It was another normal summer day, and Fran came to study in the studio of the teacher in Durrenburg, as usual.

Today is another sunny day, and the sunlight through the glass windows is mostly obscured by the dark flannel curtains, and small golden pillars of light form in the studio, forming a rather fantastical picture.

As usual, Fran sat in the corner practicing her paintings, looking at the light in the studio and the model sculptures next to her, while moving the brush with her right hand to paint slowly. Her good friend, Mademoiselle de Léoland, sat next to her and practiced with her. This is the homework assigned by the teacher in Durhamburg.

Since painting requires undivided attention, they don't talk too much.

It didn't take long for Mary to finish painting, and she turned to look at Fran, who was still painting next to her. As she had to constantly glance back and forth between the landscape and the canvas, Fran's long hair danced lightly.

Fran soon spotted Mary's gaze.

"Mary, what are you doing watching me all the time?" She asked in a whisper.

"Because it's pretty." Mary replied as a matter of course, "I really want to paint a picture with you, but I'm afraid that my level is too low to draw......"

"You know what to say." Fran said a word to her friend, but her face was a little red, betraying the true thoughts of her master's heart.

"How could it be that I am talking nonsense? If you don't believe me, ask Charles......"

Quietly, Mary had already changed her address to Brother Fran from "Mr. Trevill" to "Charles".

Fran was happy at first, then she didn't know what she was thinking, and suddenly she became a little gray again.

Mary's heart moved, and she lowered her voice.

"What's wrong?"

Fran shook her head slightly. "It's nothing, it's just that a nasty person came two days ago."

Looking at Fran's appearance, it seemed that she didn't want to say more, so Mary didn't ask any more questions, but she was left with this little doubt in her heart.

Forget it, won't you know next time you go to her house?

"The teacher is here!" Suddenly, there was a whisper in the studio.

Mary and Fran quickly stopped talking.

Fran hurriedly drew a few strokes on the canvas, and finally finished the homework before the teacher came to mark the papers.

The painter Durrenburg walked in slowly, then to his students, reviewing and critiquing one by one.

The painter, who is already in his sixties, has his carefully trimmed hair and beard that have long since turned completely gray. He was short and stocky, with the characteristic satisfied smile of a successful person on his face, and his usual kind attitude towards the students, which made people look very comfortable.

However, although he was very generous and gentle in his teaching, Mr. Durrenburg had a typical German rigor—if not a bit of severity—in his grading of his students' papers, and he was unrelenting in his comments on his paintings, and often brought tears to the eyes of his criticisms.

So at this time, everyone no longer dared to laugh and quietly waited for the teacher's comments.

"This painting is not bad, but the technique is a little jerky, and you need more practice, more and more practice!"

"This painting has some appearance, but it is not good enough, and we still need to learn about the operation of color."

"This painting is very good, you have made great progress recently, you need to keep it up."

……

Listening to the teacher's comments on the classmates, Fran became more and more nervous as she usually did during the test.

Soon, the teacher walked to Fran. Then he lowered his head and looked closely at the painting that Fran had just finished.

As time passed, Fran became more and more uneasy.

I don't know how long it took, but the old painter suddenly raised his head and looked at Fran seriously. "Wait until I go to the little studio, I'm going to have a good talk with you."

Then he walked away and continued to evaluate the students' paintings.

Fran's face turned a little pale, and Mary pulled the corner of Raffron's coat and stuck out her tongue to comfort her.

Generally speaking, if a student's work is too poor to be criticized, the teacher will call the student to his small studio and tell the poor student about the ugly criticism. Fran had never been treated like this before, and she didn't expect to break history today.

With a nervous mood, after the teacher's review was completed, Fran walked into the small studio.

The small studio is located on the side of the large studio, and it is the place where the old painters usually rest and paint. A door with a large glass window separates the two studios, so that people on the outside can see through the glass that people inside are talking, but they can't hear what is being said. Considering that most of the painters' pupils were upper-class girls, it is understandable that the painters arranged this way - or rather, it was because of the care of various details that the old painters were able to become the first choice for upper-class parents to send their daughters to learn to paint.

The teacher was already waiting there, and he sat down at a small desk, then motioned for Fran to sit across from him.

After Fran was seated, looking at the somewhat uneasy student, the old painter sighed softly. "Miss Tremier, don't be too nervous, for your age, your painting today is pretty good, at least compared to your classmates."

"But......" Fran's heart had just relaxed a little when the teacher's words suddenly took a turn again, "It's just a comparison with others." Actually, I would like to seriously criticize you, your recent paintings have not improved in any way compared to before, and can even be said to have regressed a little, weishenme? As you can tell from those paintings, you haven't been paying your full attention lately when you're painting. weishenme？ ”

Under the teacher's questioning, Fran's face became more and more pale, but she didn't say anything, just lowered her head.

