2043 Retire old age and return home
Gulu, Gulu.
The trivial sound of tires scraping against the gravel on the ground made a slight noise, and the car fell into a brief silence, as if time suddenly came to a brief standstill..
Philip waited for a moment, but did not wait for Renly's response. His peripheral vision did not drift to the rearview mirror, but looked straight ahead, and continued to say, "This is a carefully considered decision. I am already old. If I continue, There are only a few years left, it’s time to retire and enjoy your old age..”
Renly still didn't speak, just listened quietly..
Philip couldn't help but feel a little nervous. This is Renly's ability - from childhood to adulthood, Renly has always been able to show calmness and wisdom beyond his years. The aura suppressed by him has always been invisible. Can make people uneasy, even George and Elizabeth.
But Philip quickly calmed down and continued, "This is not an easy decision. I hope to tell the young master and ladies in person. I informed Miss Elf in London, and then informed Miss Edith in Istanbul, and then again Went to Los Angeles and told Master Arthur.”
Finally, he came to New Orleans and told Renly face to face.
There was silence in the carriage again. Renly turned to look out the window, quietly gazing at the gurgling city scenery, like a colorful stream with ripples. He could faintly see fields and rivers passing through it, and the entire city. There is a powerful and wild force coming towards you.
In New Orleans, this city inherits the past and accommodates change but always refuses to change its essence. This city inherits the nobility and embraces the slaves but never really moves forward. This city awakens Renly's memory of London and is always out of place. In the city, Philip bid farewell to Renly and announced his decision to retire and return to his hometown. He always felt that something was destined, and he returned to London in a trance..
New Orleans, London; London, New Orleans. These two completely different cities, at this time, the boundaries are blurred in Renly's sight..
“What are your plans after retirement? "Renly finally spoke..
Philip was still staring straight ahead and driving with concentration, but his reaction was not slow at all, "Originally, I thought about going to the lake area to retire, turning over the soil for my garden, and then occasionally taking a walk next to the lake to try and see. What would it be like to relax and live? But this time I changed my mind slightly. I left the European continent and experienced different cultures and scenery. I thought, maybe it’s time to see how much the world has changed..”
“Well, you should at least learn how to use a smartphone." Renly said jokingly, and the atmosphere in the carriage seemed to relax slightly..
Phillip also nodded gently, "Maybe.”
Renly withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Philip's side face in the driver's seat. He just stared at it quietly for a long time. After a long time, he said calmly, "Philip, do you remember? Once, I asked you, Why do you like the career of housekeeper? Is it just because you inherited the career from your father?？”
“I still remember your answer." Renly's mouth curved slightly, as if he was lost in memories, "You said that you like things to be in order, everything has its own structure and order, and everyone also Everyone has their own persistence. Some rules will inevitably disappear with the advancement of the times, but persistence will not. Maybe it is stupid, maybe it is decadent, but everyone should have the belief they want to stick to. Even if they are eliminated by the times.”
Those plain and simple words did not have too many ups and downs, but they were just quietly recalling the passing years..
But Philip could feel the weight on his shoulders adding up bit by bit, as heavy as a thousand stones. The hints hidden in the words made him faintly uneasy. Philip was about to speak again and make some excuses. Renly But he took the lead and said, "Philip, do you know? After getting in the car, you never looked into my eyes once.".”
Philip subconsciously glanced at the rearview mirror, and then saw Renly's clear and bright eyes, and their eyes collided together..
The corners of Renly's mouth slightly raised in an arc, as if to say: I caught you..
This made Philip a little embarrassed.
Philip knew Renly, and he knew Renly very well. Renly had never been an aimless personality - his sensitivity and wisdom could always detect details that others would not notice; therefore, in order to successfully deceive Renly, he did I was fully prepared and practiced it over and over again without missing a beat. I just hoped that I could deceive Renly without causing any splash or arouse any suspicion..
He almost succeeded, just a little bit.
Looking into Renly's eyes through the rearview mirror, Philip opened his mouth and tried to make a last-ditch effort, "...Master Renly, I just...I'm just tired. Denise Stevens has already I have retired, and now it is my turn to retire. As you told me, life will still face parting after all. The only difference is that it is earlier or later, but no matter what, we cannot be prepared. Be able to accept it calmly. That year, you were only seven years old.”
