Flowers, Swords and France

As the night falls, the evening streets are looming in the darkness. A carriage traveled on the roads on the outskirts of the city, and finally stopped outside a mansion on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne.

When the carriage stopped, Charles stepped out of the carriage, and then stretched out his hand diligently to help Matilda down as well.

"Matilda, we've arrived..." Charles supported Matilda and said affectionately in her ear, "I hope this is a pleasant night for you."

In accordance with the previous agreement, Charles took Matilda to the mansion of the lady in blue stockings to participate in the salon she had prevented tonight.

"Thank you, Charles..." Matilda's tone was a little soft, because Charles was so close to her, and the hot breath of his breath kept hitting her face, making her feel embarrassed and happy at the same time, "For I have been looking forward to today for a long time..."

Then, she looked at Charles uneasily, and some worries flashed through her eyes behind the lenses, "But I hope you didn't delay your business today because of my willfulness?"

"It doesn't matter, those things have already annoyed me to death during the day. I have done too much official work for the country recently, and I have to find some space for myself to rest..." Charles replied nonchalantly, "Even if you don't follow When I make this request, I will also take some time to relax, so don’t blame yourself..."

While talking, Charles held Matilda's hand firmly and looked at Matilda teasingly. "Okay, just think of it as a gesture of kindness. You can have fun here and let me relax at the same time."

"You are quite good at joking." Matilda became more and more embarrassed. But he was obviously very happy, "But. I...I don't know how to please you."

"Oh, it doesn't matter. You don't need to force yourself to please you?" Charles smiled and shook his head, then gave Matilda a gentle hug, "As long as you continue to accompany me like this, I will be very happy. ”

Ciel's behavior made Matilda blush even more, but she still nodded, "I will, Ciel."

——Not to mention that she originally wanted Ciel to relax a little after his intense official duties, not to mention that Ciel had done her a big favor recently. She didn't want to go against Charles's opinion, either emotionally or rationally.

There was something charming about her reserve, which made Charles look at Yue more and more happily, and finally couldn't help but give her another kind hug.

Seeing how close he and Matilda were, who could have imagined that just yesterday, he was visiting his newlywed residence with his soon-to-be-married fiancée?

After the two of them hung out for a while, Charles and Matilda came to the mansion again.

"Mr. Treville, I am very pleased to have you come here." When Charles and Matilda arrived at the mansion. The owner of the room, Mademoiselle de Perriette, nicknamed Blue Stockings, came forward with a smile. Looking at Charles with a fake serious attitude, "It seems that you haven't been here for several months since your last visit? I thought that after you became rich, you forgot about your former friends?"

"Hey, Catalina, how could I forget such a warm friend like you? It's just that I've been too busy with business recently. I can't spare the time." Charles shrugged. "If I could find some time, I would have come over long ago."

"Ah! Look! Look at this man's tone now, how pretentious he is! A big shot is indeed a big shot. He is not the same as us..." Miss Perriette shook her head exaggeratedly and sighed, " However, I’m afraid I have time to spend with my girlfriend and don’t have time to visit my friends...?”

Then, she nodded to Matilda without any surprise, without showing any curiosity about her identity, "Dear young lady, it's really nice to see you again, please feel free to put it aside Treat this place as my own home, there is no need to have any restrictions, I am always hospitable to guests.”

Matilda had already felt a little guilty due to the joke she just made. She didn't dare to talk to her anymore. She just nodded in confusion while looking for Charles' help with her eyes.

Who is the same traveler as an Englishman like you? Charles chuckled in his heart and waved his hands to smooth things over, "Okay, okay, Catalina, stop teasing others. It's rare for others to be interested in you, but Don’t ruin other people’s fun!”

"Oh, you are really..." Miss Periette couldn't help but sneered, as if she was mocking Charles. "Okay, then you should hurry in first, time waits for no one."

"You don't seem to have invited too many people today?" Charles glanced around casually and found that there were not as many people as last time. "What, there are times when you don't like the excitement?"

"Occasionally, you have to change your taste." Miss Blue Stockings waved her hand, and then she suddenly winked at Charles, "I'm afraid there will be an acquaintance of yours in there..."

"We know each other? Who?" Charles frowned.

On an occasion like today, he was reluctant to meet someone who knew him.

"That's Mr. Hugo. I remember he criticized you here a few years ago. Today he is finally willing to do it again. You are in good luck." Miss Blue Stockings didn't show off, "That's right. Because of him, I didn't invite a few people, otherwise it would be boring if everyone made a noise."

"Mr. Hugo?" Before Charles could respond, Matilda suddenly shouted. Then she looked at him in disbelief, and even her voice trembled. "He...he's here too? This...this is really great!"

As a literature lover, she was of course full of respect and curiosity for literary giants like Hugo, even though he had no good works published in recent years due to his involvement in politics.

