The Happy Life of a Duchess

"It's the only young lady of the Duke's family, Adele." Mariana smiled eagerly, "It can be considered that she came back from the nursing home, look at her current appearance, she is beautiful and lovely, just waiting for a kind person like you to take care of her." .”

As soon as the words came out, Mrs. Castellana understood.

"Finally I see you," she held Adele's hand, quickly looked at her again, and greeted her with a very friendly smile, "My husband is Mr. Castellana, and Mr. Duke is also a friend. "

"I heard your sister talk about you in the theater before, but I didn't have the chance to know you at that time. Fortunately, God is kind. No, it gave us another chance to meet, but let me get to know you well. "

"Hello, madam." Adele saluted as a junior, and she quickly pulled her up, only telling her not to be polite, and turned her head to make fun of Mariana.

"Let me just say, I've seen all the girls in your family, but I've never seen such a beautiful face... Now I know the answer. This is Miss Jiao from the Duke's family. She is really good."

"Huo, I don't like to hear what you say." Mariana covered her mouth with a fan, but her words carried a teasing smile.

"Why doesn't it belong to my family? Isn't the daughter of my aunt's family also my sister?"

"You know that's not what I mean." Mrs. Castellana pretended to be angry and patted Marianne's arm, but her eyes kept sweeping towards her in a vague way, as if she was estimating and observing her. Adele just did Unknowingly keep a polite smile.

"How can I not know what the girl from Angli's family looks like?" She said this in a weird way. Adele didn't know the reason, so naturally she didn't make a sound, and Marianna didn't mean to refute it.

"Coincidentally, I just bid farewell to the beauties from Spain. Our Parisian beauties are back again. I am really happy." She said with a smile, and her expression was genuine praise, "You are such a good-looking person, you should get together. They are all young and beautiful girls, and they will definitely be able to talk, and I can guarantee that you will be the hottest person in this year's social season."

"Which lady is it?" Adele was a little curious.

When Mrs. Castellana heard her question, the smile on her face deepened.

"The two daughters of Countess Montyjo's family. I especially like their second daughter Eugenie. She is a smart and beautiful beauty. I think you can become friends with her."

Adele didn't react for a moment, she just felt that Eugenie's name was familiar, and desperately tried to figure out who Count Montijo was, and then remembered that he was a Spaniard before——

"Unfortunately, Count Montijo passed away unfortunately. The three of them, mother and daughter, have all returned to Spain. I don't know if they will come to Paris again. Paris is such a good place."

"This was all three years ago, time flies so fast. It's just a pity for them. Is there any place better than Paris?" Mariana changed the subject subtly, and Mrs. Castellana pretended Putting down the handkerchief that wiped her tears, she nodded her head in agreement.

"Yes, this year's Paris is very lively, and you will know when you look back at the spring social networking."

"What's the matter, Madam, can you tell me a thing or two?" Mariana smiled and took Adele's hand, "Could there be a girl cuter than ours? Let me know."

"You clearly know..." The madam gave her a reproachful look, and finally let it out. That's how the so-called gossip spread among the ladies.

"The Duval family is here too." She pointed slightly, but she didn't understand, "I just came out today to get acquainted with Miss Duval."

"Duval?" Mariana paused first, her brows tightened, and after the other party nodded a few more times, she suddenly realized, "There are girls of the right age in their family?"

"No." Mrs. Castellana compared the numbers, "This round, let alone so many new girls."

"That was really lively."

Mariana was a little surprised, but soon returned a smile.

"But I assure you, I have seen all the girls of these ages, old and new, and the one next to you is the best." Mrs. Castellana did not hide her praise, Adai Er complied with a shy expression, and the other party's smile deepened.

"It's a good thing. It's okay for a little girl to be so shy. You haven't seen some girls. It's really... Seeing a few outstanding men, you can't wait to take off your clothes and rush up."

There was no courteous exchange for a long time, and Mrs. Castellana quickly said goodbye and left.

They can't talk for too long on the street, and they don't want to do much to keep them, so they just go to the jewelry store next door while chatting.

"She's really capable." After the other party walked away, Marianna suddenly said this, and felt that her emotions were too revealing after she finished speaking, so she made up with a smile.

"This is a well-known lady in our circle who likes to draw red lines, and she is also a lady who especially likes girls with pretty faces. There are rumors that Mrs. Castellana is not clear with pretty girls. This kind of thing No one can tell..."

Adele blinked and listened quietly on this side. She didn't think that the lady was gay, she looked at her with pure admiration.

Just now, Adele came to her senses, not only the famous future Empress Eugenie mentioned just now, she even remembered that Miss Duval, this is the unlucky male protagonist who was almost disturbed in the marriage sister.

"However, she is a famous lady, and she knows all kinds of gossip, she is a know-it-all... Don't look at her vague information just now, maybe she has disclosed this matter to many people."

"I am also confident in your appearance. Dress up well. There is no man who would not bow down under your dress." Mariana made a joke on purpose, and Adele even said "no" and complimented After she talked, the two of them entered the store, starting from the basic unprocessed gemstones on the first floor.

