Les trois frères , jaune , orange et rouge
Les trois frères , jaune , orange et rouge
The air hung heavy with the scent of woodsmoke and lavender, a curious blend that was both calming and unsettling. The three brothers, Jaune, Orange, and Rouge, sat in the sprawling garden of their ancestral home, Les Trois Frères, each lost in their own thoughts. The house, once vibrant with laughter and life, was now shrouded in a chilling silence, punctuated only by the rustle of leaves and the distant croak of a frog.
The tranquility was shattered by a frantic knock on the front door. A young woman, her face pale and streaked with tears, stood on the threshold, a frantic plea in her eyes. “Monsieur Rouge,” she gasped, “it’s the painting… the one in the gallery… it’s gone!”
The brothers exchanged uneasy glances. The painting, a priceless masterpiece of their ancestor, a famed painter, was their family legacy, a source of pride and a symbol of their lineage. Rouge, the elder brother, a stoic man with a sharp mind, immediately recognized the gravity of the situation. “Tell us everything, Mademoiselle,” he urged, his voice calm and reassuring.
The woman, Marie, recounted her discovery. The painting, “The Sunken City”, was missing from its place of honor in the gallery. She had cleaned the gallery earlier that morning and remembered seeing it, but now it was gone, vanished without a trace. The brothers were shocked. The painting was a priceless heirloom, secured with an elaborate alarm system. How could it have been stolen?
The brothers began their investigation. Jaune, the impulsive and energetic one, was eager to call the police, but Rouge, the cautious one, advised against it. “Let us first understand the situation,” he insisted, his eyes narrowed in thought. “We can’t allow panic to cloud our judgment.”
Orange, the meticulous and methodical one, began examining the gallery. He meticulously checked for signs of forced entry, scrutinized the security system, and searched for any clue that could lead them to the thief. He found nothing. The locks were untouched, the alarm system was intact, and there was no sign of a struggle. It was as if the painting had simply vanished into thin air.
As the brothers delved deeper into the mystery, they discovered a strange trail of clues: a single lavender blossom, placed delicately on the floor near the painting’s empty frame; a cryptic note left on the windowsill, mentioning a “sunken city” and a “forgotten secret”; and the faint scent of woodsmoke lingering in the air.
These cryptic clues, combined with the uncanny disappearance of the painting, sent a shiver of unease down their spines. They knew they were dealing with a skilled thief, someone who was familiar with the house and its secrets.
Days turned into weeks as the brothers tirelessly pursued every lead. They interviewed the staff, the neighbors, and even the local art dealers, but all their efforts were met with dead ends. The painting remained lost, and the thief, shrouded in mystery, remained elusive.
Then, one evening, while sorting through their ancestor’s dusty journals, Jaune stumbled upon a passage detailing the secret room hidden within the walls of Les Trois Frères. The room, he read, was an artist’s sanctuary, where their ancestor had hidden his most prized possessions. Could the stolen painting be hidden there?
The brothers, with renewed hope, followed the instructions in the journal. Using a hidden mechanism, they revealed the entrance to the secret room. Inside, they found a dusty canvas leaning against the wall, covered with a thick layer of dust. As they cautiously removed the dust, their breath caught in their throats. It was the missing painting, “The Sunken City”, its vibrant colors now muted but still recognizable.
But their relief was short-lived. Beneath the painting, they discovered another clue – a small, intricately carved box. Inside, they found a letter, addressed to the brothers, revealing the truth behind the theft. The thief was none other than Marie, the young woman who had reported the painting stolen.
Her letter explained that she was a descendant of a rival artist who had been wronged by their ancestor. She had stolen the painting, seeking revenge and justice for her family. However, she had also left the painting behind, realizing the true value of their family legacy and the importance of preserving the art for generations to come.
The brothers, though surprised, felt a sense of relief and understanding. They were touched by Marie’s courage and her desire to right a wrong. They returned the painting to its rightful place in the gallery and decided not to press charges, choosing instead to forgive and forget. The mystery of “The Sunken City” was solved, but the memory of that night and the unsettling silence that had enveloped the house would forever remain etched in their minds.
