English
AtfirstsighttheexteriorofthehouseatAuteuilgavenoindicationsofsplendor,nothingonewouldexpectfromthedestinedresidenceofthemagnificentCountofMonteCristo;butthissimplicitywasaccordingtothewillofitsmaster,whopositivelyorderednothingtobealteredoutside.Thesplendorwaswithin.
Indeed,almostbeforethedooropened,thescenechanged.
M.Bertucciohadoutdonehimselfinthetastedisplayedinfurnishing,andintherapiditywithwhichitwasexecuted.
ItistoldthattheDucd’AntinremovedinasinglenightawholeavenueoftreesthatannoyedLouisXIV.;inthreedaysM.Bertuccioplantedanentirelybarecourtwithpoplars,largespreadingsycamorestoshadethedifferentpartsofthehouse,andintheforeground,insteadoftheusualpaving–stones,halfhiddenbythegrass,thereextendedalawnbutthatmorninglaiddown,anduponwhichthewaterwasyetglistening.
Fortherest,theordershadbeenissuedbythecount;hehimselfhadgivenaplantoBertuccio,markingthespotwhereeachtreewastobeplanted,andtheshapeandextentofthelawnwhichwastotaketheplaceofthepaving–stones.
Thusthehousehadbecomeunrecognizable,andBertucciohimselfdeclaredthathescarcelyknewit,encircledasitwasbyaframeworkoftrees.
Theoverseerwouldnothaveobjected,whilehewasaboutit,tohavemadesomeimprovementsinthegarden,butthecounthadpositivelyforbiddenittobetouched.
Bertucciomadeamends,however,byloadingtheante–chambers,staircases,andmantle–pieceswithflowers.
What,aboveall,manifestedtheshrewdnessofthesteward,andtheprofoundscienceofthemaster,theoneincarryingouttheideasoftheother,wasthatthishousewhichappearedonlythenightbeforesosadandgloomy,impregnatedwiththatsicklysmellonecanalmostfancytobethesmelloftime,hadinasingledayacquiredtheaspectoflife,wasscentedwithitsmaster’sfavoriteperfumes,andhadtheverylightregulatedaccordingtohiswish.
Whenthecountarrived,hehadunderhistouchhisbooksandarms,hiseyesresteduponhisfavoritepictures;hisdogs,whosecaressesheloved,welcomedhimintheante–chamber;thebirds,whosesongsdelightedhim,cheeredhimwiththeirmusic;andthehouse,awakenedfromitslongsleep,likethesleepingbeautyinthewood,lived,sang,andbloomedlikethehouseswehavelongcherished,andinwhich,whenweareforcedtoleavethem,weleaveapartofoursouls.
Theservantspassedgaylyalongthefinecourt–yard;some,belongingtothekitchens,glidingdownthestairs,restoredbutthepreviousday,asiftheyhadalwaysinhabitedthehouse;othersfillingthecoach–houses,wheretheequipages,encasedandnumbered,appearedtohavebeeninstalledforthelastfiftyyears;andinthestablesthehorsesrepliedwithneighstothegrooms,whospoketothemwithmuchmorerespectthanmanyservantspaytheirmasters.
Thelibrarywasdividedintotwopartsoneithersideofthewall,andcontainedupwardsoftwothousandvolumes;onedivisionwasentirelydevotedtonovels,andeventhevolumewhichhadbeenpublishedbutthedaybeforewastobeseeninitsplaceinallthedignityofitsredandgoldbinding.
Ontheothersideofthehouse,tomatchwiththelibrary,wastheconservatory,ornamentedwithrareflowers,thatbloomedinchinajars;andinthemidstofthegreenhouse,marvellousaliketosightandsmell,wasabilliard–tablewhichlookedasifithadbeenabandonedduringthepasthourbyplayerswhohadlefttheballsonthecloth.
OnechamberalonehadbeenrespectedbythemagnificentBertuccio.
Beforethisroom,towhichyoucouldascendbythegrand,andgooutbythebackstaircase,theservantspassedwithcuriosity,andBertucciowithterror.
Atfiveo’clockprecisely,thecountarrivedbeforethehouseatAuteuil,followedbyAli.
Bertucciowasawaitingthisarrivalwithimpatience,mingledwithuneasiness;hehopedforsomecompliments,while,atthesametime,hefearedtohavefrowns.
MonteCristodescendedintothecourtyard,walkedalloverthehouse,withoutgivinganysignofapprobationorpleasure,untilheenteredhisbedroom,situatedontheoppositesidetotheclosedroom;thenheapproachedalittlepieceoffurniture,madeofrosewood,whichhehadnoticedatapreviousvisit.
“Thatcanonlybetoholdgloves,”hesaid.
