The article considers the representation of the permanent dialogue between Russian and French cultures in the tetralogy «The Thinker» by M. Aldanov (comprising «The Ninth Thermidor», «The Devil's Bridge», «The Conspiracy», and «St. Helena: Little Island»). The author arrives at a conclusion that comparison and interpretation of historical parallels introduced in the novel «The Ninth Thermidor» functions as a camertone for their development in the following works of the cycle.