Chapter 26 26. The Resurrection of Charleroi

Grandmont.Charles, Creole [Note 1], young gentleman, thirty-four years old, there is a piece of land above his head where no grass grows, and he behaves like a prince.During the day, he was a small clerk in a cotton buying firm. Not far below the Mississippi River Embankment in New Orleans, there was a large area of ​​cold and foul-smelling houses, one of which was a firm.In the evening, in a furnished three-story old house in the old French quarters, he became the last male descendant of the Shire family.The Shire family was once a prominent nobleman in France. They used to expand the family's power to Louisiana with a smile, tact and princely demeanor. achievement.In recent years, the Shire family has slowly settled into an elegant, relaxed plantation life on the banks of the Mississippi River, a life that is more republican but hardly less royalist.Maybe Grandmont is the Marquis of Brasher [Note 3].The family holds the title.But he is a Marquis who lives on seventy-five dollars a month!That's right!And in fact his monthly expenses are less than that.

[Note 1] Creoles: Descendants of the early French or Spanish colonists in the states along the Gulf Coast of the United States. 【Note 2】Louisiana: Historically, it was a French colony, mainly including the Mississippi River Delta.In 1803 France sold it to the United States, and in 1812 it became the eighteenth state of the United States. [Note 3] Marquis of Brasher: the title of Grandmont's ancestor.There are no nobles in the United States, so Grandmont can't talk about inheriting the title. Grandmont saved six hundred dollars from his salary.Maybe you will say that it is enough for a man to marry a wife and start a family.So, after two years of silence on marriage, he rode his horse to Adele.Fauquil's father's Mead.Dole plantation, to repeat the dangerous question to him.Her answer was exactly the same as it had been every time for ten years: find my brother first, Mr. Shire.

This time he stood before her, frustrated perhaps by the fact that such a long and hopeless love depended on such an unreasonable accident, and demanded a brief answer from her whether she loved him or not. Adele stared straight at him, her gray eyes were unpredictable, her tone was slightly soft, and she replied: Grandmont, you have no right to ask this question unless you do what I want.Either bring Victor back to us, or prove he's dead. Despite being rejected five times like this, somehow he wasn't in a bad mood when he left her.She didn't deny her love.The emotional boat can float unsinkable on the shallow stream!Or to use that old adage to imply that a man of thirty-four has crossed more bridges than a man of twenty-four has traveled!

Victor.Fauquier went into the sea like a mud cow, and never looked back.In the days when he just disappeared, the Charles family was relatively well-off, and Grandmont spent money like water to find the missing young man.Even then, his chances of success were slim, for the Mississippi River was so often savage that every now and then a victim would float out of the greasy twigs and weeds. Grandmont recounted the scene of Victor's disappearance in his mind over and over again.Every time Adele stubbornly but sympathetically finds an excuse to reject his marriage proposal, the scene of Victor's disappearance reappears in his mind more and more clearly.

The young man was the favorite of the family, bold, agreeable, restless and restless.Somehow his unwise mind twitched, and he fell under the pomegranate skirt of a girl on his family's plantation.The girl's father was the overseer of the plantation.The Victor family has always been kept in the dark, completely unaware of this relationship.Seeing that the child would definitely bring pain to the family, Grandmont resorted to means to end the affair so as to save Victor's family from pain.The almighty money will clear the way.At sunset and sunrise, the overseer and his daughter left quietly, and went to a place they wanted to go.Grandmont believed that this move would bring the young man to his senses.He rode to Meade.Dole Plantation, go talk to him.The two stepped out of Fauquil's house, left the courtyard, crossed the avenue, boarded the embankment, and talked while walking on the wide embankment.The sky was covered with thunderclouds, and the rain was coming, but the rain had not yet fallen.No sooner had Grandmont told the story of his intervention than Victor flew at him in a rage.Although Grandmont is thin and small, his muscles are like iron.Facing the rain of fists, he grabbed both of the opponent's wrists, pushed him backwards, and fell on the river bank.After a while, his anger gradually calmed down, and he was allowed to stand up.He has calmed down now, but there is an explosive magazine buried in his chest. Compared with this, the attack just now is just a little temper. Victor pointed at Meade.The mansion of Dole Plantation, roaring: You conspired with them to ruin my happiness.None of you will ever see me again.

