"Everything has been entrusted to you. You must always be united, respect each other, and never dislike each other... I will always love you."
Valentine was so moved when she heard such affectionate words that she burst into tears, and her crying only deepened the sad atmosphere in the room at this time.
Teresa, who had been watching from the side, felt quite uncomfortable at this time, but as a mistress, she still cheered up, stopped Valentine's crying, and then picked up a handkerchief and wiped it gently
Valentine's tears.
Then, she looked at the priest again.
"Father, don't worry, I will also take good care of Valentine in the future. She will study art and housekeeping in the court in the years before she gets married. I promise you that when she becomes your daughter-in-law,
She will be a flawless bride... Although you will be alone all your life, their descendants will remember you and commemorate you from generation to generation."
This guarantee gave the priest great relief.
After all, life is not in vain!
Although he was unknown when he was young, he was full of passion and ambition and wanted to stand out. As a result, due to a trick of fate, he was caught and became a serious criminal in the dark Castle Ifou Prison, where he was destined to rot in the mud for the rest of his life.
, however, although fate closed the door to his life, it opened another window like a joke.
Yes, his best years were spent in prison; yes, he was paralyzed due to a stroke, but when he saw Edmund and Valentine crying for him, he felt that he was
My whole life seems worth it.
God of destiny, although you are a damn guy, I forgive you. Father Faria sighed with relief in his heart.
At this time, he clearly felt that his life force was accelerating. Not only was it difficult to move, but it was also extremely difficult to open his mouth to speak. He opened his mouth to thank Queen Theresa, but he could only say a few words intermittently.
In one sentence.
However, he had no regrets in his heart. After all, he had already said everything he needed to say and everything he needed to explain, whether as a minister, as a father, or as an ordinary person.
, he no longer has any regrets or worries.
To be able to leave this world in this picturesque palace, surrounded by the people who are dearest and most beloved, is the happiness that many people can only dream of... In that far away era, more than a hundred people died in vain.
Ten thousand plans? Compared to them, I am already lucky.
Just as the priest entered a dying state and began to recall his life, the Marquis of Noirtier, who had been silent just now, quietly walked to the priest's side.
Then, while holding the priest's hand, he knelt down and whispered a few words in the priest's ear.
Because he was Valentine's grandfather, no one was surprised by this. They just thought that the old Marquis was saying goodbye to his "in-laws".
Only the priest can understand the content of these words.
"My friend, although we have only met for the first time today, I am full of gratitude and respect for you. Because of this, I must tell you something so that you will not be confused before you die.
What I want to tell you is that when you were arrested and imprisoned, it was most likely my order. But I can swear to God that I never deliberately targeted you. I didn’t even know who you were at the time. It was just that I
The secret anti-French organization that was ordered by His Majesty to monitor the overseas territories of the Empire, the supervisory agency in Italy sent several documents, which listed a list of political prisoners with dangerous tendencies, so I directly signed and arrested...
…
I didn't take this matter seriously, because it was just part of my daily work at the time. The number of people I put in prison was so many that I couldn't even count it myself... However, I later found out that the Count of Monte Cristo and you
After the incident, I had a premonition that something was not good, so I went to investigate on my own, and finally I came to this conclusion.
I know that the best choice for me at this moment is to hide it, but I think I can't let you die in ignorance, so I choose to tell you, and I want to say sorry to you personally."
At this point, the Marquis Noirtier's voice trembled a little, and he was obviously feeling nervous, but he continued to speak firmly.
"Although I apologize to you, unfortunately I will not feel guilty about this, because it is my duty and I must complete the mission entrusted to me by Your Majesty - if you cannot forgive me, then you can reprimand or insult me, or even
You can ask the count to refuse this marriage, and I can accept it."
After he finished speaking, he squatted beside the priest in silence, waiting for his response.
Of course, he believed that the priest would never make the last choice.
At the end of his life, the priest could not help but feel extremely shocked when he heard such news.
Then, he became aware of the shocking arrangement of fate——
He and Edmond, the adopted father and son, turned out to be the biological father and son of the Marquis of Noirtier who were sent to prison... What a coincidence?
One was because he opposed Napoleon's entry, and the other was because he supported Napoleon's entry. Both became serious criminals who cannot see the light of day. The changes in the world are nothing more than this.
It is conceivable that during that bloody and unpredictable time, how many people became victims inexplicably?
However, no matter how fate plays tricks, at least the two people met because of this "fate", and finally fell in love with their father and son, and survived the darkest and most desperate time together.
He didn't know how he would react when he heard the news at other times, but at least at this time, he no longer had anger or hatred, only calm relief.
Edmund was imprisoned unjustly, but he really proposed a secret plan against Napoleon for the national unification of Italy. Even if he was really caught, it was just bad luck. The Marquis was just an executor. From his point of view,
From a standpoint, there is really no problem with this.
Now that everything has passed, now that the two of them are ministers in the same palace, there is no need to dwell on the past matters anymore? Even Prince Talleyrand can be forgiven by His Majesty, so he can also forgive.
Looking at the Marquis standing magnanimously in front of him, he summoned up the last bit of strength, and then left a broken sentence.
After finishing speaking, he slumped down on the bed weakly, looking up at the mural on the ceiling, his vision seemed to become increasingly blurry.
