[Count of Monte Cristo] Love and hatred

chapter122

At this moment, the depressed girl whom Villefort described was waiting anxiously in the abandoned garden in the backyard, constantly looking out through the iron gate.

She was tall and graceful, with glossy brown hair, and above all, a delicate and melancholy air of the most noble kind, which was exactly like her mother.But her expression was very melancholy, her slightly frowned eyebrows seemed to be gloomy, and her blue eyes were like two melancholy seas.It's just that this melancholy doesn't detract from her beauty in the slightest. On the contrary, she looks like the English beauty who poetically compares herself to a self-pitying swan.

However, the person she was waiting for did not appear for a long time.Just when she was about to leave, a familiar figure finally appeared on the other side of the iron gate.Even though the man was wearing gray overalls, Valentine recognized him immediately, "Maximilian, you are finally here."

The person on the other side of the iron gate softly called her name, "Valentina, just now, I rented this large alfalfa field behind the garden, and we can meet every day from now on."

"It must have cost you a lot of money."

"It's all worth it for you."

Valentine was moved by the fact that she knew that Maximilian's economy was not well off.In fact, she never cared about these external things. On the contrary, sometimes she even wished that she was not born in such an aristocratic family. In that case, there might be less obstacles between her and Maximilian.

"Maximilian, I also have something to tell you," Valentine's blue eyes sparkled, "just yesterday, I heard my father and my stepmother talk, he planned to marry me to Yipi Nye, I shall be engaged to d'Epinay as soon as he returns to Paris."

"What?" Maximilian's face turned pale for a moment, "Didn't you tell him that you don't love d'Epinay?"

"You know it's no use," said Valentine, in a sad tone.

"What about your stepmother? What did she say?" Maximilian asked unwillingly.

"My stepmother has always hated me, but in this case, selfishness or whatever, she's trying to stop the marriage," Valentine shook her head, "but it's no use, because my father once I have made up my mind and it will never change, all I can do now is cry at my paralyzed old grandfather, but if that happens, I will die."

"No, Valentine, you are a brave girl." Maximilian stretched out his finger through the crack of the iron door, trying to wipe away her tears. "Do you still remember how we met?"

Valentine nodded, "I will never forget."

"Trust me," Maximilian tried to smile, "It will be a while before d'Epinay returns to Paris, and we will definitely find a way."

Valentine was at last somewhat relieved by her lover's consolation.At this moment, there was a noise from behind the bushes, and she glanced back suspiciously, "It must be my brother, he came here."

"Go," said Maximilian reluctantly, "mark my words and take care."

"You too," said Valentine, with tears, "I will wait for you."

When little Edward came over, the "worker" outside the iron gate had disappeared.

"who are you talking to?"

"No, I'm reciting poems," Valentine lied.

"A big man came to our house just now, and he praised me for being smart," said little Edward proudly. "If you were there, you could see him."

"Who is here?"

"The Count of Monte Cristo."

Valentine frowned. She didn't know the man, and she wasn't interested in meeting any important person.She walked quickly to the front yard.

"Where are you going?"

"To see grandpa."

Little Edward responded, but he didn't follow. He didn't like to be around the old man who couldn't speak or move, and he always felt that Grandpa's gaze made him a little scared.

After finally getting rid of her younger brother, Valentine didn't go to her grandfather's room, but went back to her own bedroom, and hurriedly opened the window, but unfortunately she couldn't see anything except the large expanse of greenery outside the window.

However, Maximilian's words reminded her of the past many years ago.

At that time, Valentine's stepmother had just given birth to little Edward.After having her own children, she intensified her persecution of Valentine. The persecution was not torture or torture, but it was more terrible than that, because the persecution was spiritual.

She hated Valentine, but always hid that hatred behind a smile.She controlled the servants at home and ordered the maids to spy on Valentine's every move, while the hard-hearted Villefort always turned a blind eye to what happened to her daughter.Therefore, in that cold home, Valentine felt like a stranger.

Therefore, Valentine had the idea of ​​leaving.During that time, she frequently went to a church, and revealed to the nuns there that she wanted to become a monk.It's just that the kind-hearted nanny persuaded her to think again, and she was also a little worried about her paralyzed grandfather, so she delayed for a while.

