My father despised my intelligence of this type, but this scorn was often restrained by the love of his parents and children, so, on the whole, he took a blind attitude toward what I did. He unthinkingly asked me to fetch a short prose poem I had written while walking in Gombre. I wrote it passionately, so I think anyone who read it would be moved. However, Mr. De Nobwa was not touched at all, and he did not say a word when he handed it back to me.
Mother had always been respectful to her father's business, when she came in and timidly asked if she could have dinner. She was afraid to interrupt a conversation she should not intervene in. At this moment, my father was indeed talking to the Marquis about the necessary measures to be put forward at the next committee meeting. His special tone reminded me of the tone of two colleagues, like two middle school students, talking in front of the layman, who shared the same memories because of their professional habits, but since the layman knew nothing about it, they did not know anything about it. When these laymen mention the past, they can only take an apologetic tone.
At this moment, Mr. De Nobwa's facial muscles have achieved perfect independence, so he can listen to people with a deaf expression: his father is finally embarrassed: "I wanted to ask the committee's advice..." After rounding the corner, he finally said. However, from the face of this aristocratic performer, from the face of his musician-like silence waiting for the moment to play, this sentence was thrown out. It was not slow, and it almost ended the beginning of the phrase with another tone: "Of course, you can call the members to a meeting, not to mention that you know each of them." One person, just let them come." Obviously, this closing remark is nothing new in itself, but its former state makes it stand out, making it as clear and shining as the lines on the piano, so ingenious and refreshing as in Mozart's concerto, the silent piano replaces the big one just played at the prescribed time. Violin.
"Well, are you satisfied with the play?" As I sat at the table, my father asked me. He deliberately let me show that my excitement would please Mr. Nobwa. "He just went to Rabema's play. You remember we talked about it." Turning to the diplomat, he said in a technically mysterious tone of retrospect, as if he were talking about the committee.
"You must be very satisfied, especially if this is your first time to see her perform. Your father was afraid that this little entertainment would be harmful to your health. It seems that you are not very strong, a weak scholar. But I reassure him that the theatre today is quite different from that 20 years ago. The seats are comfortable and the air is constantly changing. Of course, we still have to work hard to catch up with Germany and Britain, who are more advanced than us in this and many other aspects. I haven't seen Mrs. Rabema play Huaila, but I've heard that her acting is excellent. Are you sure you're satisfied?
Mr. De Nobwa is a thousand times smarter than I am. He must have mastered the truth that I had not learned from Rabema's acting skills. He would reveal it to me. I have to answer his questions and ask him to tell me the truth, so that he can prove to me that I really deserve to go to see Rabema. There is not much time to ask questions about the basic points. However, what are the basic points? I was so absorbed in thinking about the vague impression I had received that I had no time to think about how to win the admiration of de Nobwa, but rather how to get the truth I expected from him, that I stuttered, not to borrow ready-made phrases to make up for the lack of words, and, in the end, to inspire him to say Rabema's. The beauty, I admit, is my great disappointment.
"Why," my father cried angrily, because my self-confession would leave a bad impression on Mr. De Nobwa. "How can you say you're not having any fun? Grandma said you listened attentively to every line of Rabema, staring big eyes, and no audience like you.
"Yes, I'm really absorbed. I want to know where her excellence lies. Of course, she did a good job..."
"Now that it's good, what else do you ask for?"
"One thing is sure to contribute to Mrs. Rabema's success." Mr. de Nobwa said. He looked at his mother in particular to avoid leaving her out of conversation and to show her due courtesy to the hostess. "That's the perfect appreciation she showed in choosing roles. It's appreciation that brought her real success and real success. She rarely plays mediocre roles, this time playing Huai Dela. Besides, her appreciation is also reflected in clothing and acting skills. She often travels to England and the United States and is highly appreciated, but she is not vulgar. I don't mean John Bull. That's not fair enough, at least not for Victorian Britain. I mean Uncle Sam. She had never been too striking in color, nor had she ever shouted hoarsely and exhaustively. Her beautiful and melodious voice adds luster to her, and her use of voice is so ingenious that she can be called a vocalist! ____________
Now that the performance is over, my interest in Rabema's art is no longer suppressed and constrained by reality. It's getting stronger and stronger, but I have to find an explanation for it. Moreover, when Rabema performed, what she offered to my eyes and ears was a whole thing in life. My interest was only a general concern, without any distinction or discrimination. Therefore, at this moment, she was glad to find a reasonable explanation in this praise of the artist's simplicity and nobility. It exerts its attraction and takes the words of praise for itself, just as a happy drunk takes the actions of his neighbours for himself and sighs with emotion. "Yes," I thought to myself, "what a beautiful voice, no shouting, what a simple dress! How wise it is to choose Huai Dela as the character! No, I'm not disappointed.
A cold dish of carrot and beef appeared. Under the design of "Michelangelo" in my kitchen, beef lay on the crystal crystal of frozen juice like crystal quartz.
