Chapter8

It's the truth, but it's also taboo!

After the Battle of Waterloo, if you want to get ahead in France, you must not use the word Napoleon, and you cannot say that you like the "Memoirs of St. Helena".

Yu Lian felt that he must have been bewitched by the warm sea breeze, so he would reveal his true feelings about his hometown, so as to be glimpsed into the secret emotions in his heart. Even if this is Britain, he will not admit the taboo position.

Yu Lian's heart exploded, but he couldn't act too intensely, otherwise he would be annoyed and angry.

He retorted with all his righteousness and force, "Mr. Bennet, Jr., how can you have such ridiculous speculations! This is very dangerous. I must warn you that such words are likely to provoke a duel with you! ”

These words seemed to hit the cotton ball.

Brando immediately looked apologetic and said in a good voice, "I'm sorry, I offended you and forgot the environment you used to be in. Mr. Sorel, please relax, I really asked casually.

This is England, where there's no perverted to hellish censorship of news and speech. As long as it's not in those elaborate political occasions, and the public chats about Napoleon is not illegal, you will get used to it by going to a café. Unlike in France, a few words of Napoleon would be taken to prison. ”

Yu Lian would not let go, he also asked rhetorically: "Anyway, how can you have such a ridiculous idea, have you read this book?" ”

Brando smiled noncommittally, "How could it be. ”

What an eyesore smile!

Yu Lian was unwilling, why let the person who touched the secret of his heart feel at ease.

He deliberately provoked, "Little Mr. Bennet, it seems that you have a very different mind. The Anglican Church is Anglican, and you have asked me to study French Catholic doctrine, which cannot but make you doubt your true faith. ”

Brando was unconcerned about such accusations, "If you don't know something, you can agree with it or deny it." Learning more about religion as you learn about it will not hinder me.

You have done your duty, and as a tutor who took up the post early, you have been worried about the faith of your students. Although it is not necessary, thank you very much for your concern. ”

Yu Lian: Listen, what a reversal of black and white! He's obviously sarcastic!

Brando continued as if nothing had happened, and he didn't do anything excessive. Only use a friendly and civilized way to warn the other person, don't mess around.

The duration of this unconventional employment is initially set at one year, and it is necessary to conduct a warm-up to understand the real ideological tendencies of the other party.

She can understand and understand Yu Lian's desire to be respected and hope to cooperate happily, but she also needs to intimidate the other party and not make things extraordinary.

It's not about being overly suspicious, it's about taking precautions.

For the next ten minutes of silence, no one spoke again.

Yu Lian tried to calm his emotions as much as possible, but his mind inevitably became a mess.

Do the people around him think that he admires Napoleon? He would never admit it.

Wait, Brando has just criticized the French censorship system. Rounding up, does it mean that Napoleon is also liked?

The same worship of Napoleon!

This possibility made Yu Lian quickly happy.

My God! Twenty-one years later, has he finally met a fellow practitioner?

"Here we are."

Brando stopped half a meter in front of the garden fence to break the silence first.

"Mr. Sorel, let me reiterate that your teaching content must be within my approval. Those detailed terms will be marked in the contract, and you will have to pay the corresponding price if you breach the contract. Now, would you like to meet Mr. Hume with me? ”

Subtext: Now that you know what kind of work environment you're facing, and you have the right to turn around and leave, I won't force anyone.

If you choose not to go, follow the rules I have set. Violated, don't blame me for being ruthless.

Julien stared deeply at Brando, his mood extremely complicated.

A three-hundred-pound annual salary, a treacherous employer, a secretive that has been seen through, a future that has no control, etc., are fighting in his head.

Something even more incredible happened to him.

At this point, he did not feel any resentment.

Being tempted by such a digging pit has a sense of equal treatment that is understood and truly desired. This taste, it's really hell!

"Please—"

Yu Lian took a deep breath and smiled.

Only he knew that this was a genuine smile that had not been seen in a long time.

Take a step sideways and hold out your hand to signal Brando to go first.

"Of course I'm going to visit your teacher. Mr. Bennet, Jr., I'm looking forward to the year ahead. ”

"Me too."

Brando pushed open the fence door, and the two walked in one after the other.

*

*

The reception room on the second floor has a unique setting.

Unlike the extravagant style led by George IV today, Hume preferred dark and restrained backdrops.

Decorated with a few ornaments, the overall style gets rid of the gloom and gloom, and looks solemn and solemn.

For example, large gold candlesticks engraved with a variety of animals on the cabinet;

Another example is the French-style brass gilt sword hanging in the middle of the wall;

In a dark corner just away from direct sunlight, a suspected oil painting "Savior Mundi" by Leonardo da Vinci was placed.

Hume sat back on the sofa with a thin blanket over his legs.

From the moment Yu Lian entered the door, he never missed any of his expressions.

