Intherayoflightwhichenteredbythenarrowwindowofhiscell,heheldopeninhislefthand,ofwhichalone,itwillberecollected,heretainedtheuse,asheetofpaper,which,frombeingconstantlyrolledintoasmallcompass,hadtheformofacylinder,andwasnoteasilykeptopen.
"Ihavelookedatitwithallpossibleattention,"saidDantes,"andIonlyseeahalf–burntpaper,onwhicharetracesofGothiccharactersinscribedwithapeculiarkindofink."
"Thispaper,myfriend,"saidFaria,"Imaynowavowtoyou,sinceIhavetheproofofyourfidelity—thispaperismytreasure,ofwhich,fromthisdayforth,one–halfbelongstoyou."
WithhisinstinctivedelicacyEdmondhadpreferredavoidinganytouchonthispainfulchord,andFariahadbeenequallysilent.
Hehadtakenthesilenceoftheoldmanforareturntoreason;andnowthesefewwordsutteredbyFaria,aftersopainfulacrisis,seemedtoindicateaseriousrelapseintomentalalienation.
"Yes,"saidhe."Youhave,indeed,anoblenature,Edmond,andIseebyyourpalenessandagitationwhatispassinginyourheartatthismoment.No,beassured,Iamnotmad.
Noonewouldlistenorbelieveme,becauseeveryonethoughtmemad;butyou,whomustknowthatIamnot,listentome,andbelievemesoafterwardsifyouwill."
Yes,indeed,Ihaveoftenthoughtwithabitterjoythattheseriches,whichwouldmakethewealthofadozenfamilies,willbeforeverlosttothosemenwhopersecuteme.
ButnowIhaveforgiventheworldfortheloveofyou;nowthatIseeyou,youngandwithapromisingfuture,—nowthatIthinkofallthatmayresulttoyouinthegoodfortuneofsuchadisclosure,Ishudderatanydelay,andtremblelestIshouldnotassuretooneasworthyasyourselfthepossessionofsovastanamountofhiddenwealth."
"Youpersistinyourincredulity,Edmond,"continuedFaria."Mywordshavenotconvincedyou.Iseeyourequireproofs.Well,then,readthispaper,whichIhavenevershowntoanyone."
"To–morrow,mydearfriend,"saidEdmond,desirousofnotyieldingtotheoldman'smadness."Ithoughtitwasunderstoodthatweshouldnottalkofthatuntilto–morrow."
"Iwillnotirritatehim,"thoughtEdmond,andtakingthepaper,ofwhichhalfwaswanting,—havingbeenburnt,nodoubt,bysomeaccident,—heread:—
"Thistreasure,whichmayamounttotwo...ofRomancrownsinthemostdistanta...ofthesecondopeningwh...declaretobelongtohimalo...heir."25thApril,149–"
"Yes,toyou,myfriend,whoreadthemforthefirsttime;butnotforme,whohavegrownpaleoverthembymanynights'study,andhavereconstructedeveryphrase,completedeverythought."
AndDantes,happytoescapethehistoryandexplanationwhichwouldbesuretoconfirmhisbeliefinhisfriend'smentalinstability,glidedlikeasnakealongthenarrowpassage;whileFaria,restoredbyhisalarmtoacertainamountofactivity,pushedthestoneintoplacewithhisfoot,andcovereditwithamatinorderthemoreeffectuallytoavoiddiscovery.
Fariasatuptoreceivehim,avoidingallgesturesinorderthathemightconcealfromthegovernortheparalysisthathadalreadyhalfstrickenhimwithdeath.
Hisfearwaslestthegovernor,touchedwithpity,mightorderhimtoberemovedtobetterquarters,andthusseparatehimfromhisyoungcompanion.
Butfortunatelythiswasnotthecase,andthegovernorlefthim,convincedthatthepoormadman,forwhominhishearthefeltakindofaffection,wasonlytroubledwithaslightindisposition.
