English
ItwasinthewarmestdaysofJuly,wheninduecourseoftimetheSaturdayarriveduponwhichtheballwastotakeplaceatM.deMorcerf’s.
Itwasteno’clockatnight;thebranchesofthegreattreesinthegardenofthecount’shousestoodoutboldlyagainsttheazurecanopyofheaven,whichwasstuddedwithgoldenstars,butwherethelastfleetingcloudsofavanishingstormyetlingered.
Fromtheapartmentsontheground–floormightbeheardthesoundofmusic,withthewhirlofthewaltzandgalop,whilebrilliantstreamsoflightshonethroughtheopeningsoftheVenetianblinds.
Atthismomentthegardenwasonlyoccupiedbyabouttenservants,whohadjustreceivedordersfromtheirmistresstopreparethesupper,theserenityoftheweathercontinuingtoincrease.
Untilnow,ithadbeenundecidedwhetherthesuppershouldtakeplaceinthedining–room,orunderalongtenterectedonthelawn,butthebeautifulbluesky,studdedwithstars,hadsettledthequestioninfavorofthelawn.
Thegardenswereilluminatedwithcoloredlanterns,accordingtotheItaliancustom,and,asisusualincountrieswheretheluxuriesofthetable—therarestofallluxuriesintheircompleteform—arewellunderstood,thesupper–tablewasloadedwithwax–lightsandflowers.
AtthetimetheCountessofMorcerfreturnedtotherooms,aftergivingherorders,manyguestswerearriving,moreattractedbythecharminghospitalityofthecountessthanbythedistinguishedpositionofthecount;for,owingtothegoodtasteofMercedes,onewassureoffindingsomedevicesatherentertainmentworthyofdescribing,orevencopyingincaseofneed.
MadameDanglars,inwhomtheeventswehaverelatedhadcauseddeepanxiety,hadhesitatedaboutgoingtoMadamedeMorcerf’s,whenduringthemorninghercarriagehappenedtomeetthatofVillefort.
Thelattermadeasign,andwhenthecarriageshaddrawnclosetogether,said,—”YouaregoingtoMadamedeMorcerf’s,areyounot?”
“No,”repliedMadameDanglars,“Iamtooill.”
“Youarewrong,”repliedVillefort,significantly;“itisimportantthatyoushouldbeseenthere.”
“Doyouthinkso?”askedthebaroness.
“Ido.”
“InthatcaseIwillgo.”Andthetwocarriagespassedontowardstheirdifferentdestinations.
MadameDanglarsthereforecame,notonlybeautifulinperson,butradiantwithsplendor;sheenteredbyonedooratthetimewhenMercedesappearedatthedoor.
ThecountesstookAlberttomeetMadameDanglars.
Heapproached,paidhersomewellmeritedcomplimentsonhertoilet,andofferedhisarmtoconducthertoaseat.Albertlookedaroundhim.“Youarelookingformydaughter?”saidthebaroness,smiling.
“Iconfessit,”repliedAlbert.“Couldyouhavebeensocruelasnottobringher?”
“Calmyourself.ShehasmetMademoiselledeVillefort,andhastakenherarm;see,theyarefollowingus,bothinwhitedresses,onewithabouquetofcamellias,theotherwithoneofmyosotis.Buttellme”—
“Well,whatdoyouwishtoknow?”
“WillnottheCountofMonteCristobehereto–night?”
“Seventeen!”repliedAlbert.
“Whatdoyoumean?”
“Ionlymeanthatthecountseemstherage,”repliedtheviscount,smiling,“andthatyouaretheseventeenthpersonthathasaskedmethesamequestion.
Thecountisinfashion;Icongratulatehimuponit.”
“Andhaveyourepliedtoeveryoneasyouhavetome?”
“Ah,tobesure,Ihavenotansweredyou;besatisfied,weshallhavethis‘lion;’weareamongtheprivilegedones.”
“Wereyouattheoperayesterday?”
“No.”
