Granville's estate

In the 25 years of Louis du Farentin's life experience, his appearance brought little convenience to his life. For example, when he was in the boarding school in Saint-Etienne, because he was born well-behaved since he was a child For the sake of loveliness, the few maids in the school are particularly fond of him, and put their mother's love that has nowhere to rest on him; when he returns to Magon and starts to take care of the family business by himself, even It may be said without modesty that Magon's famous wives were delighted to see M. Louis du Farentin dancing with their daughters.Even Mr. de Chandu, who looked at and hated the deceased Mr. Lucien du Farentin, thought that apart from the regret that the assets of the Farentin family were less, this young man was completely worthy of pursuit. His only daughter-although so far, Louis has no idea of ​​getting married.

Of course, things that can bring benefits will always bring corresponding disadvantages. For example, when he was in boarding school, Louis was often rejected by some older children because of the overt and secret preferences of the maids; After the death of Mr. Xi'an du Farentin, those neighbors and distant relatives always felt that they could take advantage of the young and ignorant new owner of the Farentin family, and even some local officials thought so. People brought more trouble to Louis than what he encountered today.

Therefore, although Alred was very angry at the fact that the lover's house came to pimp him, Louis himself, as the person involved in the incident, did not have any particularly resentful emotions, but it felt quite funny, just like watching a comedy when he suddenly found himself It is also dumbfounding to be a member of a comedian.

"Although I won't believe that woman's nonsense, I really want to know which noble lady is so clever-ah, speaking of it, the people in the lover's house are quite capable, just in such a short time , They even know your first and last name clearly. They are not even afraid of us going to the police station to report the crime. "

From that so-called Gemma Este - who knows if it's a real name or a fake one! ——From the point of view, at least they are clear about the identities of Louis and Alred.In this way, they must know that Alred is the son of a nobleman from another province, but that woman dared to declare her family name, as if she was not afraid of causing trouble to Mrs. Tihasson's Portrait Gallery. Quite interesting.

"They're really not afraid, maybe they even found out our first and last names at the police station." Alred said angrily, "The sticks of the gang in the police station will only be used against the poor and those without status. People, once they face the powerful nobles, they become nodding pugs. Even if everyone knows what those places are, even girls from poor families are pulled in in front of them , They will also open their eyes and tell lies, accusing those girls of being depraved and walking in voluntarily."

"Al, I know you're angry, but it's not good for your health. You better calm down. I'm still sitting here. After all, we haven't lost anything, have we?"

It seems that during the five years alone in Paris, Alrede should have suffered a lot because of the police station, and Louis could only persuade him so helplessly.

In order to ease his friend's anger, he made a joke: "I think they should send me a portrait first. If it is really a young and beautiful noble lady, maybe I would like to think about it. After all, it is 2000 As for francs, this is worth half a year's net income, where can I find such a big business."

"Just dream, you, I bet, even if you send a portrait of the most beautiful woman in Paris, there is a 90.00% chance that what you will see will be a perverted old woman in her 50s, not even a willing The kind who can't find a lover who pursues her, and who wants to spend 20 francs to keep a lover but will be rejected by men."

Alred said so mercilessly, but it did ease his mood.

"Oh, what a sad thing you say. Is it not possible that a beauty like the Baroness Claudia de Portandière has taken a fancy to me?"

"There is only one beauty with purple eyes in the whole city of Paris. Even if Viscount Durand is there, Claudia's suitors can line up from the boulevard to the Cape Madeleine. Do you think someone like her Do you need to spend money to have a romantic affair?"

While talking, Alrede looked at his friend by the light of the street lamp, and for a while, he felt a bit of a headache——Louis' eyes are a kind of clear amber-like maroon, and it is easy to let go when looking at people. One thinks of a little animal who knows nothing about the dangers of the world, coupled with his soft black hair and well-regulated clothing habits, it shows a kind of harmless innocence to humans and animals.

——It's easy to provoke that kind of "maternal overflow" woman at first glance!

"I always feel that it's easy for you to attract the pity of women who are much older than us, just like those maids in Saint-Etienne who always leave the softest bread for you, and it's hard to see you secretly eating candy Act like you didn't see it."

