The days of being a spiritual mentor in Meiman

In winter, the tree's branches, a dry gray, look thicker than the trendiest comb in a Bagley Avenue boutique, with rough patches and knots growing denser along thicker and thicker branches, When it comes to the trunk part, it has been connected into one piece.

Under the tree, the ladies in woolen skirts and fur shawls held handbags. When they stepped on the scattered soil beside the flower bed, they frowned their carefully drawn eyebrows. They breathed out lightly, and the white mist When it spit out from between the graceful lips, it was frozen in the cold air.

Just when they were complaining about the weather with their companions, a newsboy passing by on a bicycle brought a gust of wind, which made their skirts dance. smiley.

Dinglingling—— the bicycle bell rang lightly, and there was a snap sound, a somewhat worn-out boot stepped on the snow, a hand wearing a thick glove reached into the arms of his coat, and took out a newspaper , into the mailbox.

The newsboy grabbed the end of his glove and pulled the sleeve forward again. He shrugged his shoulders, as if he felt a little cold, but he still stretched out his hand and patted the bell on the mailbox vigorously.

Just when he sighed, held on to the handlebar of the bicycle, and stepped on the pedal, suddenly, he looked up at the house number of this house again, and stopped his movements.

Not long after, a man dressed as a housekeeper came out from the gate of the manor, holding an old-fashioned newspaper folder and a small brown paper bag in his hand.

When the newsboy saw his figure, he straddled his bicycle, put his foot on the ground, rubbed his hands, and breathed out a mouthful of white mist.

The butler stepped forward, took out the newspaper that the newsboy had just delivered, clamped it with a newspaper clip, and then handed the brown paper bag to the newsboy.

The newsboy took off a glove and separated the mouth of the kraft paper bag with his fingers. As soon as he opened it, thick steam came out of it. Looking closely, he found an apple pie inside, and the soft heart was still emitting puffs of air. It sounded like it had just been heated in the fireplace.

The newsboy quickly folded the brown paper bag, ignored the fact that the apple pie was hot, stuffed it directly into his coat, then smiled and said to the housekeeper, Thank you, Professor Rodriguez, he is such a good man!

The butler also smiled, looked at the little newsboy who was only in his early ten years in front of him, waved to him, and then watched his figure pedaling hard, disappearing at the end of the street.

He turned around, pushed open the gate of the manor, walked through the front garden and front hall, walked straight in, then climbed the stairs, crossed the covered bridge on the second floor, and came to the study at the back. He knocked on the door, and inside A calm and powerful voice came: Please come in.

He pushed open the door, and saw the afternoon sun shining on the floor of the study, leaving the shape of the window lattice and revealing the fine fibers of the carpet.

When he walked in, he heard the rustling sound of the radio, and then there came the most frequently heard voice in the city:

...Shockingly, Gorbachev officially signed the order for major disarmament yesterday. It is not difficult for us to see from this move that the giant bear in the distance has gradually weakened and cannot support itself...

In this winter, the people there are living extremely cold, and they are about to lose all their initiative. Even the army they were most proud of can't keep...

Gorbachev, an heir to the altar, has not shown any talent to match his reputation. Where will the future of this great country go? We can only wait and see...

A hand reached out to the button of the radio, and with a click, the news broadcast inside stopped. Schiller took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, leaned his body on the back of the chair and said, Thank you , Merkel, did you hear the news just now?

Yes, sir. The housekeeper called Merkel was turning around and taking out an iron for ironing newspapers from the small storage room next to the study, and he replied with his back to Schiller.

How do you think things will play out? Will it be as he said?

Merkel paused when he unfolded the newspaper. He looked up at Schiller, and found that Schiller took out a medical record and was writing again. Merkel lowered her head and said while ironing the newspaper: To be honest, I don't know, I've never had a problem with that, sir.

Schiller put on his glasses again, and while examining the words he wrote, he said, To be honest, when I asked Alfred to introduce me to a housekeeper, I didn't expect that the person he was looking for would be So young.

I thought that butlers were born like Alfred, with white hair and elegant temperament. Schiller smiled, and Merkel also smiled. He said, Sir, the butler from the butler school Butlers tend to find customers who are close to their own age, and customers also like to find butlers who are similar to their own age.

If the housekeeper is too young, not only will he not be able to be a helper, but he may even be a burden. However, if the housekeeper is too old, some family parents will worry that they will control their children.

However... Merkel shook her head and said: Hereditary housekeepers are different. They are deeply trusted by the family. They often assist the grandfather, then the father, and then the son. If there is a chance, they may also Will assist grandson...

Which butler school did you graduate from?

Merkel shook her head again and said with a smile: The butler school is different from the university. There is no distinction of graduation. When I was in the second year of university in London, I was spotted by an old butler from a hereditary butler family. his apprentice.

There is a manor in the south of England, which is specially used to teach us new butlers. There are about six or seven people like me. We call it the butler school.

