Nineteenth Century Medical Guide

Chapter 407 403. Mayer’s decision

Women like Martha and Fran are used to the evils of society, and they also know what kind of men would give them money and send them home for no reason. So Martha, who has been a prostitute for more than ten years, readily accepted the invitation, but Fran chose to refuse until Mayer took out another 20 francs.

"I'm a newspaper reporter. I don't mean any harm." Mayer took out the press card of Paris New Journal. "I'm just doing an interview. I'll get off the car after the interview."

The metallic aroma of the coins aroused Martha's interest: "20 francs just for the interview?"

The coachman who had just sat on the driver's seat couldn't help shouting: "How about you also interview me? I don't want much, just give me another 5 francs."

"I only interview them."

Even so, Fran didn't take it seriously: "Two poor women, or elderly poor women, what's the point of interviewing them?"

"Martha! That's 20 francs!"

"I will give the coachman 5 francs as travel expenses, and I hope you will forget about this business." Mayer took off his hat and dusted it off. "You will share the remaining 20 francs equally as a reward for answering the questions."

"Huh? Ask a question?"

Advanced vocabulary like interview always hides some key things. Martha, who was very interested just now, felt something was wrong and moved her butt out again, "What question do you want to ask?"

"Let me remind you first, there are some things that cannot be said, and the names of some people cannot be said." Fran got ahead of Martha and made a three-part agreement with this reporter friend, "We can only talk about Dr. Carvey."

As for now, it doesn't matter whether you agree or not. 20+50, each person can get 35 francs, enough to pay more than one month's rent. The other party also said that he was a reporter. He only wanted to know some information and did not want to expose them. It should be safe.

Martha had been in the slums for a long time and had not seen such a rich person for a long time. Her alert posture suddenly changed into a coquettish look that only appeared at night.

As early as when he took out the 20 francs, Fran was already excited. Even if you worked hard in your youth, your daily salary would be less than 2 francs. Nowadays, when it is difficult to even fill your stomach, the remuneration of 10 francs per person is too tempting.

"I see."

"That's a good question." Martha chuckled, "Actually, we don't know if it's really a kidnapping."

"Yeah, I think so too."

Mayer laughed at this: "He was kidnapped by you, how could he feel relaxed and comfortable listening to you talking about it?"

Her overreaction convinced Mayer that her judgment was correct and that Kawi's kidnapping must be related to them. Your next reaction will determine the direction of the whole thing, so you must be cautious: "I have no malice, and I don't want to be a so-called 'hero'. I just want to understand some situations, some situations that really happened to a certain gentleman."

Mayer immediately guessed her occupation, patted her thigh, coaxed her into the car, and then looked at Fran: "What about you? Are you getting in the car?"

"In his eyes?" Martha took the cigarette, lit the cigarette butt, stuffed it into her mouth and took a long breath, "To put it more exaggeratedly, in his eyes, people who come to a place like ours may come to experience life, or simply Do you want to see what trouble we can make?"

"In our eyes, that should be considered a kidnapping. After all, the letter has been written and the person has been locked up." Martha explained, and suddenly asked, "Do you have a cigarette?"

"It's not easy. We only have a shabby bed in our place, and the food is not very good." Martha got over her craving for cigarettes and started talking, "But a big shot like him didn't say anything. They even opened a clinic with us.”

The last question is a question, and the person asking it is Fran.

Mayer seemed quite reasonable and seemed very restrained in asking questions: "The first thing I want to ask is whether Dr. Carvey was really kidnapped?"

Seeing that she didn't object to the word "kidnapping," Mayer felt confident that at least his investigation was in the right direction, and there was nothing wrong with yesterday's manuscript: "What does this mean? You're confusing me."

After saying that, he took out the inner pocket of his clothes and revealed a small half of the banknotes. 【1】

should

The luck brought by the money has prevailed, and it is useless to struggle rationally. After seeing the banknotes, Fran did not hesitate and quickly got on the carriage at the urging of the coachman.

But she had promised Lex, so she restrained herself from getting in the car.

This time it’s banknotes instead of coins, the minimum is 50 francs, and more likely it’s 100 francs! Of course, for a well-dressed person like Mayer, if he could take out banknotes, he would have so many gold coins, but he was just too lazy to carry them with him.

"Um, yes." Mayer took out the cigarette case and handed one over, "What does he think of it?"

Mayer paused, thinking she hadn't heard clearly: "What did you say?"

"A clinic is a small hospital. We are his nurses, and he helps with treatment and surgery." Fran glanced at him and said, "Yes, we had the same expression as you do now."

