Grasp the farming script in the famous book

Paris, Royal Opera House.

Before the performance started, curiosity and an inexplicable commotion filled the theater.People whisper eagerly.

——Yes, there are no tickets for today’s performance, admission is by invitation only.

All the people invited are women—even if there are old men who accompany their female companions, they will be persuaded to leave:

"Today's show is for ladies and gentlemen, and tomorrow there will be a similar show open to audiences all over Paris."

"You...don't be in such a hurry, you want to have a sneak peek with the ladies and wives, right?"

The sharp-tongued doorman managed to persuade the gentlemen away.

In the theater hall, many people even came to listen to an opera for the first time in their lives—they were all dressed in their best clothes, but they were still out of place in this luxurious opera house.

"Are you the... housekeeper of... M. de Valaire's house?"

"Oh, I know you, Miss Ariane, the tutor, you have also been invited!"

"..."

Those who received the invitation were not only ladies who sat in private boxes and read poetry and books, but also women workers in factories, hawkers who sold goods in the market, servants in the families of high-ranking officials, and coaches from wealthy families. Miss governess.

They all received an invitation letter that was said to be written by the owner of the troupe himself, telling them that this is an opera specially for women.

Many ladies and wives sitting in the boxes were amazed by this scene, and some even felt that watching a show with so many women of different identities was humiliating themselves.

But most of the women who are invited to watch the opera are literate, enlightened, or have some vision, knowing that the social class is slowly being broken up, the middle and lower classes may be promoted to the upper class slowly, and the upper class may be promoted instantly Just fall to the bottom.

Besides, the owner of this troupe has made it clear that all fees are free, and guests are invited to watch the show—forget it, there is no need to pick and choose.

At the beginning of the performance, the stage set and the costumes of the actors surprised everyone first.

"Is this an opera?"

People who came to the theater for the first time whispered and asked questions to the people around them.

"Why do the costumes look similar to what we wear every day?"

Indeed, the women on stage were dressed in the style of Provencals, Catalans, and Basques in the south, and the men wore black military uniforms—the colors of Spanish soldiers.

After the identities of the characters on the stage were clarified one by one, the guests were even more surprised:

The heroine is a female worker in a tobacco factory, while the hero seems to be just a small leader in the army.

The most surprised women, out of upbringing and manners, held back their surprise and kept silent;

Seeing this, the others were gradually relieved: probably...that's what drama is like, telling stories about ordinary people.

The band began to play music, and the prelude, which appeals to both refined and popular tastes, took the lead in capturing the hearts of all the audience.

Not long after, Donna, who played the role of Carmen, a tobacco factory worker, took the lead in singing an aria "Love is like a free bird"1.

"Love is a child of Bohemia, lawless."

she sang, seemingly nonchalantly.

"Love is far away, you can only wait."

"You stopped waiting, and it suddenly appeared."

"You thought you had it, but it dodged away."

"You thought you had escaped, but it caught you."

"Oh, love, love, love, love—"

"If you don't love me, I love you—"

"If I'm in love with you, you have to be careful—"

Donna has a mellow voice and clear words.The audience in the whole theater heard this singing clearly.

Immediately, a female audience in the box stood up and left the stage directly, saying that the heroine of this opera was too dissolute and unacceptable.

But most of the audience in the hall laughed when they heard it.

Such a straightforward, passionate, seductive and cunning woman, and a gypsy girl, is it rare in this world?

Donna sings another aria, seducing the hero, Don Jose, with her passion and sensuality.

The audience was full of female audiences, and the women clapped their hands to encourage Donna.

But soon, the hero's former fiancée came to the door, begging and persuading the man to return home with her.

A female audience member who was too involved in the play immediately stood up and shouted to Miss Polpora, who played the role of "fiancée" Michaela, from the audience: "Don't be stupid! This man has fallen in love with someone else, so don't want you!"

"Yes, this man is not worthy of trust!"

At this point, the audience began to divide, with some loving Donna and others sympathizing with Porpora.

Soon, people saw Carmen, played by Donna, fall in love with someone else.

Don José begged Carmen to change his mind.

At this time, a woman sitting in the hall watching a play suddenly stood up and shouted: "Since you have abandoned your fiancée, don't blame others for abandoning you—"

This shout was so full of energy that even the actors on the stage were a little distracted, and the libretto paused before continuing...

