Eagle’s Glory

While Teresa was playing the piano, the elderly artist also came to the piano and quietly enjoyed her performance.

But his way of appreciating is different from others - ordinary people use their ears, but he can only use their eyes.

He was silent, watching Teresa's slender fingers moving and flying over the keys, carefully watching each pressing, these movements were slowly combined in his mind, and then transformed into the melody of the music.

Ever since he became deaf in both ears, he could only appreciate other people's performances in this way.

He quickly figured out that what Princess Teresa played was the "Sonata No. 25 in G Major" composed by himself.

While admiring, he was also assessing the strength of the princess.

This is a piece of music he created more than 20 years ago. Although it is not difficult to play, the rhythm is relaxed and lively. When he thinks of the melody of this piece of music, he can't help but recall his youth.

At that time, he was still very young and full of love and hope for life. When he composed this piece, he could even hear the cuckoo's cry.

What a nostalgic time that was! It seems that the whole world is under my feet, so what are the troubles that trip people up in life, what are they at that time?

The slender figure of the young girl was reflected in the musician's cloudy eyes. At this moment, she was already immersed in the world of music, her expression was focused and serious, and her eyes seemed to be shining like jewels.

And her fingers are fast and strong, and the keys are also very accurate, without a single mistake, it is obvious that she has 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.

Before he knew it, he couldn't help feeling better.

For so many years, he has gradually faded out of the public eye. It has been a long time since he has received such a warm and beautiful visitor, so seeing this situation, everyone will feel happy.

He couldn't help but glanced 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 by it. He watched Teresa's eyes, as far as the musicians see it, don't have much envy - at least it's completely different from the way Her Royal Highness the Princess looks at him.

Ah, lucky people never know how lucky they are and don't care what they get easily, the world always does.

He couldn't help feeling sorry 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 quickly realized that it was Mr. Beethoven communicating with him.

"It is said that you are the son of Napoleon?" He saw clearly the handwriting on the note.

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 someone's shadow in him.

After a long time, he picked up the pen again, began to write in a swish, and then handed the note to Aigron.

"I once worshiped that man. I think he is the thunder from the new world, representing the will of God, representing the freedom of mankind. He controls the flames of revolution, just like Prometheus, bringing the precious freedom Brought to man from heaven...but I was wrong, he made himself emperor and the French from citizens to servants, he thought he was elevating the name of Bonaparte, but in fact it just obliterated My heroic soul! Since then he has lost my respect for him. I have applauded him for defeating the German emperor time and time again, but after the reality tore off the skin of this great conqueror, I only saw one The little Corsican landowner, who did not see a sage! He was a hero, but he allowed himself to be a hero, and he destroyed himself and the value of those great creeds by his narcissism.

"

This long passage is full of emotion, and it is clear that years after Napoleon's death, the one-time admirer is still resentful that his faith has collapsed.

Beethoven once indeed admired Napoleon. In his opinion, Napoleon turned the tide, reorganized the chaotic French Republic with an iron fist, and endowed the country with equal rights. He once thought of dedicating his "Third Symphony" to this great hero. However, upon hearing the news that Napoleon had proclaimed himself emperor, the outraged musician tore up the title "To Napoleon" and renamed it Eroica.

Aigron could understand his anger at the musician, but he also had his own ideas.

"You may overestimate the French's love of liberty and equality. It is a spiritual entertainment for Parisians and provincial intellectuals. Most French people only think about security and abundance. For them, these two things are enough luxury and Far away... Although they were excited by the din of the revolution at the beginning and wanted to break the old exploiters, but after scenes of bloody trauma, they were already tired, and they just wanted to return to peace. I no longer believe in everything I ever believed in before... Excuse the French, Monsieur, who else can they believe? What else can they believe? The Girondists slaughtered the clergy and the Constitutionalists, the Jacobins slaughtered The Girondists, then the Jacobins killed each other, and then the Thermidorians sent the remaining Jacobins to the guillotine... Every time, these people with butcher knives claim to represent the people, so the people can What to do? They can only cheer and tremble in fear, fearing that the next time the knife will be slaughtered. Gradually they feel that enough is enough, they want to stop, and even pay a higher price for it. That's why they are so willing to degrade themselves into servants - because most people are used to being servants, they don't feel that they have lost anything, and those who are unwilling have already killed each other No, it doesn't even need Napoleon to do it."

After Aigron wrote such a long paragraph, he added a sentence at the end, "I am not trying to make an excuse, I am just saying that the empire was welcomed by the vast majority of people at the beginning, and anyone who has experienced it will know that Acknowledge. How could a rootless Corsican sit on the throne without this welcome? One 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 since destroyed the revolution."

Then, he handed the paper back to the old musician.

Beethoven picked it up and looked at it, then fell into deep thought.

Then he wrote a note and handed it over.

