I Am Louis XIV

  Chapter 411 Cupid and Psyche

The king passed through the crowd and took his seat at the front. Beside him sat the queen and the duke of Orleans, and outside were the grand princess and the crown prince. Behind them were hundreds of dignitaries. One of them was randomly selected. Powerful people who can decide the fate of countless people with their words and deeds, but here, they are as bleak as the stars in the same sky as the sun.

The Chambord Castle is the proud work of François I. It is a pity that because of successive wars, he died before the construction of this castle with hundreds of rooms was completed. Later kings built the missing parts intermittently. - Not that they meant it, after all, Chambord was in Blois, not Paris or Versailles, and the king usually only used it as a hunting or summer residence.

  The building was finally completed when Louis XIV was in power for fifteen years.

What is special about Chambord is that in order to ensure that each room has independent heating (fireplace) equipment and toilet equipment, there are many lovely small attics on top of it, and the outer walls also have prominent walls. It is the exhaust channel and drain of the fireplace.

Another special feature dates back to the time of King François I. As it is said, Leonardo da Vinci, one of the three masters of the Renaissance, finally settled in France after wandering in Milan, Rome and Florence for many years. And died here, François I welcomed and respected him very much, and there were even rumors that Leonardo da Vinci died in the arms of François I.

When Francois I was building Chambord, Leonardo da Vinci, who was still alive at that time, provided him with a part of the design. The most credible is a pair of spiral staircases that surround each other. People going up and down from these two stairs can interact with each other. See but don't meet, its shape - people who look at it hundreds of years from now will probably feel a lot like a DNA chain, very elegant and have a forward-looking fashion sense.

Some people say that this was set up by François I to avoid direct encounters between the queen and the royal wife. Louis did not think so. If a king cannot even arrange his wife and royal wife properly, it is even more difficult to govern such a huge country. It's a joke, but François I was a rather admirable king.

The Guangyao Troupe performs in front of this double spiral staircase. This is not a strict and regular drama. Although Molière is an excellent playwright, the troupe often performs some old plays. Of course, the audience likes freshness and pursues Exciting, but familiar things will also make them feel comfortable, and it can better reflect the talents and talents of a troupe's actors.

The mythological themes of ancient Greece and ancient Rome will be used not only by painters and sculptors, but also by actors and troupes. After all, the most ancient drama, that is, the tragicomedy performed by the ancient Greeks wearing masks, is mostly based on material. to those legends.

Louis XIV always referred to himself as the Sun King, and his ministers and generals did not want to say that name outright when they were sensitive, and also referred to this noble majesty as "Apollo", but Molière felt that... From the sun **** and muses or other goddesses, Cupid and Psyche are more suitable to be compared with Louis XIV and Marie Mancini.

For a small drama like   , the curtains cannot be raised. The actors slowly walked down the double spiral staircase and appeared in front of people, but they subtly matched the content of the drama.

The story of Cupid and Psyche is a little more twisted than other love stories in Roman myths and legends. Although people in later generations like to portray Cupid as a baby, in the story of Cupid and Psyche, Cupid has grown into a handsome man. young god. Psyche is the daughter of an earthly king. Because of her unparalleled beauty, she is worshipped even more than Venus. When Venus was angry, she let Cupid take a golden arrow to make Psyche fall in love with an ugly one. Beast (Cupid's golden arrow can make a person fall in love with any kind of creature).

Who knew that as soon as Cupid saw Psyche, he couldn't help being conquered by Psyche's beauty. He couldn't disobey his mother, so he gave an oracle and asked the king to send Psyche to a high tower. He met Psyche at night. Yes, love, be a couple that no one knows but a very happy couple.

   His only request of Psyche was to never look at his face.

But Psyche's sisters may be jealous or worried that Psyche's husband may be a terrible monster. Under their instigation, Psyche wakes up after Cupid falls asleep. Candle saw his face, and tears of wax fell on Cupid's face, awakening the young god, and Cupid, angry and startled, returned to Olympus, never to be seen again.

Psyche had no regrets, and went to the temple of Venus to pray to the goddess of love and beauty. Venus was of course annoyed, but under the persuasion of the gods and Cupid's entreaty, she finally agreed, as long as Psyche After passing the test she set, you can come to Mount Olympus and be reunited with Cupid.

  In the legend, Psyche completed the test, was recognized by the gods, and became one of the many gods on Mount Olympus. But in "Cupid and Psyche" by Guangyao Theater, the story ends abruptly when Psyche swears that no matter how much suffering he suffers, he will pass the test and get his love back.

The black-haired girl stood in front of the audience, her loud singing soaring into the sky, and the echo echoed in this splendid palace. The determination and a hint of despair contained in it are as exciting as digging out a heart from a split chest. Shocked -

  Is Psyche at fault, of course, she is, but her fault comes from Cupid's fault.

Cupid fell in love with Psyche, but in his heart, this love was unequal and unreasonable. He was condescending and asked a girl who fell in love to remain sensible and calm, but from the beginning, it was not. possible.

  How can love be controlled and calculated?

Psyche made mistakes, and Mary made mistakes; Psyche was tested, and Mary was tested; Psyche finally got his love back, and so did Mary, but this love—is She traded her life for it.

The last note of    landed, and the huge hall was silent, even the Duke of Orleans, who was most favored by the king, dared not make a sound.

  The king is crying.

A silent cry is always more painful than a loud howl, and this may be the first and last time people have seen the Sun King cry in public, unbridled, happy, no A hint of concealment, heartbreaking and then heart palpitating - blue eyes washed with tears like lake water reflecting the sky, transparent tears glittering like diamonds on the cheeks and placket.

