Vol 2 Chapter 15: There is only one truth

In the south of Naples, near a river passing through the city, there is a large house.
One side of the house was built on a slightly higher river bank, and the other side was completely deep into the center of the river, directly built on several large reefs.
The originally wide river was suddenly narrowed due to these reefs, and the water flow also tended to be turbulent. The buildings connecting these reefs were small stone bridges.
In this way, from a distance, these houses seem to stand directly on the river.
This rather strange house is the house of Count Modillo of Naples.
Like many nobles of this era, Modillo, the Earl of Naples, was a man with a deep appreciation of art.
And if you inquire carefully, you will know that this earl himself is a painter of extraordinary skill, but compared with his level as a painter, his appreciation ability is more outstanding and admired.
Especially a few years ago, after he wrote a book on art appreciation, many Neapolitan artists have regarded the recognition of Earl Modillo as a benchmark for success.
Is just such a person, and it has been criticized at the same time as it has received countless respects.
The Modillo family is the earl of Naples for generations, which means that even the palace of the King of Naples is actually built on his territory.
Although Modillo's relationship with the king was not so harmonious in the past, as a contemporary earl of the Modillo family, Salon Modillo's relationship with the king was the worst.
This disparity even started with the father of the former king, who only hid in the monastery for a year in reign, so this tension with the royal family continued to the present King Ferdinand, As a result, many Neapolitans said that this Modillo was dead with the three generations of the king's family.
But this had nothing to do with ordinary Neapolitan people. People would like to see this nobility between the nobles, even if one of them is the king.
Salen Modillo really dissatisfied many Neapolitans because he actively cooperated with the French during the French occupation of Naples.
Although no one stood up to blame in person, in the eyes of many Neapolitans, Modillo was a Neapolitan traitor.
Just because the Modillo family has been deeply rooted for a long time, the complaints about Salon Modillo have become insignificant.
When Alexander came to Modillo's house, he just caught the servant and lit the first candle.
The candles mixed with lard and dried flower powder have a weird smell, and there are several Moorish servants in the living room near the wall who are sweating and pulling a non-stop rotating fan composed of several huge fans. The fan car, with the squeaking sound of the axle, the fan car kept blowing up the hot wind.
Salen Modillo was sitting in a chair near the fan. A painter was painting him, watching Alexander come in. He just waved his hand and gestured, then held his cheek motionless again.
Alexander walked to the easel and noticed that the portrait should be nearing completion at this time, and he was already doing complementary colors, but he also knew that the more this time, the more the test of the artist's skills, and often some great artists are in this Sometimes I can add that dazzling spirit to the whole painting with the finishing touch.
The painter seems not to care about the people watching it, even a little bit crazy, maybe to show off the difference, he suddenly took up the rag and wiped off a piece of the color that has been filled out, but readjusted the color, in the original A slightly deeper black was added to the slightly dark background.
"Strong colors can better bring out the existence of the characters," quite an artist-like painter wondered whether he was talking to himself or explaining to the neighboring Alexander. After deepening the thicker background colors in succession, he looked back Look at Alexander who said nothing. "Do you think it is better to use a stronger contrast?"
Alexander shook his head. He said that although he had seen many paintings in various galleries, many of them were masterpieces, but he was not good at painting.
Although in his view today's painting still seems to stay at the early level of relying on deepening the background color to set off the plane's perspective of the character, Alexander still has self-knowledge, at least he can't draw this level of others.
And he does n’t think it ’s a good idea to explain to others the perspective method, although it seems that in Florence, there is already a person who can be called the best in the world, trying to promote a game in the history of painting in this subversive way. revolution.
"You don't seem to be interested in art," Modillo, who was sitting on a chair, finally stood up. He walked to the easel and looked at his portrait, then bowed to the artist and thanked each other, watching the artist carefully Covering the easel with cloth and stepping back, the count reached out and motioned for Alexander to follow him towards the house on a rock on the river.
Alexander followed up casually and looked at the person in front seriously. As long as he knew it, his heart was not as calm as he looked.
