Flowers, Swords and France

Just a quarter of an hour before Charles returned to his hometown, dinner at the Marquis de Treville's house was about to begin.

According to tradition, the Marquis de Treville, who did not go out today, came to the restaurant on time to enjoy his dinner.

Even at home, this already old field marshal still pays great attention to his demeanor. His hair has been carefully groomed, his gray short hair is neatly combed, and even his beard is clean-shaven. With a black coat, he looks solemn and decent without losing his dignity.

However, decent is decent, anyway, this kind of dress seems a little too solemn.

In line with the clothes, the old man's expression is also very serious, even a little cold, as if he is participating in some major event, and there is no trace of relaxation.

Against the backdrop of his serious look, the whole restaurant seems to be trapped in a subtle and stiff atmosphere, not like a family dinner at all.

And at this moment, the door suddenly opened again. The old man's granddaughter and her close friend Mary had also come in and sat side by side at one side of the dining table.

It was very strange that although they were both young and beautiful women, their expressions were very serious. They did not laugh and talk like young people, but looked as worried as the old marquis.

When the clock struck on time, Fran and Mary bowed to the Marquis of Treville at the main seat at the same time, but the old man did not even look at them, and directly waved his hand to signal the start of dinner.

As the servants brought the dinner dishes to the table one by one. Everyone quietly fiddled with their own tableware and did not say a word.

The silent and depressing cloud enveloped the entire restaurant. The past ease and laughter were no longer here.

The Marquis of Treville ate slowly, only to feel that the dishes were even less tasteful than usual. It was simply tasteless. This unsettling feeling has been going on for a long time recently.

Maybe it's because of the deterioration of taste after old age.

No, it's not just this reason, the real reason... is still sitting opposite. The old man smiled bitterly in his heart, then raised his eyes and looked at his granddaughter.

Because she had just recovered from a serious illness, Fran's face was pale and thin, and even the original trace of blood color had disappeared. The golden hair also lost its former luster, and the whole person seemed to be dim.

Even people who didn't know her could see that she was in a very bad mood now, her brows were slightly locked, revealing the anxiety and sorrow that could not be concealed.

She put the dinner into her mouth with slow movements, but her eyes were placed somewhere unknown, and she didn't even look at the meals. Maybe she didn't know what she was eating.

Looking at her granddaughter with a sad face and a distracted soul, the old man opened his mouth and wanted to say something. But in the end, he didn't say anything.

Alas! What is all this for! He couldn't help but sigh heavily in his heart.

After so many years, he finally made it and regained his former power and glory - even a step further, although it didn't mean much to him. But he thought he had finally given his grandson and granddaughter a good home. As a result, in the end, he found that everything was a disaster.

This feeling. How could the old man not be heartbroken?

During this period of time, every day when he had dinner with his granddaughter at home. It was a psychological torment for him, but he couldn't help but come to see his granddaughter. Worried that she would have an accident again.

After observing these days, Fran did not have the idea of ​​thinking about it again for the time being, but this unresolved sorrow was probably a chronic suicide.

Every time the old man saw his granddaughter like this, he felt very sad, but he didn't know what to do, so he had to choose silence again and again.

At this moment, Fran suddenly stood up and bowed to her grandfather again, obviously preparing to end her dinner - although the food on the plate was not touched at all.

Seeing Fran about to leave, Mary also hurriedly stopped her dinner and prepared to leave as well.

What a conscientious guard... The old man sighed again in his heart.

No, this can't go on. You can't really keep your granddaughter as a prisoner like this? !

Looking at Fran's back as she was about to turn around and leave, the old man finally made up his mind.

"Girl... don't leave yet!" He called Fran.

Fran turned around again a little dully, and then looked at the old marquis in confusion, "Grandpa, do you have anything else to do?"

"Have you felt better recently?" The old marquis tried to make his stern expression a little gentler, and even forced a smile, "I heard from the doctor that the injuries seem to have healed?"

"Yes, Grandpa." Fran nodded gently, "The injuries on my body are all healed."

But the pain in his heart has not healed at all.

"Even if you've recovered, your body is still in the recuperation stage. Why don't you eat more?" The old man asked in a somewhat reproachful manner, "Look at you, how thin you are now?"

