English
Itwillberecollectedthatthenew,orratherold,acquaintancesoftheCountofMonteCristo,residingintheRueMeslay,werenootherthanMaximilian,Julie,andEmmanuel.
Theveryanticipationsofdelighttobeenjoyedinhisforthcomingvisits—thebright,puregleamofheavenlyhappinessitdiffusedoverthealmostdeadlywarfareinwhichhehadvoluntarilyengaged,illuminedhiswholecountenancewithalookofineffablejoyandcalmness,as,immediatelyafterVillefort’sdeparture,histhoughtsflewbacktothecheeringprospectbeforehim,oftasting,atleast,abriefrespitefromthefierceandstormypassionsofhismind.
EvenAli,whohadhastenedtoobeytheCount’ssummons,wentforthfromhismaster’spresenceincharmedamazementattheunusualanimationandpleasuredepictedonfeaturesordinarilysosternandcold;while,asthoughdreadingtoputtoflighttheagreeableideashoveringoverhispatron’smeditations,whatevertheywere,thefaithfulNubianwalkedontiptoetowardsthedoor,holdinghisbreath,lestitsfaintestsoundshoulddissipatehismaster’shappyreverie.
Itwasnoon,andMonteCristohadsetapartonehourtobepassedintheapartmentsofHaidee,asthoughhisoppressedspiritcouldnotallatonceadmitthefeelingofpureandunmixedjoy,butrequiredagradualsuccessionofcalmandgentleemotionstopreparehismindtoreceivefullandperfecthappiness,inthesamemannerasordinarynaturesdemandtobeinuredbydegreestothereceptionofstrongorviolentsensations.
TheyoungGreek,aswehavealreadysaid,occupiedapartmentswhollyunconnectedwiththoseofthecount.
TheroomshadbeenfittedupinstrictaccordancewithOrientalideas;thefloorswerecoveredwiththerichestcarpetsTurkeycouldproduce;thewallshungwithbrocadedsilkofthemostmagnificentdesignsandtexture;whilearoundeachchamberluxuriousdivanswereplaced,withpilesofsoftandyieldingcushions,thatneededonlytobearrangedatthepleasureorconvenienceofsuchassoughtrepose.
HaideeandthreeFrenchmaids,andonewhowasaGreek.
Thefirstthreeremainedconstantlyinasmallwaiting–room,readytoobeythesummonsofasmallgoldenbell,ortoreceivetheordersoftheRomaicslave,whoknewjustenoughFrenchtobeabletotransmithermistress’swishestothethreeotherwaiting–women;thelatterhadreceivedmostperemptoryinstructionsfromMonteCristototreatHaideewithallthedeferencetheywouldobservetoaqueen.
Theyounggirlherselfgenerallypassedhertimeinthechamberatthefartherendofherapartments.
Thiswasasortofboudoir,circular,andlightedonlyfromtheroof,whichconsistedofrose–coloredglass.
Haideewasreclininguponsoftdownycushions,coveredwithbluesatinspottedwithsilver;herhead,supportedbyoneofherexquisitelymouldedarms,restedonthedivanimmediatelybehindher,whiletheotherwasemployedinadjustingtoherlipsthecoraltubeofarichnarghile,throughwhoseflexiblepipeshedrewthesmokefragrantbyitspassagethroughperfumedwater.
Herattitude,thoughperfectlynaturalforanEasternwomanwould,inaEuropean,havebeendeemedtoofullofcoquettishstrainingaftereffect.
Herdress,whichwasthatofthewomenofEpirus,consistedofapairofwhitesatintrousers,embroideredwithpinkroses,displayingfeetsoexquisitelyformedandsodelicatelyfair,thattheymightwellhavebeentakenforParianmarble,hadnottheeyebeenundeceivedbytheirmovementsastheyconstantlyshiftedinandoutofapairoflittleslipperswithupturnedtoes,beautifullyornamentedwithgoldandpearls.
