English
Villefortrose,halfashamedofbeingsurprisedinsuchaparoxysmofgrief.
Theterribleofficehehadheldfortwenty–fiveyearshadsucceededinmakinghimmoreorlessthanman.
Hisglance,atfirstwandering,fixeditselfuponMorrel.
“Whoareyou,sir,”heasked,“thatforgetthatthisisnotthemannertoenterahousestrickenwithdeath?Go,sir,go!”
ButMorrelremainedmotionless;hecouldnotdetachhiseyesfromthatdisorderedbed,andthepalecorpseoftheyounggirlwhowaslyingonit.“Go!—doyouhear?”
saidVillefort,whiled’AvrignyadvancedtoleadMorrelout.
Maximilianstaredforamomentatthecorpse,gazedallaroundtheroom,thenuponthetwomen;heopenedhismouthtospeak,butfindingitimpossibletogiveutterancetotheinnumerableideasthatoccupiedhisbrain,hewentout,thrustinghishandsthroughhishairinsuchamannerthatVillefortandd’Avrigny,foramomentdivertedfromtheengrossingtopic,exchangedglances,whichseemedtosay,—”Heismad!”
Butinlessthanfiveminutesthestaircasegroanedbeneathanextraordinaryweight.
Morrelwasseencarrying,withsuperhumanstrength,thearm–chaircontainingNoirtierup–stairs.
Whenhereachedthelandingheplacedthearm–chaironthefloorandrapidlyrolleditintoValentine’sroom.
Thiscouldonlyhavebeenaccomplishedbymeansofunnaturalstrengthsuppliedbypowerfulexcitement.
ButthemostfearfulspectaclewasNoirtierbeingpushedtowardsthebed,hisfaceexpressingallhismeaning,andhiseyessupplyingthewantofeveryotherfaculty.
ThatpalefaceandflamingglanceappearedtoVillefortlikeafrightfulapparition.
Eachtimehehadbeenbroughtintocontactwithhisfather,somethingterriblehadhappened.“Seewhattheyhavedone!”
criedMorrel,withonehandleaningonthebackofthechair,andtheotherextendedtowardsValentine.“See,myfather,see!”
Villefortdrewbackandlookedwithastonishmentontheyoungman,who,almostastrangertohim,calledNoirtierhisfather.
Atthismomentthewholesouloftheoldmanseemedcentredinhiseyeswhichbecamebloodshot;theveinsofthethroatswelled;hischeeksandtemplesbecamepurple,asthoughhewasstruckwithepilepsy;nothingwaswantingtocompletethisbuttheutteranceofacry.
Andthecryissuedfromhispores,ifwemaythusspeak—acryfrightfulinitssilence.
D’Avrignyrushedtowardstheoldmanandmadehiminhaleapowerfulrestorative.
“Sir,”criedMorrel,seizingthemoisthandoftheparalytic,“theyaskmewhoIam,andwhatrightIhavetobehere.Oh,youknowit,tellthem,tellthem!”
Andtheyoungman’svoicewaschokedbysobs.
Asfortheoldman,hischestheavedwithhispantingrespiration.
Onecouldhavethoughtthathewasundergoingtheagoniesprecedingdeath.
Atlength,happierthantheyoungman,whosobbedwithoutweeping,tearsglistenedintheeyesofNoirtier.
“Tellthem,”saidMorrelinahoarsevoice,“tellthemthatIamherbetrothed.
Tellthemshewasmybeloved,mynoblegirl,myonlyblessingintheworld.
Tellthem—oh,tellthem,thatcorpsebelongstome!”
Theyoungmanoverwhelmedbytheweightofhisanguish,fellheavilyonhiskneesbeforethebed,whichhisfingersgraspedwithconvulsiveenergy.
D’Avrigny,unabletobearthesightofthistouchingemotion,turnedaway;andVillefort,withoutseekinganyfurtherexplanation,andattractedtowardshimbytheirresistiblemagnetismwhichdrawsustowardsthosewhohavelovedthepeopleforwhomwemourn,extendedhishandtowardstheyoungman.
ButMorrelsawnothing;hehadgraspedthehandofValentine,andunabletoweepventedhisagonyingroansashebitthesheets.
Forsometimenothingwasheardinthatchamberbutsobs,exclamations,andprayers.
AtlengthVillefort,themostcomposedofall,spoke:“Sir,”saidhetoMaximilian,“yousayyoulovedValentine,thatyouwerebetrothedtoher.
Iknewnothingofthisengagement,ofthislove,yetI,herfather,forgiveyou,forIseethatyourgriefisrealanddeep;andbesidesmyownsorrowistoogreatforangertofindaplaceinmyheart.
Butyouseethattheangelwhomyouhopedforhasleftthisearth—shehasnothingmoretodowiththeadorationofmen.