He turned around and rushed down the embankment quickly, disappearing into the vast night.Grandmont chased desperately and called out loudly, but it was useless.He searched here and there for more than an hour, calling Victor's name, went down the embankment, got into the dense weeds under the trees by the river, under the willow branches, and searched all the way to the river.Although once he thought he heard the bubbling screams coming from the dark flowing water, but there was no echo at all.Then, the torrential rain poured down, and he was drenched, and returned to Victor dejectedly.

There, he clearly explained the boy's runaway to them, but didn't mention the scuffle that had led to the boy's runaway, hoping that Victor would come back after his anger had passed.They never saw him again after the boy dropped the menacing words, and he found it difficult to alter his explanation of the misfortune of that night since no one could tell why or how the boy had disappeared. , so the matter cast a bit of mystery. That night, whenever Adele looked at him, Grandmont felt for the first time in her pupils a strange expression he had never seen before.Since then, that look has remained in her eyes.He could not read it, for it was a secret hidden deep in her heart, which she would not reveal in any other way.

Perhaps if he had known that Adele had followed them out that ill-fated night, lingering at the gate, waiting for her brother and lover to return, wondering why they had chosen such a stormy moment when one could not see her. If he knew that she had just seen Victor being brought down by him by a sudden flash of lightning, and saw the short and fierce struggle, he might have told the truth, and she I don't know how she will react.But one thing was clearer than the disappearance of her brother, there was something preventing her from agreeing to marry him.Ten years later, what she saw at that moment has been engraved in her mind.She loves her brother, but does she insist on finding out whether his brother is dead or alive, or insists on being honest!As we all know, women value honesty very much, even if it is only an abstract principle.It is said that some women think that life is a small matter and honesty is a big matter when it comes to emotional issues.I don't know anything about it.However, I want to know, if Grandemont runs at her feet, and regrets that he sent Victor to the bottom of the unpredictable river, he can no longer stain love with lies, I want to know If she is I don't know how she will react!

However, Grandmont.Charles, the little gentleman of Arcadia, could never guess the look in Adele's eyes; though he could not touch her heart, he greeted her for the last time, and rode off as if he had Rich in honor and love, poor in hope. [Note] Arcadia: A plateau area in Greece. Since ancient times, the local residents have lived by farming and lived an idyllic life.Thus, Arcadia became synonymous with pastoral life. It was in September[Note], during the first month of winter, Grandmont thought of the glory of the resurrected family yesterday.Since he would never have Adele, and wealth was useless without her, why should he continue to add to the money he was slowly accumulating?Why would he bother to keep that money?

[Note] This is the original text.Doubtful it should be December. He sat at a small mirror-smooth table in the Royal Street Cafe, sipping wine as he pondered a plan.After smoking hundreds of cigarettes, he gradually came up with a comprehensive plan.No doubt the project would cost all his savings, but the candle was short but brilliant.He would rediscover what it was like to be a noble Shire of Charleroi for a few hours.The nineteenth of January, a date of special significance to the rise and fall of the Shire family, will regain the attention it deserves.On that day, the King of France had given a banquet and let a Charles sit beside him; on that day, Armand, Marquis of Brachet.Like a dazzling meteor, Charles landed in New Orleans; it was the day of his mother's wedding and Grandmont's birthday.As long as Grandmont could remember, until the family's decline, the anniversary of this day has been celebrated every year with a feast of guests, lavish hospitality, and proud commemorative activities.

