While Teresa played the piano, the old artist also walked to the piano and quietly enjoyed her performance.
But his way of appreciation is different from others - ordinary people use their ears, but he can only use his eyes.
He remained silent, watching Teresa's slender fingers move on the keys, paying close attention to each press. These movements were slowly combined in his mind, and then converted into the melody of the music.
Since becoming deaf in both ears, he can only appreciate other people's performances in this way.
He quickly identified that what Princess Teresa was playing was the "Sonata No. 25 in G major" composed by himself.
While admiring it, he was also evaluating the strength of Her Royal Highness the Princess.
This is a piece of music he composed more than 20 years ago. Although it is not difficult to perform, the rhythm is relaxed and lively. When he recalls the melody of this piece of music, he can't help but recall his youth.
He was still very young at that time, full of love and hope for life. When he composed this piece of music, he could even hear the cuckoo's call.
What a nostalgic time it was! It seemed like the whole world was at my feet, so the troubles that tripped people up in life, what did they matter then?
The musician's cloudy eyes reflected the girl's slender figure. At this time, she was already immersed in the world of music, her expression was focused and serious, and her eyes seemed to be shining like gems.
Her fingers were fast and powerful, and she pressed the keys very accurately without making a single mistake. It was obvious that she had worked hard on the piano for many years since elementary school.
It seems that this Princess Teresa is indeed not the kind of ignorant girl who is arty and looking for fun, but a person who truly loves art and music and respects her own talent.
Unknowingly, his mood couldn't help but feel better.
After so many years, he has gradually faded out of the public eye. He has not received such a warm and beautiful visitor for a long time, so anyone who sees this scene will feel happy.
He couldn't help but glance at the young man standing next to him. At this time, the young man was also standing quietly, listening to Princess Teresa's performance, but he seemed to be alienated and not intoxicated. He looked at
Teresa's eyes didn't look like much admiration to the musician - at least it was completely different from the way Her Royal Highness the Princess looked at him.
Ah, lucky people never know how lucky they are, nor do they care about the things they get easily. The world is always like this.
In his heart he could not help but feel pity for his young visitor.
Aigron, who was listening to the performance, suddenly found a note in front of him.
He was a little stunned at first, but he quickly realized that this was Mr. Beethoven communicating with him.
"It is said that you are Napoleon's son?" He read the handwriting on the note clearly.
He looked at Beethoven, then nodded directly, and started communicating with the master in this way.
Beethoven looked at the young man quietly, as if he wanted to take this opportunity to see the shadow of someone in him.
After a long time, he picked up the pen again, started writing quickly, and then handed the note to Aigron.
"I once worshiped that man. I thought he was the thunder from the new world, representing the will of God and the freedom of mankind. He controlled the fire of revolution, just like Prometheus, taking the precious freedom
Brought to mankind from heaven... However, I was wrong. He turned himself into an emperor and turned the French from citizens into servants. He thought he was elevating the surname Bonaparte, but in fact it was just obliterating it.
My own heroic soul! Since then, he has lost my respect for him. I once applauded him for defeating the German emperor again and again, but after reality tore off the skin of this great conqueror, I only saw one
The small Corsican landowner did not see a sage! He was a hero, but he allowed himself to stop being a hero. He destroyed himself and the value of those great creeds with his narcissism."
This long passage is full of emotion, and it is clear that even years after Napoleon's death, this former admirer was still aggrieved by the collapse of his faith.
Beethoven once indeed admired Napoleon. In his view, Napoleon turned the tide, reorganized the chaotic French Republic with an iron fist, and gave the country equal rights. He once thought about dedicating his "Third Symphony" to
To this great hero. However, after hearing the news that Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor, the angry musician tore off the title "Dedicated to Napoleon" and renamed it "Eroica Symphony".
Eggron could understand his anger towards the musician, but he also had his own ideas.
"You may have overestimated the French people's love for freedom and equality. It is a spiritual entertainment for Parisians and provincial intellectuals. Most French people only think about security and prosperity. For them, these two things are luxury and enough.
Far away... Although they were excited by the hustle and bustle of the revolution at the beginning and wanted to break the old exploiters, after experiencing the bloody trauma, they were tired and they just wanted to return to peace.
I no longer believe in everything I once believed... Sir, please forgive the French, who else can they believe? What else can they dare to believe? The Girondins massacred the clergy and the Constitutionalists, the Jacobins massacred
The Girondins, then the Jacobins killed each other, and then the Thermidorians sent the remaining Jacobins to the guillotine... Each time, these people with butcher knives claimed to represent the people, so how could the people
What to do? They could only cheer and tremble in fear, fearing that it would be their turn next time. Gradually, they felt that enough was enough, and they wanted to stop, even if they paid a higher price for it.
That's why they are so willing to degrade themselves to servants - because most people are used to the days of being servants, they don't feel that they have lost anything, and those who are unwilling have already killed each other.
Now, Napoleon doesn’t even need to take action.”
After Aigron wrote such a long paragraph, he added at the end, "I am not trying to force a defense. I am just saying that the empire was welcomed by the vast majority of people in the beginning. Anyone who has experienced it will know this.
Admit it. How could a Corsican with no roots sit on the throne without such a welcome? You cannot be king alone. If you want to accuse him of destroying the revolution, then I can only say that the revolution itself has long been
Destroyed the revolution."
Then, he handed the piece of paper back to the old musician.
Beethoven picked it up and looked at it, and then he suddenly fell into deep thought.
Then he wrote another note and handed it over.
"Maybe you are right, but I still can't understand why the French sent the king and queen and a lot of people to the guillotine in the name of freedom, but they are willing to shout long live for another family.
