[La Traviata] The Road to Celebrities in Paris

Margaret looked over, and saw that it was a strange man, quite tall, relatively fat, wearing inappropriate clothes, his eyes were narrowing, making him look smaller, and a beard was growing on his face. With a fair and tender face, the whole person looked a little vulgar and barbaric.

"What is he going to do?" Naning asked in a low voice. Julie is a warm-hearted person. When an African brown bear confronts a weak woman, she must be helping the latter, so she shouted: "What do you want?" What to do to her!"

The fat man didn't lift his head, he stretched out his hand, and just when Julie thought the savage was about to hit the poor woman, the man just whispered, "Take it out."

"What?" The woman froze for a moment, and the fat man narrowed his eyes again.

The woman cried, "I don't know what you're talking about! Sir! Please let us go!"

Hearing this, the fat man pushed the woman's arm away impatiently, and then took out a ring from his sleeve.

It was a ruby ​​ring, with exquisite workmanship, and the surrounding lines were meticulous, like vines biting gemstones, entangled. Margaret liked this ring very much, so she immediately understood it when she saw it.

"Don't tell me that you, a poor ghost, will own this ring." The man said rudely, and the woman's face was burning red.

"Mom..." the young child yelled unconsciously with his eyes wide open.

The woman's face turned pale, as if she lost her blood all of a sudden.

People around started pointing at the woman, and the little girl seemed frightened.

Margaret's heart moved, she walked over, looked at the fat man and said, "Sir, I think it's just a misunderstanding."

The fat man sneered: "Are you trying to tell me that this ring was put into someone's sleeve by yourself?"

Margaret said: "I think about my stuff, and I should know it better than anyone." She spread her palms as she spoke.

The fat man threw the ring into her palm, a sarcastic smile appeared on his not ugly face.

"As she said, you are such a kind lady." After he finished speaking, he left, and the crowd gradually dispersed.

Margaret turned to look at the woman, who was flushing and clutching her child tightly in her hands.

"Don't let your child see all this. Even if you can't give her a rich life, you can at least give her a reason not to be humble."

With tears in the eyes of the woman, she bent down to thank Margaret, who looked at the girl in her arms and said, "She's a good mother, don't doubt it." a little."

When they left the train station and sat in the carriage, Julie couldn't help asking: "Madam, is this okay?"

Margaret looked up at Julie, then whispered: "I just think there should be some dignity for a mother, in front of her children."

"Ma'am, you..." Julie started, but didn't finish.

Margaret smiled and didn't speak. She turned her head and looked out the window, recalling some long-term memories, which were a little fuzzy, but it seemed that no matter how much time passed, she would never forget them.

Margaret returned home, she took a short rest, and then began to make the dress.

It was late at night, and Margaret rubbed her sore shoulders, her eyes finally relaxed from her concentration.

When Eric and Naning entered the room, the prototype of the long dress had already come out and was hanging on the dummy.

Naning's eyebrows frowned, because that long dress looked too simple, even if it was made of the best cloud white brocade, it was just a white long dress, it didn't have panniers, and it had no panniers, and it was just a white dress. The ones that were done before, the ones with the wide hemlines, were totally different.

"Madame, have you forgotten to put on the panniers?" asked Nanin.

Margaret said, "No, I haven't, but we don't need it."

"Madame," said Nanin hesitantly, "there is no skirt without a bustle."

"Naning, the absence of a pannier will not affect its beauty. It's time to make life easier for women." Margaret's fingers stroked the long skirt slowly.

Naning blinked her eyes, and Eric didn't make a sound. They just looked at the tall and slender woman. From her downcast eyes, they seemed to see a kind of determination.

Marguerite went to Madam Barjoon early in the morning in a carriage, and she wanted to choose a flower.

"Mrs. Barjon, I want to see all the yellow flowers." Margaret said. Mrs. Barjon was a little puzzled, but she quickly took out all the yellow flowers.

