British writer

Dirty——

Facing the English Channel, the small ship slowly left Southampton Harbor and headed for the Isle of Wight.

Lu Shi narrowed his eyes,

Because the weather is clear enough, even though it is dusk, the rock walls and gravel of White Island can be seen with the naked eye,

The waves hit the reef wave after wave, breaking into white foam.

At this time, a smart voice sounded from behind: "Professor Lu, you have been exhausted all the way back from Paris, so why don't you go back to the cabin and stay there? It will take more than an hour to get to the Isle of Wight, so why don't you take this opportunity to take a rest. "

Lu Shi turned around,

In front of me is the beautiful princess——

margarita.

Her eyes were slightly red, not sure whether it was from crying or the long-term lack of sleep.

Lu Shi could not help but sigh,

When I left for Paris for exchanges, some newspapers reported the Queen's trip to the Isle of Wight.

At that time, he felt that he had some impression of this news, as if he had read it in some materials or biographies before traveling.

Now, he recalled that, according to established history, in December 1900, Queen Victoria was in poor health, but she still insisted on going to the Isle of Wight, and finally died of illness on January 22.

But Lu Shi's crossing changed history,

The queen's death was delayed.

Looking at it now, this delay is only more than three months, because Margarita clearly said when they met: "Grandma is awake most of the time, but she keeps her eyes closed. gone."

Lu Shi pondered for a moment, but couldn't think of how to comfort him, so he honestly chose to keep silent.

Margarita forced a smile,

"Didn't expect me to send you a telegram?"

Lu Shi nodded.

For most of history, when the British emperor died, it was the norm to keep his mourning secret.

The reason lies in the point mentioned by George Bernard Shaw:

"The British Empire is a feudal free state."

Even with a constitutional monarchy, the emperor's authority is enormous,

Victoria is the best example. The queen has martial arts and martial arts. In many cases, she can even suppress the Senate and the House of Representatives, launch wars and plunder externally, and ban the prime minister internally.

This state of "feudal freedom" lasted for a long time. It was not until the end of World War II that the royal family was completely reduced to a mascot.

Margarita said: "Actually, His Majesty asked me to send you a telegram."

Lu Shi was surprised,

"What?"

Margarita spread hands,

"I don't know why."

Lu Shi felt even more incredible,

"strangeness……"

Margarita didn't bother with this issue. She glanced at Wight Island in the distance and said, "The reefs on the north shore of Wight Island are not suitable for landing on the island. The boat will first circle west and sail into the port on the northwest side, so It will take longer than expected."

Lu Shi nodded,

"Go, go back to the cabin."

The two returned to the cabin together.

Margarita looked at Lu Shi's side face, feeling a little relieved, and the sadness was diluted a little.

She asked curiously: "Professor Lu, what interesting things did you encounter when you went to the French Academy to communicate?"

Lu Shi knows that more chatting can divert attention and make Margarita feel better.

He recounted his experience during this time.

Unexpectedly, Margarita asked with a lack of interest, "Professor Lu, you are writing books and awarding literature awards, are you serious?"

Only then did Lu Shi realize that,

Although Her Royal Highness is curious about the work, she is not very curious.

Lu Shi scratched his head,

You can't talk about fighting landlords with Frenchmen or going to the nightclub under Montmartre to watch lap dances, right?

He thought for a while and said, "The most famous attraction in Paris is the Eiffel Tower."

Margarita responded: "I know. The Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in the world. In 1889, it was built by the French government through bidding to hold the World Expo and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the victory of the French Revolution."

I didn't expect this girl to be so familiar.

Lu Shi said, "Then you must not know the story of the Eiffel Tower and the great writer Victor Hugo."

margarita curious,

"what story?"

Lu Shi smiled and said: "Hugo thinks that a steel tower is extremely ugly, but the Eiffel Tower is too tall and can be seen from any corner of Paris, so Hugo ran to the tower every day so that he could not see it. "

Margarita was silent,

"..."

She almost had the word "boring" written all over her face.

Lu Shi was slightly embarrassed, and said again: "Then... let me think about it... that's right! Have you heard of the Pont des Arts?"

Margarita shook her head and said she had never heard of it.

Lu Shi continued: "Pont des Arts, Pont des Arts. The reason why I mentioned it after the Eiffel Tower is because it was built in the early 19th century and was the first iron bridge in Paris."

Hearing that it was steel again, Her Royal Highness lacked interest,

"well……"

She sighed slightly, secretly thinking that Professor Lu was not interested.

Don't they all say that French men are romantic?

Professor Lu went for such a trip, but he didn't learn the essence of others, but lost the aura when he wrote "Roman Holiday".

Unexpectedly, Lu Shi said: "You can often see artists painting and playing musical instruments on the Art Bridge. Many couples come here to hang the 'love lock' engraved with the names of their lovers, hoping that they will be inseparable from now on, so that they will never be separated." become a very special landscape."

Margarita was listless just now, but now she is in high spirits,

"Really?"

Lu Shi didn't know the truth,

It is true that the Pont des Arts will indeed be hung with "love locks" by lovers from all walks of life, but Lu Shi has no memory of when this custom started.

