I Am Louis XIV

Does Gemma, who is not worth a peso, know the contempt people have for her?

Of course she knew, she was just deprived of the right to speak, but she was still able to listen and think.

But she also knew that those people, even the lowest-level servants, could show arrogance to her, but it was because she had no possibility of fighting back. The priest said that she was going to hell, even if she had been making atonement, it was impossible for her to refuse atonement. After killing her siblings, she also wanted to end her own life, but after what happened before, she Know how terrible death is.

The younger brothers and sisters are all so young and sick, they don't look harder to break than a raw egg, she gave them wolf's poison that wandering girls use to prevent pregnancy, but they still struggled and refused to die, they just kept vomiting With crying, she had to strangle them to death with her own hands, how terrible, the power emanating from such a small and weak body almost made her give up her original idea.

But what if they don't die, even if they can survive by chance, the future of these children is still dark.

Gemma resented them, and she also resented her mother—probably no one knew, it was her mother who pushed her into the alley for one peso, although she sold it for more than one peso at that time, her mother knew that she could not live Let her eldest daughter continue to do this disgraceful job to support the children below.

She resented her father, brother, and her fiancé even more.

If only they hadn't participated in the riots against the Spanish government, if they hadn't given her the opportunity to learn, if they had never told those noble ideals and righteousness, then she would be as good as today Ordinary suffering and hardship can only be regarded as the curse of the devil and the teasing of fate, just like those ignorant women. Sometimes it is a kind of happiness to be confused.

She hates her current life, but she also fears death.

The contempt, ignorance and torture of her by priests and people were all based on the threat of death to her. She has to do what the priest asked her to do, she does not want to die, even if she loses the right to speak, even if she is covered in filth, even if she has "Meidu" all over her body is left after treatment Brand, she can only practice herself willingly.

When she was sent to serve beside that gentleman, she knew why the priest singled her out. Is there anyone more unshakable than her?

Gemma even waited with great interest for this noble gentleman to try to seduce or bribe her. There are quite a few girls like this in One Peso Alley. Maybe these girls have no dream of becoming their wives, but unfortunately, often in the end, what they expect, a small fortune, a mill, or a field, is just dawn In the dew before dawn, they only have a pair of empty hands at dawn, sometimes with Marseille disease or a fetus as a gift.

The former might still find an unsatisfactory marriage, the latter would be reduced to a peso alley.

Gemma knew what she was like, and even if the gentleman was careless enough not to delve into her past, her ugly scars could talk when she took off her clothes, she would not be delusional like a real young girl, she even hated All good things. Also, if this gentleman could bear the nausea and say something nice to her, she would just laugh.

Even she would feel sick when she looked at herself. If there is anyone who is willing to love her, then he must be a saint or a devil.

After Roussillon changed hands, Gemma guessed that she might be sent away. Unexpectedly, the gentleman, no, the Highness said that she hoped that she could stay and serve her. However, before Gemma returned to the Duke again, Father Clarice gave her a serious admonishment, calling her every few days, and warning her not to forget her love with a whip and purgatory. sin.

Gemma thought maybe it was because Father Clarice didn't quite believe that the Duke wasn't trying to do anything, but the Duke really didn't do anything. He treated Gemma like any other maid, and Gemma's contact with him Not much actually, especially after the duke's valets came to Roussillon - of course they couldn't follow the duke while Roussillon was still under Spanish control, now Roussillon is Catalan Well, to be precise, they belonged to the future Carlos III, and of course they had to return to their master.

This gave Gemma a rare amount of time to herself.

The French duke from Versailles is not as lofty as Gemma imagined—as we know, the person who can become an organizer and commander in a riot will not be a farmer or a craftsman, he must have been educated Education, and in this era, education is still the monopoly of the nobles for the time being - Gemma's father is a knight although he does not have a title.

Gemma had seen a count, which was the most impressive thing in her bright and irretrievable youth, although it was a Spanish-and the Catalan prefects her father knew were as good as Members of Parliament, they are all high above without exception, she clearly remembers the scene of peeping through the door of the secret meeting... It's just that after her father was hanged, his property was confiscated, and his wife and children lived on the streets At that time, none of these people showed up.

Her mother could only cry and lament, but Gemma remembered for no reason that her father sometimes complained half-truthfully. The reason why these people rebelled against the rule of the Spanish government was mostly because the government's taxation and enlistment had seriously affected their lives. As far as their income—after the death of their father and elder brother, this family is... worthless to them.

—————

——Why do you allow me to stay by your side?

Even the Duke of Orleans was startled when Gemma "asked" the question.

He did consider winning Gemma's favor, especially when he didn't even have a trustworthy person around him, he didn't even need Gemma to do something, sometimes some clues revealed inadvertently were enough for him to do something. He made an important decision, but after inquiring about Gemma in that village, he felt more genuine sympathy for her.

—Do you need me to do something for you?

—If not, why are you so kind to a lowly little person like me?

The Duke thought for a while, there were only the two of them in the room temporarily, and the cat was purring slightly in his pocket.

