English
Thus,atlength,byoneoftheunexpectedstrokesoffortunewhichsometimesbefallthosewhohaveforalongtimebeenthevictimsofanevildestiny,Danteswasabouttosecuretheopportunityhewishedfor,bysimpleandnaturalmeans,andlandontheislandwithoutincurringanysuspicion.
Onenightmoreandhewouldbeonhisway.
Thenightwasoneoffeverishdistraction,andinitsprogressvisionsgoodandevilpassedthroughDantes’mind.
Ifheclosedhiseyes,hesawCardinalSpada’sletterwrittenonthewallincharactersofflame—ifhesleptforamomentthewildestdreamshauntedhisbrain.
Heascendedintogrottospavedwithemeralds,withpanelsofrubies,andtheroofglowingwithdiamondstalactites.
Pearlsfelldropbydrop,assubterraneanwatersfilterintheircaves.
Edmond,amazed,wonderstruck,filledhispocketswiththeradiantgemsandthenreturnedtodaylight,whenhediscoveredthathisprizeshadallchangedintocommonpebbles.
Hethenendeavoredtore–enterthemarvellousgrottos,buttheyhadsuddenlyreceded,andnowthepathbecamealabyrinth,andthentheentrancevanished,andinvaindidhetaxhismemoryforthemagicandmysteriouswordwhichopenedthesplendidcavernsofAliBabatotheArabianfisherman.
Allwasuseless,thetreasuredisappeared,andhadagainrevertedtothegeniifromwhomforamomenthehadhopedtocarryitoff.
Thedaycameatlength,andwasalmostasfeverishasthenighthadbeen,butitbroughtreasontotheaidofimagination,andDanteswasthenenabledtoarrangeaplanwhichhadhithertobeenvagueandunsettledinhisbrain.
Nightcame,andwithitthepreparationfordeparture,andthesepreparationsservedtoconcealDantes’agitation.
Hehadbydegreesassumedsuchauthorityoverhiscompanionsthathewasalmostlikeacommanderonboard;andashisorderswerealwaysclear,distinct,andeasyofexecution,hiscomradesobeyedhimwithcelerityandpleasure.
Theoldpatrondidnotinterfere,forhetoohadrecognizedthesuperiorityofDantesoverthecrewandhimself.
Hesawintheyoungmanhisnaturalsuccessor,andregrettedthathehadnotadaughter,thathemighthaveboundEdmondtohimbyamoresecurealliance.
Atseveno’clockintheeveningallwasready,andattenminutespastseventheydoubledthelighthousejustasthebeaconwaskindled.
Theseawascalm,and,withafreshbreezefromthesouth–east,theysailedbeneathabrightbluesky,inwhichGodalsolightedupinturnhisbeaconlights,eachofwhichisaworld.
Dantestoldthemthatallhandsmightturnin,andhewouldtakethehelm.
WhentheMaltese(forsotheycalledDantes)hadsaidthis,itwassufficient,andallwenttotheirbunkscontentedly.Thisfrequentlyhappened.
Dantes,castfromsolitudeintotheworld,frequentlyexperiencedanimperiousdesireforsolitude;andwhatsolitudeismorecomplete,ormorepoetical,thanthatofashipfloatinginisolationontheseaduringtheobscurityofthenight,inthesilenceofimmensity,andundertheeyeofheaven?
Nowthissolitudewaspeopledwithhisthoughts,thenightlightedupbyhisillusions,andthesilenceanimatedbyhisanticipations.
Whenthepatronawoke,thevesselwashurryingonwitheverysailset,andeverysailfullwiththebreeze.
Theyweremakingnearlytenknotsanhour.
TheIslandofMonteCristoloomedlargeinthehorizon.
Edmondresignedtheluggertothemaster’scare,andwentandlaydowninhishammock;but,inspiteofasleeplessnight,hecouldnotclosehiseyesforamoment.
Twohoursafterwardshecameondeck,astheboatwasabouttodoubletheIslandofElba.
TheywerejustabreastofMareciana,andbeyondtheflatbutverdantIslandofLaPianosa.
ThepeakofMonteCristoreddenedbytheburningsun,wasseenagainsttheazuresky.
Dantesorderedthehelmsmantoputdownhishelm,inordertoleaveLaPianosatostarboard,asheknewthatheshouldshortenhiscoursebytwoorthreeknots.
Aboutfiveo’clockintheeveningtheislandwasdistinct,andeverythingonitwasplainlyperceptible,owingtothatclearnessoftheatmospherepeculiartothelightwhichtheraysofthesuncastatitssetting.
