Rimbaud's girl

Vitaly smiled at him, "I know. I have to go, I will return to Rouen next weekend, and I will send you a letter in advance, telling you the day and time of departure. Oh, and, there are There are quite a few oil paintings, but some are damaged, and I would like to select some paintings for sale and restore some of them. Does Goupil also take over the business of painting restoration?" That was when the manor was used as a headquarters by the Prussian army a few years ago The late Mrs. Caroline was upset to see the damage, and took the damaged paintings from the walls and put them away in an empty room.This time it was she who wanted to change the interior decoration, and the housekeeper remembered that there were still some items.

"Gupil doesn't accept painting restoration," Vincent shook his head, "but I can introduce you to a very good restoration artist."

She nodded, "Okay. I'll see it later." She put on her white satin gloves and stretched out her hand, "Goodbye, Mr. Van Gogh, see you next time."

Vincent van Gogh kissed the back of her hand awkwardly.

Jean-Louis Forlan always felt that Vitaly was quite different now than before, but it was difficult for him to say exactly what was different.

Maybe it's growing taller?Or, grow up?

In short, no longer the rustic "little girl" who just came from Charleville.

Just watching her spend thousands of francs with a wave of her hand without blinking her eyes, you know that this girl is really different.She doesn't have the timidity of a girl who grew up in a small town in a poor country, and she lacks etiquette, but she is not like those ladies and ladies who have been educated in etiquette. The kind of rural innocence that is just right adds charm to her , she is not as rigid as those girls who have been educated in etiquette since childhood, so she is more likable.

Arthur is not in Paris, and Fran always claims to be Vitaly's protector, and very consciously puts himself in the position of an older brother. It is perfectly normal for an older brother to take his younger sister to buy new dresses and beautiful new women's hats. up.

Vitaly looks very beautiful, very similar to Arthur, with a small, round, chubby face, she still looks like a girl, but she can already see that she will become a dazzling beauty in the future; With a fair complexion and a pair of moving blue eyes, he is very suitable to be a character in the painter's pen. He has drawn no less than 20 portraits of her, and there are even more sketches.

He took Vitaly to the millinery shop to buy a new hat, proudly and cautiously introduced to the female shop assistant, this is his sister, the female shop assistant entertained her very kindly, tried many new hats for her this year, finally she Picked out three hats, two winter outing hats and one satin indoor hat.Women's hats are much more expensive than men's hats, and three hats cost 80 francs.

Fran paid the bill, took her to the restaurant again, had dinner, and sent her home.

Gabriel Oran's letter was on the table in her room.After all, the letter she wrote to him on the day of her illness should have just arrived in London, before he had time to write her a reply.

Open the envelope with a letter opener and pull out the letter.

Gabriel really became more and more good at talking about love, probably because Arthur was a poet, he would copy a love poem for her at the end of every letter, Shakespeare, Burns, Wordsworth, Byron and so on.

"O my love is like a red rose,

In June, the wind blows at the beginning,

Ah, my love is like a sweet tune,

Played in time and harmony. "

or:

"She walks in the splendor of beauty, like the night

Clear and cloudless and full of stars;

The most beautiful shades of light and dark

in her looks and glances;

The dazzling day is only too strong,

It is softer and darker than that light. "

Ah, who doesn't love to hear beautiful love stories?

In a good mood, she began to write back to him.

Kerosene lamps are very bright, the best lighting tool in the era without electric lights. There are two kerosene lamps on the table, illuminating most of the bedroom.

After writing the letter, I turned out the kerosene lamp and went to bed.

In the morning, ask Draai to post the letter for her on the way to school. After 10 o'clock, I received another letter from Vincent van Gogh.

She was very strange, thinking what did he want to tell her?Obviously not familiar with him.He would one day—after death—be the most famous painter in the world, but now he was just an ordinary art salesman, and she didn't even know when he started learning to paint.

In fact, when she saw him, she didn't even have any waves in her heart, and she was a little disappointed: he was just an ordinary-looking young man.How old is he?I don't seem to have asked him, but he looks a few years older than Arthur. Arthur still looks like a 16 or 7-year-old boy with a tender face.

She opened the letter.

"Good day, Miss Rimbaud:

The name of the art restorer you asked last time is xxxx, who lives at No. 22, xx Street. You can first write to inquire about the approximate price of the restoration. He charges according to the restoration area. The price is fair and the quantity is favorable.

I heard Mr. Foran say that your brother Mr. Rimbaud is a poet with great potential, but I can't find his works on the market.I would love to read his works, could you copy some of his poems and send them to me?I hope my request will not bore you.

Mr. Folan also said that you will become a great painter in the future. I have not seen your paintings. I think he may be a bit exaggerated, but I believe in his appreciation.You are learning from M. Degas, are you not?I wish you progress in your studies and realize your dreams as soon as possible.