"Your chef is the best, madam," said Mr. de Nobwa, "rare! When I'm abroad, I often have to talk about acting, so I understand how difficult it is to find a good cook. You're a real feast."
Indeed, Franois was delighted to prepare a delicious meal for the distinguished guests so as to show off her skill. She tried hard to re-perform her stunts in Gombre, and she was reluctant to bother so much when no guests came to dinner.
"It's in a nightclub, I mean the most advanced nightclub, which you can't taste. Braised beef, frozen juice without the smell of paste, beef with the smell of carrots, is really amazing! Allow me to add a little more." As he said, he gestured that he wanted a little more frozen juice. "I really want to try another craft of Fadel in the palace, for example, the Stroganov beef she made."
In order to add interest to the table, Mr. De Nobwa brought us all kinds of stories that he often entertained his colleagues. Sometimes he quotes the ridiculous compound sentence in a politician's speech (which he is accustomed to), which is both long and bloated and full of self-contradictory images. Sometimes he quotes the quick words of an elegant diplomat. In fact, his criteria for judging these two styles have nothing in common with my criteria for judging literature. I don't understand many subtle differences. The words he laughed at and mocked were not much different from the words he praised. He's a different kind of person, and about my favorite work, he'll say, "You see? To be honest, I don't understand. I'm not good at it." And I can treat others in the same way; I can't understand the wit or stupidity, eloquence or exaggeration he sees in his refutations or speeches. Since there is no perceptible reason to explain the merits and demerits, this kind of literature is more mysterious and obscure in my eyes. I realized that repeating other people's ideas is not a sign of weakness in politics, but a sign of strength. When Mr. De Nobwa used some of the words he had picked up in the newspapers and accompanied by emphatic tones, those words, once used for him, turned into action and noticeable action.
Mother had great expectations for pineapple salad. The Ambassador gazed at the dish for a moment with the deep eyes of the observer, then ate it, but maintained the diplomat's cautious attitude and did not reveal his thoughts any more. Mother insisted that he eat a little more, and Mr. de Nobwa added one more time, but did not say the compliments people expected, but said, "Yes, madam, since this is your order."
"The newspaper says you have had a long talk with King Diodosie." The father said.
"Good. The king had an amazing memory of faces. When he saw me sitting in the front of the main hall that day, he remembered me, because I had seen him several times in the Bavarian court, and he had not thought of the Eastern throne (you know, he was invited by the European Congress to assume the throne, and he even hesitated for a long time before agreeing that he did not think of the throne and his most noble family in Europe. It's too proportionate. An adjutant came to invite me to see His Majesty the King, and of course I was happy to follow his orders."
"Are you satisfied with the results of his visit?"
"Very satisfied! It is understandable that some people were worried about whether the young monarch could get out of such a complicated situation. As for me, I fully believe in his political sense, and the facts far exceed my expectations. According to the authoritative information, his speech at the Elysee Palace, from the first word to the last word, was drafted by him personally, which deserves to arouse good feelings from all sides. It's really a good trick. Of course, it is too bold, but facts have proved that this boldness is correct. Although diplomatic tradition has its advantages, it is precisely because of it that the relationship between our two countries is enveloped in a suffocating and closed atmosphere. The way to change fresh air is to break the window. Of course, no one else can make such a proposal. Only Diodosie can do so, and he does. His open-minded attitude attracted many people. He used proper words and was worthy of being the offspring of the learned and versatile princes and nobles. When he talks about the relationship between his country and France, he uses the word "kinship", which is extremely rare in diplomatic terms, but very appropriate here. You see, literature is harmless, even to diplomacy and to the monarch, "he said to me in his last sentence." Of course, there are signs that the relationship between the two great powers has improved a lot, but after all, it was in his mouth. His words were exactly what people expected, and his words were clever, so the effect was astonishing. Of course I agree with both hands."
"Your friend, Mr. Fogube, has devoted himself to improving relations between the two countries for many years. He must be very happy."
"Of course, besides, His Majesty, as usual, deliberately surprised him. Besides, since the beginning of the Foreign Minister, everyone has been shocked, without exception. It is said that the foreign minister is not satisfied with the matter. When asked, he raised his voice so that people around him could hear his blunt answer:'I was neither asked for advice nor notified. It makes it clear that he has nothing to do with the matter. Of course, this has caused a lot of discussion, "he said with a sly smile." I can't guarantee that colleagues who believe in inaction as the highest creed don't get upset about it. As for Fogube, you know that he was strongly criticized for his pro-French policy.