"Where is he now...?" Matilda looked at Miss Perriette eagerly, "Can I go see him?"

"Don't be so excited, my friend." Miss Periette replied with a smile, "You can go to see him now...so that everyone can communicate candidly with each other. Isn't this the purpose of calling everyone together? Go, him I'm talking to someone right now. You can talk to him and tell him how much you love his work."

Matilda cheered from the heart. No compliment makes her happier - isn't that proof that her salon is a success?

"That's great!" Matilda cheered first, and then her face suddenly darkened as if she had thought of something, "But...but I think I don't need to disturb him anymore, just watch from the side." …”

She probably suddenly remembered her identity, felt a little ashamed of herself, and didn't want to cause trouble to me.

Charles guessed Matilda's thoughts in an instant. At the same time, I also felt a slight pain in my heart, feeling deeply that I felt sorry for Matilda.

then. Driven by an indescribable impulse, he directly took Matilda's hand.

"We're all here, what do we have to worry about?" He looked at Matilda with a smile, "Let's go, I'll take you to see him."

Before Matilda could react, Charles had already taken Matilda's hand and walked directly into the living room.

When Charles walked in, he quickly discovered that Hugo was sitting alone on a sofa, his head lowered as if thinking about something.

After seeing that you can talk directly. Charles felt relieved, and then walked straight towards Hugo.

"Good evening, Mr. Hugo."

After hearing Ciel's greeting, Hugo was stunned for a moment. Then he raised his head.

After recognizing that the person greeting him was Ciel, his expression was a little excited at first, and then slowly turned cold. "...Mr. Treville? Good evening."

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

Charles understood why he suddenly changed his name to something cold.

Since Louis Bonaparte began to continuously show his authoritarian tendencies. At this time, Victor Hugo had parted ways with Louis Bonaparte, whom he had originally supported. Frequently expressed dissatisfaction with Louis Bonaparte in parliament and other occasions.

Coupled with this, he was naturally very dissatisfied with Charles, a staunch supporter of Louis Bonaparte and even openly attacking Parliament in Parliament.

"It's a pleasure to see you tonight." Charles nodded to him enthusiastically, as if he was not the one who clamored for his arrest at the secret meeting in the War Department yesterday. "I think I haven't heard that for a long time. You taught me a lesson.”

"Unfortunately, I am not very happy, sir." Unlike Charles, Hugo's attitude was much colder, "I must tell you that you are losing the friendship and trust I once gave you."

"Why do you say that? Sir?" Charles asked pretending to be confused. "I assume I didn't do anything to hurt you?"

"You did not hurt me, but you hurt the whole country!" Hugo replied sternly. "Don't you realize now that you are becoming a figure who increasingly brings danger, discord and terror to the country?"

"Really? My opinion is the opposite, sir." Seeing the other party being so rude, Charles also forgot his original purpose and fought back forcefully, "I am helping the president to rebuild this traumatized country, and Let her get the status she deserves."

"Is the status you are talking about devastated ruins? Louis Bonaparte is preparing to lead the country into the abyss, but you... you are planning to help him push it!" Hugo showed no mercy and looked at him sternly. Charles, "Yes, I admit that you are very talented, but if your talent is used in a dangerous direction, it will only bring greater disaster to the country than a mediocre person! Why do you insist, instead of standing on the side of Where is the Constitution and equality on the side of the Republic?”

"Because these things are empty talk, sir, and they are meaningless." Charles replied in a moderate tone. "These things cannot save the country. Only strong means can do this."

"This is nonsense! I will stop your wanton behavior." Hugo glared at Charles.

"I'm not surprised by this," Ciel smiled and shook his head, "but I think you probably won't succeed, because strength is more convincing than empty words..."

"Power...you will finally be able to see the power of the people!"

"Now that we are here, let's not talk about those boring political topics anymore, gentlemen?" Seeing that both of them were a little stiff, Miss Blue Stockings interrupted at the right time, "I'm inviting you all to come over today, but... I don’t want to watch those quarrels that have nothing to do with literature..."

After being reminded, the two of them stopped the unnecessary quarrel, and then both secretly regretted their gaffe.

"Sir, I'm here..." Charles pointed at Matilda, "I want you to meet this lovely lady. She is your admirer and wants to meet you."

Hugo looked at Matilda with some doubts, as if he had guessed something.

However, he didn't say much. After all, wasn't he also a playboy? Didn't he often flaunt his mistress?

"Let's not quarrel in front of the ladies..." Charles smiled and shrugged, "Put aside the political topic, anyway, we have plenty of time to deal with it."

Seeing Charles so leisurely, Victor Hugo shook his head and finally sighed.

"It would be a great thing if you focus on being a writer..." (To be continued..)