When coming out of the church, Valentine noticed a blond girl about her own age selling flowers at the intersection.The clothes on the girl's body were shabby, and her eyes seemed to be weeping, a little red, as if something unfortunate had happened to her.

This made Valentine feel a little sympathetic. She walked over and handed her the change in her hand, "I want a red carnation, so you don't have to look for it."

"Thank you, kind lady," said the girl hastily.

Valentine looked back once more as she climbed into the carriage.Just then a young soldier happened to pass by, and the flower girl wiped away her tears, then ran over and handed him a white rose.

"Sophia?" The soldier froze for a moment, "But I don't want to buy flowers right now."

"Leo, this is for you."

"Thank you", the soldier held up the rose and shook it in his hands, before continuing to walk forward.

At this time, Valentine saw a sweet smile on the girl's face, is that her lover?

Perhaps infected by that smile, Valentine's gloomy mood improved a little.After returning home, she first visited her grandfather who was lying on the sickbed.All these years, her only companion was this old man who was paralyzed by a stroke. His shriveled hands could no longer hold her hand tightly, and only his eyes could still communicate with her.

There was a sudden noise in the drawing-room, and Valentine could not help going downstairs to see that a sheriff had called at the house.

"I said, Mr. Villefort, what are you going to do with the friends of abc."

"They will be guillotined for treason."

"But many of those young men were nobles."

"Everyone is equal before the law."

"Actually, there is no difference, because we are going to attack tomorrow, and I found out that the place where they meet is called the Meuchan Café." The sheriff handed Villefort a note, "It's just that I'm worried that some fish will slip through the net." , this is the list made by one of the arrested people, maybe you will be needed at that time."

Villefort nodded and accepted the list.

Valentine knew her father's innocence, because she often pleaded for the prisoners, but he never listened.But this time is different, because Villefort is a prosecutor, and Valentine knows what happened in Paris recently even if she doesn't go out. She sympathizes with those students and workers, and among those criminals that her father and the police chief say, there are even some Or someone she knew.Knowing that they were going to die, she couldn't just sit back and watch.

Her mother had defended the Napoleonic party, but this time Valentine went a step further and decided to steal the list.While the maid was going to sleep, she quietly left the bedroom, went to Villefort's study and rummaged around, and finally found the list in his coat pocket.

She hid it in her pocket and hurried downstairs, then, with her head bowed, out of sight of the porter, she was at last in the empty street.

She wanted to find the café they were talking about.However, the carriage she hired couldn't find her way.Valentine had to get out of the car and walk on her own, and she met a few punks at a corner, but a girl scared them away by yelling.

"Follow me," the girl took Valentine's hand and started running.

It wasn't until she entered the girl's house that Valentine recognized her as the flower girl named Sophia.This is called a home, but it is actually just a narrow and airy room.Everything in the house was so broken that Valentine could hardly set foot on it.

There was also a woman in the room coughing constantly. Valentine walked over and found that the woman's face was pale and her body was drenched in cold sweat. Beside her was a small cradle with a lovely baby lying in it.

Sophia gently took Valentine's hand and led her away, "My little niece Sandy finally fell asleep, let's not wake her up."

Thinking of the cholera epidemic a while ago, Valentine couldn't help frowning, "Sandy's mother seems to be sick. For the sake of the child, maybe you should isolate her from her mother."

"But where can we move?" Sophia shook her head and said helplessly, "This is our home, we have no other place to go."

Valentine sighed softly.She always felt that her life was miserable and hopeless, but it was only here that she saw what real misery is.

Seeing a set of gray overalls hanging in the room, Valentine tentatively asked, "By the way, where is the father of the child?"

"My brother went to a cafe with a group of students," Sofia sighed, "I can't persuade him to come back."

"Is it called Miao Shang Cafe?"

Sophia nodded.

"Great, can you take me there?"

"Of course, but I have to buy medicine for my sister-in-law first." Sophia took out a beautiful brooch and said sadly, "This is the only thing my mother left, but now, I have to put It sold."