Even if the social status of nurses is not high, it is still a high-level profession among women, and it is a type of work that only a few women are qualified to do. If it were 50 years ago, aristocratic women would often be seen in the nursing team. So when Kawi asked them to wash their hands and go on stage to help, both of them were very excited.

"I'm just a little surprised that a clinic is opened in a place like that." Mayer suppressed his excitement and brought the topic back to the kidnapping. "I heard that he was kidnapped from the train station by you."

"It should be, the 10th or what day?" Martha recalled, "Anyway, I just received a customer that night and I am very tired."

"It's the 10th. Mrs. Kamei always goes to the street to find a washer at this time. I remember it very clearly."

After confirming the time and place, Mayer wanted to further confirm the specific location, but unfortunately both of them remained tight-lipped: "This is confidential, Mr. Reporter."

"Okay, I'll change it to another one."

The coachman complied with Mayer's request for the 5-franc silver coin and drove the carriage starting from the entrance of the Main Palace Hospital and wandering along the outer ring of the main city. But because he already knew where Martha and Fran got into the car, in order to shorten the return trip, he always drove in circles around the ghetto.

When Mayer got out of the car after the interview, he was only two blocks away from where Carvey was being held. One is Ofila Street, which surrounds the northeastern edge of the wealthy neighborhood, and the other is China Street.

There is no need to guess anymore. Kavi must have been sent to Menilmontant, a huge workers' neighborhood between yellow and blue.

It is full of dilapidated bungalows infested with ivy, wild grasses and shrubs with slightly bright colors, and brick and stone paths that are different from the new roads, with a hint of tranquility that attracts lonely artists.

Perhaps those wealthy people who are accustomed to the hustle and bustle of grand pomp and circumstance will find this scene a resting place that can soothe their noisy souls. But for people who live here all year round, the poverty brought about by Weibo’s wages may be even more devastating.

Mayer knew exactly where this place was and didn't want to stay long.

He needed to find another carriage along Orfila Street to the southwest of the city center, and then bring the news materials in exchange for nearly a hundred francs, giving a small shock to the routine public opinion environment.

"Aside from the fact that opening a clinic is a bit bizarre, the time and location are all logical and should not be made up."

"Those letters are also very true. The kidnapper is indeed not very smart. The key point is why didn't they just ask Kawei to write the agent certificate and go to the bank to withdraw the money?"

"Forget it, they are all idiots, otherwise they wouldn't have fallen to this point. Yes, that's what the end of the manuscript says."

Just as Mayer was muttering to himself and drafting the upcoming breaking news, a familiar figure suddenly flashed before his eyes and quickly entered a tavern on the street. "Rochester? Why is he here?"

After all, Mayer is also a reporter for Paris News, so he naturally knows the celebrity around the princess, and it is not surprising that he has met him. But remembering the face and recognizing it while intentionally obscuring the face requires some friendship.

It so happened that his good friend Théophile Gautier was the administrator of the Princess Salon. Mayer had met and interviewed Rochester before he showed up at the Longchamp Racecourse. At that time, the interview was published on the front page of Paris New Journal, attracting the attention of many people. 【2】

It was certainly not a good friend, but Mayer was indeed one of the few people in Paris who had chatted with Rochester. He is very aware of Mathilde's "means" to maintain love, and it is not easy for Rochester to go out alone.

So when he saw the Hungarians here, he felt strange.

Mayer was originally a journalist in the social circle, and writing about "how chaotic your society is" was his main job. Now another shocking figure appeared in a place where he shouldn't be, and it was hard for him to pretend he didn't see it.

As soon as the idea of ​​"biting off more than one can chew" came to mind, Mayer crumpled it into a ball and threw it away as garbage. No reporter would like too much news. All he has to worry about is the security issues in the Menilmondand neighborhood.

This is the 20th arrondissement of Paris, a major immigrant gathering area and a cheap labor gathering area.

Just like the light blue color marked by the former police chief Sebasto, the dangers here are rarely life-threatening, but someone has taken away the wallet, stripped off the clothes, or like Kawei, was used as a meat ticket and tied up in the basement for several people. It’s a week, and it’s still too uncomfortable to rely on dry, hard, expired bread to satisfy my hunger.

On one side is the breaking news in the social circle, even if it is not news, it can still be a good threat. On the other side is simple property security.

To enter or not to enter?

Mayer pondered for a long time, and when he saw that Rochester had not come out, he slowly walked towards the tavern. The time-eroded letters on the wooden notice board on the door frame finally spelled out clearly visible words: "Fried rabbit, beer and wine, gather at the Wood Deer Tavern".

He wanted to look inside and see what Rochester was doing, and then consider whether to enter or not.