“Willyourexcellencydeigntoopenit?”saidthedelightedBertuccio,“andyouwillfindglovesinit.”Elsewherethecountfoundeverythingherequired—smelling–bottles,cigars,knick–knacks.
“Good,”hesaid;andM.Bertuccioleftenraptured,sogreat,sopowerful,andrealwastheinfluenceexercisedbythismanoverallwhosurroundedhim.
Atpreciselysixo’clocktheclatterofhorses’hoofswasheardattheentrancedoor;itwasourcaptainofSpahis,whohadarrivedonMedeah.
“IamsureIamthefirst,”criedMorrel;“Ididitonpurposetohaveyouaminutetomyself,beforeeveryonecame.
JulieandEmmanuelhaveathousandthingstotellyou.Ah,reallythisismagnificent!
Buttellme,count,willyourpeopletakecareofmyhorse?”
“Donotalarmyourself,mydearMaximilian—theyunderstand.”
“Imean,becausehewantspetting.Ifyouhadseenatwhatapacehecame—likethewind!”
“Ishouldthinkso,—ahorsethatcost5,000francs!”saidMonteCristo,inthetonewhichafatherwouldusetowardsason.
“Doyouregretthem?”askedMorrel,withhisopenlaugh.
“I?Certainlynot,”repliedthecount.“No;Ishouldonlyregretifthehorsehadnotprovedgood.”
“Itissogood,thatIhavedistancedM.deChateau–Renaud,oneofthebestridersinFrance,andM.Debray,whobothmounttheminister’sArabians;andcloseontheirheelsarethehorsesofMadameDanglars,whoalwaysgoatsixleaguesanhour.”
“Thentheyfollowyou?”askedMonteCristo.
“See,theyarehere.”Andatthesameminuteacarriagewithsmokinghorses,accompaniedbytwomountedgentlemen,arrivedatthegate,whichopenedbeforethem.
Thecarriagedroveround,andstoppedatthesteps,followedbythehorsemen.
TheinstantDebrayhadtouchedtheground,hewasatthecarriage–door.
Heofferedhishandtothebaroness,who,descending,tookitwithapeculiarityofmannerimperceptibletoeveryonebutMonteCristo.
Butnothingescapedthecount’snotice,andheobservedalittlenote,passedwiththefacilitythatindicatesfrequentpractice,fromthehandofMadameDanglarstothatoftheminister’ssecretary.
Afterhiswifethebankerdescended,aspaleasthoughhehadissuedfromhistombinsteadofhiscarriage.
MadameDanglarsthrewarapidandinquiringglancewhichcouldonlybeinterpretedbyMonteCristo,aroundthecourt–yard,overtheperistyle,andacrossthefrontofthehouse,then,repressingaslightemotion,whichmusthavebeenseenonhercountenanceifshehadnotkepthercolor,sheascendedthesteps,sayingtoMorrel,“Sir,ifyouwereafriendofmine,Ishouldaskyouifyouwouldsellyourhorse.”
Morrelsmiledwithanexpressionverylikeagrimace,andthenturnedroundtoMonteCristo,asiftoaskhimtoextricatehimfromhisembarrassment.Thecountunderstoodhim.
“Ah,madame,”hesaid,“whydidyounotmakethatrequestofme?”
“Withyou,sir,”repliedthebaroness,“onecanwishfornothing,oneissosuretoobtainit.IfitweresowithM.Morrel”—
“Unfortunately,”repliedthecount,“IamwitnessthatM.Morrelcannotgiveuphishorse,hishonorbeingengagedinkeepingit.”
“Howso?”
“HelaidawagerhewouldtameMedeahinthespaceofsixmonths.
Youunderstandnowthatifheweretogetridoftheanimalbeforethetimenamed,hewouldnotonlylosehisbet,butpeoplewouldsayhewasafraid;andabravecaptainofSpahiscannotriskthis,eventogratifyaprettywoman,whichis,inmyopinion,oneofthemostsacredobligationsintheworld.”
“Youseemyposition,madame,”saidMorrel,bestowingagratefulsmileonMonteCristo.
“Itseemstome,”saidDanglars,inhiscoarsetone,ill–concealedbyaforcedsmile,“thatyouhavealreadygothorsesenough.”
MadameDanglarsseldomallowedremarksofthiskindtopassunnoticed,but,tothesurpriseoftheyoungpeople,shepretendednottohearit,andsaidnothing.
MonteCristosmiledatherunusualhumility,andshowedhertwoimmenseporcelainjars,overwhichwoundmarineplants,ofasizeanddelicacythatnaturealonecouldproduce.Thebaronesswasastonished.
“Why,”saidshe,“youcouldplantoneofthechestnut–treesintheTuileriesinside!