His waist is still straight, his hands are on the armrests of the chairs on both sides, his sight penetrates the actor in front of him, the double spiral staircase behind the actor, the band and the set behind the stairs, the room and the wall behind him, all the way to the other side. , where Mary rests.

He looked for a long time, but no one dared to disturb the current king. Finally, he took his eyes back and landed on Moliere, who was hidden in the shadows. Moliere paused, walked out boldly, and silently asked the king bowed.

   "Aren't you worried that I'll be mad at you?" Louis asked.

"I was worried, Your Majesty," said Molière, "but you have bestowed us as much favor as the sun has bestowed upon mankind, and we do our best, like holding a candle to illuminate the sun, perhaps in vain. , may only add to the laughing stock, but Your Majesty, could it be said that we can... look at... look at you..." He stopped talking, but in that hotel, he said a lot - whether it was him, or Le Brown, or Lully and Beauchamp, if the king gave them only money and official positions, they would be excited and grateful, but they would not give up everything they have now.

But the king asked them to set up four art academies and made Paris the center of the third Renaissance. Even if they can't be compared with the three masters of the Renaissance, they can be said to be the four founders who have been recorded by people, so Lully and Molière took the risk extremely resolutely, and the timid Beauchamp and the eldest LeBron finally got involved in this dangerous conspiracy.

Louis raised his eyes and looked around, Molière did not use those sophisticated actors, the performers of Cupid and Psyche were only fourteen or fifteen years old, the most beautiful and purest youth, as shown in statues and paintings. , young girls, if the love between them is not mixed with too many impurities, how bright and moving it will be, but it is precisely because of this impurity that it is even more unforgettable and difficult to give up.

"I think I want to thank you." Louis said, there were still tears on his cheeks, but he could already smile from the bottom of his heart. He stood up, patted Molière's shoulder lightly, and nodded slightly to the people behind him. With one jaw, he walked out of the hall.

When passing by Molière, many people cast admiration and surprise at the playwright. It's not that no one noticed the silence of the king, but after Marie Mancini, there were already two royal ladies. And Mary can be said to be "hidden" on the back of a crime - it is not without such a thing in the past, if a nobleman committed an unforgivable crime, but the king or powerful people did not want him to die, yes It was possible that he could be sent away incognito or imprisoned—no one thought that Marie could go back to Paris, to the Louvre or to Versailles, but no one thought that the king felt so deeply for her.

Compared with the great Condé, the Prince of Conti, the Marquis of Lois, the Count of D'Artagnan, etc., although Molière is quite famous as a playwright, after gaining the favor of the king, there is nothing worth hesitating about economically. but it would be a joke to say that there is any power, but this was before today, and there is no doubt that after today, the king will at least listen to him for a few words - which makes some people jealous The face is a little distorted.

Molière remembered the faces of these people one by one. People in Versailles may not remember friends, but they must remember enemies. When everyone was gone, he was greatly relieved and sat down. on the ground.

   Then Lully, LeBron and Beauchamp all ran over and sat with him on the cold floor.

"It cost me half my life," said LeBron, who has been working all night these days, drawing a dozen backgrounds for this little show - a scroll that can be rolled up, and when the scene needs to be changed, someone will put it down from it and talk to him about it. Take it back.

   "Your Majesty is very pleased, that's all," said Beauchamp, holding his chest to keep his heart from pounding out.

Molière and Lully exchanged glances. Beauchamp and LeBlanc’s original intentions were not so pure. Fortunately, Molière won the bet—he was not very visible at Versailles, but as an observant playwright, the king and The emotional entanglement between Marie Mancini could not escape his eyes, "Obviously they are a good couple..." He said involuntarily, and then closed his mouth.

   He could speculate and comfort the king in a veiled way, but say it outright—this is absolutely impossible.

   After today, the Sun King is just the Sun King.

   "I think we should congratulate Mr. Molière in advance," LeBlanc said: "How do you think Your Majesty will reward Molière?" He hesitated for a while: "It won't be a title..."

"Then we will bow to M. Molière in the future. Mr. Molière, good morning, good noon, good evening!" Beauchamp laughed, raised his hat and made some exaggerated movements, Molière Seeing it in his eyes, he knew that they were also starting to be jealous. "I can't do it without you, Your Majesty knows it." He said, "Your Majesty is not the kind of person who favors one over the other. I think we may all receive a generous reward."

   "That's good." LeBron said, wondering if he wanted to paint a portrait of Marie Mancini...

   "I think you'll have an extra income soon," Lully said. "The people of Brittany are going crazy recently, they are desperately trying to find someone who can make a case for them before His Majesty."

   "Do I look so stupid," said Molière wearily.

   "They have to try," Lully said.

  ———

  Things that can be known to foreigners like Lully are certainly not secrets.

Louis XIV smiled when he saw the letter that had to be turned before him. This was his second smile today. The Duke of Orleans also slowly put down his hanging heart. , of course, he is closer to the king than Molière, but Louis' calmness makes him not know how to proceed... A king certainly knows that his weaknesses should be covered up - and as a sensitive brother, he must not be the one who tears wounded man.

   "It is said to be a moderate of Brittany," said the Duke of Orleans.

The king laughed for the third time, poignantly: "These guys--it's always until they're cornered that there are moderates, and when they have the upper hand, the moderates are like dead, so Bretons , so did the Dutch.”

"So…"

"Let the Duke of Luxembourg go on, Brittany . . . no, from now on the three départements de la Mers, and tell him that he will never have to listen to what those people are wailing until he has thoroughly combed them," said Louis. We may be busy for a while - Philip, I'm going to relocate some Orleans to Brittany."

   I wish you all the best of luck in the new year, happiness and health!

   There will be a random little blessing today, adults who vote for recommendation votes and monthly passes, please pay attention.

   (end of this chapter)