Edmondgazedveryearnestlyatthemassofrockswhichgaveoutallthevarietyoftwilightcolors,fromthebrightestpinktothedeepestblue;andfromtimetotimehischeeksflushed,hisbrowdarkened,andamistpassedoverhiseyes.
Neverdidgamester,whosewholefortuneisstakedononecastofthedie,experiencetheanguishwhichEdmondfeltinhisparoxysmsofhope.
Nightcame,andatteno’clocktheyanchored.
TheYoungAmeliawasfirstattherendezvous.
Inspiteofhisusualcommandoverhimself,Dantescouldnotrestrainhisimpetuosity.
Hewasthefirsttojumponshore;andhadhedared,hewould,likeLuciusBrutus,have“kissedhismotherearth.”
Itwasdark,butateleveno’clockthemoonroseinthemidstoftheocean,whoseeverywaveshesilvered,andthen,“ascendinghigh,”playedinfloodsofpalelightontherockyhillsofthissecondPelion.
TheislandwasfamiliartothecrewofTheYoungAmelia,—itwasoneofherregularhaunts.
AstoDantes,hehadpasseditonhisvoyagetoandfromtheLevant,butnevertouchedatit.HequestionedJacopo.“Whereshallwepassthenight?”heinquired.
“Why,onboardthetartan,”repliedthesailor.
“Shouldwenotdobetterinthegrottos?”
“Whatgrottos?”
“Why,thegrottos—cavesoftheisland.”
“Idonotknowofanygrottos,”repliedJacopo.ThecoldsweatsprangforthonDantes’brow.
“What,aretherenogrottosatMonteCristo?”heasked.
“None.”
ForamomentDanteswasspeechless;thenherememberedthatthesecavesmighthavebeenfilledupbysomeaccident,orevenstoppedup,forthesakeofgreatersecurity,byCardinalSpada.
Thepointwas,then,todiscoverthehiddenentrance.
Itwasuselesstosearchatnight,andDantesthereforedelayedallinvestigationuntilthemorning.
Besides,asignalmadehalfaleagueoutatsea,andtowhichTheYoungAmeliarepliedbyasimilarsignal,indicatedthatthemomentforbusinesshadcome.
Theboatthatnowarrived,assuredbytheansweringsignalthatallwaswell,sooncameinsight,whiteandsilentasaphantom,andcastanchorwithinacable’slengthofshore.
Thenthelandingbegan.Dantesreflected,asheworked,ontheshoutofjoywhich,withasingleword,hecouldevokefromallthesemen,ifhegaveutterancetotheoneunchangingthoughtthatpervadedhisheart;but,farfromdisclosingthisprecioussecret,healmostfearedthathehadalreadysaidtoomuch,andbyhisrestlessnessandcontinualquestions,hisminuteobservationsandevidentpre–occupation,arousedsuspicions.
Fortunately,asregardedthiscircumstanceatleast,hispainfulpastgavetohiscountenanceanindeliblesadness,andtheglimmeringsofgayetyseenbeneaththiscloudwereindeedbuttransitory.
Noonehadtheslightestsuspicion;andwhennextday,takingafowling–piece,powder,andshot,Dantesdeclaredhisintentiontogoandkillsomeofthewildgoatsthatwereseenspringingfromrocktorock,hiswishwasconstruedintoaloveofsport,oradesireforsolitude.
However,Jacopoinsistedonfollowinghim,andDantesdidnotopposethis,fearingifhedidsothathemightincurdistrust.
Scarcely,however,hadtheygoneaquarterofaleaguewhen,havingkilledakid,hebeggedJacopototakeittohiscomrades,andrequestthemtocookit,andwhenreadytolethimknowbyfiringagun.
ThisandsomedriedfruitsandaflaskofMontePulciano,wasthebilloffare.
Danteswenton,lookingfromtimetotimebehindandaroundabouthim.
Havingreachedthesummitofarock,hesaw,athousandfeetbeneathhim,hiscompanions,whomJacopohadrejoined,andwhowereallbusypreparingtherepastwhichEdmond’sskillasamarksmanhadaugmentedwithacapitaldish.
Edmondlookedatthemforamomentwiththesadandgentlesmileofamansuperiortohisfellows.
“Intwohours’time,”saidhe,“thesepersonswilldepartricherbyfiftypiastreseach,togoandrisktheirlivesagainbyendeavoringtogainfiftymore;thentheywillreturnwithafortuneofsixhundredfrancs,andwastethistreasureinsomecitywiththeprideofsultansandtheinsolenceofnabobs.
Atthismomenthopemakesmedespisetheirriches,whichseemtomecontemptible.