Howcansuchenormousjarshavebeenmanufactured?”
“Ah,madame,”repliedMonteCristo,“youmustnotaskofus,themanufacturersoffineporcelain,suchaquestion.Itistheworkofanotherage,constructedbythegeniiofearthandwater.”
“Howso?—atwhatperiodcanthathavebeen?”
“Idonotknow;IhaveonlyheardthatanemperorofChinahadanovenbuiltexpressly,andthatinthisoventwelvejarslikethisweresuccessivelybaked.
Twobroke,fromtheheatofthefire;theothertenweresunkthreehundredfathomsdeepintothesea.
Thesea,knowingwhatwasrequiredofher,threwoverthemherweeds,encircledthemwithcoral,andencrustedthemwithshells;thewholewascementedbytwohundredyearsbeneaththesealmostimperviousdepths,forarevolutioncarriedawaytheemperorwhowishedtomakethetrial,andonlyleftthedocumentsprovingthemanufactureofthejarsandtheirdescentintothesea.
Attheendoftwohundredyearsthedocumentswerefound,andtheythoughtofbringingupthejars.
Diversdescendedinmachines,madeexpresslyonthediscovery,intothebaywheretheywerethrown;butoftenthreeonlyremained,theresthavingbeenbrokenbythewaves.
Iamfondofthesejars,uponwhich,perhaps,misshapen,frightfulmonstershavefixedtheircold,dulleyes,andinwhichmyriadsofsmallfishhaveslept,seekingarefugefromthepursuitoftheirenemies.”
Meanwhile,Danglars,whohadcaredlittleforcuriosities,wasmechanicallytearingofftheblossomsofasplendidorange–tree,oneafteranother.
Whenhehadfinishedwiththeorange–tree,hebeganatthecactus;butthis,notbeingsoeasilypluckedastheorange–tree,prickedhimdreadfully.
Heshuddered,andrubbedhiseyesasthoughawakingfromadream.
“Sir,”saidMonteCristotohim,“Idonotrecommendmypicturestoyou,whopossesssuchsplendidpaintings;but,nevertheless,herearetwobyHobbema,aPaulPotter,aMieris,twobyGerardDouw,aRaphael,aVandyke,aZurbaran,andtwoorthreebyMurillo,worthlookingat.”
“Stay,”saidDebray;“IrecognizethisHobbema.”
“Ah,indeed!”
“Yes;itwasproposedfortheMuseum.”
“Which,Ibelieve,doesnotcontainone?”saidMonteCristo.
“No;andyettheyrefusedtobuyit.”
“Why?”saidChateau–Renaud.
“Youpretendnottoknow,—becausegovernmentwasnotrichenough.”
“Ah,pardonme,”saidChateau–Renaud;“Ihaveheardofthesethingseverydayduringthelasteightyears,andIcannotunderstandthemyet.”
“Youwill,byandby,”saidDebray.
“Ithinknot,”repliedChateau–Renaud.
“MajorBartolomeoCavalcantiandCountAndreaCavalcanti,”announcedBaptistin.
Ablacksatinstock,freshfromthemaker’shands,graymoustaches,aboldeye,amajor’suniform,ornamentedwiththreemedalsandfivecrosses—infact,thethoroughbearingofanoldsoldier—suchwastheappearanceofMajorBartolomeoCavalcanti,thattenderfatherwithwhomwearealreadyacquainted.
Closetohim,dressedinentirelynewclothes,advancedsmilinglyCountAndreaCavalcanti,thedutifulson,whomwealsoknow.
Thethreeyoungpeopleweretalkingtogether.
Ontheentranceofthenew–comers,theireyesglancedfromfathertoson,andthen,naturallyenough,restedonthelatter,whomtheybegancriticising.“Cavalcanti!”saidDebray.“Afinename,”saidMorrel.
“Yes,”saidChateau–Renaud,“theseItaliansarewellnamedandbadlydressed.”
“Youarefastidious,Chateau–Renaud,”repliedDebray;“thoseclothesarewellcutandquitenew.”
“ThatisjustwhatIfindfaultwith.Thatgentlemanappearstobewelldressedforthefirsttimeinhislife.”
“Whoarethosegentlemen?”askedDanglarsofMonteCristo.
“Youheard—Cavalcanti.”
“Thattellsmetheirname,andnothingelse.”
“Ah,true.YoudonotknowtheItaliannobility;theCavalcantiarealldescendedfromprinces.”
“Havetheyanyfortune?”
“Anenormousone.”
“Whatdotheydo?”
“Trytospenditall.Theyhavesomebusinesswithyou,Ithink,fromwhattheytoldmethedaybeforeyesterday.I,indeed,invitedthemhereto–dayonyouraccount.Iwillintroduceyoutothem.”
