Miss Mary in Pride and Prejudice

The message that Earl Leicester sent with the constellation gemstone pendant is WILLYOUMERRY, and now there is only the last word ME, but Anne joked that maybe Earl Leicester can save the money and replace that with himself. ME.Mary agreed with her selfishly, although she would never admit it on the surface, and now she was looking forward to seeing him every minute.Thinking that she had rejected his marriage proposal so rationally and calmly, she felt a little inconceivable.

Mrs. Jenkinson also sincerely prayed for good things to come. She found that Anne's own physical and mental state has become better and better since Anne has been concerned about Mary's life-long affairs. The more she returns to China, her mission will be successfully completed, and she can get the pension promised by Mrs. de Bourgh to live a leisurely retirement life.

In short, everyone has their own plans, and everyone's plans affect others more or less.Since Mrs. Jenkinson made up her mind to return to England soon to report to Mrs. De Bourgh, she naturally hoped that Anne would look healthier. Although Anne's complexion was still good recently, Mrs. Jenkinson still thought she was too pale.So she couldn't wait to urge Annie to do more outdoor activities, bask in the sun, and make her complexion look healthier.

Anne and Mary had no objection to this suggestion, and it was not pleasant to wait in the room every day, so Mrs. Jenkinson easily persuaded them to take a hike together on the silver beach outside the town of Antibes.They chose a sunny morning to set off, and walked all the way to the beach without taking a carriage.

The streets of Antibes exude an atmosphere of tranquility and tranquility, with a little sunlight peeking through the thin clouds, dyeing the slow rhythm of Antibes that has not changed for centuries in soft and warm tones.The ancient buildings with a long history along the way, as well as the shop owners who have been operating for centuries and have insisted on excellent quality, took the initiative to say hello to these distinguished guests who lived in the town in the off-season. Mary felt that she had found the longing for in Antibes. Tranquility, a true happiness that has nothing to do with money and status.

Out of the town, through a vineyard, you reach the seaside.Originally, the vineyards in winter looked desolate, but here a fence surrounded by barbed wire was built around the desolate vineyards, which was extremely ugly.Anne frowned, and asked: "Is this ugly fence built in the vineyard to prevent people from stealing grapes?" Mrs. Jenkinson replied: "Oh, no, I heard Mr. Lisbon say that this is his My friend’s vineyard, every year when the grapes are harvested, there are people taking care of it from morning to night, and there are groups of watchdogs, so that they are not afraid of someone stealing the grapes. But there are not enough people in other seasons, and erecting a fence is a must. In order to prevent the poor people nearby from stealing grape leaves to eat in spring."

Mary asked in amazement: "Can grape leaves be eaten?" Mrs. Jenkinson said disdainfully: "No, those villagers are so poor that they can eat anything. Mr. Lisbon knows a lot. He said that the grapes of this variety The name is Grenache, and there is no fluff on the grape leaves. The locals like to eat it very much. It is their vegetable. It is cooked with rice and eaten. In spring, it is a free vegetable garden in the nearby village. Who can resist this temptation? Often the vines are stripped and the year's harvest is wiped out. So Mr. Lisbon's friend had to erect a fence, for which Mr. Lisbon blamed him."

Mary and Anne did not doubt this point, and at the same time, they had a new understanding of the poverty in the French countryside. Mary said softly to Anne: "So the French launched a great revolution. If food and clothing were safe, which ordinary people would take risks? You Just look at how easy-going and peaceful those people in the town are." Annie sighed softly, nodded and remained silent.

Soon they came to the beautiful beach of Antibes with a wide view, where the hustle and bustle of summer was not seen on the beach. A few parasols were quietly meditating with the singing of the sea. Tianji is dressed up in a very quiet manner, exuding the elegance of a literati and the subtle beauty of an artist.Several elderly gentlemen gathered and chatted in a seaside restaurant, and a cute little girl on the beach chased a pigeon along the seashore with a smile. The girl's smiling face became Mary's last good memory of her trip to Antibes.

Then, suddenly, like a dark cloud covering the sky, a slim figure came from behind the cheerfully running little girl.Mary recognized Miss Cynthia, and her heart sank inexplicably.

Miss Cynthia was alone, wearing a long black slim coat, black leather boots and black gloves, a black hat on her head, and a black face net hanging down. Mary could not see her expression clearly, but her steps were So firm and difficult, it seems that every step is heading towards the abyss.A large scarf as red as blood spots covered her upper body and fluttered in the sea breeze, making her look like an avenging angel.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bennet, Mrs. Davies, and ... the lady." Miss Cynthia had obviously forgotten Mrs. Jenkinson's name, but she was greeted in a friendly manner.Miss Cynthia didn't seem to want to add more pleasantries, she said bluntly: "Mrs. Davis, it's very windy now, and the cafe over there is much warmer than here, if you can go over with this lady for a hot cup Tea, I'd appreciate it—for I'd like to have a word with Miss Bennet alone." Her words had the tenderness and tenderness of a French woman, but with an unshakable determination.