Valentine recognized the earl's pattern on the brooch, and she seemed to have seen that pattern somewhere, "It belongs to the nobles."

"Yes," Sophia smiled wryly, "My brother once said that our mother is the lady of Earl Salvio's family."

Of course Valentine knew the Countess of the Salvio family, or, more appropriately, Baroness Danglars.She knew they couldn't be Ermini's children, but she said nothing.

This time she ran away from home, and Valentine took some money with her.Although she can't feel her father's love, at least he won't defraud her of money.

Now, she took out the velvet bag that contained the money and handed it to Sophia.

"Take this money and go buy medicine for your sister-in-law. Since it is a relic left by your mother, please don't sell it."

"No, miss, I can't accept it," Sophia said immediately, "I told you that just because I think you are an easy-going person, and I have no one to confide in those things...I absolutely I didn't mean to ask you for money."

Valentine's heart was filled with emotion.It can be seen that Sophia does have a kind of arrogance that belongs to the nobility.

"Now is not the time to talk about this. The lives of your sister-in-law and your niece are more important," Valentine insisted. "Besides, if it wasn't for you, the money would have been robbed by those punks long ago. If you are willing to take my Be a friend, take it, it's a gift from a friend."

"But..."

"Please don't sell that brooch," Valentine's blue eyes flickered, "I also lost the most important person, so I know how important it is to you."

Sophia finally took the purse, choked up and said, "Thank you, miss."

"Call me Valentine."

They went out together, and under the guidance of Sophia, Valentine finally found the way to the Café Meuchan.She asked Sophia to buy medicine first, and promised to bring Sophia's brother Bruno back.

Originally, no woman was allowed to enter the back hall of the cafe, except the glass-washing woman Louison.However, under Valentine's strong request, a young man with a wine bottle finally came over and left a gap in the door, but he didn't intend to let her through.

"Miss, this is not the place for you."

"I know exactly where this is."

"Who are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for your leader, and a worker named Bruno." Valentine pondered for a while, "tell them that I am the daughter of Prosecutor Villefort."

The person went upstairs to report and came back soon, "This way please, miss."

When Valentine went upstairs, a dozen young men stared at her unanimously.But Valentine did not mind her shyness, she knew her mission.She recognized several familiar faces among them, after all, everyone had seen them at the noble's gathering.

Because the impassioned speech just now was interrupted, the handsome young man at the head folded his arms and asked, "Miss Villefort, what is your business here?"

Valentine handed him the note with her name on it, and told them all she knew.

"So, before those soldiers come, please run away. Leave Paris, leave France, and escape to places where they can't catch you," Valentine said a little excitedly.

Many people present turned pale with fright, and they all realized the seriousness of the words.But the leader named Enjolras remained calm, "Miss Villefort, I am sincerely grateful for everything you have done, but this is Paris, this is our home. We will not leave here, nor will we betray our loved ones." France."

After he said this, others echoed in succession.After persuasion to no avail, Valentine finally understood their intentions, and she was doomed to fail.She suddenly remembered that she had another mission, which was to find Bruno.

"He's not with us," Enjolras pondered for a while, and pointed to her a barricade.

"Will you go there too?" asked Valentine.

"No, we'll go to another barricade."

"Then goodbye..."

Enjolras didn't answer her words, but just waved his hands.When Valentine was gone, he said in a tone of sigh, "Farewell, Mademoiselle de Villefort."

Valentine walked towards the direction Enjolras pointed at. At this time, some soldiers had already gathered on the road that should have been deserted. Maybe they acted ahead of time?

She just felt her heart beating non-stop, and at this moment, a young soldier walked towards her.

"Miss, where are you going?"

"None of your business." Valentine prevaricated.Although she could feel the kindness in his gaze, she was an enemy to those she was trying to help.

"But it's dangerous to walk alone at night. Do you want me to take you home?"

"No," said Valentine coldly, "my house is just ahead."

"Okay." Although the soldier said so, he still followed her.She is grateful to him and wants to get rid of him.

At this time, another soldier came over, "What are you doing over there?"

His fierce gaze sent shivers down Valentine's spine, and for a moment she forgot the words she had thought up.

