fic: "An Engagement Present" (Tintin)
Title: An Engagement Present
Fandom: Tintin
Characters: Bianca Castafiore, Tintin/Haddock
Rating: All ages
Warnings: None
Word count: 200
Summary: What Bianca knows.
Notes: Set during Les Bijoux de la Castafiore (The Castafiore Emerald). Further notes at the end.
Dear Captain Warlock is positively fuming, of course, like the growly old thing he is, muttering at each congratulatory telegram and using, well, she can only call it language to a hapless reporter from Paris-Match. Tintin has been quieter, solicitous of his poor Paddock of course, but thoughtful. Perhaps he's realized what Bianca knew the instant she saw the article: she's done them a favor.
The villagers, good country people, haven't caught on yet, but Bianca's a woman of the world. And no moralist; she rejoices for them, the happy creatures, but dear Tintin is a little young, it must be said, although anyone can see he's more than able to make up his own mind. Gossip and the law, alas, are so terribly conventional, so incapable of fine distinctions.
Soon everyone will believe Captain Drydock's had his heart broken by La Castafiore. If he spends the rest of his days womanless, living in the country with his friend, it'll only prove how much he must have loved her. No small-minded gendarme or nosy priest will be able to cause them trouble.
She doesn't expect thanks or recognition; she'll keep silence. A pity, though. It would make a charming opera.
End note: France decriminalized homosexuality in the late eighteenth century, but in 1942 the Vichy government raised the age of consent for same-sex relations to 21 (the age of consent for heterosexual relations was 15). In the 1970s it was lowered to 18, then equalized at 15 in 1982. Tintin's age is a tricky issue, but he's very likely under 21, the age of consent at the time the comic was written and set.
ETA: I keep forgetting the Moulinsart is probably in Belgium, not France. *facepalm* (Do they have chateaux in Belgium?) A quick look at Wikipedia tells me that Belgium, like France, decriminalized homosexuality in 1795, but the age of consent wasn't equalized at 16 until 1985. So the situation's basically the same.
Crossposted at Dreamwidth (
comments); you can comment here or there.
Fandom: Tintin
Characters: Bianca Castafiore, Tintin/Haddock
Rating: All ages
Warnings: None
Word count: 200
Summary: What Bianca knows.
Notes: Set during Les Bijoux de la Castafiore (The Castafiore Emerald). Further notes at the end.
Dear Captain Warlock is positively fuming, of course, like the growly old thing he is, muttering at each congratulatory telegram and using, well, she can only call it language to a hapless reporter from Paris-Match. Tintin has been quieter, solicitous of his poor Paddock of course, but thoughtful. Perhaps he's realized what Bianca knew the instant she saw the article: she's done them a favor.
The villagers, good country people, haven't caught on yet, but Bianca's a woman of the world. And no moralist; she rejoices for them, the happy creatures, but dear Tintin is a little young, it must be said, although anyone can see he's more than able to make up his own mind. Gossip and the law, alas, are so terribly conventional, so incapable of fine distinctions.
Soon everyone will believe Captain Drydock's had his heart broken by La Castafiore. If he spends the rest of his days womanless, living in the country with his friend, it'll only prove how much he must have loved her. No small-minded gendarme or nosy priest will be able to cause them trouble.
She doesn't expect thanks or recognition; she'll keep silence. A pity, though. It would make a charming opera.
End note: France decriminalized homosexuality in the late eighteenth century, but in 1942 the Vichy government raised the age of consent for same-sex relations to 21 (the age of consent for heterosexual relations was 15). In the 1970s it was lowered to 18, then equalized at 15 in 1982. Tintin's age is a tricky issue, but he's very likely under 21, the age of consent at the time the comic was written and set.
ETA: I keep forgetting the Moulinsart is probably in Belgium, not France. *facepalm* (Do they have chateaux in Belgium?) A quick look at Wikipedia tells me that Belgium, like France, decriminalized homosexuality in 1795, but the age of consent wasn't equalized at 16 until 1985. So the situation's basically the same.
Crossposted at Dreamwidth (
comments); you can comment here or there.