Under the clear sunshine, the city is full of spring, and all the hustle and bustle seems to be diluted by time.

After getting out of the carriage, Fran and her good friend Mademoiselle de léoland arrived at the door of the studio where they had been attending drawing classes the previous year. Then, Charles got out of the car with them.

After hearing the old servant's message, the old painter immediately asked them to go up together, and then waited for them in his small studio.

As soon as he met the old painter, Charles noticed that the old painter had almost changed from the way he had met him in the gallery.

His hair had turned gray, and the wrinkles on his face had suddenly more than doubled, as if he had aged ten years in a few months. And. He didn't have the same anger as he used to be, and he looked very depressed. It seems that the troubles he has encountered in his life recently have taken a lot of blows to him.

After seeing Fran and Mademoiselle Marquise, his slightly depressed face finally flashed with joy, and he barely noticed Charles who followed them.

"Good boy, you are willing to come and see me!" He laughed and 'rebuked' the two students. Although he was very happy, there was still an indelible weakness in his voice, "I'm afraid that I won't see you until I die!" ”

His words shocked both students.

"Teacher, are you alright? Don't say that! Fran hurriedly comforted the old man, "We're all waiting for you to restart the class!" ”

"Classes? It's not going to be opened anymore......" The old painter shook his head and sighed, a wry smile on his face. "I haven't had a good time since Ms. Adelaide passed away, and now I don't even have the energy to paint. Now I just want to rest and rest. ”

He is right, for an artist, the loss of an important protector is indeed a major blow that is difficult to bear.

After hearing the teacher's words, Fran and Mary looked at each other, wanting to comfort but not knowing what to say.

"Still, Miss Treville. You don't have to be sad. The old painter comforted the panicked Fran, "I don't have much to teach you now, you just need to keep going......

It means an old painter who is so old. It gave birth to an extremely ominous premonition in the hearts of the three young people.

Under the eager nervousness, Fran couldn't bother to go around in circles, she asked straight to the point. "Teacher, don't do this! Have you encountered any difficulties lately? ”

"Difficult? Too much. The old painter replied casually.

"I've heard recently because of a government decree. Everybody's in a bit of trouble...... Are you also experiencing these troubles? Fran asked in a whisper. Then he pointed to his brother, "My brother is here too, and we can help you." ”

Charles nodded kindly at the painter, still not speaking.

"Teacher, you must have been bothering about those deposit coupons lately, right?" Mary opened her mouth to help explain, "Mr. Treville has heard that you are in trouble, and has decided to help you solve some of them. ”

To maintain such a large mansion and the necessary servants were huge expenses. Extrapolating under normal circumstances, except for a small amount of cash. Most of the old painter's other assets should be bonds and deposits that are being hit hard at this time, and maybe some annuities, but because of the current bad situation, the repayment of annuities is also very unstable, and God knows when it will return to normal.

Therefore, pushing oneself and others, the old painter should also be in a relatively embarrassing situation now.

Sure enough, after hearing the words of the students, the old painter finally cheered up a little.

"Help me?"

"Yes." Mary nodded, "You also know that those deposit coupons, if you take them to the exchange now and sell them, they may be pressed to 80% or even 7% off, and judging from the current situation, the price that can be sold in the future may be lower...... There are people everywhere selling like crazy, so I thought, why don't you sell some to Mr. Treville? He can buy a portion of your voucher at a discounted price, so you can weather the storm first......"

After hearing what Mademoiselle Marquis had said, the old painter turned his head to look at Charles, as if he had just noticed him.

"As they say, I'm going to buy some of your bonds for cash." Charles nodded again and continued calmly, "However, as you know, I can only do my best. So I can only buy a part of your bond at a 10% discount...... And the number can only reach tens of thousands, do you think you can accept it? ”

What he has on hand now is cash.

He had just received from Baron de Beauvan's bank the three million that the Baron had personally lent him, and the great banker had prepared to give these agents an innumerable amount of money for their activities, and all that was needed was a large sum of money to be eaten into the hands of the people at a low price—this discount on the acquisition of Mademoiselle de la Marquis and the old painter was, of course, a friendly price, and absolutely indispensable. Even to his relatives and friends, Charles is naturally even more merciful to those who don't know him - he, like those tycoons on the exchange, is afraid that the bargaining will not be ruthless enough, and the financial panic will not be deep enough, and it is better to press it all the way to half or even lower to satisfy these people who do not know how to eat.