Sheworeablueandwhite–stripedvest,withlongopensleeves,trimmedwithsilverloopsandbuttonsofpearls,andasortofbodice,which,closingonlyfromthecentretothewaist,exhibitedthewholeoftheivorythroatandupperpartofthebosom;itwasfastenedwiththreemagnificentdiamondclasps.
Thejunctionofthebodiceanddrawerswasentirelyconcealedbyoneofthemany–coloredscarfs,whosebrillianthuesandrichsilkenfringehaverenderedthemsopreciousintheeyesofParisianbelles.
Tiltedononesideofherheadshehadasmallcapofgold–coloredsilk,embroideredwithpearls;whileontheotherapurplerosemingleditsglowingcolorswiththeluxuriantmassesofherhair,ofwhichtheblacknesswassointensethatitwastingedwithblue.
Theextremebeautyofthecountenance,thatshoneforthinlovelinessthatmockedthevainattemptsofdresstoaugmentit,waspeculiarlyandpurelyGrecian;therewerethelarge,dark,meltingeyes,thefinelyformednose,thecorallips,andpearlyteeth,thatbelongedtoherraceandcountry.
And,tocompletethewhole,Haideewasintheveryspringtideandfulnessofyouthfulcharms—shehadnotyetnumberedmorethantwentysummers.
MonteCristosummonedtheGreekattendant,andbadeherinquirewhetheritwouldbeagreeabletohermistresstoreceivehisvisit.
Haidee’sonlyreplywastodirectherservantbyasigntowithdrawthetapestriedcurtainthathungbeforethedoorofherboudoir,theframeworkoftheopeningthusmadeservingasasortofbordertothegracefultableaupresentedbytheyounggirl’spicturesqueattitudeandappearance.
AsMonteCristoapproached,sheleanedupontheelbowofthearmthatheldthenarghile,andextendingtohimherotherhand,said,withasmileofcaptivatingsweetness,inthesonorouslanguagespokenbythewomenofAthensandSparta,“Whydemandpermissionereyouenter?
Areyounolongermymaster,orhaveIceasedtobeyourslave?”MonteCristoreturnedhersmile.“Haidee,”saidhe,“youwellknow.”
“Whydoyouaddressmesocoldly—sodistantly?”askedtheyoungGreek.“HaveIbyanymeansdispleasedyou?
Oh,ifso,punishmeasyouwill;butdonot—donotspeaktomeintonesandmannersoformalandconstrained.”
“Haidee,”repliedthecount,“youknowthatyouarenowinFrance,andarefree.”
“Freetodowhat?”askedtheyounggirl.
“Freetoleaveme.”
“Leaveyou?WhyshouldIleaveyou?”
“Thatisnotformetosay;butwearenowabouttomixinsociety—tovisitandbevisited.”
“Idon’twishtoseeanybodybutyou.”
“Andshouldyouseeonewhomyoucouldprefer,Iwouldnotbesounjust”—
“IhaveneverseenanyoneIpreferredtoyou,andIhaveneverlovedanyonebutyouandmyfather.”
“Mypoorchild,”repliedMonteCristo,“thatismerelybecauseyourfatherandmyselfaretheonlymenwhohaveevertalkedtoyou.”
“Idon’twantanybodyelsetotalktome.MyfathersaidIwashis‘joy’—youstylemeyour‘love,’—andbothofyouhavecalledme‘mychild.’”
“Doyourememberyourfather,Haidee?”TheyoungGreeksmiled.“Heishere,andhere,”saidshe,touchinghereyesandherheart.“AndwhereamI?”inquiredMonteCristolaughingly.
“You?”criedshe,withtonesofthrillingtenderness,“youareeverywhere!”
MonteCristotookthedelicatehandoftheyounggirlinhis,andwasabouttoraiseittohislips,whenthesimplechildofnaturehastilywithdrewit,andpresentedhercheek.
