In 19th-century France, "notary" was a very important profession.
It was different from today's "notary public."
At that time, French notaries served multiple functions, including legal advisor, property manager, and investment consultant.
They were legal professionals authorized by the state and had to obtain a government-issued license to practice.
Their signatures and seals had legal effect, making contracts, wills, and sales agreements "officially valid."
In French society at the time, notaries enjoyed extremely high credibility and were widely regarded as trustworthy guardians of lifelong assets.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lionel did not immediately state his request for services.
Instead, he first posed a question:
"Mr. Delacroix, before considering a long-term partnership with you, may I seek your professional opinion?"
Delacroix calmly replied,
"Of course, Mr. Sorel."
Lionel organized his thoughts before continuing:
"The situation is as follows: the Comédie-Française wishes to sign a three-year exclusive licensing agreement with me, granting them exclusive performance rights for 'The Chorus' in France.
In return, they are willing to increase my box office share to 6%.
At the same time, I have also received letters from several important theaters in Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, and other places, expressing a strong desire to acquire performance licenses, each with attractive conditions."
He paused, observing Delacroix's reaction, but the other party merely listened quietly, showing no change in expression.
Lionel then presented his dilemma:
"Should I accept the Comédie-Française's exclusive agreement, or should I instead sign separate contracts with multiple regional theaters?
How do you view the pros and cons of these two options? Which one, in the long run, best serves my interests?"
Lionel was evaluating whether the notary before him possessed the business acumen he needed, rather than just being a clerk who only stamped documents and kept accounts.
After a moment of silence, Delacroix slowly began:
"Mr. Sorel, you are initiating a business decision consultation, and a very complex one at that.
If it were just a standard document notarization or simple legal advice, I could tell you the answer now, as a courtesy for our meeting today…"
He paused briefly, then, after carefully choosing his words, continued:
"However, at Delacroix & Associates, any in-depth professional analysis and strategic advice comes with a price.
For this 'multiple-choice question' you've presented, if you wish to receive a comprehensive, detailed, and actionable analysis of pros and cons along with recommendations, the consultation fee is one hundred and fifty francs.
Regardless of whether you ultimately adopt my advice, and regardless of whether we establish a long-term client relationship, this fee must be paid before the advice is rendered."
His words were calm, direct, and even somewhat impersonal, openly pricing his professional knowledge.
Upon hearing this, Lionel was not offended; instead, he was quite satisfied.
He needed exactly this kind of partner who was clear about finances.
He took his wallet from his inner pocket, counted out one hundred and fifty francs, and placed them neatly on the table, pushing them towards Delacroix.
Lionel's tone was relaxed:
"Very reasonable, Mr. Delacroix. Knowledge and service should indeed be compensated accordingly.
Here is the consultation fee. Now, I hope to hear your professional analysis."
Delacroix glanced at the banknotes on the table but did not immediately pick them up; he merely nodded slightly.
Once a financial agreement was reached, the professional barrier was removed.
He sat up straight:
"Very well, Mr. Sorel. Let us first analyze the pros and cons of accepting the Comédie-Française's exclusive licensing proposal. On the advantageous side—
Firstly, stable and considerable long-term income. This will provide you with a continuous cash flow for the next three years, facilitating your personal financial planning.
Secondly, your exclusive tie-in with the Comédie-Française itself is a great enhancement of the value of 'The Chorus' and your status as an author.
The intangible reputational added value brought by being a 'Comédie-Française permanent repertoire item' sometimes even exceeds short-term monetary gains.
Thirdly, peace of mind and less effort. You only need to deal with the Comédie-Française.
All performance arrangements, box office accounting, and revenue payments will be handled by their large professional team, allowing you to devote all your energy to new creations.
Fourthly, risk avoidance. You avoid potential contractual disputes, collection risks, and the risk of low-quality performances damaging the play's reputation that might arise from dealing with multiple theaters separately.
The Comédie-Française's production standards and commercial credibility are top-tier."
Lionel nodded in agreement:
"And the disadvantages?"
Delacroix's tone remained steady:
"The disadvantages, first and foremost, are forfeiting the potentially higher one-time licensing fees or royalty agreements that could be obtained by partnering with theaters in other cities.
Especially in large cities like Marseille and Lyon, the market potential is enormous.
Secondly, loss of flexibility. For three years, you would be unable to independently arrange performances of 'The Chorus' in other regions of France.
The Comédie-Française's tour would certainly not cover all potential markets, especially small and medium-sized cities, which could also offer decent returns.
Thirdly, being reliant on others. Your income would be deeply tied to the Comédie-Française's operational capabilities.
If there are changes in theater management in the future, or if their promotion efforts are weak, it could directly affect your earnings."
Lionel laughed:
"From an income perspective, then, it seems I should reject the Comédie-Française's exclusive agreement."
Delacroix shook his head:
"You might indeed achieve higher than 6% shares in several major cities, and the short-term cash returns could be very impressive, with broader market coverage and faster recovery of the play's full commercial value.
However, you would also face a management nightmare, possibly even needing to hire dedicated personnel to simultaneously negotiate, sign, and oversee the execution of dozens of different contracts with several or even dozens of theaters.
This demands extremely strong legal, business, and time management skills, making disputes and bad debts highly likely.
Furthermore, financial risks must be considered; collecting from multiple sources means greater financial risk and more complex tax issues…"
Delacroix meticulously dissected every aspect of both options.
He even mentioned the possibilities of future copyright transfers, publishing royalties, and international performances, demonstrating his familiarity with literary agency business and his long-term vision.
Finally, he concluded:
"In summary, Mr. Sorel, my professional advice is – accept the exclusive licensing agreement from the Comédie-Française."
Lionel was somewhat surprised, because from a financial perspective, Delacroix, as a "notary," earned income through contracts and a share of proceeds.
Signing with more theaters would certainly be more profitable for Delacroix.
He asked with a smile,
"Why?"
Delacroix's expression did not change:
"For a writer like yourself, currently in your creative prime, the value of time far exceeds that potential extra monetary gain.
Entrusting the intricate business affairs to the Comédie-Française to manage, while securing a long-term, stable, high percentage of royalties, and using the saved time to create new successful works, will bring about far greater comprehensive benefits than personally managing a nationwide performance network in a piecemeal fashion.
What's more, the brand endorsement and risk mitigation capabilities of the Comédie-Française are something other theaters cannot provide. This is undoubtedly the most stable and long-sighted choice."
After listening to this detailed and in-depth analysis, all of Lionel's doubts vanished:
"Excellent, Mr. Delacroix, your analysis has completely convinced me.
These one hundred and fifty francs were well spent."
He paused, his gaze becoming serious:
"So, now let's discuss a long-term partnership. I wish to engage Delacroix & Associates as my long-term legal and financial plenipotentiary agent.
This would involve not only negotiating and signing this agreement with the Comédie-Française but also managing all resulting revenues and handling all future contract matters for my works."
This time, Delacroix finally allowed a smile to surface and stood up, shaking Lionel's hand firmly:
"Rest assured, our notarized contract will eliminate all legal pitfalls for you!"
Lionel couldn't help himself and blurted out,
"Praise the Sun!"
(End of Chapter)
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