English
TheBenedettoaffair,asitwascalledatthePalais,andbypeopleingeneral,hadproducedatremendoussensation.
FrequentingtheCafedeParis,theBoulevarddeGand,andtheBoisdeBoulogne,duringhisbriefcareerofsplendor,thefalseCavalcantihadformedahostofacquaintances.
Thepapershadrelatedhisvariousadventures,bothasthemanoffashionandthegalley–slave;andaseveryonewhohadbeenpersonallyacquaintedwithPrinceAndreaCavalcantiexperiencedalivelycuriosityinhisfate,theyalldeterminedtosparenotroubleinendeavoringtowitnessthetrialofM.Benedettoforthemurderofhiscomradeinchains.
Intheeyesofmany,Benedettoappeared,ifnotavictimto,atleastaninstanceof,thefallibilityofthelaw.
M.Cavalcanti,hisfather,hadbeenseeninParis,anditwasexpectedthathewouldre–appeartoclaimtheillustriousoutcast.
Many,also,whowerenotawareofthecircumstancesattendinghiswithdrawalfromParis,werestruckwiththeworthyappearance,thegentlemanlybearing,andtheknowledgeoftheworlddisplayedbytheoldpatrician,whocertainlyplayedthenoblemanverywell,solongashesaidnothing,andmadenoarithmeticalcalculations.
Asfortheaccusedhimself,manyrememberedhimasbeingsoamiable,sohandsome,andsoliberal,thattheychosetothinkhimthevictimofsomeconspiracy,sinceinthisworldlargefortunesfrequentlyexcitethemalevolenceandjealousyofsomeunknownenemy.
Everyone,therefore,rantothecourt;sometowitnessthesight,otherstocommentuponit.
Fromseveno’clockinthemorningacrowdwasstationedattheirongates,andanhourbeforethetrialcommencedthehallwasfulloftheprivileged.
Beforetheentranceofthemagistrates,andindeedfrequentlyafterwards,acourtofjustice,ondayswhensomeespecialtrialistotakeplace,resemblesadrawing–roomwheremanypersonsrecognizeeachotherandconverseiftheycandosowithoutlosingtheirseats;or,iftheyareseparatedbytoogreatanumberoflawyers,communicatebysigns.
Itwasoneofthemagnificentautumndayswhichmakeamendsforashortsummer;thecloudswhichM.deVilleforthadperceivedatsunrisehadalldisappearedasifbymagic,andoneofthesoftestandmostbrilliantdaysofSeptembershoneforthinallitssplendor.
Beauchamp,oneofthekingsofthepress,andthereforeclaimingtherightofathroneeverywhere,waseyingeverybodythroughhismonocle.
HeperceivedChateau–RenaudandDebray,whohadjustgainedthegoodgracesofasergeant–at–arms,andwhohadpersuadedthelattertoletthemstandbefore,insteadofbehindhim,astheyoughttohavedone.
Theworthysergeanthadrecognizedtheminister’ssecretaryandthemillionnaire,and,bywayofpayingextraattentiontohisnobleneighbors,promisedtokeeptheirplaceswhiletheypaidavisittoBeauchamp.
“Well,”saidBeauchamp,“weshallseeourfriend!”
“Yes,indeed!”repliedDebray.“Thatworthyprince.DeucetakethoseItalianprinces!”
“Aman,too,whocouldboastofDanteforagenealogist,andcouldreckonbacktothe‘DivineComedy.’”
“Anobilityoftherope!”saidChateau–Renaudphlegmatically.
“Hewillbecondemned,willhenot?”askedDebrayofBeauchamp.
“Mydearfellow,Ithinkweshouldaskyouthatquestion;youknowsuchnewsmuchbetterthanwedo.Didyouseethepresidentattheminister’slastnight?”
“Yes.”
“Whatdidhesay?”
“Somethingwhichwillsurpriseyou.”
“Oh,makehasteandtellme,then;itisalongtimesincethathashappened.”
“Well,hetoldmethatBenedetto,whoisconsideredaserpentofsubtletyandagiantofcunning,isreallybutaverycommonplace,sillyrascal,andaltogetherunworthyoftheexperimentsthatwillbemadeonhisphrenologicalorgansafterhisdeath.”
“Bah,”saidBeauchamp,“heplayedtheprinceverywell.”
