Chapter XXXVII. Cross-examination and Sympathy
In the early morning sun, Windsor Castle looks particularly beautiful today.
Because of the drizzle that had fallen before, the air around the castle is now very fresh. The spring breeze blows through this field, bringing the vitality of all things back to the world. Inspired by the spring breeze, the delicate grass also has a little green probe in the soil and pokes out of the ground, which also makes this vast field seem to be covered with a transparent blue veil, and the vast sky is also blue and translucent, only white clouds are dotted in it.
As far as the eye can see, the desolation of winter has been wiped away, the boundless green grass and the blue sky and white clouds reflect each other, and under the backdrop of the ancient castle, almost everyone can feel the kind of excitement and relaxation that only belongs to the turn of winter and spring.
In the early morning sun, a group of people strolled through the wilderness and enjoyed the breathtaking scenery.
"Well, this place isn't bad, right?"
After looking up at the white clouds of different shapes in the sky, Her Majesty turned her head leisurely and asked Charlotte next to her with a smile.
Because she had a lot of rest yesterday and was in a good mood, her majesty looked radiant today.
"Yes, Your Majesty, it's beautiful." Charlotte replied unequivocally, "I think anyone who comes here will envy you for having such a beautiful treasure." ”
"Oh, that's an exaggeration!" Her Majesty smiled and waved her hand, "I've heard that the Treville family is a famous landowner in France, you must have been used to seeing this kind of countryside scenery in the manor since you were a child, right?" ”
"Your Majesty, this is not the same—here you are. It is a beauty peculiar to England, and only here can there be such a beauty. Charlotte replied rather regretfully. Now, there are no such large estates in France. There are people everywhere...... They don't care about the natural scenery, they can't wait to reclaim every piece of land into farmland! ”
"Maybe the French have their own considerations......" After hearing Charlotte's point-in-point complaint, Her Majesty the Queen just smiled again, and did not echo her. I heard that you and your husband are ready to buy a large plot of land in the countryside? That's when you'll be able to transform it as you wish......"
"It should have been our family's, but now we have to pay a lot of money to buy it back......" Charlotte was still a little dissatisfied. Your Majesty, only we in France can have such absurdities. ”
"The terrible calamity is over, and now everything is very different, so we can only face the future, right?" Her Majesty the Queen blinked. "At least you now have a good husband who can work with you to revitalize the family business."
Even if you've only known each other for a few days. She also got to know Charlotte a little bit, that she held the most traditional political views, that she was not very happy with what had happened in France since the Revolution, and that she was nostalgic for the era when the aristocracy ruled her, even if she knew in her heart that the evolution of the times had made it unlikely.
However, this is also consistent with the intelligence.
"He, if only he had such a heart......" Charlotte sighed with a wry smile, "I don't think he has such a mind at all, Your Majesty, I really envy you for finding a reliable husband to entrust for life...... I'm afraid you don't know. Charles is sometimes too out of tune, always like to say something confused, which really makes people angry! ”
"Ah, at Buckingham Palace. I don't see what's angry about you? Her Majesty laughed a little sarcastically, "Well, I'll go back and talk about him for you." Let him get serious sooner? ”
"Not really," the queen expected. As soon as she said this, Charlotte changed her mind and stopped complaining. "Charles is still young after all, and sometimes he can't ...... even if he doesn't pay attention"
"Yes, young, you are all young, this is really enviable!" Her Majesty replied with a smile, "As long as you are young, you can hope to accomplish anything, don't you?" In my opinion, your husband has done a lot of amazing things......"
"Well, if you're sorry, he's still got some talent." Charlotte struggled not to let the smugness in her heart show.
"It's a pity that instead of working for the political path you love, as you think, you got mixed up with the Bonapartes...... You must be not happy with this, right? Her Majesty suddenly asked, "I think you must have quarreled with him about this kind of thing." ”
What does she mean by that?
Charlotte was slightly startled, but there was nothing unusual on her face.
"We did quarrel about this kind of thing, but he wouldn't listen, so what can be done? As long as he goes......"
