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Thesunhadnearlyreachedthemeridian,andhisscorchingraysfellfullontherocks,whichseemedthemselvessensibleoftheheat.
Thousandsofgrasshoppers,hiddeninthebushes,chirpedwithamonotonousanddullnote;theleavesofthemyrtleandolivetreeswavedandrustledinthewind.
AteverystepthatEdmondtookhedisturbedthelizardsglitteringwiththehuesoftheemerald;afaroffhesawthewildgoatsboundingfromcragtocrag.
Inaword,theislandwasinhabited,yetEdmondfelthimselfalone,guidedbythehandofGod.
Hefeltanindescribablesensationsomewhatakintodread—thatdreadofthedaylightwhicheveninthedesertmakesusfearwearewatchedandobserved.
ThisfeelingwassostrongthatatthemomentwhenEdmondwasabouttobeginhislabor,hestopped,laiddownhispickaxe,seizedhisgun,mountedtothesummitofthehighestrock,andfromthencegazedroundineverydirection.
ButitwasnotuponCorsica,theveryhousesofwhichhecoulddistinguish;oronSardinia;orontheIslandofElba,withitshistoricalassociations;oruponthealmostimperceptiblelinethattotheexperiencedeyeofasailoralonerevealedthecoastofGenoatheproud,andLeghornthecommercial,thathegazed.
Itwasatthebrigantinethathadleftinthemorning,andthetartanthathadjustsetsail,thatEdmondfixedhiseyes.
ThefirstwasjustdisappearinginthestraitsofBonifacio;theother,followinganoppositedirection,wasabouttoroundtheIslandofCorsica.Thissightreassuredhim.Hethenlookedattheobjectsnearhim.
Hesawthathewasonthehighestpointoftheisland,—astatueonthisvastpedestalofgranite,nothinghumanappearinginsight,whiletheblueoceanbeatagainstthebaseoftheisland,andcovereditwithafringeoffoam.
Thenhedescendedwithcautiousandslowstep,forhedreadedlestanaccidentsimilartothathehadsoadroitlyfeignedshouldhappeninreality.
Dantes,aswehavesaid,hadtracedthemarksalongtherocks,andhehadnoticedthattheyledtoasmallcreek,whichwashiddenlikethebathofsomeancientnymph.
Thiscreekwassufficientlywideatitsmouth,anddeepinthecentre,toadmitoftheentranceofasmallvesseloftheluggerclass,whichwouldbeperfectlyconcealedfromobservation.
Thenfollowingtheclewthat,inthehandsoftheAbbeFaria,hadbeensoskilfullyusedtoguidehimthroughtheDaedalianlabyrinthofprobabilities,hethoughtthattheCardinalSpada,anxiousnottobewatched,hadenteredthecreek,concealedhislittlebarque,followedthelinemarkedbythenotchesintherock,andattheendofithadburiedhistreasure.
ItwasthisideathathadbroughtDantesbacktothecircularrock.
OnethingonlyperplexedEdmond,anddestroyedhistheory.
Howcouldthisrock,whichweighedseveraltons,havebeenliftedtothisspot,withouttheaidofmanymen?
Suddenlyanideaflashedacrosshismind.
Insteadofraisingit,thoughthe,theyhaveloweredit.
Andhesprangfromtherockinordertoinspectthebaseonwhichithadformerlystood.
Hesoonperceivedthataslopehadbeenformed,andtherockhadslidalongthisuntilitstoppedatthespotitnowoccupied.
Alargestonehadservedasawedge;flintsandpebbleshadbeeninsertedaroundit,soastoconcealtheorifice;thisspeciesofmasonryhadbeencoveredwithearth,andgrassandweedshadgrownthere,mosshadclungtothestones,myrtle–busheshadtakenroot,andtheoldrockseemedfixedtotheearth.
Dantesdugawaytheearthcarefully,anddetected,orfanciedhedetected,theingeniousartifice.
Heattackedthiswall,cementedbythehandoftime,withhispickaxe.
Aftertenminutes’laborthewallgaveway,andaholelargeenoughtoinsertthearmwasopened.
Danteswentandcutthestrongestolive–treehecouldfind,strippedoffitsbranches,inserteditinthehole,anduseditasalever.
Buttherockwastooheavy,andtoofirmlywedged,tobemovedbyanyoneman,wereheHerculeshimself.
Dantessawthathemustattackthewedge.Buthow?
Hecasthiseyesaround,andsawthehornfullofpowderwhichhisfriendJacopohadlefthim.
Hesmiled;theinfernalinventionwouldservehimforthispurpose.
Withtheaidofhispickaxe,Dantes,afterthemannerofalabor–savingpioneer,dugaminebetweentheupperrockandtheonethatsupportedit,filleditwithpowder,thenmadeamatchbyrollinghishandkerchiefinsaltpetre.Helighteditandretired.
