English
Thedayfollowingthisscene,atthehourthebankerusuallychosetopayavisittoMadameDanglarsonhiswaytohisoffice,hiscoupedidnotappear.
Atthistime,thatis,abouthalf–pasttwelve,MadameDanglarsorderedhercarriage,andwentout.
Danglars,hiddenbehindacurtain,watchedthedeparturehehadbeenwaitingfor.
HegaveordersthatheshouldbeinformedassoonasMadameDanglarsappeared;butattwoo’clockshehadnotreturned.
Hethencalledforhishorses,drovetotheChamber,andinscribedhisnametospeakagainstthebudget.
Fromtwelvetotwoo’clockDanglarshadremainedinhisstudy,unsealinghisdispatches,andbecomingmoreandmoresadeveryminute,heapingfigureuponfigure,andreceiving,amongothervisits,onefromMajorCavalcanti,who,asstiffandexactasever,presentedhimselfpreciselyatthehournamedthenightbefore,toterminatehisbusinesswiththebanker.
OnleavingtheChamber,Danglars,whohadshownviolentmarksofagitationduringthesitting,andbeenmorebitterthaneveragainsttheministry,re–enteredhiscarriage,andtoldthecoachmantodrivetotheAvenuedesChamps–Elysees,No.30.
MonteCristowasathome;onlyhewasengagedwithsomeoneandbeggedDanglarstowaitforamomentinthedrawing–room.
Whilethebankerwaswaitingintheanteroom,thedooropened,andamandressedasanabbeanddoubtlessmorefamiliarwiththehousethanhewas,cameinandinsteadofwaiting,merelybowed,passedontothefartherapartments,anddisappeared.
Aminuteafterthedoorbywhichthepriesthadenteredreopened,andMonteCristoappeared.
“Pardonme,”saidhe,“mydearbaron,butoneofmyfriends,theAbbeBusoni,whomyouperhapssawpassby,hasjustarrivedinParis;nothavingseenhimforalongtime,Icouldnotmakeupmymindtoleavehimsooner,soIhopethiswillbesufficientreasonformyhavingmadeyouwait.”
“Nay,”saidDanglars,“itismyfault;Ihavechosenmyvisitatawrongtime,andwillretire.”
“Notatall;onthecontrary,beseated;butwhatisthematterwithyou?
Youlookcareworn;really,youalarmme.
Melancholyinacapitalist,liketheappearanceofacomet,presagessomemisfortunetotheworld.”
“Ihavebeeninill–luckforseveraldays,”saidDanglars,“andIhaveheardnothingbutbadnews.”
“Ah,indeed?”saidMonteCristo.“HaveyouhadanotherfallattheBourse?”
“No;Iamsafeforafewdaysatleast.IamonlyannoyedaboutabankruptofTrieste.”
“Really?DoesithappentobeJacopoManfredi?”
“Exactlyso.ImagineamanwhohastransactedbusinesswithmeforIdon’tknowhowlong,totheamountof800,000or900,000francsduringtheyear.
Neveramistakeordelay—afellowwhopaidlikeaprince.
Well,Iwasamillioninadvancewithhim,andnowmyfineJacopoManfredisuspendspayment!”
“Really?”
“Itisanunheard–offatality.Idrawuponhimfor600,000.
francs,mybillsarereturnedunpaid,and,morethanthat,Iholdbillsofexchangesignedbyhimtothevalueof400,000.
francs,payableathiscorrespondent’sinParisattheendofthismonth.To–dayisthe30th.
Ipresentthem;butmycorrespondenthasdisappeared.
This,withmySpanishaffairs,madeaprettyendtothemonth.”
“ThenyoureallylostbythataffairinSpain?”
“Yes;only700,000francsoutofmycash–box—nothingmore!”
“Why,howcouldyoumakesuchamistake—suchanoldstager?”
“Oh,itisallmywife’sfault.ShedreamedDonCarloshadreturnedtoSpain;shebelievesindreams.
Itismagnetism,shesays,andwhenshedreamsathingitissuretohappen,sheassuresme.
OnthisconvictionIallowhertospeculate,shehavingherbankandherstockbroker;shespeculatedandlost.
