Shadow of great britain

London, in a small building on the street in Mayfair.

The bright sunshine shines through the glass on Mrs. Norton's exquisite makeup, just as the lady's concise and powerful saying said - yes, we are beautiful.

Perhaps because of the long family quarrels in the past few years, although Mrs. Norton just sat there quietly and acted as a model without any expression, there was always an indescribable haggardness between her eyebrows.

Arthur and Disraeli each moved a stool and sat across from her. These two young people, who had always been talkative, rarely fell into silence at this moment. They both felt an inexplicable embarrassment.

Only then did they realize that accompanying a married lady to have her portrait painted was supposed to be done by her husband or lover. What was the point of them staying here?

The painter on the side gently raised his brush and dipped it into the color palette held in his left hand, and put a few strokes on the canvas. From time to time, he raised his eyes to observe Mrs. Norton, and then covered his head and fell into obsession with the art of painting.

Logically speaking, in this state, he should not have noticed Arthur and Disraeli behind him.

But perhaps the atmosphere in the air was too cold and lonely. Even the painter who was concentrating on painting couldn't stand the reactions of these two people. He stretched out and said: "Let us take a rest, Mrs. Norton, you Now you can walk around and relax your stiff back. After sitting for too long, the curves of your body seem a bit unnatural. As for the two gentlemen sitting behind me, do you want me to give you a cup of tea? Just It must be boring to sit there like this, right?"

When Mrs. Norton heard this, she slowly stood up and said apologetically to Arthur and Disraeli: "Two gentlemen, although I really want to talk to you about the manuscript during the painting break, But my waist hurts so much, I think I should probably go out and do some exercise now. Although it may not be appropriate for me to say this, after all, you two have been waiting for so long, but I feel like I am wasting your precious time here. Maybe the timing was a mistake, why don’t we talk about the manuscript another day?”

"Manuscript?" the painter said, "Actually, it doesn't matter if you stay here and talk. Madam, you are just talking. This will not affect the completion of my painting."

Mrs. Norton was surprised when she heard this: "Is that so? Sorry, this is my first time painting a portrait, so I have no experience."

Arthur nodded and smiled: "Then let's talk when we come back. You can go out for some activities first, madam."

Mrs. Norton nodded slightly, and then walked down the stairs step by step with the help of the valet at the door.

Seeing Mrs. Norton walking away, the atmosphere in the studio became lively.

The painter turned the brush in his hand and said: "Mr. Hastings and Mr. Disraeli, right? Although it is normal for a gentleman to accompany a lady when painting, it is really strange to have these two here. I I thought only Italians and French people were like this. Could it be that I have been away from Britain for too long, and now the customs of my beautiful homeland have changed?"

When Disraeli heard this, he just raised his finger and shook his head: "Sir, please don't misunderstand our relationship with Mrs. Norton. We are really just here to discuss the manuscript with her."

The painter picked up the coffee cup placed aside: "I hope so, but judging from the looks of the two of you, you should not be married yet, right?"

Arthur asked: "How did you see it?"

"It's very simple. Just by the words of the gentleman sitting next to you just now, you two were exposed."

"How to say?"

The painter smiled, took a sip of coffee, and said: "Because only you unmarried young men want to talk business or reason with women in a serious manner. Let me tell you, if you want these lovely ladies to agree... When it comes to things, it usually doesn't work to put on airs or speak normally like this. I only realized this after I got married."

Disraeli wondered: "Did anything happen after you got married?"

"What happened? My God! Listen to what you are saying!" The painter rolled his eyes and said: "Let's put it this way, you can't imagine how difficult it is to deal with my wife. She often He would ask me a question, answer it himself, and then spend half an hour explaining to me why my answer was wrong.”

When Disraeli heard this, his eyelids jumped: "But didn't you have no answer?"

The painter warned: "Young man, if you get married in the future, you must never say this to your wife, otherwise her mouth will not be idle for the next half hour. Do you understand what I mean? She just It doesn’t matter whether you answered or not, she just wants to scold you which is wrong, it all depends on her mood. If you know how to coax a woman, then she is simply the cutest angel in the world. No matter how excessive your request is, she will agree to it. However, if you don’t have the ability, then even if you pick a star from the sky for her, she will ask you why you don’t pick the moon. After you pick the moon, she will ask you why you don’t pick the moon. Picking the sun..."

