English
Noirtierwaspreparedtoreceivethem,dressedinblack,andinstalledinhisarm–chair.Whenthethreepersonsheexpectedhadentered,helookedatthedoor,whichhisvaletimmediatelyclosed.
“Listen,”whisperedVilleforttoValentine,whocouldnotconcealherjoy;“ifM.Noirtierwishestocommunicateanythingwhichwoulddelayyourmarriage,Iforbidyoutounderstandhim.”Valentineblushed,butdidnotanswer.
Villefort,approachingNoirtier—”HereisM.Franzd’Epinay,”saidhe;“yourequestedtoseehim.
Wehaveallwishedforthisinterview,andItrustitwillconvinceyouhowill–formedareyourobjectionstoValentine’smarriage.”
NoirtieransweredonlybyalookwhichmadeVillefort’sbloodruncold.HemotionedtoValentinetoapproach.
Inamoment,thankstoherhabitofconversingwithhergrandfather,sheunderstoodthatheaskedforakey.
Thenhiseyewasfixedonthedrawerofasmallchestbetweenthewindows.
Sheopenedthedrawer,andfoundakey;and,understandingthatwaswhathewanted,againwatchedhiseyes,whichturnedtowardanoldsecretarywhichhadbeenneglectedformanyyearsandwassupposedtocontainnothingbutuselessdocuments.“ShallIopenthesecretary?”askedValentine.
“Yes,”saidtheoldman.
“Andthedrawers?”
“Yes.”
“Thoseattheside?”
“No.”
“Themiddleone?”
“Yes.”Valentineopeneditanddrewoutabundleofpapers.“Isthatwhatyouwishfor?”askedshe.
“No.”
Shetooksuccessivelyalltheotherpapersouttillthedrawerwasempty.“Buttherearenomore,”saidshe.
Noirtier’seyewasfixedonthedictionary.
“Yes,Iunderstand,grandfather,”saidtheyounggirl.
Hepointedtoeachletterofthealphabet.AttheletterStheoldmanstoppedher.Sheopened,andfoundtheword“secret.”
“Ah,isthereasecretspring?”saidValentine.
“Yes,”saidNoirtier.
“Andwhoknowsit?”Noirtierlookedatthedoorwheretheservanthadgoneout.“Barrois?”saidshe.
“Yes.”
“ShallIcallhim?”
“Yes.”
Valentinewenttothedoor,andcalledBarrois.
Villefort’simpatienceduringthisscenemadetheperspirationrollfromhisforehead,andFranzwasstupefied.Theoldservantcame.
“Barrois,”saidValentine,“mygrandfatherhastoldmetoopenthatdrawerinthesecretary,butthereisasecretspringinit,whichyouknow—willyouopenit?”
Barroislookedattheoldman.“Obey,”saidNoirtier’sintelligenteye.Barroistouchedaspring,thefalsebottomcameout,andtheysawabundleofpaperstiedwithablackstring.
“Isthatwhatyouwishfor?”saidBarrois.
“Yes.”
“ShallIgivethesepaperstoM.deVillefort?”
“No.”
“ToMademoiselleValentine?”
“No.”
“ToM.Franzd’Epinay?”
“Yes.”
Franz,astonished,advancedastep.“Tome,sir?”saidhe.
“Yes.”FranztookthemfromBarroisandcastingaglanceatthecover,read:—
”’Tobegiven,aftermydeath,toGeneralDurand,whoshallbequeaththepackettohisson,withaninjunctiontopreserveitascontaininganimportantdocument.’
“Well,sir,”askedFranz,“whatdoyouwishmetodowiththispaper?”
“Topreserveit,sealedupasitis,doubtless,”saidtheprocureur.
“No,”repliedNoirtiereagerly.
“Doyouwishhimtoreadit?”saidValentine.
“Yes,”repliedtheoldman.“Youunderstand,baron,mygrandfatherwishesyoutoreadthispaper,”saidValentine.
“Thenletussitdown,”saidVillefortimpatiently,“foritwilltakesometime.”
