Chapter 506 - Show’s Over (1/2)

Zhang Heng briefly treated his external injuries before returning to his seat at Queen’s Theatre. When he got there, the opera was already coming to an end.

Escamillo and Carmen walked into the crowd at the square outside the bullfighting arena with their heads up high. Carmen remained outside the ring as she watched the valiant Escamillio walking into it. It was around that time that the rowdy-looking Don Jose found her. He begged for reconciliation, but Carmen only remained indifferent. At the same time, loud cheers echoed in the arena.

Escamillo defeated the bull. Carmen was elated, proceeding to take off the ring that Don Jose gave her and threw it on the ground. She wanted to rush into the ring to share the joy with her lover, but in a shocking turn of events, the desperate Don Jose took out the dagger that he prepared to stab Carmen. When the bull had returned, and the arena cleared, only Carmen remained, lying in a pool of her own blood.

“I killed her, Carmen, my dear Carmen!” wailed Don Jose in agony as if the world had come to an end.

At this point, the opera finally ended.

Then all the play’s actors walked onto the stage. The lights came on, and the entire theater was filled with thunderous applause. There were no doubts here that the new play ‘Carmen’ was a runaway success in London.

Zhang Heng stood up as well, applauding and clapping along with the people around him.

After the performance was over, he headed backstage to congratulate Irene Adler.

Throngs of people formed lines to congratulate the beautiful songstress, and even the wife of the prime minister went backstage to give her best wishes personally. Since she had more than her enough of her share of action, Zhang Heng wasn’t inclined to squeeze in and join the fight to congratulate her. He simply stood there quietly, and only after the crowd had almost dispersed, did he approach Adler’s dressing table that was now like an overgrown greenhouse. There were so many flowers that she had to place them next to her dressing table. As for the other actors, they received all but a few.

“I now know how much Londoners adore you,” exclaimed Zhang Heng.

“Really? Pity that you’re not from London then. I saw you leave midway,” Adler replied with a sly smirk.

“Uh… my friend and I have something urgent to deal with.”

“Well, I can see how urgent the matter is.” Adler raised his eyebrows and pointed at Zhang Heng’s suit. “You look a little worse for wear, almost catching up to Don Jose’s persona if you

will.”

“Actually, I just visited the barber.”

“I see they haven’t the best service, considering the state you’re in. Mind telling me the name of the establishment? I’ll make sure to avoid it in the future,” Adler chuckled.

IIII

As a person who had read the original works, Zhang Heng would, of course, be wary of Irene Adler. That being said, he had to concede that Irene Adler was indeed a very, very, attractive woman. It was no wonder that the King of Bohemia could never forget her. The king was the one at fault. He abandoned Adler in the quest for more power, and after marrying a Scandinavian princess, it led to the photo incident. Judging by Holmes’s att.i.tude toward the case, he was more inclined to take Adler’s side. Not to mention how he became rather disgusted by what the king had done.