Disraeli asked: "What if I take off the stars, the moon, and the sun?"

Arthur said: "Then she will say: Honey, why don't you spend the time picking these things to spend more time with me?"

When the painter heard this, he couldn't help but pointed at Arthur and said: "Young man, you learn very quickly! It seems that your plan for commissioning works today will go smoothly. In return, would you like to come to me to draw a picture?" Portrait painting? While you are still young and still have hair on your head, leave a souvenir for yourself."

Having said this, the painter did not forget to take out two business cards from his coat pocket and handed them over to them.

Arthur lowered his head and looked down. The content of the business card was not particularly complicated, but the series of titles and experiences behind the iris pattern still made Arthur understand that the price for a portrait painted by this gentleman should not be too high. Cheap, right?

Name: John Eitel

A master of portrait painting who was born in Britain and studied in Apennines, he devoted his life to the romantic painter who pursued the combination of man and nature.

A painting genius who held a private exhibition in Rome at the age of fifteen, he is a leader of the new generation of academics praised by the royal painter Sir Thomas Lawrence.

He once served as a lecturer in watercolor portraiture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, and is currently a professor of pastels at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and the head and chief painter of Etel Studio.

Although Arthur didn't know much about romantic painters, art schools, or Rome, as a not-too-authentic British gentleman, he still knew that anything related to the royal family on this island, regardless of No matter how good the quality is, it can’t always be cheap.

Although Mr. Eitel was smiling all over his face, in Arthur's eyes, this handsome and popular artist in his early thirties seemed to be staring at his not particularly generous bank account, ready at any time. Take away most of it.

Although it is often said that art will continue to appreciate in value over time, especially after the artist dies.

But Arthur felt that Mr. Eitel still looked too young. As a prudent investor, he would not spend most of his fortune betting on Mr. Eitel's sudden death.

Just as Arthur was thinking about how to reject the other party's suggestion tactfully and politely, Mrs. Norton, who had stiffened her body after moving, opened the door to the studio and returned to her seat.

Seeing this, Eitel had no choice but to blink at Arthur helplessly: "Let's talk later. Remember my words, you can talk to Mrs. Norton about the manuscript now."

Disraeli, who had received Eitel's words and deeds, asked first: "How are you feeling now? Madam."

Mrs. Norton was confused by Disraeli's sudden question, but she still responded politely: "Thank you for your concern. After exercising my body, I feel much better now."

"So have you decided what subject matter to write a novel about?"

"Well..." Mrs. Norton laughed dumbly and said: "To be honest, I have a lot of things I want to write recently. But if you ask me suddenly, I really don't know where to start."

Seeing this, Arthur suddenly smiled and said: "Actually, when Benjamin first asked me, I didn't know what to write about. But at that time, he told me, just write about the things you are most familiar with and care about most. That's it. Hence, the current "Hastings Detective Collection" is here. Madam, if you don't have a clue, why don't you do what I did and start from a familiar angle."

Mrs. Norton said while maintaining a smile: "Thank you for your advice, Mr. Hastings. But unfortunately, I cannot be called a person as knowledgeable and experienced as you. I am just a vulgar person." Just an ordinary woman. As you can see, I got married not long after I reached adulthood at the age of sixteen. My family had arranged a husband for me, but I insisted on choosing it myself. In the end, I ended up on the road to marrying someone. The women who were arranged had the same fate. You must have met my man, he is the justice of the peace in Westminster, are you getting along well? "

When Arthur heard this, he felt a little embarrassed.

It would obviously not be in line with social etiquette to follow Mrs. Norton's words and denounce Mr. Norton as an unseemly villain.

But if he praises Mr. Norton, it will make Mrs. Norton resent him.

And most importantly, according to the latest intelligence from the London Police Intelligence Service. Since the Nortons attended the Coburg concert together six months ago, the relationship between the Nortons seems to have eased. The best proof of this is that the couple, who had been separated for a long time, are living together again.