Mary wanted to hear what she had to say to herself, so she nodded to Anne, and Anne nodded to Miss Cynthia, and went to the cafe with Mrs Jenkinson to hear Mrs Jenkinson complain about "the French are so impolite" .

After Anne and the others left, Mary waited for Miss Cynthia to speak, and Cynthia stood there quietly watching Mary, without speaking for a long time.Mary was a little ashamed, so she asked coldly: "Princess, may I ask what you want to do when you come all this way? You can't just stand here and look at how ugly I am?"

A bitter smile appeared on Miss Cynthia's lips: "No, Miss Bennet, on the contrary, I'm looking for what is so special about you that can make the Earl of Leicester madly fall in love with you."

Mary's face flushed, "I can't understand what you mean, maybe I'm too ignorant about Parisian social etiquette, but in England, such words should never come from the mouth of a respectable lady."

"Then pardon the frankness of a Parisian woman, Miss Bennet. I recently learned by chance that the Earl of Leicester is making a proposal to you, or rather he is making a proposal to you, in a way that will make all Antiy A way that Budu thinks is extremely romantic?"

Mary raised her head bravely and said, "Even if that's the case, what does it matter to you?"

Miss Cynthia was facing the sea. After hearing Mary's words, she turned her head abruptly and lifted half of her veil. Mary gasped and almost cried out: Miss Cynthia's originally smooth face There was a distinct palm print on the delicate cheek, which was unsightly red and swollen, making Cynthia's originally beautiful and charming face extremely hideous and terrifying.

"Please look at my face and this palm print. This is the answer he gave me when I questioned the Earl of Leicester with the same question last night."

Mary was so shocked that she couldn't speak, but Miss Cynthia slowly put down the mask in her hand, and said slowly: "But he didn't ask me like you, 'what has it to do with you', because he clearly knew that I He has the right to ask everything about him."

Mary clutched her dress convulsively at her bosom, unable to speak, while Miss Cynthia took off the glove of her left hand finger by finger, and on her ring finger she wore a large ring with a brilliant gold inlaid on it. The yellow diamond, Cynthia held the ring on her finger up to Mary's face: "Please look at this ring, this is our engagement ring, he put it on my finger when he proposed to me, this yellow diamond It is a family heirloom of the Leicester family. There are two pieces in total, which are exactly the same. He gave me the other one to be inlaid with the lily brooch you have seen before..."

Miss Cynthia choked up a bit, and continued: "My father once warned me that the Earl of Leicester's proposal to me was purely for political purposes, to take advantage of my father's status in the French royal family, but a woman in love It's just so stupid..."

Mary's brain was roaring as if struck by lightning, she could hardly think, and could only murmur, "I don't know...no one has ever mentioned...why did he..."

Miss Cynthia immediately stopped sobbing, and she said like a cannonball: "After he proposed to me, he asked me to keep a secret. Although I didn't think it was necessary, I still agreed to him, because I never thought of a gentleman. I will break my promise. But at the ball that night, I saw the way he looked at you, and I knew he was in love with you. It was my fault that I deliberately made things difficult for you out of jealousy, but he didn’t care. Mercifully offered me to break off the engagement. Now you know why he wanted Napoleon to return to Paris? He used this as a leverage to force me to agree to break off the engagement with him, otherwise he could keep the French royal family forever. Now you You also know why he proposed to you in such a protracted romantic way? Because he needs time to convince me to release him first!"

Mary felt a splitting headache. She couldn't believe what Miss Cynthia said, but she couldn't imagine that what Cynthia said was not true. She still remembered the Minister of Finance of the Directorate Government and Mr. Lisbon's evaluation of the Earl of Leicester. He has the skills and scheming to achieve his goals, but what can he do to make him spend so much trouble?

She smiled wryly, and shed tears involuntarily.Cynthia held her hand and said in a sad tone: "Miss Bennet, it's not that I have to cling to a man who doesn't love me. I have no self-esteem. I came here today to ask you, what do you think I should do? If you think the earl's love for you is in line with human and moral principles, and you are still willing to marry him, I will immediately say nothing. I will break off the engagement with the Earl of Leicester when I go back." She quickly took off the ring on her finger and held it in her palm, "No, I will return his token to you now, and I will never see him again I will write to him and tell him my decision..."

Miss Cynthia was about to put the ring into Mary's hand. Mary cried and shook her hand away. She covered her face with her hands, but the tears still flowed from her fingers. She turned her head and walked back against the wind. Annie, who was looking this way worriedly, ran towards her at this moment: "Oh my God, what's wrong with you, Mary? What happened?"

Mary cried and shook her head: "Take me out of here, Annie, don't ask anything, I just want to get out of here."

Mrs. Jenkinson was also frightened by Mary's state, and without Anne's orders, she ran and called a cab.When they left the beach, Anne looked back at Miss Cynthia suspiciously, and saw that she was standing upright, her skirt was blown by the wind like a flag fluttering in the wind, and her long red scarf was unknown. When it was blown into the sea by the wind, it rolled up and down, getting farther and farther away, leaving only a touch of blood red.

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