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ThedaringattempttorobthecountwasthetopicofconversationthroughoutParisforthenextfortnight.
ThedyingmanhadsignedadepositiondeclaringBenedettotobetheassassin.
Thepolicehadorderstomakethestrictestsearchforthemurderer.
Caderousse’sknife,darklantern,bunchofkeys,andclothing,exceptingthewaistcoat,whichcouldnotbefound,weredepositedattheregistry;thecorpsewasconveyedtothemorgue.
ThecounttoldeveryonethatthisadventurehadhappenedduringhisabsenceatAuteuil,andthatheonlyknewwhatwasrelatedbytheAbbeBusoni,whothatevening,bymerechance,hadrequestedtopassthenightinhishouse,toexaminesomevaluablebooksinhislibrary.
BertuccioaloneturnedpalewheneverBenedetto’snamewasmentionedinhispresence,buttherewasnoreasonwhyanyoneshouldnoticehisdoingso.
Villefort,beingcalledontoprovethecrime,waspreparinghisbriefwiththesameardorthathewasaccustomedtoexercisewhenrequiredtospeakincriminalcases.
Butthreeweekshadalreadypassed,andthemostdiligentsearchhadbeenunsuccessful;theattemptedrobberyandthemurderoftherobberbyhiscomradewerealmostforgotteninanticipationoftheapproachingmarriageofMademoiselleDanglarstotheCountAndreaCavalcanti.
Itwasexpectedthatthisweddingwouldshortlytakeplace,astheyoungmanwasreceivedatthebanker’sasthebetrothed.
LettershadbeendespatchedtoM.Cavalcanti,asthecount’sfather,whohighlyapprovedoftheunion,regrettedhisinabilitytoleaveParmaatthattime,andpromisedaweddinggiftofahundredandfiftythousandlivres.
ItwasagreedthatthethreemillionsshouldbeintrustedtoDanglarstoinvest;somepersonshadwarnedtheyoungmanofthecircumstancesofhisfuturefather–in–law,whohadoflatesustainedrepeatedlosses;butwithsublimedisinterestednessandconfidencetheyoungmanrefusedtolisten,ortoexpressasingledoubttothebaron.
ThebaronadoredCountAndreaCavalcanti:notsoMademoiselleEugenieDanglars.
Withaninstinctivehatredofmatrimony,shesufferedAndrea’sattentionsinordertogetridofMorcerf;butwhenAndreaurgedhissuit,shebetrayedanentiredisliketohim.
Thebaronmightpossiblyhaveperceivedit,but,attributingittoacaprice,feignedignorance.
ThedelaydemandedbyBeauchamphadnearlyexpired.
MorcerfappreciatedtheadviceofMonteCristotoletthingsdieawayoftheirownaccord.
Noonehadtakenuptheremarkaboutthegeneral,andnoonehadrecognizedintheofficerwhobetrayedthecastleofYaninathenoblecountintheHouseofPeers.
Albert,howeverfeltnolessinsulted;thefewlineswhichhadirritatedhimwerecertainlyintendedasaninsult.
Besides,themannerinwhichBeauchamphadclosedtheconferenceleftabitterrecollectioninhisheart.
Hecherishedthethoughtoftheduel,hopingtoconcealitstruecauseevenfromhisseconds.
BeauchamphadnotbeenseensincethedayhevisitedAlbert,andthoseofwhomthelatterinquiredalwaystoldhimhewasoutonajourneywhichwoulddetainhimsomedays.Wherehewasnooneknew.
OnemorningAlbertwasawakenedbyhisvaletdechambre,whoannouncedBeauchamp.
Albertrubbedhiseyes,orderedhisservanttointroducehimintothesmallsmoking–roomontheground–floor,dressedhimselfquickly,andwentdown.
HefoundBeauchamppacingtheroom;onperceivinghimBeauchampstopped.
“Yourarrivalhere,withoutwaitingmyvisitatyourhouseto–day,lookswell,sir,”saidAlbert.
“Tellme,mayIshakehandswithyou,saying,‘Beauchamp,acknowledgeyouhaveinjuredme,andretainmyfriendship,’ormustIsimplyproposetoyouachoiceofarms?”
“Albert,”saidBeauchamp,withalookofsorrowwhichstupefiedtheyoungman,“letusfirstsitdownandtalk.”
“Rather,sir,beforewesitdown,Imustdemandyouranswer.”
“Albert,”saidthejournalist,“thesearequestionswhichitisdifficulttoanswer.”
“Iwillfacilitateitbyrepeatingthequestion,‘Willyou,orwillyounot,retract?’”