It made him sad, not to mention that he was kind-hearted and sensitive. I can testify to that. Although he is much younger than me, we are old friends and have frequent contacts. I know him very well. And who doesn't know him? His clarity of mind is the only drawback he can be blamed for, because diplomats need not be as transparent as he is. Now some people have proposed sending him to Rome, which is certainly a promotion, but also a "biting the bone". I'm telling you privately that Faugubei, despite his lack of ambition, will not be unhappy with his new job. He will never refuse this bitter drink. He may do miracles. He's the man Consorta agrees with. For such an artist, the Palace of Farnez and the Karash Corridor are the most suitable places. At least no one will hate him. Around King Diodosie, there were a group of traitors attached to William Street, who obediently carried out the intention of William Street and did everything possible to disrupt Faugubert. Fogube not only had to deal with court conspiracy, but also with the abuse of idle scholars. They later begged for mercy as cowardly as all the journalists who were censored, but at the same time they still published the unjustified accusations of our representatives by hooligans and scoundrels. For more than a month, the enemy danced his scalp around Fogube. Mr. De Nobwa put particular emphasis on this last word: "However, as the saying goes,'Preventive measures should be taken to avoid plotting'." He kicked away the slander and abuse." His voice was louder and his eyes shone so fiercely that we stopped eating for a moment. "There's a beautiful Arabic proverb:'The caravan keeps going despite the barking of dogs. Mr. De Nobwa threw out the proverb and looked at us to see what effect it had on us. The effect is remarkable. We are familiar with it, because that year it was popular among the well-known people, while another proverb, "Tribulus growers get thorns" was eliminated because it lacked energy and was not as fatigued and vigorous as "marrying a man". It is important to know that the language of these celebrities is a three-year rotation system. Mr. De Nobwa is good at using this type of citation in the articles of Two World Review. In fact, they are totally redundant in well-founded and reliable articles. Mr. De Nobwa did not need these decorations at all. He just needed to pick the critical moment, which he did, such as "St. James is in danger", "Singer Bridge" is in a state of agitation and is anxiously watching the selfish and ingenious policies of the two-headed dynasty"; or"Montecitorio" Alarm; or "Two-sided Techniques Always Used in the Plaza of the Music Hall". Even the layman reader, upon seeing these terms, immediately understands that the author is a professional diplomat and expresses his appreciation. But some people say that he is not only a professional diplomat, his accomplishment is more excellent, because he uses proverbs appropriately, and the most perfect example is "as Baron Louis said, you give me good politics, I give you good finance." (Because there was no Japanese proverb coming from the East at that time: "In a war, one who insists more for a moment is sure to win". It is this reputation of celebrity scholars and the genius of conspiracy hidden under the mask of indifference that makes Mr. De Nobwa an academician of the Institute of Ethical Sciences, and some even think that he is indispensable to enter the French Academy, because on one occasion, he pointed out the need for a coalition with Russia in order to reconcile with Britain. When it came to sex, it was written: "One thing that should be made clear to the people at Osai Pier is that it should be included in all the geography textbooks (there are omissions in this respect). It should be used as a criterion for high school graduates to get their bachelor's degree. That is, if"all roads lead to Rome", then they have to go through Peter from Paris to London. Fort."
"All in all," continued Mr. de Nobwa to his father, "Fogube was a great success this time, even more than he had expected. Of course, he expected a very decent toast (which was remarkable after the clouds of recent years), but he didn't think it would be better than that. Several people present at the time said to me that the effect of the toast was not something that can be understood by post-reading. The King was an artist of speech. His reading and pause were exquisite, so that the audience could appreciate all kinds of implications and subtleties. I've heard an interesting story that proves once again that King Diodosie is full of that popular youth. The word "kinship" can be said to be a major innovation in the speech. You see, it will become a long-term topic of discussion in various embassies. When His Majesty uttered this word, he probably thought it would make our ambassador very happy - a just reward for his efforts, even for his dreams, and the baton of the marshal - so he turned half way towards Fogube and stared at him with the glamorous eyes of the Odanzans, syllables and syllables. In short, "kinship" is a very appropriate and novel word. His tone of voice showed that he was very careful in using the word, and he knew its weight well. It is said that Fogube was so excited that to some extent, I think I can understand his mood. According to very reliable information, after the banquet, His Majesty approached Fogube, who was trapped in the crowd, and whispered to him,'Are you satisfied with my student, dear Marquis?' Obviously, "said Mr. de Nobwa," this toast has been more effective than 20 years of negotiations, and it has brought closer the relationship between the two countries, in the vivid language of Diodosie II. It's just a word, but as you see, it's going to go all the way. Newspapers all over Europe are repeating it. It has aroused widespread interest and made a new voice. In other words, this is the King's usual style. I dare not say that he finds such a pure diamond every day, but in his carefully prepared speech, or in his impromptu conversation, he inserts a witty remark as his own sign - or signature. At this point, I am absolutely unbiased, because I have always opposed such witty remarks, 19 out of 20 sentences are dangerous.
"Yes. I think the German Emperor's latest telegram is not to your taste. The father said.
Mr. de Nobwa looked up at the ceiling as if to say, "Ah! This fellow! First of all, this is ingratitude, not only a mistake, but also a crime, which can be said to be horrible stupidity! Secondly, if no one stops it, the man who drove Bismarck away will probably gradually abandon all Bismarck's policies, and nobody knows what will happen then."
"My husband told me, sir, that you might let him go to Spain with you in the summer of two or three years. I'm really happy for him."
