While Her Majesty Empress Carona of the French Empire was happily boating on the Seine with Charlotte and her other female officers, thousands of miles away in St. Petersburg, there were also people boating on the Neva River, admiring the scenery along the river. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

It's just that, unlike Her Majesty Queen Karona, who is in a very good mood, the feelings of the people on the ship are much more complicated.

Although it is late autumn and the weather around Fontainebleau can be said to be pleasant, in Russia it is completely different, and the cold wind is already raging everywhere, howling and tearing at everyone in a way peculiar to Russia. Especially on the open river, the cold wind is even more unscrupulous, like a spirit released from hell, beating everyone on everyone.

"It's cold." When a cold wind tore through the defenses of her thick coat and burrowed into her body, Mary, who was standing outside the cabin, couldn't help but shudder, and then whispered a grumble.

Then she looked up at the bow of the boat, and her eyes fell on the woman sitting upright on the boat. "Hey, aren't you cold?"

The woman was also wearing a thick coat, but unlike her companion there was a shelf in front of her, on which hung a canvas, and she held a paintbrush in her hand.

She had been gazing at the churches and woods on the banks of the river, the wind had blown her hands red, but she was still unaware that the shadowy buildings of Petrograd Island in front of her were now in full detail in her eyes, waiting for her to capture the charm.

Halfway through her work, many silhouettes have already loomed on the canvas, the banks of the river, the pedestrians, the towers of the cathedral, the walls of the palace, all of which have begun to appear on the canvas as if they were replicas.

But if you only paint these things in their original form, then you can't talk about painting, and real art must find something more than reproduction.

Find a point that belongs to St. Petersburg, to the charm of the Russians.

The wind was blowing hard at her, but she didn't feel it at all, just looking back and forth between the buildings on the riverbank and the canvas.

"It's stupid." Mary couldn't help but taunt, and then walked up to her side gently, reaching out to cover the gap in the neckline of her garment, blocking out the howling cold wind. "You don't have to be so involved, do you? If you really catch a cold in a place like this, you're in trouble......"

It was only when Mary's hand rested on her body that Fran felt something, she first subconsciously trembled a little, and then she understood what was going on from her intoxication with art, and then heard Mary's complaints.

"Ah, thank you!" She smiled and thanked Mary, and then she felt a chill all over her body, and quickly put the brush down first, put her hand in her arms, and slowly warmed her frozen hand again.

They are now floating on the Neva River, the source of water for St. Petersburg's livelihood and the most important lifeblood of the city, and now they are floating on the river in a boat, admiring the most beautiful and essential parts of the Russian capital, and now they have come to the center of the city next to Petrograd Island, and while looking at the view, they stop in this representative place and prepare to leave their paintings.

"I said, are you taking it too seriously?" Mary couldn't help but tease her again, "We didn't really come here to paint a few pictures. ”

"But since you're here, wouldn't it be a shame not to leave some memories? I may not have a chance to run over in the future...... Shouldn't we do something for the private outside of official business? Fran raised an eyebrow and joked with her friend, "Besides, if we don't act carefree, how can others rest assured?" ”

Fran's words, Mary found both amused and a little sentimental.

"That's right, you're a person who really makes painting a career, and it's not quite like us." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, "We learn this either to pass the time, or to raise our own value, only you truly love this art, and only you are truly talented......"

"What are you flattering me at this time?" Fran interrupted her with a look of displeasure, but there was a slight flush on her face. "I'm not embarrassed to say it! Actually, you're already pretty good at drawing. ”

"I'm not flattering you, I'm talking from my heart. What about my paintings...... It's just boring reproductions and technique exercises, there is no essence of the essence, and there is no enthusiasm for preoccupation, but although I am not good at drawing, I can understand other people's drawings a little, and I can see this essence and enthusiasm in your paintings, which is not easy! We don't have that kind of talent......" Mary looked at her, then sighed and smiled bitterly, "But even if you have talent, how many people can live that life as carefree as you......"