Renly just looked at Philip quietly without saying a word: he didn't believe it..
Philip once told him that if he could, he would like to be a butler who will always be on standby until the day he can no longer walk, just like an actor who wishes to die on the stage, they have dedicated their lives to themselves Persevere and work hard to achieve your best dreams.
Philip also once told him that housekeeping is not a job for him, but a kind of enjoyment. Whenever he sees everything falling into place smoothly and orderly according to his own arrangements, he can feel an unprecedented feeling. Satisfaction, even more than any kind of joy and happiness.
He didn't believe that Philip in this situation would want to retire early, just like he didn't believe that one day he would get tired of the stage and the camera, which were the only source of happiness and passionate motivation in their lives. The moment they gave up, they also announced Death, direct death at the soul level.
Maybe others can't understand it, but Renly can relate to it.
Philip realizes that he has failed, that he cannot convince Renly, and for the first time in his history, there are cracks in his image of the perfect butler..
“Who can make you choose to retire early? "Renly whispered softly, "Only George.”
“Sir did not force me. I did it voluntarily." Philip's words are extremely firm and have no flaws, because this is the truth..
But Renly caught another flaw, "You didn't say it wasn't him..”
Phillip was stunned like this.
Philip only said that George did not force him, but he did not say that it was not George. This was the flaw. Philip also tried to quibble. He could respond in many ways. He also prepared all kinds of excuses, even the back-up tactics to make the lie come true. He had thought about it all, but he didn't have the confidence to deceive Renly..
Renly knew he was right..
There are no flaws in Philip's story, and all the ups and downs make sense. It's perfect. Renly is not Sherlock Holmes, and he can't tell the story straight away. But Renly understands Philip, and those reasons are perfect. There is no flaw in "Fireworks" from beginning to end. The only doubt is that it doesn't "look like" Philip at all. The personality behind those stories could be someone else, but it is not Philip..
Renly was just guessing. Unfortunately, he was right..
“It's George and Elizabeth, right? "The answer to the mystery has been revealed. A slight smile appeared on Renly's lips, but it was full of bitterness and loss..
“Because of the investiture ceremony? I refused to accept the award and they hurt me by hurting you? No, they can't be so stupid and low-level. Are they forcing you to hurt me, or to convince me? Obviously, they are unwilling to face this problem, or they are unwilling to lose face, so they push the problem to others. , which is completely their style. When I returned to London, they sent Elf.”
“But you refused, or maybe you just didn’t want to talk to them anymore, so you just chose to retire? You don't agree with what they did because they went against the true spirit of nobility, even destroying family honor for the sake of reputation and profit, and finally evolved into selfish monsters, right? This Hall family is no longer the Hall family you served. So you chose to retire and return home..”
There are still some deviations in the details, but the basic framework has been completely hit, and there are not many deviations in the ins and outs. Philip cannot refute or defend..
Silence is the best answer. Renly knew that he had guessed it right, but deep down in his heart, no joy or happiness could arise. There was only a coldness, and the anger began to boil like never before, even more than at the Earl of Oxford's party. The humiliation made him even more angry, because this time, they hurt not him, but Philip.
He could even imagine that the next step would be Edith or Arthur, or even Matthew. In order to achieve their goals, they would not hesitate, even if they resort to any means..
How ridiculous and absurd all this is, but the reality is not funny at all, only desolate, and that kind of anger is burning mightily.
At this moment, looking at New Orleans outside the car window again, everything became ironic: the aristocratic lords were overthrown and disintegrated here, and the former aristocrats no longer existed, and they were forced to live together with the common people. Together, they lost their money and honor, as well as their status and class, but they still maintained the Creole tradition in their bones, stubbornly and radically adhering to the inheritance of history..
“I knew I didn't like New Orleans." Renly said calmly, with a slight tremor in his soothing and plain voice..
Philip looked at the rearview mirror again, and then saw the faint glint of water in Renly's bright eyes..
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