English
BoththecountandBaptistinhadtoldthetruthwhentheyannouncedtoMorcerftheproposedvisitofthemajor,whichhadservedMonteCristoasapretextfordecliningAlbert’sinvitation.
Seveno’clockhadjuststruck,andM.Bertuccio,accordingtothecommandwhichhadbeengivenhim,hadtwohoursbeforeleftforAuteuil,whenacabstoppedatthedoor,andafterdepositingitsoccupantatthegate,immediatelyhurriedaway,asifashamedofitsemployment.
Thevisitorwasaboutfifty–twoyearsofage,dressedinoneofthegreensurtouts,ornamentedwithblackfrogs,whichhavesolongmaintainedtheirpopularityalloverEurope.
Heworetrousersofbluecloth,bootstolerablyclean,butnotofthebrightestpolish,andalittletoothickinthesoles,buckskingloves,ahatsomewhatresemblinginshapethoseusuallywornbythegendarmes,andablackcravatstripedwithwhite,which,iftheproprietorhadnotwornitofhisownfreewill,mighthavepassedforahalter,somuchdiditresembleone.
Suchwasthepicturesquecostumeofthepersonwhorangatthegate,anddemandedifitwasnotatNo.30intheAvenuedesChamps–ElyseesthattheCountofMonteCristolived,andwho,beingansweredbytheporterintheaffirmative,entered,closedthegateafterhim,andbegantoascendthesteps.
Thesmallandangularheadofthisman,hiswhitehairandthickgraymustaches,causedhimtobeeasilyrecognizedbyBaptistin,whohadreceivedanexactdescriptionoftheexpectedvisitor,andwhowasawaitinghiminthehall.
Therefore,scarcelyhadthestrangertimetopronouncehisnamebeforethecountwasapprisedofhisarrival.
Hewasusheredintoasimpleandelegantdrawing–room,andthecountrosetomeethimwithasmilingair.
“Ah,mydearsir,youaremostwelcome;Iwasexpectingyou.”
“Indeed,”saidtheItalian,“wasyourexcellencythenawareofmyvisit?”
“Yes;IhadbeentoldthatIshouldseeyouto–dayatseveno’clock.”
“Thenyouhavereceivedfullinformationconcerningmyarrival?”
“Ofcourse.”
“Ah,somuchthebetter,Ifearedthislittleprecautionmighthavebeenforgotten.”
“Whatprecaution?”
“Thatofinformingyoubeforehandofmycoming.”
“Oh,no,ithasnot.”
“Butyouaresureyouarenotmistaken.”
“Verysure.”
“ItreallywasIwhomyourexcellencyexpectedatseveno’clockthisevening?”
“Iwillproveittoyoubeyondadoubt.”
“Oh,no,nevermindthat,”saidtheItalian;“itisnotworththetrouble.”
“Yes,yes,”saidMonteCristo.Hisvisitorappearedslightlyuneasy.“Letmesee,”saidthecount;“areyounottheMarquisBartolomeoCavalcanti?”
“BartolomeoCavalcanti,”joyfullyrepliedtheItalian;“yes,Iamreallyhe.”
“Ex–majorintheAustrianservice?”
“WasIamajor?”timidlyaskedtheoldsoldier.
“Yes,”saidMonteCristo“youwereamajor;thatisthetitletheFrenchgivetothepostwhichyoufilledinItaly.”
“Verygood,”saidthemajor,“Idonotdemandmore,youunderstand”—
“Yourvisithereto–dayisnotofyourownsuggestion,isit?”saidMonteCristo.
“No,certainlynot.”
“Youweresentbysomeotherperson?”
“Yes.”
“BytheexcellentAbbeBusoni?”
“Exactlyso,”saidthedelightedmajor.
“Andyouhavealetter?”
“Yes,thereitis.”
“Giveitme,then;”andMonteCristotooktheletter,whichheopenedandread.