Yu Lian quickly glanced at the décor of the reception room.

He didn't look at the golden candlestick, and he skimmed over the precious sword, and finally his eyes lingered on the oil painting for a few more seconds.

Then, Yu Lian looked at Hume and shuddered.

Hume was thin and thin, but his gaze was compelling.

It was obviously a patient on the verge of collapse, and his body was on the verge of collapse, but it did not diminish his momentum in the slightest.

In the air, there seemed to be a bloody killing intent rushing towards the face.

Yu Lian's guess about Hume's identity is not simple, and he must have had many years of battlefield experience. Because of countless brushes with death, it was stained with a terrifying atmosphere.

He failed to make eye contact with him, only looked at Hume's jaw and said hello as decently as possible. "Good afternoon, Mr. Hume, and it is an honor to meet you."

Hume looked at Yu Lian carefully from top to bottom, and only after half a minute did he raise his hand and point to the soft chair. "Hello, sit down."

Brando didn't sit down together. She stood behind Hume, as the perfect invisible person, watching the final assessment.

It makes sense that Hume wanted to meet the new tutor.

Julien had to stay at Bennet's house for a year, and Hume had to audit it with his own eyes to leave with peace of mind.

Hume asked, "Monsieur Sorel came from the seminary of Besançon, but you did not see you wearing the black clerical robes." ”

This sentence is flat and straightforward.

Yu Lian couldn't hear whether it was praise or depreciation. If you have a choice, you would rather stay away from the black robe for the rest of your life.

He spoke the truth, and it was the most appropriate answer. "This is England and I'm applying for a governess. Compared to the black robe of a Catholic priest, a gentleman's dress is more suitable. ”

Hume was expressionless, not saying whether he agreed or not, and said: "You have met Father Frielai when you studied at the seminary in Besançon, and how is he doing?" ”

Father Frillay!

When Yu Lian heard this name, his face seemed to be as usual, but in just 1 second, he unconsciously moved his upper lip slightly.

Brando quickly captured the fleeting micro-expression—it was a sneer.

Julien said in a calm tone, "Father Frillai is already the acting bishop, and I am only a student, and I have seen him from afar a few times in the academy, so I don't know how he is doing. ”

That's weird!

Father Frilé, a wicked man through and through.

Instead of studying doctrine, the seminary has become a place of attack by a miasma of factions, which was concocted by this acting bishop.

This person also had a network of contacts in the political and military spheres of the Bourbon authorities, which could be shaken by very people.

Yu Lianhui fell from the first candidate to one hundred and ninety-eight, which was the secret work of Father Frielai.

At the behest of Father Frilé, the examiner deliberately induced questions during his own exam.

When you answer truthfully, you fall into the trap. It was judged that he should not read books extensively, and that knowledge was classified as blasphemous evil.

The reason behind this is that Father Frillay has always disliked the dean of the seminary. Since you can't attack the dean directly, hit the students he admires.

Father Frillay was one of the reasons why he wanted to stay away from seminary.

Why did Hume ask about this man?

Yu Lian did not understand the relationship between the two. Friend or foe? Or just a stranger who has heard the name?

Right now, it's safest to answer without revealing your likes or dislikes.

Hume did not say whether he believed or did not believe it, but said, "You were right in what you said before, this is England." Regardless of Frilé, your new job is in Great Britain. Got it? ”

Julien was thoughtful, this was a mockery of Father Frielai, right?

The implication is that no matter how great the power of the French Church is, its tentacles cannot control Britain. When you set foot in Great Britain, you should have the confidence that you can break away from your dark past and start anew.

Hume didn't say much, and pushed the paper bag to Yulian.

"I'm not feeling well, so I won't leave you for afternoon tea. Go back and carefully screen the content of the contract, avoid impulsiveness, and sign it after thinking about it. ”

"Thanks for the reminder, I will."

Yu Lian took the paper bag with both hands, and his hands were heavy at this moment.

Hume has always been unsmiling at him, seemingly critical, but implying seriousness.

Yu Lian left with the contract, leaving behind the address of the hotel where he was temporarily staying in Scarborough before leaving. It is agreed that within seven days, the final answer will be given on time.

Brando sends people out the door.

When I returned to the lounge on the second floor, I saw Hume changing his previous coldness, like a deflated balloon, lying on the sofa with a tired expression.

Brando's heart tightened, "Teacher, I'll send you back to your room to rest." ”

Hume waved his hand: "No. In a few days, this body will not be able to sleep for a long time, and it is time to hurry up and not rest. ”

Hume didn't give Brando a chance to persuade him, and asked, "Do you want to train Sorel to be an assistant, and when you go to Cambridge, let him assist outside?" ”

You can't just go it alone.

In the short term, the Bennet family cannot be expected to have a partner who will be in charge of the business, and it is necessary to recruit talent from outside.