Yetperchanceto–morrowdeceptionwillsoactonme,thatIshall,oncompulsion,considersuchacontemptiblepossessionastheutmosthappiness.Oh,no!”exclaimedEdmond,“thatwillnotbe.
Thewise,unerringFariacouldnotbemistakeninthisonething.
Besides,itwerebettertodiethantocontinuetoleadthislowandwretchedlife.”
ThusDantes,whobutthreemonthsbeforehadnodesirebutlibertyhadnownotlibertyenough,andpantedforwealth.
ThecausewasnotinDantes,butinprovidence,who,whilelimitingthepowerofman,hasfilledhimwithboundlessdesires.
Meanwhile,byacleftbetweentwowallsofrock,followingapathwornbyatorrent,andwhich,inallhumanprobability,humanfoothadneverbeforetrod,Dantesapproachedthespotwherehesupposedthegrottosmusthaveexisted.
Keepingalongtheshore,andexaminingthesmallestobjectwithseriousattention,hethoughthecouldtrace,oncertainrocks,marksmadebythehandofman.
Time,whichencrustsallphysicalsubstanceswithitsmossymantle,asitinvestsallthingsofthemindwithforgetfulness,seemedtohaverespectedthesesigns,whichapparentlyhadbeenmadewithsomedegreeofregularity,andprobablywithadefinitepurpose.
Occasionallythemarkswerehiddenundertuftsofmyrtle,whichspreadintolargebushesladenwithblossoms,orbeneathparasiticallichen.
SoEdmondhadtoseparatethebranchesorbrushawaythemosstoknowwheretheguide–markswere.
ThesightofmarksrenewedEdmondfondesthopes.
Mightitnothavebeenthecardinalhimselfwhohadfirsttracedthem,inorderthattheymightserveasaguideforhisnephewintheeventofacatastrophe,whichhecouldnotforeseewouldhavebeensocomplete.
Thissolitaryplacewaspreciselysuitedtotherequirementsofamandesirousofburyingtreasure.
Only,mightnotthesebetrayingmarkshaveattractedothereyesthanthoseforwhomtheyweremade?
andhadthedarkandwondrousislandindeedfaithfullyguardeditsprecioussecret?
Itseemed,however,toEdmond,whowashiddenfromhiscomradesbytheinequalitiesoftheground,thatatsixtypacesfromtheharborthemarksceased;nordidtheyterminateatanygrotto.
Alargeroundrock,placedsolidlyonitsbase,wastheonlyspottowhichtheyseemedtolead.
Edmondconcludedthatperhapsinsteadofhavingreachedtheendoftheroutehehadonlyexploreditsbeginning,andhethereforeturnedroundandretracedhissteps.
Meanwhilehiscomradeshadpreparedtherepast,hadgotsomewaterfromaspring,spreadoutthefruitandbread,andcookedthekid.
Justatthemomentwhentheyweretakingthedaintyanimalfromthespit,theysawEdmondspringingwiththeboldnessofachamoisfromrocktorock,andtheyfiredthesignalagreedupon.
Thesportsmaninstantlychangedhisdirection,andranquicklytowardsthem.
Butevenwhiletheywatchedhisdaringprogress,Edmond’sfootslipped,andtheysawhimstaggerontheedgeofarockanddisappear.
Theyallrushedtowardshim,foralllovedEdmondinspiteofhissuperiority;yetJacoporeachedhimfirst.
HefoundEdmondlyingprone,bleeding,andalmostsenseless.
Hehadrolleddownadeclivityoftwelveorfifteenfeet.
Theypouredalittlerumdownhisthroat,andthisremedywhichhadbeforebeensobeneficialtohim,producedthesameeffectasformerly.
Edmondopenedhiseyes,complainedofgreatpaininhisknee,afeelingofheavinessinhishead,andseverepainsinhisloins.
Theywishedtocarryhimtotheshore;butwhentheytouchedhim,althoughunderJacopo’sdirections,hedeclared,withheavygroans,thathecouldnotbeartobemoved.
ItmaybesupposedthatDantesdidnotnowthinkofhisdinner,butheinsistedthathiscomrades,whohadnothisreasonsforfasting,shouldhavetheirmeal.
Asforhimself,hedeclaredthathehadonlyneedofalittlerest,andthatwhentheyreturnedheshouldbeeasier.
Thesailorsdidnotrequiremuchurging.
Theywerehungry,andthesmelloftheroastedkidwasverysavory,andyourtarsarenotveryceremonious.Anhourafterwardstheyreturned.
AllthatEdmondhadbeenabletodowastodraghimselfaboutadozenpacesforwardtoleanagainstamoss–grownrock.