"Did you go there to report the news?" the soldier continued to ask.

"Come on, Leo, don't scare her, she is my sister Yuri, who came to see me in Paris." The soldiers behind hurried forward.

"Maximilian, you'd better tell the truth," said the soldier, folding his hands.

"Leo, what's the matter with you, you know I have a younger sister," Maximilian blinked.

"It's dangerous over there, go back quickly," Leo snorted and left.

After the soldier had gone away, Valentine finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now tell me, what are you doing there?" asked Maximilian.

At this time, Valentine was finally convinced that the other party was a good person. She tilted her head and asked, "If I said I was there to inform, would you arrest me?"

"No," said Maximilian, smiling, "but I advise you not to go, miss. It's dangerous."

"You're worried about me..."

"Yes."

"Actually I was scared too, but I had to go because I promised Sofia to find her brother," insisted Valentine.

"You mean, your friend's brother is in there."

Valentine nodded.

"Then he's a..."

"Traitor," Valentine answered for him. "That's the word you meant to say. But do you really think they're damned?"

Maximilian shook his head, "But I can't question the superior's decision. But now, I can at least escort you there."

"Thank you," Valentine said with some surprise.

They walked side by side for a while, and that part of the road was dangerous.Because if there is no Maximilian, maybe she will become the target of soldiers or gangsters.But with Maximilian by his side, those rebels might deal with them.

Therefore, Maximilian kept Valentine's inside to guard against the sneak attack of weapons along the way.

Valentine couldn't help feeling fond of the young soldier, "Are you willing to help me, so you're not afraid that I'm a traitor too?"

"If a weak lady like you is also regarded as a traitor, maybe I will doubt everything I believe in."

"Do you know? When I was young, I heard many stories of knights being brave and protecting the weak. When I grew up, I gradually felt that it only existed in stories, but in you, I saw that spirit."

"Thank you, Miss." Maximilian asked back with a smile, "Don't you have that kind of spirit in you? After all, what you want to do is to take great risks."

Valentine met his gentle gaze, "Actually, I used to feel that I was miserable. I didn't know what real misery is until I saw Sophia's home. I really want to do something for them."

"Miss, what you have to do may be equivalent to pouring a drop of water on a burning flame."

"That's right, but without water droplets, where does the ocean come from?"

Maximilian was silent.

After a long time, he spoke again, "Miss, I admire your spirit, but my actions may disappoint you. The bounden duty of a soldier is to obey. When my commander ordered me to point my gun at them, I will do that."

"It's not your fault."

By this time they had reached the intersection near the barricade.

"The war is about to start, find the person you are looking for, and leave quickly," Maximilian said, "If I go with you, they will think you are on my side and hurt you. But I Will be waiting here."

Valentine nodded solemnly.

She ran into the alley and found that the people there had built a fortification.

Seeing that a girl was coming, they didn't make things difficult for her.

"Who is Bruno?" asked Valentine.

"I am", a young man stepped out.

"You must leave here with me," said Valentine. "Your wife is very ill, and she needs you."

"No, I won't leave," Bruno said, folding his hands, "France needs me too."

"You don't care about her at all?" demanded Valentine.

"What is a personal life if there is no hope for France?" Bruno asked back, staring into his sad blue eyes.

"How could you..." Valentine was speechless because of her anger.

At this time, Sophia, who had already delivered the medicine to her home, also inquired all the way over.They persuaded Bruno for a while, but he remained unmoved. When Sofia pulled Valentine to leave, gunshots rang out outside.

Only then did Bruno realize the seriousness of the problem. He took the two girls into the house and told them to hide in the closet, "No matter what happens, don't come out, they won't hurt the girls."

The street fight went on for a long time.

The gunfire seemed to stop temporarily, and they saw through the crack of the cabinet that the injured Bruno was holding a gun, stumbling into the door, and warned them, "Don't go out!"

"Brother, what are you going to do?" Sophia asked anxiously.

"I'm going to kill them and avenge my brother!" Bruno said as he ran upstairs with a gun.

At this time, there was a sound of footsteps outside the door, and soldiers had already broken into the fortification.Sophia recognized the voice of that person, it was the soldier she loved named Leo, and hurriedly pushed the cabinet away and ran out, "Don't come here!"

