The next day, Monsieur Senek invited Sasha. Hopkins and a few other children, who were an old optimist who taught ninth-grade chamber music and rehearsal techniques, were recently fascinated by Hopkins Jr.'s plucked clavidi.

"No, not what you think," said the old man, whose eyebrows were as white as his beard, and said mysteriously, "not only meadows, shrubs, and fruit trees, but we will go deep into Douglas's private domain," he said, "and my special request and your special reward, my child, such an opportunity is not very common. ”

Sasha. Hopkins raised an eyebrow slightly.

They were greeted by Jane, four children, all girls except Hopkins, some of whom had been allowed to linger in the grass and bushes (like the swim team last time), while others had only seen them from a distance or two, nervous and excited, squeaking quietly like birds resting on the branches. The woods were dark and cool, and in some places the foliage was so dense that even the wind could not penetrate it, and in the middle of May the catalpa, catalpa, and black locust, and hawthorn all produced their own flowers, and in these dense light clusters were more vivid and deep patches of color, which were roses, clematis, swirls, wisterias, wild grapes, and other climbing and parasitic plants, which grew much more vigorously than trees and shrubs, and almost every branch was wrapped in tentacles of one kind or another. Some even stick their roots into the crevices of the trunk of the tree, and then stretch out their arms and bodies over the host's head, taking up so much space that the shady shade that used to look so fluffy and huge is actually only a few tiny handfuls.

Douglas's private estate was, in fact, the greenhouse with the semicircular dome. It emits a deep and soft glow in the last sun of the day, making the sand. Hopkins remembered the mono-white marble, glass and agate mausoleum (referring to Tygi?). Mahal Mausoleum).

It is not accurate to say that it is a greenhouse, because its room temperature is not much different from the outside temperature. A fresh and refreshing wind blows from the narrow vents along the wooden walkway from one end to the other, the emerald and dark green foliage sizzles and the flowers gently shake.

"Because the plants here are more or less toxic or addictive...... It is extremely well guarded all around...... So please don't get too close or reach out to touch it," said Dr. Douglas, who was the first to demonstrate on a clump of poisonous hair whirlwinds—his pale fingers swept over the top of the yellow corolla at great speed, and teachers and students immediately heard a subtle crackling sound, and a blue electric current the thickness of a silk thread burst into bright sparks in the air like a demonstration, "very sensitive through infrared and temperature control." He showed his hand to the children, and a bright red mark appeared on it: "Pain." In addition, you will be paralyzed for a long time, and you will not want to take out a leaf or a flower from the bush," he added with a slight sneer, "empty-handed." The gains outweigh the losses. ”

A girl in front of Sasha curled her fingers in awe.

It's not an exaggeration to say it's a paradise of poisonous, addictive plants – almost every species of brightly colored poppy; a mandala with a funnel-shaped white corolla with musky leaves, which people call "angels' horns"; The bell-shaped bell-flowered belladonna, the sap of which witches are said to have used to dilate their pupils to make men think that she has become obsessed with him; the stinking fluffy fairy; poison hemlock, which is often eaten by people as celery; hooked snout, yellow vine coiled on the croton tree; Delphinium grass, purse peonies, aconitum, hyacinths, and fritillaries spread out at their feet...... And coca that looks like an ordinary little tree.

"If you're still interested." Dr. Douglas said in a voice that only two people could hear, "I'd love to make you a cup of Coca from 1886 myself." ”

Sasha, who was surveying the little tree, glanced up at him, and by some time they were already about ten feet behind the others, and Dr. Douglas stood very close to him, "The Coca of 1886 will not do me any harm, but it may not do you so. "Addictive drugs have become a cancer deeply rooted in the human spirit and spirit of the 21st century. But humanity has never given up its efforts to uproot it – especially the children who are seen as the future of humanity, and despite repeated bans, the blow has always been repeated. If Dr. Douglas had done so, all of his qualifications would have been revoked, and he would have been prosecuted.

Provided, of course, that he really "got his hand".

