Flowers, Swords and France

Under the clear sunshine, the city is full of spring, and all the hustle and bustle seems to have been diluted by time. .

After getting on and off the carriage, Fran and her friend, the Marquis de Leolan, came together to the door of the studio where they often came for painting classes last year. Then, Ciel got out of the car with them.

After hearing the old servant's announcement, the old painter immediately asked them to come up together, and then waited for them in his small studio.

As soon as he met the old painter, Charles discovered that the old painter had almost changed his appearance compared to the way he looked when he met him in the gallery.

His hair had turned a lot whiter, and the wrinkles on his face suddenly more than doubled, as if he had aged ten years in a few months. and. Now he no longer looked as angry as he had in the past, and looked very depressed. It seems that the recent troubles he has encountered in life have dealt him a lot of blows.

After seeing Fran and Miss Marquis, some joy finally flashed across his slightly depressed face, and he almost didn't notice Charles following them.

"Good boy, you are willing to come and see me!" He smiled and 'reprimanded' the two students. Although I was very happy, there was still an irresistible weakness in my voice, "I'm still afraid that I won't be able to see you until I die!"

His words shocked both students.

"Teacher, are you okay? Don't say such things!" Fran quickly comforted the old man, "We are still waiting for you to restart classes!"

"Classes are starting? They won't be held anymore..." The old painter shook his head and sighed, with a bitter smile on his face, "Since Ms. Adelaide passed away, my luck has not been better, and now I don't even have the energy to paint. , now I just want to rest."

What he said is indeed true. For an artist, losing an important protector is indeed an unbearable blow.

After hearing the teacher's words, Fran and Mary looked at each other, wanting to comfort but not knowing what to say.

"But, Miss Treville, you don't have to be sad." The old painter comforted Fran, who was a little panicked. "I don't have much to teach you now. You just need to persevere and work hard." Already..."

The dull old painter gave the three young people an extremely ominous premonition.

Under the eagerness and nervousness, Fran didn't care about beating around the bush and asked straight to the point. "Teacher, don't be like this! Have you encountered any difficulties recently?"

"Difficulties? Too many." The old painter replied casually.

"I heard that everyone has encountered some troubles recently due to political laws... Have you also encountered these troubles?" Fran asked in a low voice, and then pointed to her brother, "My brother is here too. , we can help you.”

Charles nodded friendly to the painter, but still said nothing.

"Teacher, you must have been troubled by those deposit certificates recently, right?" Mary started to help explain, "After Mr. Treville heard that you were having difficulties, he decided to help you solve some of them."

To maintain such a large house and the necessary servants are huge expenses. Judging from normal circumstances, except for a small amount of cash, most of the old painter's other assets should be bonds and deposits that are suffering at this time. , and there may also be some annuities, but because of the current bad situation, annuity payments are also very unstable, and God knows when they will return to normal.

Therefore, to apply it to others, the old painter should also be in a rather embarrassing situation now.

Sure enough, after hearing what the students said, the old painter finally cheered up a little.

"Help me?"

"Yes." Mary nodded, "You also know that if you take those deposit certificates and sell them on the exchange now, you may be discounted by others at 20% off or even 30% off, and judging from the current situation , I'm afraid the price that can be sold in the future will be lower... There are people selling like crazy everywhere, so I think you might as well sell some to Mr. Treville, and he can buy you at a preferential price? A portion of the deposit voucher so you can tide over the storm first…”

After hearing what the Marquis said, the old painter turned his head and looked at Charles, as if he had just noticed him.

"As they said, I plan to use cash to purchase part of your bonds." Charles nodded again and continued calmly, "However, you also know that I can only do my best. So I can only buy part of your bonds at a 10% discount...and the amount can only be tens of thousands, do you think you can accept it?"

All he has on hand now is cash.

He had just received a personal loan of three million from Baron Beauvain from Baron Beauvain's bank, and the big banker had prepared countless additional working funds for these agents. All he needed was a large sum of money. It was just a large sum of bonds that was bought into people's hands at a low price - the discount on the purchase of the Marquis and the old painter was of course a friendly price and could never be repeated. This is true even for relatives and friends around him, so Charles will naturally be even less merciful to people he doesn't know - he is just like the tycoons on the exchange, lest he doesn't cut prices hard enough, lest financial panic isn't enough. Deep, it is best to press it until it is folded in half or even lower to satisfy these insatiable people.

