Chapter 171 | İvresse

In order to collect some evidence, Edmond went to the outskirts and only returned to the Champs-Élysées late at night.
In the eyes of others, "The Count of Monte Cristo" was already asleep, so he and Ali entered the villa through a hidden door.
But I didn't expect to run into Kristy, who had obviously just returned, when I was going upstairs.
She was carrying a lamp herself, her cheeks slightly flushed, and Bertuccio, worried, followed by her side.
"Have you been drinking?"
He asked softly.
Chris seemed to be in a good mood. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. She leaned in and reached out her arms to hug him, completely forgetting the thing in her hand. He quickly caught the wind lamp and handed it off to the mute servant beside him.
Ali took it calmly and took the stunned butler away with him.
Everything returned to darkness and silence. Edmund could see everything clearly, and his other senses became sharp. The smell of the powder in his arms suddenly became very pungent.
He even saw a golden strand of hair on her shoulder.
Lately, it seems like she is always coming home late.
Kelis is still very awake, but her mind is filled with the melody from the final rehearsal. She has no idea how much she has been taken advantage of by the girls in the dance troupe during the celebration. She simply responds with a soft "hmm" as he embraces her in the darkness.
She was placed at the door of the bedroom, and she rubbed her head against him to signal him to let go. She fell silently onto the thick carpet and said, somewhat sleepily, "Goodnight."
"...Goodnight."
The next morning, Auguste arrived at Champs-Élysées as usual, even earlier than before.
After gaining the approval of the two gentlemen who are important to his fiancée, the French diplomat on vacation diligently checks in on time every day, even more diligently than when he was in London. With the memory of the cheek kiss he took advantage of yesterday, he is especially happy, with a satisfied and radiant smile on his face.
Those subordinates also recognized him and let him through directly. He walked into the dining room and completely treated himself as an outsider, flipping through the newspaper on one side.
The two young ladies were not interested in the news, and the count only read books. These newspapers were obviously ordered by the new tenant.
As colleagues, August couldn't help but be curious about what the British consul usually reads. After flipping through "Constitutional Review," "Judicial Gazette," "Debate Digest," and the extremely niche "Patriots' Courier," he couldn't help but sneer.
"It's all work-related, not even a serialized novel newspaper, this guy is so boring, and yet he has so many women who like him."
Just after speaking ill of future brother-in-law, Aguste felt a chill down his spine and looked up to see the count standing at the door, expressionless, staring at him.
Expecting another round of Bennet-style mockery, instead the Italian remained silent and sat down at the main seat.
The second person to enter the dining hall was Catherine, who exclaimed in surprise, "Is Chris still not up yet?"
I am the most regular person in the house, usually exercising and washing up by this time, sitting at the table reading the newspaper and drinking coffee.
Regarding her younger brother, Miss Bennet naturally asked the Count.
Knowing that the employer's mood was obviously not good, and the reason might be this answer, Pabustine, who was sharp-eyed, replied on behalf of him: "The young master has gone to the consulate."
In response to these people's addresses to Bennet, Augustus has secretly criticized them many times. It is common for good friends to visit each other's homes, but when even the titles on both sides are completely identical, it easily erases the identity of the guest.
In other words, they clearly shared everything with each other.
One is still obsessed with the first woman, while the other is peculiar and gloomy, and doesn't seem like someone who would get married.
...Does the brother-in-law really plan to spend the rest of his life with this count?
Auguste brought up the identity of his brother-in-law in advance, and couldn't help but worry.
Ultimately, in the midst of their passionate love affair, they couldn't distract themselves for too long and quickly, like usual, they whispered about the latest art exhibition to each other.
After Miss Bennet, the fifth sister of the Bennet family, took her seat, the Earl suddenly said, "Mr. Longbourn, as a diplomat, you must often socialize with many people."
"Yes. Counsellors and secretaries may have to take on more paperwork initially, but as they move up to positions where they can make decisions, socializing and negotiations will take up a larger proportion of their duties."
"From this perspective, it seems that being a diplomat's wife requires a certain level of broad-mindedness? After all, those ladies' salons are also necessary for socializing."
