Chapter 33 atmosphere

London, September 1891 The circus arrives in the outskirts of London.Just after nightfall, the train slipped in without attracting any attention.The train carriages collapsed, doors and walkways slid open, creating silent strings of windowless rooms.The striped canvas that was originally rolled was gradually spread around, the straightened rope was snapping, and the platform assembled itself among the carefully draped curtains. (The whole group thought that while they were busy emptying the suitcases, a team of technicians was responsible for the feat, but it is also clear that some parts of this transition process are automated. It used to be true, but now it is completely There are no technicians, no backstage helpers who come and go without a trace to move the set parts into place, they are no longer needed here.)

The tent stood quietly and quietly, and the circus would not open to the public until the next night. Most of the performers spend their evenings on the city, either visiting old friends or heading to their favorite bar, Celia.Bowen sat alone in her backstage suite. Her room was rather modest compared to the others hidden behind the circus tent, but it was filled with books and worn-out furniture.In various places available for display, mismatched candles burn happily, illuminating the sleeping pigeons in their cages.The birdcage is hung between the large curtains made of gorgeous and colorful brocade, which is a comfortable and quiet place.

There was a knock on the door unexpectedly. Are you going to spend the night like this?Yuezi asked, glancing at the book in Celia's hand. I think you're here to suggest a different approach?Celia said.Cartilage stuntmen rarely show up just for the sake of visiting. I have a social event, I think maybe you are willing to go with me, Yuezi said: You are too often alone. Celia wanted to protest, but Tsukiko persevered and brought out one of Celia's most exquisite gowns, one of the few colored ones, trimmed with light gold indigo velvet. where are we going?Celia asked, but Yuezi refused to reveal.If the destination is the theater or ballet, it is already an hour late.

When they arrived at Lefevre's mansion, Celia chuckled. You can tell me first.She said to Yuezi. That's no surprise.Yuezi responded. Celia only attended one party at Lefevre's mansion, and that was more like a reception before the opening of the circus than a formal banquet.She visited the house only a few times between auditions and the opening of the circus, but found herself already familiar with each of the guests. She came with Yuezi, which surprised others.Chandrash came forward heartily, and before she had time to express her apology for coming uninvited, the other party stuffed a glass of champagne into her hand in the blink of an eye, and led her into the living room.

Tell them to add an extra set of banquet tableware.Chandrash told Marco, and led her around the room briefly, making sure she'd met everyone.Celia found it odd that he didn't seem to remember that she had known everyone. Madame Padwa is as elegant as ever, and the warm copper tones of her dress are like autumn leaves in the soft light of candlelight.It was an accident that Sister Burgess and Mr. Barris were all three wearing different shades of blue.They didn't care much, and used Celia's dress as evidence that blue was the color of the moment. They mentioned another guest who might or might not be there, but Celia couldn't catch his name.

Among this group of people who had known each other for a long time, Celia felt a little out of place.But when chatting, Yuezi will deliberately pull her in.Whenever Celia spoke, Mr. Barris listened intently to every word she uttered, and at last Lainee teased him about it. Celia knew Mr. Barris very well, not only met him several times, but also exchanged dozens of letters.He pretended that the two were just nodding acquaintances, and he pretended to be very lifelike. You should have been an actor long ago.Whispered to him when she was sure no one would hear. I know, he replied, with genuine sadness in his voice, and what a pity I missed my real vocation.

Celia had never had a long conversation with the Burgess sisters (Leni was more talkative than Tara), and tonight she learned more fully about their imprints on the circus.The costumes designed by Mrs. Padwa and the engineering achievements of Mr. Barris are obvious, but the traces of the Burgess sisters are more subtle and hidden, although they permeate almost every level of the circus. The scents, the music, the texture of the light, even the weight of the velvet curtains at the entrance and exit, the duo orchestrated each element to the point of seeming organic. We want to engage all the senses.Leni said.