In a box in a corner of the theater, Roland was not enjoying the performance on stage at all, but was engrossed in observing the audience's reaction.

She even jotted down some thoughts in her notebook quickly, which would later become the material of her speech——

All the audience present, every lady, was personally selected by her and sent an invitation letter by herself.

They represent all aspects of society and all walks of life.

It is impossible for Roland to know so many people, but she has quite a wide network of contacts in this city.As Miss Tanglar, she knows many ladies and ladies of high society, and understands their character, knowledge, whether they are enlightened or old-fashioned...

As a young woman who patronizes the "reading club" of the big library every day, she also knows many intellectual women: tutors, female students...

And as the owner of the "Monllie's Foodstuffs Store", she also knew many peddlers in Paris, and even through this food store, she met the servants of all the famous and well-known families in Paris.

She wants to promote new ideas in this city, this is a good opportunity to observe - she can take this opportunity to understand people of different classes in the plane, their various ideas about marriage and women, Then use this to decide how she should act.

Looking at this matter from another angle, Roland screened the audience in order to ensure that the premiere would be "a head start".

These female audiences are either ordinary people who have never looked down on opera, or educated and relatively enlightened female audiences.

She is [-]% to [-]% sure that in the eyes of these people, this "premiere" will be a success.

And she hopes that the audience of this entire theater can become the fire that spreads in this city. She hopes that the city will be ignited with raging flames in the future. These women with different identities and all walks of life may become the first awakening a batch.

As for the group of people with conservative ideas, they should have left the stage when Donna sang the first aria.

While Roland was thinking, the story gradually came to an end, and Carmen finally died under the dagger of Don Jose.

The women shed tears, and some couldn't believe the sad ending, and shouted loudly to the actor who played Jose on stage: "She is not your slave, even if she doesn't love you, you have no right to kill her!"

When Roland heard this sentence, he felt that the time had come.

She slipped down from her box and came backstage.

This is when the actors prepare for the "encore."Both Donna and Porpora had already stepped onto the stage again, facing the applause that resounded through the theater.

The actor who played Don Jose dared not go on stage at all.

He rubbed a bag on his head that was smashed out by something, and smiled wryly at his boss.

Roland shook his head helplessly and comforted him: "It is a work-related injury, and I will go to the manager to ask for compensation."

The actor was suddenly happy and grinned silly.

"But it also proves that you succeeded, we all succeeded-the audience is so involved, it just shows that everyone recognizes your performance. You left an unforgettable Don Jose in the hearts of the world..."

After the "encore," Roland took to the stage.

At this time, she had cut her long black hair short.No one recognized Miss Tanglar except those friends and colleagues who had known Miss Tanglar very well in the past.

"Every distinguished guest present, friends who insist on watching this opera until the end..."

Her opening remarks drew good-natured laughter.

"I am the owner of the Royal Opera House, and I am the one who invited you to watch the performance. Every invitation letter in your hand is sent by me."

The theater gradually became quiet, and everyone couldn't hold back their curiosity. They wanted to know why this young and beautiful theater owner invited them to the show.

"What I want to say to you all is..."

In a corner of the hall, sat a newspaper commentator surnamed Boileau, female.

Miss Boileau has written a lot of reviews about operas before, and she is familiar with every actor in the opera troupe, and she has witnessed all the turmoil experienced by the opera troupe in the past year——

Of course, not all of her review articles have the opportunity to appear in newspapers.Ms. Boileau also had many articles "pressed" by the editor-in-chief of the newspaper.

But never has Miss Boileau been so moved as today's "Carmen".

She has written a lot of emotions densely in the notebook, and with a little modification, it will be a wonderful review article, which can be handed over to the desk of the editor-in-chief of the newspaper tonight.

But - there is a problem.

The audience invited here today are all women—if she handed out the manuscript tonight, all Paris would know that she was a woman—she had already given herself a male pen name, so that Come and reveal.

Miss Boileau thought for a while, but put away all the notebooks in her hand.

——Wait, it won't be too late until the theater officially performs to the public tomorrow.

However, the young owner of the troupe gave a speech.Every word the host said touched Mademoiselle Boileau deeply.

