English
M.Noirtier—foritwas,indeed,hewhoentered—lookedaftertheservantuntilthedoorwasclosed,andthen,fearing,nodoubt,thathemightbeoverheardintheante–chamber,heopenedthedooragain,norwastheprecautionuseless,asappearedfromtherapidretreatofGermain,whoprovedthathewasnotexemptfromthesinwhichruinedourfirstparents.
M.Noirtierthentookthetroubletocloseandbolttheante–chamberdoor,thenthatofthebed–chamber,andthenextendedhishandtoVillefort,whohadfollowedallhismotionswithsurprisewhichhecouldnotconceal.
“Well,now,mydearGerard,”saidhetotheyoungman,withaverysignificantlook,“doyouknow,youseemasifyouwerenotverygladtoseeme?”
“Mydearfather,”saidVillefort,“Iam,onthecontrary,delighted;butIsolittleexpectedyourvisit,thatithassomewhatovercomeme.”
“But,mydearfellow,”repliedM.Noirtier,seatinghimself,“Imightsaythesamethingtoyou,whenyouannouncetomeyourweddingforthe28thofFebruary,andonthe3rdofMarchyouturnuphereinParis.”
“AndifIhavecome,mydearfather,”saidGerard,drawingclosertoM.Noirtier,“donotcomplain,foritisforyouthatIcame,andmyjourneywillbeyoursalvation.”
“Ah,indeed!”saidM.Noirtier,stretchinghimselfoutathiseaseinthechair.“Really,praytellmeallaboutit,foritmustbeinteresting.”
“Father,youhaveheardspeakofacertainBonapartistclubintheRueSaint–Jacques?”
“No.53;yes,Iamvice–president.”
“Father,yourcoolnessmakesmeshudder.”
“Why,mydearboy,whenamanhasbeenproscribedbythemountaineers,hasescapedfromParisinahay–cart,beenhuntedovertheplainsofBordeauxbyRobespierre’sbloodhounds,hebecomesaccustomedtomostthings.
Butgoon,whatabouttheclubintheRueSaint–Jacques?”
“Why,theyinducedGeneralQuesneltogothere,andGeneralQuesnel,whoquittedhisownhouseatnineo’clockintheevening,wasfoundthenextdayintheSeine.”
“Andwhotoldyouthisfinestory?”
“Thekinghimself.”
“Well,then,inreturnforyourstory,”continuedNoirtier,“Iwilltellyouanother.”
“Mydearfather,IthinkIalreadyknowwhatyouareabouttotellme.”
“Ah,youhaveheardofthelandingoftheemperor?”
“Notsoloud,father,Ientreatofyou—foryourownsakeaswellasmine.
Yes,Iheardthisnews,andknewitevenbeforeyoucould;forthreedaysagoIpostedfromMarseillestoPariswithallpossiblespeed,half–desperateattheenforceddelay.”
“Threedaysago?Youarecrazy.Why,threedaysagotheemperorhadnotlanded.”
“Nomatter,Iwasawareofhisintention.”
“Howdidyouknowaboutit?”
“ByaletteraddressedtoyoufromtheIslandofElba.”
“Tome?”
“Toyou;andwhichIdiscoveredinthepocket–bookofthemessenger.
Hadthatletterfallenintothehandsofanother,you,mydearfather,wouldprobablyerethishavebeenshot.”Villefort’sfatherlaughed.
“Come,come,”saidhe,“willtheRestorationadoptimperialmethodssopromptly?Shot,mydearboy?Whatanidea!Whereistheletteryouspeakof?
Iknowyoutoowelltosupposeyouwouldallowsuchathingtopassyou.”
“Iburntit,forfearthatevenafragmentshouldremain;forthatlettermusthaveledtoyourcondemnation.”
“Andthedestructionofyourfutureprospects,”repliedNoirtier;“yes,Icaneasilycomprehendthat.ButIhavenothingtofearwhileIhaveyoutoprotectme.”
