The conversation unconsciously involved Mrs. de Starr. Baron d speaks broken French and tells a terrible famous joke. Madame de Starr once asked Napoleon, "Who was the first woman in the world?" His answer is ridiculous: "whoever has the most children is who." ①

"What a wonderful one-liner!" A guest said.

"She deserved it!" A lady said, "How can you ask such a compliment as a question?"

"I think," said Solohkin, who was dozing off in a Heimbs chair, "I don't think Madame de Starr meant flattery, nor did Napoleon mean sarcasm. The question was raised out of understandable curiosity. Napoleon's words just expressed his true thoughts. And you don't believe that talented people will be simple. "

The original text is French.

Humbers is a famous furniture dealer in Petersburg.

The guests began to quarrel, and Sorokin dozed off again.

"But seriously," said the hostess, "who do you think is the first woman in the world?"

"Be careful! You don't say compliments ... "

"no! No kidding ... "

Immediately divided into several factions. Those who quote Mrs. destal. The other faction supports Joan of Arc. The third faction recommended Queen Elizabeth, Lady Joan (1) and madame roland (2).

(1) Mrs. Gyang of Myanmar (1635- 17 19), originally a governess of Louis XIV's daughter, later married Louis XIV.

② madame roland (1754- 1793) was one of the Girondes during the French Revolution.

A young man is standing by the fireplace (a fireplace in Petersburg is not redundant all the year round). He took part in the conversation for the first time.

He said: "For me, the most attractive woman-Cleopatra."

"Clara Petra?" The guest said, "Yes! That's natural ... but why?

"There is a feature in her life that is deeply imprinted on my mind, so that when I see almost any woman, I immediately think of Cleopatra."

"What is that characteristic?" The hostess asked, "Tell me."

"I can't say. It is hard to say. "

"Why? Is it not decent? "

"yes! It seems that the whole problem is that it really vividly depicts the terrible customs of ancient times. "

"well! Go, go! "

"oh! No, stop! " Wolska, a divorced woman, interrupted me and lowered her eyes like a fire.

"That's enough!" The hostess shouted impatiently, "Who can be cheated here?" We watched Anthony's game last night. Didn't I put a copy of Marriage Physiology on the fireplace? Dishonorable! See what to scare us with! Don't fool us, Alexei Ivanic! You are not a reporter, tell us frankly! You know what Cleopatra wants, but ... if you can, I promise you dignity. "

Everyone laughed.

"My God!" The young man said, "I'm afraid. Sorry to be a referee. " Ok, please listen! ……

"You know, among Latin historians, there is a man named Avery Victor. This person, you may not have heard of it. "

"Avery Victor," said Vershinev, who had studied in the Jesuits, "Avery Victor was a writer in the fourth century. His works were mistaken for those of Arnieri Nepote, and even those of Svetony. He wrote a book who's in Rome (4)-who's in Rome, I know ... "

The original text is French.

(2) "Anthony" is Dumas's play.

The Physiology of Marriage is a novel by Balzac.

(4) the original is Latin.

"Not bad." Alexei Ivanic continued, "That little book is worthless. However, anecdotes about Cleopatra can be found in the middle of the book. This story surprises me. And it's well written. The boring Avril Victor in this place is as expressive as Tacitus. She is so horny that she often sells her body; She is so beautiful that many people are willing to buy her for one night at the cost of death. ……①"

"Wonderful!" Mr. Neve cried, "This reminds me of Mr. Ryukyu and Ti, remember? ……"

The original text is Latin.

(2) Saliou (86-35 years ago) Roman historian.

"What is this, gentlemen?" The hostess said, "You all speak in Latin, which seems to be enough!" Tell me, what's that Latin word for? "

"That sentence: Cleopatra betrayed her sexual orientation, and many men bought her a night with their lives ..."

"It's terrible!" The ladies said, "What moving place did you find here?"

"Why? I don't think Cleopatra is a dirty slut, and her evaluation of herself is not cheap. I once suggested that XX write a long poem on this matter. He started writing and then threw it away. "

"Does he write well?"

"What conclusion does he want to draw from here? What is the central idea? Don't you remember? "

"He first gave a grand banquet in the royal garden of the Queen of Egypt."

※※※

The dark and hot night enveloped the sky in Africa, Alexander fell asleep, the square in the center of the city was silent, and the lights of every household went out. Only the lighthouse on Faross Island shines in the vast sea, just like a lamp beside the bed of Sleeping Beauty.

※※※

The palace of the Potomac dynasty is brightly lit and very lively: Queen Cleopatra is entertaining guests. The table is surrounded by ivory couches. Three hundred waiters entertain guests. Three hundred maids brought them ear jars full of Greek wine.

Three hundred eunuchs in black silently looked at the maid.

(1) Ptolemy dynasty-Hellenistic period (305-30 years ago) ruled Egypt.

※※※

A purple column, lined up from north to south, welcomes the southeast wind. The air did not move. The flame of the palace lantern spewed out flames and did not move. The incense burner is full of smoke, rising upward and motionless. The sea is as flat as a mirror, spreading out under the rosy royal steps of the semi-circular palace, motionless. The sea reflects the golden claws and granite tails of a group of sphinxes guarding the palace ... only the sound of harp and flute vibrates the flame, air and sea.

※※※

Suddenly, the queen was lost in thought and bowed her beautiful head in frustration. The splendid banquet was shrouded in her melancholy, like a dark cloud covering the sun.