Yellow lotus, tulip, yellow rose...

The brightest colors of summer seemed to be on display, but Margaret still couldn't find the right one.

"Do you still have yellow flowers?" asked Margaret.

Mrs. Barron shook her head in embarrassment: "It's all here, madam."

Marguerite was a little disappointed. In the end, she bought some white camellias from Mrs. Barjoon, and then she began to wander the streets and alleys of Paris, from one flower shop to another, but Marguerite found nothing. .

Margaret was resting in a cafe. She frowned and thought about whether she would go to the countryside. At this moment, a well-dressed servant came and put a letter on Margaret's desk. .

Not signed.

Margaret opened the letterhead, and there was only one sentence.

"I can give you what you want."

The signature was a two-letter abbreviation. Margaret lowered her eyes, then closed the letterhead, paid the money, and left the cafe.

The servant is such a good guide that he is hardly noticed leading the way.

He stopped at a small café and beckoned Marguerite to go in.

Once inside, Margaret saw each other.

"Please sit down." Baron Vanville said, and pulled out a chair for her. He didn't have the usual smile on his face, and it wasn't tentative, but somewhat unpredictable.

Margaret didn't want to sit down, she didn't come for this purpose, but standing up and talking seemed to make her the focus, and she didn't think the man opposite would allow it.So she said thanks and sat down.

"I shouldn't be surprised you found out so soon, should I?" said Margaret.

The Baron looked at her, folded his hands.

"You can just say it because, yes, no matter what, I'm still paying close attention to you."

Margaret took a deep breath, looked at the other person, and said, "I don't think it should be." Although she knew that the words would never reach the other person's heart, at least she had the right to Express yourself.Because between doing nothing and not doing anything lies a galaxy of determination.

Baron Fanville ignored her words as a matter of course. He has always been such a person, he has seen through the rules, enjoys the game, is sensible enough to make others applaud, and ruthless enough to make people sad.

"You will come, this has fully explained everything."

Margaret's self-esteem seemed to be provoked, she pursed her lips and said: "I think this just means that I have encountered difficulties, and I know that with you, I can solve it, even if it It seemed unusually embarrassing."

"You are a wise man." The baron lowered his eyes and said in a deep voice. He seems to regard Margaret as another lion at the moment, not just a lion for people's pleasure. little white rabbit.

"It's just that it's too stubborn and naive." He raised his eyes and said, already referring to what happened in the Bois de Boulogne last time.

There is always only one male lion. Recognizing that the other party is also a race does not mean giving respect.

Margaret sighed softly in her heart, and then she wrapped herself in spiritual armor.

"At least, that was an attempt." She said word for word.

The man looked at her, his eyes moved.Then, he smiled, as if he intended to put the matter aside for the time being, instead of agreeing with her.

"Will you come with me?"

Margaret raised her eyes and looked at the other party, with an insincere smile on the corner of her mouth. Looking from the bottom of her eyes, that smile was clearly a cold rejection.

"I owe you a favor."

The smile on the Baron's face subsided, and he looked at Margaret, who looked back at him neither humble nor humble.

"I owe you a favor." Margaret repeated these words calmly.

"Okay." The man looked at her and replied.

Margaret was a little taken aback by this.

The man took up the cane of courtesy and civility.

"In this case, let's go. It's just a deal, isn't it? Mrs. Margaret." Baron Vanville said lightly.

Margaret stood up. Although she was tall, she still looked a little short to Baron Fanville.

She stared fixedly at the other party, and the man let her look at him, and then Margaret looked away.

"Thank you."

Baron Vanville did not speak, nor did he speak in the carriage afterwards.

Margaret's mood was a little mixed, but they were silent to each other.

Until the carriage drove to the outskirts, after getting off the carriage, they arrived at a rural area, where a modest house was located, and a middle-sized man was waiting in front of the door.