Some senses are more important than others.Tara added. Yes, her sister agrees: Smell is the most evocative and often underestimated. Their skill at shaping the atmosphere is extraordinary.Chandrash joins their conversation, telling Celia to exchange her empty glass of champagne for a fresh one.Both of them are outstanding. The trick is to make it invisible, Leni whispered: to make something artificial feel natural. And let all the elements blend smoothly.Let Tara finish the sentence. Celia felt that they seemed to provide similar services to the group in front of them.Celia doubts that these gatherings would have lasted so long after the circus had officially begun without the infectious laughter of the Burgess sisters.They ask the perfect question to keep the conversation flowing and keep it from becoming stagnant.

Mr. Barris provided the ideal contrast, serious and focused, to keep the group's dynamics in balance. A movement in the aisle caught Celia's eye. Others might think that the movement came from a candle or a reflection from a mirror, but she knew right away why. She stepped up the aisle when no one was looking, and slipped into the shadowy library across from the living room.The only source of light in the library is the twilight of the setting sun projected through one wall of stained-glass windows, flooding the shelves of cabinets with warm tones and darkening the rest of the room.

Can't you stop stalking me and let me just enjoy the evening?Celia whispered into the darkness. I don't think this kind of social activity is a good use of your time.Her father replied, the afterglow of the setting sun reflected on his face for a moment, and the front of his shirt was shrouded in twisted red pillars. You have no right to tell me how to spend every minute of my life, Dad. You start to lose focus.Hector replied. There's no way I'm going to lose focus, says Celia: Between rolling out the new tent and finishing it, I'm actively in control of a large part of the circus.In case you haven't noticed, the circus is closing time.The more I get to know these guys, the better I can handle what they've done.After all, this is the product of their own creation.

