English
TheCountofMonteCristobowedtothefiveyoungmenwithamelancholyanddignifiedsmile,andgotintohiscarriagewithMaximilianandEmmanuel.
Albert,Beauchamp,andChateau–Renaudremainedalone.
Albertlookedathistwofriends,nottimidly,butinawaythatappearedtoasktheiropinionofwhathehadjustdone.
“Indeed,mydearfriend,”saidBeauchampfirst,whohadeitherthemostfeelingortheleastdissimulation,“allowmetocongratulateyou;thisisaveryunhoped–forconclusionofaverydisagreeableaffair.”
Albertremainedsilentandwrappedinthought.
Chateau–Renaudcontentedhimselfwithtappinghisbootwithhisflexiblecane.“Arewenotgoing?”
saidhe,afterthisembarrassingsilence.
“Whenyouplease,”repliedBeauchamp;“allowmeonlytocomplimentM.deMorcerf,whohasgivenproofto–dayofrarechivalricgenerosity.”
“Oh,yes,”saidChateau–Renaud.
“Itismagnificent,”continuedBeauchamp,“tobeabletoexercisesomuchself–control!”
“Assuredly;asforme,Ishouldhavebeenincapableofit,”saidChateau–Renaud,withmostsignificantcoolness.
“Gentlemen,”interruptedAlbert,“IthinkyoudidnotunderstandthatsomethingveryserioushadpassedbetweenM.deMonteCristoandmyself.”
“Possibly,possibly,”saidBeauchampimmediately;“buteverysimpletonwouldnotbeabletounderstandyourheroism,andsoonerorlateryouwillfindyourselfcompelledtoexplainittothemmoreenergeticallythanwouldbeconvenienttoyourbodilyhealthandthedurationofyourlife.MayIgiveyouafriendlycounsel?
SetoutforNaples,theHague,orSt.Petersburg—calmcountries,wherethepointofhonorisbetterunderstoodthanamongourhot–headedParisians.
Seekquietudeandoblivion,sothatyoumayreturnpeaceablytoFranceafterafewyears.AmInotright,M.deChateau–Renaud?”
“Thatisquitemyopinion,”saidthegentleman;“nothinginducesseriousduelssomuchasaduelforsworn.”
“Thankyou,gentlemen,”repliedAlbert,withasmileofindifference;“Ishallfollowyouradvice—notbecauseyougiveit,butbecauseIhadbeforeintendedtoquitFrance.
Ithankyouequallyfortheserviceyouhaverenderedmeinbeingmyseconds.
Itisdeeplyengravedonmyheart,and,afterwhatyouhavejustsaid,Irememberthatonly.”
Chateau–RenaudandBeauchamplookedateachother;theimpressionwasthesameonbothofthem,andthetoneinwhichMorcerfhadjustexpressedhisthankswassodeterminedthatthepositionwouldhavebecomeembarrassingforalliftheconversationhadcontinued.
“Good–by,Albert,”saidBeauchampsuddenly,carelesslyextendinghishandtotheyoungman.
Thelatterdidnotappeartoarousefromhislethargy;infact,hedidnotnoticetheofferedhand.
“Good–by,”saidChateau–Renaudinhisturn,keepinghislittlecaneinhislefthand,andsalutingwithhisright.
Albert’slipsscarcelywhispered“Good–by,”buthislookwasmoreexplicit;itexpressedawholepoemofrestrainedanger,prouddisdain,andgenerousindignation.
Hepreservedhismelancholyandmotionlesspositionforsometimeafterhistwofriendshadregainedtheircarriage;thensuddenlyunfasteninghishorsefromthelittletreetowhichhisservanthadtiedit,hemountedandgallopedoffinthedirectionofParis.
InaquarterofanhourhewasenteringthehouseintheRueduHelder.
Ashealighted,hethoughthesawhisfather’spalefacebehindthecurtainofthecount’sbedroom.
Albertturnedawayhisheadwithasigh,andwenttohisownapartments.
Hecastonelingeringlookonalltheluxurieswhichhadrenderedlifesoeasyandsohappysincehisinfancy;helookedatthepictures,whosefacesseemedtosmile,andthelandscapes,whichappearedpaintedinbrightercolors.
Thenhetookawayhismother’sportrait,withitsoakenframe,leavingthegiltframefromwhichhetookitblackandempty.