"Yes, it's an attractive plan. I'm glad. I'd like to travel with you, dear friend. What about you, madam, how are you going to spend your holiday?
"I don't know. Maybe we'll go to Barbeck with our son."
"Ah! Barbeck is a good place. I went there a few years ago. There are beautiful villas being built. I think you will like them. But can you tell me why I like this place?
"My son really wants to see churches, especially Balbeck Church. At first, I was a little worried that the fatigue of the journey, especially the inconvenience of eating and living, would affect his health. But recently I heard that there is a very good hotel built there, which has all the comfort equipment he needs, so he can stay for some time.
"Ah! I have to tell this to a lady who cares a lot about it."
"Barbeck Church is great, sir?" I asked, restraining my displeasure, because in his eyes, Balbeck's charm lies in his beautiful and chic villa.
"It's not bad, it's not bad, but after all, it can't be compared with the finely crafted real treasures, such as the Lance Chapel, the Chapel of Chartres, and the treasure among the treasures - my favorite chapel in Paris."
"Is part of Balbeck Church Romantic?"
"Yes, it's Roman style. It's very old-fashioned in itself. It's not as good as Gothic architecture later on. Gothic style is beautiful and novel. The stone is carved with lace. Balbeck Church is really a bit different. Now that you're there, it's certainly worth visiting. If it rains any day and you have nowhere to go, you can go and see the tomb of Tuville."
"Did you attend the banquet of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday? I can't get away." The father said.
"No," Mr. de Nobwa answered with a smile. "Frankly speaking, I didn't go, but I went to another completely different party. I went to a lady's house for dinner, and you probably heard of her, the beautiful Mrs. Swan."
Mother controlled a tremor, for she was more sensitive than her father, and she was already worried about his impending unhappiness. His unhappiness is often first perceived by her, just as bad news in France is first known abroad and then at home. However, she wanted to know who the Swans had received, so she asked Mr. de Nobwa who he had met there.
"My God... It seems that the main reason for going there is ___________. Men. There were several married men, but their wives were not in good health and did not go." The Ambassador spoke in a delicate tone of naivety, and looking around, his soft and prudent eyes seemed to want to dilute the mockery, but in fact, they had more subtly enhanced the effect of the mockery.
"It should be said," he continued. "To be fair, there are some ladies there, but... They belong to... How can we say that it belongs to the Republican rather than Swan's social circle? Who knows? Maybe one day it will become a political salon or a cultural salon, and they seem to be very satisfied. I think Swan flaunts too much. He always says that somebody and somebody invite their couple next week. In fact, what is there to boast about his contacts with these people? It is surprising that such an elegant scholar as him should behave so unsteadily and uninterestingly that he hardly knows the proper measure. He kept saying,'We have dinners every night. It seems as if it is very glorious, as if he has become a new noble, in fact, he is not. He used to have many friends, even many girlfriends. I don't want to go too far or be too presumptuous here, but I think at least one of his girlfriends (though not all or most of them) will not refuse to meet Mrs. Swan, and many of them will become Panier's hot sheep and follow suit. Nevertheless, Swan seems to have made no effort. Ah, and Necelord pudding! After this Luculus-style feast, I could see Carlsbad convalescing. Maybe Swan felt too much resistance to overcome. It is certain that his marriage is unpleasant. It's nonsense to say that the lady is rich. In short, all this seems to be unpleasant. Swan has an aunt of great wealth and prestige. Her husband, in terms of wealth, is powerful. But she not only refused to receive Mrs. Swan, but also launched a real campaign to make her friends and acquaintances boycott Mrs. Swan. I am not saying that any educated Parisian has shown disrespect to Mrs. Swan... No Absolutely not! Besides, her husband is a duel fighter. In short, it is odd that Swan, who has a wide range of contacts and frequent access to the upper classes, should be courteous to these people, who can at least be called "three religions and nine classes". I used to know him. He was a well-educated and well-known person in the highest social circles. But now he thanks the Chief of the Postal Office for his presence and asks Mrs. Swan if she is lucky to visit the Chief's wife, which makes me both surprised and funny. He's probably not comfortable, because it's obviously two different worlds. But I don't think he's suffering. In the years before marriage, the woman did play a lot of tricks to extort him. Whenever he refused her, she took her daughter away from him. Poor, Swan was too naive. He always thought that his daughter's abduction was just a coincidence. He didn't want to face the reality. She was furious with him from time to time. So people thought that once she achieved her goal and became his wife, she would be more reckless and their life would become hell. On the contrary! Swan's tone of talking about his wife often becomes a laughing stock, even a malicious mockery. You can't ask for a vague feeling that you're being fooled... (You know the word of Moliere.) Swan, let's make a fuss of it.................................................. But he took his wife.