“Morcerf,itisnotenoughtoanswer‘yes’or‘no’toquestionswhichconcernthehonor,thesocialinterest,andthelifeofsuchamanasLieutenant–generaltheCountofMorcerf,peerofFrance.”
“Whatmustthenbedone?”
“WhatIhavedone,Albert.Ireasonedthus—money,time,andfatiguearenothingcomparedwiththereputationandinterestsofawholefamily;probabilitieswillnotsuffice,onlyfactswilljustifyadeadlycombatwithafriend.
IfIstrikewiththesword,ordischargethecontentsofapistolatmanwithwhom,forthreeyears,Ihavebeenontermsofintimacy,Imust,atleast,knowwhyIdoso;Imustmeethimwithaheartatease,andthatquietconsciencewhichamanneedswhenhisownarmmustsavehislife.”
“Well,”saidMorcerf,impatiently,“whatdoesallthismean?”
“ItmeansthatIhavejustreturnedfromYanina.”
“FromYanina?”
“Yes.”
“Impossible!”
“Hereismypassport;examinethevisa—Geneva,Milan,Venice,Trieste,Delvino,Yanina.
Willyoubelievethegovernmentofarepublic,akingdom,andanempire?”
Albertcasthiseyesonthepassport,thenraisedtheminastonishmenttoBeauchamp.“YouhavebeentoYanina?”saidhe.
“Albert,hadyoubeenastranger,aforeigner,asimplelord,likethatEnglishmanwhocametodemandsatisfactionthreeorfourmonthssince,andwhomIkilledtogetridof,Ishouldnothavetakenthistrouble;butIthoughtthismarkofconsiderationduetoyou.
Itookaweektogo,anothertoreturn,fourdaysofquarantine,andforty–eighthourstostaythere;thatmakesthreeweeks.Ireturnedlastnight,andhereIam.”
“Whatcircumlocution!HowlongyouarebeforeyoutellmewhatImostwishtoknow?”
“Because,intruth,Albert”—
“Youhesitate?”
“Yes,—Ifear.”
“Youfeartoacknowledgethatyourcorrespondenthisdeceivedyou?Oh,noself–love,Beauchamp.Acknowledgeit,Beauchamp;yourcouragecannotbedoubted.”
“Notso,”murmuredthejournalist;“onthecontrary”—
Albertturnedfrightfullypale;heendeavoredtospeak,butthewordsdiedonhislips.“Myfriend,”saidBeauchamp,inthemostaffectionatetone,“Ishouldgladlymakeanapology;but,alas,”—
“Butwhat?”
“Theparagraphwascorrect,myfriend.”
“What?ThatFrenchofficer”—
“Yes.”
“Fernand?”
“Yes.”
“Thetraitorwhosurrenderedthecastleofthemaninwhoseservicehewas”—
“Pardonme,myfriend,thatmanwasyourfather!”AlbertadvancedfuriouslytowardsBeauchamp,butthelatterrestrainedhimmorebyamildlookthanbyhisextendedhand.
“Myfriend,”saidhe,“hereisaproofofit.”
Albertopenedthepaper,itwasanattestationoffournotableinhabitantsofYanina,provingthatColonelFernandMondego,intheserviceofAliTepelini,hadsurrenderedthecastlefortwomillioncrowns.Thesignatureswereperfectlylegal.
Alberttotteredandfelloverpoweredinachair.
Itcouldnolongerbedoubted;thefamilynamewasfullygiven.
Afteramoment’smournfulsilence,hisheartoverflowed,andhegavewaytoafloodoftears.
Beauchamp,whohadwatchedwithsincerepitytheyoungman’sparoxysmofgrief,approachedhim.
“Now,Albert,”saidhe,“youunderstandme—doyounot?
Iwishedtoseeall,andtojudgeofeverythingformyself,hopingtheexplanationwouldbeinyourfather’sfavor,andthatImightdohimjustice.
But,onthecontrary,theparticularswhicharegivenprovethatFernandMondego,raisedbyAliPashatotherankofgovernor–general,isnootherthanCountFernandofMorcerf;then,recollectingthehonoryouhaddoneme,inadmittingmetoyourfriendship,Ihastenedtoyou.”
Albert,stillextendedonthechair,coveredhisfacewithbothhands,asiftopreventthelightfromreachinghim.
“Ihastenedtoyou,”continuedBeauchamp,“totellyou,Albert,thatinthischangingage,thefaultsofafathercannotrevertuponhischildren.
Fewhavepassedthroughthisrevolutionaryperiod,inthemidstofwhichwewereborn,withoutsomestainofinfamyorbloodtosoiltheuniformofthesoldier,orthegownofthemagistrate.