Charleroi was the name of the old family's plantation, some twenty miles down the river.There are many owners of this property, and many years ago, the property was sold to repay the debts owed by many owners.Later, the plantation changed hands again, and now the family property has caused a lawsuit. Due to the pending lawsuit, the plantation has been dusty and moldy for a long time.The issue of the legal heir has been submitted to the court for decision. The old house in Charleroi is empty, except for the legendary ghost of the Shire family, with white powder on his face and fastened body with a belt, in a room of the old house. Wandering in a dead room. Grandmont found the solicitor of the Equity Court [Note], who was in charge of the keys of the old house before the court made a ruling.He is a tried and true family friend.Grandmont briefly stated that he intended to rent the old house for two or three days.He wanted to entertain a few friends in his old house, that's all. 【Note】Equity: In Anglo-American law, equity refers to the customary law of a court that is not within the scope of common law or statutory law.In the past, equity only protected property rights. If you want to use it, take it and use it, it can be done in a week or a month.The legal officer said, don't tell me about renting it.He sighed, and said at last, I have dined there many times, my boy! In Canal Street, Charter Street, St. Charles Street, and the many established furniture stores, china stores, silver stores, furnishing stores, and upholsterers in the Royal Street, there came a young man, quiet, thankful, and dignified, Quite an insider's vision.He explained what was needed: Renting a complete set of furniture and equipment for the dining room, hall, reception room, and cloakroom, which should be elegant and elegant.The shipment should be properly packed, shipped to Charleroi docks, and returned in three or four days.Any damage or loss will be compensated immediately. Many of those old shopkeepers were just familiar with Grandmont, not acquaintances, and had contacts with the previous generation of the Charles family.Some of them were Creoles, and when they learned that the impoverished clerk was determined to use his savings to rekindle, if only for a moment, the glory of their ancestors, they were immediately heartened and sympathetic to the grandiose indiscretion. . Take whatever you need.Be careful, they answered him.Note that the list price of damage compensation should not be too high, and the rent should not be too expensive. The next thing is to go to the hotel; here, the six hundred yuan is cut off a big chunk.It brings great joy to Grandmont to be able to personally select those treasured vintage wines again.The cases of champagne fascinated him as if they were inhabited by alluring beauties, but he had no choice but to pass by hard-heartedly, not daring to care.Standing in front of cases of champagne with six hundred dollars in your pocket is like a penny kid standing in front of a French doll.Still, he bought the other wines, Chablis, Moselle, Dole's Château, Hochheimer, and other wines befitting the family's status, with tact and deliberation. The menu puzzled him until he suddenly remembered Andre Andre, the old head chef of the family, master of the finest Creole cuisine in the entire Mississippi Valley.Maybe he still lived somewhere on the plantation.The solicitor had told him that the plantation was still being tended by a compromise between the parties to the lawsuit. On the Sunday after making up his mind, Grandemont rode straight to Charleroi.The large, boxy house was flanked by long wing rooms, and the doors and windows were all closed, making it look empty and lifeless. The shrubs in the yard were unkempt and overgrown.Leaves from the grove drifted down the paths and under the porches.Grandmont walked down the path along the side of the house and came to the plantation helper's house.He saw the helpers filing out of the church, carefree and merry, in fancy yellows and reds and blues. Yes, Andre was still there; his thick short curly hair was more grizzled, his mouth was as wide and wide, and he still laughed as much.When Grandmont told him the plan, the old head chef shook with joy.He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing in his heart that he didn't have to worry about it anymore, just wait until the dinner party started, and he generously put a large sum of money in Andre's hands, and as a means of handling it, he entrusted Andre with carte blanche Carefully prepared. Among the black hired workers, some are the old domestic servants of the family, including Absalon, the former housekeeper, and six or seven former waiters and helpers in the kitchen, cold dish room and other departments of the