After a pause, as if to be on the safe side, Charles continued to remind the old painter.

"No matter what happens, no matter how many rumors you hear, you must not sell these bonds, and keep them until the day when they can be used and redeemed. Although it may take a little longer, this day will come eventually, I firmly believe so. If you are short of money recently, come to me, I will find a way to help you, okay?"

The old painter finally understood what Charles meant. He thought about it quietly, then nodded and agreed to the student's proposal. Then, he sincerely thanked Charles.

"Thank you, Mr. Treville."

"It doesn't matter. You are my sister's teacher. Now that you are in trouble, I must help you..." Charles hurriedly became humble. "If you want to thank someone, thank Fran."

I teamed up with others to rob a large sum of their savings, and tried every means to rob them from them, but they came to thank me for my kindness! What happened to this world?

This situation made Charles sigh in his heart.

Well, isn't the world always like this? After a moment, as if to excuse himself, he said another sentence in his heart. Then he immediately diverted his attention.

After hearing Charles's tempting proposal, the old painter immediately agreed. Then he returned to his bedroom and took out some deposit certificates with a total face value of tens of thousands of francs. And Charles, naturally, also took out the cash he brought with him, and then the two of them made a direct transaction here.

After the transaction was completed, the old painter suddenly sighed again, looking a little melancholy and relieved.

"Miss Treville, I have something to say to you, is it convenient for you?"

"Of course!" Fran replied with a smile.

Then, the old painter took Fran into the large studio, where students usually practiced painting. Fran paced in it, with mixed feelings in her heart, and for a while she felt a blockage in her heart.

"Very sad, isn't it?" The old painter who led the way suddenly turned around and smiled kindly at Fran.

The original text is in the six # 9 @book/bar!

Fran closed her eyes slightly and answered softly.

"Yes, it's a bit sad. Teacher, do you really not want to teach anymore?"

"No, I'm really tired. It's time to retire." The old painter sighed softly, "I just want to walk in here every day like now, clean here with my servants every day, and keep it the same as it was until the day we are gone... I am very old and have no children. This is my life, and these things are my life. During this period of time, every time I walk here, I feel like I am reliving my life... Yes, it's time for me to relive the past, Miss Treville."

The old man's words were full of sentimentality and farewell. He was really tired. Fran suddenly had a flash of enlightenment in his heart. This was not just because of the recent property damage.

It seems that the death of Ms. Adelaide has dealt him a greater blow than he imagined.

Is the relationship between him and that lady really just the relationship between an artist and a protector? Is it just spiritual admiration, or is there something else? Will it be...

No, there is no need to verify it. It is best not to know anything.

"Flan, I said that you are my favorite student. The lady and I like you very much. She always told me that I have good taste... So, after I die, this place will be handed over to you. Please keep it for me and my collections. Is that okay?" The old painter's sudden words broke her meditation.

………………

"Hmm?" Fran was shocked.

For the first time in her life, her beloved teacher crossed the gap between teachers and students, crossed the barriers between commoners and nobles, and called her by her name, and called her "you".

Moreover, this proposal also surprised her greatly.

"How can this be good?" After a moment of surprise, she quickly declined, "It might be better for you to find a more professional person..."

"Only you, I believe you." The old painter interrupted her. It was obvious that he had thought about this issue for a long time and it was not a whim. "Agree to my request, okay?"

"But..." Fran was still very hesitant.

"Do you hope that your teacher can't even fulfill his last wish?" The old painter continued to look at Fran, and his usually stern voice suddenly became very gentle. "If I leave one day, please take good care of everything for me, okay?"

Under the old man's gaze, the hesitation on Fran's face gradually disappeared.

Since he believes in me so much, I can't let him down, and of course, I can't let her down.

"I will take good care of this place for you...if you want."

Finally, Fran answered firmly. (To be continued.)