基督山伯爵 英文版 The Count of Monte Cristo
大仲马 Alexandre Dumas père
Chapter 31 Page 1
Italy: Sinbad the Sailor.
Towards the beginning of the year 1838, two young menbelonging to the first society of Paris, the Vicomte Albertde Morcerf and the Baron Franz d'Epinay, were at Florence.They had agreed to see the Carnival at Rome that year, andthat Franz, who for the last three or four years hadinhabited Italy, should act as cicerone to Albert. As it isno inconsiderable affair to spend the Carnival at Rome,especially when you have no great desire to sleep on thePiazza del Popolo, or the Campo Vaccino, they wrote toSignor Pastrini, the proprietor of the Hotel de Londres,Piazza di Spagna, to reserve comfortable apartments forthem. Signor Pastrini replied that he had only two rooms anda parlor on the third floor, which he offered at the lowcharge of a louis per diem. They accepted his offer; butwishing to make the best use of the time that was left,Albert started for Naples. As for Franz, he remained atFlorence, and after having passed a few days in exploringthe paradise of the Cascine, and spending two or threeevenings at the houses of the Florentine nobility, he took afancy into his head (having already visited Corsica, thecradle of Bonaparte) to visit Elba, the waiting-place ofNapoleon.
One evening he cast off the painter of a sailboat from theiron ring that secured it to the dock at Leghorn, wrappedhimself in his coat and lay down, and said to the crew, --"To the Island of Elba!" The boat shot out of the harborlike a bird and the next morning Franz disembarked atPorto-Ferrajo. He traversed the island, after havingfollowed the traces which the footsteps of the giant haveleft, and re-embarked for Marciana. Two hours after he againlanded at Pianosa, where he was assured that red partridgesabounded. The sport was bad; Franz only succeeded in killinga few partridges, and, like every unsuccessful sportsman, hereturned to the boat very much out of temper. "Ah, if yourexcellency chose," said the captain, "you might have capitalsport."
"Where?"
"Do you see that island?" continued the captain, pointing toa conical pile rising from the indigo sea.
"Well, what is this island?"
"The Island of Monte Cristo."
"But I have no permission to shoot over this island."
"Your excellency does not require a permit, for the islandis uninhabited."
"Ah, indeed!" said the young man. "A desert island in themidst of the Mediterranean must be a curiosity."
"It is very natural; this island is a mass of rocks, anddoes not contain an acre of land capable of cultivation."
cultivation."islandis uninhabited."Sixdays! Why, that'!
"To whom does this island belong?"
"To Tuscany."
"What game shall I find there!"
"Thousands of wild goats."
"Who live upon the stones, I suppose," said Franz with anincredulous smile.
"No, but by browsing the shrubs and trees that grow out ofthe crevices of the rocks."
"Where can I sleep?"
"On shore in the grottos, or on board in your cloak;besides, if your excellency pleases, we can leave as soon asyou like -- we can sail as well by night as by day, and ifthe wind drops we can use our oars."
As Franz had sufficient time, and his apartments at Romewere not yet available, he accepted the proposition. Uponhis answer in the affirmative, the sailors exchanged a fewwords together in a low tone. "Well," asked he, "what now?Is there any difficulty in the way?"
"No." replied the captain, "but we must warn your excellencythat the island is an infected port."
"Monte Cristo although uninhabited, yet serves occasionallyas a refuge for the smugglers and pirates who come fromCorsica, Sardinia, and Africa, and if it becomes known thatwe have been there, we shall have to perform quarantine forsix days on our return to Leghorn."
"The deuce! That puts a different face on the matter. Sixdays! Why, that's as long as the Almighty took to make theworld! Too long a wait -- too long."
"But who will say your excellency has been to Monte Cristo?"
"Oh, I shall not," cried Franz.
"Nor I, nor I," chorused the sailors.
"Then steer for Monte Cristo."
The captain gave his orders, the helm was put up, and theboat was soon sailing in the direction of the island. Franzwaited until all was in order, and when the sail was filled,and the four sailors had taken their places -- threeforward, and one at the helm -- he resumed the conversation."Gaetano," said he to the captain, "you tell me Monte Cristoserves as a refuge for pirates, who are, it seems to me, avery different kind of game from the goats."
"Yes, your excellency, and it is true."
"I knew there were smugglers, but I thought that since thecapture of Algiers, and the destruction of the regency,pirates existed only in the romances of Cooper and CaptainMarryat."
"Your excellency is mistaken; there are pirates, like thebandits who were believed to have been exterminated by PopeLeo XII., and who yet, every day, rob travellers at thegates of Rome. Has not your excellency heard that the Frenchcharge d'affaires was robbed six months ago within fivehundred paces of Velletri?"
