Chapter 4 Chapter Four

The next day was an extraordinary day. I officially visited the Rothlich family. The doctor's house is located at the end of the Batiani Embankment, on the corner of the Daiquiri Boulevard.Dai Kaili Avenue surrounds the whole city and has different names in different areas.The doctor's house is an old mansion, but it is elegant in style, with extremely modern interior decoration. The interior decoration is magnificent, yet simple and elegant, and the furniture decoration reflects the noble artistic taste of the owner. The main entrance for carriages and horses faces Dai Kaili Street. There are two wooden pillars on both sides of the gate, and two potted plants are placed on the top of the pillars, which grow vigorously. There is a side door beside it.After entering through the door, there is a large courtyard with stones on the ground.A fence separates the courtyard from the garden.The garden is full of elms, poplars, chestnuts, and beech, with luxuriant branches and leaves, and the treetops are higher than the fence.The long fence stretched all the way to the next-door neighbor's house.There is an irregular green lawn in the garden, with clusters of shrubs growing on it, and occasionally several oval flower beds.The winding path was deep under the shade of trees, and the road was covered with ivy.In the depths of the garden, a sea of ​​colorful flowers greets the eye.There is a poultry farm at the corner on the right. On both sides of it are two eye-catching buildings whose walls are covered with green rattan, which looks like a green curtain is hung.On the right there is a small building with a kitchen on the ground floor, next to a room where the servants work, a woodshed, a garage (in which two carriages are parked), a stable (for three horses), a washroom, The kennel; the second floor, lit by shutters, has a bathroom, ironing room, servants' bedrooms, and a specially shaped staircase connects the two floors.The walls between the 6 windows on the second floor are covered with vines and aristolochia, and lush rose branches lean against the wall.

A corridor with leaky windows and stained glass connects the side floors with the main floor, and ends at the ground floor of the 60-foot round tower.There are two buildings on the right side of the round tower, which intersect to form a corner.In the round tower, an iron ladder spirals upwards, leading to the second and third floors. The roof of the third floor is compound folding, and the window frames are carved with exquisite patterns. There is a glass flower hall in front of the house, and the sun shines from the southeast, filling the flower hall.There are several doors in the flower hall, all of which are hung with antique tapestries, leading to Dr. Rothlich's studio, the spacious living room and dining room respectively.These rooms all face the Martiani Embankment and the Daiquiri Street side, with 6 large windows lined up.

The layout of the second floor is similar to that of the first floor. Above the living room is the bedroom of Mr. Rothlich and his wife. Above the dining room is the room where Captain Haralan lived when he returned to Raz for vacation. Above the doctor's studio is Miss Mira's boudoir. Her study room has three windows, one facing the embankment, one facing the street, and the other overlooking the garden, which is similar to the structure of the aisle windows on the entire floor. I must confess that I had some idea of ​​the layout of the house before my visit.In the small talk of the night before, Mark gave me a detailed introduction.He didn't miss every tiny part of the girl's boudoir.I even knew where Mademoiselle Mira sat at the table, which seat she preferred in the drawing-room, and which bench she liked best in the back of the garden, under the beautiful chestnut tree.

To get down to business again, the pointed vault of the tower is inlaid with large stained glass, and the light comes from here.Climbing up from the stairs is a circular pavilion, walking on the circular platform, and looking up, you can have a panoramic view of the whole city and the winding Danube. At around 1:00 pm, Mark and I were warmly received by the host family in the glass flower hall.In the center of the flower hall, there is a finely carved copper flowerpot stand, and the flowers in the flowerpots are blooming one after another. In the corner of the hall, there are several pots of tropical shrubs: palm, dragon's blood, South American fir... the walls of the reception room and the living room are hung He has several oil paintings of the Hungarian and Dutch genres, which Marc admires very much.

From the easel in the left corner, I saw a portrait of Mademoiselle Mira.I appreciate it carefully, and it is indeed a good painting. It is worthy of the hand of the painter who signed it-this name is the most affectionate in the world to me. Dr. Rothlich is around 50, but he looks younger than his actual age. He is tall, straight, with a gray beard, thick hair, ruddy complexion, strong physique, and invulnerable to all diseases.He exuded the original temperament of a true Magyar, his earnest eyes, firm will, noble posture, revealing a natural arrogance, but it was diluted by the deep smile on his handsome face.I found in him a military air.He did serve in the army when he was young, and then he retired and went home.When I was introduced to him, a warm hand held mine tightly, and I felt that standing in front of me was the most upright and kind-hearted person in the world.

Mrs. Rothlich is 45 years old and still retains the beauty of her youth. She has a well-proportioned face, a pair of blue eyes, a head of beautiful long hair that has turned gray, and a slender mouth. With white and neat teeth, she is still very slender.Although she is Hungarian, she is quiet and gentle, a good woman, a typical good wife and mother.She found perfect happiness in her husband's side.As a far-sighted mother, she devoted all her maternal love to her two children.She believes in Catholicism devoutly, and does not ask why, but only earnestly fulfills the obligations of a Catholic.I was deeply moved by the genuine kindness shown by Mrs. Rothlich to me.She was very happy to host Mark Vidal's brother at home and hoped he would keep it as his own home.