He is not a French folklorist.

But seeing that Margarita can temporarily forget about the queen, she can only bite the bullet and talk about it.

In this way, more than an hour passed.

There's a siren outside,

Dirty——

The ship slowly approached the shore.

After Lu Shi and Margarita got off the boat, they were immediately picked up by the head of the Coldstream Guards, Frederick von Stephensen, into two carriages and drove towards Osborne Palace.

Osborne House is a royal palace,

Between 1845 and 1851, the palace was built as a summer retreat for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The carriage went all the way east,

Soon, Lu Shi could see the majestic building through the car window.

The palace is in the style of the Italian Renaissance, reflecting the luxurious royal style. The statues on the facade are exquisitely carved, giving people a glimpse of the extravagance of the life of the British royal family.

After getting out of the carriage, Stephenson reminded in a low voice: "Don't look at what you shouldn't look at, and don't say what you shouldn't say."

Lu Shi scratched his head,

"Why do I feel that these words are familiar?"

Stephenson glared at him.

"I told you before, that is the rule of the audience. But this time is different. Osborne Palace is the most beloved residence of the Queen in her life, but the divisions inside are not very strict. There are Queen's bedrooms, even baby rooms, and royal bathrooms along the road. , are you curious?"

Lu Shi shook his head, expressing that he was not curious,

"Understand. Don't look at what you shouldn't look at, and don't say what you shouldn't say."

Stephenson was satisfied with this,

"Walk."

The three of them stepped through the gate, entered the main house, then walked all the way, and finally stopped in front of a room.

By the door stood many nobles,

Lu Shi could recognize the Prince of Wales, the Queen's heir and the future Edward VII.

And Kaiser Wilhelm II, this is the queen's grandson,

Of course, there are also various princesses, princes, grand dukes...

I can't recognize it at all.

They all looked at Lu Shi with curious eyes, as if they were looking at aliens.

There is no way, Chinese students studying abroad are really out of tune with the atmosphere here.

At this time, Margarita stepped forward and pulled Lu Shi's arm,

"Grandmother is waiting for you."

Lu Shi was surprised,

"I'll go in by myself? Hiss..."

He gasped,

There is something in my heart I don't know whether to say it or not,

If Her Majesty suddenly quakes while I'm inside, I won't be able to clean myself up by jumping into the Yellow River, hey!

Margarita seemed to have sensed what Lu Shi was worried about,

She glared at Lu Shi,

"Professor Lu!"

After finishing speaking, he gently pushed Lu Shi's back from behind.

Lu Shi pushed the door open and entered.

The room was eerily silent,

There is a strong sweet and greasy smell in the air, as if the essential oil refined from hundreds of tons of flowers is slowly volatilizing,

But this kind of sweetness can't cover up a trace of rancidity,

That is the unique smell of dying people, the smell of death.

On the big bed in the middle of the room, Queen Victoria lay there,

She closed her eyes, as if asleep forever.

On the right-hand nightstand stands a scepter adorned with mother-of-pearl, rubies, gold,

The Queen's body was covered with a red and gold overcoat. The Queen's right hand protruded from the sleeve, holding the scepter vaguely, with blue veins coiled like a crouching dragon, like a chicken's claw.

Lu Shi stepped forward slowly,

"His Majesty?"

The queen's eyelids moved, then slowly opened, revealing the whites of her eyes,

After half a second, black pupils appeared.

Looking at that look, it seems that the queen has exhausted all her strength even opening her eyes.

"Huh~"

Lu Shi let out a breath,

Luckily still alive.

The queen turned her head with difficulty, found Lu Shi, and said, "You're here? Why did you bring lemons?"

Lu Shi:? ? ?

"lemon?"

He was dumbfounded.

The Queen pressed her lips against the air and said, "It's still a lemon tree."

Lu Shi was dumbfounded for a moment,

The lemon tree should be an illusion seen by the Queen.

After a while, he said, "Your Majesty, can you recognize me?"

The queen looked over again,

After a long time, she said, "You are the author of "Yes! Prime Minister", Lu Shi. Right?"

While speaking, she showed a "quick praise me" smile, like a naughty child waiting for a reward.

Lu Shi half squatted down,

"Yes, I am Lu Shi."

There was a moment of seriousness on the queen's face, and then she turned into the old child again,

She asked, "Why are you here?"

Lu Shi was helpless,

"Your Majesty, you asked Her Royal Highness to send a telegram to summon me back."

The queen's head moved slightly,

It looks like he wants to nod, but the range is too small, like dozing off.

The queen said: "Professor Lu, how about me as a queen?"

Lu Shi made a dazed face,

"Your Majesty is asking me? Am I worthy of an answer?"

The implication is that there are children and grandchildren of the Queen outside, and there are so many politicians and scholars in the UK. The Queen does not ask, but asks a Chinese student.

How outrageous it is.

But the Queen said, "Yes, I was asking you."

Lu Shi was speechless,

It seems that the queen is really confused.

But when things developed like this, it was impossible not to answer, and I had to say something.