Themajorlookedatthecountwithhislargestaringeyes,andthentookasurveyoftheapartment,buthisgazealmostimmediatelyrevertedtotheproprietoroftheroom.“Yes,yes,Isee.
‘MajorCavalcanti,aworthypatricianofLucca,adescendantoftheCavalcantiofFlorence,’”continuedMonteCristo,readingaloud,”’possessinganincomeofhalfamillion.
’”MonteCristoraisedhiseyesfromthepaper,andbowed.
“Halfamillion,”saidhe,“magnificent!”
“Halfamillion,isit?”saidthemajor.
“Yes,insomanywords;anditmustbeso,fortheabbeknowscorrectlytheamountofallthelargestfortunesinEurope.”
“Beithalfamillion,then;butonmywordofhonor,Ihadnoideathatitwassomuch.”
“Becauseyouarerobbedbyyoursteward.Youmustmakesomereformationinthatquarter.”
“Youhaveopenedmyeyes,”saidtheItaliangravely;“Iwillshowthegentlementhedoor.”MonteCristoresumedtheperusaloftheletter:—
”’Andwhoonlyneedsonethingmoretomakehimhappy.’”
“Yes,indeedbutone!”saidthemajorwithasigh.
”’Whichistorecoveralostandadoredson.’”
“Alostandadoredson!”
”’Stolenawayinhisinfancy,eitherbyanenemyofhisnoblefamilyorbythegypsies.’”
“Attheageoffiveyears!”saidthemajorwithadeepsigh,andraisinghiseyetoheaven.
“Unhappyfather,”saidMonteCristo.Thecountcontinued:—
”’Ihavegivenhimrenewedlifeandhope,intheassurancethatyouhavethepowerofrestoringthesonwhomhehasvainlysoughtforfifteenyears.
’”Themajorlookedatthecountwithanindescribableexpressionofanxiety.
“Ihavethepowerofsodoing,”saidMonteCristo.
Themajorrecoveredhisself–possession.
“So,then,”saidhe,“theletterwastruetotheend?”
“Didyoudoubtit,mydearMonsieurBartolomeo?”
“No,indeed;certainlynot;agoodman,amanholdingreligiousoffice,asdoestheAbbeBusoni,couldnotcondescendtodeceiveorplayoffajoke;butyourexcellencyhasnotreadall.”
“Ah,true,”saidMonteCristo“thereisapostscript.”
“Yes,yes,”repeatedthemajor,“yes—there—is—a—postscript.”
”’InordertosaveMajorCavalcantithetroubleofdrawingonhisbanker,Isendhimadraftfor2,000francstodefrayhistravellingexpenses,andcreditonyouforthefurthersumof48,000francs,whichyoustilloweme.
’”Themajorawaitedtheconclusionofthepostscript,apparentlywithgreatanxiety.“Verygood,”saidthecount.
“Hesaid‘verygood,’”mutteredthemajor,“then—sir”—repliedhe.
“Thenwhat?”askedMonteCristo.
“Thenthepostscript”—
“Well;whatofthepostscript?”
“Thenthepostscriptisasfavorablyreceivedbyyouastherestoftheletter?”
“Certainly;theAbbeBusoniandmyselfhaveasmallaccountopenbetweenus.
Idonotrememberifitisexactly48,000.
francs,whichIamstillowinghim,butIdaresayweshallnotdisputethedifference.
Youattachedgreatimportance,then,tothispostscript,mydearMonsieurCavalcanti?”
“Imustexplaintoyou,”saidthemajor,“that,fullyconfidinginthesignatureoftheAbbeBusoni,Ihadnotprovidedmyselfwithanyotherfunds;sothatifthisresourcehadfailedme,IshouldhavefoundmyselfveryunpleasantlysituatedinParis.”
“Isitpossiblethatamanofyourstandingshouldbeembarrassedanywhere?”saidMonteCristo.