“Younowunderstand,Haidee,”saidthecount,“thatfromthismomentyouareabsolutelyfree;thathereyouexerciseunlimitedsway,andareatlibertytolayasideorcontinuethecostumeofyourcountry,asitmaysuityourinclination.
Withinthismansionyouareabsolutemistressofyouractions,andmaygoabroadorremaininyourapartmentsasmayseemmostagreeabletoyou.
Acarriagewaitsyourorders,andAliandMyrthowillaccompanyyouwhithersoeveryoudesiretogo.
ThereisbutonefavorIwouldentreatofyou.”
“Speak.”
“Guardcarefullythesecretofyourbirth.Makenoallusiontothepast;noruponanyoccasionbeinducedtopronouncethenamesofyourillustriousfatherorill–fatedmother.”
“Ihavealreadytoldyou,mylord,thatIshallseenoone.”
“Itispossible,Haidee,thatsoperfectaseclusion,thoughconformablewiththehabitsandcustomsoftheEast,maynotbepracticableinParis.
Endeavor,then,toaccustomyourselftoourmanneroflivinginthesenorthernclimesasyoudidtothoseofRome,Florence,Milan,andMadrid;itmaybeusefultoyouoneofthesedays,whetheryouremainhereorreturntotheEast.”
TheyounggirlraisedhertearfuleyestowardsMonteCristoasshesaidwithtouchingearnestness,“WhetherwereturntotheEast,youmeantosay,mylord,doyounot?”
“Mychild,”returnedMonteCristo“youknowfullwellthatwheneverwepart,itwillbenofaultorwishofmine;thetreeforsakesnottheflower—theflowerfallsfromthetree.”
“Mylord,”repliedHaidee,“Ineverwillleaveyou,forIamsureIcouldnotexistwithoutyou.”
“Mypoorgirl,intenyearsIshallbeold,andyouwillbestillyoung.”
“Myfatherhadalongwhitebeard,butIlovedhim;hewassixtyyearsold,buttomehewashandsomerthanallthefineyouthsIsaw.”
“Thentellme,Haidee,doyoubelieveyoushallbeabletoaccustomyourselftoourpresentmodeoflife?”
“ShallIseeyou?”
“Everyday.”
“Thenwhatdoyoufear,mylord?”
“Youmightfinditdull.”
“No,mylord.Inthemorning,Ishallrejoiceintheprospectofyourcoming,andintheeveningdwellwithdelightonthehappinessIhaveenjoyedinyourpresence;thentoo,whenalone,Icancallforthmightypicturesofthepast,seevasthorizonsboundedonlybythetoweringmountainsofPindusandOlympus.
Oh,believeme,thatwhenthreegreatpassions,suchassorrow,love,andgratitudefilltheheart,ennuicanfindnoplace.”
“YouareaworthydaughterofEpirus,Haidee,andyourcharmingandpoeticalideasprovewellyourdescentfromthatraceofgoddesseswhoclaimyourcountryastheirbirthplace.
Dependonmycaretoseethatyouryouthisnotblighted,orsufferedtopassawayinungenialsolitude;andofthisbewellassured,thatifyoulovemeasafather,Iloveyouasachild.”
“Youarewrong,mylord.TheloveIhaveforyouisverydifferentfromtheloveIhadformyfather.Myfatherdied,butIdidnotdie.Ifyouweretodie,Ishoulddietoo.”
TheCount,withasmileofprofoundtenderness,extendedhishand,andshecarriedittoherlips.
MonteCristo,thusattunedtotheinterviewheproposedtoholdwithMorrelandhisfamily,departed,murmuringashewenttheselinesofPindar,“Youthisaflowerofwhichloveisthefruit;happyishewho,afterhavingwatcheditssilentgrowth,ispermittedtogatherandcallithisown.”
Thecarriagewaspreparedaccordingtoorders,andsteppinglightlyintoit,thecountdroveoffathisusualrapidpace.
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