“Yes,foryouwhodetestthoseunhappyprinces,Beauchamp,andarealwaysdelightedtofindfaultwiththem;butnotforme,whodiscoveragentlemanbyinstinct,andwhoscentoutanaristocraticfamilylikeaverybloodhoundofheraldry.”
“Thenyouneverbelievedintheprincipality?”
“Yes.—intheprincipality,butnotintheprince.”
“Notsobad,”saidBeauchamp;“still,Iassureyou,hepassedverywellwithmanypeople;Isawhimattheministers’houses.”
“Ah,yes,”saidChateau–Renaud.“Theideaofthinkingministersunderstandanythingaboutprinces!”
“Thereissomethinginwhatyouhavejustsaid,”saidBeauchamp,laughing.
“But,”saidDebraytoBeauchamp,“ifIspoketothepresident,youmusthavebeenwiththeprocureur.”
“Itwasanimpossibility;forthelastweekM.deVilleforthassecludedhimself.
Itisnaturalenough;thisstrangechainofdomesticafflictions,followedbythenolessstrangedeathofhisdaughter”—
“Strange?Whatdoyoumean,Beauchamp?”
“Oh,yes;doyoupretendthatallthishasbeenunobservedattheminister’s?”saidBeauchamp,placinghiseye–glassinhiseye,wherehetriedtomakeitremain.
“Mydearsir,”saidChateau–Renaud,“allowmetotellyouthatyoudonotunderstandthatmanoeuvrewiththeeye–glasshalfsowellasDebray.Givehimalesson,Debray.”
“Stay,”saidBeauchamp,“surelyIamnotdeceived.”
“Whatisit?”
“Itisshe!”
“Whomdoyoumean?”
“Theysaidshehadleft.”
“MademoiselleEugenie?”saidChateau–Renaud;“hasshereturned?”
“No,buthermother.”
“MadameDanglars?Nonsense!Impossible!”saidChateau–Renaud;“onlytendaysaftertheflightofherdaughter,andthreedaysfromthebankruptcyofherhusband?”
Debraycoloredslightly,andfollowedwithhiseyesthedirectionofBeauchamp’sglance.
“Come,”hesaid,“itisonlyaveiledlady,someforeignprincess,perhapsthemotherofCavalcanti.
Butyouwerejustspeakingonaveryinterestingtopic,Beauchamp.”
“I?”“Yes;youweretellingusabouttheextraordinarydeathofValentine.”
“Ah,yes,soIwas.ButhowisitthatMadamedeVillefortisnothere?”
“Poor,dearwoman,”saidDebray,“sheisnodoubtoccupiedindistillingbalmforthehospitals,orinmakingcosmeticsforherselforfriends.
Doyouknowshespendstwoorthreethousandcrownsayearinthisamusement?ButIwondersheisnothere.
Ishouldhavebeenpleasedtoseeher,forIlikeherverymuch.”
“AndIhateher,”saidChateau–Renaud.
“Why?”
“Idonotknow.Whydowelove?Whydowehate?Idetesther,fromantipathy.”
“Or,rather,byinstinct.”
“Perhapsso.Buttoreturntowhatyouweresaying,Beauchamp.”
“Well,doyouknowwhytheydiesomultitudinouslyatM.deVillefort’s?”
”’Multitudinously’[drv]isgood,”saidChateau–Renaud.
“Mygoodfellow,you’llfindthewordinSaint–Simon.”
“ButthethingitselfisatM.deVillefort’s;butlet’sgetbacktothesubject.”
“Talkingofthat,”saidDebray,“Madamewasmakinginquiriesaboutthathouse,whichforthelastthreemonthshasbeenhungwithblack.”
“WhoisMadame?”askedChateau–Renaud.
“Theminister’swife,pardieu!”
“Oh,yourpardon!Inevervisitministers;Ileavethattotheprinces.”
“Really,Youwereonlybeforesparkling,butnowyouarebrilliant;takecompassiononus,or,likeJupiter,youwillwitherusup.”
“Iwillnotspeakagain,”saidChateau–Renaud;“prayhavecompassionuponme,anddonottakeupeverywordIsay.”
“Come,letusendeavortogettotheendofourstory,Beauchamp;ItoldyouthatyesterdayMadamemadeinquiriesofmeuponthesubject;enlightenme,andIwillthencommunicatemyinformationtoher.”
“Well,gentlemen,thereasonpeoplediesomultitudinously(Iliketheword)atM.deVillefort’sisthatthereisanassassininthehouse!”