Takealastfarewell,sir,ofhersadremains;takethehandyouexpectedtopossessoncemorewithinyourown,andthenseparateyourselffromherforever.
Valentinenowrequiresonlytheministrationsofthepriest.”
“Youaremistaken,sir,”exclaimedMorrel,raisinghimselfononeknee,hisheartpiercedbyamoreacutepangthananyhehadyetfelt—”youaremistaken;Valentine,dyingasshehas,notonlyrequiresapriest,butanavenger.
You,M.deVillefort,sendforthepriest;Iwillbetheavenger.”
“Whatdoyoumean,sir?”askedVillefort,tremblingatthenewideainspiredbythedeliriumofMorrel.
“Itellyou,sir,thattwopersonsexistinyou;thefatherhasmournedsufficiently,nowlettheprocureurfulfilhisoffice.”
TheeyesofNoirtierglistened,andd’Avrignyapproached.
“Gentlemen,”saidMorrel,readingallthatpassedthroughthemindsofthewitnessestothescene,“IknowwhatIamsaying,andyouknowaswellasIdowhatIamabouttosay—Valentinehasbeenassassinated!”
Villeforthunghishead,d’Avrignyapproachednearer,andNoirtiersaid“Yes”withhiseyes.
“Now,sir,”continuedMorrel,“inthesedaysnoonecandisappearbyviolentmeanswithoutsomeinquiriesbeingmadeastothecauseofherdisappearance,evenwereshenotayoung,beautiful,andadorablecreaturelikeValentine.
Mr.Procureur,”saidMorrelwithincreasingvehemence,“nomercyisallowed;Idenouncethecrime;itisyourplacetoseektheassassin.”
Theyoungman’simplacableeyesinterrogatedVillefort,who,onhisside,glancedfromNoirtiertod’Avrigny.
Butinsteadoffindingsympathyintheeyesofthedoctorandhisfather,heonlysawanexpressionasinflexibleasthatofMaximilian.“Yes,”indicatedtheoldman.
“Assuredly,”saidd’Avrigny.
“Sir,”saidVillefort,strivingtostruggleagainstthistripleforceandhisownemotion,—”sir,youaredeceived;noonecommitscrimeshere.Iamstrickenbyfate.
Itishorrible,indeed,butnooneassassinates.”
TheeyesofNoirtierlightedupwithrage,andd’Avrignypreparedtospeak.
Morrel,however,extendedhisarm,andcommandedsilence.
“AndIsaythatmurdersarecommittedhere,”saidMorrel,whosevoice,thoughlowerintone,lostnoneofitsterribledistinctness:“Itellyouthatthisisthefourthvictimwithinthelastfourmonths.
Itellyou,Valentine’slifewasattemptedbypoisonfourdaysago,thoughsheescaped,owingtotheprecautionsofM.Noirtier.
Itellyouthatthedosehasbeendouble,thepoisonchanged,andthatthistimeithassucceeded.
ItellyouthatyouknowthesethingsaswellasIdo,sincethisgentlemanhasforewarnedyou,bothasadoctorandasafriend.”
“Oh,yourave,sir,”exclaimedVillefort,invainendeavoringtoescapethenetinwhichhewastaken.
“Irave?”saidMorrel;“well,then,IappealtoM.d’Avrignyhimself.
Askhim,sir,ifherecollectsthewordsheutteredinthegardenofthishouseonthenightofMadamedeSaint–Meran’sdeath.
Youthoughtyourselvesalone,andtalkedaboutthattragicaldeath,andthefatalityyoumentionedthenisthesamewhichhascausedthemurderofValentine.”
Villefortandd’Avrignyexchangedlooks.
“Yes,yes,”continuedMorrel;“recallthescene,forthewordsyouthoughtwereonlygiventosilenceandsolitudefellintomyears.
Certainly,afterwitnessingtheculpableindolencemanifestedbyM.deVilleforttowardshisownrelations,Ioughttohavedenouncedhimtotheauthorities;thenIshouldnothavebeenanaccomplicetothydeath,asInowam,sweet,belovedValentine;buttheaccompliceshallbecometheavenger.
Thisfourthmurderisapparenttoall,andifthyfatherabandonthee,Valentine,itisI,andIswearit,thatshallpursuetheassassin.”
Andthistime,asthoughnaturehadatleasttakencompassiononthevigorousframe,nearlyburstingwithitsownstrength,thewordsofMorrelwerestifledinhisthroat;hisbreastheaved;thetears,solongrebellious,gushedfromhiseyes;andhethrewhimselfweepingonhiskneesbythesideofthebed.
Thend’Avrignyspoke.“AndI,too,”heexclaimedinalowvoice,“IunitewithM.Morrelindemandingjusticeforcrime;mybloodboilsattheideaofhavingencouragedamurdererbymycowardlyconcession.”