After a pause, as if to be on the safe side, Charles continued to remind the old painter.

"No matter what happens, no matter how many rumors you hear, you don't sell these bonds and wait until the day when they can be used for cash, it may take a little longer, but this day will come eventually, I firmly believe so. If you're short of money lately, come to me and I'll find a way to help you, okay? ”

The old painter finally understood what Charles meant, and he thought about it quietly, then nodded, agreeing to the student's proposal. Then he thanked Charles sincerely.

"Thank you, Mr. Treyville."

"It's okay, you're my sister's teacher. Now that you're in trouble, of course I'll have to help you......" Charles quickly relented. "If you want to thank you, thank Sheflan."

I teamed up with other people and robbed them of a large sum of their savings. I tried my best to get something out of them, and they came to thank me for my kindness! What happened to this world?

This situation made Charles couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Well, hasn't the world always been like this? A moment later, as if to excuse himself, he said something more in his heart. Then immediately let myself be distracted.

After hearing Charles's tempting offer, the old painter immediately agreed. Then he went back to his bedroom and took out some deposit vouchers that amounted to tens of thousands of francs. And the Shire. Naturally, he happily took out the cash he had brought over, and then the two of them traded directly here.

When the deal was completed, the old painter suddenly sighed again. It looked a little melancholy, but also a little relieved.

"Miss Treville, I have something to say to you, is it convenient for you?"

"Of course!" Fran replied with a smile.

Then. The old painter walked into the large studio with Fran. That's where the students practice their drawings. Fran paced in it, her heart full of mixed feelings, and for a moment she only felt her heart blocked.

"It's sad, isn't it?" The old painter who had led the way in front suddenly turned his head and smiled kindly at Fran.

Fran closed her eyes slightly and replied softly.

"Yes, it's a little sad. Teacher, don't you really want to start classes anymore? ”

"I don't want to. I'm really tired and it's time to retire. The old painter sighed softly. I just want to wander around it every day as I do now, and clean it every day with my servants, and keep it as it was until the day we were gone...... I'm very old and I don't have any children, and this is my life, and these things are my life. During this time, whenever I walk here, I feel like I'm reliving my life...... Yes, it's time for me to relive the past, Miss Treville. ”

The old man's words were full of sentimentality and farewell, and he was really tired. A flash of realization flashed through Fran's mind, and it wasn't just because of the recent damage to her property.

It seems that Ms. Adelaide's death has hit him harder than he imagined.

Is he and the lady really just an emotion between an artist and a protector? Is it just spiritual admiration, or is there something else? Will......

No, there is no need to verify it, it is best to know nothing.

"Fran, I told you, you're my favorite student. Madame and I love you and she always tells me that I have a good eye...... So, when I die, this place will be handed over to you, and I will continue to take care of this place, as well as my collections. May I? The old painter's sudden words broke her musings.

………………

"Huh?" Fran couldn't help but be shocked.

For the first time in her life, her beloved teacher, who crossed the gap between teacher and student, crossed the barrier between commoner and nobleman, and addressed her by her first name, and called her "you".

Moreover, this proposal also surprised her.

"That's ...... How good is that? After a moment of surprise, she hurriedly excused herself, "It may be better for you to find someone more professional......

"It's just you, I believe in you." The old painter interrupted her, apparently he had been thinking about this question for a long time, not on a whim, "Agree to my request, okay?" ”

"But......" Fran hesitated.

"Do you wish your teacher couldn't even fulfill his last wish?" The old painter continued to look at Fran, and his usually stern voice suddenly became very gentle, "If I leave one day, watch all this for me, okay?" ”

Under the old man's gaze, the hesitation on Fran's face gradually disappeared.

Since he believed in me so much, I couldn't let him down, and of course, I couldn't let her down.

"I'll take care of this place for you...... If you wish. ”

Finally, Fran replied firmly. (To be continued......)