“Why,reallyIknownoone,”saidthemajor.
“Butthenyouyourselfareknowntoothers?”
“Yes,Iamknown,sothat”—
“Proceed,mydearMonsieurCavalcanti.”
“Sothatyouwillremittomethese48,000francs?”
“Certainly,atyourfirstrequest.”Themajor’seyesdilatedwithpleasingastonishment.
“Butsitdown,”saidMonteCristo;“reallyIdonotknowwhatIhavebeenthinkingof—Ihavepositivelykeptyoustandingforthelastquarterofanhour.”
“Don’tmentionit.”Themajordrewanarm–chairtowardshim,andproceededtoseathimself.
“Now,”saidthecount,“whatwillyoutake—aglassofport,sherry,orAlicante?”
“Alicante,ifyouplease;itismyfavoritewine.”
“Ihavesomethatisverygood.Youwilltakeabiscuitwithit,willyounot?”
“Yes,Iwilltakeabiscuit,asyouaresoobliging.”
MonteCristorang;Baptistinappeared.Thecountadvancedtomeethim.“Well?”saidheinalowvoice.“Theyoungmanishere,”saidthevaletdechambreinthesametone.
“Intowhatroomdidyoutakehim?”
“Intothebluedrawing–room,accordingtoyourexcellency’sorders.”
“That’sright;nowbringtheAlicanteandsomebiscuits.”
Baptistinlefttheroom.“Really,”saidthemajor,“IamquiteashamedofthetroubleIamgivingyou.”
“Praydon’tmentionsuchathing,”saidthecount.
Baptistinre–enteredwithglasses,wine,andbiscuits.
Thecountfilledoneglass,butintheotherheonlypouredafewdropsoftheruby–coloredliquid.
Thebottlewascoveredwithspiders’webs,andalltheothersignswhichindicatetheageofwinemoretrulythandowrinklesonaman’sface.
Themajormadeawisechoice;hetookthefullglassandabiscuit.
ThecounttoldBaptistintoleavetheplatewithinreachofhisguest,whobeganbysippingtheAlicantewithanexpressionofgreatsatisfaction,andthendelicatelysteepedhisbiscuitinthewine.
“So,sir,youlivedatLucca,didyou?Youwererich,noble,heldingreatesteem—hadallthatcouldrenderamanhappy?”
“All,”saidthemajor,hastilyswallowinghisbiscuit,“positivelyall.”
“Andyettherewasonethingwantinginordertocompleteyourhappiness?”
“Onlyonething,”saidtheItalian.
“Andthatonething,yourlostchild.”
“Ah,”saidthemajor,takingasecondbiscuit,“thatconsummationofmyhappinesswasindeedwanting.”Theworthymajorraisedhiseyestoheavenandsighed.
“Letmehear,then,”saidthecount,“whothisdeeplyregrettedsonwas;forIalwaysunderstoodyouwereabachelor.”
“Thatwasthegeneralopinion,sir,”saidthemajor,“andI”—
“Yes,”repliedthecount,“andyouconfirmedthereport.
Ayouthfulindiscretion,Isuppose,whichyouwereanxioustoconcealfromtheworldatlarge?”
Themajorrecoveredhimself,andresumedhisusualcalmmanner,atthesametimecastinghiseyesdown,eithertogivehimselftimetocomposehiscountenance,ortoassisthisimagination,allthewhilegivinganunder–lookatthecount,theprotractedsmileonwhoselipsstillannouncedthesamepolitecuriosity.
“Yes,”saidthemajor,“Ididwishthisfaulttobehiddenfromeveryeye.”
“Notonyourownaccount,surely,”repliedMonteCristo;“foramanisabovethatsortofthing?”
“Oh,no,certainlynotonmyownaccount,”saidthemajorwithasmileandashakeofthehead.
“Butforthesakeofthemother?”saidthecount.
