Margaret's Secret

Chapter 11 From Shanghai to Paris (3)
Under Yu Li's gesture, I opened the tin box and carefully took out the parchment scroll.Although it took more than ten hours of flight and traveled tens of thousands of kilometers, the parchment was unscathed.I just wanted to unfold the parchment with my hands, but was stopped by the professor immediately. It turned out that the old man had already put on special gloves.

Yu Li explained to me: "There are sweat and bacteria on human hands, which may damage cultural relics, and there may also be ancient bacteria in cultural relics, so try not to touch them with your hands."

Professor Orleans still held a magnifying glass in his hand, and he wanted to open the parchment himself.He was very careful in his movements, following the standard archaeological procedure. First, he checked the outside of the parchment with a magnifying glass, then slowly lifted a corner, and checked it again with a magnifying glass. After confirming that the parchment would not be damaged, Then slowly unfold the parchment.

The words in the parchment book were finally exposed. Under the soft light that would not damage the cultural relics, the professor carefully looked at it with a magnifying glass, and Yu Li moved his head closer. They only nodded after reading a short section.

At this time, I reminded them: "I'm sorry, after the formalities are completed tomorrow, you can study it carefully."

After listening to Yu Li's translation, the professor nodded reluctantly, then carefully rolled up the parchment and put it back in the tin box.Then he told me that I must put the parchment away tonight, and there must be no mistakes.

Then, Yu Li took me to my residence.When I got to the stairs, he didn't go down, but took me up another floor, and my heart trembled immediately: "Yu Li, you won't arrange for me to live in this building, will you?"

"I'm sorry, the school's visiting scholar dormitory is full, and only a few rooms on the top floor of the History Department are vacant."

Just as I was pondering in my mind, Yu Li had already taken me to the top floor.In a long corridor, a few will-o'-the-wisp lights are lit, and the wooden floor underfoot makes sounds from time to time, as if returning to Paris or London 100 years ago.

Yu Li's expression was a little embarrassed, and he said sorry to me several times, but I changed my mind, since it was already a free European tour, at least it would not be a loss if I stayed in a cheap hotel that didn't cost any money.

At the innermost end of the corridor, Yu Li took out the key and opened a door. He handed the key to me and said, "Look, is it okay?"

After the light illuminated the room, I realized that the space inside is very large, at least thirty square meters, except for the big bed, tables and chairs, there is no other furniture, but there is a bathroom inside that can take a shower.The room looked very clean, and it was not in harmony with the outside environment. I'm afraid it had just been cleaned up.

"Did you know that many famous people lived in the guest room on the top floor. It is said that the young Maupassant lived in your room when he first arrived in Paris."

I laughed at myself: "It seems that I have to write an article after I return to China—"I Be Roommates with Maupassant"."

"The rooms are all ready, you can rest quickly, I will come to you tomorrow morning."

After Yu Li left, I was alone looking at the spacious room, and outside the window was the night of Paris.The night at Voltaire University was unusually quiet, and there was hardly any light, only the outlines of a few buildings lurking in the darkness.

It was the early morning of the 11th Beijing time. I hurriedly called my home in Shanghai, and then I fell headfirst on the bed.

Good night, Maupassant.

When it was midnight in Paris, it was morning in Shanghai tens of thousands of kilometers away.

The morning light shone on Lin Hai's eyelids through the dormer window, causing him to open his eyes in a daze. It took him several minutes to wake up, and found that he was lying on the small attic of the old house.

Lin Hai suddenly remembered something, and almost rolled off the wooden bed.Yes, he already remembered everything that happened last night—in the dark night of the Western Art Museum, he saw Margaret in the oil painting come out, and then a ghost named Nostradamus came to catch them, So he escaped from the art gallery with Marguerite, and brought her to this old house.

Could it be that she is under the attic at this moment?
No, Lin Hai shook his head suddenly, how could this be true?How could the characters in the oil painting escape?How could there be ghosts in the museum?He squeezed his thigh hard, and decided that everything last night was just a dream, a nightmare while sleeping on the wooden bed in the attic.