"Oh, yes, I heard that."
"Well, then, if, like us, your excellency lived at Leghorn,you would hear, from time to time, that a little merchantvessel, or an English yacht that was expected at Bastia, atPorto-Ferrajo, or at Civita Vecchia, has not arrived; no oneknows what has become of it, but, doubtless, it has struckon a rock and foundered. Now this rock it has met has been along and narrow boat, manned by six or eight men, who havesurprised and plundered it, some dark and stormy night, nearsome desert and gloomy island, as bandits plunder a carriagein the recesses of a forest."
"But," asked Franz, who lay wrapped in his cloak at thebottom of the boat, "why do not those who have beenplundered complain to the French, Sardinian, or Tuscangovernments?"
"Why?" said Gaetano with a smile.
"Yes, why?"
"Because, in the first place, they transfer from the vesselto their own boat whatever they think worth taking, thenthey bind the crew hand and foot, they attach to every one'sneck a four and twenty pound ball, a large hole is choppedin the vessel's bottom, and then they leave her. At the endof ten minutes the vessel begins to roll heavily and settledown. First one gun'l goes under, then the other. Then theylift and sink again, and both go under at once. All at oncethere's a noise like a cannon -- that's the air blowing upthe deck. Soon the water rushes out of the scupper-holeslike a whale spouting, the vessel gives a last groan, spinsround and round, and disappears, forming a vast whirlpool inthe ocean, and then all is over, so that in five minutesnothing but the eye of God can see the vessel where she liesat the bottom of the sea. Do you understand now," said thecaptain, "why no complaints are made to the government, andwhy the vessel never reaches port?"
It is probable that if Gaetano had related this previous toproposing the expedition, Franz would have hesitated, butnow that they had started, he thought it would be cowardlyto draw back. He was one of those men who do not rashlycourt danger, but if danger presents itself, combat it withthe most unalterable coolness. Calm and resolute, he treatedany peril as he would an adversary in a duel, -- calculatedits probable method of approach; retreated, if at all, as apoint of strategy and not from cowardice; was quick to seean opening for attack, and won victory at a single thrust."Bah!" said he, "I have travelled through Sicily andCalabria -- I have sailed two months in the Archipelago, andyet I never saw even the shadow of a bandit or a pirate."
"I did not tell your excellency this to deter you from yourproject," replied Gaetano, "but you questioned me, and Ihave answered; that's all."
"Yes, and your conversation is most interesting; and as Iwish to enjoy it as long as possible, steer for MonteCristo."
The wind blew strongly, the boat made six or seven knots anhour, and they were rapidly reaching the end of theirvoyage. As they drew near the island seemed to lift from thesea, and the air was so clear that they could alreadydistinguish the rocks heaped on one another, like cannonballs in an arsenal, with green bushes and trees growing inthe crevices. As for the sailors, although they appearedperfectly tranquil yet it was evident that they were on thealert, and that they carefully watched the glassy surfaceover which they were sailing, and on which a fewfishing-boats, with their white sails, were alone visible.They were within fifteen miles of Monte Cristo when the sunbegan to set behind Corsica, whose mountains appearedagainst the sky, showing their rugged peaks in bold relief;this mass of rock, like the giant Adamastor, rose deadahead, a formidable barrier, and intercepting the light thatgilded its massive peaks so that the voyagers were inshadow. Little by little the shadow rose higher and seemedto drive before it the last rays of the expiring day; atlast the reflection rested on the summit of the mountain,where it paused an instant, like the fiery crest of avolcano, then gloom gradually covered the summit as it hadcovered the base, and the island now only appeared to be agray mountain that grew continually darker; half an hourafter, the night was quite dark.
Fortunately, the mariners were used to these latitudes, andknew every rock in the Tuscan Archipelago; for in the midstof this obscurity Franz was not without uneasiness --Corsica had long since disappeared, and Monte Cristo itselfwas invisible; but the sailors seemed, like the lynx, to seein the dark, and the pilot who steered did not evince theslightest hesitation. An hour had passed since the sun hadset, when Franz fancied he saw, at a quarter of a mile tothe left, a dark mass, but he could not precisely make outwhat it was, and fearing to excite the mirth of the sailorsby mistaking a floating cloud for land, he remained silent;suddenly a great light appeared on the strand; land mightresemble a cloud, but the fire was not a meteor. "What isthis light?" asked he.
"Hush!" said the captain; "it is a fire."
"But you told me the island was uninhabited?"
"I said there were no fixed habitations on it, but I saidalso that it served sometimes as a harbor for smugglers."
but we must warn your excellencythat?