Auguste: "..."
Did you remember what I just said about Mr. Bennette behind his back?
Feeling the gaze of his fiancée, the French diplomat realized that this was a fatal question.
August said cautiously, "I think diplomats should be able to handle this on their own. It's their job to communicate and build relationships, so they should be able to handle personal relationships easily without bringing work into their personal lives." He also praised his brother-in-law, "Bennet is even better than me in this aspect."
The Count appeared even more discontented.
Catherine, who had a kind heart, thought it was because he had been too busy lately, so she decided to give him some personal space. She affectionately announced that she wanted to go see the garden, and August, who had a strong desire to survive, hurriedly followed.
On one side, there was Alibaba, who never reveals things. Finally unable to hold back, Lydia sarcastically said, "You look like you just discovered that your husband hasn't come home all night."
Rarely does a cunning European woman get silenced by her own words, Miss Wu continued triumphantly, "But you don't need to inquire about what to do as a diplomat's wife. After Chris found his true love, it's unlikely that you will have a chance to become a diplomat's wife."
Although Durand repeatedly emphasizes that the script requires some necessary artistic treatment, not to regard the protagonist as a "little brother," after hearing several rehearsals, Lydia has already developed sympathy for the "dark-haired lover." She firmly believes that as long as she finds the person in question, she will become the future sister-in-law.
Edmond: "..."
Just rejected his marriage proposal and now he's looking for true love?
Deep down, he knew that letting Lydia get close to him was likely a trap set up by Criseyde. Yet Edmond couldn't help but jump in, following the clues she left behind, and found himself at the Paris Opera House.
The entrance had been blocked by carriages, and he didn't get off. He just sat in the carriage, silently gazing at the enormous hand-painted poster.
In the center of the curtain was a young gentleman wearing a three-piece suit, holding a cane. He walked towards a solitary gas lamp on a road that stretched endlessly without a single person in sight. The light outlined his towering figure, casting a long shadow. The shadow took the form of a bowed female profile, with a straight nose and slightly curled hair.
The lower right corner has two lines of artistic words.
"Mysterious Lover"
——With you, to be continued.
After a while, Bapusiting gasped and squeezed out, holding a program list in his hand, and handed it to the employer through the window.
The leading tenor is a talented young singer who has recently gained some fame in Paris, but the script and music composer are relatively unknown.
The leading female contralto, just like the title of the play, has only one codename - o.g.
Edmund's gaze paused on the line "personal valet (bass)".
It wasn't until the overture began that the Italian Count entered the scene. With a face as calm as water and no consul by his side, he encountered no obstacles or interruptions along the way and easily entered his own box.
Kris has all the box key of theaters and racecourses in Paris, but it seems she doesn't intend to reveal the answer to him so early and didn't wait for him inside.
As it was the premiere, the whole theater was packed and buzzing with people, and Edmond immediately spotted the Marseille thief leader wearing a hat by the curtain.
He opened the program schedule again and finally verified his guess from the word game in the screenwriter's name.
Having witnessed the other party's ability to make up stories, Edmund suddenly had a bad feeling about the possible plot of this play.
In the performance pool on the side of the stage, the symphony orchestra plays a lively and cheerful overture, which speeds up the footsteps of many people who are still entering. By the end of the overture, most of the audience has also entered the hall, and the lights in the hall gradually dim. The music transitions to a serenade, gentle and melodious, gradually becoming softer, and the noisy conversations become quiet as a result.
Candles have a fire hazard, so theaters generally use gas lamps for lighting, controlled by hydrogen gas to adjust brightness. The focus of the light is adjusted by a person from above.
When the hall becomes dim, the stage curtain slowly opens.
In the darkness, Edmund could clearly see a familiar figure in a private room not far away.
Krissy was standing beside a masked man, and they were talking about something. Because it was too dark around, she didn't notice him. Instead, it seemed like the masked man sensed her presence and turned towards her.
"You're not going backstage, is it really okay to stay here?"
Krystal couldn't help but ask.
Shadow withdrew his gaze:" It's fine. I have a secret passage in this box, I can go on stage at any time."
Klyss instantly suspected that he had turned the whole theater into a hornet's nest.
