flower and sword and france

Chapter 6: Conversation in the studio

While her brother was running around, Miss Fran-de-Trevville rode her own carriage as usual, and came to the studio of the well-known and well-known painter Karl Durenburg, and began today's painting study.

As can be seen from the name, the painter is German.

Germans of this era, when they come to Paris, the most common occupations are musicians and painters - compared with the murderers and robbers in military uniforms who will come and go back and forth decades later, of course, it could not be better .

Among these German painters in Paris, Mr. Durenberg is the most outstanding among them. After many years of struggle, he has become famous in the Parisian art world and is respected by people for his integrity. Over time, his studio became the best place for the ladies of the upper class to learn to paint.

The husband's standards for accepting students are also very strict. If he is only rich, he cannot become his disciple anyway.

And all the young ladies who have studied painting with the husband are unanimously recognized as the women who can certify the paintings in the museum and who can draw the best portraits—in a word, the kind of women who are really appreciative, who can Value-added woman.

For those girls who just want to be artists or famous, but have no talent or receive the most basic technical training, the society at this time is not tolerant enough to provide talent shows to satisfy their desires.

There are large glass windows on the side of the studio to facilitate lighting, but at this time, due to the strong summer sun, most of them were blocked by dark flannel curtains; on the wall, there were frames without canvas or no decorations. The framed canvas, the walls and the floor are dyed in a variety of colors with various pigments; plaster statues, various instruments, and even armor are piled up everywhere, making it quite an opera backstage atmosphere.

Now that the husband has not come, the female students do their own drawing exercises as usual. The girls each have their own beauty and manners, and their clothing is also different. The sun shines into the studio through the shading of the flannel, forming various contrasts and strong light and shade effects.

For any visitor entering the studio for the first time, the scene is worth painting in itself.

However, if visitors have the opportunity to stay here for a long time, they will be surprised if they can deeply appreciate the fiery undercurrents hidden in the ostensibly gorgeous painting room.

Yes, there is no essential difference between a studio in the 19th century and a classroom in the 21st century, and there is no essential difference between a girl from a wealthy family and a girl from an ordinary family. The female students found their own circles and partners according to a set of rules in their hearts, and at the same time delineated their opponents and enemies. Until the end, these small circles confronted each other and excluded each other-for the girls, it was both a It's an instinct, or a way to have fun.

In the studio, the status and wealth of the fathers and grandparents should have been most forgotten. However, here, the status and wealth of the grandparents have become the ultimate basis for the girls to delineate their camps and circles.

The girls were divided into two distinct groups, divided into two sides, separated from each other by a seemingly short but seemingly insurmountable distance.

On one side were the daughters of the upstart Bourgeois, bankers, notaries, or merchants, all rich, chatting happily with lively expressions on their faces.

On one side are young ladies from old noble families. Their expressions are more serious, their conversations are relatively simple, and there is no excessive expression. From time to time, they cast various sharp and hidden (but just enough to be felt by the other group) to the other group. to!) with contemptuous eyes.

The status quo and future of the two ruling classes in France can be reflected so vividly in one studio.

These young ladies are all elegant in manners and charming in their movements, but lack of candor in their eyes. Rigorous education has already made politeness an instinct, but childishness has been slowly worn away - the innocence of children has become farther and farther away from them.

Of course, due to their age, the society has not completely assimilated them, so they can occasionally show a truly holy smile, showing the true nature of their children-as for how long this quality can be maintained, only God knows.

Fran did not participate in the battle between the noble party and the banker party. As usual, she chose to run to her corner and quietly continue to paint the painting that was not completed yesterday - a battleship in a storm, the captain standing The bow of the ship, while commanding the crew to fight against the wind and waves, observes the distant scene with a telescope.

She forgot the whispers beside her and indulged in the passion of creation. When she drew the last stroke and outlined the dark clouds during the storm, she breathed a long sigh of relief, like those dedicated artists.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?" A low voice of admiration sounded in her ears.

"Huh?" She quickly turned her head in surprise, her long blond hair fluttering along with it.

Matilda de Dillion, looking at herself, in a long lace dress, holding her long gold spectacles in her left hand.

She was one of the leaders of the Noble Party in the Atelier, as her grandfather, the Count of Dillion, was now His Majesty's Lord of the Seals.

Her eyes are dark and moist, her hair is hazel, and the corners of her eyes are slender, which makes her face very serious, and she doesn't talk much. She was two years older than Fran, and she was seventeen years old this year.

[The Minister of the French Seal was originally the minister responsible for keeping the national seal for the king, and later evolved into an important official position. This position is usually held by the king's close attendants and staff. 】

She leaned her face forward and carefully examined the painting that Fran had just completed. "The composition is very good, and the colors are very well used. It is a rare good work - Miss Treville, you have just completed a masterpiece. You are indeed worthy of being the most admired student by Mr. Durenberg..."

"Thank you, you have won the prize." Fran blushed a little.

"Don't be humble, I'm complimenting you from the bottom of my heart." Although she was complimenting, Matilda's face was still very serious. "I didn't come here to please you."

Fran lowered her head, but she wondered why the other party came to find her.

"You must be wondering why I came to you suddenly." A faint smile appeared on Matilda's lips.

"Yes." Fran replied in a low voice, "Not many people usually come to talk to me."

"You are the most beautiful among us, which is enough for some people to hate for fifty years." Matilda still had that vague smile, "not to mention your grandfather..."

"Then why did you come to me today! Aren't you worried about being angered by some people?" Hearing that the other party mentioned her grandfather, Fran interrupted her directly, almost forgetting to suppress her voice.

After a moment she regretted her gaffe slightly.

What will she do to me? Will she continue to ridicule, or will she call her friends to bully her? what can we do about it?

The first and most important lesson a young girl has to learn when stepping into high society is to hide her hatred. Fran remembered what her brother had said.

Brother's words always make sense.

However, Matilda's reaction was far beyond Fran's expectations. She just curled her lips slightly, showing a helpless smile, and then shook her head gently. "Well, I'm not here to talk about positions today, it's just a sideshow of our fathers and grandparents - we have ours."

Fran looked at each other suspiciously.

"You miss Mary a lot, don't you?" Matilda looked at Fran. "Don't be too quick to deny it, my dear lady, I can see that you treat her as a good friend, and you miss her very much these days. ."

Fran lowered her head slightly. "Yes, I miss her a lot."

"Very good, we finally agree on one thing." Matilda nodded, "She is probably the best character among us, she is so respectful and kind to everyone, I like it very much She. But fate made her suffer such a disaster..."

Fran still kept her head down.

"Of course, sighing can't save anyone, talent for action," Matilda continued with an astonishing calm, "I decided to bring her back, and I'm sure you'll want to do the same."

Fran looked up and looked at Matilda in amazement.

With a graceful movement, Matilda gently lifted the long-handled glasses with her left hand, held them across her eyes, and stared at Fran through the frame.

"Surprised, I'm not as impersonal as I seem." She paused for a while, then continued, "A century ago, our ancestors had nothing to do but walk into the monastery for the rest of their lives. There is no other choice. But a century from now, we will always be a lot better than our ancestors - at least the education of the new age allows us to have brains other than God..."

"I want to thank you for Mary!" Fran was a little excited when he found an alliance.

Then Fran told Matilda that she had asked her brother.

"I didn't see you wrong." Matilda showed a relieved smile - a real smile. "However, just relying on your brother alone may not be able to impress Marquis Leoran to accomplish this..."

"He can definitely do it." Fran interrupted the other party again.