“Idobetterthanthat,sir—Isaveyou.”
“Youdo?Why,really,thethingbecomesmoreandmoredramatic—explainyourself.”
“ImustreferagaintotheclubintheRueSaint–Jacques.”
“Itappearsthatthisclubisratheraboretothepolice.Whydidn’ttheysearchmorevigilantly?theywouldhavefound”—
“Theyhavenotfound;buttheyareonthetrack.”
“Yes,thattheusualphrase;Iamquitefamiliarwithit.
Whenthepoliceisatfault,itdeclaresthatitisonthetrack;andthegovernmentpatientlyawaitsthedaywhenitcomestosay,withasneakingair,thatthetrackislost.”
“Yes,buttheyhavefoundacorpse;thegeneralhasbeenkilled,andinallcountriestheycallthatamurder.”
“Amurderdoyoucallit?why,thereisnothingtoprovethatthegeneralwasmurdered.
PeoplearefoundeverydayintheSeine,havingthrownthemselvesin,orhavingbeendrownedfromnotknowinghowtoswim.”
“Father,youknowverywellthatthegeneralwasnotamantodrownhimselfindespair,andpeopledonotbatheintheSeineinthemonthofJanuary.
No,no,donotbedeceived;thiswasmurderineverysenseoftheword.”
“Andwhothusdesignatedit?”
“Thekinghimself.”
“Theking!Ithoughthewasphilosopherenoughtoallowthattherewasnomurderinpolitics.
Inpolitics,mydearfellow,youknow,aswellasIdo,therearenomen,butideas—nofeelings,butinterests;inpoliticswedonotkillaman,weonlyremoveanobstacle,thatisall.
Wouldyouliketoknowhowmattershaveprogressed?Well,Iwilltellyou.
ItwasthoughtreliancemightbeplacedinGeneralQuesnel;hewasrecommendedtousfromtheIslandofElba;oneofuswenttohim,andinvitedhimtotheRueSaint–Jacques,wherehewouldfindsomefriends.
Hecamethere,andtheplanwasunfoldedtohimforleavingElba,theprojectedlanding,etc.
Whenhehadheardandcomprehendedalltothefullestextent,herepliedthathewasaroyalist.
Thenalllookedateachother,—hewasmadetotakeanoath,anddidso,butwithsuchanillgracethatitwasreallytemptingProvidencetoswearhim,andyet,inspiteofthat,thegeneralwasallowedtodepartfree—perfectlyfree.Yethedidnotreturnhome.Whatcouldthatmean?
why,mydearfellow,thatonleavingushelosthisway,that’sall.Amurder?really,Villefort,yousurpriseme.
You,adeputyprocureur,tofoundanaccusationonsuchbadpremises!
DidIeversaytoyou,whenyouwerefulfillingyourcharacterasaroyalist,andcutofftheheadofoneofmyparty,‘Myson,youhavecommittedamurder?’
No,Isaid,‘Verywell,sir,youhavegainedthevictory;to–morrow,perchance,itwillbeourturn.’”
“But,father,takecare;whenourturncomes,ourrevengewillbesweeping.”
“Idonotunderstandyou.”
“Yourelyontheusurper’sreturn?”
“Wedo.”
“Youaremistaken;hewillnotadvancetwoleaguesintotheinteriorofFrancewithoutbeingfollowed,tracked,andcaughtlikeawildbeast.”
“Mydearfellow,theemperorisatthismomentonthewaytoGrenoble;onthe10thor12thhewillbeatLyons,andonthe20thor25thatParis.”
“Thepeoplewillrise.”
“Yes,togoandmeethim.”
“Hehasbutahandfulofmenwithhim,andarmieswillbedespatchedagainsthim.”
“Yes,toescorthimintothecapital.Really,mydearGerard,youarebutachild;youthinkyourselfwellinformedbecausethetelegraphhastoldyou,threedaysafterthelanding,‘TheusurperhaslandedatCanneswithseveralmen.Heispursued.’Butwhereishe?whatishedoing?
