「夫人,在您看來,男人與女人的戰爭中,究竟誰是勝者?」瓦爾蒙子爵微笑發問。181Please respect copyright.PENANAf02z6TD21c
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他靠在落地窗台前,而在露臺的另一頭,與他遙相對望的女人僅是輕搖手裡的羽毛摺扇,逕自凝視舞池中衣履光鮮的男男女女,似乎對他的問題毫不感興趣。181Please respect copyright.PENANAie4SUurQEj
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眼前的女人身著玫瑰色絲緞禮服,棗紅色長髮綰上鬆散的髻,映襯頸間白皙無瑕的肌膚;緊繃的黑蕾絲領口下,豐滿的胸脯就像是要迸出來似的;儘管鑲嵌鳥羽的威尼斯面具遮掩了部份面容,但是她豐厚的唇瓣與嘴角的美人痣,絕不會使人錯認。181Please respect copyright.PENANAFY2fpAzUlw
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梅特伊侯爵夫人。181Please respect copyright.PENANAwYiK7To7j7
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她是英國貴族之女,十六歲嫁予法國的梅特伊侯爵,二十三歲丈夫死去,膝下無子,所有的財產都由夫人繼承。這位悲傷的寡婦在守喪期滿後,便迫不及待地搬離法國,遷居威尼斯。威尼斯人天生浪漫,即使是孀居的寡婦也可以愉快地享受人生。侯爵夫人容貌艷麗,舉手投足盡是貴族少婦的韻致,而她縱情享樂,夜夜笙歌的生活方式,總是引來不少耐人尋味的傳聞。181Please respect copyright.PENANAujzFjeHHqL
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高亢的小提琴獨奏響起,預告下一首舞曲是華爾滋。181Please respect copyright.PENANAhGAgDOXiPu
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瓦爾蒙子爵邁步走向梅特伊夫人,俯身行了一個華麗的大禮。181Please respect copyright.PENANAipmRu9vldO
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「夫人,我可有幸您共舞?」181Please respect copyright.PENANAoXov7OiA7T
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夫人對他的殷勤視若無睹,轉頭將目光投向窗外。181Please respect copyright.PENANAtYttwKXafe
181Please respect copyright.PENANANXpHU7Wiyc
底下的運河波光粼粼,船夫傳唱著悠遠的船歌。181Please respect copyright.PENANATzQKIBVFuC
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或許她正在心底嗤笑他。181Please respect copyright.PENANAt8MhfsuAFG
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沒關係。181Please respect copyright.PENANAgfuXNo2t9H
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他從第一眼就看出來,她和他是同類 - 181Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1DYCP7rIS
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只喜歡最危險的遊戲。181Please respect copyright.PENANAzJDMohaJKk
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很好。181Please respect copyright.PENANAkZRCc5iGXD
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舞曲開始,在絢亮水晶吊燈的照耀下,五十對戴著珠寶面具、身著昂貴禮服和燕尾服的社交寵兒在舞池中簇擁集結,男人踩著標準舞步,女人與之曼妙旋轉,裙襬窸窣作響,奢侈的香水氣味悠然飄盪。181Please respect copyright.PENANA1jY69w6TGQ
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目前的表現都還行禮如儀。181Please respect copyright.PENANAb06nsoKa3s
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但是別忘了,這是場化妝舞會,在面具的掩蓋下,人們很快就會顯露出平時不為人知的一面。181Please respect copyright.PENANAuzCuvFUmq8
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佇立在舞池畔的是今夜舞會主人 - 梵丁男爵夫婦。181Please respect copyright.PENANA5NFO3XmHXf
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男爵年近七十,儘管爵位不高,但他投資有術,多年來積累了不少財富。瓦爾蒙子爵盯著男爵光禿的頭頂,以及肥大的肚腩,想像男爵要拚命吸氣才能穿上束腹,再來還得用上吃奶之力,才能將一身肥肉擠進燕尾服的窘境,瓦爾蒙不禁莞爾。181Please respect copyright.PENANAuQyo4mq6VU
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而這位新任男爵夫人,則曾是今年社交界最熱門的話題。181Please respect copyright.PENANAwU0wUQXiEq
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梵丁男爵去年喪偶,看在他鉅額的資產上,不少名門貴族自動忽視他的禿頭和肥肚,積極為他引薦家族中的未婚少女,他卻以無法忘懷亡妻為由,拒絕所有人的邀約。181Please respect copyright.PENANAhKXaOW2gNb
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那時,一位黑髮藍眼的美人,倏然現身在威尼斯的社交圈內,當時還引發一陣不小的騷動,據說她有一半阿拉伯貴族血統,舉手投足都充滿著異國風情。頭一回,她在卡斯提里安伯爵夫人的伴護下,參觀皇家賽艇活動,不小心將杯中紅酒全潑在男爵身上,也許在男爵更衣時,發生過某些不可言明之事,讓這位異國美人成功擄獲男爵的心,就在兩個月後,整個社交界都獲邀參加兩人豪奢的婚禮。181Please respect copyright.PENANAU79dJLcTvE
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據傳,這段佳話與梅特伊夫人有關。181Please respect copyright.PENANAxs0OPZyAm7
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「如果梵丁男爵繼續放縱享樂,只怕他將不久於人世,而他那豐厚的家產,自然是由他的夫人繼承,可悲呀,男人一生汲汲營營,最後辛苦的成果都握在女人手中,我猜男爵過世後,他美麗的小妻子就會迅速找到新的情郎。」瓦爾蒙子爵奚落。181Please respect copyright.PENANALNVogKTvRc
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夫人啪地合上手扇,輕斥道:「這麼說太失禮了,爵爺。」181Please respect copyright.PENANAp7yrWnIZuL
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「我終於贏得妳的注意了,親愛的夫人。」181Please respect copyright.PENANAeGdEKxHw94