“Hewasthere.”
“Ah,indeed?Anddidtheeccentricpersoncommitanyneworiginality?”
“Canhebeseenwithoutdoingso?Elsslerwasdancinginthe‘DiableBoiteux;’theGreekprincesswasinecstasies.
Afterthecachuchaheplacedamagnificentringonthestemofabouquet,andthrewittothecharmingdanseuse,who,inthethirdact,todohonortothegift,reappearedwithitonherfinger.
AndtheGreekprincess,—willshebehere?”
“No,youwillbedeprivedofthatpleasure;herpositioninthecount’sestablishmentisnotsufficientlyunderstood.”
“Wait;leavemehere,andgoandspeaktoMadamedeVillefort,whoistryingtoattractyourattention.”
AlbertbowedtoMadameDanglars,andadvancedtowardsMadamedeVillefort,whoselipsopenedasheapproached.
“Iwageranything,”saidAlbert,interruptingher,“thatIknowwhatyouwereabouttosay.”
“Well,whatisit?”
“IfIguessrightly,willyouconfessit?”
“Yes.”
“Onyourhonor?”
“Onmyhonor.”
“YouweregoingtoaskmeiftheCountofMonteCristohadarrived,orwasexpected.”
“Notatall.ItisnotofhimthatIamnowthinking.IwasgoingtoaskyouifyouhadreceivedanynewsofMonsieurFranz.”
“Yes,—yesterday.”
“Whatdidhetellyou?”
“Thathewasleavingatthesametimeashisletter.”
“Well,nowthen,thecount?”
“Thecountwillcome,ofthatyoumaybesatisfied.”
“YouknowthathehasanothernamebesidesMonteCristo?”
“No,Ididnotknowit.”
“MonteCristoisthenameofanisland,andhehasafamilyname.”
“Ineverheardit.”
“Well,then,Iambetterinformedthanyou;hisnameisZaccone.”
“Itispossible.”
“HeisaMaltese.”
“Thatisalsopossible.
“Thesonofashipowner.”
“Really,youshouldrelateallthisaloud,youwouldhavethegreatestsuccess.”
“HeservedinIndia,discoveredamineinThessaly,andcomestoParistoestablishamineralwater–cureatAuteuil.”
“Well,I’msure,”saidMorcerf,“thisisindeednews!AmIallowedtorepeatit?”
“Yes,butcautiously,tellonethingatatime,anddonotsayItoldyou.”
“Whyso?”
“Becauseitisasecretjustdiscovered.”
“Bywhom?”
“Thepolice.”
“Thenthenewsoriginated”—
“Attheprefect’slastnight.Paris,youcanunderstand,isastonishedatthesightofsuchunusualsplendor,andthepolicehavemadeinquiries.”
“Well,well!Nothingmoreiswantingthantoarrestthecountasavagabond,onthepretextofhisbeingtoorich.”
“Indeed,thatdoubtlesswouldhavehappenedifhiscredentialshadnotbeensofavorable.”
“Poorcount!Andisheawareofthedangerhehasbeenin?”
“Ithinknot.”
“Thenitwillbebutcharitabletoinformhim.Whenhearrives,Iwillnotfailtodoso.”
Justthen,ahandsomeyoungman,withbrighteyes,blackhair,andglossymustache,respectfullybowedtoMadamedeVillefort.Albertextendedhishand.
“Madame,”saidAlbert,“allowmetopresenttoyouM.MaximilianMorrel,captainofSpahis,oneofourbest,and,aboveall,ofourbravestofficers.”
“IhavealreadyhadthepleasureofmeetingthisgentlemanatAuteuil,atthehouseoftheCountofMonteCristo,”repliedMadamedeVillefort,turningawaywithmarkedcoldnessofmanner.
Thisanswer,andespeciallythetoneinwhichitwasuttered,chilledtheheartofpoorMorrel.