“ButtheyappeartospeakFrenchwithaverypureaccent,”saidDanglars.
“Thesonhasbeeneducatedinacollegeinthesouth;IbelievenearMarseilles.Youwillfindhimquiteenthusiastic.”
“Uponwhatsubject?”askedMadameDanglars.
“TheFrenchladies,madame.HehasmadeuphismindtotakeawifefromParis.”
“Afineideathatofhis,”saidDanglars,shrugginghisshoulders.
MadameDanglarslookedatherhusbandwithanexpressionwhich,atanyothertime,wouldhaveindicatedastorm,butforthesecondtimeshecontrolledherself.
“Thebaronappearsthoughtfulto–day,”saidMonteCristotoher;“aretheygoingtoputhimintheministry?”
“Notyet,Ithink.MorelikelyhehasbeenspeculatingontheBourse,andhaslostmoney.”
“M.andMadamedeVillefort,”criedBaptistin.Theyentered.
M.deVillefort,notwithstandinghisself–control,wasvisiblyaffected,andwhenMonteCristotouchedhishand,hefeltittremble.
“Certainly,womenaloneknowhowtodissimulate,”saidMonteCristotohimself,glancingatMadameDanglars,whowassmilingontheprocureur,andembracinghiswife.
Afterashorttime,thecountsawBertuccio,who,untilthen,hadbeenoccupiedontheothersideofthehouse,glideintoanadjoiningroom.Hewenttohim.“Whatdoyouwant,M.Bertuccio?”saidhe.
“Yourexcellencyhasnotstatedthenumberofguests.”
“Ah,true.”
“Howmanycovers?”
“Countforyourself.”
“Iseveryonehere,yourexcellency?”
“Yes.”
Bertuccioglancedthroughthedoor,whichwasajar.Thecountwatchedhim.“Goodheavens!”heexclaimed.
“Whatisthematter?”saidthecount.
“Thatwoman—thatwoman!”
“Which?”
“Theonewithawhitedressandsomanydiamonds—thefairone.”
“MadameDanglars?”
“Idonotknowhername;butitisshe,sir,itisshe!”
“Whomdoyoumean?”
“Thewomanofthegarden!—shethatwasenciente—shewhowaswalkingwhileshewaitedfor”—Bertucciostoodattheopendoor,withhiseyesstartingandhishaironend.
“Waitingforwhom?”Bertuccio,withoutanswering,pointedtoVillefortwithsomethingofthegestureMacbethusestopointoutBanquo.“Oh,oh,”heatlengthmuttered,“doyousee?”
“What?Who?”
“Him!”
“Him!—M.deVillefort,theking’sattorney?CertainlyIseehim.”
“ThenIdidnotkillhim?”
“Really,Ithinkyouaregoingmad,goodBertuccio,”saidthecount.
“Thenheisnotdead?”
“No;youseeplainlyheisnotdead.Insteadofstrikingbetweenthesixthandseventhleftribs,asyourcountrymendo,youmusthavestruckhigherorlower,andlifeisverytenaciousintheselawyers,orratherthereisnotruthinanythingyouhavetoldme—itwasafrightoftheimagination,adreamofyourfancy.
Youwenttosleepfullofthoughtsofvengeance;theyweighedheavilyuponyourstomach;youhadthenightmare—that’sall.
Come,calmyourself,andreckonthemup—M.andMadamedeVillefort,two;M.andMadameDanglars,four;M.deChateau–Renaud,M.Debray,M.Morrel,seven;MajorBartolomeoCavalcanti,eight.”
“Eight!”repeatedBertuccio.
“Stop!Youareinashockinghurrytobeoff—youforgetoneofmyguests.Leanalittletotheleft.Stay!
lookatM.AndreaCavalcanti,theyoungmaninablackcoat,lookingatMurillo’sMadonna;nowheisturning.”
ThistimeBertucciowouldhaveutteredanexclamation,hadnotalookfromMonteCristosilencedhim.“Benedetto?”hemuttered;“fatality!”
“Half–pastsixo’clockhasjuststruck,M.Bertuccio,”saidthecountseverely;“Iordereddinneratthathour,andIdonotliketowait;”andhereturnedtohisguests,whileBertuccio,leaningagainstthewall,succeededinreachingthedining–room.
Fiveminutesafterwardsthedoorsofthedrawing–roomwerethrownopen,andBertuccioappearingsaid,withaviolenteffort,“Thedinnerwaits.”
TheCountofMonteCristoofferedhisarmtoMadamedeVillefort.“M.deVillefort,”hesaid,“willyouconducttheBaronessDanglars?”
Villefortcomplied,andtheypassedontothedining–room.
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