Everything started with the surname "Modillo". Although it has been envisaged that one day we will meet with the surname, but I did not expect that this opportunity came so suddenly, and it was still so special.
"The messenger from Sicily," Modillo, who had walked across the stone bridge and walked into the room at this time, turned and looked at Alexander who was still standing on the bridge. "So we are now with a parliament, not Feidi. Have you dealt with King Nan's palace? "
"The parliament is loyal to the king," Alexander said, "If you draw a sword at me because of this, you can only say that you are wrong."
"Is that true." Modillo seemed to ask a simple question, and then he motioned Alexander to follow him into the room.
This house built on the reef is not large, because the surface of the reef is rugged, the ground is completely built up with wooden boards, and even the river flowing below can be seen vaguely from the gap between the wooden boards.
Alexander suddenly felt that Modillo built such a house with four walls on its back, not so much as interest, but rather to prevent someone from eavesdropping.
Sure enough, standing on the creaking board, Modillo turned to look at Alexander and said, "Okay, let us all be honest now, tell me young man, how did Gomez die."
Alexander was about to speak, but Modillo raised his hand and stopped.
"Wait a minute, I have to tell you first, I have heard a lot about Gomez ’s death. Although I ’m far from Palermo, it ’s enough to let me know a lot, so do n’t doubt my ability, and I also know who you are. "
Modillo's words made Alexander's heart jump, and then he told himself that Modillo could not know "who he is".
"In fact, Lord Miyazaki was assassinated by the French," Alexander said. He knew that as Modillo himself said, he had many ways to know what happened in Sicily. Since Alexander decided to say the truth. The French planned a riot in Palermo. Although no one knows how they did it until now, it is certain that they were conspiracy, and just in Palermo, they got some locals. help."
"The French conspiracy against Sicily?" Modillo looked at Alexandria. "How do you prove that everything you said is true, or how to prove that the other side of the lighthouse thinks that the French are playing ghosts?"
Looking at Modillo did not seem to believe it, or seemed to be troubled by it. Alexander recalled that the former ruling Camuari said that Modillo was one of the fanatical supporters of the two Sicilian reunifications.
Thinking about all the rumors about him during the French occupation of Naples, Alexander suddenly felt as if he had touched something. He thought about it a little and decided.
"Sir, when it comes to proof, I think Bishop Palermo, Alfonso, can give you a better answer." Alexander said while watching closely the look of Modillo, but he heard Alfonso's name the count There is nothing strange on his face. "Adult Bishop once received a French scholar named Fischer from the Orleans territory. The old man met many times. Only the last time was on the blood-stained night when Lord Miyazaki was killed. At that time, the respectable French scholar was with a group of thugs, and he did n’t have a pen in his hand. It ’s a sword. "
For the first time, a strange expression appeared on Modillo's face, listening calmly. He looked at Alexander seriously. After staring silently for a while, he slowly said: "I know your messenger, I know that you are a Greek from Crete. I know that you are lucky because you saved the life of the palace minister and got some kind of friendship with Gomez. I also know that you used to be Alfonso ’s private library officer. , Then what I want to ask you now is, do you say this to me, does it mean you are suggesting that your former employer, the current Bishop of Palermo, is related to Gomez ’s death? "
In response to Modillo's inquiring look, Alexander shook his head calmly: "No, sir, I didn't imply anything, nor did I accuse anyone, I just said the facts I saw with my own eyes."
"Facts?" Modillo smiled in a playful way. "Anything can have countless facts. People always like the one they want to believe."
"But there is always only one truth."
After finishing this sentence, the pressure mountain suddenly felt that he had a feeling of going to the wrong studio.
Modillo looked at Alexander with interest, and then he suddenly said: "It seems that I have to apologize for the previous rudeness, hoping that your envoy will appreciate the light again tomorrow night."
Looking at the back of Alexander's departure, Modillo's mouth twitched slightly.
"There is only one truth, what is your truth?"