I came from hell to heaven, and I was passing through the earth.

- Stendhal, "Red and Black"

The afterglow of the setting sun brings a soft light that falls through the colourful glazed windows into St. Martin's Church.

The air was filled with the scent of candles, cigarettes, and the woody scent of time, and an unknown drama was unfolding in the prayer hall, far from the hustle and bustle of Trafalgar Square.

William Turner's paintbrush paused as he looked up at the girl who was half-kneeling beside the black oak coffin.

She clutched a clean, moist white towel in her hand, and her trembling fingers gently brushed over the already cooled skin, as if to brush away the fatigue and suffering of the world for him for the last time.

The towel moistened Arthur's lips, perhaps an illusion, and Turner always felt that even the pale face of the deceased was rosy and softened by the arrival of this little moisture.

With the help of the faint candlelight and the dim sunset, he waved his brush to quickly and accurately capture this scene of life and death, trying to imprint this secret and sincere emotion forever in the world of painting through color and line.

Suddenly, a low, hoarse chant sounded in his ears.

The priest, Priest John Newman of Oxford, was standing alone not far away, holding a flipped Bible, chanting in a low and melodious voice the holy scriptures of endless sorrow.

His voice is like a soothing melody that crosses the empty hall, and at this moment, it seems to resonate with the silent prayers of the weeping girl, the swift brushstrokes of the painter, and the sighs of the deceased's best friends in the front seat.

"Now I will tell you a mystery, that we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised to become immortal, and we will be changed. and that which perishes, will become imperishable. He who is mortal will become immortal.

Where's your power over you, O death? Death, where is your poisonous sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. Thank Heavenly Father that we may prevail through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore beloved brothers, be steadfast and unshakable, and always strive to abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain before the Lord.

His anger is only in the blink of an eye, and his grace is lifelong. Though there be weeping all night, in the morning there will be a shout. Our Lord has made it clear for us that He has done away with death and has revealed life and immortality through the gospel.

Behold what mercy the Father has given us to be called children of God. We are truly his children. The reason why the world does not know us is because they have not known Him. Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will do is not yet revealed. But we know that if the Lord appears, we will be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ”

Fiona lifted her hand and gently stroked Arthur's cheek, a cold touch coming from her fingertips, as if she had been thrown into the Arctic Circle in the cold of winter. In front of her eyes, she could see nothing, or she could see anything, and she couldn't tell whether what she saw in front of her eyes was rain or snow.

Drops of tears ran down the wings of his nose to the corners of his mouth and from his jaw to Arthur's forehead.

In the eyes of many, this is a very rude act, but at this moment, no one wants to step forward and stop it, because even the strongest person cannot recover from the scene in front of him.

"Fiona."

Suddenly, Fiona seemed to hear someone calling her name.

She was stunned for a moment, then raised her arm and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand.

How she wished she could see a pair of open eyes at this time, those dark, reddish eyes that people could not forget at a glance.

Yet, as if God was playing a joke on her, her expectations were disappointed.

Arthur's closed eyes were like the stone doors of an ancient temple, and since they had fallen, they could no longer be opened.

Yes!

He died, sleeping forever, like a pool of undisturbed autumn water.

Fiona was stunned for a moment, her eyes widened in surprise and finally softened again, and she gently rubbed Arthur's side face and neck, as if she wanted to remember this feeling.

A little fragment of memory came to her mind, and she seemed to see the vivid young man again.

The man in the dark blue tuxedo, wearing an officer's knife and a top hat buttoned up his head, sliced open the matchbox and lightly lit the pipe in his mouth, leaning against the corner of the church.

With a heavy inhalation, the spark of the pipe lit up, and a thick smoke erupted from his mouth, as if to envelop him.

Suddenly, he raised his head and glanced to his side, a warm smile that was a little embarrassed but polite.

He took off his hat and nodded slightly to her in apology.

"I'm sorry, Fiona, I didn't know you were there. A gentleman smokes in front of a lady, and it may be rude for me to do so. ”

Fiona just winked playfully, "Mr. Gentleman, you know, I don't care. ”

He rubbed his hair, and after working for a long time, he looked a little tired: "Anyway, are you still drinking opium tincture?" That kind of harmful little wine that makes everyone addicted? ”

"Of course not."