Theexplosionsoonfollowed;theupperrockwasliftedfromitsbasebytheterrificforceofthepowder;theloweroneflewintopieces;thousandsofinsectsescapedfromtheapertureDanteshadpreviouslyformed,andahugesnake,liketheguardiandemonofthetreasure,rolledhimselfalongindarkeningcoils,anddisappeared.
Dantesapproachedtheupperrock,whichnow,withoutanysupport,leanedtowardsthesea.
Theintrepidtreasure–seekerwalkedroundit,and,selectingthespotfromwhenceitappearedmostsusceptibletoattack,placedhisleverinoneofthecrevices,andstrainedeverynervetomovethemass.
Therock,alreadyshakenbytheexplosion,totteredonitsbase.
Dantesredoubledhisefforts;heseemedlikeoneoftheancientTitans,whouprootedthemountainstohurlagainstthefatherofthegods.
Therockyielded,rolledover,boundedfrompointtopoint,andfinallydisappearedintheocean.
Onthespotithadoccupiedwasacircularspace,exposinganironringletintoasquareflag–stone.
Dantesutteredacryofjoyandsurprise;neverhadafirstattemptbeencrownedwithmoreperfectsuccess.
Hewouldfainhavecontinued,buthiskneestrembled,andhisheartbeatsoviolently,andhissightbecamesodim,thathewasforcedtopause.Thisfeelinglastedbutforamoment.
Edmondinsertedhisleverintheringandexertedallhisstrength;theflag–stoneyielded,anddisclosedstepsthatdescendeduntiltheywerelostintheobscurityofasubterraneousgrotto.
Anyoneelsewouldhaverushedonwithacryofjoy.
Dantesturnedpale,hesitated,andreflected.“Come,”saidhetohimself,“beaman.Iamaccustomedtoadversity.
ImustnotbecastdownbythediscoverythatIhavebeendeceived.
What,then,wouldbetheuseofallIhavesuffered?
Theheartbreakswhen,afterhavingbeenelatedbyflatteringhopes,itseesallitsillusionsdestroyed.
Fariahasdreamedthis;theCardinalSpadaburiednotreasurehere;perhapshenevercamehere,orifhedid,CaesarBorgia,theintrepidadventurer,thestealthyandindefatigableplunderer,hasfollowedhim,discoveredhistraces,pursuedthemasIhavedone,raisedthestone,anddescendingbeforeme,hasleftmenothing.”
Heremainedmotionlessandpensive,hiseyesfixedonthegloomyaperturethatwasopenathisfeet.
“NowthatIexpectnothing,nowthatInolongerentertaintheslightesthopes,theendofthisadventurebecomessimplyamatterofcuriosity.”Andheremainedagainmotionlessandthoughtful.
“Yes,yes;thisisanadventureworthyaplaceinthevariedcareerofthatroyalbandit.
Thisfabulouseventformedbutalinkinalongchainofmarvels.
Yes,Borgiahasbeenhere,atorchinonehand,aswordintheother,andwithintwentypaces,atthefootofthisrock,perhapstwoguardskeptwatchonlandandsea,whiletheirmasterdescended,asIamabouttodescend,dispellingthedarknessbeforehisawe–inspiringprogress.”
“Butwhatwasthefateoftheguardswhothuspossessedhissecret?”askedDantesofhimself.
“Thefate,”repliedhe,smiling,“ofthosewhoburiedAlaric.”
“Yet,hadhecome,”thoughtDantes,“hewouldhavefoundthetreasure,andBorgia,hewhocomparedItalytoanartichoke,whichhecoulddevourleafbyleaf,knewtoowellthevalueoftimetowasteitinreplacingthisrock.Iwillgodown.”
Thenhedescended,asmileonhislips,andmurmuringthatlastwordofhumanphilosophy,“Perhaps!”
Butinsteadofthedarkness,andthethickandmephiticatmospherehehadexpectedtofind,Dantessawadimandbluishlight,which,aswellastheair,entered,notmerelybytheaperturehehadjustformed,butbytheintersticesandcrevicesoftherockwhichwerevisiblefromwithout,andthroughwhichhecoulddistinguishtheblueskyandthewavingbranchesoftheevergreenoaks,andthetendrilsofthecreepersthatgrewfromtherocks.
Afterhavingstoodafewminutesinthecavern,theatmosphereofwhichwasratherwarmthandamp,Dantes’eye,habituatedasitwastodarkness,couldpierceeventotheremotestanglesofthecavern,whichwasofgranitethatsparkledlikediamonds.
