「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。183Please respect copyright.PENANABGwth8Ob4V
183Please respect copyright.PENANAMZDRvObMaf
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANAuJZ5vdFbPM
183Please respect copyright.PENANAa2WEwiGrCu
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANA4POAPJIixm
183Please respect copyright.PENANAZdcPPelq1p
梅特伊侯爵夫人。183Please respect copyright.PENANAEMAQu0Eq9y
183Please respect copyright.PENANAtNWXOKrjAZ
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANAzXkCJI5cIS
183Please respect copyright.PENANAVaTJb8W1TF
高亢的小提琴獨奏響起,預告下一首舞曲是華爾滋。183Please respect copyright.PENANAEF9P3b0DT7
183Please respect copyright.PENANAsZP4e8ceFl
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANAONDwu6z6BZ
183Please respect copyright.PENANALqHCJfsMV7
「夫人,我可有幸您共舞?」183Please respect copyright.PENANA7FB7VXnobR
183Please respect copyright.PENANAyiO3JyaStJ
夫人對他的殷勤視若無睹,轉頭將目光投向窗外。183Please respect copyright.PENANAyKqoYagEbF
183Please respect copyright.PENANAr92ziRQtFv
底下的運河波光粼粼,船夫傳唱著悠遠的船歌。183Please respect copyright.PENANAv2aqhOoXSG
183Please respect copyright.PENANABNgoCmnuu1
或許她正在心底嗤笑他。183Please respect copyright.PENANAxF9e4baSXk
183Please respect copyright.PENANAwi62kAIKWG
沒關係。183Please respect copyright.PENANAtMCf6EkQKQ
183Please respect copyright.PENANA4qlqji8YWa
他從第一眼就看出來,她和他是同類 - 183Please respect copyright.PENANAqi3yPEFJav
183Please respect copyright.PENANAPkuAw2ONZ5
只喜歡最危險的遊戲。183Please respect copyright.PENANABvgufVpRpZ
183Please respect copyright.PENANAL6QRSiSO7G
很好。183Please respect copyright.PENANAK3u1Q2C0dq
183Please respect copyright.PENANAFjtf2rSmnR
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANAMtyyi377Bq
183Please respect copyright.PENANA7senAzdOe5
目前的表現都還行禮如儀。183Please respect copyright.PENANAU6IqmkXxLZ
183Please respect copyright.PENANAcphbW7MHq2
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANA2N2QtejhP7
183Please respect copyright.PENANAy5EtARiX1H
佇立在舞池畔的是今夜舞會主人 - 梵丁男爵夫婦。183Please respect copyright.PENANAIGqdYg3pIk
183Please respect copyright.PENANAF3eZciRLYL
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANAqOz9kmbFjN
183Please respect copyright.PENANAsNSZ2vb36N
而這位新任男爵夫人,則曾是今年社交界最熱門的話題。183Please respect copyright.PENANAsxSZstPo5M
183Please respect copyright.PENANAIr8NoxCFSa
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANAXQ7hMVOiUB
183Please respect copyright.PENANAsnGckegPU5
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。183Please respect copyright.PENANA1OUVALKAzo
183Please respect copyright.PENANAUziMtTCWJT
據傳,這段佳話與梅特伊夫人有關。183Please respect copyright.PENANAQbVA9IZWaU
183Please respect copyright.PENANA6Q9FYv8sg9
「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。183Please respect copyright.PENANAn2HdBFSdQV
183Please respect copyright.PENANAw7dINGIJmc
夫人啪地合上手扇,輕斥道:「這麼說太失禮了,爵爺。」183Please respect copyright.PENANAr405szAErb
183Please respect copyright.PENANAsAJdzx2zr2
「我終於贏得妳的注意了,親愛的夫人。」183Please respect copyright.PENANA4qbxOReWcR