Granville's estate

"I allow this to cancel the debt you just owed."

Callister's words were not so much a discussion as an "information". Before Louis had considered whether he should accept his conditions, he was already earning the interest he deserved.

"You...with all due respect, you are too good at management."

The viscount's hand was clean, hot and strong. Louis only felt that the skin on the part of his wrist that was held by him seemed to be scalded. He tried to withdraw his hand, but of course it failed——Cali Ster is not the common playboy in Paris who loses his strength because of indulging in sex and pleasure, and can only despise his strong body as an inferior trait. He wants to deal with Louis, who is always gentle and peaceful. It is very easy for people.

In this way, Louis could only keep up with the viscount's footsteps and walk side by side with him, while trying his best to hide the viscount's hand holding his wrist with his figure and sleeves, so as to avoid being seen by others As a result, there was a misunderstanding—think about it, the two gentlemen neither walked arm in arm like good friends, nor walked forward together in a friendly and polite manner, but walked forward holding each other's hand. What a strange sight!Fortunately, perhaps because it was already very late, they didn't see a few employees of Durand Bank along the way.

"You look a little nervous," Callister said. He must have seen the hidden thoughts behind Louie's small movements, but he didn't stop Louis from doing it, but watched him flustered and looked around with interest : "If others see this, they will probably think that I invite you to the banquet of Emperor Elagabalus."

"Based on your status and status, I think even if you really set up a banquet for the Roman emperor, people who want to get your banquet invitation will be able to fill this place." Louis said, he knew Elaga The Emperor Ballus was a famous tyrant in history. It is said that the emperor would mix jewelry and poison with his meals to test his guests, and even kill them on the spot: "Especially the ladies of Paris. And ladies, I think they'll be surprised to learn that you can joke too."

"I'm even more surprised that you possess the rare quality of humor."

"That's not so rare, for a start... your shrewdness is the really rare quality by comparison," said Louie, who was nearly in debt again for saying the word "sir" ( Bless the Holy Virgin Mary!), at this time they passed a corner, and after rounding the corner, the small restaurant specially set up for bankers and senior executives inside the Durand Bank was already in sight-the most important thing is, at that In front of the lighted restaurant, there were two servants wearing livery embroidered with the Durand family crest.

As soon as he saw the two servants of the Durand family who were waiting for their master at the end of the corridor, Louis immediately shook off the viscount's hand subconsciously.

"Ok?"

Callister obviously didn't expect that he would do this directly—in fact, even Louis himself froze for a moment after shaking off Callister's hand, as if he couldn't believe that he had actually done it—but he did Instead of holding Louis' hand again, he said meaningfully to Louis who was a little stunned: "The word shrewd is not a derogatory term for a banker."

These words really made people wonder how to answer, Louis pursed his lips a little at a loss, although Callister no longer held his hand, he felt that the temperature on his wrist seemed to be the same as the heat on his face The same could not subside; after a while, he followed the Viscount's footsteps into the small restaurant.

As soon as he stepped into this place, he couldn't help being amazed.

Just as Viscount Calliste de Durand had the most comfortable and spacious private office in the bank that bears his name, there is plenty of room inside this dining room, simply called the "bistro". Accommodating ten people for a small banquet—Louis guessed that this was so that the banker could honorably entertain a few guests of sufficient stature without leaving 51 rue d'Antin when he needed it, or not on a rainy day. If you are willing to go out (even if you have a carriage, it is a trouble when it rains!), you can eat in the bank without haste.

Perhaps it was because Kabo had already made arrangements. At this time, the extra furniture in the small dining room was removed, which made the room look a little empty.In front of the fireplace where the wood fire is burning brightly, the heavy marble dining table has already been covered with a fine white twill cryptic tablecloth with a faint scent of thyme, and the edge of the tablecloth tied with small tassels hangs gracefully; Holding a gold candlestick holding a candle, two chairs covered with velvet cushions are placed facing each other on both sides of the dining table, and a complete set of white porcelain tableware with golden edges and filigree patterns with beautiful swimming fish patterns has already been placed in the corresponding position, engraved with The silver knife and fork with the "D" mark of the Durand family sparkled in the candlelight.

"Is every small restaurant here this big?" Louis looked around the small restaurant, and asked Callister curiously - when he just walked in, he saw that there were other small restaurants next door, but Each one was unlit.

"This is the biggest one here, and I don't like sharing it with others." The Viscount said, he took off his coat under the service of Karbo, and then sat comfortably at the square dining table, pointing to the chair opposite him to signal for Louis to sit Bottom: "The restaurant next to us is shared by Dumont and Nelson, but Dumont doesn't like to eat here. He once said, 'Probably only a serious British person like Nelson can swallow it. The food that arrives cold'."

This sounded really funny, and Louis couldn't help laughing.