"The leading actress" spoke in a calm tone, yet her entire demeanor exuded extreme nervousness and unease.
After all, she had single-handedly promoted this actor, and thinking about how he had always been hindered by his appearance, she was extremely sensitive and insecure. Walking in the spotlight, even a slight laughter would make her tense. She had to make sure the mask was still firmly on his face to feel at ease. Klyss connected this to her own disguise and earnestly looked at him, saying, "You should know better than me that as long as you sing all the aria sections well, this opera will be a success."
He just cares too much about his appearance, so he amplifies the importance of those forms.
The Phantom nodded lightly.
"No matter how unfairly the world treats you, the things you love will never betray you."
Opera is different from most people's familiar modern musicals, like pop and folk songs. The melodies of musicals are more catchy, accompanied by singing, dancing, and performances.
At first, Kelly didn't adapt to opera because it mostly consists of traditional bel canto techniques. Even if there are dances, they are only used as interludes. Operas mostly consist of long arias, which can be quite dull. Kelly was accustomed to the slow-paced life of this era and gradually learned to accept and appreciate opera.
However, here at the Phantom, the long vocal performance becomes a complete advantage.
"Erik, you were born for opera."
That mask quietly watches her in the darkness.
"Nice to meet you, Bennet."
After a while, the Phantom intentionally held the Consul's hand and felt a more pronounced gaze. Behind the mask, he had never smiled so genuinely.
——Can see oneself，seems to be accustomed to night travel, must be the prototype of that character.
Took a look at the stage, knowing it's about time to say goodbye to friends, he opened the mechanism of the box, went through the passage, and arrived at the lounge.
His other two friends were waiting for him outside the door and they encouraged him while he changed his clothes.
Durang was very straightforward, "Just sing whatever you like, anyone who doesn't like you must be deaf."
Lidia felt that her lines were stolen, so she glared at him, intent on outdoing this person. After racking her brains, she said, "Then let me tell you a useful piece of insider information, actually, that personal butler is a woman in disguise, and she also likes the male protagonist."
Eric: ???
What's wrong with these lovers around Bennet?
While watching the play, Edmund also immediately noticed that there was only Chriss left in the box.
The first scene of the play is very simple. It opens with a party, with bright lights and glasses clinking.
The ladies gossip and praise the young people's looks on the dance floor, trying to find out about their backgrounds. This foreign student came to the seaside city for study, and the banquet is held for him.
The male lead is a former choir member. Although he lacks experience, his voice is pure and his singing is full of youthful energy. He achieved fame at a young age, and he portrays that lively spirit very authentically.
However, in his eyes, no matter what, it couldn't compare to Chris.
Edmond had already realized that this was the story that Duran made up, but he didn't understand how he convinced Chris and actually brought this play to life.
He soon felt the malicious intent of the screenwriter.
In all plays and operas, as usual, there will be a funny character responsible for throwing jokes, often used to liven up the atmosphere and prevent the audience from getting bored.
A close male servant around the university students took on this important duty.
In the midst of laughter, the servant caught the young master who was sneaking over the wall at night, and after much persuasion, was still ruthlessly abandoned inside the enclosure.
Before leaving, the young master squatted on the fence and hummed lightly, saying, "You, my servant, are really disobedient. Maybe one day I'll fire you."
Edmond: "..."
The Marseille thief is definitely holding a grudge from the time I caught him "picking pockets" at the market.
Under the cover of the night, a college student sneaked out, stepping into the darkness, and embarking on his adventure.
The stage appears to have been set by a master of visual effects, with scene changes happening inside the slots. The turntable and arches make the young person sitting in the car feel like they are truly moving forward.
The solo "Night, Marseilles" feels like a cheerful stream of water, as if worrying about disturbing the night. Even though the pronunciation is clear and can be easily heard throughout the hall, it sounds like a soft whisper, pleasant to the ear.
A college student wearing a blue sailor shirt sings a song, strolling lightly at the pier at night. He meets several sailors, who entice and coax him, unable to resist his curiosity, he follows them to the "happy place".
After the sailors chased the old man away, the lone lamb was surrounded by a group of flowing birds.