Alred sighed casually, but this unintentional sentence brought back an unpleasant memory for Louis. He froze for a moment, but soon he took out the gift from Alred from his coat pocket as if nothing had happened. pocket watch for him.

"It's past eight o'clock." Louis looked at the pocket watch to the light outside the window, "The drama should have been staged by this time, right? Are we going too late?"

"It doesn't matter, anyway, no one will sit in the box at the beginning of the show on time, and some people will even go after ten o'clock."

Their carriages drove through the stone-paved streets. The closer they got to the huge Opera House, the more carriages there were on the street, and there were many such luxurious and covered four-wheeled carriages as Bellino, which could be seen at a glance. People are either rich or expensive.These carriages gathered from all directions, and everyone wanted to pass first. As a result, everyone refused to give in, and the streets were blocked. Even the most luxurious carriages were unable to move an inch.

They didn't enter the Opera House until near nine o'clock. Louis thought that the first thing Alred would do was to go to Marguerite, but the result was beyond his expectation. Alred said to him: " Let's find a seat first."

The interior of the large-scale Comic Opera House is also very spectacular. The high dome is magnificent. With the stage as the core, there are several floors of ordinary seats. On both sides and directly opposite the stage are seats with gorgeous curtains that can accommodate three or four people. box.Because of the delay, when they entered, the drama on the stage had already been half-acted, and a tenor in exaggerated costumes was singing loudly.

The seat that Allred reserved was an ordinary seat on the first floor, which was in the corner on the right side of the theater. Because it was far away from the lighting lamps, the light here was not very good, but it was this not-so-good location that made Louis Song Take a breath.

If Alred spent a lot of money to book expensive boxes, and spent a lot of money just to pursue a lover, he would really have a headache!

The seat on their right is empty, I don't know whether it's because they didn't make a reservation or the people who reserved the seat didn't come; on the left is a man who has been watching the stage attentively with a small telescope for watching a theater, and heard the sound. Shi Shi turned his head and glanced at them, seeing that they were all well-dressed, not the kind of person who would lower his identity sitting next to him, so he nodded slightly as a signal, then turned back and put his eyes on the telescope.

"Margaret is on the left side of the second floor, in the fourth box from the opposite side."

As soon as he sat down, Alred couldn't wait to tell Louis.

Following his eager gaze, Louis saw the figures of Marguerite and Madame Boucher clearly visible in the box at the position he said.Only then did he realize that Alrede's position was chosen ingeniously. He only needed to tilt his head slightly to see the box where Margaret was, and the dim light was just a cover for love!

"Miss Margaret comes here often, right? Is her box reserved for a long time and has always been there?" Louis asked Alred in a low voice, "Otherwise, you wouldn't know that you can see her in this position." , and won’t be gossiped about.”

Alred's expression darkened for a moment, but it was hard to detect in the dim light.

"Well, I heard that a certain baron paid her for a box for a year." Alred said reluctantly, and changed the subject: "I can't go to her until the theater is about to close. Ah, look at the box on the second floor to the left of the stage. That is the Vicomtesse de Bourgogne I told you about. She is a distant relative of my college classmate Sologne Grostedt. When I got married, I was given a dowry of 200 million francs, which directly saved the Bourgogne family at that time. She is a very kind lady with a gentle personality. She helped me and Sologne. I have to buy a bouquet of flowers and visit her later."

While talking, Alred put the small binoculars that he took out from somewhere into Louis' hands. Louis studied how to use them, and awkwardly pointed the small binoculars at the second place that Alred pointed at. upstairs box, and then put his eyes on it.

With the help of the binoculars, the scene in the box on the second floor, which was somewhat difficult to see from their position, appeared in the field of vision so clearly, but what Louis saw was not the gentle and amiable lady as expected, but several Someone who looks familiar.

The first thing he saw was the Baroness Claudia de Portandière, with purple eyes, as beautiful as an angel in the sky, sitting in the box, and next to her was Calliste Viscount de Durand, with Galbien de Durand standing aside, and a young man he did not know.