"Your praise is exaggerated," Lucrezia chuckled. [No pop-up novel website] She was wearing an Italian-style robe and skirt, exposing her seductive shoulders and neck. She held an embroidered sweat scarf in one hand to pretend to cover her mouth, and let the lace sleeves slide down, revealing a piece of jade. The arms are enough to make all Spanish men swoon.
"I cannot be Euterpe. But you, Count, all the wisdom and talents of Mars and Orpheus are gathered in you. Give me the beautiful song you composed, "Beautiful Spain" "Girl", this gift is so precious."
"A lewd and tawdry ditty," Sanafriya heard someone singing this song in pubs and various venues, and wanted to sarcastically say it loudly. But he didn't speak after all, just hummed a few times.
"It's just an honor."
"-I'm afraid I'm not entirely worthy of your precious gift," the hostess' clear voice continued in a pretentiously coquettish tone: "I'm not even beautiful, nor was I born in Spain." There began to be some whispering in the crowd.
"I was born in Madeira, grew up in Porto, and got married in Naples. Until I came to the Philippine Colony, I never had the opportunity to set foot on Spanish soil. But thanks to His Majesty Philip, I have traveled everywhere. The Spanish sun shines, bathed in his greatness and mercy."
The low whispers among the guests turned into loud noises. The male guests took off their hats and put them on their chests respectfully and shouted: "Long live the king!" Taking advantage of this warm moment, the earl announced that he would play a song for the king. A march composed in praise of His Majesty Philip. He uses fresh techniques that the audience has never seen before. While playing the harpsichord, he used the sound of the harpsichord and gestures to signal the small band next to him to follow him. Those Filipino musicians were obviously very talented in music, and they actually played the entire song completely. Although a modern listener would consider both solo and band performances to be crude. The timbre was thin and dim, and the "Mighty March" was played without any majesty. But the reaction and emotion of the guests were unprecedentedly high. Applause and cheers fell like a thunderstorm. The male guests waved their hats and the female guests dropped their folding fans. Everyone rushed towards the performer like a tide, and everyone wanted to hold it. Shake the earl's hand. Sanafriya was caught in the crowd and walked forward involuntarily. When he finally stood still, he saw an enthusiastic woman bringing the earl's hand to her lips, two noble ladies. Regardless of his identity, he grabbed the handkerchief that the count placed on the piano cover. In addition to the resentment of jealousy, the richest businessman in the colony increasingly felt the humiliation and anger of being ignored.
Suddenly, a strong wind blew violently. The ladies screamed and held down their skirts. Dodging falling petals and leaves. Most of the lanterns and candles floating in the garden pool were blown over. went out. As soon as I looked up, I could see that the dark clouds that had only lingered on the horizon at dusk had now covered the sky. It was obvious that the weather was going to turn bad and fun in the garden would no longer be possible.
Mrs. Charleau was still in high spirits. She greeted the guests back to the house, and she walked in front holding Count Vananova on her arm and holding the hem of her skirt in one hand. Sanavria wanted to follow, but was blocked by a group of guests who followed closely and wanted to get close to the count. The light of the burning torches under the porch shone through the glass windows into the house, and the servants walked around lighting the candlesticks one by one. Sanavria found herself deep in the corridor where candles had not yet been lit. The dim light of the torches coming through the glass window illuminated a shrine, and a figure in black robes knelt in front of the statue of the Virgin. Like a priest praying.
Who could that priest be? Sanabria knew that the late Baron Charlo had always been quite cold towards the dominant local Dominicans. Although Mrs. Challo presides over the House of Mercy in Manila, her relationship with the Jesuit fund-raisers in Macau is much closer than that of the local religious order. There was no time to speculate, and there was no time to even take another look at the shrine. In the blink of an eye, the crowd pushed him into the living room, and he was involved in a whirlpool of music, wine and feasting.
The clouds that accumulated in the evening finally turned into an endless curtain of rain and poured into the capital of the Philippine colony at night. The villa of Baroness Charlo is like a moving water system, with corridors like rivers leading people to the large living room, a sea of brilliant lights. The walls were densely lined with lights, and the servants placed candlesticks on tables and cabinets everywhere. Hundreds of Australian candles were lit as if they were free. This kind of candle not only has a bright flame, but also does not have the common black smoke and unpleasant stench of other candles. Therefore, it sells for a lot of money in Manila and has become a favor for the wealthy. Glass, porcelain, and silver shone in the candlelight, as did the women's jewelry and silk dresses, as well as the men's medals and ribbons. Guests arrived in an endless stream despite the heavy rain. Some whispered, some talked and laughed loudly. Unlike the formal banquets held by the governor and mayor, everyone wanted to enjoy themselves in the home of the most beautiful lady in the colony. Have fun.