Itistrueshespeculateswithherownmoney,notmine;nevertheless,youcanunderstandthatwhen700,000.
francsleavethewife’spocket,thehusbandalwaysfindsitout.
Butdoyoumeantosayyouhavenotheardofthis?
Why,thethinghasmadeatremendousnoise.”
“Yes,Ihearditspokenof,butIdidnotknowthedetails,andthennoonecanbemoreignorantthanIamoftheaffairsintheBourse.”
“Thenyoudonotspeculate?”
“I?—HowcouldIspeculatewhenIalreadyhavesomuchtroubleinregulatingmyincome?
Ishouldbeobliged,besidesmysteward,tokeepaclerkandaboy.
ButtouchingtheseSpanishaffairs,IthinkthatthebaronessdidnotdreamthewholeoftheDonCarlosmatter.
Thepaperssaidsomethingaboutit,didtheynot?”
“Thenyoubelievethepapers?”
“I?—nottheleastintheworld;onlyIfanciedthatthehonestMessagerwasanexceptiontotherule,andthatitonlyannouncedtelegraphicdespatches.”
“Well,that’swhatpuzzlesme,”repliedDanglars;“thenewsofthereturnofDonCarloswasbroughtbytelegraph.”
“Sothat,”saidMonteCristo,“youhavelostnearly1,700,000francsthismonth.”
“Notnearly,indeed;thatisexactlymyloss.”
“Diable,”saidMonteCristocompassionately,“itisahardblowforathird–ratefortune.”
“Third–rate,”saidDanglars,ratherhumble,“whatdoyoumeanbythat?”
“Certainly,”continuedMonteCristo,“Imakethreeassortmentsinfortune—first–rate,second–rate,andthird–ratefortunes.
Icallthosefirst–ratewhicharecomposedoftreasuresonepossessesunderone’shand,suchasmines,lands,andfundedproperty,insuchstatesasFrance,Austria,andEngland,providedthesetreasuresandpropertyformatotalofaboutahundredmillions;Icallthosesecond–ratefortunes,thataregainedbymanufacturingenterprises,joint–stockcompanies,viceroyalties,andprincipalities,notdrawingmorethan1,500,000francs,thewholeformingacapitalofaboutfiftymillions;finally,Icallthosethird–ratefortunes,whicharecomposedofafluctuatingcapital,dependentuponthewillofothers,oruponchanceswhichabankruptcyinvolvesorafalsetelegramshakes,suchasbanks,speculationsoftheday—infact,alloperationsundertheinfluenceofgreaterorlessmischances,thewholebringinginarealorfictitiouscapitalofaboutfifteenmillions.
Ithinkthisisaboutyourposition,isitnot?”
“Confoundit,yes!”repliedDanglars.
“Theresult,then,ofsixmoresuchmonthsasthiswouldbetoreducethethird–ratehousetodespair.”
“Oh,”saidDanglars,becomingverypale,howyouarerunningon!”
“Letusimaginesevensuchmonths,”continuedMonteCristo,inthesametone.
“Tellme,haveyoueverthoughtthatseventimes1,700,000francsmakenearlytwelvemillions?
No,youhavenot;—well,youareright,forifyouindulgedinsuchreflections,youwouldneverriskyourprincipal,whichistothespeculatorwhattheskinistocivilizedman.
Wehaveourclothes,somemoresplendidthanothers,—thisisourcredit;butwhenamandieshehasonlyhisskin;inthesameway,onretiringfrombusiness,youhavenothingbutyourrealprincipalofaboutfiveorsixmillions,atthemost;forthird–ratefortunesarenevermorethanafourthofwhattheyappeartobe,likethelocomotiveonarailway,thesizeofwhichismagnifiedbythesmokeandsteamsurroundingit.
Well,outofthefiveorsixmillionswhichformyourrealcapital,youhavejustlostnearlytwomillions,whichmust,ofcourse,inthesamedegreediminishyourcreditandfictitiousfortune;tofollowoutmysimile,yourskinhasbeenopenedbybleeding,andthisifrepeatedthreeorfourtimeswillcausedeath—sopayattentiontoit,mydearMonsieurDanglars.Doyouwantmoney?Doyouwishmetolendyousome?”