"How can it be carefree?" Fran's smile slowly faded, "In an environment like ours, where can there be no worries?" It's just that...... I'm good at keeping my worries hidden from others. ”

"How well you hide it!" Although she already knew what kind of person the other party was, Mary was still surprised by this, "I have been with you for a few years, but I don't see any deep worries in my heart at all. ”

"I sometimes admire myself!" Fran couldn't help but laugh, but she didn't seem complacent, "I don't know how, but at a very young age, I was able to isolate my inner thoughts from my appearance, and I could be angry in my heart and smile at the same time, and sometimes I even felt like I had become two people." But, really, it's not fun at all, if you experience it, the two parts seem to be completely separated, no matter how happy things are, deep down there are still some places that are so cold that people hurt, and there is no way to really devote themselves to joy...... There's no way to really be happy, and you know what a terrible punishment it is? ”

"Sounds scary." Mary thought about it, and felt a little crazy.

To change the atmosphere, she decided to make a joke.

"So, when we usually talk and laugh, you are always with us?" She asked with a smile.

"I can't say it's the right time...... It's just that I do feel that all of this is very alienating, and it has nothing to do with me. Fran shook her head, and the ends of her golden hair flapped against her thick coat. Of course, most of the topics I wasn't interested in in the first place. ”

"Terrible...... Haven't you ever been so happy and even burst into tears? Mary was a little curious, "If there really isn't, it would be pitiful......

"Not without ......," Fran replied in a low voice, and then, her face suddenly reddened slightly. When I was young, I was very afraid of the night, so my brother was patient and read fairy tales by my bedside, often until late at night, just like my mother did...... At that time, I really felt the joy of all my life, really, really, very happy. And also...... Well, some other things, those are already my most cherished memories. ”

Fran was suddenly speechless, and Mary was silent, and she couldn't bear to destroy the most cherished memories of others.

"So, I'm very clear!" Fran also slowly retracted her smile, as if she was announcing something to herself, "I live in this world, there is only so much fun left, and the happiness that can be chased is already hanging by a thread, if it comes to this point and you want to deprive me of all this, then what is the point of my life?" I'd rather die than die, and it won't be so painful to die anyway. ”

"What else do you want to die at this time? It's all in the past, isn't it? The future will always get better and better. Mary smiled bitterly, then she looked up at the sky and took a deep breath, "I always feel that the air is suddenly a little gloomy, so hurry up and finish drawing!" ”

"It's not like you can finish it if you want to! Inspiration doesn't mean you can have it! Fran also looked up at the sky, then looked down slightly, and then came down to the brick walls of Vladimir's Cathedral, which stood stiff and indifferent, standing under the gloomy sky, as if they would not be shaken for hundreds of years.

But is that all there is to it? It doesn't seem to be enough. Fran stared blankly at the river, as if frozen.

"Haven't you done it yet?" After a few moments, Mary couldn't help but complain, and then pulled on Raffran's hat, "It's stupid, and I'm fooling you." ”

Her hair swept over Fran's body, and the warm feeling crept up to her heart.

Fran stared blankly at Mary, and then, as if suddenly she understood something, she suddenly turned back to look at the cathedral again.

It's cold, but it's hard, even if it's cold, it doesn't flinch, but in addition to these qualities, there is a little warmth hidden deep in the heart, which is probably Russia.

"I found it!" With such a muttered mutter, she picked up the brush again from the side, then bowed down slightly, and devoted herself to the painting, and at this time Mary did not say anything more, but stood by with a smile on her face and quietly watched her friend paint.

With Fran's strokes, the painting gradually reveals its final image.

The buildings, the pedestrians, and the quietly flowing Neva River are vividly displayed on the painting, and the lines of the buildings are also very rough, they are all in the cold color of blue and gray, and the oppressive and silent world is overwhelming. In the center of the painting, the walls of the church can be dyed bright red, which stands out against the gray world, as if it were a fire burning in the cold world.

When she was done, Fran carefully examined her painting again before putting her brush down.

"How?" She looked at Mary as if she were offering a treasure.

"Very good, very good." Mary looked at it for a long time, and finally said in a tone that was heartfelt rather than flattering, "It's worth standing here for so long." ”

Then, when the wind grew stronger, she shuddered.

"But now we don't have a reason to stay on this damn river, do we? We can go now! She couldn't help but complain again.

Then, she glanced at the painting again, carefully putting away the canvas and canvas. "How can this river be so beautiful!"

"I think it's pretty good, the scenery on both sides is also very good, we can't be too picky, the weather in Russia is like this, who can change anything? At least I think the Russians are enthusiastic enough to entertain us! Fran put her hand in her arms again to warm herself, and then replied with a smile, "Besides, at least it's cleaner than the Thames, isn't it?" ”

"I think England is much cuter......" Mary pouted a little disappreciatively, "anyway, the Russians are going to be in bad luck anyway, and we don't need to pay too much attention to them." ”

"Hey! Don't say that here! Fran was a little anxious and hurriedly stopped the other party. We're going to have to pretend we don't know. ”

"Okay, do as you say." As she spoke, Mary had already put away all the canvases.