Faria,sincetheirfirstacquaintance,hadbeenonallpointssorationalandlogical,sowonderfullysagacious,infact,thathecouldnotunderstandhowsomuchwisdomonallpointscouldbealliedwithmadness.
Dantesremainedinhiscellallday,notdaringtoreturntohisfriend,thinkingthustodeferthemomentwhenheshouldbeconvinced,onceforall,thattheabbewasmad—suchaconvictionwouldbesoterrible!
But,towardstheeveningafterthehourforthecustomaryvisithadgoneby,Faria,notseeingtheyoungmanappear,triedtomoveandgetoverthedistancewhichseparatedthem.
Edmondshudderedwhenheheardthepainfuleffortswhichtheoldmanmadetodraghimselfalong;hislegwasinert,andhecouldnolongermakeuseofonearm.
Edmondwasobligedtoassisthim,forotherwisehewouldnothavebeenabletoenterbythesmallaperturewhichledtoDantes'chamber.
"HereIam,pursuingyouremorselessly,"hesaidwithabenignantsmile."Youthoughttoescapemymunificence,butitisinvain.Listentome."
"Youknow,"saidtheabbe,"thatIwasthesecretaryandintimatefriendofCardinalSpada,thelastoftheprincesofthatname.
Hewasnotrich,althoughthewealthofhisfamilyhadpassedintoaproverb,andIheardthephraseveryoften,'AsrichasaSpada.'
Iwastutortohisnephews,whoaredead;andwhenhewasaloneintheworld,Itriedbyabsolutedevotiontohiswill,tomakeuptohimallhehaddoneformeduringtenyearsofunremittingkindness.
Ihadoftenseenmynoblepatronannotatingancientvolumes,andeagerlysearchingamongstdustyfamilymanuscripts.
OnedaywhenIwasreproachinghimforhisunavailingsearches,anddeploringtheprostrationofmindthatfollowedthem,helookedatme,and,smilingbitterly,openedavolumerelatingtotheHistoryoftheCityofRome.
"'ThegreatwarsofRomagnahadended;CaesarBorgia,whohadcompletedhisconquest,hadneedofmoneytopurchaseallItaly.
KingofFrance,whowasformidablestillinspiteofhisrecentreverses;anditwasnecessary,therefore,tohaverecoursetosomeprofitablescheme,whichwasamatterofgreatdifficultyintheimpoverishedconditionofexhaustedItaly.Hisholinesshadanidea.Hedeterminedtomaketwocardinals.'
"BychoosingtwoofthegreatestpersonagesofRome,especiallyrichmen—thiswasthereturntheholyfatherlookedfor.
Inthefirstplace,hecouldsellthegreatappointmentsandsplendidofficeswhichthecardinalsalreadyheld;andthenhehadthetwohatstosellbesides.
ThepopeandCaesarBorgiafirstfoundthetwofuturecardinals;theywereGiovanniRospigliosi,whoheldfourofthehighestdignitiesoftheHolySee,andCaesarSpada,oneofthenoblestandrichestoftheRomannobility;bothfeltthehighhonorofsuchafavorfromthepope.
Theresultwas,thatRospigliosiandSpadapaidforbeingcardinals,andeightotherpersonspaidfortheofficesthecardinalsheldbeforetheirelevation,andthuseighthundredthousandcrownsenteredintothecoffersofthespeculators.
ThepopeheapedattentionsuponRospigliosiandSpada,conferreduponthemtheinsigniaofthecardinalate,andinducedthemtoarrangetheiraffairsandtakeuptheirresidenceatRome.
Caesarthoughttheycouldmakeuseofoneofthemeanswhichhealwayshadreadyforhisfriends,thatistosay,inthefirstplace,thefamouskeywhichwasgiventocertainpersonswiththerequestthattheygoandopenadesignatedcupboard.
Whenthiswaspressedtoeffecttheopeningofthecupboard,ofwhichthelockwasdifficult,thepersonwasprickedbythissmallpoint,anddiednextday.