family. They are younger than Absalon, they They all gathered around to see Master Grand.Absalon assured him that he would definitely arrange a group of trustworthy people to hold the dinner. Grandmont gave generously, rewarded those loyal servants, and then rode back to the city contentedly.There were a lot of little things to think about and prepare, but in the end the planning was perfect, and now there was only one thing left: sending invitations to the guests. Along the river, with a radius of twenty miles, there lived about six or seven families. They had long-standing contacts with the Shire family, and they often held luxurious and extravagant banquets.They are the proudest and most honored friends of the ancient Shire Kingdom.The Shires formed with them a small circle of gentlemen; they were very close and intimate; they took turns as hosts, always entertaining the guests of the circle with rare enthusiasm and a richness peculiar to the circle.Those old friends, said Grandmont, should relive the dream, once again, if never again, of being the guests of the Charlerois-Charles family on January 19, a great day for the family. Grandmont's carefully engraved invitation card.The invitations are expensive, but they are beautifully printed.There's one detail on the post that might spark controversy among discerning guests, but one whose Creole roots still make him proud of the fleeting glory.With this day's revival of past glory, can't he be the Grandmont of Charleroi's wealthy family and the Charles family?At the beginning of January, he sent out the post early in order to ensure that the guests received the invitation in time.At eight o'clock in the morning on the 19th, the steamship Lijiang sailing from the southern sea tremblingly approached the long-unused wharf of Charleroi.The plank bridge was lowered, and a group of plantation helpers stepped ashore on the decaying pier to bring a heap of strange and varied goods ashore.Large bundles of goods of unknown shape wrapped in cloth and tied with ropes; pots and vats of palm trees, evergreens, and tropical flowers of various colors; various tables, mirrors, chairs, couches, carpets, and paintings The works are all carefully padded and wrapped to prevent damage on the road. Among this group of people, Grandmont was the busiest one.Some of the large baskets had a handle with care sticker on the outside, and he supervised the helpers to carefully carry the baskets, which contained fragile china and glassware.Dropping a hoop would cost him more than a year's worth of savings. The last piece of cargo has been unloaded, and the Lijiang retreated from the pier to continue her voyage.In less than half an hour, all the goods were moved into the house.Next came the work of Absalon, who ordered the helpers to arrange the furniture and utensils.There were quite a few people who came to help, because this day was always a festival of Charleroi, and those black people could not tolerate the slightest deviation from the old rules.Almost all the people in the helper house were mobilized and volunteered to help.Twenty or so black children were sweeping the leaves from the yard.In the big kitchen at the back, Andre revived his former majesty, commanding a large group of cooks and helpers to survive.The shutters were pushed open one by one; thick dust was flying everywhere; the old house echoed with voices and chaotic footsteps.The prince returned, and Charleroi awoke from a long sleep. That night, a full moon rose from the river, and she crossed the embankment to peep here, and saw a long-lost sight.In the old plantation house, soft, inviting lights shone from every window.Of the forty rooms in the old house, only four have been newly decorated: a spacious reception room, a dining room, and two smaller rooms for the expected guests.But there are lit candles in the windows of each house, illuminating the old house brightly. The masterpiece of the dinner party is the dining room.On the long dining table, there are twenty-five sets of tableware neatly placed. The tableware shines brightly, with snow-white napkins, porcelain, and glassware with a slight cold light, just like a winter landscape painting.The elegance and cleanliness of the restaurant requires little decoration.The candlelight shone on the smooth jade floor, shining like a ruby.The ornate wainscoting was half the height of the wall.Above the panels, several watercolor sketches of fruits and flowers are hung along the panels. The colors are light and lively, which makes the restaurant look more than monotonous. The reception room is simply furnished and elegant in style.The interiors were so furnished as to give no sense that the next day these rooms would be empty again, abandoned to dust and cobwebs.The foyer