"Old farmer in Calawang." Baron Vanville said, which was an introduction. Margaret nodded to the man. They didn't exchange any pleasantries. The man's expression was a little cold, showing a businesslike atmosphere.

The old Calawang farmer didn't seem to mind. He took them to the flower garden behind the house. Next to the flowers of different colors, two or three clusters of golden flowers attracted Margaret's attention.

"This is……"

"Yellow thorn roses," said the old Calavan farmer. "This is the latest batch in Paris."

Margaret walked over. Today she was wearing a light-colored dress with silver pleats, a bow made of green velvet hanging down her chest, and her black hair was braided and coiled. , with velvet arms of the same color, exposing the smooth forehead and rosy cheekbones.

Her long dress is a bit complicated, but the neat and simple hair decoration makes her look refreshing.

Margaret walked into the yellow thorn roses with her skirt in hand. She took off her lace gloves and wanted to touch those delicate flowers with her fingers, but she was afraid that she would hurt them, so she only touched the dark green ones. blade.

"That's it..." Margaret murmured to herself, her eyes were a little fascinated looking at those flowers, but she didn't know that in the eyes of others, she was also as fascinating as flowers.

Baron Vanville's body, which was standing upright before, has now relaxed, and his civilized cane, which he always likes to keep by his side, is now lazily hooked on his forearm.

The blue eyes under the brim watched the woman in front of her, from her thick eyelashes to her rosy lips.

Those lips are plump and small, and the curve of the corners of the mouth is so pleasing when you smile, but more often, facing him, it is a tight straight line, silent like a clamshell, or sharp and sharp like a mouth. A sharp sword.

Baron Vanville is a rational man.

He knows the rules of this world, power, or money, you have to have one, and then have everything.

Give up everything for a woman?

No, it's a fool, it's stupid, because he didn't understand that the right to choose that he can have, rather than being chosen, is something that he can give up at will.

To be respected you have to have at least one, and to not be chosen you have to have more.

Thinking of this, the man restrained his expression.Therefore, when Margaret looked back, she only saw the man looking at her calmly, but never saw a trace of infatuation.

"You chose Huang Cimei." The man said, his tone was flat, but his eyes fell on her, a little focused.

Margaret looked back at the other party with a shallow expression.

"Because it fits best."

Baron Fanville withdrew his eyes and said, "Let's go."

Margaret followed each other, knowing that things would get back on track and that the man would deliver things later.

She owed him a favor, she reminded herself, and every time she repeated it, her steps became more determined.

This road is too narrow for two people, so I can only walk alone.

Ten days later, a grand engagement ceremony in Paris began.

Margaret wore a light grass-colored skirt, rose flower stems wrapped around every fold of the skirt, and where the white space was left was a faint pink.

The skirt is big, but not complicated. She didn't use a waistband. Although she used to cover up it with a loose waistband for some purposes, today, she decided to completely abandon those things.

Such things as panniers had been left in the cupboard, and Margaret thought she would never use them again.

She made some wide pleats in bright silk at the back of the skirt to make it curl up, and the stiff silk fabric and gauze overskirt did not make the skirt very close to the curve of the body.

She hopes that soon, that kind of dress that can show the female body can be made, but now, she is changing little by little, fighting against the nobles of the entire upper class little by little.

She gave up the fancy hats and braided her hair and pulled it up, as usual.

The pine flowers of emeralds are inlaid in the hair, and five of them are used, arranged asymmetrically, like the rich fruits on the ebony wood.

Margaret was allowed to attend the engagement party, but as usual, the majority decided to ignore her.

"Ma'am?" Naning looked at Margaret. She was the only one allowed to bring over. Eric and Julie originally wanted to come too, but it was obvious that letting a courtesan pass was already a kind of charity. In the mind of an aristocrat whose mind is only alcohol and women's underwear, those demands are presumptuous.

Margaret patted Naning's forearm.