“Sitdown,”saidtheoldman.Villeforttookachair,butValentineremainedstandingbyherfather’sside,andFranzbeforehim,holdingthemysteriouspaperinhishand.“Read,”saidtheoldman.
Franzuntiedit,andinthemidstofthemostprofoundsilenceread:
”’ExtractfromtheReportofameetingoftheBonapartistClubintheRueSaint–Jacques,heldFebruary5th,1815.’”
Franzstopped.“February5th,1815!”saidhe;“itisthedaymyfatherwasmurdered.”ValentineandVillefortweredumb;theeyeoftheoldmanaloneseemedtosayclearly,“Goon.”
“Butitwasonleavingthisclub,”saidhe,“myfatherdisappeared.”Noirtier’seyecontinuedtosay,“Read.”Heresumed:—
”’TheundersignedLouisJacquesBeaurepaire,lieutenant–colonelofartillery,EtienneDuchampy,generalofbrigade,andClaudeLecharpal,keeperofwoodsandforests,Declare,thatonthe4thofFebruary,aletterarrivedfromtheIslandofElba,recommendingtothekindnessandtheconfidenceoftheBonapartistClub,GeneralFlaviendeQuesnel,whohavingservedtheemperorfrom1804.
to1814wassupposedtobedevotedtotheinterestsoftheNapoleondynasty,notwithstandingthetitleofbaronwhichLouisXVIII.
hadjustgrantedtohimwithhisestateofEpinay.
”’AnotewasinconsequenceaddressedtoGeneraldeQuesnel,begginghimtobepresentatthemeetingnextday,the5th.
Thenoteindicatedneitherthestreetnorthenumberofthehousewherethemeetingwastobeheld;itborenosignature,butitannouncedtothegeneralthatsomeonewouldcallforhimifhewouldbereadyatnineo’clock.
Themeetingswerealwaysheldfromthattimetillmidnight.
Atnineo’clockthepresidentoftheclubpresentedhimself;thegeneralwasready,thepresidentinformedhimthatoneoftheconditionsofhisintroductionwasthatheshouldbeeternallyignorantoftheplaceofmeeting,andthathewouldallowhiseyestobebandaged,swearingthathewouldnotendeavortotakeoffthebandage.
GeneraldeQuesnelacceptedthecondition,andpromisedonhishonornottoseektodiscovertheroadtheytook.
Thegeneral’scarriagewasready,butthepresidenttoldhimitwasimpossibleforhimtouseit,sinceitwasuselesstoblindfoldthemasterifthecoachmanknewthroughwhatstreetshewent.“Whatmustbedonethen?”askedthegeneral.
—”Ihavemycarriagehere,”saidthepresident.
”’”Haveyou,then,somuchconfidenceinyourservantthatyoucanintrusthimwithasecretyouwillnotallowmetoknow?”
”’”Ourcoachmanisamemberoftheclub,”saidthepresident;“weshallbedrivenbyaState–Councillor.”
”’”Thenwerunanotherrisk,”saidthegeneral,laughing,“thatofbeingupset.”
Weinsertthisjoketoprovethatthegeneralwasnotintheleastcompelledtoattendthemeeting,butthathecamewillingly.
Whentheywereseatedinthecarriagethepresidentremindedthegeneralofhispromisetoallowhiseyestobebandaged,towhichhemadenoopposition.
Ontheroadthepresidentthoughthesawthegeneralmakeanattempttoremovethehandkerchief,andremindedhimofhisoath.“Sureenough,”saidthegeneral.
ThecarriagestoppedatanalleyleadingoutoftheRueSaint–Jacques.
Thegeneralalighted,leaningonthearmofthepresident,ofwhosedignityhewasnotaware,consideringhimsimplyasamemberoftheclub;theywentthroughthealley,mountedaflightofstairs,andenteredtheassembly–room.
”’”Thedeliberationshadalreadybegun.Themembers,apprisedofthesortofpresentationwhichwastobemadethatevening,wereallinattendance.