It seems that this is the only way to explain it. What Marguerite didn't exist at all, or she only existed in France more than 400 years ago.

Only then did Lin Hai let out a long breath, his tense body relaxed, and he slowly climbed down the escalator in the attic.

"Bonjour!"

A soft female voice sounded from behind, which is a French word that means "hello".

Lin Hai was so frightened that he almost jumped up, turned his head hastily, and saw a pair of translucent emerald eyes.

This is a real dream.

Margaret was looking at him with a smile, her hair was hanging on one side of her body, and sheen like silk with a black luster. The velvet shawl had been removed, revealing the smooth skin under the dress.

Looking into her eyes, Lin Hai didn't dare to lie to himself anymore.How cruel the reality was, everything that happened last night was real, and the living Margaret was standing in front of him.

He stood stupidly for a while, and finally squeezed out a sentence in French: "How was last night?"

"Thank you, I slept well."

Lin Hai thought to himself, so she really needs to sleep, maybe there is a difference between day and night in the oil painting.He didn't know what to say. The Margaret in front of him was really charming, and she was not in this world at all... Yes, she was not in this world. She was a beautiful ghost from 400 years ago. It is a magical stunner created by the painter.I'm afraid the real Margaret in history is not so beautiful, is she?The characters in many famous oil paintings actually contain elements of the painter's "re-creation".

Only then did he realize that he hadn't washed his face yet, but he had already bought towels at the convenience store last night, and he hid in the bathroom a little shyly, and found that there were already traces of use.After hastily washing up, Lin Hai ran out, telling Margaret to wait for him obediently before leaving.

It turned out that he had gone out to buy breakfast. Margaret should be a non-human being, but out of politeness he bought two, and they were the milk and cakes that Westerners are used to.

After returning to the old house, Lin Hai brought the breakfast in front of Margaret, and tentatively said, "I don't know if you need these things, if you don't, just tell me."

Margaret looked at the breakfast in front of her and said softly, "I'm not a fairy."

If it's not a fairy, it's a ghost.

She was born in the sixteenth century AD, and even if she lives to this day, she should be more than 450 years old. Is there such a "person" in the world?

However, although it is a ghost, as long as it comes to the human world, it must have the same desires as humans, including appetite.

Margaret slowly picked up the milk and drank it gracefully.

Lin Hai stared at this scene, and suddenly thought of those beautiful female ghosts who came to the world in "Strange Tales from a Liaozhai Studio". They concealed their true identities and lived with the man they loved. Often after many years, Stupid men will find out the truth.

Fortunately, Lin Hai already knew who she was.

Her movements of eating breakfast are very elegant, it must be the court etiquette of more than 400 years ago, but it is too inappropriate for this old house.Lin Hai finally couldn't hold it anymore, and sat opposite her to eat breakfast, thinking that his ancestors had never been a high official for several generations, but now he was eating face to face with a princess and queen, it still felt like a dream.

After breakfast, Lin Hai remembered that today is Monday and there are still classes in school in the morning.What would Margaret do if she went to school now?He definitely couldn’t make it back at noon, so Lin Hai ran out again, bought a lot of long French bread, and came back with some daily necessities and water.

He put the bread on the table and said: "If you want to eat, you can eat this, I don't think you will feel strange. Remember, don't leave here, I have to go to school now, before I come back Don't open the door to anyone."

Margaret nodded quickly and said, "I understand. Besides, Nostradamus must be looking for us too. How dare I run out? What if I get caught by him again?"

Is that "Nostradamus" again?He was so terrible in Margaret's mouth, so what kind of character was he?Lin Hai didn't have time to think about it, so he took care of her a few more words, picked up his schoolbag and left in a hurry.

He ran out of the alley with his head down, and no one around him seemed to recognize him, let alone think that there would be a French queen from more than 400 years ago hiding in the middle of their house.

An hour later, Lin Hai returned to school.