She didn't see Gaston, almost not in the past ten days, she had sent someone to ask, but Gaston's servant just shrugged his shoulders and said that their young master is always like this.

Margaret didn't worry too much after getting the response. After all, that man knew what he was doing better than anyone else.He never speaks and does things with morality or law as the standard, but with himself.

It is rare to be as free as he likes, and it is commendable courage to defy the rules.

Just as Margaret was thinking, the crowd suddenly became agitated. It turned out that today's protagonists have already come out.

The sunlight was a bit dazzling, and Margaret had to squint her eyes slightly to see the people in front of her clearly.

The long white dress is made of soft cloud brocade satin, with fine and stiff lace on it, revealing the inside of the satin at the waist, like the pistil of a flower.

Some golden yellow thorn roses were scattered on the skirt, extending all the way, on the delicate shoulders was a one-shoulder collar made of heavy lace, and the white long-fingered gloves reflected the whiteness and tenderness of the skin.

Without panniers, the long skirt dragged on the grass, like clouds rolling in the sky.Even with the girl's slender waist, it seems that even the breeze can cut it off.

It was so special, in the middle of a mass of skirts held up by skirts, like flowers mixed with a bunch of fake flowers.

If the fluffy skirts of the noble ladies are gorgeous dance music, then the long skirt that Princess Marina is wearing at the moment is the most clear and moving stream, which is natural and full of vitality.

The ladies' eyes widened, and the men began talking in low voices.

Margaret vaguely heard what people were talking about, and there was always more praise than disgust.

The corners of her mouth curled up, and her eyes looked at the couple.

A handsome man and a beautiful and delicate woman with flushed cheeks.

Margaret stood in the corner. She asked herself that she could not send false blessings, but she did not regret it either.

You can only get what you give, what belongs to you, others can never take it away, and what does not belong to you, it is useless to keep it.As she thought this way, there was only confidence and firmness in her eyes.

"Madame Marguerite Gautier!"

Someone called her, and Margaret looked up, and the Duchess easily spotted her from the crowd.

Her eyes were so sharp, wrapped in a calm expression.

She said: "Mademoiselle Marguerite Gautier has amazing talent and taste, she made the most perfect engagement dress for my daughter Marina, and she deserves to be thanked at such a happy time for my daughter."

Everyone looked at Margaret, the black-haired woman's expression moved, and she finally showed a decent smile.

She walked over, taking every step so calmly and vigorously.

She knows what this journey means.

The Duchess of Odeje gave her the choice of life and death, and she had to give up what she got. No matter how she chose, the former would always benefit.

She announced to everyone like a wise and magnanimous person, affirming her talent, but also completely cut off a road.

Because no matter what happens in the future, the only thing people remember is that Marguerite Gautier publicly bestowed the blessing on Marlene Odeje, her talent, her craft, everything will be because of this blessing And being recognized, she will also be tightly bound, so that she can't have the slightest thought.

This smart woman, even if Baron Vanville is now her son-in-law, the crazy man her youngest daughter loves, she has never been carried away.

This sentence was a wake-up call to the two of them.

Regardless of whether there is now, whether there will be in the future, every decision will be tightly shackled.

Margaret walked unhurriedly, with a faint smile on her face, but in her heart, it seemed that there was the coldest person, who was staring at everyone present indifferently.

Her gaze met the older woman, who looked back at her, looking down.

"It won't be too far..." she said to herself, her steps were as cautious and restrained as stepping on the edge of a knife. From the outside, it seemed that this Parisian courtesan was being honored and favored. She should indeed show great pride , and only Margaret herself knew that mentally, she was suffering unprecedented anger.

Her back straightened, and she looked at Duchess Odeye with clear eyes. Then, she lowered her eyes and accepted the gratitude from the Duchess.

On this day, people in Paris are not only talking about the engagement ceremony of the princess and the baron, but also about the woman who is recognized by almost the most prestigious women in Paris——Marguerite Gautier—a Extremely lucky girl j.