Wheninthemiddleoftheroomthegeneralwasinvitedtoremovehisbandage,hedidsoimmediately,andwassurprisedtoseesomanywell–knownfacesinasocietyofwhoseexistencehehadtillthenbeenignorant.
Theyquestionedhimastohissentiments,buthecontentedhimselfwithanswering,thatthelettersfromtheIslandofElbaoughttohaveinformedthem’”—
Franzinterruptedhimselfbysaying,“Myfatherwasaroyalist;theyneednothaveaskedhissentiments,whichwerewellknown.”
“Andhence,”saidVillefort,“arosemyaffectionforyourfather,mydearM.Franz.Opinionsheldincommonareareadybondofunion.”
“Readagain,”saidtheoldman.Franzcontinued:—
”’Thepresidentthensoughttomakehimspeakmoreexplicitly,butM.deQuesnelrepliedthathewishedfirsttoknowwhattheywantedwithhim.
HewastheninformedofthecontentsoftheletterfromtheIslandofElba,inwhichhewasrecommendedtotheclubasamanwhowouldbelikelytoadvancetheinterestsoftheirparty.
OneparagraphspokeofthereturnofBonaparteandpromisedanotherletterandfurtherdetails,onthearrivalofthePharaonbelongingtotheshipbuilderMorrel,ofMarseilles,whosecaptainwasentirelydevotedtotheemperor.
Duringallthistime,thegeneral,onwhomtheythoughttohavereliedasonabrother,manifestedevidentlysignsofdiscontentandrepugnance.
Whenthereadingwasfinished,heremainedsilent,withknittedbrows.
”’”Well,”askedthepresident,“whatdoyousaytothisletter,general?”
”’”IsaythatitistoosoonafterdeclaringmyselfforLouisXVIII.
tobreakmyvowinbehalfoftheex–emperor.”
Thisanswerwastoocleartopermitofanymistakeastohissentiments.
“General,”saidthepresident,“weacknowledgenoKingLouisXVIII.,oranex–emperor,buthismajestytheemperorandking,drivenfromFrance,whichishiskingdom,byviolenceandtreason.”
”’”Excuseme,gentlemen,”saidthegeneral;“youmaynotacknowledgeLouisXVIII.,butIdo,ashehasmademeabaronandafield–marshal,andIshallneverforgetthatforthesetwotitlesIamindebtedtohishappyreturntoFrance.”
”’”Sir,”saidthepresident,risingwithgravity,“becarefulwhatyousay;yourwordsclearlyshowusthattheyaredeceivedconcerningyouintheIslandofElba,andhavedeceivedus!
Thecommunicationhasbeenmadetoyouinconsequenceoftheconfidenceplacedinyou,andwhichdoesyouhonor.
Nowwediscoverourerror;atitleandpromotionattachyoutothegovernmentwewishtooverturn.
Wewillnotconstrainyoutohelpus;weenrollnooneagainsthisconscience,butwewillcompelyoutoactgenerously,evenifyouarenotdisposedtodoso.”
”’”Youwouldcallactinggenerously,knowingyourconspiracyandnotinformingagainstyou,thatiswhatIshouldcallbecomingyouraccomplice.YouseeIammorecandidthanyou.”’”
“Ah,myfather!”saidFranz,interruptinghimself.
“Iunderstandnowwhytheymurderedhim.”
Valentinecouldnothelpcastingoneglancetowardstheyoungman,whosefilialenthusiasmitwasdelightfultobehold.
Villefortwalkedtoandfrobehindthem.
Noirtierwatchedtheexpressionofeachone,andpreservedhisdignifiedandcommandingattitude.
Franzreturnedtothemanuscript,andcontinued:—
”’”Sir,”saidthepresident,“youhavebeeninvitedtojointhisassembly—youwerenotforcedhere;itwasproposedtoyoutocomeblindfolded—youaccepted.
WhenyoucompliedwiththistwofoldrequestyouwellknewwedidnotwishtosecurethethroneofLouisXVIII.,orweshouldnottakesomuchcaretoavoidthevigilanceofthepolice.