“Yes,forthemother’ssake—hispoormother!”criedthemajor,takingathirdbiscuit.
“Takesomemorewine,mydearCavalcanti,”saidthecount,pouringoutforhimasecondglassofAlicante;“youremotionhasquiteovercomeyou.”
“Hispoormother,”murmuredthemajor,tryingtogetthelachrymalglandinoperation,soastomoistenthecornerofhiseyewithafalsetear.
“ShebelongedtooneofthefirstfamiliesinItaly,Ithink,didshenot?”
“ShewasofanoblefamilyofFiesole,count.”
“Andhernamewas”—
“Doyoudesiretoknowhername?”—
“Oh,”saidMonteCristo“itwouldbequitesuperfluousforyoutotellme,forIalreadyknowit.”
“Thecountknowseverything,”saidtheItalian,bowing.
“OlivaCorsinari,wasitnot?”
“OlivaCorsinari.”
“Amarchioness?”
“Amarchioness.”
“Andyoumarriedheratlast,notwithstandingtheoppositionofherfamily?”
“Yes,thatwasthewayitended.”
“Andyouhavedoubtlessbroughtallyourpaperswithyou?”saidMonteCristo.
“Whatpapers?”
“ThecertificateofyourmarriagewithOlivaCorsinari,andtheregisterofyourchild’sbirth.”
“Theregisterofmychild’sbirth?”
“TheregisterofthebirthofAndreaCavalcanti—ofyourson;isnothisnameAndrea?”
“Ibelieveso,”saidthemajor.
“What?Youbelieveso?”
“Idarenotpositivelyassertit,ashehasbeenlostforsolongatime.”
“Well,then,”saidMonteCristo“youhaveallthedocumentswithyou?”
“Yourexcellency,Iregrettosaythat,notknowingitwasnecessarytocomeprovidedwiththesepapers,Ineglectedtobringthem.”
“Thatisunfortunate,”returnedMonteCristo.
“Werethey,then,sonecessary?”
“Theywereindispensable.”
Themajorpassedhishandacrosshisbrow.“Ah,perBacco,indispensable,werethey?”
“Certainlytheywere;supposingthereweretobedoubtsraisedastothevalidityofyourmarriageorthelegitimacyofyourchild?”
“True,”saidthemajor,“theremightbedoubtsraised.”
“Inthatcaseyoursonwouldbeveryunpleasantlysituated.”
“Itwouldbefataltohisinterests.”
“Itmightcausehimtofailinsomedesirablematrimonialalliance.”
“Opeccato!”
“YoumustknowthatinFrancetheyareveryparticularonthesepoints;itisnotsufficient,asinItaly,togotothepriestandsay,‘Weloveeachother,andwantyoutomarryus.’
MarriageisacivilaffairinFrance,andinordertomarryinanorthodoxmanneryoumusthavepaperswhichundeniablyestablishyouridentity.”
“Thatisthemisfortune!YouseeIhavenotthesenecessarypapers.”
“Fortunately,Ihavethem,though,”saidMonteCristo.
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Youhavethem?”
“Ihavethem.”
“Ah,indeed?”saidthemajor,who,seeingtheobjectofhisjourneyfrustratedbytheabsenceofthepapers,fearedalsothathisforgetfulnessmightgiverisetosomedifficultyconcerningthe48,000francs—”ah,indeed,thatisafortunatecircumstance;yes,thatreallyislucky,foritneveroccurredtometobringthem.”
“Idonotatallwonderatit—onecannotthinkofeverything;but,happily,theAbbeBusonithoughtforyou.”
“Heisanexcellentperson.”
“Heisextremelyprudentandthoughtful”
“Heisanadmirableman,”saidthemajor;“andhesentthemtoyou?”
“Heretheyare.”
Themajorclaspedhishandsintokenofadmiration.“YoumarriedOlivaCorsinariinthechurchofSanPaolodelMonte–Cattini;hereisthepriest’scertificate.”