"I don't know what to say," he put down the document in his hand: "Gemma, although it's a bit harsh, I don't think you can do anything for me-of course I want to thank you for listening to me during the riots." But now, obviously, the person who brought you to me doesn’t trust you anymore, he is worried that you will be conquered or bought by me, and you are indeed a small person, no one will tell you any important secrets—— So, Gemma, I let you stay here, it can be said that most of it is out of pity for a weak person, and a small part of it is dissatisfaction with Father Clarice."

He looked directly at Gemma.

"Perhaps such a description and description will make you feel ashamed and angry, but Gemma, the priest, and those who threw stones at you (Note 1), the latter may just be selfish or indifferent, but your former master , Father Clarice, but it reminds me - I don't know if you have seen how people tame wild - like the Tartars, they like to tame falcons to hunt and scout for them, but that bird of prey It is not so easy to obey, so...they blindfolded them and prevented them from drinking, eating and sleeping. They feed and water, and after a few rounds, the wild falcons succumb out of gratitude and unbearable torture."

He smiled, "Don't look at me like that, well, I admit that this method was also used by Bishop Richelieu and Bishop Mazarin." That Mrs. Milady was branded and imprisoned. Person: "But I can swear to God, neither I nor my brother have used this method."

——You don’t need it either.

"Thank you for your compliment." The Duke stroked the green and black stubble that had grown out of his hard work these past few days, thinking that he should shave later, and said casually, "But if you are France,” he said, “the king will beheaded all the way down from Father Clarice—how can they treat the descendants of a loyal man like this?! I can’t understand it, but it doesn’t prevent me from giving those two loyal men some The reward is for his daughter and sister."

—you know what I did...

"I know," said the duke, "but I've been on the battlefield, and I've been to the wounded barracks, and I know what it's like to be wounded and to die."

Ordinary people might shy away from this kinslayer, but the duke saw a lot of people who were worse than death—many were hit by bullets and shells before the king introduced wizard's potions and compensation and pensions into the army After the soldiers who survived by luck were cut off by the "doctor" or the executioner in the army with an axe (otherwise the fever might be 100%), even if they didn't have a fever, some people still couldn't bear the pain The torture and despair brought about by him begged others to kill him all day long.

In addition to pain, wounded and amputated soldiers can only go home, and after returning home, they cannot work in workshops and fields, and can only become beggars, refugees or a drag on their families. Their future is dark , hopeless - so people, usually their best friends and brothers, do it.

These people were later pardoned by the king. Maybe it was a bit unbelievable for the duke who had never been to the battlefield and met the people at the bottom, but for the duke who had experienced both, he had to understand those people, And Gemma in front of him, it's not difficult at all.

Without parents, without a sister, would those people who disappeared without a trace after the accident suddenly come out to take care of them? If these children are healthy, it’s fine, even if they become beggars or thieves, they can still live Go on, but they are sick... Just put yourself in your shoes and you won't blame a woman in her twenties.

"You may be guilty, but no one can judge you here," said the duke, returning his attention to the papers: "I cannot, the priest cannot, only God and the victim can judge you." At least he In Gemma's situation, all he could think of was this method.

Gemma bent her knees, and walked away without a sound, just like the "woman caught in adultery". At least on the surface, it was impossible to see whether her heart was touched.

"It's really just a moment of mercy." The Duke said: "When things here are over, I will take her to France, a place where no one knows her, and she can start again." Let her make up her own mind.

Maozai stepped on the document and abandoned the original topic: "These people actually allow you to participate in military projects."

"It's not allowed, I'm a creditor now." Before coming, the Duke of Orleans didn't expect the situation of the Catalans to be so... Subtle, the bravery of the Catalans is undeniable, but the problem is theirs. Looseness can also go hand in hand with the former - the riots in Roussillon made the Duke discover many problems. If he hadn't insisted on intervening, the riots caused by these Catalans might have been more than a few special decorations on the tree There is no other result.

So when these impudent fellows again sought, or asked for, aid, the Duke brought out his purse.

Note 1: The Bible says that the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and asked her to stand among them. And he said to Jesus, Master, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. Moses commanded us in the law to stone such women to death. What do you think should be done with her? They said this to tempt Jesus, that they might have something to accuse him. But Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.

They still kept asking him, but Jesus straightened up and said to them, whoever is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her. So he bent down and wrote on the ground with his fingers. When they heard this, they went out one by one from the oldest to the youngest. Only Jesus remained. And the woman is still standing in the middle.

Jesus straightened up and said to her, Woman, where are those people? Has no one condemned you? She said, Lord, no. Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. go. Sin no more from now on.

What the Duke means here is that those who say they want to punish Gemma should first look at the crimes they have carried. Factional disputes emerged among the people, and Gemma's father and elder brother unfortunately became the victims of the strife, which led to a series of events that followed. Father Clarice was not the instigator, but the indifference and narrow-mindedness of the superiors made him angry. Gemma's mother and Gemma's lack of self-love... Some people will not understand the difficulty if they have not suffered.