The teacher sighed.

"Miss Treville, you know, I think most of these students are the most optimistic about you, but do you know Weishenme?"

Fran shook her head slightly.

"Because you're diligent and focused. There are always some laymen who think that painting and writing only need to have a heart, and that skills and ideas are completely unimportant - this is a completely superficial view, in fact, there are not enough techniques, how can people reflect their hearts in art? Neglecting the practice of jishu and the foundation is the reason why many geniuses live their lives. And you, who are both talented and focused, as long as you keep it up, you can definitely stand out......" The teacher stared at the girl opposite him seriously, "I don't want to, and I don't have the right to ask about your private affairs, and I also understand that a child of your age will always think about a lot of things, but as your teacher, I really want to warn you, at least don't let other mundane things disturb your heart, okay?" Don't waste your talents! Didn't you say before that you had to be a well-known painter? If you continue like this, it will never be achievable, have you forgotten your ideals, Miss Treville? ”

The teacher's teaching made the students bow their heads.

"I'm sorry, teacher......"

"You won't be sorry for me, your family gives me enough tuition every year. You're sorry for yourself! Looking at the student's appearance, the teacher couldn't help but feel a little soft-hearted, "You are my favorite student, and I am also my best student, I don't want you to waste your talent." I called you today not to criticize you, but to help you, you know? ”

"I understand, teacher." Fran looked up again, smiling at the teacher. "I will remember what you said, and I will definitely be more focused when I practice in the future, and I will never disappoint your expectations! xiexie you! ”

Looking at the blonde girl smiling like a flower, the old painter couldn't help but laugh too.

What a beautiful kid he is! Pretty and sensible, I wonder which bastard kid can be lucky enough to take this God's beloved child?

"Haode, it's best if you can figure it out. Today, the teacher may be talking too much, so don't take it too seriously. ”

"No, don't worry." The girl's face was slightly red.

"By the way, I called you here, because I have one more thing I want to tell you." The teacher said suddenly.

"What's the matter?" Fran was a little confused.

The teacher had a warm smile on his face.

"Remember the exhibition? ...... I told you last time"

"Well, remember, what's wrong?"

"There's a big guy who's my regular customer. I just got the news from her, and she is also very interested in this exhibition, and she will probably come to see it in person. So, when the time comes, I will strongly recommend your painting to her......"

Fran's eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Of course it's true, how could the teacher lie to you?" Looking at the surprised girl, the old painter couldn't help laughing, "So you have to concentrate for a while, and strive to draw more excellent works, and then I will recommend it to that lady, if she approves of you, then you can be named." You have to remember."

"Hmmm! Haode, I'll remember! A smile was on Fran's face, "Xiexie, teacher!" ”

"No thanks, you deserve it." The old painter nodded, "Okay, you can go back first." ”

=====================================

After leaving the small studio, Fran returned to her original position.

"Fran, it's normal to be in a bad state occasionally, don't take it too seriously!" Thinking that Fran had been reprimanded by the teacher, Mary hurriedly whispered to comfort her.

"Well, I'm fine." Fran smiled back at Mary.

"It seems that the teacher really doesn't discipline him seriously." Mary couldn't help but laugh too. "That's right, you're his most valued student."

The two laughed at each other again.

After laughing, Fran sensed that the atmosphere in the studio was not quite right, and everyone's faces were strange.

"What happened just now?" She hurriedly asked.

"What else could it be? We quarreled again......" Mary replied softly, pursed her lips. "Emily is arguing with those guys again......"

"Oh." Fran understood. The girls of the two major factions in the studio had another skirmish just now. However, it seems that the aristocracy is falling behind again - because Matilda, one of the leaders of the aristocracy, has been in poor health lately, and has not been able to attend classes for many days, so among these female students, the aristocratic party has suffered a great defeat and is dwarfed by the banking party.

Of course, although it is said to be the "aristocratic party" and the "bank party", in the final analysis, the parents of these girls all have noble titles. What distinguishes their positions is only whether their fathers are old gatekeepers with a long history or new aristocrats who have emerged after the revolution.

Bankers who speculated on King Louis-Philippe's accession to the throne, or who loyally supported the July Dynasty, were mostly given knighthoods by the benevolent and generous King Bixia - but generally in the form of lowly titles such as viscounts and barons.

Therefore, in today's era, comparing the power and size of the "nobles", it is no longer possible to rely on the length of the bloodline or the level of the title. As people often laugh at. "The Bourbon dynasty was the dynasty of princes and dukes, while the July dynasty was the dynasty of barons and viscounts."

Just as Fran was about to ignore this and continue to practice as usual, there was a greeting from the side.

"I was just called by the teacher, are you okay? Miss Treville? ”