The class in the morning was French literature, and the lecturer was Mr. Wenger, a French teacher. His chestnut hair was as chic as ever.He stood on the podium and talked eloquently, sometimes with a few words in Chinese. It is said that he has been in China for several years.

This class is about Baudelaire's "Flowers of Evil".When Lin Hai, who was late, stepped into the classroom, Mr. Wenger had already mentioned the publication of the poetry collection "Flowers of Evil".

Wenger said slowly: "The collection of poems is divided into several parts. "Melancholy and Ideal" describes the poet's material deprivation and spiritual pain; ", how illusory is the heaven in the wine glass; "Flowers of Evil", to experience pleasure and pain in deep sin, but get despair and hatred for oneself; Questioning God; "Death", expressing the poet's final search for comfort and relief in death."

Normally, Lin Hai would quickly immerse himself in Mr. Wenger's lectures, but now his mind is full of Marguerite, even if Baudelaire climbed out of the grave to read "Flowers of Evil" make him concentrate.

After class, just as Lin Hai was about to leave, he was stopped by Teacher Wenger.

Wenger smiled and said, "Lin, what happened to you in the past few days, what seems to be on your mind?"

Ah, sure enough, he saw it. Lin Hai was in a state of turmoil in his heart, and he really didn't dare to tell the truth, because he knew that no one would believe such a thing and would treat him as a mental patient.

Lin Hai thought for a while, and finally came up with a roundabout topic: "Mr. Wenger, I watched the movie "Queen Margot" recently, have you seen it?"

"Of course I've seen it. It's a French movie, and the author of the original novel is Alexandre Dumas, and the heroine is Adjani."

At this time, there was no one in the classroom, and the last student who greeted Wenger also left, Lin Hai nodded and said: "Well, I am very interested in Queen Margaret, what was she like in history What about alone?"

Teacher Wenger was a little puzzled: "Why did you ask about Margaret? That is a controversial figure in history. Her father is the king of France, and her mother is from the famous Italian Medici family. Her three The elder brothers successively inherited the French throne, but they were all short-lived ghosts. After all the men in the Valois family died, only Marguerite’s husband—King Henry of Navarre could inherit the French throne.”

"Henry is also the founding king of the Bourbon dynasty?"

"Yes, he was called Henry IV in history, and he was also a famous monarch in French history. He unified the divided country and issued the 'Edict of Nantes' to guarantee the freedom of belief for Protestants. Remember Alexandre Dumas's " The Three Musketeers, in which there is a cowardly King Louis XIII, the son of Henry IV."

Lin Hai suddenly became suspicious: "Since Margaret is the queen of Henry IV, is she also the mother of Louis XIII?"

"No, Margaret never really loved her husband. In fact, she always looked down on Henry after marriage. , Marguerite was abandoned by her husband, she lost the title of queen of France, took a golden monstrance to practice in Notre Dame, and finally died of illness in Notre Dame."

Now Lin Hai understands that Margaret has always loved La Moore, she never left any children, and the rest of her life is lonely and miserable—this is a strange woman who came to the world with great vigor, but left the world in obscurity.

"Henry IV must have remarried after he abandoned Margaret?"

"Yes, but what is puzzling is that Henry IV's second wife was actually Mary Medici of his enemy, the Medici family." Mr. Wenger shook his head again, and said slowly, "But having said that, Margaret also has the blood of the Medici family. Henry IV and his new queen gave birth to a son, who was Louis XIII who later succeeded to the throne. But like his political opponent, Henry IV Nor did he die well, being assassinated in 1610 at the age of 57."

When speaking to students, Wenger always tries to speak slowly so that they can hear his pronunciation.However, Lin Hai's French level is quite good, even if he speaks it quickly, he will be fine. He thought for a while and said, "This history is too complicated. I'm afraid even the French themselves can't figure it out?"