Yours faithfully, Vincent van Gogh. "

Vitaly couldn't help wondering, what on earth had Fran told him?

She didn't bring Arthur's manuscripts with her, but she still remembered some of the shorter poems, wrote them silently, and put them in the reply to Vincent, and asked Mrs. Reval to send them to the post office.

"Good afternoon, Monsieur Van Gogh:

I thought you only paid attention to the works of painters, not poets.I copied a few of his poems for you, please tell me if you understand, it is related to whether we can have a pleasant conversation in the future.

Vitaly Rimbaud. "

Vincent sent her another letter the next morning.

"Good day, Miss Rimbaud:

I read Mr. Rimbaud's poems, and to be honest, I couldn't quite understand them.I can't lie to you that I get it, I think his poetry is rhyming, but my knowledge is limited, I can't tell how wonderful it is - I can't read it, but I know it's beautiful, It's good.

I used to work at Goupil in London, and this time I was just sending a painting to the head office in Paris. Because of you, I stayed two weeks longer.To tell you the truth, my annual salary in London is 90 pounds, which is not a small amount, but it is not too much, and it does not allow me to live a life without worrying about food and clothing; and my work in London is free of commission The... So, thank you for your care.Mr. Foran said, you must be thinking of your brother who lives alone in London.I have a sister Wilhelmina, she is still young, I love her very much, Mr. Rimbaud must miss you as much as I miss Wilhelmina.

I am sending you a pack of pine nut candies, very sweet and very fragrant.

May I see you again before going to Rouen?I don't think it would be too presumptuous to buy you a cup of coffee, would you agree?

Please write back as soon as possible to let me know if you agree.

Yours faithfully, Vincent van Gogh. "

Also sent with the letter is a pack of pine nut candies, packed in a paper bag, one by one wrapped in candy wrappers.

The candy is of course delicious, sweet, with the unique pine flavor of pine nuts.

So, does this count as "dating"?

It's kind of weird that she and Gabriel haven't really dated yet.

She was curious, very curious.

But not because Vincent asked her out.She is a beautiful girl, and she can tell how good-looking she is from the art salons she has participated in. Except for married men, most unmarried men will strike up a conversation with her, no matter what their appearance is.People who are engaged in literature and art, speaking of it, are really not crooked, at least they all have ordinary looks, even ordinary-looking men like Verlaine and Degas, compared to handsome young men like Arthur and Fran , In fact, he is far more upright than ordinary men on the street.

Vincent van Gogh was just an ordinary man, and asking her out for coffee should be regarded as the most common and normal social interaction in the first contact stage between men and women.She has a boyfriend now, but it doesn't mean that she has to cut off all social interactions. If she thinks it's not appropriate to go to the cafe with him alone, she can call Draai.

As a result, Vincent found that what he thought was just him and Vitaly sitting in a cafe turned into a threesome.

Draer has a good temper, a little less familiar than Forlan, mainly because he is not thick-skinned, but he is also a very talkative young man, and he quickly chatted with Vincent.

He asked how old Vincent was. They were the same year, Drae was born in January 1853, and Vincent was born in March 1.Fran was a few months older than both, born in October 1853; Arthur was younger, born in October 3.

Vincent seemed to want to ask how old Vitaly was, but it would be impolite to ask a young lady's age.Draai knew the date of Vitaly's birth, but it was impossible to just tell a "stranger" so casually.

Vincent thought that Arthur was born at the end of 1854, and Vitaly, the younger sister, was born at the beginning of 1856 at most, only 3 years behind him.He had a vague idea in his mind, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

Draai chatted with him about his life in London, mainly because he wanted to know about the basic necessities of life in London from the side.Arthur also wrote to Drae, but almost never about these trivialities of life.

"Rent accounts for a large part of the expenses, and it is not easy to find a place to provide meals...Eating out is too expensive." Vincent was deeply troubled by the lack of money, "I have to send money back as much as possible. family, because... I am the eldest son."

Vitaly noticed that he was a little strange when he mentioned that he was the eldest son, maybe it was a personality problem?He was shy, mostly because Draere was looking for something to talk about, and she wondered if it wasn't for Draere, she and he might just sit around and have nothing to say.

£90 is only 450 francs in French francs, which is not enough to live in Paris for a year. At least half of the rent must be cut off. 225 francs are not enough for the minimum standard of living of 1 franc a day, and it may not be enough even in London. He actually wanted to save money and send it home—why didn't he starve to death?

She was thankful that she had given Arthur enough money. He didn't have to pay rent, and he could have 200 pounds. He seemed to be able to live well—of course, he couldn't compare with Gabriel, and it was really good to have money.Thinking about it this way, he immediately felt very sympathetic to Vincent: Gabriel's annual living expenses are enough to hire 10 Vincents!