"Are you here to drink?" A woman's voice suddenly came from behind his head, "Or are you here to find a girl?"

Mayer was startled and looked back to see a somewhat impatient waitress. She had her hair tied up and heavy makeup, but she still had some freckles on her face: "Come in and have a seat, our beer is very good."

"I'm looking for someone."

Mayer didn't think of an excuse and said something casually. Unexpectedly, the waitress who was laughing with her just now changed her face in an instant: "Looking for someone? Are you looking for a woman? If you are looking for a woman, go back. You can find a nice one just down the street and it only costs 2 francs a night.”

"No, I'm looking for friends."

While talking, Mayer took off his hat, covered half of his face with the brim of the hat, and looked into the tavern twice, but did not see Rochester. Before he could react, the waitress pushed him hard: "If you don't go in, don't affect our business, otherwise the boss will scold me again!"

Mayer stumbled two steps, attracting the attention of many people.

After he took the opportunity to confirm Rochester's absence again, he pulled the waitress and asked, "Did you just see a handsome, neatly dressed man walk in?"

"Beautiful man? Yes, he went to the second floor."

"Second floor."

Mayer looked up at the windows on the wooden sign and nodded: "Okay, bring me some fried venison and the beer you recommended."

At this time, on the second floor of the tavern, Rochester was standing by the door, looking towards the stairs.

There were two men and one woman in the room, and the woman was sitting quietly in the corner. Two men were wearing black coats. One slightly opened the curtains and looked downstairs. The other took two sips of the beer that had just been delivered. He couldn't help but vomited it all out: "What's the signature beer? It's sour!" Like urine!"

"Mr. Cusper, if you have something to say, please tell me immediately. I have to go back after you finish speaking."

Cusper took out his handkerchief and wiped his mouth, then said with a smile: "Of course that's why I came to you."

"I have already mentioned it to the princess," Rochester said. "She said she would support my idea, but she didn't say how. I couldn't ask her to go find San to clarify the matter. That would be too much. It’s obvious.”

"Good job." Cusper clapped his hands like a child and asked, "The one downstairs is looking for you, right? Who is it?"

"A reporter." Rochester sighed, "I'm already hidden enough. I was looking for Area 20 where no one would come. I didn't expect to meet him here."

"Want to help you solve it?"

"No, please don't. He is a famous reporter. It will be very troublesome if he dies." Rochester said quickly, "France is not Prussia. The secret police are all over Paris. As long as you make a little move here, they will catch you all out right away. "

"I didn't say what I was going to do to him. Why are you so nervous?" Cusper crumpled his handkerchief into a ball and stuffed it back into his pocket. He suddenly looked at the woman in the corner and said, "Ayesha, how are you doing there? "

"It's good. Count and Mrs. Morasso are very kind to me." Ayesha, like Rochester, is very pressed for time. "If nothing happens, I have to go back now. Oh, by the way, I have to pay for the carriage." I, the housekeeper, manage money very strictly."

Cusper was very satisfied with the performance of both of them. In addition to reporting on their work this time, he also had other things to talk about: "I have carefully selected you, and I am very confident in your abilities." . But recently I received news that someone in Hungary seems to be deliberately approaching people like you.”

"People like us?" Rochester's nerves immediately became tense. "What do you mean people like us?"

"What are we so close to?"

"The negotiations are not going well, and some guys want to play some tricks." Cusper did not say it clearly, but just warned, "I use you to give you a chance to start a new life. It is also thanks to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Who makes her like it? What a beautiful Hungarian.”

"I see."

"I also understood."

"So, don't play tricks on me." Cusper asked, "Has anyone sent you a letter recently? Is there a letter written in Hungarian?"

Rochester's expression didn't change, but the right hand he put in his pocket held the lining tightly and shook his head: "No, I either stay in the princess's manor or her studio every day, so there is no chance of contacting other people. "

"I'm about the same. The maid job is very tiring."

Seeing what they said, Cusper didn't continue to make things difficult: "In that case, please let me go. Remember what I said when you go back. If someone sends some inconvenient letters, please give them to me as soon as possible. "

"understood."

After Rochester and Ayesha left the room, they hurried downstairs pretending to be siblings meeting each other. The explanation is not difficult, and Mayer is not as knowledgeable as the famous person next to the princess. As long as you don't go too far, just turn a blind eye and forget it. After all, you still count on him to reveal the news to you.

"Mr. Cusper, they are dishonest."

"They are indeed all talented people. Teacher Femik's selection is not in vain." Cusper picked up the beer that he had just drank half a cup and poured two more sips into his mouth. "This wine is just like them, full of Hungarian flavor." The sour smell of man.”

(End of this chapter)