It's too wise to say that. In other words, all this is not as false as people imagine. Obviously, she has feelings for him, but this is her unique way, not all husbands like it. Let's say it in private. Since Swan has known her for many years, he's not an idiot. Of course he knows the details. I don't deny that she is a water-based poplar, but Swan himself, according to the gossip you can imagine flying in the sky at the moment, likes to ask for flowers and willows. However, she appreciated what he had done for her, so contrary to everyone's fears, she became as gentle as an angel.
In fact, Audrey's change was not as great as Mr. de Nobwa had imagined. She had always thought that Swan would never marry her. She had insinuated that a decent man and his mistress were married, and Swan was always silent. If she asked him straightforwardly, "Why, don't you think it's great that he repays the woman who devotes his youth to him in this way?" At best, he answered coldly, "I didn't say that's bad. Everyone has his own way of doing it." She even almost believed that, as he said in his anger, he would completely abandon her, because she had heard a female sculptor say, "Men can do anything, they are heartless and ungrateful." Odette was shocked by this profound and pessimistic motto, and quoted it from time to time as a creed. Her disappointed air seemed to say, "Nothing is impossible. I'll try my luck." And the optimistic life motto she used to follow was, "You can do whatever you want with men who love you. They are idiots." Her face just blinked as if to say, "Don't be afraid, he won't break anything." A girlfriend of Odette lived with a man for a shorter time than Odette and Swan, and had no children, but she let him marry her. Now she is quite respected and invited to the Elysee Palace dance. What would she think of Swan's behavior? Audrey was very upset about it. If there was a doctor who was more thoughtful than Mr. Nobwa, he would probably diagnose that Audret's cruelty came from this sense of humiliation and shame, that her fierce exterior character was not her essence, that it was not an incurable disease, and that he would easily predict what would happen later, that is, a new threshold. Family - marriage - will miraculously extinguish these intolerable, daily, but by no means temperamental conflicts immediately. Surprisingly, almost all people are surprised by this marriage. They probably don't understand that love is a purely subjective phenomenon. It is a kind of creation. It attaches many factors of ourselves to someone in society, thus creating a person who is not like this celebrity. People often find it incomprehensible that someone is so important in our eyes that they are not the same person as what we see. However, when it comes to Odette, one should see that although (of course) she does not fully understand Swan's spiritual life, she at least knows his research topic and all the details. She knows the name of Vermeer as well as her tailor's name. She understands Swan's whole personality, which is often ignored or ridiculed by the world, and only in the eyes of mistresses or sisters can it have a real and lovely image. We treasure our personality, even those we desperately want to correct. Therefore, when a woman becomes accustomed to it and takes a tolerant and kind-hearted attitude (as we are accustomed to it, as our parents are accustomed to it), old love is as tender and intense as family feelings. 。 When someone comments on our shortcomings from our point of view, the relationship between him and us becomes sacred. Among these characteristics, some involve Swan's intelligence as well as his personality, and since the roots lie in his personality, Audret is most sensitive to them. She complained that people did not notice that Swan's many characteristics in letters and conversations were also reflected in his writing and research articles. She advised him to give full play to these characteristics. She likes them because they are what she appreciates in him and she loves them because they belong to him, so she naturally hopes that people will find them in his works. Perhaps she thought that the more vivid works would eventually make him famous and enable her to achieve the higher than anything she had ever dreamed of in the Villandilans: Salon.
Some people think this marriage is ridiculous. They put themselves in a position to ask themselves, "What would Mr. de Gelmont think if I married Miss de Montmorancy? What would Breyo say? Twenty years ago, Swan probably had the same social ideal as them. He had taken great pains to join the horse racing club. He had hoped to enter into a prominent marriage in order to consolidate his position and eventually become the most famous person in Paris. However, like any image, the image of marriage in the eyes of the parties must be constantly nourished from the outside, so that it will not gradually decline until it completely disappears. Your most fervent wish is to insult someone who has offended you, but if you change places and never hear people talk about him, the enemy will eventually become insignificant in your eyes. At the beginning, you were eager to enter the race club or the French Academy for some people, but if you don't meet them for 20 years, the prospect of entering this institution will lose all its charm. Long-term love, like retirement, illness or conversion, replaces the old image with a new one. Swan's marriage to Audrey does not mean that he abandons his social ambition, because Audrey has already disengaged him from that ambition (in a playful sense), and if he has not, he is more respected, because generally speaking, disgraceful marriages are most respected (so-called disgraceful, not money). Marriage: Couples married by a business relationship are eventually accepted by the upper class, either because of tradition or precedent, for the sake of equality, because it means giving up their superior position to achieve pure pleasure in emotional life. In addition, marrying people of different races, grand ladies or flirtatious women, marrying dignified or humble women (as Mendel's hybrids or myths do), may give Swan some pleasure as an artist, or even a