The more Miss Boileau listened, the more she couldn't control her hands. She took out the notebook again, and quickly wrote words on the notebook with her ink-stained hands——

Yes, in this world, who said that women must be weaker than men, and that the commentary articles they write are not as good as men's?

Mademoiselle Boileau's brush rubbed lightly on the paper.

She heard something unusual from Roland's words——

Gradually, the commentator's pen began to generate temperature, and the tip of her pen jumped more and more enthusiastically.

She didn't even realize that she, like all the audience in this theater, is becoming the "fire" in this city.

Although everyone knows that this is just a story, Carmen and Don Jose have never really existed in this world, but it is meaningful that this story can be told.

"...this opera at least made me know what I want - I am a free man, free to think, free to love, free to marry, and I deserve the same rights as 'everyone else' - not to be threatened, not to be Disturbed, dignified..."

The nib of Mademoiselle Boileau's ink pen poked heavily into her notebook, spreading a large dot like a manifesto.

After the performance, Mademoiselle Boileau stayed in her seat and copied her manuscript as fast as she could.

Surprisingly, the troupe didn't clear the venue after the show ended, and instead of driving her away, they waited patiently by her side and left the door open for her.

Mademoiselle Boileau submitted the manuscript to the Monitor.

It is said that newspapers throughout Paris were looking for articles about the show that night.Mademoiselle Boileau was the only newspaper commentator entitled to enter.

The "Monitor" decisively adopted Miss Boileau's manuscript, but deleted those parts that were too "radical and subjective".

"It's for your own good to delete these contents—you don't want your female identity to be exposed to the public, do you?" the editor-in-chief of the newspaper explained to Miss Boileau. "The public will think that a commentator like you lacks observation and credibility."

Miss Boileau smiled immediately, she didn't want to distinguish from the person in front of her and waste her tongue.

Only she knows that something has been planted in her heart, and it will take root and sprout.

Deletions and rejections will not affect the vitality of this thing, on the contrary, it will bloom everywhere in Paris.

After all, she wasn't the only one, the entire theater was filled with "people" like her!

After a "premiere" of "admission by invitation", "Carmen" began to be performed to the whole of Paris on the second day.

By this time, the whole opera had aroused the interest of the whole city and caused widespread controversy.

Its repercussions were so great that even the performance groups were unexpected.

——It is by no means blindly praised. It has caused far more controversy than its praise.

But the controversy comes from people who haven't seen it, which directly makes it hard to get tickets for this opera.Everyone squeezed their heads, wanting to see this "shocking" opera with their own eyes.

The opera ran for ten days, after which the Ministry of the Interior banned the public performance of Carmen.

By this time it was too late.

In the whole city, discussions on this opera have become popular. Even if this opera is not the greatest in the world, it must be the most discussed.

Unexpectedly, half a month after the Ministry of the Interior ordered the ban on performances, it changed its doors first——

The Ministry of the Interior has ceased to be the Ministry of the Interior of the "July Dynasty", it has become the Ministry of the Interior of the "Republic".

All this happened in a very short period of ten days——

After peace talks with the cabinet collapsed, workers went on a general strike and students took to the streets to fight for their rights.

Andrea led people to secretly form a volunteer army, stormed into the Paris City Hall, controlled several major newspapers, and publicly called for the abdication of the king and the establishment of a republic.

The king ordered a cabinet reshuffle, but without success.The rebels and the king's army fought fiercely in Paris.

In the end, the King of France, who had lost control of the country, realized that the situation was over, and fled to England in desperation.

The Second French Republic was established.

The civil struggles in the capital took place almost at the same time. In the French countryside, farmers have also begun to protest on a large scale against excessive taxation, demanding restrictions on the authority of tax officials.

Soon, the urban and rural struggles became one, and people fought for common rights - reforming voting rights, reforming the judiciary, and thoroughly investigating fraud...

This struggle, which began on the plain of Montléry and spread throughout the French countryside, had a heroic leader: Albert de Morcerf - who had abandoned his father's name and was now called Albert de Morcerf. Herrera.

Albert was invited to Paris to join the new government, but he finally made a decision to stay and manage the place. Compared with the flashy Paris, Albert prefers this simple and down-to-earth place.Here he was healed.

He immediately became the most popular local official among the farmers, and from time to time he could go to the fields side by side with the farmers.