"She's also amazing. I asked Will to deliver an invitation letter to the Duval family before, but I didn't get an acceptance. I let her take the lead, but after the first public dance, it is impossible for their family not to accept the invitation. When the time comes It's the time when it's really lively." Adele, the gem that Mariana looked at, was sure that it wasn't as good as the one she kept in her room, but she wouldn't say disheartened words.

"Is the Duval family very powerful?" She was a little curious. She had already met the heroine, so she didn't know what the hero's family was like.

"That's right, the most popular newly-appointed tax commissioner in Paris is now promoted from the big city next door. He is a favorite and holds great power. Now everyone wants to have a relationship with their family, but they are not Ours, just came here, and no one is familiar with it." Mariana gave her a look, letting her experience it for herself.

Adele silently kept these words in her heart. The dukes would definitely not remember to tell her. She could only rely on her to slowly explore and learn the unspoken rules of the communication and social circles of women in this era.

She didn't know how sincere Marianna's words were and how long she was willing to take her. What she could tell was that probably the Duke had promised her or the Angli family some favors to allow her to take her so generously and introduce her.

In order not to make a fool of herself in the future, it is better for her to start learning as soon as possible.

However, hearing her describe it this way, Adele became even more curious about the male protagonist's family.

Margaret, the heroine who can make many men fall for her and support her even at the cost of bankruptcy, has already met. The other heroine, Armand, who has been secretly in love with La Traviata for many years, and then barely had the opportunity but missed it and regretted it all his life Duval, I don't know what it looks like.

It's just that as far as she knows, the Duke's father is responsible for all Margaret's daily expenses. In other words, she should not have had any initial intersection with the hero, nor have she returned to the life of a Parisian courtesan. to go.

But the social season is just around the corner. Not only the ladies, but also the courtesans and prostitutes are already getting ready. I wonder if Margaret will fall back into that chaotic life...

"Let's go to the private room on the second floor to see the boutique."

Mariana looked at Adele, she also nodded in response, and the female workers in the shop immediately led them the way.

Coincidentally, just as they stepped onto the second floor, the door of a private room next door opened.

The two people who came out surprised both of them.

"..."

Mariana directly covered her face with a fan, only her eyes looked indifferently, she almost turned her body away, pretending to talk to Adele next to her.

Adele was stunned for a while, until her wrist was touched gently, and then she turned her head to look at Marianne again with a smile.

"Sister, what do you want to see?" Her expression was very natural, and her words were intimate, "Don't refuse me, let me buy you a necklace, it's best to have two kinds of necklaces, one for each of us, This way everyone knows that my sister is close to me."

"We are relatives, why should we be so polite, but sisterhood is nothing more than others, and I like you the most, Adele, you are indeed the best girl." Mariana immediately put on a happy smile, she did not expect that She would take the initiative to propose this. She earned a necklace for nothing, and the Duke’s family is not short of money. stand up.

The two people who came out from the opposite side had no intention of communicating with them, they swayed to give way to each other, lowered their eyes, and avoided the possibility of eye contact.

Adele didn't expect that just as she was thinking about Margaret, she would immediately see him.

After entering the private room, Mariana asked.

"What did Count Garcia and that strange woman buy just now?"

"This..." The clerk hesitated.

"There is no such person in our circle, she is a social butterfly, and thanks to the Earl's kindness and willingness to spend money for her."

"That's La Traviata." The clerk added, "She has recovered from her illness and returned to Paris."

"It's really lively now." Mariana sarcastically said with a half-smile.

Seeing that she was dissatisfied, the clerk had no choice but to speak.

"A pearl necklace, an emerald ring and a pair of emerald earrings, nearly two thousand francs, paid by Count Garcia."

Hearing this, the two of them took a breath of cool air.

The author has something to say:

Merrime: Prosper Merrime (1803.9.28-1870.9.23), French realist writer, playwright, historian.His main works include the collection of scripts "Clara Gasul Drama Collection" (including five scripts) and the historical drama "Jacques Regiment", the novel "Anecdote of Charles IX" and the short story "Matt O. Falcone", "Taking the Bastion", "Tamango", "Colomba", "Carmen", "The Beauty of Ir", etc. In 1819, he entered the University of Paris to study law and mastered many languages. After graduating from the university, he worked in the Ministry of Commerce. On the eve of the July Revolution in 1830, Merimee traveled to Spain and met the Countess of Montijo's family.

Eugenie de Montijo (1826.5.5-1920.7.11): The wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of the Second French Empire, known as Queen Eugenie (also translated as Queen Eugenia/Queen Eugenie).Born in a Spanish aristocratic family, in 1834, his father, Count Montijo, inherited his elder brother and became the owner of a large estate.In the same year, while he was secluded at home in Grenada, the Countess and her two daughters went to Paris.The three lived in Paris until 1839.Through Mérimée, they established contact with the Dresser and Castellana families, who introduced them to Parisian society.Merimee also brought her friend Belle to Madame Montijo's house; Belle's narration of the Napoleonic era fascinated the two little girls.Their father died in March 1839, for which they had to return to Spain. (The above excerpts have been modified from Wikipedia)

Earl Garcia: In the original book, it is Earl G. I searched for French surnames and chose Garcia (Garcia)