How about Mira Rotelich?She smiled and stretched out her hands. It should be said that she stretched out her arms and walked towards me!yes!She embraced me like a sister, and I embraced her lovingly, indeed, she will soon be my sister!Mark was by the side, full of envy and jealousy. "I'm not even here!" he said sourly. "No, sir," replied Mademoiselle Mira, "you are not my brother, you! . . . " What Miss Rothlich and Mark described was exactly what I saw in the painting.This young girl has a beautiful and charming face, soft blonde hair, lively and playful, beautiful blue eyes shining with light of wisdom, her complexion is ruddy, which is unique to the Hungarian nation, her lips are sharp, and her lips are slightly parted, showing whiteness the teeth of.She is above average in stature, with a light walk, graceful and demure.She is extraordinary and free from vulgarity, but she is by no means artificial or pretentious.

I remembered that others commented that Mark's paintings were more realistic than her own. In my opinion, Mira herself was more vivid than the portraits, and she naturally exuded a charming and charming demeanor. Like her mother, Miss Milla Rothlich was dressed in fashionable clothes, but in the cut and color of the Magyar national costume, she wore a tight-collared shirt with a gold A woven belt; the lower body is wearing a pleated skirt that is ankle-length, which looks elegant and chic, and a pair of golden brown high-top leather shoes on the feet. Captain Haralan is dressed in a military uniform and looks very heroic. He looks a lot like his sister;He reached out to meet me and hugged me like a brother, although we met only yesterday, we have become close friends.

All the Rothlichs I wanted to know were here. We went from one topic to another, chatting endlessly: my journey from Paris to Vienna, the trip on the Danube, my work in Paris, how I spend my time, the beautiful city I am about to visit. The city of Raz; there is also the charming Danube river shimmering, I should at least take a boat to Belgrade, so that it can be considered a good swim; and the rich cultural relics in the Magyar area, the famous Puwangtao that tourists from all over the world yearn for, etc. "It's a pleasure to see you by our side, Mr. Vidal!" Miss Mira folded her palms gracefully and kept saying, "We are very worried about your stay on the road for so long. Receive your We've just been relieved by the letter from Pace."

"It's a sin for me to delay so much on the road, Miss Mira." I said, "If I had taken the train, I would have arrived half a month ago. But in that case, the Hungarian people will not forgive me for neglecting the beautiful Danube, They are all proud of it, and the Danube certainly lives up to its name." "You are right, Mr. Vidal, this river is our pride, and the section from Pressburg to Belgrade belongs to us." "For the sake of the Danube, we forgive you, Monsieur Vidal," said Madame Rötlich. "But the condition is that you continue the unfinished journey in the future!" Miss Mira said.

