"I just ask you to open your heart to me. You don't have to open it now. I will open it slowly. That's all!"
Valentine's bold confession and her "close cunt" made Edmund's mind almost go blank.
What he feared happened still, and now there were only Valentine and him here. He had no choice but to face this enthusiastic little girl head-on.
A ten-year-old girl who was helpless pushed a strong and capable man in his thirties to a loss. This kind of thing sounds like a joke, but now it has actually happened.
After all, no matter how sharp a sword is, it will often break due to a blade that is too weak, and the Count encountered his weakness at this time. Faced with Valentine's passionate offensive, he didn't know what to do.
Push her away like you did last time at her house?
This is not okay, after all, no matter what, she is still his fiancée. This is too cruel and unreasonable.
Edmund could not move forward or retreat, he could only feel Valentine buried in his arms.
That's it...that's it.
At this point, is there any room for me to change my mind? Is there any room for me to continue to turn a blind eye or even escape?
He sighed inwardly, and then seemed to have let go of a heavy burden.
Then, he reached out his hand and gently stroked Valentine's head. The slender and smooth hair felt in his hand, which made him have mixed feelings.
"Well, if that's what you wish, then... I'll do it, Mademoiselle Valentine."
Hearing this sudden answer, Valentine was instantly drained of all her strength by ecstasy, and she raised her head in disbelief and looked at the stalwart man in front of her.
"Really? That's great! Thank you!"
"Don't be too busy thanking me. In exchange, we have to agree on several things -" the earl shook his head gently.
"Just say it, I will do anything!" Valentine nodded immediately.
"First of all, you are just my fiancée after all, and you are still so young. I really can't bear to do anything outrageous to you...so I also hope that you can respect the etiquette and not be too affectionate, no matter it is
It is also for your own good that you keep an appropriate distance from me when we get along in public or in private, or when we exchange letters." Edmund said his request lightly, "Secondly, Her Majesty the Queen hopes that
If you can receive an education here and serve as a band leader, then I hope you can go all out and live up to her expectations - if you need my help, just tell me."
"Well, okay, I agree." Valentine nodded repeatedly and agreed without thinking.
Then, she suddenly blushed again and asked in a low voice, "Then, is it inappropriate for us to be like this now?"
Seeing her innocent and shy look, Edmund felt funny in his heart, but he still answered her seriously, "Of course it doesn't count if it's just a hug, but it won't do if you stick to her like this all the time."
Valentine immediately let go of her hand obediently, then gently bent her knees and raised her skirt to salute her fiancé. "Well, from now on...it will only be a little while!"
Edmund always felt that she had misunderstood what he meant, but the words had already reached this point, and it was difficult for him to dwell on the details, so he continued, "Also, there is one more thing. I
I want to make it clear to you that during this period, at any time, if you grow up and regret your decision and don’t want to spend your life on your father’s sins, then you can always tell me, I will
I regret my marriage directly to His Majesty - and it is in my own name, so I will bear all the responsibilities, you must remember this."
Valentine immediately blushed.
"How can you say such a thing at this time? Am I going to regret it? Impossible! You always treat me as a child, hum... Why don't you want to believe that I am actually a ten-year-old child?
You can also make decisions for your own life? Why don’t you just want to believe that you are a person that I love so much that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I feel happy from the bottom of my heart?”
Speaking of this, she recalled the conversation she had just had with Her Majesty the Queen, and suddenly she felt a little touched.
"When I grow up and fulfill my engagement, I may be happier than Her Majesty the Queen..."
"Silly boy, what are you talking about?" Edmund would not believe such childish nonsense, so he just laughed.
Valentine doesn't insist, she knows that everyone's definition of "happiness" is different, she just needs to get and defend her own happiness.
After the two chatted for a while, Edmund picked up his pocket watch and looked at the time.
"Okay, Valentine, it's getting late. I have to go back to Paris to do some business. Let's see you later."
"Goodbye, sir..." Valentine said goodbye to Edmund again, and then watched her fiancé stride away with the joy of a "good harvest".
"I will come to your house to visit you in two days!" Facing his back, she finally shouted boldly. "Please treat me the same as you did today, don't avoid me!"
"Okay." Edmund replied without looking back.
=============================
After bidding farewell to Valentine, Edmund quietly took his private carriage back to Paris with complicated thoughts of embarrassment and joy (19 open), and re-immersed himself in his busy and fulfilling life.
Although he has many other things to do, his top priority is naturally to complete the orders given by his most beloved Majesty.
He first came to his office, and then briefly explained to his deputy, Count Morny, the instructions he had received during this "face to face", and asked Count Morny to handle the aftermath.
As for the young man's affairs that His Majesty had entrusted to him, he would naturally handle them personally.
Without pausing for a moment, he rushed to the Paris police station in person.
The people at the police station certainly knew that the Count of Monte Cristo was now in the Emperor's heart. After Edmund conveyed His Majesty's oral instructions, they naturally would not make things difficult for this hot shot. Soon, they completed all the procedures
After finishing it, the lucky man named Evariste Galois was brought over from the place of detention.
To the police, this young man and other dangerous elements who were "preventively arrested" are nothing more than insignificant people. Since there is no clear evidence of crime, they can be released at any time as long as they say something.
Just fine.
Soon, Evariste Galois was brought over.
When he was brought to the room, Edmund immediately focused his attention on the other person and looked at him carefully.
This is a thin young man, just like His Majesty, he is only in his early twenties. Perhaps because he has been studying for many years, his features are quite handsome and somewhat bookish, but he does not seem to have anything special.