"So you're going to be an Englishman today."

"If today's meal is cold, I will deduct Cabo's wages for a year." The viscount said, he turned his head to look at Louis, under the light of the small fireplace burning, the gentleman's usual neat profile It actually seemed a little softer, not at all like the indifferent banker Louis saw at the Opera Comique when he first arrived in Paris: "You think so, Carbo?"

"Sir, you are being too unreasonable. I have been working tremblingly, and I haven't said anything." The attendant Kabo poked his head out from behind Louis, and at this time he was helping Louis take off his obstructive coat. He loosened his tie, "According to your request, if Mr. Farentin is satisfied with tonight's dishes, should you reward me with a year's salary?"

"Isn't it your duty to do what you said?"

"Ah, sir! Enough rewards can inspire enough brave soldiers!"

The valet pretended to complain, and he handed the coat in his hand to the attendant who came in. After the attendant withdrew, another attendant came in with two young waiters in Chevet's livery. Holding a silver tray.

"Sir, Mr. Farentin," Karbo said to the two people sitting at the table, he skillfully instructed the waiter to bring the dishes on the trays in the hands of the waiters to the table: "Tonight's appetizer, fresh fruit Red strawberries, yellow grapes, and fresh dates and golden peaches from Portugal; cold candied kumquats, candied plums, and candied apricots. Fried wild partridge and crispy fried whitebait."

As Kabo came up with the dishes one by one, the waiter placed a pyramid-shaped fruit plate composed of four fresh fruits on the dining table, followed by a small and lovely leaf-shaped three-piece porcelain plate (this It is three different shapes of porcelain, but it fits together to fit into the shape of an oval leaf, which is quite ingenious design), followed by candied fruit in the fragrant piece of wild partridge and sparkling crispy fried Whitebait—and according to Kabo, these are all just appetizers!

"Sir, this is a bit too extravagant." Louis said, so surprised that he even forgot the agreement between him and Callister about address: "When I agreed to your invitation, I thought it was just a meal." It's just an ordinary dinner." And this time is already the time for supper for the residents of other provinces, so he couldn't have imagined that there would be such a rich food at this time!

"This kind of dinner is not much different from what I usually eat, even worse." Callister answered him, but he did not laugh at Louis's fuss: "Although the Chevet restaurant is famous, it is still not as good as other restaurants. It’s from the chef of the noble mansion. Don’t worry too much, their crispy fried whitebait is okay, try it.”

But the Lord teaches thrift and restraint, Louis thought, but he didn't say the words, but hesitated for a moment before picking up a fork and trying the crispy fried whitebait that Callister said-- This slender whitebait is only one or two inches long, with a silver shimmer all over its body. After being deep-fried, it is so crispy that you can't even feel the bones when you bite it down. You can't wait to eat several in one bite!

"How do you like the taste?" Callister asked, looking pretty sure Louie would like the dish.

"Very delicious, first...Mr. Callister." Louis said, in order to avoid being settled by Callister again, he quickly paid off the debt he accidentally owed just now, and reminded himself that he should be more careful: "It's just that these whitebaits are a little too small. I almost lost it just now."

"It's normal. This crispy fried whitebait is actually imported from England, although Chevet uses fish from the Seine River." Callister picked up a piece of fried partridge with a fork and bit it He took a bite, and then made a gesture to Carbo: "British people like to drive boats along the Thames River in autumn to catch this kind of fish, and fry it immediately after catching it, and then they eat it directly with their hands, so that there is no need to eat it." Think about the fork."

"So it is," Louis said. He imagined a group of people chasing fish in a boat on the sparkling river, and laughed unconsciously: "This kind of banquet on the river must be very interesting." If I have the chance, I really want to see it!"

Callister, who was biting the fried partridge, paused when he heard his words, and then glanced at Louis.

"I bought a piece of land on the outskirts of Paris. There is a river passing through it, and the produce in the river is not bad." After eating the delicious piece of fried partridge, the viscount said to Louis, his tone seemed to say " The weather is really nice today" as an understatement: "It's not far from the Palace of Versailles. If the King and His Highness want to go to the Palace of Versailles in the near future, I will take you with me. You can live in my villa there."

"……what?"

Louis didn't expect that Callister could do this to him at all. He was stunned for a while before he finally understood what the Viscount meant, and he wanted to find a crack in the ground for himself to sneak in.

"You've misunderstood," said Louie, who almost blurted out the word "sir" again, but stopped short. "I was only joking, I didn't mean it."

"I think it's a good idea. You don't even need to wait for your Highness to go to the Palace of Versailles." Callister said, he forked a small whitebait from the plate with a fork very calmly: "But if you want to go, you must hurry up Time, Paris will start to snow in more than a month, and the suburbs are much colder than the city, which is not good for your health."