Butarecompensewasinstoreforhim;turningaround,hesawnearthedoorabeautifulfairface,whoselargeblueeyeswere,withoutanymarkedexpression,fixeduponhim,whilethebouquetofmyosotiswasgentlyraisedtoherlips.
ThesalutationwassowellunderstoodthatMorrel,withthesameexpressioninhiseyes,placedhishandkerchieftohismouth;andthesetwolivingstatues,whoseheartsbeatsoviolentlyundertheirmarbleaspect,separatedfromeachotherbythewholelengthoftheroom,forgotthemselvesforamoment,orratherforgottheworldintheirmutualcontemplation.
Theymighthaveremainedmuchlongerlostinoneanother,withoutanyonenoticingtheirabstraction.
TheCountofMonteCristohadjustentered.
Wehavealreadysaidthattherewassomethinginthecountwhichattracteduniversalattentionwhereverheappeared.
Itwasnotthecoat,unexceptionalinitscut,thoughsimpleandunornamented;itwasnottheplainwhitewaistcoat;itwasnotthetrousers,thatdisplayedthefootsoperfectlyformed—itwasnoneofthesethingsthatattractedtheattention,—itwashispalecomplexion,hiswavingblackhair,hiscalmandsereneexpression,hisdarkandmelancholyeye,hismouth,chiselledwithsuchmarvellousdelicacy,whichsoeasilyexpressedsuchhighdisdain,—thesewerewhatfixedtheattentionofalluponhim.
Manymenmighthavebeenhandsomer,butcertainlytherecouldbenonewhoseappearancewasmoresignificant,iftheexpressionmaybeused.
Everythingaboutthecountseemedtohaveitsmeaning,fortheconstanthabitofthoughtwhichhehadacquiredhadgivenaneaseandvigortotheexpressionofhisface,andeventothemosttriflinggesture,scarcelytobeunderstood.
YettheParisianworldissostrange,thatevenallthismightnothavewonattentionhadtherenotbeenconnectedwithitamysteriousstorygildedbyanimmensefortune.
MeanwhileheadvancedthroughtheassemblageofguestsunderabatteryofcuriousglancestowardsMadamedeMorcerf,who,standingbeforeamantle–pieceornamentedwithflowers,hadseenhisentranceinalooking–glassplacedoppositethedoor,andwaspreparedtoreceivehim.
Sheturnedtowardshimwithaserenesmilejustatthemomenthewasbowingtoher.
Nodoubtshefanciedthecountwouldspeaktoher,whileonhissidethecountthoughtshewasabouttoaddresshim;butbothremainedsilent,andafteramerebow,MonteCristodirectedhisstepstoAlbert,whoreceivedhimcordially.“Haveyouseenmymother?”askedAlbert.
“Ihavejusthadthepleasure,”repliedthecount;“butIhavenotseenyourfather.”
“See,heisdownthere,talkingpoliticswiththatlittlegroupofgreatgeniuses.”
“Indeed?”saidMonteCristo;“andsothosegentlemendowntherearemenofgreattalent.Ishouldnothaveguessedit.
Andforwhatkindoftalentaretheycelebrated?Youknowtherearedifferentsorts.”
“Thattall,harsh–lookingmanisverylearned,hediscovered,intheneighborhoodofRome,akindoflizardwithavertebramorethanlizardsusuallyhave,andheimmediatelylaidhisdiscoverybeforetheInstitute.
Thethingwasdiscussedforalongtime,butfinallydecidedinhisfavor.
Icanassureyouthevertebramadeagreatnoiseinthelearnedworld,andthegentleman,whowasonlyaknightoftheLegionofHonor,wasmadeanofficer.”
“Come,”saidMonteCristo,“thiscrossseemstometobewiselyawarded.Isuppose,hadhefoundanotheradditionalvertebra,theywouldhavemadehimacommander.”
“Verylikely,”saidAlbert.
“Andwhocanthatpersonbewhohastakenitintohisheadtowraphimselfupinabluecoatembroideredwithgreen?”