Lu Shi said, "Your Majesty is the 'mother of Europe'."

Hearing this compliment, the queen couldn't help laughing: "Hehehehe...cough cough cough..."

The laughter turned into a cough.

After a while, the Queen calmed down her fluctuating chest and said, "It's not true, you're slippery."

Lu Shi touched his nose in embarrassment,

"It's not slick. Your Majesty, your rule lasted for more than half a century, and you continued to expand new territories overseas, forming the British Empire where the sun never sets, and even crowned you as the Queen of India. Under your rule, the country's Stability and dignity make the monarchy popular, and the British people may not know the Senate and House of Representatives, but they must know Victoria."

This is not a compliment,

From a historical point of view, Victoria is definitely a great monarch,

Of course, this greatness is only for the Commonwealth.

The queen was silent.

After a while, she asked Lu Shi: "Professor Lu, why do you think I asked you this question?"

How could Lu Shi know?

He shook his head in bewilderment,

"I am not sure."

The queen did not directly reveal the answer, but asked: "Professor Lu, what do you think the future of Britain will be? Will it lose to France? Germany? Or Russia or the United States?"

This question is almost like a policy argument,

Lu Shi was even more confused, and replied cautiously: "I'm not a prophet, how could I know the answer to this question?"

"But you wrote Yes! Prime Minister," said the Queen.

Lu Shi repeatedly waved his hands,

"It's just a game, not worth mentioning."

As soon as the words came out, the house fell into silence.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Wordless silence filled the air.

After just a minute, the queen said, "Although I don't say something, it doesn't mean I didn't notice it."

There was cold sweat on Lu Shi's forehead,

"Your Majesty, you..."

The queen interrupted: "I feel vaguely that Professor Lu is a little too sensitive. Even, you have a bit of foresight, as if you can always grasp the essence of things."

Lu Shi:! ! !

Looking at each other in shock.

The queen seemed to be exhausted, she slowly closed her eyes, and said, "It stands to reason that I should think you are a spy. But I also have a very clear feeling that you are not a spy. Don't ask me why I know, I just know. "

Lu Shi laughed awkwardly,

"Your Majesty was joking."

The queen gave a faint "hmm\

,""Well, I'm really joking. What you said just now should be regarded as a prank by a dying person."

Lu Shi looked at the Queen,

Although he is not a supporter of the heroic view of history, but after contacting the Queen, he has to admit a fact in his heart,

Some great people do have abilities that ordinary people do not have:

perhaps nuanced insight;

Perhaps a mysterious sixth sense;

Perhaps some kind of apocalypse;

...

They are indeed different.

Lu Shi said, "Your Majesty, what is your request for summoning me?"

The queen's eyelids twitched.

Lu Shi knew that under the cover of his eyelids, the queen's eyes were facing him.

So, he repeated the question again and again: "Your Majesty, what is your request for summoning me?"

The queen's lips hooked up, as if she was smiling.

"I want to be willful for a while," she said.

Lu Shi was puzzled,

"capricious?"

The queen didn't explain, but asked instead: "I heard that your University of London Union is running a newspaper recently? I don't know how you will report and evaluate me after I die?"

Lu Shi is a person who knows everything, and said: "Your Majesty, as I said just now, you are the 'Mother of Europe'. Your rule lasted for more than half a century, and you continued to expand new territories overseas, forming the 'Japanese Empire'. The unfallen British Empire even allowed you to be crowned the Queen of India. Under your rule, the stability and dignity of the country made the monarchy popular again, and the British people may not know the Senate and the House of Representatives, but they must know Victoria."

Watertight repetition.

The queen chuckled,

"I don't think it's moving enough or nice enough."

Lu Shi: "..."

I vaguely feel that the queen wants to sing her praises and even write a biography.

But the problem is that although Lu Shi has read "The Biography of Victoria", he has almost forgotten the content in it.

He was silent for a while, and said: "I understand. Your Majesty, I will work well, and you will become the greatest Englishman of the 19th century."

The queen seemed satisfied,

She asked: "Thank you Professor Lu for your evaluation. For this, what do you want?"

Lu Shi shook his head,

"It's enough for The Mirror to have headlines like this."

Other newspapers should not know the news that the Queen is seriously ill and is about to die, but the "Mirror" can sneak away in advance to prepare,

With such a heavy exclusive news, it is basically certain that the "Mirror" will remain invincible.

The queen was not satisfied,

"I think you should be rewarded. How about the title?"

Lu Shi didn't reply.

At this time, it is not appropriate to say anything.

The queen seemed to be contemplating with her eyes closed,

After a while, she said, "Professor Lu, you go down first. Don't worry, my promise will be fulfilled."

Lu Shi bowed,

"Yes, thank you Your Majesty."

He exited the room slowly.

When closing the door, he couldn't help but look at the queen on the couch again,

The light of the setting sun shines into the house through the window, so that half of the queen's cheeks are exposed to light and half into shadow,

This picture scroll seems to be declaring something.

Lu Shi was like a mirror in his heart,

The Victorian era is over.