“Whatabadcalculatoryouare!”exclaimedDanglars,callingtohisassistanceallhisphilosophyanddissimulation.
“Ihavemademoneyatthesametimebyspeculationswhichhavesucceeded.
Ihavemadeupthelossofbloodbynutrition.
IlostabattleinSpain,IhavebeendefeatedinTrieste,butmynavalarmyinIndiawillhavetakensomegalleons,andmyMexicanpioneerswillhavediscoveredsomemine.”
“Verygood,verygood!Butthewoundremainsandwillreopenatthefirstloss.”
“No,forIamonlyembarkedincertainties,”repliedDanglars,withtheairofamountebanksoundinghisownpraises;“toinvolveme,threegovernmentsmustcrumbletodust.”
“Well,suchthingshavebeen.”
“Thatthereshouldbeafamine!”
“Recollectthesevenfatandthesevenleankine.”
“Or,thattheseashouldbecomedry,asinthedaysofPharaoh,andeventhenmyvesselswouldbecomecaravans.”
“Somuchthebetter.Icongratulateyou,mydearM.Danglars,”saidMonteCristo;“IseeIwasdeceived,andthatyoubelongtotheclassofsecond–ratefortunes.”
“IthinkImayaspiretothathonor,”saidDanglarswithasmile,whichremindedMonteCristoofthesicklymoonswhichbadartistsaresofondofdaubingintotheirpicturesofruins.
“But,whilewearespeakingofbusiness,”Danglarsadded,pleasedtofindanopportunityofchangingthesubject,“tellmewhatIamtodoforM.Cavalcanti.”
“Givehimmoney,ifheisrecommendedtoyou,andtherecommendationseemsgood.”
“Excellent;hepresentedhimselfthismorningwithabondof40,000francs,payableatsight,onyou,signedbyBusoni,andreturnedbyyoutome,withyourindorsement—ofcourse,Iimmediatelycountedhimoverthefortybank–notes.”
MonteCristonoddedhisheadintokenofassent.“Butthatisnotall,”continuedDanglars;“hehasopenedanaccountwithmyhouseforhisson.”
“MayIaskhowmuchheallowstheyoungman?”
“Fivethousandfrancspermonth.”
“Sixtythousandfrancsperyear.IthoughtIwasrightinbelievingthatCavalcantitobeastingyfellow.Howcanayoungmanliveupon5,000francsamonth?”
“Butyouunderstandthatiftheyoungmanshouldwantafewthousandsmore”—
“Donotadvanceit;thefatherwillneverrepayit.Youdonotknowtheseultramontanemillionaires;theyareregularmisers.Andbywhomweretheyrecommendedtoyou?”
“Oh,bythehouseofFenzi,oneofthebestinFlorence.”
“Idonotmeantosayyouwilllose,but,nevertheless,mindyouholdtothetermsoftheagreement.”
“WouldyounottrusttheCavalcanti?”
“I?oh,Iwouldadvancesixmillionsonhissignature.Iwasonlyspeakinginreferencetothesecond–ratefortuneswewerementioningjustnow.”
“Andwithallthis,howunassumingheis!Ishouldneverhavetakenhimforanythingmorethanameremajor.”
“Andyouwouldhaveflatteredhim,forcertainly,asyousay,hehasnomanner.
ThefirsttimeIsawhimheappearedtomelikeanoldlieutenantwhohadgrownmouldyunderhisepaulets.
ButalltheItaliansarethesame;theyarelikeoldJewswhentheyarenotglitteringinOrientalsplendor.”
“Theyoungmanisbetter,”saidDanglars.
“Yes;alittlenervous,perhaps,but,uponthewhole,heappearedtolerable.Iwasuneasyabouthim.”
“Why?”
“Becauseyoumethimatmyhouse,justafterhisintroductionintotheworld,astheytoldme.Hehasbeentravellingwithaveryseveretutor,andhadneverbeentoParisbefore.”
“Ah,Ibelievenoblemenmarryamongstthemselves,dotheynot?”askedDanglarscarelessly;“theyliketounitetheirfortunes.”
“Itisusual,certainly;butCavalcantiisanoriginalwhodoesnothinglikeotherpeople.IcannothelpthinkingthathehasbroughthissontoFrancetochooseawife.”
