Granville's estate

Language is an exquisite art. People who are good at this art can skillfully use different words, intonations and even eyes, and add a little gesture to express the true meaning that is subtly different or even completely opposite to what they said— ——From this definition, Viscount Calliste de Durand should be regarded as a master, and his response directly pissed off Alred.

"Sir, your knowledge is as admirable as ever, and your advice is as invaluable as ever."

Regarding Callister's "teaching", Alred squeezed out such a sentence through his teeth - when he said those oblique words, Alred naturally did not expect the viscount to answer him like this; In the education he received, humility is a virtue, and implicit puns are the tacit language art of the nobles. Who would have expected that Callister would actually speak his humble words as if he really As if his abilities were low, he also "comforted" him in turn "you don't need to be too depressed about it"!

God, what is "I am glad that you have a clear understanding of your abilities", and what is "God has given everyone different aptitudes"?Is this what an educated gentleman should say?

Alred was pissed off by the viscount's unreasonable playing of cards, but he had to try his best to maintain the demeanor that a nobleman should have. When the brain wanted to organize the language of the counterattack, Callister had already let go of his hand very naturally, and extended his hand to Louis instead.

"Mr. Farentin," Calliste said, with the poise of a man as if Louis were just an ordinary acquaintance, and it would be impossible to imagine that there were actually many unreasonable agreements between them: "In It is beyond my expectation to see you here, madam, and I am glad to see that your body is as healthy as ever."

"Thank you for your concern, Monsieur de Durand."

Met Callister in a totally unexpected place, and greeted him in front of Alred and so many people - by the Virgin Mary, even one of Callister's elders (even though That's just his cousin's great-grandmother)!This made Louis feel that his heart was about to jump out of his chest. He plucked up the courage to stretch out his hand, and at the same time tried his best to stabilize his emotions so as not to show any strangeness in front of others: "I didn't expect to be in Germany. What a coincidence that the Countess Lopez has met you here, sir."

Callister's hand was very slender and powerful, and at the same time carried a kind of dry heat. After only a few seconds of contact, Louis had the illusion that his skin would be burned by the temperature of his palm.

"Maybe this is God's arrangement, Mr. Farentin, after all, the Lord is omnipotent."

Callister didn't hold Louis' hand for long—as if he was just saying hello to a real ordinary friend, and he let go of Louis's hand before Alred's eyes burst into flames, but this It doesn't mean that the gentleman won't take advantage of this to do something else: when he let go, he deliberately scratched the center of Louis's palm with his nails.

Naturally, Louis couldn't imagine that Callister would dare to do such a small trick in front of so many people. When he realized what was going on with the gentle itching in his palm, he couldn't help but stare at him with wide eyes. His rationality worked, and he was so frightened that he jumped up impolitely-Holy Mother Mary, what is this fellow doing!If this is discovered by the Countess de Lopez or the other two gentlemen, the consequences will be no joke!

Compared to Louis' panic, Viscount Callister de Durand was much calmer. After letting go of Louis' hand, he nodded to Mr. Richard as if he had never done anything. It was just a greeting, leaving Louis facing Alred's suspicious gaze: "Mr. Richard, I haven't seen you for a long time. I heard that your son just came back from Scotland."

"Ah, yes, Mr. Viscount," said Mr. Richard. The furniture merchant tactfully did not try to shake the hand of the noble banker, who seemed to be used to this kind of nobleman's contempt for the merchant class: "He I suffered a great crime there. Every time I wrote to me, I complained that the place was cold and desolate. I didn’t have anything to wear or use. The food I ate was nothing but potatoes and porridge. Stay there."

"This year's climate is very cold. It's not normal at all. It's really worrying about what will happen next year." Mr. Dubois interjected, and the gentleman looked at Countess de Lopez: "This kind of weather I can't stand being in the house without a stove going on, and a place like Scotland must be even more so! Ah, ma'am, how are you feeling lately? Are your knees still hurting? The weather in Paris is always like this, it's unexpected It's tomorrow So what."

"I am getting old, Monsieur Dubois."

Countess de Lopez said with a smile, she pulled up the blanket covering her knees a little: "In addition to going to church to watch mass, all I can do every day is sit by the fireplace and pray to God, waiting for the Lord It's just a call."

While they were talking, an old footman came in, and in silence brought some ebony chairs with Buller carvings (a typical old-time pattern!) to the guests, which She looked as old as the Countess.

