While Charles was chatting happily with the adults of House Dillion, his sister was happily with her friends.

When they arrived at the reception room at the Earl's Court, they continued to tease little Matilda and chat.

"Fran, Mary, how are you doing?" After teasing her niece for a while, Matilda looked up at her two former classmates. "I've been missing you a lot lately."

Although the tone was very steady, no ups and downs could be heard, and although the expression still looked a little serious, the smile in the girl's eyes behind the lenses had already been felt by the two Frans.

"Me too!" The two of them hurriedly replied.

Then they talked about all the terrible experiences they had had in the last six months or so, and thanked each other for the luck of each other's loved ones who had escaped the disaster. The two wars and killings in the capital have largely become memories that they will never forget for the rest of their lives.

"Miss Treville, did your brother also take part in the battle then?" Matilda asked in a low voice, "I heard that he later joined the National Guard. ”

"Yes, he was out there during the days when General Kafenjak ordered the pacification of the mob, God, it scared me to death for those days, every day there were constant gunfire! God knows how worried I was at the time, he didn't come home for a few days......" Fran nodded slightly, then suddenly sighed softly, "It's okay, thank God, we're all safe!" This world suddenly became terrifying. ”

Her words unexpectedly caused a moment of silence.

"This world has always been terrifying." After a long silence. Mademoiselle de la Marquis de léo-Åléão sums up their brief melancholy in a short sentence.

"If we keep talking about this kind of topic, we'll get older faster than we used to." Matilda smiled reluctantly and forcibly changed the subject. "Miss Treville, I heard that the teacher has decided to let you inherit his gallery after his death?"

"Yes, when the teacher told me about this decision, I was shocked at the time." Fran blinked, as if embarrassed. "He said he was afraid that he would have no successor after he died, so he decided to let me take care of everything there when the time came."

"He made a wise decision." Matilda looked at Fran earnestly, "You're going to do what he wants." Grow the gallery because you have the talent, Miss Tremier. ”

"Look at what you said!" Fran thought that every girl who was praised was both useful and a little embarrassed by Matilda's words. Hurriedly blushed and shook his head in denial. "When did you compliment people like that!"

"It's not against my will, what's not to say." Matilda just smiled indifferently.

"Yes, Fran, you see, I'm not the only one who thinks so, right?" Mary gets involved, making Fran even more embarrassed.

The three of them joked with each other like this, and finally wiped out the sorrow just now.

I don't know what Lu Dao is for, what happened to my country and family this year, and everything I have experienced. It's a little sad for them to think about it, but in order not to spoil the atmosphere. They all buried this sadness in their hearts, and the forced laughter of the three of them at the same time still made this small room seem happy.

More than a year of experience, more than any class, can teach the girls the truth of the impermanence of the world, after this year of tempering, the three girls before the innocence of ignorance of the world has disappeared most of the (if not completely gone). In other words, they're all going to grow up. Like every child who has ever been innocent, they will grow up.

Is this lucky or unlucky? There is no answer to this question, only necessity.

"Speaking of which, you better call me Fran, Miss Trevier, Miss Trevill all day long, it's too rusty, we're friends, aren't we?" Fran, who was in a good mood, suddenly proposed, and she looked at Matilda expectantly, "In return, I'll call you Matilda......"

After a moment's hesitation, Matilda slowly spoke. "Okay...... Fran, Xie Lu. ”

"No thanks, what do friends say thank you!" Fran tried to put on a serious expression, but couldn't help but smile to herself, "It's my pleasure." ”

Seeing this, the three of them couldn't help but laugh, and at this moment, they seemed to have found time in the studio again.

At this time, an inopportune voice pulled them back into the realm of reality.

"Why are you smiling so happily? Ladies? Can you share it with this poor man and make him happy? ”

They subconsciously looked at the door, and then noticed a handsome and tall young man appearing in front of them.

The young man was dressed in black casual clothes and a gray tie, and his face was full of ambition. Because things have been going well recently, it seems even more proud, so the vigorous vitality of young people has been completely revealed.