"Thank you for your concern..." Fran's smile was a little bitter, "But, my appetite has not been very good recently, so this little is enough. Don't worry, I'm fine."

"Hey, how can I not be worried!" The old man sighed, "You...you...hey!"

After sighing for a while, the old man finally managed to regain his composure.

"Recently...have you been feeling bored recently?" He stood up and walked towards Fran step by step. "Do you want to go out for a walk and get some fresh air? It will also be good for your appetite."

"You... let me out?" Fran's face was suddenly full of surprise.

"You are my granddaughter and you grew up under my knees. Can I still detain you like this for the rest of your life?" The old man frowned slightly, "Girl, is there anyone in this world who misses you more than me? A safe person?"

"But...but..." Fran hesitated. "Aren't you afraid..."

"Yes, I'm afraid. I'm extremely scared, afraid that you will do something stupid again and force grandpa with no way out." The old Marquis directly interrupted Fran, "So, little beauty, just think of it as helping grandpa. As a favor, please repent! It would be good for everyone, wouldn’t it?”

"Repent...?" The joy on Fran's face disappeared in an instant, and she regained her previous calmness and indifference, "What do you mean?"

"Don't you understand what I mean?" The old man frowned even more tightly. "No, you know what I mean. Now that your brothers are married, do you still insist on this unreasonable delusion? Wake up, child, and live your own happy life, grandpa I promise you that as long as you listen to grandpa’s words, you will not encounter any trouble in the rest of your life - your brother and I will be your guardians.”

"...Delusion...Is this how you view me?" Fran's face became even more rigid due to pain, "That's right. This is indeed a delusion. But...I will never throw it away, if I threw away this delusion, then I... what do I have left? What kind of happiness can I have? You think you can give me happiness? No, it's just living like a walking zombie. I don't want a guardian in the sky. A mortal by my side, always within reach!”

By this time. Are you still unwilling to repent? The old man slowly opened his eyes.

"Fran, you need to take a rest now. Let's go!" Seeing that the situation was not good, Mary grabbed Fran and wanted to take her away.

"It sounds like you think of me as a bastard who is dedicated to oppressing you!" with a rare anger. The old man looked at Mary and motioned for her to stop talking. "But...is there anything I can't do to you? Haven't I loved you enough in my life? God testifies, I have never been so easy to your grandma! I just want you to do something It's just something that's humane and good for you. Do you have any selfish intentions? And you...you use this tone to speak to your grandfather! My child, you make me sad!"

"Grandpa, how could I be dissatisfied with you?" Fran looked at her grandfather sadly, tears slowly flowing down her face, "I answer you with the greatest respect, otherwise I could lie to you! Don't I can do anything for you, but I can’t do this. You know that once I make up my mind, I will never change it!”

While crying, she could not restrain herself and walked towards her grandfather, then threw herself into his arms and cried loudly.

God knows how many tears she has shed over the past year or so. Even Mary next to her felt pity and looked away.

Amid his granddaughter's cries, the old Marquis's anger slowly subsided, and finally he sighed again and gently stroked Fran's hair.

"What a smart kid, why...why do you have to do such stupid things?"

"I've only done one stupid thing in my life, isn't this okay?" Fran, lying in his arms, asked in a sobbing tone. "You said you were willing to give me everything. Well, I don't want any of it. Just give me this, okay?"

What a kid! So childish! Can this be used for bargaining? The old man sighed inwardly again.

"No, I can't promise you. It's completely different whether I love you or not. It's actually understandable that you have this kind of desire. After all, you have been dependent on each other since you were young, and he loves you so much..." The old man was quite a bit worried. He shook his head in frustration, "But... what can I do? This is how people come to be. You can't always get what you want."

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

Following his helpless but unchanging answer, Fran, who knew there was no hope, slowly stopped crying and left her grandfather's arms.

"Up to now, do you still think this is just a child's willful thought? Okay, actually this is not unexpected." Fran's face was already full of despair and realization, "However, I will tell you clearly now Well, no matter what you and him think, I will never change my mind anyway, even if the other person is No matter what glory and wealth, I just want to choose myself now. I told him that day, and now you can only get the same answer... Yes, no matter what you will let me face next, I will not. I will never change my original intention! Even if I lose everything, at least I can still be a Treville!”