“Oh,thatcoatisnothisownidea;itistheRepublic’s,whichdeputedDavid(*)todeviseauniformfortheAcademicians.”“Indeed?”saidMonteCristo;“sothisgentlemanisanAcademician?”
*LouisDavid,afamousFrenchpainter.
“Withinthelastweekhehasbeenmadeoneofthelearnedassembly.”
“Andwhatishisespecialtalent?”
“Histalent?Ibelievehethrustspinsthroughtheheadsofrabbits,hemakesfowlseatmadder,andpunchesthespinalmarrowoutofdogswithwhalebone.”
“AndheismadeamemberoftheAcademyofSciencesforthis?”
“No;oftheFrenchAcademy.”
“ButwhathastheFrenchAcademytodowithallthis?”
“Iwasgoingtotellyou.Itseems”—
“Thathisexperimentshaveveryconsiderablyadvancedthecauseofscience,doubtless?”
“No;thathisstyleofwritingisverygood.”
“Thismustbeveryflatteringtothefeelingsoftherabbitsintowhoseheadshehasthrustpins,tothefowlswhoseboneshehasdyedred,andtothedogswhosespinalmarrowhehaspunchedout?”
Albertlaughed.
“Andtheotherone?”demandedthecount.
“Thatone?”
“Yes,thethird.”
“Theoneinthedarkbluecoat?”
“Yes.”
“Heisacolleagueofthecount,andoneofthemostactiveopponentstotheideaofprovidingtheChamberofPeerswithauniform.
Hewasverysuccessfuluponthatquestion.
HestoodbadlywiththeLiberalpapers,buthisnobleoppositiontothewishesofthecourtisnowgettinghimintofavorwiththejournalists.Theytalkofmakinghimanambassador.”
“Andwhatarehisclaimstothepeerage?”
“Hehascomposedtwoorthreecomicoperas,writtenfourorfivearticlesintheSiecle,andvotedfiveorsixyearsontheministerialside.”
“Bravo,Viscount,”saidMonteCristo,smiling;“youareadelightfulcicerone.Andnowyouwilldomeafavor,willyounot?”
“Whatisit?”
“Donotintroducemetoanyofthesegentlemen;andshouldtheywishit,youwillwarnme.”Justthenthecountfelthisarmpressed.Heturnedround;itwasDanglars.
“Ah,isityou,baron?”saidhe.
“Whydoyoucallmebaron?”saidDanglars;“youknowthatIcarenothingformytitle.Iamnotlikeyou,viscount;youlikeyourtitle,doyounot?”
“Certainly,”repliedAlbert,“seeingthatwithoutmytitleIshouldbenothing;whileyou,sacrificingthebaron,wouldstillremainthemillionaire.”
“WhichseemstomethefinesttitleundertheroyaltyofJuly,”repliedDanglars.
“Unfortunately,”saidMonteCristo,“one’stitletoamillionairedoesnotlastforlife,likethatofbaron,peerofFrance,orAcademician;forexample,themillionairesFranck&Poulmann,ofFrankfort,whohavejustbecomebankrupts.”
“Indeed?”saidDanglars,becomingpale.
“Yes;Ireceivedthenewsthiseveningbyacourier.Ihadaboutamillionintheirhands,but,warnedintime,Iwithdrewitamonthago.”
“Ah,monDieu,”exclaimedDanglars,“theyhavedrawnonmefor200,000francs!”
“Well,youcanthrowoutthedraft;theirsignatureisworthfivepercent.”
“Yes,butitistoolate,”saidDanglars,“Ihavehonoredtheirbills.”
“Then,”saidMonteCristo,“hereare200,000francsgoneafter”—
“Hush,donotmentionthesethings,”saidDanglars;then,approachingMonteCristo,headded,“especiallybeforeyoungM.Cavalcanti;”afterwhichhesmiled,andturnedtowardstheyoungmaninquestion.
Alberthadleftthecounttospeaktohismother,DanglarstoconversewithyoungCavalcanti;MonteCristowasforaninstantalone.Meanwhiletheheatbecameexcessive.