“Yesindeed,thereitistruly,”saidtheItalian,lookingonwithastonishment.
“AndhereisAndreaCavalcanti’sbaptismalregister,givenbythecurateofSaravezza.”
“Allquitecorrect.”
“Takethesedocuments,then;theydonotconcernme.Youwillgivethemtoyourson,whowill,ofcourse,takegreatcareofthem.”
“Ishouldthinkso,indeed!Ifheweretolosethem”—
“Well,andifheweretolosethem?”saidMonteCristo.
“Inthatcase,”repliedthemajor,“itwouldbenecessarytowritetothecurateforduplicates,anditwouldbesometimebeforetheycouldbeobtained.”
“Itwouldbeadifficultmattertoarrange,”saidMonteCristo.
“Almostanimpossibility,”repliedthemajor.
“Iamverygladtoseethatyouunderstandthevalueofthesepapers.”
“Iregardthemasinvaluable.”
“Now,”saidMonteCristo“astothemotheroftheyoungman”—
“Astothemotheroftheyoungman”—repeatedtheItalian,withanxiety.
“AsregardstheMarchesaCorsinari”—
“Really,”saidthemajor,“difficultiesseemtothickenuponus;willshebewantedinanyway?”
“No,sir,”repliedMonteCristo;“besides,hasshenot”—
“Yes,sir,”saidthemajor,“shehas”—
“Paidthelastdebtofnature?”
“Alas,yes,”returnedtheItalian.
“Iknewthat,”saidMonteCristo;“shehasbeendeadthesetenyears.”
“AndIamstillmourningherloss,”exclaimedthemajor,drawingfromhispocketacheckedhandkerchief,andalternatelywipingfirsttheleftandthentherighteye.
“Whatwouldyouhave?”saidMonteCristo;“weareallmortal.
Now,youunderstand,mydearMonsieurCavalcanti,thatitisuselessforyoutotellpeopleinFrancethatyouhavebeenseparatedfromyoursonforfifteenyears.
Storiesofgypsies,whostealchildren,arenotatallinvogueinthispartoftheworld,andwouldnotbebelieved.
Yousenthimforhiseducationtoacollegeinoneoftheprovinces,andnowyouwishhimtocompletehiseducationintheParisianworld.
ThatisthereasonwhichhasinducedyoutoleaveViaReggio,whereyouhavelivedsincethedeathofyourwife.Thatwillbesufficient.”
“Youthinkso?”
“Certainly.”
“Verywell,then.”
“Iftheyshouldhearoftheseparation”—
“Ah,yes;whatcouldIsay?”
“Thatanunfaithfultutor,boughtoverbytheenemiesofyourfamily”—
“BytheCorsinari?”
“Precisely.Hadstolenawaythischild,inorderthatyournamemightbecomeextinct.”
“Thatisreasonable,sinceheisanonlyson.”
“Well,nowthatallisarranged,donotletthesenewlyawakenedremembrancesbeforgotten.Youhave,doubtless,alreadyguessedthatIwaspreparingasurpriseforyou?”
“Anagreeableone?”askedtheItalian.
“Ah,Iseetheeyeofafatherisnomoretobedeceivedthanhisheart.”
“Hum!”saidthemajor.
“Someonehastoldyouthesecret;or,perhaps,youguessedthathewashere.”
“Thatwhowashere?”
“Yourchild—yourson—yourAndrea!”
“Ididguessit,”repliedthemajorwiththegreatestpossiblecoolness.“Thenheishere?”
“Heis,”saidMonteCristo;“whenthevaletdechambrecameinjustnow,hetoldmeofhisarrival.”
“Ah,verywell,verywell,”saidthemajor,clutchingthebuttonsofhiscoatateachexclamation.
“Mydearsir,”saidMonteCristo,“Iunderstandyouremotion;youmusthavetimetorecoveryourself.
