At the moment, it's time to have tea before turning on the light. The villa is located on a high rock overlooking the sea; When the sun went down, it left a golden light and the sky turned red. The mirror-like Mediterranean shines in the dusk, like a huge polished metal plate.
In the distance, near the right head, many jagged mountains are separated by dark red light, drawing a black silhouette.
Everyone is talking about love, discussing this trite topic and repeating things that have been mentioned many times. In the twilight, melancholy softened the discussion, and everyone's heart was full of tenderness. The word "love" was fondled over and over again, sometimes by a strong man's voice, and sometimes by a crisp and harsh female voice, filling this small living room, flying around like a bird and hovering like a ghost.
Can a person fall in love for many years?
"Yes", many people are so sure.
"no!" Others are equally determined.
People distinguish between various situations, draw many boundaries and have a heated discussion; Everyone present has a lot of provocative memories in his mind, which swim to his lips but cannot be quoted. They are all emotional and discuss this common and supreme feeling, this mysterious combination between the two sexes with great interest.
Suddenly, a man staring at the front shouted, "Look, everyone. What's that over there? "
On the sea, at the end of the day, a gray object suddenly appeared, with a huge volume and a vague outline.
The ladies all stood up and looked at this thing they had never seen before in surprise. Someone said, "That's Corsica! We can see it every year under special air pressure conditions, that is, when the air is extremely pure and transparent and is no longer covered by the fog formed by water vapor that has shrouded the field of vision for a long time. "
You can vaguely see the ridges on the island and even the snow on the top of the mountain. This sudden sight, this ghost coming out of the sea, surprised and disturbed everyone and fell into fear. When the ancients crossed the unexplored ocean (such as Columbus), they probably had this strange feeling.
At this time, an old man who had never spoken said, "Attention, everyone, the sudden appearance of this island not only seemed to answer the topic we were discussing, but also caused me a strange memory." I heard a very emotional love story on this island before. This is a loyal relationship, and happiness seems to be fictitious. "
Next, the old man told this story:
Five years ago, I traveled to Corsica. This undeveloped island is more distant and unfamiliar to us than the United States. Although we are on the French coast, we can sometimes see scenes like today.
Imagine: a chaotic world, a mountain separated by swift ravines; There is no flat land, only endless granite wasteland and huge slopes and valleys covered with bushes or chestnut forests. It is a virgin land, so barren that no one can see it.
Sometimes I meet a village, which is just a small pile of stones on the top of the mountain. Not to mention culture, industry and art. There will never be a piece of processed wood or a carved stone here, and the residents here have left no elegant or childish souvenirs for art. What hurts this beautiful but extremely harsh place most is that they are traditionally indifferent to the research called "art"
Italy is a country full of art, and art itself is a masterpiece. The marble, wood, bronzes, ironware, all kinds of metals and all kinds of objects in every temple there have proved the intelligence of human beings, among which the ancient small objects randomly placed in the old houses show the deliberate pursuit of beauty. Italy has shown us this power to create wisdom and proved to us that this is a beloved and sacred country.
The desert island of Corsica is opposite to Italy, but it is as backward as the primitive period. Residents live in simple houses and don't care about anything that has nothing to do with their lives, even family disputes. At the same time, they retained all the shortcomings and advantages of uncivilized aborigines: grumpy, irritable and aggressive, and clear love and hate; At the same time, they are naive and hospitable. They warmly accept passers-by and will offer the most sincere friendship for the slightest affection.
That time, I wandered around the island for a month and felt that I was at the end of the world. There is no inn, no pub, or even a decent path. I reached the poor village on the hillside from those mule paths. Below is the winding deep valley, and at night you can still hear the continuous noise and dumb voice in the ditch. When I meet a house, I knock on the door and ask them to bend the rules. So, I sat at the low table to eat and rest under the simple eaves; The next morning, I held my master's hand and he sent me all the way to the village.
One night, after a ten-hour journey, I came to a low house alone, which was located at the foot of a narrow mountain, about a mile away from the sea. On both sides are thorny slopes, and collapsed rocks and trees, like two gloomy walls, guarding the desolate and sad ravines. There are several vines and a small vegetable garden around the hut, and there are several tall chestnut trees in the distance. These are necessities of life and can be called a kind of wealth in this poor place.
I was received by an old lady, dignified and neat, different from others. The man sitting in the straw chair stood up and said hello when he saw me, and then sat down without saying a word. His wife told me:
"Please forgive him. He is 82 years old this year. He is deaf. "
This old woman speaks pure French, which surprised me. I asked her, "You're not from Corsica, are you?"