has palm trees, ferns, and a huge chandelier brightly lit for grandeur. At seven o'clock, Grandmont in evening dress, lined with a clean linen shirt, and pearls, which was a family preference, came out from somewhere.The invitation specifically states that the banquet will be held at 8:00 pm.He pulled up a chair and sat on the porch, smoking and dozing. The moon has risen for half an hour.Fifty yards from the gate, there is a magnificent shrubland, in which the old house is hidden.A road in front of the door stretches into the distance, behind it is a river embankment overgrown with weeds, and behind it is the big river.Just above the top of the embankment, a small red light slowly descends and a small green light slowly ascends.Then the hoarse din of passing steamboats honking their horns cut through the silence of the desolate lowlands.The area has returned to tranquility, only the recitative of the owl, the caprice of the cricket, and the concerto of the frog in the grass.The black children in the helper house and the people who had nothing to do were sent back to their own living areas, and the crowds and bustle of the day gave way to the orderly and well-organized tranquility and leisure.Six black waiters in white jackets catwalked around the tables, pretending to be around the tables where everything was set.Absalon wore a pair of shiny pumps and black leather shoes, and walked up and down in a superior posture. Wherever he went, the lights were brightly lit, reflecting his full demeanor.Grande Montan sat on a chair and waited for the visitor.He must have entered a dream, dreaming a luxurious dream, dreaming that he was the lord of Charleroi, and Adele was his wife.Now she was coming out to meet him; he could hear her footsteps; he could feel her hand on his shoulder Forgive me, Master Grand, it was Absalon's hand touching his shoulder, and it was Absalon's voice, speaking in the vernacular of the Negroes, and it was eight o'clock. eight o'clock.Grandmont jumped up.Through the moonlight, he could see a row of crooked pillars outside the gate.Long ago, the horses of the guests were always tied there.Now the pillar stands there, empty. From Andre's kitchen came an angry, monotonous, repetitive roar, the outrageous roar of a genius publicly humiliated, just after being humiliated, and the whole house echoed with a rhythmic protest.It's a pity that the sumptuous dinner, the delicacies on the table, the exquisite and incomparable best on the table! They are not punctual enough.Grandmont said nonchalantly that they were coming soon.Tell Andre to postpone the meeting.Ask him if by chance a bull ran from the pasture and came roaring into the house. He sat down to smoke again.Despite his words, even he found it hard to believe that Charleroi would be packed that night.For the first time in history, the Charles family's invitation was ignored.Grandmont's understanding of etiquette and honor was so simple, and perhaps he believed so deeply in the family's prestige that he never thought of the reasons that might cause the guests to stop the banquet. Charleroi is located next to the avenue, and every day people from other plantations come and go on the avenue, and his invitations are sent to those people.Undoubtedly, just the day before the old house was suddenly revived, they drove past here and witnessed the long-term desolation and decay.They had seen the zombie Charleroi, and then Grandmont's invitation, and although they could not understand what it was, they racked their brains to figure out whether the invitation was a dull one. A prank, or a mystery, or whatever, but they wouldn't be so foolish as to actually visit that old abandoned house just to find out. Yue'er climbed onto the bushes, part of the courtyard was illuminated by the leaked soft candle light, and most of it was hidden in thick shadows, mottled.An icy wind blowing over the river portends a possible frost late at night.The grass on the side of the steps was speckled with white cigarette butts thrown away by Grandmont.The clerk of the cotton-purchasing firm sat in a chair with cigarette smoke rising above his head.I doubt it ever occurred to him that he had squandered his meager fortune.Perhaps, just sitting in Charleroi and reliving a few lost hours is enough compensation for him.His mind wandered aimlessly in and out of the strange past. A paraphrase from the Bible floated into his mind, and he smiled to himself: Some poor man threw a feast. He heard Absalon coughing, the signal to call.Grandmont moved.This time he didn't fall asleep, just dozed off. Nine o'clock, Master Grand.Absalon said nonchalantly, the voice of a trained servant with no personal emotion involved. Grandmont stood up.All the members of the Shire family have been tested in