Valentine didn't have time to stop her, so she quickly chased her out.

But it was too late.

With a gunshot, Sophia fell to the ground, and her favorite violet flowers in her hands were scattered all over the ground.

Valentine only remembered that when the shooting ended, there was blood everywhere outside the door.Not just Sophia's, but many others' as well.

She stood there in a daze until another soldier came over, put his clothes on her, covered her eyes, and led her out.

Valentine knew that it was Maximilian.

Strangely, she didn't cry then.It wasn't until she was escorted out of the fortification by him that she realized that she was shaking all over, her heart was beating, and she felt so painful.

"No, Sophia!"

At this time, Bruno had dropped the gun in despair, rushed out and knelt beside his sister.He called her loudly, but the girl could no longer answer.And the soldier named Leo just gave Sophia a sympathetic look, and then backed out.

Maybe he never understood her feelings for him, or maybe he guessed a little, but that didn't matter because Sofia was dead.

All the soldiers pointed their guns at Bruno, but at this moment, Chief Dominique ordered a ceasefire.He walked forward slowly, and found that the girl lying in a pool of blood was very similar to the Catherine he had loved.He knew that Catherine had several family members in the world.

"Are you Catherine's cousin?" he asked Bruno.

"It turned out to be you," Bruno said angrily. "You betrayed my sister Catherine, and now you have killed my sister."

"I never betrayed Catherine, nor did I kill your sister." Dominique pondered for a while, "Bruno, don't you understand who killed her?"

Bruno pursed his lips and glared back at him angrily.

Dominique ordered him to be taken away.

Because Bruno was Catherine's only remaining relative and was a worker, the colonel managed to release him.But what the colonel didn't expect was that the first thing Bruno did when he came out of prison was to avenge his sister and companions, and he was beaten into a sieve by the soldiers in the end.

After that, Colonel Dominique found Bruno's home.At this time, Bruno's wife Elena was dying because no one took care of her for a long time.

"Please..." Elena said with difficulty, "take care of my little Sandy."

"I will take care of her." The colonel picked up the child and looked at her with loving eyes. "I swear."

Elena closed her eyes contentedly.

All this Valentine later heard from Maximilian.

On the day of the tragedy, Maximilian sent Valentine back regardless of her injuries.

It was Dr. Avrini, not her father Villefort, who came to fetch her.For the sake of her and his own reputation, Villefort claimed that his daughter had been ill for the past two days and could not see guests, while he himself was performing official duties as usual.So the doctor who was supposed to take care of his "seriously ill daughter" took on the responsibility of finding her in danger.

Fortunately, he finally found her.

When Valentine lost control of her emotions and threw herself into the doctor's arms, Maximilian was sincerely relieved that she had found her "father".

He realized it was time to leave.And when he walked back, for some reason, he suddenly felt a sense of loss in his heart.

But soon the feeling was gone, for Valentine caught up with him.

She leaned close to his ear, "Mr. Maximilian, please don't forget me."

Maximilian stood there in a daze, and when Valentine left, he found an extra delicate handkerchief on his hand, with her name embroidered on it

—Valentine.

The author has something to say: Sorry for not updating on weekends, let me relax the fat chapter in the early morning of Monday.This chapter strings together the stories of abc's friends in another famous novel "Les Miserables", and the overall tone is also tragic.

In addition to explaining the first encounter between Valentine and Maximilian, this chapter also explains the follow-up of the Saturn line.Sophia and Bruno are the two children of Aunt Saturn.And the last blood of their family, Sandy, was also adopted by Saturn's lover, Colonel Dominique. This can be regarded as a little hope in the miserable world.

Note:

What is "abc's friends"? ——

This is an association that advocates children's education on the surface, but actually aims to train adults.

The friends they call themselves "abc" are the people.

Most of abc's friends are college students, and they have deep friendship with several workers.

Now they have disappeared into the abyss of nothingness behind our heads.

But before we enter this tragic story, before readers see how they died in a heroic struggle, it may not be useless to shine a light on the faces of these young people.

——Excerpt from Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" (Preface)