There are hundreds of these gentlemen on the streets of Paris, most of whom are much more fashionable than him.
He was wearing simple clothes, and perhaps because of his recent detention, his face was a little livid, both because of insufficient nutrition and because of the accumulated resentment in his heart.
As soon as he walked in, when he found Edmund staring at him, the young man immediately looked back at Edmund, his eyes were very sharp, and even though he was behind bars, he did not have any fear or flinch.
It seems that this boy has some backbone, and is not the kind of frivolous college student, Edmund couldn't help but think to himself.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Evariste Galois?" Then he asked the other party in a polite tone.
"Yes, I am." The young man answered with his head held high, "It seems that you are here to interrogate me? May I ask your name?"
"I'm sorry I can't tell you my name right now." Edmund shook his head. "Besides, I'm not here to interrogate you."
"Well, then, unknown sir, you seem to have the respect of these policemen. Can you tell me why I was caught here?" The young man glared at Edmund with angry eyes, "
You framed and illegally detained an innocent man!"
"I'm sorry for what happened to you, sir." In the face of the other party's angry questioning, Edmund remained calm, "However, because you have made some dangerous remarks before, according to the public security decree issued by the government,
The police can temporarily arrest you——"
"Just because of one person's funeral, do so many people have to go to jail innocently?" The young man did not have any scruples and asked Edmund loudly, "Although I am a republican, and I have not concealed my rights until now.
point of view, but I respect that person - and you are so cautious and full of ugliness. The more worried you are, the more you are tarnishing the name of that person after his death..."
Such "rebellious" words made the police officers who were watching look pale at each other. Some even wanted to step forward and teach this ignorant boy a lesson, but Edmund still raised his hand to stop him.
"Please be careful with your words. Although you do enjoy freedom of speech, insulting the royal family is enough to keep you in jail for a long time. If you still hope to regain your freedom, I hope you will be careful in your words and deeds in the future..."
"Freedom?" Galois was stunned. "Aren't you here to interrogate me?"
"I never said I was here to interrogate you -" Edmund shrugged, "And, to be honest, your life history is so simple and clear at a glance, I don't know what else needs to be interrogated. You
It's just that I was young and energetic and made some radical remarks. This is not a big crime. Now that the funeral of the late emperor is over, the martial law should be lifted and you can be released immediately."
This unexpected good news certainly made the young man's eyes filled with joy for a moment.
But he was a little suspicious, fearing that this was just a waste of happiness, "Are you serious? Can I leave now?"
"You can indeed leave here, and right away... But now you can't regain your freedom for the time being. You still need to go to another place with me to stay for a while, but I promise you won't stay there for too long, and the living conditions will be better than
It's much better here -" Edmund replied.
"Ha! It turns out you just changed a place to detain me!" Of course the young man didn't believe what Edmund said, so he laughed loudly, "Are you here to entertain me?"
"Did I take the time to come here just to entertain you?" Edmund asked, and then he smiled again, "I said, you are not in a state of detention, you just need to... need to stay longer
It’s just for a period of time, it’s like being a guest.”
"Being a guest, but I can't refuse?" the young man asked.
"Yes." This time Edmund nodded simply, "I am asking for your opinion with good intentions, but if you don't agree, it won't change anything - so I advise you not to give yourself
It adds unnecessary trouble..."
Galois looked at the count, then at the policeman next to him, and finally he raised his head again, with no fear on his face, "Okay, do whatever you want... Anyway, the situation can't be worse. But
You guys wait for me to go back and get my things—"
"What?" Edmund asked.
"My paper," he answered loudly.
Edmund looked at the prison guard next to him, who quickly explained to him. "Sir, he hasn't cried or made trouble since he came to the cell. He just asked us for paper and pen, saying that he wanted to conduct some mathematical research and write
What kind of paper... We thought he was pitiful, and he was a top student after all, so we agreed to his request."
Mathematical research?
For Edmund, this was certainly an area he had never touched before.
"Okay, let him take it away with you." So he nodded.
Although he didn't understand mathematics, Edmund felt that since this young man was a top student at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, it was normal for him to do some research, and he didn't take it seriously - of course he couldn't know what this young man's research was.
What historical height does it have?
Soon, Galois packed up his things, then boarded the carriage brought by Edmund, and resigned himself to letting the other person take him to the next place of imprisonment.
The carriage traveled through the streets of Paris and stopped soon after.
Then, Edmund led the other party down, and then Galois looked at the large and exquisite house in front of him in astonishment.
This was the first house that Edmond bought with the help of Madame Alice after he came to Paris. Later, because he bought Danglars' mansion, he left it empty, and later simply regarded this place as his home.
A secret stronghold and archives room of your own organization.
In order to implement His Majesty's instruction of "eating well, drinking well and raising him well", Edmund then decided to simply place the young man here temporarily and let others support him well, and then wait for His Majesty to decide his future in person.
"Is this where I'm being held?" The young man looked at the house in disbelief.
"I said that you are here as a guest, but you just can't refuse. Next, you will enjoy all the treatment that a guest deserves here, except that you cannot leave." Edmund spread his hands and continued his conversation.
With a twist, "Moreover, you can now know my name. I am the Count of Monte Cristo."
"Count of Monte Cristo!" The young man had obviously heard of this name, so he exclaimed.
Of course he had heard of this person. He was the emperor's favorite and a spy chief with a "famous reputation" - but why did a little person like himself need someone like him to personally take action? What happened?
"You must be wondering why you need me to come out to see you in person, right?" Edmund gave a wry smile, "Actually, I am also surprised. But we will know the answer soon."