So, you're still an apprenticeship? Schiller asked.

Merkel nodded and said: Anyone who wants to join this industry knows that the hereditary butler family has all the contacts. If you want to become a qualified butler, you can only learn from them.

So, you are the first generation of the hereditary butler family?

Merkel smiled and said, Thank you for your good words.

At this moment, the doorbell rang again, passing through the empty hall and dark corridors of the manor, and when it reached the study, it was already a little dull.

Merkel hung up the iron, spread out the newspaper, and turned away to receive the incoming guests.

When he pushed open the gate of the manor, he saw a rather low-key black classic car parked outside. The door opened, and Alfred walked out holding Aisha. He put Aisha down first, and then went to give Dick, still in the car, opened the door.

Both children, one big and one small, were wearing thick winter clothes. Dick tried to pull off the scarf that covered half of his face, and then said, Is this the teacher's home? It's too luxurious!

Merkel hurried up, he helped Alfred hold Aisha, Alfred turned around and wrapped Dick's scarf, and the two walked towards the manor together.

In the hall, the children were allowed to take off their scarves, hats, and gloves. Merkel hung the clothes on the hangers in the same way. Alfred looked at the manor. He said to Merkel: You've been working for a week, how do you feel?

Very good. Merkel nodded. He said, Mr. Rodriguez is much easier to get along with than I thought.

It's still the same point, Merkel, don't express your opinions on the people you serve. Alfred raised his eyelids, rolled them up, and looked at Merkel.

This butler is indeed very young. Although he looks like he is in his thirties from the outside, it is actually because of his old-fashioned appearance. In fact, he is only 28 years old this year, and he has only received training for a short time.

However, he looks simple and honest, and his temperament is also very calm. At first glance, he feels that this person can be trusted. Alfred walked over and patted him on the shoulder and said, You are born for this job.

Thank you, Mr. Pennyworth. I thought it would be a long time before I got my first job. After all... Merkel shook her head and said, Many people don't trust young housekeepers very much.

They led the two children up the stairs, and while walking, Alfred said, I heard from Bruce that this professor is a very kind person, so I recommend you to him, a man older than you. Big customers are more likely to tolerate some small faults.

To be honest, I did mess up some things this week. Merkel sighed, and said a little embarrassedly: Mr. Rodriguez is used to going to bed late, and I can't go to bed too early, but this It will make me a little distracted when I work during the day, and I almost broke a globe on the desk last time...

Besides, he told me that whenever the newsboys come to deliver newspapers, they have to bring them something to eat, but I forgot one time in the middle...

It's okay, Merkel, it's all normal, it's just a little mistake, you can't imagine how much trouble I caused when I first came into contact with the job of housekeeper.

Speaking, Alfred talked about some interesting things that happened when he just met Thomas Wayne, and both of them laughed.

Dick took Elsa's hand from behind and looked at it. He said, The British accent is really difficult to understand, isn't it?

Wow wow wow! Wow!

What? You want to learn? That's not okay. After that, won't I understand what you say?

Soon, Merkel walked to the door of Schiller's study, knocked on the door, and after Schiller answered, he opened the door and walked in.

Alfred stepped forward first, opened his suitcase, and took out an exquisitely packaged but not ostentatious gift box. He said:

I have known you for a long time, Professor Rodriguez, I just heard from the radio this morning that your new achievement was awarded again...

I think such a good news is very worthy of celebration, so I brought a little gift.

Just as a reminder of the little academic dreams I didn't take away from the rainy days in London.

As he spoke, the old man turned the corners of his mouth down, showing a funny sad expression, which caused several people to laugh. Schiller took the gift box and handed it to Merkel.

Merkel opened the gift box, revealing several hardcover volumes of Sherlock Holmes. Alfred gently stroked his palm and said, Originally, I proposed to Mr. Bruce to give Shakespeare, but he said, Maybe you'll like this better.

Schiller took the books from Merkel, stroked the gold-plated text on the cover, and said with a smile: I didn't even know that Bruce knew me so well. Usually, he and Professor Victor's The relationship is better, which makes me a little bit jealous.

Alfred also smiled. He turned around and pulled Dick and Aisha over. Dick stared at Schiller timidly, as if he was a little afraid of such a teacher-like character.

Actually, I also know that Bruce should have caused a lot of trouble. His mind has always been a little too active, but I think Dick should be a good student. Although he entered the school late, his grades in all subjects are good...

Schiller squatted down, looked Dick at the same level, looked him in the eyes, and said, I can tell that this is an obedient kid.

Then he touched Dick's head, stood up again, looked at Alfred and said: As I wrote in my reply to you before, he and his sister can come here every week from now on. Three hours of class.

I'll teach Dick grammar and some elementary psychology and sociology.

As for Aisha, as we said before, I will give her some basic sensory integration training to promote the development of her language system as much as possible...

Then I will trouble you, Professor Rodriguez.