Thentherewastheringwiththelion'shead,whichCaesarworewhenhewantedtogreethisfriendswithaclaspofthehand.
Caesarproposedtohisfather,thattheyshouldeitheraskthecardinalstoopenthecupboard,orshakehandswiththem;butAlexanderVI.,replied:'Nowastotheworthycardinals,SpadaandRospigliosi,letusaskbothofthemtodinner,somethingtellsmethatweshallgetthatmoneyback.
Besides,youforget,Caesar,anindigestiondeclaresitselfimmediately,whileaprickorabiteoccasionsadelayofadayortwo.'
"Thetablewaslaidinavineyardbelongingtothepope,nearSanPierdarena,acharmingretreatwhichthecardinalsknewverywellbyreport.
Spada,aprudentman,andgreatlyattachedtohisonlynephew,ayoungcaptainofthehighestpromise,tookpaperandpen,andmadehiswill.
"Spadaknewwhattheseinvitationsmeant;sinceChristianity,soeminentlycivilizing,hadmadeprogressinRome,itwasnolongeracenturionwhocamefromthetyrantwithamessage,'Caesarwillsthatyoudie.'
butitwasalegatealatere,whocamewithasmileonhislipstosayfromthepope,'Hisholinessrequestsyoutodinewithhim.'
ThefirstsightthatattractedtheeyesofSpadawasthatofhisnephew,infullcostume,andCaesarBorgiapayinghimmostmarkedattentions.
Spadaturnedpale,asCaesarlookedathimwithanironicalair,whichprovedthathehadanticipatedall,andthatthesnarewaswellspread.
Spadadiedonthethresholdofthevineyard;thenephewexpiredathisowndoor,makingsignswhichhiswifecouldnotcomprehend.
"ThenCaesarandthepopehastenedtolayhandsontheheritage,underpresenceofseekingforthepapersofthedeadman.
Buttheinheritanceconsistedinthisonly,ascrapofpaperonwhichSpadahadwritten:—'Ibequeathtomybelovednephewmycoffers,mybooks,and,amongstothers,mybreviarywiththegoldcorners,whichIbeghewillpreserveinremembranceofhisaffectionateuncle.'
"Theheirssoughteverywhere,admiredthebreviary,laidhandsonthefurniture,andweregreatlyastonishedthatSpada,therichman,wasreallythemostmiserableofuncles—notreasures—unlesstheywerethoseofscience,containedinthelibraryandlaboratories.Thatwasall.
Caesarandhisfathersearched,examined,scrutinized,butfoundnothing,oratleastverylittle;notexceedingafewthousandcrownsinplate,andaboutthesameinreadymoney;butthenephewhadtimetosaytohiswifebeforeheexpired:'Lookwellamongmyuncle'spapers;thereisawill.'
ThereweretwopalacesandavineyardbehindthePalatineHill;butinthesedayslandedpropertyhadnotmuchvalue,andthetwopalacesandthevineyardremainedtothefamilysincetheywerebeneaththerapacityofthepopeandhisson.Monthsandyearsrolledon.AlexanderVI.
Caesar,poisonedatthesametime,escapedbysheddinghisskinlikeasnake;butthenewskinwasspottedbythepoisontillitlookedlikeatiger's.
Then,compelledtoquitRome,hewentandgothimselfobscurelykilledinanightskirmish,scarcelynoticedinhistory.
Afterthepope'sdeathandhisson'sexile,itwassupposedthattheSpadafamilywouldresumethesplendidpositiontheyhadheldbeforethecardinal'stime;butthiswasnotthecase.
TheSpadasremainedindoubtfulease,amysteryhungoverthisdarkaffair,andthepublicrumorwas,thatCaesar,abetterpoliticianthanhisfather,hadcarriedofffromthepopethefortuneofthetwocardinals.
"Uptothispoint,"saidFaria,interruptingthethreadofhisnarrative,"thisseemstoyouverymeaningless,nodoubt,eh?"