Vincent said that the landlady was French, married an English Protestant pastor, and came to live in England. He lived comfortably in Mrs. Royle's house; his language ability was very strong, his mother tongue was Dutch, and he could speak English , German and French, Dutch, English and German are all Germanic languages, relatively easy to learn, French is a little more difficult, but it is not very difficult for him;

There was also Mrs. Royle's daughter, Ursula, who opened a private school at home to recruit children from the neighborhood, taught simple spelling and reading, and charged tuition and board; It is the main source of livelihood for the mother and daughter.He likes children, and also likes the positive and optimistic attitude towards life of the mother and daughter of the Royle family.

Listen, it seemed to Vitaly that he... liked Ursula?oops!Not surprising! How normal for a 20-year-old young man to like pretty girls!It just seems that he is not very clear about his thoughts, and does not understand that this is "love".

Vincent said that he had postponed his return to London, and he would not return to London until he returned from Rouen. The commission he received had to be sent back home. His father was a pastor with limited income, and there were many younger siblings at home. Still in school, financial pressure is great.

"You can also consider learning to paint," Vitaly said casually: "You already have the level of art appreciation and know what kind of painting is good, why don't you learn to paint? If you can be like Fran, then A little painting work will make you a lot more than your annual salary."

Vincent was stunned for a moment, "Me? Learning to paint?"

"You like the art of painting, don't you?"

"...not bad," he lowered his head, fiddling with the brim of his hat. "I like those beautiful paintings. I can tell at a glance whether a painting is good or not. Unfortunately, most of the guests can't tell the difference. There are very few guests like you."

Vitaly couldn't help laughing, "My art appreciation level is very high! You can think about it, at least you won't be afraid that there will be no place to sell your paintings after you finish your studies."

"I... I don't know, I never learned to paint before."

"Who doesn't never learn?"

"But, I, I'm already 20 years old—" He continued fiddling with the brim of his hat uneasily.A painting can be sold for tens of pounds, or hundreds of francs, which is a lot of money!He was really moved.

"Learning art does not depend on age. You can start learning at any time. Think about it. Your family is not rich, and you have to earn money to support your younger siblings. This is the responsibility of the eldest son in a family with many children. A little commission may Unable to achieve the goal. You already know some painters, you can go to their studio to study, or you can learn by yourself. I found that making money is quite easy.”

She smiled lively.

Vincent felt that all of a sudden, the eyes opened up—is it her words, or her sweet smile?It seems to have both.He was just thinking hard about how to find big clients. After all, there are not many big clients like Vitaly who are straightforward and discerning. He can earn a small commission, but it is far from enough to give his younger siblings a good education. .

Money is a good thing. Ever since he started working officially, he has discovered that more money is definitely better. He really wants to make more money so that his two younger brothers and three younger sisters can receive better education. His parents are getting older and getting more and more Aging, raising 6 children is very hard and difficult. The uncles are very rich, but the money of the uncles is not his family's money. His family just has a good surname, but there is no matching money——

The elder brother, Theo, has also started his apprenticeship at Gupil Company. Theo is 16 years old. He should have continued his studies, preferably a university, but his family had no money to support him, so he had to come out early. Be an apprentice.This is much better than many children who can only work in the bakery. At least after studying, the annual salary is enough to support themselves.

He thought he would be given a salary increase next year, at least to 100 pounds, and he could send the extra 10 pounds to his mother. There are three younger sisters in the family, and the youngest brother, Cole. 3 years old, 1 years younger than Theo.

Ugh!

He felt the weight on his shoulders again.As Vitaly said, he is the eldest son and he has to take care of his younger siblings.

Fran and Draer didn't say much about the family background of Rimbaud's family. The capital of the Ardennes is a remote town compared to Paris. He has also heard that Sedan is near Charleville, so it will definitely be affected by the war. The huge influence of Rimbaud's family may not be as good as that of Van Gogh's family, but looking at Vitaly now, he can't distinguish her from the local girls in Paris.

She's adjusted well, and she doesn't seem to be short of money, he really wants to ask her how she's doing.

Learning to paint is expensive, mostly in paint, but if you can find a sponsor, it's not a problem.Art patrons are ubiquitous in all art industries. It is not uncommon. It is normal. It is not normal for people without sponsors. Most of these artists are not short of money. For example, Paul Cézanne, who was rejected by the "Paris Salon" many times , Cézanne's father was a banker, and he was not short of money, so he didn't have any fixed patrons, but Cezanne was definitely a minority exception.If he studied painting, Uncle Vincent, one of Goupil's shareholders, would certainly be willing to sponsor him.

He suddenly gained confidence, and he tried to do sketching exercises when he returned to his residence.

Still very annoyed: Why didn't I think of becoming a painter before?

He has a good idea of ​​his painting skills, which are very average. When he was a child, he drew some paintings with the encouragement of his mother, but they were all childish painting styles. When he grew up, he almost never took a paintbrush, so he never thought about it. I can also draw by myself.Financial problems have always plagued him, and he doesn't know of any other better ways to make money, so give it a try?