degenerate. When he considered marrying Audrey, the only person he feared was Duchess de Gelmont, not out of appendage. Instead, Audrey did not take Mrs. de Gelmont seriously. She did not think of those who lived in the vast sky, but only those who were directly above her. People. Whenever Swan daydreamed of Odette becoming his wife, he always imagined how to introduce her, especially her daughter, to Princess Lom, who became Duchess de Gelmont immediately after the death of her father-in-law. He would not take them to another salon. He fantasized excitedly about how the Duchess would talk to Audrey about him and what Audrey would say. He fancied that Mrs. de Gelmont would like Hilbert, spoil her and make him proud of his daughter. He was happy to fantasize about the scenes he was introducing, with precise details, just as the lottery buyer carefully considered how to use the money he had assumed in case of winning the lottery. If the image people assume when making a decision often becomes the motive of this decision, it can be said that Swan married Audrey just to introduce her and Hillbert to Duchess de Gelmont in private (if necessary, no one else will ever know). In the following passage, we will see that Swan's sole ambition of expecting his wife and daughters to enter the upper classes has not been realized and has been categorically rejected. Therefore, when Swan died, he thought that the Duchess would never meet them. We will also see that, on the contrary, it was after Swan's death that Mrs. de Gelmont and Audrey began their association with Hilbert. Perhaps he could be wiser --- not to mention that he attaches so much importance to trivial matters for the time being --- without being too pessimistic about the future, believing that the meeting he hoped for would come true, but that he could not see the day. The law of cause and effect can ultimately produce almost all effects, including those previously considered impossible, which sometimes progresses slowly because of our desire to speed it up, the opposite of the result, and our existence itself. Therefore, it can only be realized when we stop hope, or even when we stop living. Wasn't Swan already aware of this from his own experience? The marriage between him and Audrey in his life, which foreshadows what will happen after his death, is like happiness after death. He had loved her enthusiastically, if not at first sight, and when he married her, he no longer loved her, and the desperate man in his body who was eager to be a lifelong companion with Audrey had died.
I mentioned the Count of Paris and asked him if he was Swan's friend because I didn't want to divert the subject from Swan. "Yes, yes." Mr. De Nobwa turned to me and said that his blue eyes were fixed on the little man, and his great work ability and absorptive capacity were floating in his eyes like a fish in water. "Oh," he went on to say to his father, "I'll tell you an interesting story. It's probably not disrespectful to the prince whom I respect. (Because of my position, though not official, I don't have personal contact with him.) Just four years ago, at a small railway station in Central European countries, the prince came across Mrs. Swan. Of course, none of his acquaintances dared to ask his Highness how she was impressed. That would be too disgraceful. However, when her name is occasionally mentioned in conversation, people can see from the imperceptible but unsuspecting signs that the prince does not seem to have a bad impression of her.
"Is it impossible to introduce her to the Count of Paris?" The father asked.
"Cough! Who knows? It's hard to say anything about the princes. Mr. de Nobwa answered, "The dignitaries are good at asking for rewards, but sometimes they take the world's greatest risks in order to reward someone's loyalty. Obviously, the Count of Paris has always admired Swan's loyalty, and Swan is really interesting."
"What's your impression, Mr. Ambassador?" Mother asked out of courtesy and curiosity.
Mr. De Nobwa, contrary to his dignified norm, said enthusiastically in an expert's tone:
"Great!"
Old diplomats know that acknowledging a strong interest in a woman and acknowledging it in a playful tone is the most admired form of conversational skills, so suddenly he laughed softly, and the laughter lasted for a moment. His blue eyes were wet and his nose wings were moving with red fine fibers.
"She's very charming!"
"Is a writer named Bergott also a guest, sir?" I asked timidly, trying to get the topic around Swan.
"Yes. Bergott is here too." Mr. de Nobwa answered, nodding politely in my direction. Since he wanted to be courteous to his father, he took seriously all matters relating to his father, including questions raised by children of my age (and seldom respected by people of his age). "Do you know him?" He gazed at me with deep and bright eyes that Bismarck had admired.
"My son doesn't know him, but he admires him very much." Mother said.
"Ah ah!" Mr. De Nobwa said (he made me most suspicious of my intelligence, because what I thought was the noblest thing in the world, thousands of times more precious than myself, was at the bottom of the rating of appreciation in his eyes), "I can't agree. Bergott is what I call a flute player. He should be admitted to be euphemistic, but too artificial. After all, it's just playing the flute. It's not very valuable. His works are loose and lacking in so-called structure. Lack of plot, or the plot is too simple, more importantly, meaningless. His works are flawed in their foundations, or simply lacking in them. In our times, life is becoming more and more complex, we seldom have time to read books, the situation in Europe has changed profoundly and may be about to change even more. We are faced with new and threatening problems. In this era, you will agree with me that writers should be another kind of person, not a pedagogue. Because scholars are keen to make empty and useless discussions on the merits of pure forms, we neglect the barbarian invasion that may happen at any time, the double invasion of external and internal barbarians. I know that this is a blasphemy against what Mr. Wu calls the "Art for Art" school, which is sacred and inviolable.