“Alas,”saidEdmond,smiling,“thesearethetreasuresthecardinalhasleft;andthegoodabbe,seeinginadreamtheseglitteringwalls,hasindulgedinfallacioushopes.”
Buthecalledtomindthewordsofthewill,whichheknewbyheart.
“Inthefarthestangleofthesecondopening,”saidthecardinal’swill.
Hehadonlyfoundthefirstgrotto;hehadnowtoseekthesecond.Dantescontinuedhissearch.
Hereflectedthatthissecondgrottomustpenetratedeeperintotheisland;heexaminedthestones,andsoundedonepartofthewallwherehefanciedtheopeningexisted,maskedforprecaution’ssake.
ThepickaxestruckforamomentwithadullsoundthatdrewoutofDantes’foreheadlargedropsofperspiration.
Atlastitseemedtohimthatonepartofthewallgaveforthamorehollowanddeeperecho;heeagerlyadvanced,andwiththequicknessofperceptionthatnoonebutaprisonerpossesses,sawthatthere,inallprobability,theopeningmustbe.
However,he,likeCaesarBorgia,knewthevalueoftime;and,inordertoavoidfruitlesstoil,hesoundedalltheotherwallswithhispickaxe,strucktheearthwiththebuttofhisgun,andfindingnothingthatappearedsuspicious,returnedtothatpartofthewallwhenceissuedtheconsolingsoundhehadbeforeheard.
Heagainstruckit,andwithgreaterforce.Thenasingularthingoccurred.
Ashestruckthewall,piecesofstuccosimilartothatusedinthegroundworkofarabesquesbrokeoff,andfelltothegroundinflakes,exposingalargewhitestone.
Theapertureoftherockhadbeenclosedwithstones,thenthisstuccohadbeenapplied,andpaintedtoimitategranite.
Dantesstruckwiththesharpendofhispickaxe,whichenteredsomewaybetweentheinterstices.Itwastherehemustdig.
Butbysomestrangeplayofemotion,inproportionastheproofsthatFaria,hadnotbeendeceivedbecamestronger,sodidhisheartgiveway,andafeelingofdiscouragementstoleoverhim.
Thislastproof,insteadofgivinghimfreshstrength,deprivedhimofit;thepickaxedescended,orratherfell;heplaceditontheground,passedhishandoverhisbrow,andremountedthestairs,allegingtohimself,asanexcuse,adesiretobeassuredthatnoonewaswatchinghim,butinrealitybecausehefeltthathewasabouttofaint.
Theislandwasdeserted,andthesunseemedtocoveritwithitsfieryglance;afaroff,afewsmallfishingboatsstuddedthebosomoftheblueocean.
Danteshadtastednothing,buthethoughtnotofhungeratsuchamoment;hehastilyswallowedafewdropsofrum,andagainenteredthecavern.
Thepickaxethathadseemedsoheavy,wasnowlikeafeatherinhisgrasp;heseizedit,andattackedthewall.
Afterseveralblowsheperceivedthatthestoneswerenotcemented,buthadbeenmerelyplacedoneupontheother,andcoveredwithstucco;heinsertedthepointofhispickaxe,andusingthehandleasalever,withjoysoonsawthestoneturnasifonhinges,andfallathisfeet.
Hehadnothingmoretodonow,butwiththeirontoothofthepickaxetodrawthestonestowardshimonebyone.
Theaperturewasalreadysufficientlylargeforhimtoenter,butbywaiting,hecouldstillclingtohope,andretardthecertaintyofdeception.
Atlast,afterrenewedhesitation,Dantesenteredthesecondgrotto.
Thesecondgrottowaslowerandmoregloomythanthefirst;theairthatcouldonlyenterbythenewlyformedopeninghadthemephiticsmellDanteswassurprisednottofindintheoutercavern.
Hewaitedinordertoallowpureairtodisplacethefoulatmosphere,andthenwenton.
Attheleftoftheopeningwasadarkanddeepangle.
ButtoDantes’eyetherewasnodarkness.
Heglancedaroundthissecondgrotto;itwas,likethefirst,empty.
Thetreasure,ifitexisted,wasburiedinthiscorner.
Thetimehadatlengtharrived;twofeetofearthremoved,andDantes’fatewouldbedecided.
Headvancedtowardstheangle,andsummoningallhisresolution,attackedthegroundwiththepickaxe.
Atthefifthorsixthblowthepickaxestruckagainstanironsubstance.
Neverdidfuneralknell,neverdidalarm–bell,produceagreatereffectonthehearer.
HadDantesfoundnothinghecouldnothavebecomemoreghastlypale.
Heagainstruckhispickaxeintotheearth,andencounteredthesameresistance,butnotthesamesound.
“Itisacasketofwoodboundwithiron,”thoughthe.