Fiona took Arthur's arm: "I've always taken your words to heart." For the sake of me being so obedient, aren't you going to treat me to a meal before you talk to me about business today? ”

"Lovely lady. Your request is very reasonable, and I shouldn't have refused, but ......"

He took out his shriveled wallet from his arms and glanced at it, and then scratched his side face in annoyance: "My economic situation is not optimistic. Alexander, Benjamin, Elder, and now Heinrich Heine, and almost all of my bastard friends are asking me to borrow money. Worst of all, I made the advance payment for the police toys I ordered from Mr. Colt and Mr. Wheatstone, which I also paid myself. ”

Fiona waved her hand indifferently and said, "It's okay, you invite me, and I will buy the bill, and it will be regarded as a rebate for you." Although I am a woman, that doesn't mean I don't understand the rules or the political ecology of Britain. ”

He looked a little surprised, or a little hesitant, but soon, he pressed one hand to his chest and bowed slightly, winked and smiled: "So, thank you for your generosity, I am very happy to be able to attend the charity dinner hosted by you." By the way, I'm craving veal steak tonight. It would be even better if you could have another glass of chilled orange-flavored carbonated water. ”

Fiona gave him a blank look, pinched his arm by the way, and spun up the custom-made small pure white lace parasol: "There is no carbonated water." However, drink alcohol, enough is enough. ”

The backs of the two of them walked farther and farther away, gradually disappearing into the light and fog in front of them, until they could no longer be seen.

"Miss Fiona."

The voice of the call rang in Fiona's ears once more, pulling her back from her memories.

Fiona looked to the side in a daze, and saw that the people in the church had left their seats at some point, and they were standing in the aisle looking at her, as if they were about to say something.

Eventually, however, Mr. Turner, who was still stained with paint, spoke: "Ma'am, it's getting late, and we've finished our work for the day, so why don't we all go and have a meal together?" If you don't like the food here, our gentlemen here will be happy to give you home first. ”

"Ah......" Fiona seemed to think of something, her gaze dodging around: "I...... Thank you for your kindness, but I'm not as vulnerable as you think. Officer Bonaparte ought to know that I was not like the average woman, and that no ruffian had ever dared to trouble me. ”

When Louis heard this, he couldn't help but remind: "Miss Fiona, no one dared to trouble you before because ......"

Halfway through, Louis said no more, knowing that the name should not be mentioned again at such a time: "Anyway, let us send you home." Although the parliamentary reform has been passed and the riots have subsided, there is still a lot of dirty work on the streets of London. ”

Fiona shook her head again and again, and she was quite resistant: "You're right, but you also said that no one bothered me before because ...... Now, he's here, too. As long as I don't go too far, that's fine. ”

"But ......"

Louis tried to dissuade him, but was interrupted by Alexandre Dumas: "Louie, it's okay, it's not like there are no hotels around here." If the time is late, this young lady can stay in the hotel completely. Trafalgar Square is close to Whitehall Street, Parliament and the Court of Chancery, and if even law and order is in jeopardy, the country is finished. ”

Seeing this, the priest Newman on the side also spoke: "If you stay too late and have nowhere to stay, I will go and say hello to the priests of St. Martin's Church or Westminster Abbey." You can stay in the same room with the nuns, and the conditions are not very good, but at least it is safe. And it won't delay you from attending Mr. Hastings' funeral tomorrow. ”

Fiona was immediately relieved to hear this, and she bowed down with her skirt and said, "May God bless you, Mr. Newman, for not only forgiving my sins, but also providing me with all kinds of graces. ”

Newman smiled reluctantly, and he glanced at the oak coffin, "Don't worry, ma'am, save the lost lamb, I also learned from him." ”

With that, the group silently left the prayer hall of St. Martin's Church.

Before leaving, Louis did not forget to tell Fiona: "If you want to go back, you can turn to several police officers in front of the church, they are all members of the police intelligence department, so they also know who you are." ”

Fiona just nodded slightly, and watched the group of Arthur's friends walk away until their footsteps could no longer be heard.

She turned and looked at Arthur in the coffin.

The warm wind blew through the empty prayer hall, bringing up her dress, and Fiona was shivering, and she felt only her whole body tremble.

Perhaps it was the reverence for this sacred place, or perhaps the feeling that such a scene should not be desecrated.