"Stupid. Stupid!" With such a decisive reply, the old Marquis turned blue with anger and his hands were trembling. "Are you going to be locked up by us like this?"

"Then just lock me up! I will silently accept whatever you do, and you don't even have to force me. Just tell me what you are going to do with me, and I will do it myself!" Fran raised her head and looked at her grandfather proudly, " If you detain me or give me any other punishment, I will accept it silently, because this is the fate I must face. However, I will not change my will because of this. I will prove to you that I am worthy of it. Your granddaughter!”

"Are you still thinking of some trick? Girl, you know, grandpa never speaks harsh words to you, but this time it's different. Grandpa is telling you very seriously..." Marquis Treville looked at him seriously. Looking at Fran, she had obviously made up her mind, "If you stop making trouble, grandpa is willing to forgive you for everything you have done before. But if...if you insist on going your own way, destroy your brother's future, and bring shame to our family." If you are shy..."

After a pause, the old man's tone contained a hint of bitterness. "Well, sometimes we have to make some painful choices. You know what I mean?"

God knows how cruel this old man must be to say these words to his most beloved granddaughter.

Fran felt that her heart suddenly tightened and the pain was severe.

"In your eyes, my brother is much more important than me. I understand, and this is understandable, because your life-long hopes are placed on your brother, but I always make you upset. Let the family be embarrassed... Yes, let the family Shameful...ha..." She smiled bitterly, not sure whether it was ridicule or sadness, "Yes, we kill, we steal, we Robbery, none of this brings shame to us, but I...and I just want to stay with the people I love, so it brings shame to the family! I understand that sin in broad daylight is sin, But...do you actually believe that I will be harmful to you and my brother? No! I have never thought of it this way before!"

"Then what do you want?" The old Marquis couldn't bear it anymore and asked his granddaughter loudly.

"Me? What else can I do? Is there any other way to go in my current situation?" Facing Grandpa's stern shouting, Fran did not show any flinch, but was very sad, " Don't worry, I won't do anything else. Anyway, all this is meaningless. I accept my fate silently, not to cause trouble to anyone, and even stop seeking suicide in order to save you from shame. I just want to live my life sadly with this fantasy. Isn’t this the case?”

The granddaughter's rhetorical question left the old Marquis in silence.

Her confession made him finally understand that her will was stronger than he thought, and even her arrogance and arrogance were so much like a Treville.

From her expression and tone, he could tell, as a sophisticated person, that this was the unquestionable certainty of a Treville, rather than the unpredictable willfulness of a child.

Obviously, the granddaughter may indeed not engage in any more secret plots that may harm her family, but she will continue to live as melancholy as she is now... until her final premature aging and death.

Should such a beautiful flower wither quietly before it blooms?

He was so heartbroken that he didn't even know what to say.

God, what should I do? Why do I have to suffer like this in the end? Have I committed some sin that requires you to punish me like this?

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the restaurant door.

Mary walked to the door and heard the servant's announcement.

After listening, she walked back and said to the two people with a smile.

"Sir...sir is here today!"

"Char...has Charles come here?" Upon hearing the news that his grandson was coming, the old Marquis became excited again.

No, it's not okay to let him see himself in such a depressed state.

He quickly rearranged his wrinkled clothes and returned to his seat.

Then, he looked at Fran, whose chest was still rising and falling, and she was obviously still very excited.

Forget it, let's talk about this later... It's rare that my grandson comes to see everyone today, so we can't let him go back with a bad mood. The old man who loved his grandson had such a thought in his mind.

"Okay... okay... I understand..." the old man managed to calm down, and then looked at Fran, "You... put away these ridiculous words and ideas for now. We can talk about it later. Let’s talk about it later! Your brother is here today. Don’t go back and have dinner with him. Got it? Don’t tell him those stupid things you just said!”

Fran didn't answer, just nodded silently.

Then, the old Marquis stopped looking at her and turned his attention to Mary.

Mary nodded knowingly, "Okay, I'll go pick up Mr.

Then she turned to leave the restaurant.

However, when she was about to leave, she turned her gaze slightly and cast an encouraging look of "Well done!" on her friend.

Her friend, however, just nodded lightly and never said a word again.

"At least it's a good start," Mary thought to herself. (To be continued...)