But in our time, there are more pressing things waiting for us than deliberating on beautiful words. Bergott's writing is quite charming, I don't deny it, but in general it's too artificial, too thin and too lacking in masculinity. You think too highly of Bergott, but now I understand the lines you just took out. I don't think it's necessary to mention it anymore, since you admit that it's just a kid's nonsense (I did say it, but it's definitely not in your mind). We should be lenient with our mistakes, especially those of young people. In short, all kinds of faults, others have, in a period of time as a poet is not just you. But the article you showed me showed you were badly influenced by Bergott. You haven't learned any of his strengths, and I'm sure you won't be surprised to say so, because he's a master of some style and technique, though rather shallow, and at your age he can't even master his fur. But you've shown the same shortcomings as him --- putting the clang words in a perverse order before considering their implications. Isn't this the reverse of the end? Even in Bergott's works, what are the meanings of the obscure forms and the tedious words of the decadent literati? Occasionally, a writer releases several beautiful fireworks, and everyone immediately exclaims that he is a masterpiece. Where are so many masterpieces? No novel in Bergott's house is a highly successful one, and no book is worth putting in the bookcase to attract attention. I don't have a copy. And he himself is even worse than his works. Ah! A gifted scholar once said that a man is as good as his words, which is a real counter-evidence to him. He is one hundred and eighty thousand miles apart from his works. He's a serious, pretentious, uncultured, and sometimes very mediocre man who talks to people like a book, not even a book he wrote himself, but a disgusting book (because his book is at least not disgusting). That's the Beckett. This is a chaotic and over-elaborated man, who was known as an exaggerator by his predecessors, and the way he spoke made the content of his speech offensive. I don't remember whether it was Lomeni or Saint Bove who once said that Vinny was unpleasant with similar eccentricities, but Bergott never wrote such wonderful works as "Sang-Mars" or "The Red Seal".
Mr. De Nobwa's comments on the passage I had just shown him made me extremely frustrated. I recalled that whenever I conceived an article or thought seriously, I always felt powerless. So I felt again that I was mediocre and had no literary talent. In the past, when I was in Gombre, I had some insignificant feelings. I had read some of Bergott's works, which probably led me to a state of reverie that seemed quite valuable, and my prose poems were the reflection of that state. The ambassador was very discerning. He could have immediately grasped the beauty I found in the totally deceptive phantom and exposed it. However, instead of doing so, he showed me how insignificant I was (I was objectively evaluated from outside by one of the best and smartest experts). I feel frustrated; I feel like I'm falling apart. My mind is like a fluid, whose volume depends on the capacity provided by others. In the past, it bulged up and filled the gifted container. Today, it shrank again, and was suddenly shut down and confined to the narrow mediocrity by Mr. de Nobwa.
"My acquaintance with Bergott," he said to his father, turning his head. "It's an embarrassing thing for him and for me (and an interesting thing in another way). A few years ago, Bergott traveled to Vienna, where I was an ambassador. Princess Metnick introduced him to me. He came to the embassy and asked me to invite him. Since I am France's envoy abroad, and since his works add to France's glory - to some extent, or more precisely, to a negligible extent - I can certainly put aside my dissatisfaction with his private life. However, he did not travel alone, so he asked me to invite his girlfriend. I don't like decency, and since I don't have a wife, I can open the door of the embassy a little wider. But I can't stand this shamelessness. It's disgusting, because he talks about virtue in his works, and even teaches people a lesson. His book is full of endless, even exhausted analysis, which we say privately, or painful worries, morbid regrets, and lengthy preaching (we know it's worth a few pennies) caused by trivial things. On the other hand, he's so frivolous and so cynical in his private life. Disrespectful. Anyway, I didn't answer him. The princess came to me again, and I did not promise. So I guess this man doesn't like me. I don't know what he thinks of Swan's kindness to invite us both at the same time. It's hard to say whether he himself brought it up to Swan, because he's actually a patient. This is even his only excuse."
"Is Mrs Swan's daughter present?" I took the opportunity to ask Mr. de Nobwa this question when I left the table for the living room. It's easier to hide my excitement than to sit still at the table and ask questions in the strong light.
Mr. de Nobwa seems to be trying to remember for a moment:
"Yes, a girl of fourteen or fifteen? Yes, I remember being introduced to me before dinner as the host's daughter. No, she didn't show up for long. She went to bed early, or she went to her girlfriend's house. I can't remember clearly. It seems that you are familiar with the Swans."
"I often go to Champs Elysees and play with Miss Swan. She's cute."
"Ah, so it is! It's true. I think she's cute, too. But to be honest, she's probably never better than her mother. That's not going to hurt your warm feelings, is it?
"I prefer Miss Swan's face, and of course I appreciate her mother. I often go to Bronilin Garden to meet her."
"Ah! I'll tell them all about it, and they'll be very proud."