But,insteadofgrowingeasier,Dantes’painsappearedtoincreaseinviolence.
Theoldpatron,whowasobligedtosailinthemorninginordertolandhiscargoonthefrontiersofPiedmontandFrance,betweenNiceandFrejus,urgedDantestotryandrise.
Edmondmadegreatexertionsinordertocomply;butateachefforthefellback,moaningandturningpale.
“Hehasbrokenhisribs,”saidthecommander,inalowvoice.
“Nomatter;heisanexcellentfellow,andwemustnotleavehim.
Wewilltryandcarryhimonboardthetartan.”
Dantesdeclared,however,thathewouldratherdiewherehewasthanundergotheagonywhichtheslightestmovementcosthim.
“Well,”saidthepatron,“letwhatmayhappen,itshallneverbesaidthatwedesertedagoodcomradelikeyou.Wewillnotgotillevening.”
Thisverymuchastonishedthesailors,although,notoneopposedit.
Thepatronwassostrictthatthiswasthefirsttimetheyhadeverseenhimgiveupanenterprise,orevendelayinitsexecution.
Danteswouldnotallowthatanysuchinfractionofregularandproperrulesshouldbemadeinhisfavor.
“No,no,”hesaidtothepatron,“Iwasawkward,anditisjustthatIpaythepenaltyofmyclumsiness.
Leavemeasmallsupplyofbiscuit,agun,powder,andballs,tokillthekidsordefendmyselfatneed,andapickaxe,thatImaybuildashelterifyoudelayincomingbackforme.”
“Butyou’lldieofhunger,”saidthepatron.
“Iwouldratherdoso,”wasEdmondreply,“thansuffertheinexpressibleagonieswhichtheslightestmovementcausesme.”
Thepatronturnedtowardshisvessel,whichwasrollingontheswellinthelittleharbor,and,withsailspartlyset,wouldbereadyforseawhenhertoiletshouldbecompleted.
“Whatarewetodo,Maltese?”askedthecaptain.“Wecannotleaveyouhereso,andyetwecannotstay.”
“Go,go!”exclaimedDantes.
“Weshallbeabsentatleastaweek,”saidthepatron,“andthenwemustrunoutofourcoursetocomehereandtakeyouupagain.”
“Why,”saidDantes,“ifintwoorthreedaysyouhailanyfishing–boat,desirethemtocomeheretome.
Iwillpaytwenty–fivepiastresformypassagebacktoLeghorn.
Ifyoudonotcomeacrossone,returnforme.”Thepatronshookhishead.
“Listen,CaptainBaldi;there’sonewayofsettlingthis,”saidJacopo.“Doyougo,andIwillstayandtakecareofthewoundedman.”
“Andgiveupyourshareoftheventure,”saidEdmond,“toremainwithme?”
“Yes,”saidJacopo,“andwithoutanyhesitation.”
“Youareagoodfellowandakind–heartedmessmate,”repliedEdmond,“andheavenwillrecompenseyouforyourgenerousintentions;butIdonotwishanyonetostaywithme.
Adayortwoofrestwillsetmeup,andIhopeIshallfindamongtherockscertainherbsmostexcellentforbruises.”
ApeculiarsmilepassedoverDantes’lips;hesqueezedJacopo’shandwarmly,butnothingcouldshakehisdeterminationtoremain—andremainalone.
ThesmugglersleftwithEdmondwhathehadrequestedandsetsail,butnotwithoutturningaboutseveraltimes,andeachtimemakingsignsofacordialfarewell,towhichEdmondrepliedwithhishandonly,asifhecouldnotmovetherestofhisbody.
Then,whentheyhaddisappeared,hesaidwithasmile,—”’Tisstrangethatitshouldbeamongsuchmenthatwefindproofsoffriendshipanddevotion.”
Thenhedraggedhimselfcautiouslytothetopofarock,fromwhichhehadafullviewofthesea,andthencehesawthetartancompleteherpreparationsforsailing,weighanchor,and,balancingherselfasgracefullyasawater–fowlereittakestothewing,setsail.
Attheendofanhourshewascompletelyoutofsight;atleast,itwasimpossibleforthewoundedmantoseeheranylongerfromthespotwherehewas.
ThenDantesrosemoreagileandlightthanthekidamongthemyrtlesandshrubsofthesewildrocks,tookhisguninonehand,hispickaxeintheother,andhastenedtowardstherockonwhichthemarkshehadnotedterminated.
“Andnow,”heexclaimed,rememberingthetaleoftheArabianfisherman,whichFariahadrelatedtohim,“now,opensesame!”
Share this article to
FINISH