ThenhearrangedallhisbeautifulTurkisharms,hisfineEnglishguns,hisJapanesechina,hiscupsmountedinsilver,hisartisticbronzesbyFeucheresandBarye;examinedthecupboards,andplacedthekeyineach;threwintoadrawerofhissecretary,whichheleftopen,allthepocket–moneyhehadabouthim,andwithitthethousandfancyjewelsfromhisvasesandhisjewel–boxes;thenhemadeanexactinventoryofeverything,andplaceditinthemostconspicuouspartofthetable,afterputtingasidethebooksandpaperswhichhadcollectedthere.
Atthebeginningofthiswork,hisservant,notwithstandingorderstothecontrary,cametohisroom.“Whatdoyouwant?”
askedhe,withamoresorrowfulthanangrytone.
“Pardonme,sir,”repliedthevalet;“youhadforbiddenmetodisturbyou,buttheCountofMorcerfhascalledme.”
“Well!”saidAlbert.
“Ididnotliketogotohimwithoutfirstseeingyou.”
“Why?”
“BecausethecountisdoubtlessawarethatIaccompaniedyoutothemeetingthismorning.”
“Itisprobable,”saidAlbert.
“Andsincehehassentforme,itisdoubtlesstoquestionmeonwhathappenedthere.WhatmustIanswer?”
“Thetruth.”
“ThenIshallsaythedueldidnottakeplace?”
“YouwillsayIapologizedtotheCountofMonteCristo.Go.”
Thevaletbowedandretired,andAlbertreturnedtohisinventory.
Ashewasfinishingthiswork,thesoundofhorsesprancingintheyard,andthewheelsofacarriageshakinghiswindow,attractedhisattention.
Heapproachedthewindow,andsawhisfathergetintoit,anddriveaway.
ThedoorwasscarcelyclosedwhenAlbertbenthisstepstohismother’sroom;and,noonebeingtheretoannouncehim,headvancedtoherbed–chamber,anddistressedbywhathesawandguessed,stoppedforonemomentatthedoor.
Asifthesameideahadanimatedthesetwobeings,Mercedeswasdoingthesameinherapartmentsthathehadjustdoneinhis.
Everythingwasinorder,—laces,dresses,jewels,linen,money,allwerearrangedinthedrawers,andthecountesswascarefullycollectingthekeys.
Albertsawallthesepreparationsandunderstoodthem,andexclaiming,“Mymother!”hethrewhisarmsaroundherneck.
Theartistwhocouldhavedepictedtheexpressionofthesetwocountenanceswouldcertainlyhavemadeofthemabeautifulpicture.
Alltheseproofsofanenergeticresolution,whichAlbertdidnotfearonhisownaccount,alarmedhimforhismother.“Whatareyoudoing?”askedhe.
“Whatwereyoudoing?”repliedshe.
“Oh,mymother!”exclaimedAlbert,soovercomehecouldscarcelyspeak;“itisnotthesamewithyouandme—youcannothavemadethesameresolutionIhave,forIhavecometowarnyouthatIbidadieutoyourhouse,and—andtoyou.”
“Ialso,”repliedMercedes,“amgoing,andIacknowledgeIhaddependedonyouraccompanyingme;haveIdeceivedmyself?”
“Mother,”saidAlbertwithfirmness.“IcannotmakeyousharethefateIhaveplannedformyself.
Imustlivehenceforthwithoutrankandfortune,andtobeginthishardapprenticeshipImustborrowfromafriendtheloafIshalleatuntilIhaveearnedone.
So,mydearmother,IamgoingatoncetoaskFranztolendmethesmallsumIshallrequiretosupplymypresentwants.”
“You,mypoorchild,sufferpovertyandhunger?Oh,donotsayso;itwillbreakmyresolutions.”
“Butnotmine,mother,”repliedAlbert.“Iamyoungandstrong;IbelieveIamcourageous,andsinceyesterdayIhavelearnedthepowerofwill.
Alas,mydearmother,somehavesufferedsomuch,andyetlive,andhaveraisedanewfortuneontheruinofallthepromisesofhappinesswhichheavenhadmadethem—onthefragmentsofallthehopewhichGodhadgiventhem!
Ihaveseenthat,mother;Iknowthatfromthegulfinwhichtheirenemieshaveplungedthemtheyhaverisenwithsomuchvigorandglorythatintheirturntheyhaveruledtheirformerconquerors,andhavepunishedthem.
No,mother;fromthismomentIhavedonewiththepast,andacceptnothingfromit—notevenaname,becauseyoucanunderstandthatyoursoncannotbearthenameofamanwhooughttoblushforitbeforeanother.”
“Albert,mychild,”saidMercedes,“ifIhadastrongerheartthatisthecounselIwouldhavegivenyou;yourconsciencehasspokenwhenmyvoicebecametooweak;listentoitsdictates.
Youhadfriends,Albert;breakofftheiracquaintance.