"Oh,myfriend,"criedDantes,"onthecontrary,itseemsasifIwerereadingamostinterestingnarrative;goon,Ibegofyou."
Yearsrolledon,andamongstthedescendantssomeweresoldiers,othersdiplomatists;somechurchmen,somebankers;somegrewrich,andsomewereruined.
Ihadoftenheardhimcomplainofthedisproportionofhisrankwithhisfortune;andIadvisedhimtoinvestallhehadinanannuity.Hedidso,andthusdoubledhisincome.
Ithadbeenhandeddownfromfathertoson;forthesingularclauseoftheonlywillthathadbeenfound,hadcausedittoberegardedasagenuinerelic,preservedinthefamilywithsuperstitiousveneration.
Itwasanilluminatedbook,withbeautifulGothiccharacters,andsoweightywithgold,thataservantalwayscarrieditbeforethecardinalondaysofgreatsolemnity.
"Atthesightofpapersofallsorts,—titles,contracts,parchments,whichwerekeptinthearchivesofthefamily,alldescendingfromthepoisonedcardinal,Iinmyturnexaminedtheimmensebundlesofdocuments,liketwentyservitors,stewards,secretariesbeforeme;butinspiteofthemostexhaustiveresearches,Ifound—nothing.
YetIhadread,IhadevenwrittenaprecisehistoryoftheBorgiafamily,forthesolepurposeofassuringmyselfwhetheranyincreaseoffortunehadoccurredtothemonthedeathoftheCardinalCaesarSpada;butcouldonlytracetheacquisitionofthepropertyoftheCardinalRospigliosi,hiscompanioninmisfortune.
"IwasthenalmostassuredthattheinheritancehadneitherprofitedtheBorgiasnorthefamily,buthadremainedunpossessedlikethetreasuresoftheArabianNights,whichsleptinthebosomoftheearthundertheeyesofthegenie.
Isearched,ransacked,counted,calculatedathousandandathousandtimestheincomeandexpenditureofthefamilyforthreehundredyears.Itwasuseless.
Hehadreservedfromhisannuityhisfamilypapers,hislibrary,composedoffivethousandvolumes,andhisfamousbreviary.
Allthesehebequeathedtome,withathousandRomancrowns,whichhehadinreadymoney,onconditionthatIwouldhaveanniversarymassessaidforthereposeofhissoul,andthatIwoulddrawupagenealogicaltreeandhistoryofhishouse.AllthisIdidscrupulously.
"In1807,amonthbeforeIwasarrested,andafortnightafterthedeathoftheCountofSpada,onthe25thofDecember(youwillseepresentlyhowthedatebecamefixedinmymemory),Iwasreading,forthethousandthtime,thepapersIwasarranging,forthepalacewassoldtoastranger,andIwasgoingtoleaveRomeandsettleatFlorence,intendingtotakewithmetwelvethousandfrancsIpossessed,mylibrary,andthefamousbreviary,when,tiredwithmyconstantlaboratthesamething,andovercomebyaheavydinnerIhadeaten,myheaddroppedonmyhands,andIfellasleepaboutthreeo'clockintheafternoon.
Itookawax–candleinonehand,andwiththeothergropedaboutforapieceofpaper(mymatch–boxbeingempty),withwhichIproposedtogetalightfromthesmallflamestillplayingontheembers.
Fearing,however,tomakeuseofanyvaluablepieceofpaper,Ihesitatedforamoment,thenrecollectedthatIhadseeninthefamousbreviary,whichwasonthetablebesideme,anoldpaperquiteyellowwithage,andwhichhadservedasamarkerforcenturies,kepttherebytherequestoftheheirs.
"Butbeneathmyfingers,asifbymagic,inproportionasthefireascended,Isawyellowishcharactersappearonthepaper.
Igraspeditinmyhand,putouttheflameasquicklyasIcould,lightedmytaperinthefireitself,andopenedthecrumpledpaperwithinexpressibleemotion,recognizing,whenIhaddoneso,thatthesecharactershadbeentracedinmysteriousandsympatheticink,onlyappearingwhenexposedtothefire;nearlyone–thirdofthepaperhadbeenconsumedbytheflame.