I think your argument makes sense.Hector said.Despite his admission, Celia suspected that he was grimacing, though the light was too dim to make out.But you'd better remember that you have no reason to talk to anyone in that room. Leave me alone, Dad.Celia said and sighed. Miss Bowen?said a voice behind her.She turned around and was surprised to find Chandrash's assistant standing in the doorway watching her.The banquet is about to start, please go to the restaurant to meet other guests. Feel sorry.Celia said, looking back hastily at the shadows, but her father was gone.I was fascinated by the size of the library, I thought no one would notice that I was missing. I'm sure they'll notice, Marco said, but I've been fascinated by the library myself, many times. A charming smile bloomed with those words, which caught Celia by surprise.In the past she had seen only varying degrees of reserved concentration or occasional nervousness in his countenance. Thank you for coming and taking me.She secretly hoped, she said, that dinner guests, without the aid of proper lighting, talking to themselves as they browsed through the library, were not uncommon sights at the mansion at Le Fevereux. They may suspect that you disappeared out of nowhere, Marco responded, and the two of them walked through the aisle together, I think maybe not. As he escorted her to the restaurant, he held every door for her along the way. Celia took a seat between Chandrash and Confinement. It's better than spending one night alone, isn't it?Yuezi asked.When Celia admitted that it was true, Tsukiko smiled. As the dishes appeared one after another, Celia waited until she was no longer overwhelmed by the astonishing quality of the food, and then played a game of cracking the relationship between the guests.She deciphers the way they interact, intuiting the emotions underlying the laughter and conversations, catching where people's eyes linger longer. Chandrash's glance at the handsome assistant became more and more obvious with every glass of wine he sipped.Celia doubts Marco.Mr. Alistair himself was well aware of this, but he remained silent at the edge of the room. It took her three courses to figure out which Burgess sister Mr. Barris preferred.She wasn't sure who it was until the delicately presented cinnamon-spice whole pigeon was served, but she couldn't tell whether Lainee knew it or not. This group of people called Mrs. Padwa Tante (French: aunt, aunt), although she felt that she was not just an aunt, but more like a respected female head of the family.When Celia called her Madame (French: Madame), everyone turned their heads in surprise. You're serious for a circus girl, Madame Padwa rolled her eyes and said: If we're going to keep you in the chum, we'll have to loosen the lace tie on the waistcoat. I thought the lace of the waistcoat was undone after the dinner party.Celia spoke softly, winning a burst of laughter. Whatever the state of Miss Bowen's waistcoat, we should keep her in our circle of close friends.Chandrash said.Making a note of that, he added, waving at Marco. Sir, I have made a note about Miss Bowen's waistcoat.Marco answered.There was another sound at the dining table. Before turning away, Marco met Celia's eyes with the lingering lingering of the previous smile on his face, and then faded into the background again, almost as easily as her father disappeared into the shadows. When the next dish arrived, Celia resumed listening and observing, and at the same time tried to find a way to distinguish whether it was lamb or more exotic dishes hidden under the light-as-feather puff pastry and delicate wine-based sauce. Ingredients. There was something about Tara's behavior that upset Celia, and something about her expression that came and went that almost stalked her.One moment she would actively join the conversation, laughing and echoing the sisters; the next moment she would look distant, staring blankly across the candles dripping with wax. It was only when the echoed laughter sounded momentarily close to a sob that Celia realized that Tara reminded her of her own mother. Snacks bring the conversation to a complete halt.There are several hand-blown thin-skinned sugar balls on each plate. If you want to eat the puffy cream inside, you must first break the sugar balls. After the chaotic noise of smashing the balls subsides, diners quickly realize that although the balls look the same on the outside, each one has its own unique flavor. A few spoons were passed around in a hurry to share.Some are easy to guess as ginger with peaches or curried coconut, while others remain delicious and refreshing mysteries. Celia's sugar balls were obviously filled with honey, but there were several spices mixed under the sweetness, and no one could identify them one by one. After the banquet, people moved to the living room to enjoy coffee and brandy, and continued to chat until most of the guests felt that it was too late, and all this was about to end, but Yuezi said that it was still early for the circus girls. When they started saying goodbye, Celia got the same hugs as anyone else.She also had several invitations to tea that could be fulfilled while the circus was in London. Thank you, when they left, she said to Yuezi: I didn't expect to have so much fun. The happiest play experiences are always the ones that come unexpectedly.Yuezi replied. Marco watches the guests go from the window, throwing a last glance at Celia before she fades into the night. He made his rounds in the large living room and dining room, then went downstairs to the kitchen to make sure everything was in order.Other employees have already left.He extinguished the last few lights before climbing a few flights of stairs to check on Chandrash. What a great dinner party tonight, don't you think?Chandrash asked when Marco arrived at the large suite that took up the entire fifth floor.The various rooms are lit by numerous Moroccan lanterns, casting splintered shadows on the rich furniture. Indeed, sir.Marco said. However, tomorrow, or should I say later today, there is no to-do list, no matter what time it is. In the afternoon there is a meeting about the schedule of ballet performances for the next season. Ah, I forgot, Chandrash said: Can you please cancel? no problem sir.Marco took out his notebook from his pocket and wrote down the boss's request. Oh, and order a dozen of those brandies that Aiden brought today.That's really good stuff. Marco nodded and added notes. Are you planning to leave?Chandrash asked. No, sir, said Marco: I thought it was too late to rush home. Home.Chandrash repeated, as if the word sounded strange.This is as much your home as the apartment you insist on keeping, and even more so. I'll try to remember that, sir.Marco said. Miss Bowen is a real sweetheart, don't you think?Chandrash spoke out of the blue, turning to gauge the other's reaction to the question. Marco was caught off guard for a moment, and at best he could barely stammer something, which he hoped sounded like his usual neutral sympathy. Whenever the circus comes to town, we invite her to dinner parties so we can get to know her better.Chandry said pointedly, emphasizing the statement with a satisfied grin. "Okay, sir," said Marco, trying desperately to maintain an air of indifference, and call it a day? Chandrash giggled and waved him away. Marco quietly returns to the library before retreating to his room (which is three times the size of his apartment). He stopped for a moment at the spot where Celia had been discovered hours before, examining the familiar bookshelves and a whole wall of stained glass. He couldn't figure out what she was busy with. He didn't even notice the pair of eyes staring at him in the shadows.