Iwill,inthemeantime,goandpreparetheyoungmanforthismuch–desiredinterview,forIpresumethatheisnotlessimpatientforitthanyourself.”
“Ishouldquiteimaginethattobethecase,”saidCavalcanti.
“Well,inaquarterofanhourheshallbewithyou.”
“Youwillbringhim,then?Youcarryyourgoodnesssofaraseventopresenthimtomeyourself?”
“No;Idonotwishtocomebetweenafatherandson.Yourinterviewwillbeprivate.
Butdonotbeuneasy;evenifthepowerfulvoiceofnatureshouldbesilent,youcannotwellmistakehim;hewillenterbythisdoor.
Heisafineyoungman,offaircomplexion—alittletoofair,perhaps—pleasinginmanners;butyouwillseeandjudgeforyourself.”
“Bytheway,”saidthemajor,“youknowIhaveonlythe2,000francswhichtheAbbeBusonisentme;thissumIhaveexpendedupontravellingexpenses,and”—
“Andyouwantmoney;thatisamatterofcourse,mydearM.Cavalcanti.Well,hereare8,000francsonaccount.”
Themajor’seyessparkledbrilliantly.
“Itis40,000francswhichInowoweyou,”saidMonteCristo.
“Doesyourexcellencywishforareceipt?”saidthemajor,atthesametimeslippingthemoneyintotheinnerpocketofhiscoat.
“Forwhat?”saidthecount.
“IthoughtyoumightwantittoshowtheAbbeBusoni.”
“Well,whenyoureceivetheremaining40,000,youshallgivemeareceiptinfull.Betweenhonestmensuchexcessiveprecautionis,Ithink,quiteunnecessary.”
“Yes,soitis,betweenperfectlyuprightpeople.”
“Onewordmore,”saidMonteCristo.
“Sayon.”
“Youwillpermitmetomakeoneremark?”
“Certainly;praydoso.”
“ThenIshouldadviseyoutoleaveoffwearingthatstyleofdress.”
“Indeed,”saidthemajor,regardinghimselfwithanairofcompletesatisfaction.
“Yes.ItmaybewornatViaReggio;butthatcostume,howeverelegantinitself,haslongbeenoutoffashioninParis.”
“That’sunfortunate.”
“Oh,ifyoureallyareattachedtoyouroldmodeofdress;youcaneasilyresumeitwhenyouleaveParis.”
“ButwhatshallIwear?”
“Whatyoufindinyourtrunks.”
“Inmytrunks?Ihavebutoneportmanteau.”
“Idaresayyouhavenothingelsewithyou.Whatistheuseofboringone’sselfwithsomanythings?Besidesanoldsoldieralwayslikestomarchwithaslittlebaggageaspossible.”
“Thatisjustthecase—preciselyso.”
“Butyouareamanofforesightandprudence,thereforeyousentyourluggageonbeforeyou.IthasarrivedattheHoteldesPrinces,RuedeRichelieu.Itisthereyouaretotakeupyourquarters.”
“Then,inthesetrunks”—
“Ipresumeyouhavegivenorderstoyourvaletdechambretoputinallyouarelikelytoneed,—yourplainclothesandyouruniform.
Ongrandoccasionsyoumustwearyouruniform;thatwilllookverywell.Donotforgetyourcrosses.
TheystilllaughattheminFrance,andyetalwayswearthem,forallthat.”
“Verywell,verywell,”saidthemajor,whowasinecstasyattheattentionpaidhimbythecount.
“Now,”saidMonteCristo,“thatyouhavefortifiedyourselfagainstallpainfulexcitement,prepareyourself,mydearM.Cavalcanti,tomeetyourlostAndrea.”
SayingwhichMonteCristobowed,anddisappearedbehindthetapestry,leavingthemajorfascinatedbeyondexpressionwiththedelightfulreceptionwhichhehadreceivedatthehandsofthecount.
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