When the young man was in a panic and at a loss for what to do, a very gentle sigh could be heard clearly.
In the sweet joking and fading strings, there is a clear and cold female voice that is more pleasing to the ear than any musical instrument.
"Do you need my help?"
Edmund was stunned.
— I can help you.
This is the first time they have met after calling for help and spoke their first words.
Originally, it was not just him who was grateful for their encounter.
The lights converge.
The stage was left with only a boy singing alone, as if being led by an invisible hand. He raised his head slightly, his eyes bright, chasing after a person who did not actually exist in front of him.
【Across the ocean, we drift and encounter in the waves of destiny】
【It's coincidence, or maybe it's destiny, the stars are also trembling, and the storm will give rebirth to those who escape】
【Before dawn arrives, love has already descended】
Edmund finally snapped out of his trance and opened the program schedule.
This ballad is called "Across the Ocean", composed by o.g. who is still the female voice, and the lyrics were written by Robinson.
It's his Robinson.
Kris did not write the lyrics for all the songs, so Edmund listened carefully to every line of this one, completely unconcerned about the singer's technique.
After finishing a song, the magnetic female voice resonated from the empty air above the stage, as if reaching out to the entire world of the youth.
"From this alley, you can return to the dock."
"Please don't come again, someone like you shouldn't come here."
Still, the melody of "Across the Sea" remains, but the mood has become gloomy and dispirited. The boy stands at the center of the stage, with his hands hanging weakly, even his hair seems listless.
"I forgot to ask her name."
A sigh of sympathy was heard from the quiet audience.
In the midst of despair, the butler entered and called out "Sir," circling around the young man to inspect him. Seeing his master standing on the path to the red-light district, the butler's heart ached as he said, "You are no longer as pure and flawless as before," which caused laughter to erupt in the theater.
A college student who sneaked out for an adventure in the middle of the night and fell in love did not give up. The next night, he climbed over the campus wall once again and arrived at the red light district. This time, he didn't forget to bring his personal butler. When the prostitute approached him, he mercilessly asked the butler to help him shoo her away.
The young master praised and then eagerly searched with a happier step.
The butler followed behind, sinisterly saying, "The young master must have been deceived by a wicked woman."
"Young and hot-blooded youths are easily controlled by physical desires and can be tricked into giving away all their wealth. I have to keep an eye on him."
一片笑声里，爱德蒙面无表情。
如果克莉丝填的词还会让他心生柔情蜜意，那杜朗写的对白完全就是在他的记仇名单上跳。
Afterwards, the plot becomes quite predictable, but the cheerful music unexpectedly makes it enjoyable.
The boy is overly gentlemanly towards the lady, to the point where it becomes difficult to escape the nightingale. When a drunken man harasses the flower girl, he immediately comes to her aid and escorts her back. On the way, the boy couldn't help but inquire and after some characteristic descriptions, coincidentally learns that the flower girl lives with her beloved person.
From the opening to now, the leading actress is finally about to make her appearance.
Whether it's the fact that she has only one name "og" outside the drama, or the fact that she has only said a few lines in the drama, it perfectly fits the "mysterious" title and has definitely piqued everyone's interest.
In a dim and dilapidated set, a person wearing a veil and a black robe slowly appears.
The entire theater feels stagnant, even the air.
After a long silence, a lady hesitates and voices the thoughts of everyone, "Is this lover... a bit too tall?"
The audience stands exploded.
"What kind of joke is this?!"
"Why is the female lead not showing her face?"
"I came to watch a romantic comedy, but this actor has such a gloomy temperament, it feels like a Gothic novel."
"Come down."
Amidst a hush, the black figure took a step back, paused, and then resolutely walked into the beam.
【He is a youthful Adonis, a humble Narcissus.】
A sentence of lyrics quiets the entire theater.
Even the sound of breathing disappears.
In the entire aria, emotions have been perfectly conveyed, and the lyrics become irrelevant. In everyone's mind, there are only enchanting tones, and the notes are perfectly arranged in a wide range. In the spacious hall, only the extraordinary and delicate Siren speaks of her emotions.