Itwasthatpaperyoureadthismorning;readitagain,Dantes,andthenIwillcompleteforyoutheincompletewordsandunconnectedsense."
Faria,withanairoftriumph,offeredthepapertoDantes,whothistimereadthefollowingwords,tracedwithaninkofareddishcolorresemblingrust:—
"Andnow,"saidtheabbe,"readthisotherpaper;"andhepresentedtoDantesasecondleafwithfragmentsoflineswrittenonit,whichEdmondreadasfollows:—
Fariafollowedhimwithanexcitedlook,"andnow,"hesaid,whenhesawthatDanteshadreadthelastline,"putthetwofragmentstogether,andjudgeforyourself."
"This25thdayofApril,1498,be...inginvitedtodinebyhisHolinessAlexanderVI.,andfearingthatnot...contentwithmakingmepayformyhat,hemaydesiretobecomemyheir,andre...servesformethefateofCardinalsCapraraandBentivoglio,whowerepoisoned...Ideclaretomynephew,GuidoSpada,mysoleheir,thatIhavebu...riedinaplaceheknowsandhasvisitedwithme,thatis,in...thecavesofthesmallIslandofMonteCristoallIposs...ssedofingots,gold,money,jewels,diamonds,gems;thatIalone...knowoftheexistenceofthistreasure,whichmayamounttonearlytwomil...lionsofRomancrowns,andwhichhewillfindonraisingthetwentiethro...ckfromthesmallcreektotheeastinarightline.
ngleinthesecond;whichtreasureIbequeathandleaveen...tiretohimasmysoleheir."25thApril,1498."Caes...arSpada."
"Idid.Aidedbytheremainingfragment,Iguessedtherest;measuringthelengthofthelinesbythoseofthepaper,anddiviningthehiddenmeaningbymeansofwhatwasinpartrevealed,asweareguidedinacavernbythesmallrayoflightaboveus."
"Iresolvedtosetout,anddidsetoutatthatveryinstant,carryingwithmethebeginningofmygreatwork,theunityoftheItaliankingdom;butforsometimetheimperialpolice(whoatthisperiod,quitecontrarytowhatNapoleondesiredsosoonashehadasonborntohim,wishedforapartitionofprovinces)hadtheireyesonme;andmyhastydeparture,thecauseofwhichtheywereunabletoguess,havingarousedtheirsuspicions,IwasarrestedattheverymomentIwasleavingPiombino.
"Now,"continuedFaria,addressingDanteswithanalmostpaternalexpression,"now,mydearfellow,youknowasmuchasIdomyself.
ThelastCountofSpada,moreover,mademehisheir,bequeathingtomethissymbolicbreviary,hebequeathedtomeallitcontained;no,no,makeyourmindsatisfiedonthatpoint.
"TheSpadafamilywasoneoftheoldestandmostpowerfulfamiliesofthefifteenthcentury;andinthosetimes,whenotheropportunitiesforinvestmentwerewanting,suchaccumulationsofgoldandjewelswerebynomeansrare;thereareatthisdayRomanfamiliesperishingofhunger,thoughpossessedofnearlyamillionindiamondsandjewels,handeddownbyentail,andwhichtheycannottouch."
"Ihaveonlykeptthissecretsolongfromyou,"continuedFaria,"thatImighttestyourcharacter,andthensurpriseyou.
Hadweescapedbeforemyattackofcatalepsy,IshouldhaveconductedyoutoMonteCristo;now,"headded,withasigh,"itisyouwhowillconductmethither.Well,Dantes,youdonotthankme?"
"Thistreasurebelongstoyou,mydearfriend,"repliedDantes,"andtoyouonly.Ihavenorighttoit.Iamnorelationofyours."
"Youaremyson,Dantes,"exclaimedtheoldman."Youarethechildofmycaptivity.Myprofessioncondemnsmetocelibacy.
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