Itwouldbeconcedingtoomuchtoallowyoutoputonamasktoaidyouinthediscoveryofoursecret,andthentoremoveitthatyoumayruinthosewhohaveconfidedinyou.
No,no,youmustfirstsayifyoudeclareyourselfforthekingofadaywhonowreigns,orforhismajestytheemperor.”
”’”Iamaroyalist,”repliedthegeneral;“IhavetakentheoathofallegiancetoLouisXVIII.,andIwilladheretoit.”
Thesewordswerefollowedbyageneralmurmur,anditwasevidentthatseveralofthememberswerediscussingtheproprietyofmakingthegeneralrepentofhisrashness.
”’Thepresidentagainarose,andhavingimposedsilence,said,—”Sir,youaretooseriousandtoosensibleamannottounderstandtheconsequencesofourpresentsituation,andyourcandorhasalreadydictatedtoustheconditionswhichremainforustoofferyou.”
Thegeneral,puttinghishandonhissword,exclaimed,—”Ifyoutalkofhonor,donotbeginbydisavowingitslaws,andimposenothingbyviolence.”
”’”Andyou,sir,”continuedthepresident,withacalmnessstillmoreterriblethanthegeneral’sanger,“Iadviseyounottotouchyoursword.”
Thegenerallookedaroundhimwithslightuneasiness;howeverhedidnotyield,butcallingupallhisfortitude,said,—”Iwillnotswear.”
”’”Thenyoumustdie,”repliedthepresidentcalmly.
M.d’Epinaybecameverypale;helookedroundhimasecondtime,severalmembersoftheclubwerewhispering,andgettingtheirarmsfromundertheircloaks.
“General,”saidthepresident,“donotalarmyourself;youareamongmenofhonorwhowilluseeverymeanstoconvinceyoubeforeresortingtothelastextremity,butasyouhavesaid,youareamongconspirators,youareinpossessionofoursecret,andyoumustrestoreittous.”
Asignificantsilencefollowedthesewords,andasthegeneraldidnotreply,—”Closethedoors,”saidthepresidenttothedoor–keeper.
”’Thesamedeadlysilencesucceededthesewords.
Thenthegeneraladvanced,andmakingaviolentefforttocontrolhisfeelings,—”Ihaveason,”saidhe,“andIoughttothinkofhim,findingmyselfamongassassins.”
”’”General,”saidthechiefoftheassembly,“onemanmayinsultfifty—itistheprivilegeofweakness.Buthedoeswrongtousehisprivilege.
Followmyadvice,swear,anddonotinsult.”
Thegeneral,againdauntedbythesuperiorityofthechief,hesitatedamoment;thenadvancingtothepresident’sdesk,—”Whatistheform,saidhe.
”’”Itisthis:—’IswearbymyhonornottorevealtoanyonewhatIhaveseenandheardonthe5thofFebruary,1815,betweennineandteno’clockintheevening;andIpleadguiltyofdeathshouldIeverviolatethisoath.
’”Thegeneralappearedtobeaffectedbyanervoustremor,whichpreventedhisansweringforsomemoments;then,overcominghismanifestrepugnance,hepronouncedtherequiredoath,butinsolowatoneastobescarcelyaudibletothemajorityofthemembers,whoinsistedonhisrepeatingitclearlyanddistinctly,whichhedid.
”’”NowamIatlibertytoretire?”saidthegeneral.
Thepresidentrose,appointedthreememberstoaccompanyhim,andgotintothecarriagewiththegeneralafterbandaginghiseyes.
Oneofthosethreememberswasthecoachmanwhohaddriventhemthere.Theothermemberssilentlydispersed.“Wheredoyouwishtobetaken?”askedthepresident.
—”Anywhereoutofyourpresence,”repliedM.d’Epinay.
“Beware,sir,”repliedthepresident,“youarenolongerintheassembly,andhaveonlytodowithindividuals;donotinsultthemunlessyouwishtobeheldresponsible.”