?Isn’t this a contradiction?”
Aiglon smiled slightly, and then wrote another message back.
"Perhaps idealists believe that freedom is higher than life or anything, but for most mortals, how to let themselves and their families survive until tomorrow or next year is more important. Revolutionaries may have brought freedom but not
Bread, on the contrary, prices have skyrocketed, but the currency has been devaluing. They have driven the people crazy. In order to get rid of all this, the people are even willing to be saved by the devil. The empire has given the people stable prices and employment, and the people do not care how it does it.
, and they don’t care whether it was given by the king, the president, or the emperor, it doesn’t matter to them. Since Robespierre didn’t do it and Napoleon did it, of course they cheered for Napoleon, everything
It's that simple - the bloody terror not only wiped out many people, but also made many more people prefer to live in order to get rid of it, even if the price is to become the servant of an ambitious man, they are satisfied."
Beethoven took the note and looked at it. Although he didn't agree with it in his heart, he also knew that what the young man in front of him said was consistent with the facts, at least to a certain extent.
"This is what I praise Napoleon for. He once put the revolution on the right track and saved it. He eliminated the senseless bloodshed, and then used the Civil Code to implement the ideals of the revolution on paper... But
He betrayed it at the last step, which is really a great regret!"
"If he does exactly what you said, then I admit that he will become a saint... But how do the French treat saints? He would rather ask for earthly benefits than illusory respect. You can blame him for this.
, but I think he deserves it," Eggron wrote.
"I can accept that he will be duly rewarded for his contribution and even rule France for life - but what about you? Are you qualified? Imagine if the empire was not destroyed and you successfully succeeded to the throne, what contribution have you made to France?
Who have you saved? Apart from being his son, you have made no contribution, yet a big country has absurdly fallen on you and is at your disposal! In that case, all this will be different from the period when the Bourbon family ruled.
What's the difference? M. Bonaparte, if the revolution only changes France from the hereditary private property of one family to the hereditary private property of another family, then everything is meaningless, why bother?"
Aigron was silent.
This question hits home.
"The empire comes from the people. Napoleon is the emperor of the French, not the emperor of France. If the people are willing to empower me to take on the great responsibility of leading this great country to prosperity, then I will shoulder my responsibility unshirkably.
I will use my life and all my mental and physical strength to defend this great country. But if the people are unwilling to give this majestic authorization, I will consciously step off the stage of history."
Finally he wrote this.
Of course, he was not as magnanimous as he said on the surface - if he really became the emperor, how could he lose the referendum?
The so-called power is hidden under these gorgeous words.
The Second Empire of Napoleon III completed its historical process through such referendums and "authorizations."
After all, whoever sets the issues wins half of the vote; whoever counts the votes wins the entire vote.
After a pause, Aigron suddenly realized that his words were very inappropriate, so he immediately added another sentence.
"Of course, it's meaningless to talk about these topics now. I have no hope of ruling France anymore, and I don't want to remember the lost empire. All of this is just chatting after dinner. You don't have to put my words down.
In my heart.”
After writing this, he handed the piece of paper to the old musician again. He adapted to this new way of communication.
After reading his reply, Beethoven looked at the young man again, thoughtfully, and after a long time he let out a long sigh.
Then he wrote again.
"Indeed, everything has become a thing of the past. What's the point of discussing it anymore? It's painful enough for you to lose your father. I shouldn't say bad things about a deceased person... Sir, I can only say,
Perhaps it is a good thing that fate has kept you away from France, so that you do not have to bear the burden of an unbearable and capricious country that is too difficult for anyone to bear."
After finishing writing, he suddenly thought of something, and his old eyes were full of emotion.
Then, he continued writing.
"I have never been married, and naturally I have no children. I have only one nephew, the son of my brother. My poor brother died of consumption in 1815, leaving this child behind. I tried my best to win over his mother.
When I got custody, I let him study higher education. I wanted to find a great future for him and planned all kinds of glorious and wonderful paths for him... However, everything of mine was let down. Although this child is very smart, he is not
He never cared about everything I paid. He gave up on himself. He was addicted to gambling and owed a lot of debt. God knows how much I paid for him and how much I worried about him. However, what I got was not gratitude, but complaints.
, he complained that my excessive expectations for him destroyed him. Just this year, he picked up a pistol and shot himself in the head. Fortunately, he did not die, but my heart was also broken... God has given me
Carrying out such a cruel punishment really makes me miserable. I am not complaining to you, I just want to tell you that if a young man cannot bear my expectations, then France must bear the burden thousands of times more.
So what? Louis XVI was crushed, and you finally don’t have to suffer the same fate. God allows you to choose your own new destiny. Maybe it’s better for you to stay in Austria, after all, you still have such a lovely Royal Highness to accompany you.
Looking at you - you are already an extremely lucky person."
He looked at Teresa again.
At this time, Teresa had already finished playing the piano music, and was standing next to the two people, saying nothing so as not to disturb the "written conversation" between the two.
What a lovely child.
"Please cherish everything God has given you, sir." He spoke hoarsely to the young man in a voice that he could not hear at all.
Aiglon took the note and looked at the old man in front of him in shock.
Yes, even though he was once arrogant and arrogant, he is just a dying old man now.
He was lonely all his life, and the only nephew he had high hopes for disappointed him. Looking back on his life, all he had left were the beautiful melodies he composed.
A life that is both respectable and tragic.
It was impossible for him to express his innermost thoughts, let alone write down on paper that he only used this marriage as a cover to temporarily paralyze the world.
The old man's eyes were filled with doubts and a little expectation.
As a last resort, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and write it down.