Chapter 19 17

【Mi Rui】 This is our last night in Paris and we should see as much as we can.I stepped out of the metro at Chatelet station, the sky was black and blue, and the streetlights were yellow.Walking across the Arcole bridge to the other side of the Seine, the river was rushing. I sat down on a bench in front of Notre Dame, stared at the church for half an hour, took pictures, drank the wine in the kettle, and thought back to the time when the church was built on the Ile de la Cité. Workers, stonemasons and bishops, they knew what they were doing.Although it took hundreds of years, it was finally built, and it was built very well.

I crossed the bridge to the left bank, crossed the Latin Quarter, bypassed the Sorbonne, and climbed up the Pantheon, the tomb of the French heroes.There was a bar in a nearby alley that looked very interesting. I walked half the street and walked back into the bar.The posters on the walls were blackened by years of smoke.I sat on a stool and ordered a draft beer.The bartender took a small lager from the tap, put a coaster in front of me, and put the fizz on top. On the way to Paris, I bought a box of cigarillos at the duty-free shop at the airport. I had only seen photos before, and I always wanted to try them.I took the tin box out of my backpack, lit one, and my throat started to hurt as I smoked.A girl was standing next to me waiting for her drink order and asked if I could give her one.I passed one over.

She said in French: I can return you a cigarette. The girl's hair was as short as a boy's, her eyes were light gray, and a white flower was pinned to her dress.I thanked her and said I didn't need a cigarette.We chatted, and she learned that I was American, so she switched to English, fluently, with a faint French accent. This camera is so beautiful, can you show me it? I look at the girl, in her wool skirt and ballet flats, too dressy for this dingy little bar.She ordered a whiskey and a soda.I took the camera off my shoulder and handed it to her, and she looked at it over and over in her hand.

Where did it come from? Originally belonged to my dad. He is so kind to you, you can't buy this kind of thing now. She looked out of the picture window towards the door of the bar. How to use this is not the same as my camera. There are two images here, see?to align them.It's very dark in here, it's best to open the aperture to the maximum.Maybe it still can't be photographed.If you put your elbows on the bar and hold your breath She pointed the camera at me, adjusted the focus, and took a breath. Don't move. Gently press the shutter, it clicks.She smiled and handed the camera back to me.

It doesn't seem to be quite right. It's okay, I almost broke half of the shots. Did you come to Paris to take pictures? No, I do research in several libraries, arrived on Sunday, and am going to Amiens tomorrow The girl raised her eyebrows. What are you doing there? Still do research and find relevant information about the world wars. interesting.She said: "I grew up there. The girl said her hometown was Noyer-en-Chaucet, also in the Somme, not far from Amiens.Her name is Mi Rui, and her friend at the other end of the bar is Claire.Both of them are in the first grade of art school.Claire smiled this way when she heard her name, and waved her hands in circles like cleaning glass.The person next to Claire wears glasses and looks like a good student, speaking to her with great concentration.

I asked: Is it her friend? Mi Rui came over with a smile and said: I just met you. Are you here to make new friends? Mi Rui said: Claire wants to make new friends, but also said that I look like an old lady at home.So we just dress up and come out together. The bartender came over to our side and I ordered another beer. Mi Rui said: You speak French very well. It should be better.From freshman to senior year, my grammar was still terrible. Are you majoring in French? No, I majored in history. American history? European history. real?Why choose Europe? I shrugged.Look at the city, it's full of catacombs, just under the streets; the palaces are full of stolen treasures from all over the world; revolutions come one after another until everyone can't remember which is which, and it's always in the same place Move the same stone as a roadblock.Even monumental buildings are built like crazy.They built a Roman-style triumphal arch for Napoleon, and then the Prussian army passed under it in 1871, the French in 1919, Hitler in 1940, and Charles de Gaulle in 1944.

In the midst of embarrassment, I took a sip of beer, and Mi Rui lit a cigarillo. But it's fun everywhere, right?where did you grow up California. It must be beautiful there. very perfect.No shortage of necessities. You are joking? I don't know, maybe I always think things from far away are better. Mi Rui looked towards the door.A group of people were coming in, looking around as they took off their coats, as if they were not satisfied with the dirty little shop.Mi Rui turned to face me. You like things from afar, so now that you are here, you won't like this place for too long.

I'm leaving tomorrow so probably not.You said you came from the north, why did you come to Paris? It's a long story. You tell me your story and I will tell you mine. Do you have a good story? Not bad.But you have to speak first. Mi Rui started to roll cigarettes, saying that she moved from the south three months ago and lived with her husband before.She is twenty-three years old and divorced.Seeing my surprised face, Mi Rui laughed awkwardly and looked down at the cup. I never told anyone this, you asked. Three years ago, Mi Rui and her boyfriend were studying at university in northern France. They felt that school life was boring, and they didn't want to live their original life anymore, so they ran to the Mediterranean coast and got married.They wrote novels in the South and basically lived off the dole.Mi Rui learned seventeen ways to cook potatoes and hated every one of them.Their work was published and their marriage was over.Mi Rui came to Paris to study last summer, hoping to get a degree in art.