The male lead, who has been performing flawlessly so far, also feels the pressure. His hesitant and retreating appearance, which is not intentional, turns into shyness when he meets his crush. Driven by emotions, in the duet that follows where they mutually probe each other's feelings and identities, he is completely overwhelmed by the other person's music and becomes thoroughly lost.
A young boy cannot help but fall in love with a woman he meets in a place of indulgence.
他每晚都去见她，年轻人的爱恋真挚炽热，除了功课，他一心一意想着她，完全献出自己的心意，过去与未来全都不在乎。
男仆劝说，流言猜疑，种种阻碍让他没法去见她，她就反过来找他。
她扮作女仆，潜入他的身边，柔顺得让他放下全部防备。
她扮作修女，与他在教堂看星星，表现出的学识和风趣让他着迷。
她又扮作一位傲慢女大公，展露出优雅脆弱的一面。
他从未与女性打过交道，遑论是比他年长的情人，难以捉摸，气质神秘，轻易就摆布了他。
而他变成了只知道围着她晕乎乎打转的小狗，少年如同一个羞怯的小姑娘，情人一句话就能逗得他脸红，他不知道那条街有什么规矩，想到其他交际花都有漂亮的首饰，只能把自己所有节省下来的钱和点心，连同一片真心拙拙递到她眼前。
有了爱情的滋润，少年的生活也变得意外顺利起来，他学业有了进步，还遇到了来自祖国的老先生，得到赏识收为弟子，一切都向着好的方向发展。
他兴致满满向情人许诺，自己会有美好前程，要带她一起回英国，要给她名分，要让自己庄园的女主人，憧憬以后把花园给爱植物的她打理，而他们就在花架上依偎着一起，看他们的孩子嬉戏打闹。
气质忧郁的女人隔着面纱轻轻吻了少年的发顶，他更加高兴，满足在高大的情人怀里睡着了。
这时候，情人才轻叹说：“请你放心，我永远都是你的。”
“不过，如果是刚才那番求婚词的话。恕我拒绝。”
少年在长沙发上醒来，面对的只有空无一人的房间。
不告而别的情人没有任何话，只留下了他给她的全部钱款，零零碎碎堆积在他心上。
年轻人跑出房间到处寻找，被那条街的女性讥笑，有不忍心的人说，看到那个女人乘上了去巴黎的车，一定是跟着更富有阔绰的人走了，一个穷学生只可能是跳板。
“你不是第一个被这样骗的傻小子了。”
“不要给这条街的女人真心。”
大幕落前，是遭此打击，彻底病倒的青年。
幕间休息的铃声响了。
爱德蒙这才从这充满既视感，偏偏似真似假的剧情里醒过来，腾地站起身，示意克莉丝的方向问侍者，知道那是五号包厢，便疾步走过去。
半路上，他遇到了两个凑在一起擦泪的贵妇。
她们伤心讨论着剧情，一致责骂那个女人太过狠心，这样真挚的求婚也能拒绝，这样可爱的小恋人都会撇下，还做出不告而别这种事情。
Edmond: "..."