"You can see, Henry dear," Mark told me, "that you keep everybody waiting so impatiently." "There is still curiosity." Miss Mira declared, "I want to meet Mr. Henry Vidal, his brother admires him very much, and he is full of praise for you in front of us." "Praise himself, too?" Captain Haralan quipped. "Brother, what are you talking about!" Miss Mira objected. "Sister, it should be like this, the two brothers look so alike!" "Yes... a pair of twins," I said in the same tone, "so, Captain, since you value one so much, you shouldn't forget the other. I can count on you. Mark is so busy, I really don't care." Count on him to be my tour guide..." "At your command, dear Vidal!" Captain Haralan replied. We chatted for a long time again, and this happy and happy family made me feel very cordial.What impresses me the most is that Mrs. Rothlich looked at her daughter and Mark tenderly with a blissful expression on her face. In her heart, the two have become one. The doctor talks about his trips abroad.He had fond memories of traveling to Italy, Switzerland, Germany and France, especially France, and they even traveled to Brittany and Provence.When they talk about my country, they use French, so when?I also struggled to speak in my tangled Magyar each time, which obviously pleased them.As for my brother, he speaks Magyar as well as his mother tongue.There is every reason to believe that he has been deeply influenced by the Magyars.According to Élysée Recluse, this influence was growing among the peoples of Central Europe. Ah, Paris!Ah, Paris!The most beautiful city in the world, but it has to be ranked behind Raz, because the city of Raz is second to none!No need to bother looking for other reasons.For Mark, the city of Raz is enough, because there is Mira Rotelich in Raz! Would he still insist on Mira accompanying him back to Paris?There are monuments, beauties, artistic wealth, cultural treasures, amazing collections in museums, not even comparable to Rome, Florence, Munich, Dresden, The Hague and Amsterdam!I am also deeply impressed by the elegant taste and extraordinary attainments of this young Hungarian woman in art.I understood more and more deeply how much the beauty and beauty of this girl were alluring to my brother's tender and sensitive soul. Don't even think about going out this afternoon.The doctor has to go about his daily business.But Mrs. Rotelitch and her daughter stayed at home.They accompanied me on a tour of the house, appreciating the beautiful interior furnishings, carefully selected famous paintings and antiques, the silver tableware in the dining room cupboard, and the antique cabinets in the flower hall.In Mira's small library downstairs, there are quite a few literary works about ancient and modern France. Don't think we'll spare the gardens!of course not.We walked through the thick greenery, sat in comfortable wicker chairs under the shade, and picked some flowers from the flower beds on the lawn, one of which Miss Mira pinned on my buttonhole with her own hands. "And the tower!" Mira exclaimed, "Mr. Vidal intends to end your first visit if you don't climb the tower?" "No, Miss Mira, never!" I echoed, "Mark praises the tower in every letter, to be honest, I came to Raz not only to visit you, but also to climb the tower View." "Go ahead and leave me alone," said Mrs. Rotlich. "The tower is too high for me!" "Oh! Mom, there are only 90 steps!" "Yes... at your age, you only need to climb two grades a year." Captain Haralan said, "but stay, dear mother. I will accompany my sister, Mark and Mr. Vidal , after a while, we will find you in the garden." "We're going to heaven!" Miss Mira exclaimed excitedly. With Mira in front, we could barely keep up with her light pace. It took us only two minutes to step into the pavilion and onto the platform. All of a sudden, there are thousands of scenes in front of you. To the west is the entire city of Laz and its suburbs. The Volgang hills dominate the city. There is an old castle on the hill, and the Hungarian flag is flying on the castle tower.To the south is the curved channel of the Danube, 300 meters wide, with boats coming and going on the river, and the flow is endless.Further on, there is Puwangtao, with dense trees, like a forest park. The plains are full of crops and pastures, and continue to the mountains of Serbia Province and the military border area.In the north, there are villas, cottages and farms with pointed attics. April weather is clear and sunny, and this colorful landscape stretches to the horizon, which is pleasing to the eye.Leaning against the railing, I looked down and saw Mrs. Rothlich sitting on a stool by the grass, waving to us. At this moment, Mademoiselle Mira felt that it was necessary to explain to me: "It's the aristocratic district, you can see palaces, mansions, squares, statues... Down there, Mr. Vidal, is the commercial district, look at the streets crowded with people, it's very lively!... Danube, we can never forget our The Danube, how busy it must be at this time! . . . And the island of Swindor, with its green grass, flowers, and trees! . . . My brother will certainly show you around!" "Don't worry, sister." Captain Haralan assured, "Mr. Vidal doesn't go to every corner of Raz City, I won't spare him!" "And our church," Miss Mira went on, "you see, the bell tower of the church is full of bells! On Sunday, you will hear the crisp bells! That is St. Michael's Cathedral, look at that The majestic main building, the bell tower on the front, and the Gothic spire seem to send people's prayers to heaven! The inside is as magnificent as the outside." "Tomorrow," I said, "it will receive my visit." "Hey, sir," Miss Mira asked, turning to Mark, "I showed your brother the cathedral. What are you looking at?" "City Hall, Miss Mira, a little to the right, high roof, big windows, clock tower for telling the time, the courtyard in the middle, especially the immortal staircase inside..." "Why do you look so enthusiastic when you lift the city hall stairs?" Mira asked. "Because it leads to a certain hall..." Mark replied, his fiery eyes fixed on his fiancée, and a thin blush appeared on Mira's face. "The lobby?" she asked. "In the hall, I will hear with my own ears the most tender word from you... the word I have been waiting for all my life..." "Yes, dear Mark, we will make this promise ourselves in the city hall, and then ask God to bless us!" We stood for a long time on the window sill, then went down into the garden to find Frau Rothlich, who was waiting for us. I dined at the Rötlich house that day.This is the first meal I set foot on the territory of Hungary, neither in a hotel restaurant nor on a ship. Food and wine whetted my appetite.I can't help thinking that it's often said that all doctors in this country, like Dr. Rothlich, love nice things.Chilli is added to most dishes for a stronger flavor.This cooking method is popular throughout Hungary, and naturally the upper class of the Magyars are more adaptable!Although my younger brother is used to this way of eating, I have to adapt too! We spent the night together.Miss Mira sat in front of the piano several times, playing and singing songs with unique Hungarian melody in her sweet voice, including carols, laments, epics and narrative poems, which moved the audience.It was a really good night.If Captain Haralan hadn't signaled that it should be over, this joy would have lasted until late at night. We went back to the Temeswar apartment and Marc came into my room: "Well," he said, "I'm not exaggerating, is there a girl like Meera in the world..." "Another one?" I replied. "I wonder if there is such a woman in the world... Is Miss Mira Rotelitch a man of manners?" "Oh! dear Henry, how I love her!" "Oh, I'm not surprised at all, dear Mark, I only have one word to describe her, Miss Mira, and I'll say it three times: she is absolutely beautiful... absolutely beautiful... absolutely beautiful!"