Brando has a year to go to college, so it's a good idea to find a few reliable helpers in the meantime.

Good helpers can be met but not sought, and the requirements for the ability to act, ideology, style and conduct are indispensable.

The reason why Hume examined Julien and gave him hints was that he hoped that this man would be useful and beneficial to Brando.

Brando could only cooperate in changing the subject, "I can make Mr. Sorel see that there are different options for the future, but it is his free will that he chooses to become a tutor, a whetstone, or a partner. ”

Hume glanced at Brando, who said that "liberty" cannot be manipulated, and the best thing to say is to be guided.

Brando blinked innocently, "can do", "want to do" and "do" are different.

It takes energy to guide a person to develop upward, no matter how much time it takes, and the basis for doing this is either based on the friendship between the two parties or the value of the other party.

"Mr. Sorel is young and intelligent, but his heart is undecided."

Brando's analysis, "Looking at his words and deeds, we can judge that his family relationship is not harmonious, and he is extremely disgusted with the French Church and the old aristocracy, and his heart is full of admiration for Napoleon." However, the conflict between ambition, reality, and true preferences makes him extremely conflicted. ”

The devil is in the details.

Brando pointed out one by one.

After Yu Lian stepped into the living room, his knee-jerk reaction exposed his heart.

He ignored the fine gold objects and did not put money first.

His eyes quickly swept over the sword hanging in the center, which was a complete replica of Napoleon's usual saber style.

As an admirer, he didn't look at the sword in the center, but his first reaction was to look at the oil painting in the dim corner. Isn't that weird?

In the corner, there is a "Savior Mundi" painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

The painting has been missing for a long time, and the last clear mention of it was 170 years ago, when it reached Charles II.

Later, traces of it became obscure.

Only a few words on the pages remain, along with the drawings of others from earlier years, suggest that it did exist.

Leonardo da Vinci is so famous that it is natural to be curious about his paintings.

The point is that Julien once admitted that he was not interested in art, and he admired Napoleon in his heart.

Why don't you care about the Napoleon-style saber in the center of the wall, and subconsciously pay more attention to the oil paintings placed in dark corners?

This can be interpreted as a deliberate disguise of the cult of Napoleon.

In addition, how much of the subconscious attention to oil painting is due to appreciation of art, and how much is the belief that owning this painting can show status? The answer is self-explanatory.

"Mr. Sorel doesn't want money, he wants to be respected and recognized, and his true inner preferences can give way to ambition to a certain extent.

Just as he was extremely disgusted with the French Church, but he was still able to commit to it, and he learned the doctrine of the sect with ease. Thankfully, that's not all. ”

"To abandon everything in France and choose to come to England from scratch is to fight hard. He has no heart in his heart, and he doesn't want to become the person he hates the most.

In fact, it is normal for people to be ambitious, depending on the way in which they accomplish their goals. It is too early to talk about entrusting him with a heavy responsibility. In short, it remains to be seen. ”

Brando gives the above judgment.

Hume nodded in agreement, "I don't think the Bourbon dynasty will last long." Charles X was even more excesses than Louis XVIII, full of admiration for the old system, but did not want the Revolution to come, and Napoleon to come. Once there was an overthrow of the Bourbons, there will be a second.

At this time, it is unclear whether Sorel will succeed in England, but it will not be worse than staying in France. The current France will not give him what he wants, but will make him a victim of fierce conflict. ”

"You've thought it through."

Brando added a glass of warm water to Hume, and did not advise him not to bother with it, for sometimes one needs to be concerned and able to keep a spirit. "There's going to be chaos next door, and the more times like this, the more I need your guidance."

So, could you please ask the Grim Reaper to come back later?

Brando's sanity is clear, but there is always reluctance, hoping to say goodbye a minute later.

Hume picked up his cup and shook his head with a chuckle.

"Little Mr. Bennet, please don't fool your teacher. Take a look at this living room, where you can arrange goldware, swords, and oil paintings. Today's final test is not my will, but yours. ”

Hume glanced at the oil on board. This "Salvator Mundi" is certainly not an original work of Leonardo da Vinci, but a copy of Brando.

As for how much it looks? She has no way of saying that she has not seen the original work, but it can only be said that it is very similar to the copying works that have been handed down in the early years.

Hume had already figured it out, "Whether it's testing people's hearts or judging the current situation, I have nothing to teach you, so you can leave with confidence." Child, you don't have to be sad. People don't grow for more than a hundred years, so I'll walk a few decades to explore the path of the dead. ”

Brando could only nod his head, trying his best to control the hand he wanted to keep.

There is always something wrong with manpower, and Hume can't let Hume feel that there is something unfinished and go away, so it is better to smile and let go of his hand.

*

Seven days later.

1829, July 14. Hume finally went to the covenant of death and said goodbye to this world.