Therefore, Arthur didn't understand whether Mrs. Norton's resentment was still as great as it was half a year ago.

And what surprised Arthur the most was that according to intelligence, Viscount Melbourne would visit the Norton family from time to time. When Mr. Norton is not busy, he will personally send his wife to the Ministry of the Interior to talk about friendship with the Viscount.

This kind of behavior that is so bizarre that it is difficult for Arthur to understand naturally pushes the complicated and bizarre relationship between the three people to a new level.

It is estimated that only Elder can understand this extremely complicated emotional connection.

But unfortunately, Elder may have entered the cannibal's mouth at this time.

With the enemy's situation unclear, Arthur thought about it for a long time, and finally decided to play it safe and chose a slightly euphemistic way of saying: "Although Mr. Norton was a senior lawyer before, before he came back to be a judge, he always considered I can understand that it takes some time to adapt to the new job as I focus on trivial matters in the parliament.”

Arthur's words not only saved Mrs. Norton's face, but also complied with her wishes.

But what Arthur didn't expect was that Mrs. Norton didn't seem to intend to save much face for Mr. Norton.

"Sigh... I know that the magistrate's seat is not even occupied, and he has not picked up all the legal knowledge he has lost for several years, but now he is thinking about matters in the prosecutor's office. It's like he Just like the defeat in the previous election, before the base was solidified, he ran to compete for the middle voters. In the end, he failed to get votes from both sides, so he could only run back to London in despair and lose his temper at me."

Mrs. Norton's words were just complaints in the usual sense, but Arthur quickly extracted the key information: "Mr. Norton wants to go to the London District Attorney's Office? Oh, I almost forgot, they seem to be planning to appoint a senior The Queen's Counsel acts as the Attorney General. Since Mr. Norton can be appointed as a justice of the peace, it means that he has been practicing law for more than seven years. Looking at it this way, he does not have no chance."

Mrs. Norton just shook her head: "No, Mr. Hastings, you don't know him. In his seven years of practicing law, he didn't handle many cases in total. He just followed the family's arrangements, stayed for seven years, and became the Queen's Counsel. It's just a name. If he worked hard like you, I would definitely not say no. But the problem is, he is not.

Since becoming a justice of the peace, his greatest pleasure has been building relationships with people everywhere. If he were made a prosecutor, he would definitely cause trouble. However, it is such a simple thing and he has no self-awareness. This is simply ridiculous. He shamelessly asked me to beg William for him more than once, and also said those unpleasant words. You simply don’t know what he thinks of me. I am not a shameless person like him. oh! my Lord! All of this is simply stranger than fiction. "

After saying this, Mrs. Norton did not forget to say to Mr. Eitel: "Please add an emerald necklace and some ruby ​​rings to the portrait for me."

Eitel was stunned when he heard this: "But, madam, you are not wearing these jewelry today!"

Mrs. Norton gritted her teeth and said: "I know, I don't have these jewelry either. But I feel that sooner or later I will be angry to death, and once I die, he will definitely marry again soon. I want to let the newcomer The woman went crazy trying to find these jewelry so that he could get retribution. I swear, even if I die, I must make sure that he has no peace!"

When Arthur heard this, he suddenly said: "Madam, I think if you really do this, you may be hurt before you hurt Mr. Norton. Not only that, you may also hurt Viscount Melbourne." .”

Mrs. Norton was stunned when she heard this: "Why is this?"

Arthur replied: "Think about it, you don't have these jewelry, but the portrait comes out. If Mr. Norton sees this painting, he will definitely say that these jewelry were given to you by others. Isn't this..."

As soon as Arthur finished speaking, Mrs. Norton suddenly woke up from a dream: "Oh my God! Mr. Hastings, you are right, I can't do this. But...if I don't do something, I feel a little uncomfortable." Not reconciled..."

When Arthur heard this, the corners of his mouth suddenly turned up. He just smiled and said: "It's nothing. Have you forgotten? You still have your pen. If you really encounter misfortune one day, we will find ways to replace you." You publish these things, of course, if you are willing."