"Miss Treville, wouldn't you like to share the fun with your brother?" The young man walked over to them with a smile on his face.

"The fun was interrupted by your sudden appearance, sir." Fran pretended to be unhappy, but anyone could see that it was just a coquettishness, "What, you're done talking to Julie?" ”

"Well, I'm very happy when we finished talking."

"Are we going back then?" Fran hesitated.

"No, you can continue to play here, just tell me when you want to leave, I'm free today, and I'm not in a hurry." Charles nodded slightly. "I'll go downstairs to the card room and find someone to play billiards......"

"That's great, thank you!" Fran let out a small cheer.

While the two delightful siblings were talking to each other, Matilda stood silently beside her, looking at the smiling young man like Mademoiselle Marquise.

It's really a good young man, even if there is no love, it's not a big mistake to choose him.

A thought crossed Matilda's mind.

In this moment, she remembered the conversation her sister had with her last night.

………………

At that time, they had just worked together to lull little Matilda to sleep. When they had accomplished this great feat, fine beads of sweat appeared on both of their heads, and the candlelight swayed, reflecting them as if they had been painted with a layer of color.

"Children are the most terrible torture of every mother!" Julie sighed softly, "I don't know how many years Lu Dao will torment them!" ”

"But it's always fun to be in the midst of this suffering." Matilda replied.

"Oh? I can't help it, Matilda," Julie smiled, "you like children so much...... So, do you want to bring one for yourself? ”

Even if she was resolute, Matilda couldn't help blushing after hearing her sister's ridicule, and didn't dare to answer.

"Don't be shy, Matilda, you're this age......" Julie looked at her still a little playfully, "and you can consider these things......

"I haven't thought about it yet." Matilda managed to keep her composure.

"Then start thinking about it now, we'll all think about it for you......" Sister's smile grew thicker and thicker.

Suddenly, she burst out again. "What do you decide will happen if Mr. Tréville becomes your husband?"

Matilda couldn't help but froze for a moment, then she lowered her head.

"I didn't think about it." She repeated it again.

"He's a great candidate, wouldn't it be a shame if he missed it soon? Yes, Charles is only the heir to the Marquis now, and he doesn't have much wealth, but you can't think of him as just an earl, this young man has a limitless future...... I don't think it will take long for him to soar. "My sister seems to be stating, and it seems to mean something." Grandpa is also very optimistic about him, and I think if he can become your husband, your life will be smooth...... It's not like your poor sister, who has suffered a lot. ”

[In French, "comte" and "nonsense" conte are homonyms, so this is a pun that suggests that Matilda should not take Charles and the others lightly, that this person has a bright future, and that her grandfather also means the same.] 】

"Did Grandpa say the same?" Matilda muttered softly to herself, as if she understood something.

She bowed her head.

………………

By the time she came to her senses, Mr. Trevier had turned and was ready to leave.

She wanted to keep it, then make a joke, and then justifiably take him back to her house. However, when the words slipped into her mouth, she found that she could not say anything.

I really don't have the flirtatious skills of theirs.

After a moment of silence, she calmly said something to herself in her heart, and then seemed to sigh.

I don't love him, and I don't want to try my best to please him, even if I know that it is beneficial to me, and I know that it is just a matter of a few words. What exactly is this for? Am I not as smart as I think I am? Or is there something else?

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, but she couldn't grasp one of them.

While she was still wallowing with these thoughts, the young man had walked briskly out of the doorway, and down the stairs, his steps fast and heavy, with an unquestionable, indomitable certainty.

In this way, Matilda looked at the other party's departing back and said nothing.

"Matilda, my brother has a newspaper, and he's going to open a column for me on it, and he's going to write a column on it for me to comment on paintings and sculptures...... "Fran said next to her, and children always like to show off, "if you have time, come and write it for me, as a pastime?" ”

Matilda withdrew her gaze without a trace and nodded slightly.

"Okay......" (To be continued......)