“Doyouthinkso?”
“Iamsureofit.”
“Andyouhaveheardhisfortunementioned?”
“Nothingelsewastalkedof;onlysomesaidhewasworthmillions,andothersthathedidnotpossessafarthing.”
“Andwhatisyouropinion?”
“Ioughtnottoinfluenceyou,becauseitisonlymyownpersonalimpression.”
“Well,anditisthat”—
“Myopinionis,thatalltheseoldpodestas,theseancientcondottieri,—fortheCavalcantihavecommandedarmiesandgovernedprovinces,—myopinion,Isay,is,thattheyhaveburiedtheirmillionsincorners,thesecretofwhichtheyhavetransmittedonlytotheireldestsons,whohavedonethesamefromgenerationtogeneration;andtheproofofthisisseenintheiryellowanddryappearance,liketheflorinsoftherepublic,which,frombeingconstantlygazedupon,havebecomereflectedinthem.”
“Certainly,”saidDanglars,“andthisisfurthersupportedbythefactoftheirnotpossessinganinchofland.”
“Verylittle,atleast;IknowofnonewhichCavalcantipossesses,exceptinghispalaceinLucca.”
“Ah,hehasapalace?”saidDanglars,laughing;“come,thatissomething.”
“Yes;andmorethanthat,heletsittotheMinisterofFinancewhilehelivesinasimplehouse.Oh,asItoldyoubefore,Ithinktheoldfellowisveryclose.”
“Come,youdonotflatterhim.”
“Iscarcelyknowhim;IthinkIhaveseenhimthreetimesinmylife;allIknowrelatingtohimisthroughBusoniandhimself.
Hewastellingmethismorningthat,tiredoflettinghispropertyliedormantinItaly,whichisadeadnation,hewishedtofindamethod,eitherinFranceorEngland,ofmultiplyinghismillions,butremember,thatthoughIplacegreatconfidenceinBusoni,Iamnotresponsibleforthis.”
“Nevermind;acceptmythanksfortheclientyouhavesentme.
Itisafinenametoinscribeonmyledgers,andmycashierwasquiteproudofitwhenIexplainedtohimwhotheCavalcantiwere.
Bytheway,thisismerelyasimplequestion,whenthissortofpeoplemarrytheirsons,dotheygivethemanyfortune?”
“Oh,thatdependsuponcircumstances.IknowanItalianprince,richasagoldmine,oneofthenoblestfamiliesinTuscany,who,whenhissonsmarriedaccordingtohiswish,gavethemmillions;andwhentheymarriedagainsthisconsent,merelyallowedthemthirtycrownsamonth.
ShouldAndreamarryaccordingtohisfather’sviews,hewill,perhaps,givehimone,two,orthreemillions.
Forexample,supposingitwerethedaughterofabanker,hemighttakeaninterestinthehouseofthefather–in–lawofhisson;thenagain,ifhedislikedhischoice,themajortakesthekey,double–lockshiscoffer,andMasterAndreawouldbeobligedtolivelikethesonsofaParisianfamily,byshufflingcardsorrattlingthedice.”
“Ah,thatboywillfindoutsomeBavarianorPeruvianprincess;hewillwantacrownandanimmensefortune.”
“No;thesegrandlordsontheothersideoftheAlpsfrequentlymarryintoplainfamilies;likeJupiter,theyliketocrosstherace.
ButdoyouwishtomarryAndrea,mydearM.Danglars,thatyouareaskingsomanyquestions?”
“Mafoi,”saidDanglars,“itwouldnotbeabadspeculation,Ifancy,andyouknowIamaspeculator.”
“YouarenotthinkingofMademoiselleDanglars,Ihope;youwouldnotlikepoorAndreatohavehisthroatcutbyAlbert?”
“Albert,”repeatedDanglars,shrugginghisshoulders;“ah,well;hewouldcareverylittleaboutit,Ithink.”
“Butheisbetrothedtoyourdaughter,Ibelieve?”
“Well,M.deMorcerfandIhavetalkedaboutthismarriage,butMadamedeMorcerfandAlbert”—
“Youdonotmeantosaythatitwouldnotbeagoodmatch?”
“Indeed,IimaginethatMademoiselleDanglarsisasgoodasM.deMorcerf.”
