"When the uprising in Warsaw took place last year, I was preparing a small concert in Vienna. It wasn't long before I received a letter from my father from my hometown asking me to stay in Vienna and not return to Poland. But when I think of my country being shrouded in gunsmoke and the people of Warsaw under fire, I can't contain my emotions.

My heart was not at peace, for two months I tossed and turned and couldn't sleep, I couldn't write any songs, and when my fingertips touched the keys, I couldn't feel the joy I used to have. Mr. Hastings, you're also a pianist, you should be able to understand how I was feeling, right? ”

Arthur sat on the sofa and listened quietly to Chopin's story. When he was asked by the other party, he just nodded slightly and said, "Yes, I understand your feelings." Since I learned to play the piano, practicing for a short time before going to work every day will make my mind very calm, and it can also bring me a good mood before work. If I can't play the piano anymore, I don't really know how I'm going to live. Frederick, I love the black and white notes that jump at my fingertips, and I love to be there at the concert every Sunday, when the lights go out and everything falls into nothingness, I feel the meaning of my life. ”

The Red Devil, who was leaning against the wall and yawning, continued: "Yes, yes, the purpose of your life is to go to the concert every Sunday and earn that ten pounds bounty." I studied piano for a year, and I still only play one tune. The most fucking thing is that you little bastard still gets past every time with a talkative little mouth. It's also a fucking beautiful name, the persistence and concentration of the grand pianist. ”

Arthur glanced at the Red Devil, but then changed to a gentle smile and pushed the cup of warm coffee in front of Chopin: "Frederick, drink something hot, I hope it will make you feel better." ”

Chopin nodded gratefully, and he took a sip of his teacup: "Thank you, Mr. Hastings, I am feeling much better now. ”

Dumas listened attentively to the story, and he urged, "Frederick, go on, your story is more legendary than I thought." ”

Chopin smiled shyly, and he spoke: "When I found that my favorite music could no longer bring me happiness, and the fiery keys could no longer warm my heart, I finally understood my fate. I should not have sat in the concert hall in Vienna when Poland needed me the most, I should have returned to Warsaw, even if there were dark clouds there, and I should have returned to my homeland, even if the Russians wanted to bury me there.

In the evening, I was distraught and my chest was tight, and I just wanted to go out for a walk and relax. I walked the streets of Vienna in despair, and I didn't know how far I had walked. But when I stopped, I looked up and saw the former residence of Monsieur Beethoven. It was a not-so-tall two-story apartment, and the walls were painted white with glue paint.

The nearby streets are quiet, you don't see many pedestrians passing by, everything is quiet. Vienna was very quiet in the evening, in the silence, I closed my eyes, I seemed to hear Monsieur Beethoven playing the piano in my ear, the passionate tune, the melody of the melody, that was Beethoven's indomitable soul, that was the "Symphony of Destiny", that was the joy from music that I had lost for a long time and now regained again. From then on, I also understood my destiny.

That evening, I did not say goodbye to the friends I had made in Vienna, nor to Messrs. Czerny, Krutzel, Hummel and Girowitz, who had helped me so much. Because I knew that if I quit them, they would not watch me die in a hail of bullets back in Warsaw. I packed my bags, packed my bags and headed for the Austrian-Polish border.

But things turned out in a way that I didn't expect. Arthur, I'm not afraid of your ridicule when I say it, I'm really a useless person, I don't know anything about life except playing the piano. When I arrived at the border between the two countries, I learned that Austria had closed the border and forbade all goods and people from crossing the border into Poland.

In order to circumvent the Austrian blockade, I searched for a long way along the border, and only then did I find a gap that they had not noticed, and I followed the gap to Polish soil. But when I entered Poland, I found that the journey back to Warsaw was more difficult than I had imagined. All the towns and villages were reluctant to march towards Warsaw, and everyone knew how dangerous it was. Therefore, I had to choose to walk.

But I got lost not long after I walked, I couldn't tell where I was, and it was raining in the sky for days. The already difficult road became more muddy, and every distance I walked had to ask the villagers along the way about the way to Warsaw, and I also needed to buy some food supplies in the villages and towns. It didn't take long for almost all the money I was carrying with me to be spent.

Luckily, I was not far from Warsaw. Then, before I could rejoice, I saw a rout ahead of me, shouting that Warsaw had been taken and that the Tsar's rule had regained its grip over the land of Poland. This was a bolt from the blue sky, and I wanted to continue my march towards Warsaw, but the men stopped me, and when they learned of my attempt, they forcibly evacuated me with me, despite my objections.

My memory of the rest of the story is already a little blurry. All I remember was that I was in a trance for a few days, and I followed them on a great journey, through some villages and towns, and finally got on a boat with them, and came to London. Once I got here, I didn't want to see anyone for weeks. I felt like a funny clown, full of enthusiasm and nothing in the end.

I used to have a dream that I wanted to be the greatest pianist in the world. Later, I wanted to live and die with my motherland. But in the end, I had to live in a small bed in a cheap apartment in London, with a cold, damp quilt over my head. I'm such a useless person, that's what I thought.