When Roland and Heidi came to visit her together, Albert looked left and right, and felt that there were all outstanding beauties in front of him, and he really didn't know who to please first.

"Eugénie..."

After hesitating for a long time, Albert stretched out his hand to his childhood sweetheart.

Heidi stretched out her arm and gently pushed Roland with her elbow.

"You see, in order to help him, I emptied the count's arsenal. He still only thinks about you."

Roland looked at Heidi and asked, "Why can I hear a bit of a sour taste in these words?"

Heidi laughed heartily and said, "Just teasing you!"

"Didn't you receive the notification? There are still 15 minutes left before we bid farewell to this plane. What's wrong with me?"

Albert looked at the two beauties in front of him. Like an ordinary farmer, he stretched out his hand and scratched the back of his head. He probably couldn't understand what they were talking about... What happened in the last 15 minutes?

But Roland pointed in the direction of Monterrita and said, "Look, the Count and Madame Mercedes."

It is clear from their position.The count and Mrs. Mercedes are taking a walk in the small garden under the Monlerita - after the gardener and messenger Mr. Pino "run away", the garden here is still well taken care of by the nearby villagers, and the flowers and plants are thriving .

The count occasionally turned his head and said something to Mercedes.

Mercedes would also turn around from time to time to talk to the count, with a cheerful smile on her face.

Since following Albert to Montléry, Mercedes' mood has improved greatly.She even told Roland herself that she finally felt that she was alive and capable of living better.

Compared with the dame who used to live an exquisite life in a luxurious mansion in Paris, Mercedes, who is now a grammar and art teacher in a boarding school, is obviously more energetic.

Roland thought to himself: I don't know if Mercedes and the count can be reunited.

But when she thought about it, Earl was actually a player who entered this plane just like them.In other words, he also only has 15 minutes left in this plane—ah this...

Heidi sighed for a long time, looking at the back of the Count of Monte Cristo, she said: "You and I can leave this plane freely. But the count... I don't know if the count has to start all over again?"

Roland's heart trembled: The Count of Monte Cristo is different from all of them.

If the plane turned out to be anything less than satisfactory, he would remain in the plane because he did not achieve "perfect" revenge.

When she, Heidi, and Andrea left this plane, could the Earl be with them?

"Hey, at least we have to have some confidence in ourselves—"

Roland said it out loud.

"This season, whether it is in the city or in the countryside, whether it is for men or women, we have made contributions and done everything we can!"

The Count of Monte Cristo and Mercedes walked side by side in the flower-filled garden under the Tower of Monte Cristo.

Mercedes looked at the young people in the distance, and said with a smile: "Edmond, my friend, thank you for visiting me—I just feel that everything is perfect recently, and I have nothing to regret."

Or, since some things have become regrets forever, then seal them up in your heart and never bring them out to interfere with others and your own life.

The Count of Monte Cristo didn't have much expression on his face, he said very seriously: "Madame, this time, I'm here to say goodbye to you."

"It is good for me to see you at peace. I shall no longer feel sorry for you or for Albert."

"You may still see 'me' in the future, but it is no longer me."

Mercedes opened her eyes wide, not understanding what the count meant.

The Count of Monte Cristo said softly: "Yes, Madame, I can feel my admiration and respect for you from the beginning to the end. You are supposed to be a happy person."

"So, please continue to be happy like this, both you and Albert!"

At this moment, there was a sound of majestic horseshoes on the road in Menglei.

Glancing in the direction of the earl's visitors, he immediately smiled: "My last regret may finally be made up for."

Mercedes also followed the count's gaze to the road.

Earlier there had been a spacious carriage parked there: an elderly servant was directing the driver to carry things down.Several other people were lifting an old man with disabilities out of the carriage together with a wheelchair.A young girl was standing beside the old man.

Mercedes recognized it: "That's Mademoiselle de Villefort!"

The count nodded: "Yes, it's Valentine."

He finally smiled: "I think, someone has finally met the love that should belong to him now."

On the road, an officer in the uniform of the North African Cavalry Regiment reined in his horse - he couldn't take his eyes off the young girl at all.

Finally, he mustered up his courage, jumped off his horse, came to Valentine, and asked with a blushing face:

"Miss, have we met somewhere before?"

"Well, well, my name is... Maximilian Morel."