“MademoiselleDanglars’fortunewillbegreat,nodoubt,especiallyifthetelegraphshouldnotmakeanymoremistakes.”
“Oh,Idonotmeanherfortuneonly;buttellme”—
“What?”
“WhydidyounotinviteM.andMadamedeMorcerftoyourdinner?”
“Ididso,butheexcusedhimselfonaccountofMadamedeMorcerfbeingobligedtogotoDieppeforthebenefitofseaair.”
“Yes,yes,”saidDanglars,laughing,“itwoulddoheragreatdealofgood.”
“Whyso?”
“Becauseitistheairshealwaysbreathedinheryouth.”MonteCristotooknonoticeofthisill–naturedremark.
“Butstill,ifAlbertbenotsorichasMademoiselleDanglars,”saidthecount,“youmustallowthathehasafinename?”
“Sohehas;butIlikemineaswell.”
“Certainly;yournameispopular,anddoeshonortothetitletheyhaveadorneditwith;butyouaretoointelligentnottoknowthataccordingtoaprejudice,toofirmlyrootedtobeexterminated,anobilitywhichdatesbackfivecenturiesisworthmorethanonethatcanonlyreckontwentyyears.”
“Andforthisveryreason,”saidDanglarswithasmile,whichhetriedtomakesardonic,“IpreferM.AndreaCavalcantitoM.AlbertdeMorcerf.”
“Still,IshouldnotthinktheMorcerfswouldyieldtotheCavalcanti?”
“TheMorcerfs!—Stay,mydearcount,”saidDanglars;“youareamanoftheworld,areyounot?”
“Ithinkso.”
“Andyouunderstandheraldry?”
“Alittle.”
“Well,lookatmycoat–of–arms,itisworthmorethanMorcerf’s.”
“Whyso?”
“Because,thoughIamnotabaronbybirth,myrealnameis,atleast,Danglars.”
“Well,whatthen?”
“WhilehisnameisnotMorcerf.”
“How?—notMorcerf?”
“Nottheleastintheworld.”
“Goon.”
“Ihavebeenmadeabaron,sothatIactuallyamone;hemadehimselfacount,sothatheisnotoneatall.”
“Impossible!”
“Listenmydearcount;M.deMorcerfhasbeenmyfriend,orrathermyacquaintance,duringthelastthirtyyears.YouknowIhavemadethemostofmyarms,thoughIneverforgotmyorigin.”
“Aproofofgreathumilityorgreatpride,”saidMonteCristo.
“Well,whenIwasaclerk,Morcerfwasamerefisherman.”
“Andthenhewascalled”—
“Fernand.”
“OnlyFernand?”
“FernandMondego.”
“Youaresure?”
“Pardieu,Ihaveboughtenoughfishofhimtoknowhisname.”
“Then,whydidyouthinkofgivingyourdaughtertohim?”
“BecauseFernandandDanglars,beingbothparvenus,bothhavingbecomenoble,bothrich,areaboutequalinworth,exceptingthattherehavebeencertainthingsmentionedofhimthatwereneversaidofme.”
“What?”
“Oh,nothing!”
“Ah,yes;whatyoutellmerecallstomindsomethingaboutthenameofFernandMondego.IhaveheardthatnameinGreece.”
“InconjunctionwiththeaffairsofAliPasha?”
“Exactlyso.”
“Thisisthemystery,”saidDanglars.“IacknowledgeIwouldhavegivenanythingtofinditout.”
“Itwouldbeveryeasyifyoumuchwishedit?”
“Howso?”
“ProbablyyouhavesomecorrespondentinGreece?”
“Ishouldthinkso.”
“AtYanina?”
“Everywhere.”
“Well,writetoyourcorrespondentinYanina,andaskhimwhatpartwasplayedbyaFrenchmannamedFernandMondegointhecatastropheofAliTepelini.”
“Youareright,”exclaimedDanglars,risingquickly,“Iwillwriteto–day.”
“Doso.”
“Iwill.”
“Andifyoushouldhearofanythingveryscandalous”—
“Iwillcommunicateittoyou.”
“Youwillobligeme.”Danglarsrushedoutoftheroom,andmadebutoneleapintohiscoupe.
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