“Oh,mercifulheavens!”murmuredVillefort.Morrelraisedhishead,andreadingtheeyesoftheoldman,whichgleamedwithunnaturallustre,—”Stay,”hesaid,“M.Noirtierwishestospeak.”
“Yes,”indicatedNoirtier,withanexpressionthemoreterrible,fromallhisfacultiesbeingcentredinhisglance.
“Doyouknowtheassassin?”askedMorrel.
“Yes,”repliedNoirtier.
“Andwillyoudirectus?”exclaimedtheyoungman.“Listen,M.d’Avrigny,listen!”
NoirtierlookeduponMorrelwithoneofthosemelancholysmileswhichhadsooftenmadeValentinehappy,andthusfixedhisattention.
Then,havingrivetedtheeyesofhisinterlocutoronhisown,heglancedtowardsthedoor.
“Doyouwishmetoleave?”saidMorrel,sadly.
“Yes,”repliedNoirtier.
“Alas,alas,sir,havepityonme!”
Theoldman’seyesremainedfixedonthedoor.
“MayI,atleast,return?”askedMorrel.
“Yes.”
“MustIleavealone?”
“No.”
“WhomamItotakewithme?Theprocureur?”
“No.”
“Thedoctor?”
“Yes.”
“YouwishtoremainalonewithM.deVillefort?”
“Yes.”
“Butcanheunderstandyou?”
“Yes.”
“Oh,”saidVillefort,inexpressiblydelightedtothinkthattheinquiriesweretobemadebyhimalone,—”oh,besatisfied,Icanunderstandmyfather.”
D’Avrignytooktheyoungman’sarm,andledhimoutoftheroom.
Amorethandeathlikesilencethenreignedinthehouse.
Attheendofaquarterofanhourafalteringfootstepwasheard,andVillefortappearedatthedooroftheapartmentwhered’AvrignyandMorrelhadbeenstaying,oneabsorbedinmeditation,theotheringrief.
“Youcancome,”hesaid,andledthembacktoNoirtier.MorrellookedattentivelyonVillefort.
Hisfacewaslivid,largedropsrolleddownhisface,andinhisfingersheheldthefragmentsofaquillpenwhichhehadtorntoatoms.
“Gentlemen,”hesaidinahoarsevoice,“givemeyourwordofhonorthatthishorriblesecretshallforeverremainburiedamongstourselves!”Thetwomendrewback.
“Ientreatyou.”—continuedVillefort.
“But,”saidMorrel,“theculprit—themurderer—theassassin.”
“Donotalarmyourself,sir;justicewillbedone,”saidVillefort.
“Myfatherhasrevealedtheculprit’sname;myfatherthirstsforrevengeasmuchasyoudo,yetevenheconjuresyouasIdotokeepthissecret.Doyounot,father?”
“Yes,”resolutelyrepliedNoirtier.Morrelsufferedanexclamationofhorrorandsurprisetoescapehim.
“Oh,sir,”saidVillefort,arrestingMaximilianbythearm,“ifmyfather,theinflexibleman,makesthisrequest,itisbecauseheknows,beassured,thatValentinewillbeterriblyrevenged.Isitnotso,father?”
Theoldmanmadeasignintheaffirmative.
Villefortcontinued:“Heknowsme,andIhavepledgedmywordtohim.
Restassured,gentlemen,thatwithinthreedays,inalesstimethanjusticewoulddemand,therevengeIshallhavetakenforthemurderofmychildwillbesuchastomaketheboldesthearttremble;”andashespokethesewordshegroundhisteeth,andgraspedtheoldman’ssenselesshand.
“Willthispromisebefulfilled,M.Noirtier?”askedMorrel,whiled’Avrignylookedinquiringly.
“Yes,”repliedNoirtierwithanexpressionofsinisterjoy.
“Swear,then,”saidVillefort,joiningthehandsofMorrelandd’Avrigny,“swearthatyouwillsparethehonorofmyhouse,andleavemetoavengemychild.”
D’Avrignyturnedroundandutteredaveryfeeble“Yes,”butMorrel,disengaginghishand,rushedtothebed,andafterhavingpressedthecoldlipsofValentinewithhisown,hurriedlyleft,utteringalong,deepgroanofdespairandanguish.
Wehavebeforestatedthatalltheservantshadfled.
M.deVillefortwasthereforeobligedtorequestM.d’Avrignytosuperintendallthearrangementsconsequentuponadeathinalargecity,moreespeciallyadeathundersuchsuspiciouscircumstances.
Itwassomethingterribletowitnessthesilentagony,themutedespairofNoirtier,whosetearssilentlyrolleddownhischeeks.
Villefortretiredtohisstudy,andd’Avrignylefttosummonthedoctorofthemayoralty,whoseofficeitistoexaminebodiesafterdecease,andwhoisexpresslynamed“thedoctorofthedead.”