"This kind of helpless words, don't you say it? You're not someone who gives up so easily. Her Majesty the Queen smiled and asked, "But what's not to do?" If France needs a monarch, it seems to me that everyone is the same. I think you two sides can put aside this kind of pointless dispute and live your own life, anyway, you people on the throne in France have been diligent enough in recent decades. Your husband is so young and promising, and everyone says that he will dominate the country like Metternich in the future...... At that time, what difference does it make to which monarch to bow to? ”
In Charlotte's astonished eyes, Her Majesty the Queen said such a thing with that careless, casual look.
Is this a hint to me that they are willing to admit Louis Bonaparte and want us to empty him? Or is it implying that we can continue to find a way to overthrow Louis Bonaparte and give Bourbon, or any other royal family, the British are just as happy to recognize?
Or is it just an unintentional gaffe?
Charlotte didn't see any definite meaning in the smile on her face.
There was no point in asking, and she wouldn't admit that anyway.
Moreover...... There's no need to ask.
But she was not very satisfied with the current state of France, but Charlotte was not stupid, and naturally she never had the idea of using the power of Britain to transform France.
"I'll remember your opinion, but ......" After a moment, Charlotte calmly snorted. Monarchs aren't so easy to change......"
"It seems to me that the monarch has no choice but to fulfill the powers and duties conferred on her by law, to respect her people, and to listen to the voice of the Parliament...... Only after this has been done can she claim to be a worthy monarch. Half proud, half stern, Her Majesty replied in a low voice.
Then, suddenly, she raised her eyebrows, "Oh, I forgot, Monsieur Bonaparte is not a monarch yet, is he?" ”
"He'll soon be emperor, Your Majesty." Charlotte pointed to a fact that both people knew.
Then, she suddenly raised her head with some excitement, "Besides, I don't agree with what you said. If kings can't be autocratic, then what's the point of them occupying that throne? The monarch is supposed to rule over the people according to God's will, and he only needs to be responsible to God and does not need to rely on the snort of the people and the parliament for everything! A king can be merciful, he can be magnanimous to his people, he can humbly listen to his ministers, but this is a gift from the king to his subjects, not a helpless act after being coerced! ”
Is this mocking me?
The queen was a little stunned for a moment.
She wanted to pretend to be angry, but found that she didn't seem to have anywhere to blame the other person.
Invisibly, what she wanted to say to Charlotte was put aside in the midst of this complaint.
The queen frowned a little sluggishly, and looked at Charlotte out of the corner of her eye, but did not see any mockery in her impassioned expression, as if she was really distressed by the current state of France.
I thought she was really so easy to fiddle with, but it turned out that she wasn't a good stubble.
Lovely, really cute.
An irrepressible laugh suddenly welled up in Her Majesty's heart, and then she suddenly burst out laughing.
"Yes, yes, that's a good point, worthy of being French!"
In the midst of Her Majesty's laughter, Charlotte secretly let out a sigh of relief.
Dealing with this queen is indeed a little tiring, and Charlotte also feels a little dizzy in her head and wants to take a break.
"Oh, it looks like it's not early, let's take a break, shall we?" As if seeing what Charlotte was thinking, Her Majesty the Queen suddenly mentioned yì. "Also, please cheer up, you seem to be a little out of energy today...... You're still sullen when you get here, that's too rude, isn't it? ”
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief, then bowed and saluted Her Majesty the Queen.
At this time, the discomfort in her heart became more and more intense.
Ever since she came to England, she had been feeling a little uncomfortable, and since the conversation with the Queen just now, the discomfort seems to have become even stronger.
"Alright...... Let's go over and rest for a while......" Her Majesty looked up at the sky, "It's noon later, it's not good if the sun is too strong, ............ today Well? ”
As the Queen spoke, Charlotte suddenly retched uncontrollably.
"陛xià...... I'm sorry......" Charlotte retched and looked at the queen apologetically, "I'm ...... today It's really uncomfortable today. ”
"Oh God!" Looking at Charlotte's uncomfortable appearance, Her Majesty, the queen, who had been a mother for many years, seemed to have some premonition, and quickly recovered from the initial shock. "Why do your most godly children always suffer so much!"
As if it evoked some kind of memory, the terrible memory of her whole body trembling in spasmodic pain suddenly took over her heart again.
She glanced at Charlotte sympathetically, as if she were worried about the terrible struggle she would have to face in a few months—an age in which procreation itself was one of the most terrible disasters a woman faced. (To be continued......)