! See that it's spotless this time!
Get the grime out of the corners! (Mister) le Peletier is a fastidious man!
I expect (Mister) le Peletier to be able to see himself in that glass when you're done!
That window better be sparkling when Mister le Peletier arrives!
Mind you don't leave it open! (Mister) le Peletier hates a draft! - Arno: Pardon, (Miss.) (Mister) le Peletier has complained of stuffiness in his office. Could you open the window?
- Washer: What are you on about? (Mister) hates a drafty room!
- Arno: I understand. (Have a good evening.)
Arno bribed the washer with a bag of money.
- Arno: Would this persuade you?
- Washer: (Yes, sir!) Remy! Open the window! (Mister) le Peletier finds his office a bit stuffy!
- Remy: B... But you said-
- Washer: Just do it!
- Remy: Alright-
The window was opened, giving Arno an infiltration opportunity. He then entered the palace.
- Citizen 3: Mark my words, the Americans will throw in with us.
- Citizen 4: You think so?
- Citizen 3: How could they not? Like them, we're throwing off the yoke of tyranny!
- Citizen 4: The yoke of tyranny is one thing. The yoke of finance is quite another.
- Citizen 5: Will you be attending the execution tomorrow?
- Citizen 6: Of course. Won't you?
- Citizen 5: Thought I might give it a miss. Crowds, you know.
- Citizen 6: Crowds. For that you'd miss the defining event of the age?
- Citizen 5: There'll be engravings.
If le Peletier spotted Arno, he would attempt to run away.
- Le Peletier: Suzanne! Run!
Guards! Guards!
Stop that man!
Assassin!
Don't let him escape!
Arrest him!
Arno found le Peletier with his daughter, Louise-Suzanne.
- Le Peletier: Waiter!
- Waiter: (Yes, sir?)
- Le Peletier: A bottle of your finest wine. Tonight, we celebrate the death of tyranny!
- Waiter: At once, sir.
David! Get me a bottle of the Chateau d'If! Quickly!
Arno placed the poisoned wine on a tray. David then handed it to the waiter.
- Waiter: Well done, David. Didn't even see you arrive.
The waiter served the wine to le Peletier.
- Waiter: Here you are, sir. The '74 Chateau d'If. A lovely vintage, if I may say.
- Le Peletier: (Thank you.)
Le Peletier began to suffer the effects of the wine.
- Louise-Suzanne: Papa? What's wrong?
- Le Peletier: Nothing, my dear. Just a bit of a stomachache. Go... go and find your nurse and tell her to take you home. I'll be along soon.
- Louise-Suzanne: Yes, Papa.
As le Peletier walked into an empty hallway and fell to the floor, Arno confronted him.
- Le Peletier: So. I thank you at least for sparing my daughter the sight of this. All that I've done has been for the good of my country, my people, and my family. Ah. But you are unmoved. So be it. If it must be done, let it be done swiftly. Do it!
End it!
Arno assassinated le Peletier. Through his memories, he saw le Peletier at the Templar meeting at the Hôtel de Beauvais with Germain.
- Germain: The King must be seen as a criminal and a traitor. Only then, when he is executed like a common villain, can we show the world Jacques de Molay's great truth.
- Le Peletier: You may show the world what truths you like, Grand Master. What I do, I do for the good of France.
- Rouille: You were right. King Louis has been talking to all sorts he shouldn't have.
The vision changed to le Peletier at the vote for King Louis' execution.
- Speaker: Citizen le Peletier, the vote stands at 360 for execution to 360 for clemency. How do you vote?
- Le Peletier: Execution.
The vision then changed to le Peletier meeting with Germain after the voting.
- Le Peletier: The vote is cast and counted, Grand Master.
- Germain: And?
- Le Peletier: The King will die.
- Germain: I had no doubt. I shall very much look forward to witnessing the end of tyranny.
- Le Peletier: I shall see to it you have the finest view.
The vision ended, and Arno escaped the area.
Outcome[]
Arno assassinated Louis-Michel le Peletier. Through his memories, he learned that Germain would be present at King Louis' execution the following morning.
Trivia[]
- The name of the poisoned wine, a "74 Chateau d'If", is a reference to Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, where main character Edmond Dantès gets wrongfully imprisoned in the fortress Château d'If near Marseilles.