※※※

Why is she sad?

Why does sadness come to her?

Queen of Egypt, what does she lack?

Her capital is magnificent,

The queen was protected by hordes of slaves,

The world is at peace, and Jiangshan is the master.

All the gods on the earth obeyed her,

This palace is full of treasures from all over the world.

No matter how hot the weather is in Africa,

No matter how cold the shadows are at night,

She enjoys endless glory all the time,

Art treasures calmed her sleeping bureaucratic consciousness.

The land around the world, the waves of the world's oceans,

As a tribute, give her a variety of new makeup.

She casually changed one thing after another;

Sometimes covered with red and sapphire, shining;

Sometimes choose a Phoenician woman.

Scarlet robes and cloud skirts that are often worn;

Sometimes the jade is exposed and the hibiscus comes out of the water.

She threw herself into the waves of the ancient Nile,

In the shadow of the gorgeous sails of the original boat,

Between the waves, a new sausage was born.

Every moment before his eyes, the banquet was removed and held again.

Who can understand his heart?

All her secrets? ……

Forget it! Her heart was tired and depressed,

Hunger, the pursuit of inexplicable happiness,-

She is tired and bored, suffering from a disease called insensitivity. ...

Cleopatra awoke from meditation.

The party was quiet, as if to doze off,

Her forehead is raised again,

Glittering, empty, she smiled and said:

"Get my love, unless great happiness?

All right! Listen to my command:

I will forget the inequality between me and my subjects,

Yan Fu will come to you, probably.

I call, who dares to respond?

I betrayed my night,

Go! Which one of you dares to buy me a night with your life?

……………………

"This topic should be done by Marquise George Sand, because she is also a slut, just like Cleopatra. She will rewrite your Egyptian story into a modern style. "

(1) George sand (1804- 1876), a French woman writer.

"Impossible. Reality is impossible. That story is completely old.

That kind of deal can't be done now, just as the pyramid won't be built now. "

"Why can't you make a deal? Aren't there bad varieties among modern women? She really wants to experience what she has always thought: her love is more precious than the lives of many men. "

"Perhaps, it is very interesting to understand this. However, how can we do this pedantic experiment? Cleopatra has various ways to force her debtors to pay off their debts. Can we do that? Of course, you can't write that contract into a document with stamp duty paid and let the Privy Council sign it. "

"In this case, you can make a gentleman's agreement: keep your word."

"So what?"

"A woman can ask her lover to keep his promise and ensure that he will shoot himself the next day."

"He ran away the next day, and the woman had to be cheated and make a fool of herself."

"Then he is willing to degenerate into a man who is not faithful in the eyes of the woman he loves forever. Besides, is that contract really harsh? Life is so valuable, don't you want to buy happiness with it? Please judge! Suppose there is a troublemaker, I despise him, and what he scolds me can't hurt me anyway, then I will fight him and block my head in front of his bullet. I have no right to refuse the request of this daredevil who wants to test me. When it comes to my happiness, will I be timid instead? What is life when it is poisoned by sadness and empty desires! Joy is gone, what is there to miss in life? "

"Don't you really can sign a contract? ……"

Wolska has been sitting, without opening her mouth and dropping her eyes. At this time, she quickly fixed her eyes on Alexei Ivanic.

"I don't say it myself. However, if a person is really in love, he certainly won't hesitate for a minute ... "

"Why? If that woman doesn't love you, will you do the same? (and the woman who agrees to your proposal will definitely not love you. ) As long as the thought of animal cruelty, the most blind love will vanish ... "

"no! She agreed to my proposal, and all I can see here is her imaginary enthusiasm. As for mutual love ... I didn't ask ... I didn't ask her for this. What does it matter to you whether I love her or not? ……"

"Stop it! God knows what you said! I think you have something you don't want to say ... "

………………………………………………

The young Countess K, a chubby ugly woman, wants to make the garlic nose that seems to be trapped in a big radish have a solemn expression. She said:

"Now some women think highly of themselves, than ..."

Her husband, a duke in Poland, married her because he was greedy for money (it is said that he miscalculated this), and then he lowered his eyes and drank a cup of tea in his hand.

"What do you mean, countess?" A young man asked, trying not to laugh.

"I mean," replied the countess, "if a woman respects herself, if she respects …" At this point, she can't find fault. Vilshinev, go and help her.

"You mean that if a woman respects herself, she won't let a guilty man die, right?"

………………………………………………

The conversation changed the subject.

Alexei Ivanich sat beside Volskaya, cocked his head, pretended to look at the scarlet in her hand and whispered to her, "What do you think of Cleopatra's proposal?"

Volskaya was silent. Alexei Ivanic raised this question again.

"Say to you? Now, for example, another woman thinks highly of herself. However, men in the nineteenth century were too cold-blooded and too cautious to sign such a contract. "

"You mean," said Alexei Ivanic, suddenly her voice changed, "in our time, in Petersburg, right here, you can find a woman who will have enough pride and spiritual strength to sign a Cleopatra contract with her lover?"

"I want to have it and even believe in it."

"You're not lying to me? Please think about it, this is very cruel, even more cruel than the contract itself ... "

Volskaya glanced at him with a pair of burning eyes that could see through the insides, and then replied categorically: "No!"

Alexei Ivanic stood up and disappeared at once.