But one day, Mr. Mickiewicz knocked on my door. He sat on the edge of my bed and shared his experience with me. That's when I realized that he and I were the same, and that we both wanted to return to Warsaw to support our homeland, but in the end we couldn't achieve our goal. But Mr. Mickiewicz was perhaps a little more miserable than I was, for I was closer to Warsaw than he was when we were forcibly taken away.

Maybe it was because of the same experience that he and I became friends all at once. Mr. Mickiewicz told me that many Polish people, unwilling to live under Russian rule, had retreated with us to London. Among them were adults, children, men and women.

But many of them don't speak English, so no one wants to hire them for even the least paid and lowest-status jobs. Now, many of them are living in extremely difficult circumstances, and at times like these, people with skills like us should step up to help them. Or at least we should help them through this difficult time before learning English.

Mr. Mickiewicz said that he was now working on "The British" to earn money, and that a pianist like me might be able to check the various theatres in London to see if there were any opportunities to perform. Mr. Mickiewicz's words encouraged me, and for the first time, a non-sociable person like me was desperately looking for a performance opportunity.

However, perhaps because I am not fluent in the language, or because of my distrust of foreigners, they are not even willing to give me a chance to try out on stage. Just when I thought it was all over, Prince Chartorysky learned about me from Mr. Mickiewicz. He invited me to his mansion, where I met the British Foreign Secretary.

He kindly told me that he knew a brilliant pianist, a young man with brilliant talents. Above all, he also had a sympathetic heart for the suffering Polish people. If I could find him, he would definitely reach out to me. ”

Speaking of this, Chopin's eyebrows were lowered, and it could be seen from the beads of sweat on his sideburns and the nervous and incoherent sentences that he must have been preparing for this for a long time.

As a young man who is more introverted by nature and does not have a large social circle, it is definitely more difficult for him to prepare such a long self-monologue than for him to compose a hand-me-down music.

But even though he was nervous, even if he felt a little ashamed, he said these words to Arthur's face.

Chopin clenched his fists, his shoulders shaking, and he was silent for a long time.

After a long silence, he finally raised his head and mustered up the courage to speak: "Mr. Hastings, please forgive me for being blunt and rude, but I really need money now. ”

Arthur held the white porcelain cup in his hand, and he suddenly laughed as he stared at the calm coffee in the cup.

Alexandre Dumas and Disraeli also looked at each other, and the two of them smiled tacitly.

Chopin was puzzled by the smiles of the three people, and his appearance looked a little embarrassed: "You...... What are you laughing at? ”

Arthur put down the teacup and looked up at Chopin, who was sitting across from him: "Frederick, are we friends?" ”

When Chopin heard this, he was overwhelmed: "Mr. Hastings, I ...... I don't know what you're talking about......"

Arthur didn't speak, he just stretched out his hand at Chopin, and nodded slightly at him.

Chopin was stunned at first, he hesitated for a moment, and finally slowly raised his arm, leaned forward and held Arthur's hand.

Arthur smiled gently, "Frederick, we're friends now. Remember, don't call me Mr. Hastings, just call me Arthur. Hastings or something, it's too much of an outlier. ”

Alexandre Dumas also nodded, "That's right, Frederick, I'm your friend now." To reacquaint myself, I am Alexandre Dumas, an honest French republican and at the same time a home. I was touched by your story, and I would love to do something for your fellow citizens. By the way, I'm next to you, Mr. Prime Minister of Britain. ”

Disraeli glared at Alexandre Dumas when he heard this, and he said to Chopin, "Monsieur Chopin, don't listen to this fat man's nonsense. I am Benjamin Disraeli, and the British, in which Mr. Mickiewicz publishes, is my industry, or ours.

Let me introduce you to the fullest, sitting on my left is the head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Greater London Metropolitan Police, the hero of the battle on the high seas against slave ships, one of the best-selling and shareholders of "The British", the review editor of "The Economist", the researcher of electromagnetism in the field of natural philosophy, and the pianist of the Second Symphony Orchestra of the London Philharmonic Society, Mr. Arthur Hastings.

To my right is Alexandre Dumas, the leading British fashion leader, French Romantic playwright, creator of Christina, Henry III and His Court, and The Count of Monte Cristo, and editor-in-chief of English popular literature.

As for me, Benjamin Disraeli, although I am not yet Prime Minister, believe me, I will be in the future. ”

When Chopin heard this series of fanciful titles, he only felt that his mind was stuffed, and he had not yet realized what was going on.

Seeing him like this, Arthur just smiled and said, "Don't worry, Frederick, since we're friends now." Your recital will be handed over to me, as you said, not only for you, but also for the Polish people. Now that we have published Mr. Mickiewicz's manuscript, we will not refuse to give another recital.

And your resume says it all, you're a great pianist, it's not that you don't have the ability to play, you just lack an opportunity. Frederick, I'm going to give you a chance, I'm going to give you the best platform to show yourself, and if you can get your hands on it, you'll soon be famous in the music scene all over London.