She replied: "No, we are all from the mainland. We have lived here for 50 years. "
They have lived in this corner far from human habitation for 50 years! Thought of here, I can't help but arouse a burst of anxiety and trembling. The old shepherd came back and everyone began to eat dinner. There is only one dish for dinner: thick soup with potatoes and cabbage mixed with bacon.
After dinner, I went outside and sat down. The gloomy and dreary scenery makes me feel depressed; The gloomy dusk and desolate environment brought the sadness to the passengers, which made me very uncomfortable. It seems that everything is coming to an end, whether it is the world or life. At this time, people suddenly realized the hardships of life, the emptiness of things, the helplessness in the face of nature, and the loneliness of self-deception because of dreams.
The old woman came to me, apparently driven by a strong curiosity.
"Are you French?" She accosted me.
"Yes, I travel because of interest."
"Are you from Paris?"
"No, I'm from Nancy."
Immediately, I felt a strange emotion bothering her. I felt it more than I saw it. I can't tell you why I feel this way.
She continued to ask in a slow voice, "Are you Nancy's, too?"
At this moment, the man came over. He is as expressionless as all the deaf people in the world. The old woman said, "Never mind, he can't hear you."
After a pause of a few seconds, she asked again, "So, are you familiar with Nancy's upper-class people?"
"Yes, I know almost everyone." (expressing surprise, shock, etc.)
"What about the family of San Aleze?"
"Yes, very good. They used to be friends of my father. "
"May I ask your name?"
After I say my name. She stared at me and said in a voice awakened by memories, "Yes, yes, I remember. What about Bree Saymard? How are they now? "
"They are all dead."
"ah! What a pity! What about the Simons? Do you know them? "
"Yes, the youngest is already a general."
Hearing this, she trembled all over, obviously because of excitement, anxiety and feelings I didn't know. She said the past and unforgettable names that had been locked in her heart. Finally, she trembled and said, "Yes, Henry de Siemund, I know him. He is my own brother. "
I was frightened to disgrace and raised my eyes to look at her. Suddenly recalled a past event. A long time ago, a big scandal happened in Lorraine's aristocratic circle. A rich young lady: Susan de Simon, who eloped with a hussars under her father.
The cavalry who fascinated the colonel's daughter was a beautiful young man. Although he was born in a farmhouse, he is very handsome. Miss Susan undoubtedly met him when the cavalry passed by, began to pay attention to him, and finally fell in love with him. How did they start? How to meet? How to understand each other? None of this is known.
Finally, when the young man was about to leave the army, they eloped together. This is undoubtedly a fatal scandal. Her family searched desperately for them, but in vain. We haven't heard from them since, and everyone thought they were dead. Today, years later, I met her here.
Suddenly, I understood: "Yes, I understand. You must be Miss Susan! " "
She nodded, tears streaming down her eyes. He pointed to the old man sitting at the door and gestured to me, "That's him."
I can see that she still loves him, madly in love with him. I asked, "Have you always been happy?"
The old woman answered me from the bottom of her heart: "Oh! Yes, very happy. I have always been very happy and have never regretted following him. "
I looked at her and the power of love surprised me! A rich girl fell in love with a man and a farmer. She turned herself into a kind peasant woman. For him, she gave up everything and endured this simplest life with him. For love, she turned herself into a peasant woman in a cloth and Chai Jing. Sitting at a simple wooden table, eating the simplest dishes in a clay basin; He and I slept in a bed made of straw mats and lived together for 50 years.
She wants nothing but him, whether it is fine jewelry or silk; Whether it is a luxurious room or an elegant decoration. She doesn't care, as long as he is around, she wants nothing more.
On the occasion of the Spring Festival, she gave up everything she knew and all her relatives, and came to this deserted ravine alone to be with him. He is everything to her, all her needs, all her dreams, all her hopes. From beginning to end, he filled her life with happiness.
That night, I listened to the snoring of veterans all night. He lay beside the woman who left his hometown for him and accompanied him for 50 years, and fell asleep peacefully. As for me, thinking about this bizarre and simple story, thinking about this perfect happiness that can be achieved almost effortlessly.
The next day, the sun rose, and I shook hands with the old couple and left.
After the story was finished, the old man stopped talking. It was quiet around, and then a lady said, "Even so, her ideal world is too shallow, her needs and wishes are too simple, and this can only be regarded as a fool!" "
Immediately, another gentle voice replied: "So what! She has always been so happy! "
In the end, Corsica was slowly submerged by the night and returned to the sea. It appears as if to personally prove the truth of the story of the ordinary and ordinary couple living in its arms. Now, when the story is over, it disappears.