Atthismomentashadowpassedrapidlybeforetheopening;Dantesseizedhisgun,sprangthroughtheopening,andmountedthestair.
Awildgoathadpassedbeforethemouthofthecave,andwasfeedingatalittledistance.
Thiswouldhavebeenafavorableoccasiontosecurehisdinner;butDantesfearedlestthereportofhisgunshouldattractattention.
Hethoughtamoment,cutabranchofaresinoustree,lighteditatthefireatwhichthesmugglershadpreparedtheirbreakfast,anddescendedwiththistorch.Hewishedtoseeeverything.
Heapproachedtheholehehaddug,andnow,withtheaidofthetorch,sawthathispickaxehadinrealitystruckagainstironandwood.
Heplantedhistorchinthegroundandresumedhislabor.
Inaninstantaspacethreefeetlongbytwofeetbroadwascleared,andDantescouldseeanoakencoffer,boundwithcutsteel;inthemiddleofthelidhesawengravedonasilverplate,whichwasstilluntarnished,thearmsoftheSpadafamily—viz.,asword,pale,onanovalshield,likealltheItalianarmorialbearings,andsurmountedbyacardinal’shat;Danteseasilyrecognizedthem,Fariahadsooftendrawnthemforhim.
Therewasnolongeranydoubt:thetreasurewasthere—noonewouldhavebeenatsuchpainstoconcealanemptycasket.
Inaninstanthehadclearedeveryobstacleaway,andhesawsuccessivelythelock,placedbetweentwopadlocks,andthetwohandlesateachend,allcarvedasthingswerecarvedatthatepoch,whenartrenderedthecommonestmetalsprecious.
Dantesseizedthehandles,andstrovetoliftthecoffer;itwasimpossible.
Hesoughttoopenit;lockandpadlockwerefastened;thesefaithfulguardiansseemedunwillingtosurrendertheirtrust.
Dantesinsertedthesharpendofthepickaxebetweenthecofferandthelid,andpressingwithallhisforceonthehandle,burstopenthefastenings.
Thehingesyieldedintheirturnandfell,stillholdingintheirgraspfragmentsofthewood,andthechestwasopen.
Edmondwasseizedwithvertigo;hecockedhisgunandlaiditbesidehim.
Hethenclosedhiseyesaschildrendoinorderthattheymayseeintheresplendentnightoftheirownimaginationmorestarsthanarevisibleinthefirmament;thenhere–openedthem,andstoodmotionlesswithamazement.Threecompartmentsdividedthecoffer.
Inthefirst,blazedpilesofgoldencoin;inthesecond,wererangedbarsofunpolishedgold,whichpossessednothingattractivesavetheirvalue;inthethird,Edmondgraspedhandfulsofdiamonds,pearls,andrubies,which,astheyfellononeanother,soundedlikehailagainstglass.
Afterhavingtouched,felt,examinedthesetreasures,Edmondrushedthroughthecavernslikeamanseizedwithfrenzy;heleapedonarock,fromwhencehecouldbeholdthesea.
Hewasalone—alonewiththesecountless,theseunheard–oftreasures!washeawake,orwasitbutadream?
Hewouldfainhavegazeduponhisgold,andyethehadnotstrengthenough;foraninstantheleanedhisheadinhishandsasiftopreventhissensesfromleavinghim,andthenrushedmadlyabouttherocksofMonteCristo,terrifyingthewildgoatsandscaringthesea–fowlswithhiswildcriesandgestures;thenhereturned,and,stillunabletobelievetheevidenceofhissenses,rushedintothegrotto,andfoundhimselfbeforethismineofgoldandjewels.
Thistimehefellonhisknees,and,claspinghishandsconvulsively,utteredaprayerintelligibletoGodalone.
Hesoonbecamecalmerandmorehappy,foronlynowdidhebegintorealizehisfelicity.
Hethensethimselftoworktocounthisfortune.
Therewereathousandingotsofgold,eachweighingfromtwotothreepounds;thenhepileduptwenty–fivethousandcrowns,eachworthabouteightyfrancsofourmoney,andbearingtheeffigiesofAlexanderVI.
andhispredecessors;andhesawthatthecomplementwasnothalfempty.
Andhemeasuredtendoublehandfulsofpearls,diamonds,andothergems,manyofwhich,mountedbythemostfamousworkmen,werevaluablebeyondtheirintrinsicworth.
Dantessawthelightgraduallydisappear,andfearingtobesurprisedinthecavern,leftit,hisguninhishand.
Apieceofbiscuitandasmallquantityofrumformedhissupper,andhesnatchedafewhours’sleep,lyingoverthemouthofthecave.
Itwasanightofjoyandterror,suchasthismanofstupendousemotionshadalreadyexperiencedtwiceorthriceinhislifetime.
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