M.Noirtiercouldnotbepersuadedtoquithisgrandchild.
AttheendofaquarterofanhourM.d’Avrignyreturnedwithhisassociate;theyfoundtheoutergateclosed,andnotaservantremaininginthehouse;Villeforthimselfwasobligedtoopentothem.
Buthestoppedonthelanding;hehadnotthecouragetoagainvisitthedeathchamber.
Thetwodoctors,therefore,enteredtheroomalone.
Noirtierwasnearthebed,pale,motionless,andsilentasthecorpse.
Thedistrictdoctorapproachedwiththeindifferenceofamanaccustomedtospendhalfhistimeamongstthedead;hethenliftedthesheetwhichwasplacedovertheface,andjustunclosedthelips.
“Alas,”saidd’Avrigny,“sheisindeeddead,poorchild!”
“Yes,”answeredthedoctorlaconically,droppingthesheethehadraised.
Noirtierutteredakindofhoarse,rattlingsound;theoldman’seyessparkled,andthegooddoctorunderstoodthathewishedtobeholdhischild.
Hethereforeapproachedthebed,andwhilehiscompanionwasdippingthefingerswithwhichhehadtouchedthelipsofthecorpseinchlorideoflime,heuncoveredthecalmandpaleface,whichlookedlikethatofasleepingangel.
Atear,whichappearedintheoldman’seye,expressedhisthankstothedoctor.
Thedoctorofthedeadthenlaidhispermitonthecornerofthetable,andhavingfulfilledhisduty,wasconductedoutbyd’Avrigny.
Villefortmetthematthedoorofhisstudy;havinginafewwordsthankedthedistrictdoctor,heturnedtod’Avrigny,andsaid,—”Andnowthepriest.”
“IsthereanyparticularpriestyouwishtopraywithValentine?”askedd’Avrigny.
“No.”saidVillefort;“fetchthenearest.”
“Thenearest,”saidthedistrictdoctor,“isagoodItalianabbe,wholivesnextdoortoyou.ShallIcallonhimasIpass?”
“D’Avrigny,”saidVillefort,“besokind,Ibeseechyou,astoaccompanythisgentleman.
Hereisthekeyofthedoor,sothatyoucangoinandoutasyouplease;youwillbringthepriestwithyou,andwillobligemebyintroducinghimintomychild’sroom.”
“Doyouwishtoseehim?”
“Ionlywishtobealone.Youwillexcuseme,willyounot?
Apriestcanunderstandafather’sgrief.”
AndM.deVillefort,givingthekeytod’Avrigny,againbadefarewelltothestrangedoctor,andretiredtohisstudy,wherehebegantowork.
Forsometemperamentsworkisaremedyforallafflictions.
Asthedoctorsenteredthestreet,theysawamaninacassockstandingonthethresholdofthenextdoor.
“ThisistheabbeofwhomIspoke,”saidthedoctortod’Avrigny.D’Avrignyaccostedthepriest.
“Sir,”hesaid,“areyoudisposedtoconferagreatobligationonanunhappyfatherwhohasjustlosthisdaughter?
ImeanM.deVillefort,theking’sattorney.”
“Ah,”saidthepriest,inamarkedItalianaccent;“yes,Ihaveheardthatdeathisinthathouse.”
“ThenIneednottellyouwhatkindofserviceherequiresofyou.”
“Iwasabouttooffermyself,sir,”saidthepriest;“itisourmissiontoforestallourduties.”
“Itisayounggirl.”
“Iknowit,sir;theservantswhofledfromthehouseinformedme.IalsoknowthathernameisValentine,andIhavealreadyprayedforher.”
“Thankyou,sir,”saidd’Avrigny;“sinceyouhavecommencedyoursacredoffice,deigntocontinueit.Comeandwatchbythedead,andallthewretchedfamilywillbegratefultoyou.”
“Iamgoing,sir;andIdonothesitatetosaythatnoprayerswillbemoreferventthanmine.”
D’Avrignytookthepriest’shand,andwithoutmeetingVillefort,whowasengagedinhisstudy,theyreachedValentine’sroom,whichonthefollowingnightwastobeoccupiedbytheundertakers.
Onenteringtheroom,Noirtier’seyesmetthoseoftheabbe,andnodoubthereadsomeparticularexpressioninthem,forheremainedintheroom.
D’Avrignyrecommendedtheattentionofthepriesttothelivingaswellastothedead,andtheabbepromisedtodevotehisprayerstoValentineandhisattentionstoNoirtier.
Inorder,doubtless,thathemightnotbedisturbedwhilefulfillinghissacredmission,thepriestroseassoonasd’Avrignydeparted,andnotonlyboltedthedoorthroughwhichthedoctorhadjustleft,butalsothatleadingtoMadamedeVillefort’sroom.
Share this article to
FINISH