However, she felt that she could no longer hide, that she could no longer disguise.

Even if she had just confessed her sins to Newman, even if she had just cried bitterly that she would mend her ways.

But, but......

At this moment, in her chest, there is only a wildfire that has accumulated, like a crater that has been suppressed for a long time, and the feelings that have been accumulated for a long time can no longer be concealed by her.

She trembled and reached out into the coffin, to the face that haunted her.

Like the other dead, Arthur's body was heavy and heavy, but Fiona didn't know where she got the strength to hold him in her arms.

She put Arthur's head quietly on her chest, and her face couldn't help but show a look of intoxication, as if she was a little repentant, and as if she was a little humble, she muttered: "I am really a lowly woman, perhaps, I will not be able to change it in my life." ”

Outside of her sight, Agareth sat on top of the church's icon, the Red Devil holding his chin with his fingers crossed and a playful smile on his face.

The Red Devil gently patted the face of the icon under his crotch and whispered defiantly, "See? Old stuff. What a moving picture! Right on your turf, right now, the most evil union in the world is about to take place! ”

He watched as Fiona lifted Arthur's chin and closed her eyes to lightly imprint her lips.

In an instant, the shining six-pointed star flew out of the Red Devil's forehead, growing larger and extending until it enveloped the entire church.

Immediately afterward, he curled up and tightened until Fiona and Arthur's bodies were tightly wrapped.

Magnificent purple and sparkling red bloom at the same time.

They symbolize the most corrupt and purest depravity in the world.

Gradually, in the six-pointed star array, a huge hole appeared that was pitch black and did not see light.

Agareth scrutinized, observed, and flipped the parchment scroll in his hand from time to time, like an ancient scholar at work.

Suddenly, his right eye twitched slightly, and Agareth snapped his fingers, as if time had stood still.

One after another, the six-pointed stars dimmed, and as the dimming faded, the stars appeared, and the souls that gradually emerged in the air.

Ten points are enough to have a face that is not beaten, and five points are enough to have four points of rebellious thinking.

If he had a choice, Agareth would probably add a normal person's brain to him, but there are many things that he can't choose.

Agareth's eyes glowed red, and he looked at the pale blue phantom suspended above Arthur's body, and squeezed out a breath in his nose: "Welcome back, little bastard!" ”

With a flick of his fingertips, Agareth's soul plummeted downward, plunging into his already stiff torso, only to hear a bang, and a burst of pale blue star dust burst out of the oak coffin, as if it had been sprinkled with fluorescent powder all over the ground.

Fiona's mouth was on Arthur's lips, and she greedily searched for it, and she felt like she had fallen into an ice cave, but she felt as if she had risen into the torments of Hellfire.

Her tongue rubbed against Arthur's tiger teeth, and a small incision was opened, and blood flowed freely in her mouth, as if she wanted her to experience the pain of a bullet piercing her heart.

She poured Arthur into her arms and refused to let go, even though she was about to be buried with Arthur.

Suddenly, she felt something.

Like a hot iron, a broad hand pressed against her waist, and her tongue was suddenly choked.

She opened her eyes in horror, fear, fear, excitement, all human feelings seemed to converge in her heart at this moment.

She saw that the familiar face in front of her was twitching, like worms.

The constricted bronze doors, the closed eyes, are being shaken.

Fiona let go of her lips suddenly, she was scared, but excited, it was a contradictory feeling, but in any case, she was unwilling to let go of her hand at this time.

Because she saw that the eyes that she had prayed for so many times were slowly opening, and the black eyes were like the night sky outside the window, and the pale red light revealed the dust and dust that had returned from the other side.

Arthur looked at Fiona in front of him, his feeble lips moving slightly.

His voice, like a call from time immemorial, was low but loud enough.

"Water ......"

When Fiona heard this, she only felt as if she was dreaming, she couldn't believe what was happening in front of her, but hugged him tightly in her arms as if she was afraid of losing him again.

She heard Arthur's feeble and helpless voice ringing in her ears: "You...... Why don't you scold me, it's ...... Still hugging me? ”

When Fiona heard this, she just buried her head in his neck, and she was already teary-eyed: "Because there is no one in the world who is more unhappy than you." ”

(End of chapter)