Butinsteadoflistening,M.d’Epinaywenton,—”Youarestillasbraveinyourcarriageasinyourassemblybecauseyouarestillfouragainstone.”Thepresidentstoppedthecoach.
TheywereatthatpartoftheQuaidesOrmeswherethestepsleaddowntotheriver.“Whydoyoustophere?”askedd’Epinay.
”’”Because,sir,”saidthepresident,“youhaveinsultedaman,andthatmanwillnotgoonestepfartherwithoutdemandinghonorablereparation.”
”’”Anothermethodofassassination?”saidthegeneral,shrugginghisshoulders.
”’”Makenonoise,sir,unlessyouwishmetoconsideryouasoneofthemenofwhomyouspokejustnowascowards,whotaketheirweaknessforashield.
Youarealone,onealoneshallansweryou;youhaveaswordbyyourside,Ihaveoneinmycane;youhavenowitness,oneofthesegentlemenwillserveyou.
Now,ifyouplease,removeyourbandage.”
Thegeneraltorethehandkerchieffromhiseyes.
“Atlast,”saidhe,“IshallknowwithwhomIhavetodo.”
Theyopenedthedoorandthefourmenalighted.’”
Franzagaininterruptedhimself,andwipedthecolddropsfromhisbrow;therewassomethingawfulinhearingthesonreadaloudintremblingpallorthesedetailsofhisfather’sdeath,whichhadhithertobeenamystery.
Valentineclaspedherhandsasifinprayer.
NoirtierlookedatVillefortwithanalmostsublimeexpressionofcontemptandpride.Franzcontinued:—
”’Itwas,aswesaid,thefifthofFebruary.
Forthreedaysthemercuryhadbeenfiveorsixdegreesbelowfreezingandthestepswerecoveredwithice.
Thegeneralwasstoutandtall,thepresidentofferedhimthesideoftherailingtoassisthimingettingdown.Thetwowitnessesfollowed.Itwasadarknight.
Thegroundfromthestepstotheriverwascoveredwithsnowandhoarfrost,thewateroftheriverlookedblackanddeep.
Oneofthesecondswentforalanterninacoal–bargenear,andbyitslighttheyexaminedtheweapons.
Thepresident’ssword,whichwassimply,ashehadsaid,onehecarriedinhiscane,wasfiveinchesshorterthanthegeneral’s,andhadnoguard.
Thegeneralproposedtocastlotsfortheswords,butthepresidentsaiditwashewhohadgiventheprovocation,andwhenhehadgivenithehadsupposedeachwouldusehisownarms.
Thewitnessesendeavoredtoinsist,butthepresidentbadethembesilent.
Thelanternwasplacedontheground,thetwoadversariestooktheirstations,andtheduelbegan.
Thelightmadethetwoswordsappearlikeflashesoflightning;asforthemen,theywerescarcelyperceptible,thedarknesswassogreat.
”’Generald’Epinaypassedforoneofthebestswordsmeninthearmy,buthewaspressedsocloselyintheonsetthathemissedhisaimandfell.
Thewitnessesthoughthewasdead,buthisadversary,whoknewhehadnotstruckhim,offeredhimtheassistanceofhishandtorise.
Thecircumstanceirritatedinsteadofcalmingthegeneral,andherushedonhisadversary.
Buthisopponentdidnotallowhisguardtobebroken.
Hereceivedhimonhisswordandthreetimesthegeneraldrewbackonfindinghimselftoocloselyengaged,andthenreturnedtothecharge.Atthethirdhefellagain.
Theythoughtheslipped,asatfirst,andthewitnesses,seeinghedidnotmove,approachedandendeavoredtoraisehim,buttheonewhopassedhisarmaroundthebodyfounditwasmoistenedwithblood.
Thegeneral,whohadalmostfainted,revived.
“Ah,”saidhe,“theyhavesentsomefencing–mastertofightwithme.”