"Yes. But I think the most pitiful of all these people is Margaret's mother, Queen Catherine. Although she was a cruel woman, she watched her sons die one by one. The most dramatic example is that she wanted to poison Margaret's husband with a poisoned book, but unexpectedly, the book was taken by King Charles IX to read it. As a result, her son-in-law was not poisoned to death, but He died his own son. The final ending is of great irony. When all the sons of Queen Catherine died, the throne of the French throne could only fall to her enemy and her son-in-law—Margaret in the hands of her husband Henry."

"Mr. Wenger, can you talk about Margaret again? Why is she a very controversial woman in history? Is she really like the one in the movie?"

When asked here, Lin Hai thought of Margaret in the old house, what kind of woman is she?

Teacher Wenger smiled mysteriously and said, "You mean her slutty life when she was young, right? That's just a legend. The history books in the past were written by men. They would rather believe that Margaret was a slutty woman." And the Margaret we see today is actually the one in novels and movies, not necessarily the real her in history.”

"But at least her story with Lamour is true."

Wenger shrugged noncommittally: "Who knows? Unless she climbs out of the grave and tells you."

Lin Hai couldn't help trembling when he heard this sentence—she had crawled out, not from the grave, but from the oil painting.

He secretly smiled bitterly, and suddenly thought of Sadako who crawled out of the TV.Lin Hai shook his head and said, "Ms. Wenger, so you don't know her well?"

"Yes, in fact no one understands Margaret. Even in her time, she was a very mysterious woman. Even her husband may not really understand her."

"A very mysterious woman? What does this mean?"

"Yes, it is said that Marguerite was the most beautiful woman in France and even in Europe at that time. Many people whispered at the time that her beauty came from her mother's witchcraft."

"You mean her mother, the Queen Catherine?"

Wenger nodded slightly and said: "That's right, the Queen Mother comes from the Medici family in Italy. This is a family with a long history and strong strength. It played a pivotal role in European politics at that time. It is said that the Queen Mother Catherine is obsessed with witchcraft. She often associated secretly with gypsy witches or Arab magicians, and even learned some kind of occult magic, which she used to destroy her political enemies."

"Witch? Magician?" Lin Hai suddenly remembered the ghost from last night...could it be him?So he blurted out, "Is there a man named Nostradamus?"

"Nostradamus?" Wenger nodded and said with great interest, "This man is so famous, haven't you heard of the book "The Centuries?"

"I seem to have heard of it. It is a famous future prophecy book, a bit like Liu Bowen's "Song of Biscuits" in nature."

Of course Wenger didn't know who Liu Bowen was, so he nodded half-understanding: "Yes, Nostradamus was a Frenchman in the sixteenth century. It is said that he was able to accurately predict political events in France at that time, and more importantly, Yes, he also predicted the life and death of members of the royal family, which aroused the attention of Queen Catherine, and she summoned Nostradamus to Paris to secretly learn prophecy and various magic from him."

"So Margaret must have known Nostradamus too?"

"Is that so? According to legend, Nostradamus visited the court many times in his later years, and Margaret was still the princess of France at that time." Wenger suddenly raised his wrist and looked at his watch, then patted Lin Hai on the shoulder and said, " Do you have any other questions?"

Feeling very embarrassed, Lin Hai lowered his head and replied, "I'm sorry, Mr. Wenger, for disturbing you for so long."

After Mr. Wenger left the big classroom, Lin Hai sat alone for a long time.The ghost named "Nostradamus" last night turned out to be the author of the wonderful book "The Centuries" and a world-famous prophet.And Lin Hai is just an ordinary college student, how could he beat the famous Nostradamus?

After spending the entire afternoon at school like years, Lin Hai was always thinking about what happened last night, and Margaret in the old house, wondering what she was doing at the moment?
Before four o'clock, Lin Hai trotted away from the school and went to the opposite KFC to buy two set meals, plus breakfast for tomorrow morning.

The bus back to the old house was the latest type of bus, the one with on-board mobile TV. Lin Hai managed to grab a seat, which happened to be facing the TV screen at the back door.

(End of this chapter)