"Hey, ho, look who's coming?" shouted Don Basilio, who was as eager to chase every feast in Manila as he was to empty the purses of all the shipowners who came to port. . The guests' attention was attracted by the shouts of the port tax officer. They saw a man walking into the hall on tiptoes, as if he was afraid of stepping on something unclean and soiling his polished Persian sheepskin boots. Except for the earl, this man can be called the tallest man in this hall, but his figure looks slender rather than strong. He wears a velvet coat with a thigh-length hem, a belt covered with gold and silver embroidery, stockings tied with bows and The garters accentuated his dandy delicacy.
The visitor ignored the other guests, including the tax collector. He shook his head habitually so that his brilliant blond hair would shine even more dazzlingly in the light. The left hand is twirling a carefully groomed mustache, and the right hand is playing with a gold-painted cane. He walked arrogantly through the crowd, squeezed in front of the count, stretched out a hand tightly tied with a lace cuff: "Don Eugenio Garcia Zapatero, a loyal follower of His Highness the Governor And the server. Greetings to you." As if he was afraid of being crushed, he quickly took his hand out of Weiss's palm, then grabbed the baroness's delicate hand and put it to his lips respectfully.
Weiss took two steps back, pretending to be careless to avoid the "sweating" mayor's wife who was rushing toward him with open arms, took a glass of Madeira from the servant's tray, and walked to the fiscal officer. Next to Andrade. "Is that gentleman a local celebrity?" the Earl asked in a casual tone: "Maybe I'm surprised because I don't see such an elegant celebrity. It's rare to see such an elegant celebrity in the Eastern colonies."
"Eugenio García Zapatero, File Supervisor, Secretary of the Governor's Palace," Andrade sipped his sherry, hiding a sarcastic smile, "Or you can call him Salaman Mr. Ka's little bee. Nowadays, every peninsula who is willing to condescend to come to the East Indian Colony can add "tang" before his name on his own initiative, even if he is just a poor guy in his hometown who can't pay off his debts. Or a fugitive from a slave ship."
"It is said that he also writes a fourteen-line Latin poem for His Excellency the Governor every week. Last week, he even composed a poem to celebrate the relief of the Governor's constipation." A bored young gentleman never misses any sarcasm. Not to mention that the secretary's blond hair and his Latin are equally suspicious, "Mr. Count, if you can also write a short poem in Latin, Mr. Secretary will be like Sanavria." I hate you. Now, he only has a little bit of hostility."
"Hostility, why?"
"Ah, isn't it enough that the songs you played made the ladies of Manila so enchanted?" The young gentleman played with the glass in his hand, "I'm worried, Mr. Earl, that your femininity will bring you many enemies... "
"Including you?"
"Oh, I am not in urgent need of a respectable widow to enrich my pocket, but there are many people in this place who are coveting the money and the title." The young gentleman was surrounded by stars. Mrs. Charlo glanced at her.
Andrade couldn't help but laugh "hehe" a few times, because his nephew was also one of Mrs. Charlo's many suitors. In the face of property and title, the age gap is obviously not a problem.
This conversation prevented the two of them from hearing Eugenio's compliments to the hostess, but Lucrezia's crisp laughter still came through: "--Although it is a pity that I can't welcome His Highness, but it's up to you to It’s so nice to send you greetings from His Excellency the Governor.”
"Where did the Governor go?" Captain Iker Suvesareta asked with a thick Basque accent. This somewhat silly question was immediately responded to by Eugenio: "His Majesty Salamanca personally went to inspect the new fortifications in Cavite. Even if the weather was bad, His Majesty decided to stay in the military camp overnight. From Madrid to Manila, I can swear before the Savior and the Blessed Virgin that there are no officials like Mr. Salamanca who work so hard for the noble cause of God and the King, and it is hard to find in the world!" The Secretary of the Governor waved his hands and began to show his incomparable passion. With absolutely deep emotions, it seemed that he was about to drown out all the unfavorable remarks against the Governor with a torrent of words. In the end, it was the count who rescued Captain Suvesareta from his embarrassing situation and proposed that as a mark of respect to His Highness the Governor, he would play the "March of Majesty" again. (To be continued...)
