English
WhenFranzreturnedtohimself,heseemedstilltobeinadream.
Hethoughthimselfinasepulchre,intowhicharayofsunlightinpityscarcelypenetrated.
Hestretchedforthhishand,andtouchedstone;herosetohisseat,andfoundhimselflyingonhisbournousinabedofdryheather,verysoftandodoriferous.
Thevisionhadfled;andasifthestatueshadbeenbutshadowsfromthetomb,theyhadvanishedathiswaking.
Headvancedseveralpacestowardsthepointwhencethelightcame,andtoalltheexcitementofhisdreamsucceededthecalmnessofreality.
Hefoundthathewasinagrotto,wenttowardstheopening,andthroughakindoffanlightsawablueseaandanazuresky.
Theairandwaterwereshininginthebeamsofthemorningsun;ontheshorethesailorsweresitting,chattingandlaughing;andattenyardsfromthemtheboatwasatanchor,undulatinggracefullyonthewater.
Thereforsometimeheenjoyedthefreshbreezewhichplayedonhisbrow,andlistenedtothedashofthewavesonthebeach,thatleftagainsttherocksalaceoffoamaswhiteassilver.
Hewasforsometimewithoutreflectionorthoughtforthedivinecharmwhichisinthethingsofnature,speciallyafterafantasticdream;thengraduallythisviewoftheouterworld,socalm,sopure,sogrand,remindedhimoftheillusivenessofhisvision,andoncemoreawakenedmemory.
Herecalledhisarrivalontheisland,hispresentationtoasmugglerchief,asubterraneanpalacefullofsplendor,anexcellentsupper,andaspoonfulofhashish.
Itseemed,however,evenintheveryfaceofopenday,thatatleastayearhadelapsedsinceallthesethingshadpassed,sodeepwastheimpressionmadeinhismindbythedream,andsostrongaholdhadittakenofhisimagination.
Thuseverynowandthenhesawinfancyamidthesailors,seatedonarock,orundulatinginthevessel,oneoftheshadowswhichhadsharedhisdreamwithlooksandkisses.
Otherwise,hisheadwasperfectlyclear,andhisbodyrefreshed;hewasfreefromtheslightestheadache;onthecontrary,hefeltacertaindegreeoflightness,afacultyforabsorbingthepureair,andenjoyingthebrightsunshinemorevividlythanever.
Hewentgaylyuptothesailors,whoroseassoonastheyperceivedhim;andthepatron,accostinghim,said,“TheSignorSinbadhaslefthiscomplimentsforyourexcellency,anddesiresustoexpresstheregrethefeelsatnotbeingabletotakehisleaveinperson;buthetrustsyouwillexcusehim,asveryimportantbusinesscallshimtoMalaga.”
“So,then,Gaetano,”saidFranz,“thisis,then,allreality;thereexistsamanwhohasreceivedmeinthisisland,entertainedmerightroyally,andhisdepartedwhileIwasasleep?”
“Heexistsascertainlyasthatyoumayseehissmallyachtwithallhersailsspread;andifyouwilluseyourglass,youwill,inallprobability,recognizeyourhostinthemidstofhiscrew.”
Sosaying,GaetanopointedinadirectioninwhichasmallvesselwasmakingsailtowardsthesouthernpointofCorsica.
Franzadjustedhistelescope,anddirectedittowardstheyacht.Gaetanowasnotmistaken.
Atthesternthemysteriousstrangerwasstandinguplookingtowardstheshore,andholdingaspy–glassinhishand.
Hewasattiredashehadbeenonthepreviousevening,andwavedhispocket–handkerchieftohisguestintokenofadieu.
Franzreturnedthesalutebyshakinghishandkerchiefasanexchangeofsignals.
Afterasecond,aslightcloudofsmokewasseenatthesternofthevessel,whichrosegracefullyasitexpandedintheair,andthenFranzheardaslightreport.“There,doyouhear?”
observedGaetano;“heisbiddingyouadieu.”
Theyoungmantookhiscarbineandfireditintheair,butwithoutanyideathatthenoisecouldbeheardatthedistancewhichseparatedtheyachtfromtheshore.
“Whatareyourexcellency’sorders?”inquiredGaetano.
“Inthefirstplace,lightmeatorch.”
“Ah,yes,Iunderstand,”repliedthepatron,“tofindtheentrancetotheenchantedapartment.
Withmuchpleasure,yourexcellency,ifitwouldamuseyou;andIwillgetyouthetorchyouaskfor.