Youdonotknowatall,andinthiswaytheywillchasehimtoParis,withoutdrawingatrigger.”
“GrenobleandLyonsarefaithfulcities,andwillopposetohimanimpassablebarrier.”
“Grenoblewillopenhergatestohimwithenthusiasm—allLyonswillhastentowelcomehim.
Believeme,weareaswellinformedasyou,andourpoliceareasgoodasyourown.Wouldyoulikeaproofofit?
well,youwishedtoconcealyourjourneyfromme,andyetIknewofyourarrivalhalfanhourafteryouhadpassedthebarrier.
Yougaveyourdirectiontonoonebutyourpostilion,yetIhaveyouraddress,andinproofIamheretheveryinstantyouaregoingtositattable.
Ring,then,ifyouplease,forasecondknife,fork,andplate,andwewilldinetogether.”
“Indeed!”repliedVillefort,lookingathisfatherwithastonishment,“youreallydoseemverywellinformed.”
“Eh?thethingissimpleenough.Youwhoareinpowerhaveonlythemeansthatmoneyproduces—wewhoareinexpectation,havethosewhichdevotionprompts.”
“Devotion!”saidVillefort,withasneer.
“Yes,devotion;forthatis,Ibelieve,thephraseforhopefulambition.”
AndVillefort’sfatherextendedhishandtothebell–rope,tosummontheservantwhomhissonhadnotcalled.Villefortcaughthisarm.
“Wait,mydearfather,”saidtheyoungman,“onewordmore.”
“Sayon.”
“Howeverstupidtheroyalistpolicemaybe,theydoknowoneterriblething.”
“Whatisthat?”
“Thedescriptionofthemanwho,onthemorningofthedaywhenGeneralQuesneldisappeared,presentedhimselfathishouse.”
“Oh,theadmirablepolicehavefoundthatout,havethey?Andwhatmaybethatdescription?”
“Darkcomplexion;hair,eyebrows,andwhiskers,black;bluefrock–coat,buttoneduptothechin;rosetteofanofficeroftheLegionofHonorinhisbutton–hole;ahatwithwidebrim,andacane.”
“Ah,ha,that’sit,isit?”saidNoirtier;“andwhy,then,havetheynotlaidhandsonhim?”
“Becauseyesterday,orthedaybefore,theylostsightofhimatthecorneroftheRueCoq–Heron.”
“Didn’tIsaythatyourpoliceweregoodfornothing?”
“Yes;buttheymaycatchhimyet.”
“True,”saidNoirtier,lookingcarelesslyaroundhim,“true,ifthispersonwerenotonhisguard,asheis;”andheaddedwithasmile,“Hewillconsequentlymakeafewchangesinhispersonalappearance.”
Atthesewordsherose,andputoffhisfrock–coatandcravat,wenttowardsatableonwhichlayhisson’stoiletarticles,latheredhisface,tookarazor,and,withafirmhand,cutoffthecompromisingwhiskers.
Villefortwatchedhimwithalarmnotdevoidofadmiration.
Hiswhiskerscutoff,Noirtiergaveanotherturntohishair;took,insteadofhisblackcravat,acoloredneckerchiefwhichlayatthetopofanopenportmanteau;puton,inlieuofhisblueandhigh–buttonedfrock–coat,acoatofVillefort’sofdarkbrown,andcutawayinfront;triedonbeforetheglassanarrow–brimmedhatofhisson’s,whichappearedtofithimperfectly,and,leavinghiscaneinthecornerwherehehaddepositedit,hetookupasmallbambooswitch,cuttheairwithitonceortwice,andwalkedaboutwiththateasyswaggerwhichwasoneofhisprincipalcharacteristics.
“Well,”hesaid,turningtowardshiswonderingson,whenthisdisguisewascompleted,“well,doyouthinkyourpolicewillrecognizemenow.”
“No,father,”stammeredVillefort;“atleast,Ihopenot.”