偏偏他无法反驳，因为这两件事他确实都做过，只是被红发编剧改得更可恨了。
敲开五号包厢的门，看到被围在中间寒暄的领事，想到反正“基督山伯爵”的性格古怪，爱德蒙不管不顾上前将她拉起来，往自己的包厢引。
如果不是太多人在一边，他可能会直接把罪魁祸首扛走。
回到自己的包厢，直接落了锁，借着这个隐蔽的视野盲区，被抹黑名声的人把欺瞒到全巴黎面前的小骗子困在柔软的座位里，咬着牙惩罚了一通。
克莉丝一边笑一边挣扎，在他耳边求饶说：“下一幕就给你平反了。”
两个人好好坐下后，爱德蒙又忍不住问：“我不告而别后，你真的病倒了？”
克莉丝毫不留情说：“没有的事。杜朗非要加的戏，说是让前后反转更大一些。”
“没有一点不舍？”
“……有那么一点吧，就一点。”
他满意把早就准备的点心奖励给她。
下一幕，两个人是挨在一起看的。
台上的少年为了情人的离去而消沉，自我放任，一位年长的夫人出现，邀请他去自己家旅行散心，男仆一改先前的阻挠，很有眼色提出自己不会跟着去。
从中部回来后，少年明显比过去成熟了不少，他不再像以前推却女性的好感，变得风流多情。
腰上的手臂有收紧的趋势，克莉丝带着求生欲解释：“杜朗说，很多人喜欢这种浪子形象，我想把身份坐实，就同意了。”
中间穿插了一段日夜对比的戏，白天的少年与女性调|情，午夜梦回却会回忆起那些过去。
【我年轻的阿多尼斯】
“阿多尼斯被分给了爱神和冥后，”喜爱希腊神话的少年较真纠正，“我是只属于你一个人的。”
【我谦逊的那喀索斯】
“那你千万不要爱上我。”少年调侃说，“厄科（echo）爱上了他，因为只能重复别人说过的话，无法传递爱情，郁猝而终，最后整个人都消散，变成了回声。”
收到前辈邀请，将要离开马赛前往意大利前，少年收到了一张纸条。
是那位神秘情人的字迹。
一番挣扎的咏叹调后，他还是放不下她，带着怒意和悲痛去那座教堂赴约。
高挑的情人坐在彩窗下，苍白忧郁的面庞在面纱后隐隐绰绰。
她带着妒意语气古怪恭喜了他和那位夫人。
年轻人被刺痛，反唇相讥，两个人争吵着，明明互相在意对方，却一致固执不说喜欢。
他终于忍无可忍叫道：“先离开的是你，现在又是你找上来，你把我的一切都搅乱了。结果从头到尾，我甚至不知道你真实的名字，你的过去。”
少年的声音里带了哭腔，如同被踹了一脚的小动物，低低呜咽起来。
爱德蒙心里一紧，忍不住摸了摸恋人的头发。
“这也是杜朗编的，我在意大利只顾着猜你有什么阴谋企图了，知道你想报恩才放弃试探，”克莉丝很煞风景说，“你不用觉得抱歉。嗷。”
和他敲她的动作相反，台上的情人爱怜轻叹了一声。
神秘的情人还是妥协了。
“……edmee。我的名字。”
Edmond: "..."
edmee，edmond。
偏偏她还在耳边炫耀：“这是我想的名字，edmee·ben，还挺好听的吧？”
未来的班纳特夫人警告着吻了他爱剧透的小丈夫。
“chris。”
清冷的女中音柔声呼唤起来相当深情动人，像是揉过松香的提琴琴弓。
紧接着这一声，有些绮丽的旋律响起，本来还得意着的克莉丝彻底僵住了。
光顾着想他的反应，她差点忘了，这出戏是有小黄|歌的！
作为原型克莉丝抗争过，试图例证这段对剧情根本没有影响。
结果魅影在歌剧上相当执着，一堆专用名词甩了她一头，再三强调没有这段歌整部剧就没有灵魂，还反过来挖苦外交官没有艺术头脑。
行吧，她懂，文艺片和严肃文学的搞黄色不能叫涩情，那是艺术。
克莉丝连忙拉了他，站起身，不自在说：“我们回去吧？”
爱德蒙在昏暗里惊讶看她。
But it is already too late.
台上，两个人互相告知了姓名，在彩窗下互相袒露了感情，一片朦胧的薄纱后明亮的光透出，传来了动听的女中音咏叹调。
【让纯洁为他风雨摇曳，以背德向他开启心扉】
【迷迭香与橙花的芬芳里，于神龛前宣誓，匆匆共结连理】
【用亲吻撕裂伪装，用自己覆盖他，身上只穿赤忱的爱意】
【浓烈厮缠，汗水涔涔，颠倒世界】
……
【在疾风骤雨、电光略过后，我们共享甜蜜的安息】
包厢内陷入了漫长的尴尬。
转场的帷幕落下时，爱德蒙艰难说：“克莉丝。”
“你还记得，在俱乐部，在我面前，你炫耀情史的下场吧。”
Krista: "......"
这次真的不关我的事！我和埃里克打赌输了才填词的！161小说阅读网