第539章 面对
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昨晚的更新有事耽搁了,年底来了真是忙碌,头疼……
第二天早茶的时候,得以跟国王共坐一桌的人较前夜多了几个。更多小说ltxs520.com贵妇气质尽显的老侯爵夫人,老侯爵的长子人至中年却依旧风度翩翩的家族继承人,菲特莱尔的夫人,也即国务秘书肖特-奥-格雷迪的母亲,还有庄园主人德尔-奥-格雷迪浓妆艳抹、珠光宝气的夫人以及他们年轻漂亮的女儿。
坐在餐桌旁的每一个人,衣饰华美、发型考究,举止优雅、言语得体,若将这个场面描绘成画,或许没有比“国王与贵族”更适合的标题了。旧的爱尔兰王国失落有多远,奥-格雷迪家族便有多久时间没有沐浴在王权的荣光下。在法理上,他们这些人早已等同于平民大众,然而在他们的骨子里,在他们的灵魂深处,依然有着绵延不绝的贵族传承,他们一代代蛰伏,一代代积攒力量,苦苦等待着重现昔日的光辉。此时此刻,尊贵的国王就坐在他们面前,他们离这个家族几百年来所做的同一个梦仅有咫尺之遥,每一张脸庞、每一双眼睛,都写满了诚挚的期待。
“陛下昨晚……休息得好吗?”老侯爵的话看似普通寒暄,断句的方式却别有内涵。
夏树语气平淡地回答道:“一路旅途劳顿,有个安静舒服的地方就能睡上好觉。”
老侯爵转向坐在夏树身旁的夏洛特,彬彬有礼地问:“那么尊贵的希尔小姐呢?在这里住的还习惯吧?”
不管是贵族对平民,还是平民对平民,大可不必用“尊贵的”作为前缀,老侯爵这时显然是在刻意讨好夏洛特。
夏洛特虽无贵族头衔,却出身于正统的贵族家庭,她非常得体地回应说:“您太客气了,这里的招待已经安排得很好了。”
一番不显山露水的客套恭维之后,众人开始进餐,席间安安静静,只偶尔有刀叉摩擦餐盘的声音传出,每个人的姿势仪态都符合严格的贵族教养,彼此的交流只限于各自修炼的眉来眼去。等到大家用餐完毕,仆从们换上茶点,老侯爵侧过身正对夏树,毕恭毕敬地说:
“陛下,昨晚我等聆听了您的教诲,感觉收获极丰,欣悦之至,整晚都无心睡眠。长久以来,格雷迪家族的成员们只是为了生存而生存,终年忙碌却没有一个方向。现在我们想清楚了,我们是爱尔兰的子民,接受王国的庇护,有绝对的义务为国效力。跟普通人相比,我们接受的知识教育、获得的家族传承以及所拥有的先天资源都占有优势,所以我们可以也理应为我们的国家、为王室做出更多的贡献。从陛下来到爱尔兰开始,这个国家就一直在发生积极的变化,我们坚定地相信,陛下是圣主派来引导爱尔兰走出黑暗、走向光明的使者,我谨在此代表格雷迪家族全体无条件向您宣誓效忠只要您一声令下,我们将义无反顾地为您献上一切!”
这番近乎露骨的表白,俨然说明了老侯爵及其代表的格雷迪家族在大是大非的问题上所作出的抉择。夏树没有像昔日的君主那样欣然接受贵族和骑士们的效忠,正如他昨晚对夏洛特所说,如今的爱尔兰已非传统的君主制国家,自由平等之信仰扎根于民众内心,他们能够接受一定程度的贫富差距和阶级差异,但要让在独立战争及建国之初那形势最艰难的时期贡献寥寥的旧贵族们凌驾于自己之上,世代享受特权,民众必然产生抵触心理。若是外国势力趁机煽动,国家的统治根基都会受到动摇。孰轻孰重,一目了然。
神情淡然地盯着老侯爵看了有半分钟,夏树用刚毅如铁的语气说道:“我知道,诸位对爱尔兰的热爱不逊于任何人,但是,我并不是一个在爱尔兰出生长大的人,对它的历史渊源和文化传统了解有限,我无法通过我个人的见识认知去判断哪个家族配得上贵族身份,哪个家族早已堕落不堪,所以,你们若想要恢复自己家族昔日的光辉,请用现实行动来证明自己。”
老侯爵几乎没有任何迟疑,他语速飞快地应道:“请放心,陛下,我们会通过不懈的努力得到您的认可,对此我们有十足的信心。”
夏树点点头,然后朝给自己当国务秘书的肖特-奥-格雷迪脸上扫了一眼,对老侯爵说:“一个能够培养出栋梁之才的家族,是值得期待的。”
老侯爵眯眼笑道:“肖特能够得到您的青睐,我们所有人都感到非常荣幸。”
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