“Andnow,mydearboy,”continuedNoirtier,“IrelyonyourprudencetoremoveallthethingswhichIleaveinyourcare.”
“Oh,relyonme,”saidVillefort.
“Yes,yes;andnowIbelieveyouareright,andthatyouhavereallysavedmylife;beassuredIwillreturnthefavorhereafter.”Villefortshookhishead.
“Youarenotconvincedyet?”
“Ihopeatleast,thatyoumaybemistaken.”
“Shallyouseethekingagain?”
“Perhaps.”
“Wouldyoupassinhiseyesforaprophet?”
“Prophetsofevilarenotinfavoratthecourt,father.”
“True,butsomedaytheydothemjustice;andsupposingasecondrestoration,youwouldthenpassforagreatman.”
“Well,whatshouldIsaytotheking?”
“Saythistohim:‘Sire,youaredeceivedastothefeelinginFrance,astotheopinionsofthetowns,andtheprejudicesofthearmy;hewhominParisyoucalltheCorsicanogre,whoatNeversisstyledtheusurper,isalreadysalutedasBonaparteatLyons,andemperoratGrenoble.
Youthinkheistracked,pursued,captured;heisadvancingasrapidlyashisowneagles.
Thesoldiersyoubelievetobedyingwithhunger,wornoutwithfatigue,readytodesert,gatherlikeatomsofsnowabouttherollingballasithastensonward.
Sire,go,leaveFrancetoitsrealmaster,tohimwhoacquiredit,notbypurchase,butbyrightofconquest;go,sire,notthatyouincuranyrisk,foryouradversaryispowerfulenoughtoshowyoumercy,butbecauseitwouldbehumiliatingforagrandsonofSaintLouistoowehislifetothemanofArcola,Marengo,Austerlitz.’
Tellhimthis,Gerard;or,rather,tellhimnothing.
Keepyourjourneyasecret;donotboastofwhatyouhavecometoParistodo,orhavedone;returnwithallspeed;enterMarseillesatnight,andyourhousebytheback–door,andthereremain,quiet,submissive,secret,and,aboveall,inoffensive;forthistime,Isweartoyou,weshallactlikepowerfulmenwhoknowtheirenemies.
Go,myson—go,mydearGerard,andbyyourobediencetomypaternalorders,or,ifyoupreferit,friendlycounsels,wewillkeepyouinyourplace.
Thiswillbe,”addedNoirtier,withasmile,“onemeansbywhichyoumayasecondtimesaveme,ifthepoliticalbalanceshouldsomedaytakeanotherturn,andcastyoualoftwhilehurlingmedown.
Adieu,mydearGerard,andatyournextjourneyalightatmydoor.”
Noirtierlefttheroomwhenhehadfinished,withthesamecalmnessthathadcharacterizedhimduringthewholeofthisremarkableandtryingconversation.
Villefort,paleandagitated,rantothewindow,putasidethecurtain,andsawhimpass,coolandcollected,bytwoorthreeill–lookingmenatthecornerofthestreet,whowerethere,perhaps,toarrestamanwithblackwhiskers,andabluefrock–coat,andhatwithbroadbrim.
Villefortstoodwatching,breathless,untilhisfatherhaddisappearedattheRueBussy.
Thenheturnedtothevariousarticleshehadleftbehindhim,puttheblackcravatandbluefrock–coatatthebottomoftheportmanteau,threwthehatintoadarkcloset,brokethecaneintosmallbitsandflungitinthefire,putonhistravelling–cap,andcallinghisvalet,checkedwithalookthethousandquestionshewasreadytoask,paidhisbill,sprangintohiscarriage,whichwasready,learnedatLyonsthatBonapartehadenteredGrenoble,andinthemidstofthetumultwhichprevailedalongtheroad,atlengthreachedMarseilles,apreytoallthehopesandfearswhichenterintotheheartofmanwithambitionanditsfirstsuccesses.
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