Among the two young visitors, the Countess de Lopez was obviously more fond of Louis. She asked the two young people to sit beside her, but pointed to Louis the chair closer to her. , Of course, this also means that Louis is closer to Callister: "Gentlemen, if you don't dislike me as an old woman, sit closer to me. I want to have people like you here." It’s really not easy for young people to talk to me.”

"Ah, ma'am, what you said is biased. Don't you have Mr. Viscount de Durand by your side?" Alred said, he was very unhappy that his friend was too close to that guy, but it was not good. Rejecting Madam's request, I could only give Callister a hard look: "I'm 'fortunate' to have seen Mr. Viscount's wrist and ability. With someone as outstanding as him, you must not look down on us. .”

He deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the word "lucky", but the viscount didn't pay attention to his provocation at all - Callister just rolled his eyelids this time and glanced at him, the kind of "I don't bother to argue with idiots" The look in his eyes almost pissed off Alredh.

"So M. de Granville has had a good deal of time with M. Viscount."

Mr. du Dubois naturally would not know the grievances between these two gentlemen, but only thought that they were just the appearance of each other between young people-these two are nobles, it is not surprising that such a thing happened, What's more, Viscount de Durand has such an arrogant personality!He is more concerned about another thing: "This is really the best thing. A person who knows is better than someone who doesn't know the details. The two gentlemen, Mr. Viscount often visits his wife on Marsillion Street. You will meet more often in the future, this is really a wonderful fate, I think this must be God's arrangement."

——Who wants to see this annoying guy more often!He wished that Durand would be as far away from his friends as possible, and it would be best never to appear in front of them again!

Alred gritted his teeth silently, and contrary to his mood, the Countess de Lopez narrowed her eyes with joy when she heard what Mr. Dubois said.

"That's wonderful, Monsieur Dubois. I like this boy. Oh, of course, I like that gentleman too, but I prefer this one."

The countess, who was over 70 years old, held Louis' hand and said to Mr. Dubois. In this era, the lady's age is already a long life that the king would envy (compared with those in those factories. The average age of death of workers is less than 30 years old!), so she showed her preference for Louis without any scruples: "Is this child called Louis?"

"Yes, madam, my name is Louis du Farentin, and you can call me Louis."

Louis replied very gently. This gray-haired old lady reminded him of his grandmother who had passed away for many years. She loved Louis more than her own life—but when he thought of his grandmother, he couldn't help but think of the things left to him by his grandmother. The pair of enamelled franc boxes, one of them is at Arlaide's now, and the other... Madonna!Callister wouldn't happen to be carrying it today, would he? !

As soon as this thought came up, Louis was shocked into a cold sweat, and he quickly looked up at Callister.

Calliste wore a satin white shirt today, a high-necked woolen vest, and black trousers buttoned up to the neck, with a well-tailored coat; his pocket watch and franc case Stowed in the side pockets of the coat like everyone else, Louis couldn't tell whether the gold chain was attached to the franc box with his family coat of arms, but could only stare puzzled at the only one that showed. , The gold chain tied to the buttonhole of the coat, trying to recall whether it is different from the gold chain on the franc box that was taken away.

"He wouldn't be walking around with a franc box with other family crests on it, would he?" Louis thought, normally Callister's intelligence would not do such a thing, and he remembered The Viscount had put it in the office of the Bank of Durand together with the pocket watch that Allred had given him—but, with this gentleman's temper, who can guarantee that he would never do that?

His scrutinizing eyes naturally couldn't hide from Callister, but Mr. Viscount seemed to have misunderstood something because of this. He raised his eyebrows at Louis, changed a more comfortable posture generously, and leaned himself on the chair Then he turned his attention to the watch chain on the buttonhole of Louis's coat, which was obviously different from the one he sent out. It was undoubtedly a silent question:

"What about the things I gave you?"

It was only then that Louis remembered that the gold pocket watch and sapphire franc box that the Viscount had given him, which he should carry with him according to the agreement between them, were still being seized by Alred—by the Virgin Mary, he hadn’t thought about it at all. I will meet Callister at the Countess de Lopez later, and I am still thinking about slowly looking for a chance to get the things back from Al!

The Countess de Lopez didn't know that in such a short period of time, there had been quite a communication between the young man sitting next to her and another junior whom she loved. She pulled Louis's hand Looking at this beautiful young man with his hand, the more he looked at him, the more he liked it: "My dear boy, did you go to church today to attend mass and receive communion?"