Thetwoyoungmenshuddered,forthesameideahadmorethanonceoccurredtothem.
“Andwhoistheassassin;”theyaskedtogether.
“YoungEdward!”Aburstoflaughterfromtheauditorsdidnotintheleastdisconcertthespeaker,whocontinued,—”Yes,gentlemen;Edward,theinfantphenomenon,whoisquiteanadeptintheartofkilling.”
“Youarejesting.”
“Notatall.Iyesterdayengagedaservant,whohadjustleftM.deVillefort—Iintendsendinghimawayto–morrow,forheeatssoenormously,tomakeupforthefastimposeduponhimbyhisterrorinthathouse.Well,nowlisten.”
“Wearelistening.”
“Itappearsthedearchildhasobtainedpossessionofabottlecontainingsomedrug,whichheeverynowandthenusesagainstthosewhohavedispleasedhim.
First,M.andMadamedeSaint–Meranincurredhisdispleasure,sohepouredoutthreedropsofhiselixir—threedropsweresufficient;thenfollowedBarrois,theoldservantofM.Noirtier,whosometimesrebuffedthislittlewretch—hethereforereceivedthesamequantityoftheelixir;thesamehappenedtoValentine,ofwhomhewasjealous;hegaveherthesamedoseastheothers,andallwasoverforheraswellastherest.”
“Why,whatnonsenseareyoutellingus?”saidChateau–Renaud.
“Yes,itisanextraordinarystory,”saidBeauchamp;“isitnot?”
“Itisabsurd,”saidDebray.
“Ah,”saidBeauchamp,“youdoubtme?Well,youcanaskmyservant,orratherhimwhowillnolongerbemyservantto–morrow,itwasthetalkofthehouse.”
“Andthiselixir,whereisit?whatisit?”
“Thechildconcealsit.”
“Butwheredidhefindit?”
“Inhismother’slaboratory.”
“Doeshismotherthen,keeppoisonsinherlaboratory?”
“HowcanItell?Youarequestioningmelikeaking’sattorney.IonlyrepeatwhatIhavebeentold,andlikemyinformantIcandonomore.Thepoordevilwouldeatnothing,fromfear.”
“Itisincredible!”
“No,mydearfellow,itisnotatallincredible.
YousawthechildpassthroughtheRueRichelieulastyear,whoamusedhimselfwithkillinghisbrothersandsistersbystickingpinsintheirearswhiletheyslept.
Thegenerationwhofollowusareveryprecocious.”
“Come,Beauchamp,”saidChateau–Renaud,“Iwillbetanythingyoudonotbelieveawordofallyouhavebeentellingus.”
“IdonotseetheCountofMonteCristohere.”
“Heiswornout,”saidDebray;“besides,hecouldnotwellappearinpublic,sincehehasbeenthedupeoftheCavalcanti,who,itappears,presentedthemselvestohimwithfalselettersofcredit,andcheatedhimoutof100,000.
francsuponthehypothesisofthisprincipality.”
“Bytheway,M.deChateau–Renaud,”askedBeauchamp,“howisMorrel?”
“Mafoi,Ihavecalledthreetimeswithoutonceseeinghim.Still,hissisterdidnotseemuneasy,andtoldmethatthoughshehadnotseenhimfortwoorthreedays,shewassurehewaswell.”
“Ah,nowIthinkofit,theCountofMonteCristocannotappearinthehall,”saidBeauchamp.
“Whynot?”
“Becauseheisanactorinthedrama.”
“Hasheassassinatedanyone,then?”
“No,onthecontrary,theywishedtoassassinatehim.
YouknowthatitwasinleavinghishousethatM.deCaderoussewasmurderedbyhisfriendBenedetto.
Youknowthatthefamouswaistcoatwasfoundinhishouse,containingtheletterwhichstoppedthesignatureofthemarriage–contract.Doyouseethewaistcoat?
Thereitis,allblood–stained,onthedesk,asatestimonyofthecrime.”
“Ah,verygood.”
“Hush,gentlemen,hereisthecourt;letusgobacktoourplaces.”
Anoisewasheardinthehall;thesergeantcalledhistwopatronswithanenergetic“hem!”
andthedoor–keeperappearing,calledoutwiththatshrillvoicepeculiartohisorder,eversincethedaysofBeaumarchais,“Thecourt,gentlemen!”
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