"I just wanted to apologize," Dr. Douglas said sincerely. "For Bo'er's sake, my nephew. As far as I know, he was very rude to you. ”

Sasha took two or three steps forward impassively, and suddenly he asked a question that had nothing to do with Fang Cai's conversation: "Can you tell me the meaning of this pattern?" Mr. Douglas? He pointed to a bronze plaque with the name of a plant on his toes, and below the name of the plant, three curved patterns were inscribed.

"Ah," said Dr. Douglas, "it was part of the Douglas family crest, which represented water waves." He behaved calmly and naturally, as if they had been discussing the issue for half an hour.

"The library also has this sign on the door."

"Yes, because the greenhouse and the library were built with donations from the Douglas family," Dr. Douglas said with that strange smile that would have made him beat him up, "They have to mark it everywhere—like a male animal encloses his territory." If something comes in, their nerves tense and they scream incessantly, and they won't even be able to sleep well if they don't get rid of it. He gestured inadvertently to the glass-shrouded sky: "The Carsons donated a joint machine vision and sensors lab, and Grande accepted, and my brother was furious. When he said this, he kept looking Hopkins in the eye.

The bright purple-blue eyes were even more magical in the shadows, and they shimmered with a composure and steadfastness that was completely disproportionate to the age of their master.

"The man standing behind you is Cade. Carson," said Dr. Douglas, in a softer voice than before, "but you are not surnamed Carson. He reached out and grabbed a moth flying between the two, "So, I think I'll have to say sorry for what Bo'er did, and ...... The ones that didn't do. ”

He said, throwing away the crushed moth.

***

Hopkins ended the tour early and returned to the dormitory alone.

The dormitory was empty, and Sasha went to the rugby field, which was also empty, and he called Beelzebub's mobile phone, but there was no answer.

Sasha found their instructor, and he told Sasha, who was vaguely anxious, that Beelzebub. Bisandi became an official member of the rugby team today, so the whole team went to celebrate him, and the coach had asked him and the grade advisor for this to take a leave of absence: "Don't worry, it's okay, be patient," he patted Sasha on the head, "Don't forget to say congratulations when he comes back." ”

Sasha said thank you and turned and walked back to the dorm. He absentmindedly drank a cup of peach yogurt, which he usually hated most, and sat down in the small hall—the hour hand moved little by little, and Avery returned, and he was alone, with a bad face.

"What about Beelzebub?" Sasha asked.

"He still has some things to do." Avery tilted his head and smiled reluctantly.

Sasha looked at him.

Avery walked slowly, sat down across from him, and twirled with his fingers, "Don't be so nervous, Hopkins," he said meaningfully, "just a little welcome ceremony, every newcomer has to go through this," he looked at the clock, "and it will be over at ten o'clock." They're going to let him out, and I've been through it last year, it's nothing to be afraid of, it's just an empty house. ”

Sasha stood up: "Where?" ”

"Please don't ......," Avery begged, "you can't ruin this ritual. It's not good, Beelzebub will be unlucky, so will I, I can't sell the whole team. ”

"Tell me where he is," said Sasha, "and I just have to make sure where Beelzebub is, and I will not talk to him, nor will I let him out, but just look at him, and no one will know where I have been." ”

"I don't think that's a good idea...... Avery hung his head, "Sasha, you're going to make me and Beelzebub a joke for the whole school for the next two years." ”

"I don't think Beelzebub will mind too much," Sasha said, "It's all right, I can go by myself." "He's got a way, an empty house, huh?

"No, no," Avery hurriedly stood up, "I'd better take you there, but God testifies, you must be careful." ”

The so-called welcome ceremony was arranged in a dilapidated storage room with no windows and only a lamp, which was assigned to the rugby team, and was filled with discarded protective gear and ball gear that used to be used by the players, and dust piled up on it day after day, and wild cats inside, which was hot and smelly during the month.

In the schools of the Western Continent, such pranks against new members have spread to every club and sports team - new members are forced to put old members through all kinds of trials, from insults, beatings, sexual harassment, forced alcohol abuse to drug use, and so on, so that the trials of the football team can only be considered relatively mild.

Avery led Sasha to a short distance from the room, "We said okay, you can only look here." He bent over, trying to hide his massive body in the shadows of the pillars of the hallway.

Sasha closed his eyes, then opened, "No, Avery and Beelzebub are not here. ”

His face became serious and gloomy.