their lives, and if they are losers, they lose with style and chivalry and serve.He ordered calmly.After finishing speaking, he watched Absalon's every move to carry out the order carefully, because at this moment something rattled the latch of the gate, and the thing came along the road leading to the old house.The thing shuffled, mumbling to itself as it walked.Walking at the bottom of the steps, stopped in a beam of light, and said in the same wail of beggars all over the world: Do me a favor, sir, and please feed a wretched, starving pauper!Enjoy another corner where you can spend the night!Because of the irrelevant passage at the end of it I can sleep now.Dashan can't dance the reel at night [note], and the cupronickel pots are all polished to shine.I still have the hoops around my ankles, and a chain, and you can chain me up if you like. [Note] Reel Dance: A dance in the American countryside. It lifted one foot, stepped up the steps, and pushed back the rags hanging from its legs.Above the crooked and dusty shoe they could see the chain and hoop.The bum's clothes had been sun-drenched and over-worn, and they were rotting to ragged rags.His head and face were covered by tangled brown hair and whiskers, and eyes peered distractedly through the matted hair and beard.Grandmont noticed that he was holding a white square card in one hand, what was that?he asks. I picked it up, sir, just over the road.The tramp handed the card to Grandmont, just a little something to eat, sir.A bit of polenta, a tortia or a handful of beans or something.I can't eat goat meat.They squealed like children when I cut their throats. [Note] Tortilla: Mexican unleavened tortilla. Grandmont picked up the card.It was an invitation he sent out.No doubt, whoever came to Charleroi by car and saw the deserted old house and threw it away, call them from behind the fence and from the road.He smiled softly and said to himself.Then he said to Absalon: Call Louis.Louis, who used to be his valet, came at once in a white coat. This gentleman, Grandmont ordered, will dine with me.Take him to take a bath and change clothes.Twenty minutes later he was dressed and the party began. Louis approached the filthy guest with the flattery due to a guest of Charleroi, and led him inside quickly and mysteriously. Soon, twenty minutes later, Absalon announced the start of the dinner.After a while, the guests were ushered into the dining room, and Grandmont stood at the head of the table, waiting for his arrival.Louie's hospitality transformed the stranger into something new and somewhat like a well-behaved animal.A clean linen shirt and an old evening dress, borrowed from the city, intended to be worn by a waiter, worked wonders on the stranger, matching his appearance.The messy grass has been combed and partly bowed to the ears.Now he can unashamedly join the ranks of artists and musicians who love to outshine and pose.As he walked towards the table, there was no clumsiness or unfamiliarity in his appearance and manner, as if he had never experienced a transformation like "Arabian Nights".He let Absalon wait on him and sat on Grandmont's right, with a sophisticated manner, accustomed to being waited on, and always having to exchange names with the guests, and Grandmont opened his mouth, which made me uncomfortable.My name is Charles. In the mountains, say the Wanderers, they call me Gringo.Along the road they call me Jack. I like the latter name.Grandmont said, Have a drink, Mr. Jack. A surprising number of waiters served one dish after another.Andre's superb cooking skills and the several wines he personally selected aroused Grandemont's great interest. He became a standard host, talking eloquently, witty and amiable.During the conversation, the guest is suddenly sober and sometimes confused.His brain seemed to be continually going through bouts of dementia, each followed by brief bouts of relative lucidity.His eyes were dull and bright from a recent fever.The prolonged fever must have left him haggard, feeble, deranged, with a dull pallor that not even the sun and weather could conceal in his face. Charley, he said to Grandmont, that's how he seemed to explain his name. You've never seen a mountain dance, have you? No, Mr. Jack, Grandmont replied gravely. I never had the chance.But, believe me, I can understand how interesting it must be to watch the mountains dance.Those mountains, you know, with snowy tops and bare shoulders, that's what we might say about them, waltzing. You polish the pots first, said Mr. Jack, leaning over excitedly towards him so that they can be used to cook the beans in the morning, and then you lie down and sleep on the blanket, motionless.Then they come out and dance for you.You want to go out and dance with them, but every night you