Although London's concert halls are nowhere near as well-known as Vienna, they will get you the money you need. Generally speaking, the money in London stenges of copper, but I can't find a more meaningful way to use it than to give it a noble purpose, and to use it to make your fellow citizens better. ”

When Chopin heard this, he froze in a daze.

He had prayed to God that the trip would go well, but he still didn't expect it to go so well. Even Arthur didn't ask him to play a piece on the spot as a way to prove his prowess. This is simply the best news he has heard in the last six months.

His lips trembled slightly, and Chopin pursed his lips and said, "Arthur, I really don't know how to thank you. It seems that His Royal Highness the Prince and His Excellency the Viscount did not lie to me, you are really a person with a very strong sense of justice and empathy, I ...... I must thank you on behalf of my compatriots. Arthur, I'm ...... I really appreciate you. ”

Arthur smiled and waved his hand, "Frederick, you don't need to see you like this. As I said, we're friends now. Since we are friends, it is right to help you. Alexander knew, and Benjamin knew, that was how I treated my friends. Besides, I may not have the opportunity to play the piano again in a few days, and if I were gone, the people of London would certainly need a more brilliant pianist as a replacement. ”

"Can't play the piano? You...... What's wrong with you? Chopin was stunned and said, "Is something going to happen in a few days?" ”

Arthur smiled and nodded: "That's right, in a few days I have a life-and-death duel with Mr. François Bertrand, a French swordsman. The attention of this duel is very high, and I heard that tickets for the duel were sold out as early as a few days ago.

The audience for the duel was not only ordinary Londoners, but also many celebrities from London social circles, so I also planned to schedule your London premiere on the same day, on the stage of my duel with Mr. Bertrand.

Frederick, promise me that if I don't have the chance to give a curtain call to my beloved audience, you will continue to live on stage in my place. I know that you not only have the ability to play as well as the London Concertgebouw, but also a precious and sincere heart, and you will do better than I do. ”

"This ......" Chopin only felt a tremor in his heart when he heard this, he never expected Arthur to say such a sentence similar to his last words: "Mr. Hastings, if my performance must be at the cost of your curtain call, I don't think there is any need for such a performance." I implore you to think twice about what you have just suggested. ”

Arthur shook his head and said, "Frederick, the duel has been decided a long time ago, you don't have too much psychological pressure." Whether I live or die after a few days, it's not your problem. On the contrary, I'm glad you showed up at this moment. You've made this duel extra meaningful, you've taken it to another level, it's no longer a monkey-like public show. If I die, it will only be a necessary sacrifice for the salvation of the Polish people. ”

When the Red Devil on the side heard this, he couldn't help but grin: "Arthur, you little bastard is really getting worse and worse. After deceiving the old and the young, deceiving the woman, and then deceiving the man. As soon as you say this, no matter what the outcome of this performance is, this young man named Chopin will feel unhappy. ”

"But, Arthur ......"

Chopin tried to continue to persuade, but before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Alexandre Dumas.

Alexandre Dumas gave Arthur a thumbs-up in appreciation, and then said aloud: "Enough man, Arthur, you really didn't disappoint me!" Duel is how it should be, if you don't have the determination to die, why bother to play this man's game? As for you, Frederick, you can rest assured. With me, Alexandre Dumas, I wouldn't have watched my big brother die in the dueling ring. Leave the duel to Arthur, Benjamin, and me. The piano is all up to you. ”

Disraeli was startled when he heard this: "What else is there for me here?" Alexander, I can't shoot accurately! ”

"If you don't allow, go and practice!" Alexandre Dumas gave him an angry look: "The Prime Minister of Britain is inferior enough if he can't sail a ship, if he doesn't know how to play with guns again, what else are you going to be Prime Minister?" Benjamin, don't you want to admit that even Elder can be better than you in this regard? ”

Disraeli wanted to say a few words, but as soon as he heard that Alexandre Dumas had moved Elder out, the naturally strong Jewish boy was immediately unconvinced.

He glared at him and pulled his bow tie and said, "Alexander, who are you looking down on?" I just don't practice much, but as soon as a good person picks up a gun, it won't be long before he can practice the ability to pierce a hundred steps! Don't forget, my rival is an axe player, and while I don't want to compete with him in terms of strength, I can match him in terms of technique. ”

When Arthur heard this, he didn't pay attention to the two of them, but looked at Chopin and raised his eyebrows and smiled: "So, Frederick, are you confident now?" For the sake of the Polish people, the three of us are now risking our lives. If you really want to thank us, then don't say anything else, please show the whole British public on stage and on the keys. Tell them your talents, your love for your Polish homeland, your suffering for the people of Warsaw, Frederick, with your brilliant light! ”

When Chopin heard this, he only felt a breath on his chest, but he didn't feel congested, it was an indescribable feeling, as if a pair of hands helped him straighten his waist and gave him a great strength.

His heart was warm, and the shy and shy appearance could no longer be seen on his face, and he only felt that the strength of his body was simply inexhaustible.

He shook Arthur's hand sharply, nodded heavily, and said, "Arthur, whether it is for your efforts or for the Polish people, I must respond to your trust!" Trust me, just as I believe in you! ”

(End of chapter)