Mr. de Nobwa spoke with the same attitude as everyone else (though not for a long time). When these people heard me say Swan was a smart man, that his parents were decent brokers, that his house was beautiful, they thought I would talk about the same smart people, the same decent brokers, the same beautiful house in the same tone. In fact, it's like a neurotic person talking to a madman and not finding out that the other person is mad. Mr. De Nobwa takes it for granted that you love beautiful women. When someone excitedly talks about a woman, you should pretend that he has fallen in love, amused him and promised to help him. Therefore, the VIP wants to talk to Hilbert and her mother about me (I will be like the God of Olympus). To become a flowing breath, or to become an old man like Minerva, to steal into Mrs. Swan's salon, to attract her attention, to occupy her mind, to make her thank me for my appreciation, to invite me as an important friend and to make me a close friend of her family, he will use his admiration in Mrs. Swan's eyes. Gao Weixin helped me. Suddenly I felt so excited that I could hardly help kissing his soft hands, which seemed to have been soaked in water for too long, with white wrinkles. I almost made this gesture, thinking that the perceiver was only me. It's not easy for each of us to make an accurate judgement of our position in the eyes of others. We are afraid of overestimating ourselves, and assume that many memories of people's lives already occupy a large space in them, so it is almost impossible for the minor part of our behavior to enter into the consciousness of the speaker, let alone remain in their memory. In fact, the assumption of criminals belongs to the same type. They often revise what they say afterwards, thinking that others can't prove it. However, even for a millennium of human history, the philosophy of predicting that everything will be preserved may be more true than that of columnists who believe that everything will be forgotten. In the same Paris newspaper, the preacher in the front-page editorial wrote about a great event, a masterpiece, and especially a "momentary" female singer: "Who will remember that ten years later?" In the third edition, the report of the Academy of Ancient Literature often talks about an unimportant fact in itself, about a poem written in the Pharaonic era that is still known in its entirety but of little value in itself, isn't it? This may not be the case for a short life. However, a few years later, I met Mr. de Nobwa, who happened to be a guest there, and I regarded him as the strongest support I could ever meet, because he was a friend of his father, a kind and helpful man, and because of his profession and origin, he was cautious in his words, but as soon as the ambassador left, someone came along. Tell me he mentioned the previous dinner and said he had "seen me want to kiss his hand". I couldn't help blushing. Mr. De Nobwa's tone of voice and the content of his recollections shocked me. They were thousands of miles away from my imagination. This "gossip" made me understand how unexpected the proportion of distraction, concentration, memory and forgetfulness was in the human mind, and I was amazed at it, as I read for the first time in Masbero's book that people had the exact name of the hunter invited by King Asubanibar in the tenth century B.C. Single!
"Ah! Sir,'said Mr. de Nobwa, announcing that he would convey my admiration to Hillbert and her mother,'If you do this, and if you talk to Mrs. Swan about me, I will be grateful for all my life, and I will serve you all my life!' But I want to tell you that Mrs. Swan and I don't know each other. Nobody ever introduced me to her."
I said the last thing lest the other party think I'm bragging about the friendship I don't need. But as soon as I said it, I felt it was useless, because my warm thanks cooled him from the beginning. I saw the Ambassador's face showing hesitation and discontent, and his eyes showing drooping, narrow and distorted eyes (like a three-dimensional picture, representing a distant slant line on one side), which only looked at the invisible interlocutor who lived in him, and whose conversation had been with him ever since. Sir --- this is me --- can't hear. I thought that my words, though weak compared with the surging gratitude in my heart, could move Mr. De Nobwa and give him a helping hand (which would be easy for him and cheerful for me), but I immediately realized that their effects were counterproductive, even the evils of anyone who was against me. Bad words do not achieve this effect. We talked to a stranger and happily exchanged impressions of passers-by. They seemed to agree that they were vulgar, but suddenly there was a pathological gap between us and strangers, because he carelessly touched his pocket and said, "Unfortunately, I didn't have a gun, or none of them would survive." Similar to this situation, Mr. de Nobwa knows that meeting Mrs. Swan and visiting her are common and easy things, but I regard them as unattainable, and there must be great hidden things. Therefore, when he heard me say this, he thought that behind my seemingly normal wishes, there must be some other idea, some suspicious motive, some previous fault. So far, no one is willing to pay my respects to Mrs. Swan, because it will make her unhappy. So I realized that he would never do this for me. He could meet Mrs. Swan every day, year after year, and never, even once, mention me. However, a few days later, he heard something I wanted to know from her and asked his father to tell me. Of course, he didn't think it necessary to say who he was asking for. She would not know that I knew Mr. de Nobwa or that I was eager to go to her house. Maybe it's not as bad as I thought. Even if she knows these two points, the second point will not increase the first point, and the effect itself is unreliable, because for Audrey, since her own life and residence can not cause any mysterious panic, then the people who know her and visit her are by no means as magical as I imagined. If possible, I would like to write the words "I know Mr. de Nobwa" on the stone, and then throw the stone into Swan's window. I think, despite the rough way of delivery, this message will make the hostess respect me rather than dislike me. In fact, if Mr. de Nobwa accepts my commission, it will not have any effect, but will cause the Swans to dislike me. Even if I understood that, I would not have the courage to withdraw the Commission (if the Ambassador promised it), No.