"Perhaps 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 that a contradiction?"

Aigron smiled slightly, then wrote another one and went back to the past.

"Maybe idealists think that freedom is higher than life or anything, but for most mortals, how to make themselves and their families live until tomorrow or next year is more important. Revolutionaries may have brought freedom but not Bread, on the contrary, the price is soaring and the currency keeps depreciating. They have driven the people crazy, and the people are willing to be saved by the devil to get rid of all this. The empire has given the people stable prices and employment, and the people don't care how it does it , and don't care whether it was given by the king, or the president, or the emperor, it doesn't matter to them. Since Robespierre didn't do it and Napoleon did, then of course they cheer for Napoleon, everything It's that simple—the bloody terror not only wiped out many people, but also made more people prefer to survive to get rid of it, even if the price is to be a servant of an ambitious family, they are very 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 boy in front of him said was true, at least to a certain extent.

"That's what I admire about Napoleon, who put the revolution on track and saved it. He eliminated the senseless bloodshed and then put the ideals of the revolution on paper with the Civil Code . . . but It is a great pity that he betrayed it at the last step!"

"If he can do exactly what you say, I admit he will be a saint... But what do the French do with saints? You can blame him for preferring earthly benefits to illusory veneration. , but I think he's entitled to it," Agron wrote.

"I can accept that he should be rewarded for his contribution, and even rule France for life - what about you? Are you eligible? Imagine, if the empire is not destroyed and you succeed to the throne, what contribution you have made to France Whom did you save? You did nothing but being his son, and yet a great power absurdly fell upon you, at your disposal! In that case, it would be the same as the Bourbons. What's the difference? Monsieur Bonaparte, if the revolution only changed France from the hereditary private property of one family to the private property of another family, then everything is meaningless, why bother?"

Aegron fell silent.

This question hits the nail on the head.

"The empire comes from the people. Napoleon is the emperor of the French, not the emperor of France. If the people are willing to authorize me to take on the big life and lead this great country to prosperity, then I will take on my responsibility, 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 mandate, I will consciously step down from the stage of history."

Finally he wrote this.

Of course he is not as frank as he said on the surface - if he really became emperor, how could he lose the referendum?

The so-called power is hidden under these gorgeous rhetoric.

The Second Empire of Napoleon III completed its historical process through such referendums and "mandates" again and again.

In the final analysis, whoever sets the agenda wins half of the votes; whoever counts the votes wins the entire vote.

After a pause, Egron 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 dead empire. All of this is just chatting after dinner. You don't have to put my words in In my heart."

After writing these, he handed the paper to the old musician again. He adapted to this new way of communicating.

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.

"That's true. Everything has become an old thing. What's the point of discussing it? Your loss of father is painful enough. I shouldn't speak ill of a deceased person... Sir, all I can say is, Perhaps it is a good thing that fate keeps you away from France, so that you will not have to bear the burden of a difficult and capricious country that no one can 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 in my life, and of course 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. I have worked hard to get him from his mother. When it came to custody, I let him study higher education. I wanted to give him a great future and planned all kinds of glorious and beautiful paths for him... But everything about me was let down. Although this child is very smart, he I never cared about everything I gave, he gave up on himself, he was addicted to gambling, and owed a lot of debts, God knows how much I paid for him and how much I worried, but what I got was not gratitude, but complaints , he complained that my high expectations of him destroyed him. Just this year, he took a pistol and shot himself in the head. Fortunately, he didn't die, but my heart was also broken... God to me It pains me to carry out such a cruel punishment. I am not complaining to you, I just want to tell you that if a young man can't even bear my expectations, France, who bears a million times more, So what?Louis XVI was crushed, you don't have to suffer the same fate.God allows you to choose your own new destiny, maybe it is better for you to stay in Austria, after all, you have such a lovely Royal Highness by your side Look at you—you are already a very lucky man."

He glanced at Teresa again.

At this time, Teresa had already finished playing the piano piece, and she was standing next to the two of them, not saying a word, so as not to disturb the "writing conversation" between the two of them.

What a lovely child.

"Please cherish everything that God has given you, sir." He opened his mouth and said hoarsely to the young man in a voice that he could not hear at all.

Aigron took the note and looked at the old man in front of him in astonishment.

Yes, even though he was once arrogant and arrogant, but now he is just an old man who is dying.

He was lonely all his life, and the only nephew he had high hopes for disappointed him to the extreme. Looking back on his life, all he had left was the gorgeous melodies he created.

An honorable and sad life.

It is impossible for him to express the deepest calculations in his heart, and it is even more impossible for him to write on paper that he just regards this marriage as a cover to temporarily paralyze the world.

There was doubt in the eyes of the old man, but also some anticipation.

As a last resort, he could only bite the bullet and write it down.

"I will cherish it, sir."