Butdonotdespair;youhavelifebeforeyou,mydearAlbert,foryouareyetscarcelytwenty–twoyearsold;andasapureheartlikeyourswantsaspotlessname,takemyfather’s—itwasHerrera.
Iamsure,mydearAlbert,whatevermaybeyourcareer,youwillsoonrenderthatnameillustrious.
Then,myson,returntotheworldstillmorebrilliantbecauseofyourformersorrows;andifIamwrong,stillletmecherishthesehopes,forIhavenofuturetolookforwardto.
FormethegraveopenswhenIpassthethresholdofthishouse.”
“Iwillfulfilallyourwishes,mydearmother,”saidtheyoungman.
“Yes,Ishareyourhopes;theangerofheavenwillnotpursueus,sinceyouarepureandIaminnocent.
But,sinceourresolutionisformed,letusactpromptly.
M.deMorcerfwentoutabouthalfanhourago;theopportunityisfavorabletoavoidanexplanation.”
“Iamready,myson,”saidMercedes.Albertrantofetchacarriage.
HerecollectedthattherewasasmallfurnishedhousetoletintheRuedeSaintsPeres,wherehismotherwouldfindahumblebutdecentlodging,andthitherheintendedconductingthecountess.
Asthecarriagestoppedatthedoor,andAlbertwasalighting,amanapproachedandgavehimaletter.Albertrecognizedthebearer.“Fromthecount,”saidBertuccio.
Alberttooktheletter,opened,andreadit,thenlookedroundforBertuccio,buthewasgone.
HereturnedtoMercedeswithtearsinhiseyesandheavingbreast,andwithoututteringawordhegavehertheletter.Mercedesread:—
Albert,—WhileshowingyouthatIhavediscoveredyourplans,Ihopealsotoconvinceyouofmydelicacy.
Youarefree,youleavethecount’shouse,andyoutakeyourmothertoyourhome;butreflect,Albert,youowehermorethanyourpoornobleheartcanpayher.
Keepthestruggleforyourself,bearallthesuffering,butspareherthetrialofpovertywhichmustaccompanyyourfirstefforts;forshedeservesnoteventheshadowofthemisfortunewhichhasthisdayfallenonher,andprovidenceisnotwillingthattheinnocentshouldsufferfortheguilty.
IknowyouaregoingtoleavetheRueduHelderwithouttakinganythingwithyou.
DonotseektoknowhowIdiscoveredit;Iknowit—thatissufficient.
Now,listen,Albert.Twenty–fouryearsagoIreturned,proudandjoyful,tomycountry.
Ihadabetrothed,Albert,alovelygirlwhomIadored,andIwasbringingtomybetrothedahundredandfiftylouis,painfullyamassedbyceaselesstoil.
Thismoneywasforher;Idestineditforher,and,knowingthetreacheryoftheseaIburiedourtreasureinthelittlegardenofthehousemyfatherlivedinatMarseilles,ontheAlleesdeMeillan.
Yourmother,Albert,knowsthatpoorhousewell.
AshorttimesinceIpassedthroughMarseilles,andwenttoseetheoldplace,whichrevivedsomanypainfulrecollections;andintheeveningItookaspadeandduginthecornerofthegardenwhereIhadconcealedmytreasure.
Theironboxwasthere—noonehadtouchedit—underabeautifulfig–treemyfatherhadplantedthedayIwasborn,whichovershadowedthespot.
Well,Albert,thismoney,whichwasformerlydesignedtopromotethecomfortandtranquillityofthewomanIadored,maynow,throughstrangeandpainfulcircumstances,bedevotedtothesamepurpose.
Oh,feelforme,whocouldoffermillionstothatpoorwoman,butwhoreturnheronlythepieceofblackbreadforgottenundermypoorroofsincethedayIwastornfromherIloved.
Youareagenerousman,Albert,butperhapsyoumaybeblindedbyprideorresentment;ifyourefuseme,ifyouaskanotherforwhatIhavearighttoofferyou,Iwillsayitisungenerousofyoutorefusethelifeofyourmotheratthehandsofamanwhosefatherwasallowedbyyourfathertodieinallthehorrorsofpovertyanddespair.
Albertstoodpaleandmotionlesstohearwhathismotherwoulddecideaftershehadfinishedreadingthisletter.
Mercedesturnedhereyeswithanineffablelooktowardsheaven.
“Iacceptit,”saidshe;“hehasarighttopaythedowry,whichIshalltakewithmetosomeconvent!”
Puttingtheletterinherbosom,shetookherson’sarm,andwithafirmerstepthansheevenherselfexpectedshewentdown–stairs.
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