ButItoohavehadtheideayouhave,andtwoorthreetimesthesamefancyhascomeoverme;butIhavealwaysgivenitup.
Giovanni,lightatorch,”headded,“andgiveittohisexcellency.”
Giovanniobeyed.Franztookthelamp,andenteredthesubterraneangrotto,followedbyGaetano.
Herecognizedtheplacewherehehadawakedbythebedofheatherthatwasthere;butitwasinvainthathecarriedhistorchallroundtheexteriorsurfaceofthegrotto.
Hesawnothing,unlessthat,bytracesofsmoke,othershadbeforehimattemptedthesamething,and,likehim,invain.
Yethedidnotleaveafootofthisgranitewall,asimpenetrableasfuturity,withoutstrictscrutiny;hedidnotseeafissurewithoutintroducingthebladeofhishuntingswordintoit,oraprojectingpointonwhichhedidnotleanandpressinthehopesitwouldgiveway.
Allwasvain;andhelosttwohoursinhisattempts,whichwereatlastutterlyuseless.
Attheendofthistimehegaveuphissearch,andGaetanosmiled.
WhenFranzappearedagainontheshore,theyachtonlyseemedlikeasmallwhitespeckonthehorizon.
Helookedagainthroughhisglass,buteventhenhecouldnotdistinguishanything.
Gaetanoremindedhimthathehadcomeforthepurposeofshootinggoats,whichhehadutterlyforgotten.
Hetookhisfowling–piece,andbegantohuntovertheislandwiththeairofamanwhoisfulfillingaduty,ratherthanenjoyingapleasure;andattheendofaquarterofanhourhehadkilledagoatandtwokids.
Theseanimals,thoughwildandagileaschamois,weretoomuchlikedomesticgoats,andFranzcouldnotconsiderthemasgame.
Moreover,otherideas,muchmoreenthralling,occupiedhismind.
Since,theeveningbefore,hehadreallybeentheheroofoneofthetalesofthe“ThousandandOneNights,”andhewasirresistiblyattractedtowardsthegrotto.
Then,inspiteofthefailureofhisfirstsearch,hebeganasecond,afterhavingtoldGaetanotoroastoneofthetwokids.
Thesecondvisitwasalongone,andwhenhereturnedthekidwasroastedandtherepastready.
Franzwassittingonthespotwherehewasonthepreviouseveningwhenhismysterioushosthadinvitedhimtosupper;andhesawthelittleyacht,nowlikeasea–gullonthewave,continuingherflighttowardsCorsica.
“Why,”heremarkedtoGaetano,“youtoldmethatSignorSinbadwasgoingtoMalaga,whileitseemsheisinthedirectionofPorto–Vecchio.”
“Don’tyouremember,”saidthepatron,“ItoldyouthatamongthecrewthereweretwoCorsicanbrigands?”
“True;andheisgoingtolandthem,”addedFranz.
“Preciselyso,”repliedGaetano.“Ah,heisonewhofearsneitherGodnorSatan,theysay,andwouldatanytimerunfiftyleaguesoutofhiscoursetodoapoordevilaservice.”
“Butsuchservicesasthesemightinvolvehimwiththeauthoritiesofthecountryinwhichhepracticesthiskindofphilanthropy,”saidFranz.
“Andwhatcaresheforthat,”repliedGaetanowithalaugh,“oranyauthorities?Hesmilesatthem.Letthemtrytopursuehim!
Why,inthefirstplace,hisyachtisnotaship,butabird,andhewouldbeatanyfrigatethreeknotsineverynine;andifheweretothrowhimselfonthecoast,why,ishenotcertainoffindingfriendseverywhere?”
ItwasperfectlyclearthattheSignorSinbad,Franz’shost,hadthehonorofbeingonexcellenttermswiththesmugglersandbanditsalongthewholecoastoftheMediterranean,andsoenjoyedexceptionalprivileges.
AstoFranz,hehadnolongeranyinducementtoremainatMonteCristo.
Hehadlostallhopeofdetectingthesecretofthegrotto;heconsequentlydespatchedhisbreakfast,and,hisboatbeingready,hehastenedonboard,andtheyweresoonunderway.
Atthemomenttheboatbeganhercoursetheylostsightoftheyacht,asitdisappearedinthegulfofPorto–Vecchio.
Withitwaseffacedthelasttraceoftheprecedingnight;andthensupper,Sinbad,hashish,statues,—allbecameadreamforFranz.
Theboatsailedonalldayandallnight,andnextmorning,whenthesunrose,theyhadlostsightofMonteCristo.