Thepresident,withoutanswering,approachedthewitnesswhoheldthelantern,andraisinghissleeve,showedhimtwowoundshehadreceivedinhisarm;thenopeninghiscoat,andunbuttoninghiswaistcoat,displayedhisside,piercedwithathirdwound.Stillhehadnotevenutteredasigh.
Generald’Epinaydiedfiveminutesafter.’”
Franzreadtheselastwordsinavoicesochokedthattheywerehardlyaudible,andthenstopped,passinghishandoverhiseyesasiftodispelacloud;butafteramoment’ssilence,hecontinued:—
”’Thepresidentwentupthesteps,afterpushinghisswordintohiscane;atrackofbloodonthesnowmarkedhiscourse.
Hehadscarcelyarrivedatthetopwhenheheardaheavysplashinthewater—itwasthegeneral’sbody,whichthewitnesseshadjustthrownintotheriverafterascertainingthathewasdead.
Thegeneralfell,then,inaloyalduel,andnotinambushasitmighthavebeenreported.
Inproofofthiswehavesignedthispapertoestablishthetruthofthefacts,lestthemomentshouldarrivewheneitheroftheactorsinthisterriblesceneshouldbeaccusedofpremeditatedmurderorofinfringementofthelawsofhonor.
”’Signed,Beaurepaire,Deschamps,andLecharpal.’”
WhenFranzhadfinishedreadingthisaccount,sodreadfulforason;whenValentine,palewithemotion,hadwipedawayatear;whenVillefort,trembling,andcrouchedinacorner,hadendeavoredtolessenthestormbysupplicatingglancesattheimplacableoldman,—”Sir,”saidd’EpinaytoNoirtier,“sinceyouarewellacquaintedwithallthesedetails,whichareattestedbyhonorablesignatures,—sinceyouappeartotakesomeinterestinme,althoughyouhaveonlymanifestedithithertobycausingmesorrow,refusemenotonefinalsatisfaction—tellmethenameofthepresidentoftheclub,thatImayatleastknowwhokilledmyfather.”
Villefortmechanicallyfeltforthehandleofthedoor;Valentine,whounderstoodsoonerthananyonehergrandfather’sanswer,andwhohadoftenseentwoscarsuponhisrightarm,drewbackafewsteps.
“Mademoiselle,”saidFranz,turningtowardsValentine,“uniteyoureffortswithminetofindoutthenameofthemanwhomademeanorphanattwoyearsofage.”Valentineremaineddumbandmotionless.
“Hold,sir,”saidVillefort,“donotprolongthisdreadfulscene.
Thenameshavebeenpurposelyconcealed;myfatherhimselfdoesnotknowwhothispresidentwas,andifheknows,hecannottellyou;propernamesarenotinthedictionary.”
“Oh,misery,”criedFranz:“theonlyhopewhichsustainedmeandenabledmetoreadtotheendwasthatofknowing,atleast,thenameofhimwhokilledmyfather!
Sir,sir,”criedhe,turningtoNoirtier,“dowhatyoucan—makemeunderstandinsomeway!”
“Yes,”repliedNoirtier.
“Oh,mademoiselle,—mademoiselle!”criedFranz,“yourgrandfathersayshecanindicatetheperson.Helpme,—lendmeyourassistance!”Noirtierlookedatthedictionary.
Franztookitwithanervoustrembling,andrepeatedthelettersofthealphabetsuccessively,untilhecametoM.
Atthatlettertheoldmansignified“Yes.”
“M,”repeatedFranz.Theyoungman’sfinger,glidedoverthewords,butateachoneNoirtieransweredbyanegativesign.
Valentinehidherheadbetweenherhands.
Atlength,FranzarrivedatthewordMYSELF.
“Yes!”
“You?”criedFranz,whosehairstoodonend;“you,M.Noirtier—youkilledmyfather?”
“Yes!”repliedNoirtier,fixingamajesticlookontheyoungman.
Franzfellpowerlessonachair;Villefortopenedthedoorandescaped,fortheideahadenteredhismindtostiflethelittleremaininglifeintheheartofthisterribleoldman.
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