基督山伯爵 英文版 The Count of Monte Cristo
大仲马 Alexandre Dumas père
Chapter 27 Page 2
"So that," said the abbe, with a bitter smile, "that makeseighteen months in all. What more could the most devotedlover desire?" Then he murmured the words of the Englishpoet, "`Frailty, thy name is woman.'"
"Six months afterwards," continued Caderousse, "the marriagetook place in the church of Accoules."
"The very church in which she was to have married Edmond,"murmured the priest; "there was only a change ofbride-grooms."
"Well, Mercedes was married," proceeded Caderousse; "butalthough in the eyes of the world she appeared calm, shenearly fainted as she passed La Reserve, where, eighteenmonths before, the betrothal had been celebrated with himwhom she might have known she still loved had she looked tothe bottom of her heart. Fernand, more happy, but not moreat his ease -- for I saw at this time he was in constantdread of Edmond's return -- Fernand was very anxious to gethis wife away, and to depart himself. There were too manyunpleasant possibilities associated with the Catalans, andeight days after the wedding they left Marseilles."
"Did you ever see Mercedes again?" inquired the priest.
"Yes, during the Spanish war, at Perpignan, where Fernandhad left her; she was attending to the education of herson." The abbe started. "Her son?" said he.
"Yes," replied Caderousse, "little Albert."
"But, then, to be able to instruct her child," continued theabbe, "she must have received an education herself. Iunderstood from Edmond that she was the daughter of a simplefisherman, beautiful but uneducated."
"Oh," replied Caderousse, "did he know so little of hislovely betrothed? Mercedes might have been a queen, sir, ifthe crown were to be placed on the heads of the loveliestand most intelligent. Fernand's fortune was already waxinggreat, and she developed with his growing fortune. Shelearned drawing, music -- everything. Besides, I believe,between ourselves, she did this in order to distract hermind, that she might forget; and she only filled her head inorder to alleviate the weight on her heart. But now herposition in life is assured," continued Caderousse; "nodoubt fortune and honors have comforted her; she is rich, acountess, and yet" -- Caderousse paused.
"And yet what?" asked the abbe.
"Yet, I am sure, she is not happy," said Caderousse.
"What makes you believe this?"
"Why, when I found myself utterly destitute, I thought myold friends would, perhaps, assist me. So I went toDanglars, who would not even receive me. I called onFernand, who sent me a hundred francs by hisvalet-de-chambre."
"Then you did not see either of them?"
"No, but Madame de Morcerf saw me."
"How was that?"
"As I went away a purse fell at my feet -- it contained fiveand twenty louis; I raised my head quickly, and sawMercedes, who at once shut the blind."
"And M. de Villefort?" asked the abbe.
"Oh, he never was a friend of mine, I did not know him, andI had nothing to ask of him."
"Do you not know what became of him, and the share he had inEdmond's misfortunes?"
"No; I only know that some time after Edmond's arrest, hemarried Mademoiselle de Saint-Meran, and soon after leftMarseilles; no doubt he has been as lucky as the rest; nodoubt he is as rich as Danglars, as high in station asFernand. I only, as you see, have remained poor, wretched,and forgotten."
"You are mistaken, my friend," replied the abbe; "God mayseem sometimes to forget for a time, while his justicereposes, but there always comes a moment when he remembers-- and behold -- a proof!" As he spoke, the abbe took thediamond from his pocket, and giving it to Caderousse, said,-- "Here, my friend, take this diamond, it is yours."
"What, for me only?" cried Caderousse, "ah, sir, do not jestwith me!"
"This diamond was to have been shared among his friends.Edmond had one friend only, and thus it cannot be divided.Take the diamond, then, and sell it; it is worth fiftythousand francs, and I repeat my wish that this sum maysuffice to release you from your wretchedness."
"Oh, sir," said Caderousse, putting out one hand timidly,and with the other wiping away the perspiration whichbedewed his brow, -- "Oh, sir, do not make a jest of thehappiness or despair of a man."
"I know what happiness and what despair are, and I nevermake a jest of such feelings. Take it, then, but in exchange-- "
Caderousse, who touched the diamond, withdrew his hand. Theabbe smiled. "In exchange," he continued, "give me the redsilk purse that M. Morrel left on old Dantes' chimney-piece,and which you tell me is still in your hands." Caderousse,more and more astonished, went toward a large oakencupboard, opened it, and gave the abbe a long purse of fadedred silk, round which were two copper runners that had oncebeen gilt. The abbe took it, and in return gave Caderoussethe diamond.
"Oh, you are a man of God, sir," cried Caderousse; "for noone knew that Edmond had given you this diamond, and youmight have kept it."
"Which," said the abbe to himself, "you would have done."The abbe rose, took his hat and gloves. "Well," he said,"all you have told me is perfectly true, then, and I maybelieve it in every particular."
"See, sir," replied Caderousse, "in this corner is acrucifix in holy wood -- here on this shelf is my wife'stestament; open this book, and I will swear upon it with myhand on the crucifix. I will swear to you by my soul'ssalvation, my faith as a Christian, I have told everythingto you as it occurred, and as the recording angel will tellit to the ear of God at the day of the last judgment!"
"'Tis well," said the abbe, convinced by his manner and tonethat Caderousse spoke the truth. "'Tis well, and may thismoney profit you! Adieu; I go far from men who thus sobitterly injure each other." The abbe with difficulty gotaway from the enthusiastic thanks of Caderousse, opened thedoor himself, got out and mounted his horse, once moresaluted the innkeeper, who kept uttering his loud farewells,and then returned by the road he had travelled in coming.When Caderousse turned around, he saw behind him LaCarconte, paler and trembling more than ever. "Is, then, allthat I have heard really true?" she inquired.
"What? That he has given the diamond to us only?" inquiredCaderousse, half bewildered with joy; "yes, nothing moretrue! See, here it is." The woman gazed at it a moment, andthen said, in a gloomy voice, "Suppose it's false?"Caderousse started and turned pale. "False!" he muttered."False! Why should that man give me a false diamond?"
"To get your secret without paying for it, you blockhead!"
Caderousse remained for a moment aghast under the weight ofsuch an idea. "Oh!" he said, taking up his hat, which heplaced on the red handkerchief tied round his head, "we willsoon find out."
"In what way?"
"Why, the fair is on at Beaucaire, there are alwaysjewellers from Paris there, and I will show it to them. Lookafter the house, wife, and I shall be back in two hours,"and Caderousse left the house in haste, and ran rapidly inthe direction opposite to that which the priest had taken."Fifty thousand francs!" muttered La Carconte when leftalone; "it is a large sum of money, but it is not afortune."