Then the two men returned to their cabins, and at their request, the ship immediately moved in the direction they had floated from, ready to return to the land where they had just been.

Fran was so pleased with her painting that she couldn't stop looking at it, shaking her head and smiling smugly.

"You don't have to be so happy, do you?" Mary couldn't help but tease her.

"Of course it's fun! It's been a long time since I've painted something so satisfying. Fran shook her head, "As long as there are works like this, even if there are any miscellaneous things to interfere with, we will still have a pleasant trip!" At least not a trip to Russia in vain. ”

Then, she lowered her gaze slightly, "And...... When we went back, he must have been happy to see that we had completed the task so smoothly. ”

At this time, her eyes were already full of longing for the future, obviously reverie about the future between herself and her brother.

And in such an aura, Mary did not feel jealous, but she suddenly felt a little sad.

She recalled that her friend had just said, "That's the only thing that can make me happy", and compared to now, she suddenly felt that all this was a little too unsettling.

"I know there's no point in saying that, but I want to say it again, it's still too late for you, friend!" She was a little anxious, "Give up such a vision, how much happiness is waiting for you!" ”

However, her haste did not infect the other party, and Fran frowned instead. "I thought you would understand my ......"

"Yes, I understand you, I don't care about the bloodline of the hell, but I have another reason!" Mary couldn't help it and roared in a low voice, "Can't you see? Sir is a bastard, of course a very good bastard, but even then he is a bastard, he is a bastard, he loves fame and fortune, he loves wealth and power, and the terrible thing is that he has got it all, and he works tirelessly to use it to gain more wealth and power! Yes, he doesn't have much love, at least not as much as you want! And, obviously, he's a pleasure and loves the feeling of being surrounded by beautiful women, and maybe he's still having fun with someone at the very moment - don't deny me, I think that's it. Is he so worthy of such an infatuation as yours? No, I don't think I deserve it! ”

Then, her mood calmed down a little, "Of course, I ...... I'm a jerk too, but I just like jerks, and rightfully so, isn't jerk supposed to like jerks? I also like pleasure, I like power and wealth, I like to be looked up to, but you're not! You shouldn't tie happiness to people like us, you deserve more wholehearted love! Well, I know you're not going to listen to me, but I want to persuade you one last time. ”

"Since you know that persuasion is useless, then why do you bother to persuade you?" Fran was silent for a long time, and finally sighed slightly. "Although I always have a submissive attitude to people on the surface, my mind never changes, and once I decide what I should do, I will do it to the end...... Even if you think it's sad, I just want this kind of happiness, at the end of the day...... None of you can live for me, and you can't help me choose, right?! You're just telling me what to do, but if you have to be a jerk to get what I want, I'd rather be a jerk! ”

Mary was not surprised when she said this, but just sighed.

"What a poor child."

"You're only a year older than me." Fran disagreed.

"No, there are places where you are a child, stubborn like a child." Mary's eyes instantly moistened, "I really regret that I didn't treat you better in the past, I thought we were the same people, at least the same intensity, but now it seems that you need warmth more than I do...... If you get this earlier, why would you think that a little warmth is the whole world! ”

As if to prove her words, she suddenly hugged Fran, and then kissed her directly before her friend could react, and her lips suddenly touched.

Fran reacted when her lips met, her eyes widened, and she subconsciously pushed Mary away.

"What are you doing!" She whispered about the other party's surprise attack.

"Give you warmth." Mary replied with a smile. "Is it warm?"

Fran froze, and only then did she feel a little warmth between her lips.

What a loyal man. She thought to herself.

Her mind had long since been solidified, and her heart had been cut off from the whole world except for her own small fortress. The small fortress had only a handful of people, but Mary was in it.

"As long as I have something, I will definitely give it to you." She muttered to herself, then whispered.

At this moment, the boat had already docked, and the two men leisurely stepped off the boat.

And on the shore, in addition to the original person, there was an additional young officer in the uniform of the Praetorian Guard.

"Mademoiselle de Treville, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of our country invites you and your female companion to visit the Royal Village." The young officer said to the two young ladies with full grace and courtesy. (To be continued.) )