are chained to the pole in the middle of the tent with a chain.You believe in Dashan dancing, don't you, Charlie? I don't refute the stories told by tourists.Grandmont replied with a smile.Mr. Jack laughed loudly.He lowered his voice and said in an intimate whisper: If you believe it, you are a fool.They don't actually dance.It's your head that's running hot.It was caused by too much work and poor water.You have been sick for several weeks, and there is no medicine at all.The fever comes on every evening, and then you're as big as two.One night, when the companions lay there in a ball drunk with mezcal, they cheated and got back bags of silver dollars, so they drank and celebrated.In the dead of night, you broke the chain with a file, and then came down the mountain.You walk many miles and hundreds of miles.Slowly, the mountains disappear and you reach the savannah.The prairie doesn't dance at night; the prairie has a good heart, so you sleep with your head covered.Then you come to this river and it talks to you.You follow it, downriver, downriver, but you can't find what you're looking for.Mr. Jack leaned back, sat upright on the chair, and slowly closed his eyes.Food and wine make him feel comfortable.The extreme tension has been wiped from the face.Satisfied with wine and food, it made him drowsy.He opened his mouth in a daze: Sleeping at the dinner table, I know it's rude, but tonight's dinner is delicious Grand, old man. [Note] Mezcal wine: a wine distilled from dark green agave. Grand!The owner of the name jumped in surprise and put down his wine glass.How could this poor, ragged fellow whom he had invited to sit at the banquet, this sort of caliph, know his name? [Note] Caliph: derived from the title of the successor of Muhammad, the founder of Islam.Today, it mostly refers to the title of the religious and secular supreme ruler of Islam. At first he didn't understand, but soon, he gradually became suspicious, although his suspicion was outrageous and unreasonable.He took out his pocket watch, his hands were trembling, and he almost couldn't even take it out.He opened the locket behind the pocket watch.Inside the box was a portrait with a photo inside. Grandmont stood up, grabbed Mr. Jack's shoulder and shook it.The tired-looking guest opened his eyes.Grandmont held up his watch. Look at this picture, Mr. Jack.Are you my sister Adele! Suddenly the hobo yelled through the restaurant.He jumped up suddenly in surprise, but Grandmont hugged him and called Victor!Victor.Fauquier!Thank you, thank you, oh my! The missing person was too tired to talk that night.A few days later, when his tropical fever abated, the disjointed fragments of his account had been arranged in sequence and added to form a complete story.He related his fugitive flight, the trials and tribulations he had suffered at sea and along the coast, his good fortune and misfortune in South American countries, and his latest adventure, when he was taken captive to a bandit's den in the Sonora mountains of Mexico. and how he caught a fever there, fled, fell into a coma, and got lost in a daze in the fit, and how, by some strange instinct perhaps, he returned to the village on the banks of the Mississippi where he was born and raised. The story; also tells about the self-esteem and stubbornness in his blood, which made him endure the slander of his reputation for so many years in silence, although he knew that he was innocent and endured the forced separation of two loving hearts.Love is incredible!You will say so.If I agree with this statement, you must say to me: Self-esteem is incredible! Victor lay on a couch in the drawing room, there was insight in his sleepy eyes, a serenity in his softened face.Absalon is packing a recliner for Charleroi, his short-lived employer. Tomorrow, he will become a clerk in the cotton firm again, but Tomorrow, Grandmont will stand beside the divan where the guests sleep, his face shining brightly when he speaks, and his face will surely be bright when Elijah's coachman announces the glory of the journey to heaven. Let Yu Yu shine, he said: I will take you to see her tomorrow [Note 2] 【Note 1】Elijah: A character in the story of the Bible, regarded as the greatest prophet in Judaism.According to the "Bible Kings (2)" records, they were walking and talking, suddenly a train of fire and horses separated the two, and Elijah ascended to heaven in a whirlwind. 【Note 2】In the original text, she is capitalized.English capitalized personal pronouns in this case have the meaning of God.According to "Kings of the Bible (Part 1)", Jehovah instructed Elijah to live with a widow's house.The widow's son was seriously ill and breathless.Elijah begged Jehovah to resurrect the child and returned the resurrected child to his mother.