WhenFranzhadonceagainsetfootonshore,heforgot,forthemomentatleast,theeventswhichhadjustpassed,whilehefinishedhisaffairsofpleasureatFlorence,andthenthoughtofnothingbuthowheshouldrejoinhiscompanion,whowasawaitinghimatRome.
Hesetout,andontheSaturdayeveningreachedtheEternalCitybythemail–coach.
Anapartment,aswehavesaid,hadbeenretainedbeforehand,andthushehadbuttogotoSignorPastrini’shotel.
Butthiswasnotsoeasyamatter,forthestreetswerethrongedwithpeople,andRomewasalreadyapreytothatlowandfeverishmurmurwhichprecedesallgreatevents;andatRometherearefourgreateventsineveryyear,—theCarnival,HolyWeek,CorpusChristi,andtheFeastofSt.Peter.
Alltherestoftheyearthecityisinthatstateofdullapathy,betweenlifeanddeath,whichrendersitsimilartoakindofstationbetweenthisworldandthenext—asublimespot,aresting–placefullofpoetryandcharacter,andatwhichFranzhadalreadyhaltedfiveorsixtimes,andateachtimefounditmoremarvellousandstriking.
Atlasthemadehiswaythroughthemob,whichwascontinuallyincreasingandgettingmoreandmoreturbulent,andreachedthehotel.
Onhisfirstinquiryhewastold,withtheimpertinencepeculiartohiredhackney–coachmenandinn–keeperswiththeirhousesfull,thattherewasnoroomforhimattheHoteldeLondres.
ThenhesenthiscardtoSignorPastrini,andaskedforAlbertdeMorcerf.
Thisplansucceeded;andSignorPastrinihimselfrantohim,excusinghimselfforhavingmadehisexcellencywait,scoldingthewaiters,takingthecandlestickfromtheporter,whowasreadytopounceonthetravellerandwasabouttoleadhimtoAlbert,whenMorcerfhimselfappeared.
Theapartmentconsistedoftwosmallroomsandaparlor.
Thetworoomslookedontothestreet—afactwhichSignorPastrinicommenteduponasaninappreciableadvantage.
TherestofthefloorwashiredbyaveryrichgentlemanwhowassupposedtobeaSicilianorMaltese;butthehostwasunabletodecidetowhichofthetwonationsthetravellerbelonged.
“Verygood,signorPastrini,”saidFranz;“butwemusthavesomesupperinstantly,andacarriagefortomorrowandthefollowingdays.”
“Astosupper,”repliedthelandlord,“youshallbeservedimmediately;butasforthecarriage”—
“Whatastothecarriage?”exclaimedAlbert.“Come,come,SignorPastrini,nojoking;wemusthaveacarriage.”
“Sir,”repliedthehost,“wewilldoallinourpowertoprocureyouone—thisisallIcansay.”
“Andwhenshallweknow?”inquiredFranz.
“To–morrowmorning,”answeredtheinn–keeper.
“Oh,thedeuce!thenweshallpaythemore,that’sall,Iseeplainlyenough.
AtDrake’sorAaron’sonepaystwenty–fivelireforcommondays,andthirtyorthirty–fivelireadaymoreforSundaysandfeastdays;addfivelireadaymoreforextras,thatwillmakeforty,andthere’sanendofit.”
“Iamafraidifweofferthemdoublethatweshallnotprocureacarriage.”
“Thentheymustputhorsestomine.Itisalittleworseforthejourney,butthat’snomatter.”
“Therearenohorses.”AlbertlookedatFranzlikeamanwhohearsareplyhedoesnotunderstand.
“Doyouunderstandthat,mydearFranz—nohorses?”hesaid,“butcan’twehavepost–horses?”
“Theyhavebeenallhiredthisfortnight,andtherearenoneleftbutthoseabsolutelyrequisiteforposting.”
“Whatarewetosaytothis?”askedFranz.
“Isay,thatwhenathingcompletelysurpassesmycomprehension,Iamaccustomednottodwellonthatthing,buttopasstoanother.Issupperready,SignorPastrini?”
“Yes,yourexcellency.”
“Well,then,letussup.”
“Butthecarriageandhorses?”saidFranz.
“Beeasy,mydearboy;theywillcomeindueseason;itisonlyaquestionofhowmuchshallbechargedforthem.”
Morcerfthen,withthatdelightedphilosophywhichbelievesthatnothingisimpossibletoafullpurseorwell–linedpocketbook,supped,wenttobed,sleptsoundly,anddreamedhewasracingalloverRomeatCarnivaltimeinacoachwithsixhorses.
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