why are you married Mi Rui shook her head. Prefer not to say.At the time, I knew it was stupid, but I didn't care, maybe I thought it was romantic.Now I just want to try to forgive myself for the past three years, start over, and pretend to be eighteen again. I looked at Mi Rui, she was talking about the Academy of Art, sometimes her face was shy, and she even looked away in embarrassment when I asked questions, but sometimes she was very comfortable and a little mischievous.She made a few jokes, like testing the water temperature.She made fun of the way the bartender shook his head to the music; and I, who were all seated, still had my camera behind my back.

you want to go?look like you're leaving anytime Just trying to be safe. Mi Rui lit a cigarette and started rolling another one. It seems you are a cautious person. preferably.If I had been careful, I would not have come to Paris. And why did you come to Paris?You haven't told your story yet. You won't believe it. I will believe you when you tell the truth. I told her about my week in Paris, about the libraries I'd been to, about the mistakes I'd made, and then I told her about the paintings and my inheritance.I found myself violating a nondisclosure agreement, but didn't care.Because, I don't think it's a problem to talk about these things with an unrelated person, and there's no way Pitcherd can find out.Besides, with all the things that have happened in the past three weeks, I am so sad that even if I am drunk now, I will want to confide in someone.Mi Rui didn't interrupt, let me finish my speech, and then handed me the rolled cigarette.

She smiled and said: The gift is small, but this is all I have. The bartender turned up the music and turned on the overhead lights. Mi Rui said: I think they are closing. Do you believe what I said? Mi Rui looked at the door, got up and put on her coat. She said: I don't believe it, but I like this story.Come on, we should get out. Coming out of the bar, we stood in the alley, looking down at our shoes, at the shiny stone floor, unsure of what to do next.Finally, Claire also came out, putting on a bright red coat while walking. Mi Rui asked: Where is your friend? Claire said: "He's weird, very weird. There was no subway to take at night, so Mi Rui invited us to drink hot cocoa at his residence in District 11 and wait until we had a car. She whispered: Besides, I have something to ask you. What's up? Claire followed.Mi Rui put a finger in front of her lips. Shhh, let's talk again when we have a chance. The three of us walked along the river to the Pont Sully, crossed the Seine and the Ile Saint-Louis, and headed towards the Bastille.I took the water bottle out of my bag and took a sip.Claire looks at me. what is that? wine.I don't have enough money to get drunk in bars. Claire looked at my water bottle in disbelief.It's really American style. Don't you want to come? Both girls drank.It's a long road, and we're walking on the Rue Saint-Antoine, the green street sweeper rumbling past us, and disappearing into the darkness again.Mi Rui's house finally arrived. The apartment she lives in is in the back alley of Boulevard Voltaire. You have to enter a password to enter the door. There is a big mirror in the foyer. The landlord was Mrs. Fuentes, the concierge.I think she doesn't like me because I keep missing packages Mi Rui lived in a small suite upstairs, with no furniture, only a desk and a sofa bed.Claire sat cross-legged on the rug rolling a cigarette.In the kitchen as small as a closet, Mi Rui heated milk with an electric stove, broke chocolate pieces and threw them into the pot, and then poured hot cocoa into mugs. What time do you take the train to Amiens? a little. Mi Rui nodded and poured the third portion of hot cocoa into a bowl. Not enough cups.She said: "But I like to drink from a bowl. We sat on the rug drinking hot cocoa while Claire changed the stereo for a CD and we talked about music for a while. I want to go to America.Claire said: Have you ever been to New York? Been there once, last summer by bus. Mi Rui raised her eyebrows. Taking the bus from California to New York?Isn't that far? It takes two weeks one way, with many stops in between. What is your favorite stop?Claire asked, New York? Not New York.Maybe a stop in Montana, or New Mexico, I love wild places. Mi Rui smiled and said: That's because your hometown is not desolate.Where are you going in Picardy? Go wherever I can, I want to see the battlefield near O'Kor. I took out the map of the Somme battlefield from my backpack and showed it to Mi Rui.She points out her hometown and other landmarks.Claire lay on the sofa and closed her eyes.Mi Rui went to the kitchen to bring a small bottle of whiskey, poured some for each of us, and smiled. Glad you're in Paris now, aren't you? I shook my head and said: I just feel stupid, the focus is not on wasting time, but on how to make that kind of mistake.I thought I knew painting, so I thought about that.I lay back with my head on the couch and took a sip of whiskey. All I need is a good piece of evidence, and I keep getting distracted.It's hard not to be distracted, and that's what I did when I was writing my dissertation, and every time I deviated from the topic, I found the best thing.when i read those diaries and letters in french Your thesis is about France? Be it.I write about International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War, with a particular interest in the French and Belgians.There is a man who is still alive, living in Toulouse, and I was to visit him, but his daughter canceled three times, always saying that he was too tired to talk.Before the fourth appointment was made, my dissertation was finished. So you haven't spoken at all? I shake my head.It was a mistake in the first place. Whoever said it, perhaps would have heard something useful from him. Maybe. I'm not saying it's useful for your thesis. I know. After a long silence, Mi Rui looked up at the clock.After six o'clock, there is a car.I said I was leaving, and Mi Rui said she would take me to the subway station.We left Claire to sleep on the sofa and went out onto the Rue de Montreuil.The morning sky was gray and I put my hands in my pockets to keep warm. What did you want to ask me before? Mi Rui shrugged.nothing.Claire was there all the time and I didn't want her to hear Now it can be said. Say it on the street? The subway station is here.I look at Mi Rui. You are familiar with this city, you can find a place, you can take me anywhere.