Thefootmenwerehasteningthroughtheroomswithwaitersloadedwithices.
MonteCristowipedtheperspirationfromhisforehead,butdrewbackwhenthewaiterwaspresentedtohim;hetooknorefreshment.
MadamedeMorcerfdidnotlosesightofMonteCristo;shesawthathetooknothing,andevennoticedhisgestureofrefusal.
“Albert,”sheasked,“didyounoticethat?”
“What,mother?”
“ThatthecounthasneverbeenwillingtopartakeoffoodundertheroofofM.deMorcerf.”
“Yes;butthenhebreakfastedwithme—indeed,hemadehisfirstappearanceintheworldonthatoccasion.”
“ButyourhouseisnotM.deMorcerf’s,”murmuredMercedes;“andsincehehasbeenhereIhavewatchedhim.”
“Well?”
“Well,hehastakennothingyet.”
“Thecountisverytemperate.”Mercedessmiledsadly.“Approachhim,”saidshe,“andwhenthenextwaiterpasses,insistuponhistakingsomething.”
“Butwhy,mother?”
“Justtopleaseme,Albert,”saidMercedes.
Albertkissedhismother’shand,anddrewnearthecount.
Anothersalverpassed,loadedliketheprecedingones;shesawAlbertattempttopersuadethecount,butheobstinatelyrefused.
Albertrejoinedhismother;shewasverypale.
“Well,”saidshe,“youseeherefuses?”
“Yes;butwhyneedthisannoyyou?”
“Youknow,Albert,womenaresingularcreatures.
Ishouldliketohaveseenthecounttakesomethinginmyhouse,ifonlyanice.
PerhapshecannotreconcilehimselftotheFrenchstyleofliving,andmightprefersomethingelse.”
“Oh,no;IhaveseenhimeatofeverythinginItaly;nodoubthedoesnotfeelinclinedthisevening.”
“Andbesides,”saidthecountess,“accustomedasheistoburningclimates,possiblyhedoesnotfeeltheheataswedo.”
“Idonotthinkthat,forhehascomplainedoffeelingalmostsuffocated,andaskedwhytheVenetianblindswerenotopenedaswellasthewindows.”
“Inaword,”saidMercedes,“itwasawayofassuringmethathisabstinencewasintended.”Andshelefttheroom.
Aminuteafterwardstheblindswerethrownopen,andthroughthejessamineandclematisthatoverhungthewindowonecouldseethegardenornamentedwithlanterns,andthesupperlaidunderthetent.
Dancers,players,talkers,allutteredanexclamationofjoy—everyoneinhaledwithdelightthebreezethatfloatedin.
AtthesametimeMercedesreappeared,palerthanbefore,butwiththatimperturbableexpressionofcountenancewhichshesometimeswore.
Shewentstraighttothegroupofwhichherhusbandformedthecentre.
“Donotdetainthosegentlemenhere,count,”shesaid;“theywouldprefer,Ishouldthink,tobreatheinthegardenratherthansuffocatehere,sincetheyarenotplaying.”
“Ah,”saidagallantoldgeneral,who,in1809,hadsung“PartantpourlaSyrie,”—”wewillnotgoalonetothegarden.”
“Then,”saidMercedes,“Iwillleadtheway.”
TurningtowardsMonteCristo,sheadded,“count,willyouobligemewithyourarm?”
Thecountalmoststaggeredatthesesimplewords;thenhefixedhiseyesonMercedes.
Itwasonlyamomentaryglance,butitseemedtothecountesstohavelastedforacentury,somuchwasexpressedinthatonelook.
Heofferedhisarmtothecountess;shetookit,orratherjusttoucheditwithherlittlehand,andtheytogetherdescendedthesteps,linedwithrhododendronsandcamellias.
Behindthem,byanotheroutlet,agroupofabouttwentypersonsrushedintothegardenwithloudexclamationsofdelight.
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