NowIhavetheseproofs,Albert,andIaminyourconfidence,nohumanpowercanforcemetoaduelwhichyourownconsciencewouldreproachyouwithascriminal,butIcometoofferyouwhatyoucannolongerdemandofme.
Doyouwishtheseproofs,theseattestations,whichIalonepossess,tobedestroyed?
Doyouwishthisfrightfulsecrettoremainwithus?
Confidedtome,itshallneverescapemylips;say,Albert,myfriend,doyouwishit?”
AlbertthrewhimselfonBeauchamp’sneck.“Ah,noblefellow!”criedhe.
“Takethese,”saidBeauchamp,presentingthepaperstoAlbert.
Albertseizedthemwithaconvulsivehand,toretheminpieces,andtremblinglesttheleastvestigeshouldescapeandonedayappeartoconfronthim,heapproachedthewax–light,alwayskeptburningforcigars,andburnedeveryfragment.
“Dear,excellentfriend,”murmuredAlbert,stillburningthepapers.
“Letallbeforgottenasasorrowfuldream,”saidBeauchamp;“letitvanishasthelastsparksfromtheblackenedpaper,anddisappearasthesmokefromthosesilentashes.”
“Yes,yes,”saidAlbert,“andmaythereremainonlytheeternalfriendshipwhichIpromisedtomydeliverer,whichshallbetransmittedtoourchildren’schildren,andshallalwaysremindmethatIowemylifeandthehonorofmynametoyou,—forhadthisbeenknown,oh,Beauchamp,Ishouldhavedestroyedmyself;or,—no,mypoormother!
Icouldnothavekilledherbythesameblow,—Ishouldhavefledfrommycountry.”
“DearAlbert,”saidBeauchamp.Butthissuddenandfactitiousjoysoonforsooktheyoungman,andwassucceededbyastillgreatergrief.
“Well,”saidBeauchamp,“whatstilloppressesyou,myfriend?”
“Iambroken–hearted,”saidAlbert.“Listen,Beauchamp!
Icannotthus,inamomentrelinquishtherespect,theconfidence,andpridewithwhichafather’suntarnishednameinspiresason.
Oh,Beauchamp,Beauchamp,howshallInowapproachmine?
ShallIdrawbackmyforeheadfromhisembrace,orwithholdmyhandfromhis?Iamthemostwretchedofmen.Ah,mymother,mypoormother!”
saidAlbert,gazingthroughhistearsathismother’sportrait;“ifyouknowthis,howmuchmustyousuffer!”
“Come,”saidBeauchamp,takingbothhishands,“takecourage,myfriend.”
“Buthowcamethatfirstnotetobeinsertedinyourjournal?Someunknownenemy—aninvisiblefoe—hasdonethis.”
“Themoremustyoufortifyyourself,Albert.
Letnotraceofemotionbevisibleonyourcountenance,bearyourgriefasthecloudbearswithinitruinanddeath—afatalsecret,knownonlywhenthestormbursts.
Go,myfriend,reserveyourstrengthforthemomentwhenthecrashshallcome.”
“Youthink,then,allisnotoveryet?”saidAlbert,horror–stricken.
“Ithinknothing,myfriend;butallthingsarepossible.Bytheway”—
“What?”saidAlbert,seeingthatBeauchamphesitated.
“AreyougoingtomarryMademoiselleDanglars?”
“Whydoyouaskmenow?”
“Becausetheruptureorfulfilmentofthisengagementisconnectedwiththepersonofwhomwewerespeaking.”
“How?”saidAlbert,whosebrowreddened;“youthinkM.Danglars”—
“Iaskyouonlyhowyourengagementstands?PrayputnoconstructiononmywordsIdonotmeantheyshouldconvey,andgivethemnoundueweight.”
“No.”saidAlbert,“theengagementisbrokenoff.”
“Well,”saidBeauchamp.Then,seeingtheyoungmanwasabouttorelapseintomelancholy,“Letusgoout,Albert,”saidhe;“arideinthewoodinthephaeton,oronhorseback,willrefreshyou;wewillthenreturntobreakfast,andyoushallattendtoyouraffairs,andItomine.”
“Willingly,”saidAlbert;“butletuswalk.
Ithinkalittleexertionwoulddomegood.”
Thetwofriendswalkedoutonthefortress.
WhenarrivedattheMadeleine,—”Sinceweareout,”saidBeauchamp,“letuscallonM.deMonteCristo;heisadmirablyadaptedtoreviveone’sspirits,becauseheneverinterrogates,andinmyopinionthosewhoasknoquestionsarethebestcomforters.”
“Gladly,”saidAlbert;“Ilovehim—letuscall.”
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