"Thank you." The Marquis of Noirtier nodded slightly, "I will do my best to help your adopted son. He will be a very popular minister in this empire. Maybe I won't be able to see that day."
After he finished speaking, he stopped dragging his feet, stood up, nodded slightly, and stepped aside again.
Although this cannot be called "meeting and letting go of grudges with a smile", it is enough. All grudges have been settled, and the era that belonged to the previous generation has also completely ended.
Father Faria was lying on the bed, and the pain in all parts of his body seemed to suddenly disappear. He only felt that his body was getting lighter and lighter - and becoming less and less obedient. The murals on the ceiling could no longer be clearly seen.
Even the calls and voices in my ears seemed to be becoming increasingly blurry.
Although Death has not taken him away yet, he can already hear His footsteps.
He is approaching step by step but without mercy, and he has no fear, let alone begging the God of Death to give him more time.
——
In the early morning of that night, accompanied by Edmond, Valentine and Chanel, Father Faria finally breathed his last breath and passed away.
When Aigron was woken up from his sleep, although he was not surprised, he could not help but feel a little pity in his heart.
He got dressed and returned to Father Faria's room.
At this moment, the priest was lying quietly on the white bed, with a calm and relieved look on his face. Except that he was not breathing, he seemed to be sleeping soundly.
During the day, he was still a servant who could analyze the situation with a clear mind and make suggestions; but now, all wisdom and knowledge have disappeared, leaving only a dilapidated body that will soon rot.
.
Thinking of this, Aigron couldn't help but feel a little sour in his heart.
Although he had no religious beliefs in his heart, he still gently crossed himself on his head and chest to express his condolences to the priest.
"May you rest in peace!" he blessed softly.
Next, his eyes moved away from the priest's body.
People who have passed away will no longer be bothered by anything in the world, but things that belong to living people must be done and done well.
Aigron walked to the bed and coughed deliberately.
"Your Majesty!" Chanel, who was crying like a tearful person, turned around and threw herself into his arms, crying helplessly.
Ever since the priest and Edmund joined Aigron's "team", she had been taking care of the priest personally for a long time. Because of this, the priest and her had formed a deep relationship. She, who had lost her parents since she was a child, also
Just like Edmund, she regarded the kind priest as her elder. Now facing the death of the priest, she was naturally extremely sad.
"It's okay, Chanel, everyone has such a day... At least he left peacefully." Aigron comforted Chanel in a low voice while caressing her back.
At the same time, he was also looking at Edmund.
Edmund was not crying at this time - he had finished crying during the day.
He was now standing blankly beside the bed, staring straight at the dead priest, as if his brain had shut down, and he didn't even notice Aigron's arrival.
In fact, this look is worse than crying.
"Edmund!" Eggron called softly.
At this time, Edmund seemed to have finally come to his senses. He turned his head and looked at Aiglon blankly.
"Your Majesty, what are your orders?" He then asked mechanically according to his past habits.
"I order you to get out of your grief as soon as possible. His spirit in heaven absolutely does not want to see you like this!" Aigron was not polite, but directly ordered to the other party, "Next, I will give you
You have to take a few days off to adjust well during this period. After a few days, you have to personally preside over the priest's burial ceremony, and his will must also be completed by you, do you understand!"
"I understand...I understand, Your Majesty." Edmund still replied blankly.
Then, his dazed expression finally seemed to loosen up, as if he had come back to his senses and realized that he had lost his "adopted father" forever.
The corners of his mouth began to twitch, and then tears welled up in his eyes unconsciously.
"I know what I should do...Your Majesty...but please give me some time to accept all this."
At this time, Aigron was no longer as tough as before, but patted the other party's shoulder tenderly.
"I will give you time, and everything will pass... In our lives, we will always encounter similar disasters one after another, but we must eventually accept it and continue to walk along our life path.
Go on, right? Grief is always just a luxury for us, and you still have a lot to do next—"
Aigron's words didn't seem like comfort, but Edmund accepted them easily.
Perhaps, at this moment of grief and confusion, Edmund needs someone more than cheap comfort to tell him forcefully what he should do next and how he should live.
Only his Majesty can do this.
Edmund, who had come back to his senses, suddenly found that there was a handkerchief on his chest. He took a closer look and found that it was Valentine who handed it to him, and she was looking at him with great concern at the moment.
.
Although she didn't speak, she seemed to be speaking louder than a thousand words.
Throughout the whole day, she and Edmund stayed with the priest and witnessed the moment when he bid farewell to the world. It is conceivable that she must be exhausted physically and mentally at this moment, but she did not say she was tired once.
Stay by your side silently and bear the pain with yourself.
Does she need to do anything more?
No, she has done enough.
Tears appeared in Edmund's eyes again, but this time it was not because of pain, but because of relief and emotion.
What more could be asked of her?
It’s no longer necessary…
Does age really matter?
He accepted the engagement before, but now, he accepts Valentine.
At the last moment of his life, the priest blessed them. Then, in the rest of his life, he will fulfill his obligations and realize the happiness of two people and even a family.
This was his greatest comfort to the priest.
"Thank you, Valentine." The count took the handkerchief, bent down, and gently kissed Valentine's forehead - this was the maximum intimacy he could accept now.
"I hope I can protect everything about us! For us, and for him..."