Milionář na cestách – Verne Jules (2022)

The Millionaire on the Road is more of a travelogue with a lightly sketched story, the plot of which is quite predictable, but all the more worth reading. The novel tells the story of two cousins, Jean Taconnat and Marcel Lornans, who travel by ship from Cette (the second largest French port located near Montpellier) to Oran in Algeria, to join the seventh regiment of African sharpshooters due to their financial troubles. On board, they meet the Désirandelle couple and their son Agathokles, who are also sailing to Oran. Agathokles is to meet Louisa Elissan, with whom he has an arranged marriage. This trio is accompanied by a family friend, the wealthy industrialist Clovis Dardentor. From their conversation, both cousins learn that he is a single man without an heir to whom he could bequeath his fortune. Dardentor dislikes the idea that his property would revert to the state after his death, and therefore wants to adopt someone. However, the laws of adoption are very strict, especially the clause that the adopter must care for the adopted child continuously for at least six years during their minority. The law does allow one exception: if the adopted saves the adopter's life...