"And for pirates?"
"And for pirates," returned Gaetano, repeating Franz'swords. "It is for that reason I have given orders to passthe island, for, as you see, the fire is behind us."
"But this fire?" continued Franz. "It seems to me ratherreassuring than otherwise; men who did not wish to be seenwould not light a fire."
"Oh, that goes for nothing," said Gaetano. "If you can guessthe position of the island in the darkness, you will seethat the fire cannot be seen from the side or from Pianosa,but only from the sea."
"You think, then, this fire indicates the presence ofunpleasant neighbors?"
"That is what we must find out," returned Gaetano, fixinghis eyes on this terrestrial star.
"How can you find out?"
"You shall see." Gaetano consulted with his companions, andafter five minutes' discussion a manoeuvre was executedwhich caused the vessel to tack about, they returned the waythey had come, and in a few minutes the fire disappeared,hidden by an elevation of the land. The pilot again changedthe course of the boat, which rapidly approached the island,and was soon within fifty paces of it. Gaetano lowered thesail, and the boat came to rest. All this was done insilence, and from the moment that their course was changednot a word was spoken.
Gaetano, who had proposed the expedition, had taken all theresponsibility on himself; the four sailors fixed their eyeson him, while they got out their oars and held themselves inreadiness to row away, which, thanks to the darkness, wouldnot be difficult. As for Franz, he examined his arms withthe utmost coolness; he had two double-barrelled guns and arifle; he loaded them, looked at the priming, and waitedquietly. During this time the captain had thrown off hisvest and shirt, and secured his trousers round his waist;his feet were naked, so he had no shoes and stockings totake off; after these preparations he placed his finger onhis lips, and lowering himself noiselessly into the sea,swam towards the shore with such precaution that it wasimpossible to hear the slightest sound; he could only betraced by the phosphorescent line in his wake. This tracksoon disappeared; it was evident that he had touched theshore. Every one on board remained motionless for half anhour, when the same luminous track was again observed, andthe swimmer was soon on board. "Well?" exclaimed Franz andthe sailors in unison.
"They are Spanish smugglers," said he; "they have with themtwo Corsican bandits."
"And what are these Corsican bandits doing here with Spanishsmugglers?"
"Alas," returned the captain with an accent of the mostprofound pity, "we ought always to help one another. Veryoften the bandits are hard pressed by gendarmes orcarbineers; well, they see a vessel, and good fellows likeus on board, they come and demand hospitality of us; youcan't refuse help to a poor hunted devil; we receive them,and for greater security we stand out to sea. This costs usnothing, and saves the life, or at least the liberty, of afellow-creature, who on the first occasion returns theservice by pointing out some safe spot where we can land ourgoods without interruption."
why do not those who have beenplundered.
"Ah!" said Franz, "then you are a smuggler occasionally,Gaetano?"
"Your excellency, we must live somehow," returned the other,smiling impenetrably.
"Then you know the men who are now on Monte Cristo?"
"Oh, yes, we sailors are like freemasons, and recognize eachother by signs."
"And do you think we have nothing to fear if we land?"
"Nothing at all; smugglers are not thieves."
"But these two Corsican bandits?" said Franz, calculatingthe chances of peril.
"It is not their fault that they are bandits, but that ofthe authorities."
"How so?"
"Because they are pursued for having made a stiff, as if itwas not in a Corsican's nature to revenge himself."
"What do you mean by having made a stiff? -- havingassassinated a man?" said Franz, continuing hisinvestigation.
"I mean that they have killed an enemy, which is a verydifferent thing," returned the captain.
"Well," said the young man, "let us demand hospitality ofthese smugglers and bandits. Do you think they will grantit?"
"Without doubt."
"How many are they?"
"Four, and the two bandits make six."
"Just our number, so that if they prove troublesome, weshall be able to hold them in check; so, for the last time,steer to Monte Cristo."
that a little merchantvessel, or an English yacht that was expected.
"Yes, but your excellency will permit us to take all dueprecautions."
"By all means, be as wise as Nestor and as prudent asUlysses; I do more than permit, I exhort you."
"Silence, then!" said Gaetano.
Every one obeyed. For a man who, like Franz, viewed hisposition in its true light, it was a grave one. He was alonein the darkness with sailors whom he did not know, and whohad no reason to be devoted to him; who knew that he hadseveral thousand francs in his belt, and who had oftenexamined his weapons, -- which were very beautiful, -- ifnot with envy, at least with curiosity. On the other hand,he was about to land, without any other escort than thesemen, on an island which had, indeed, a very religious name,but which did not seem to Franz likely to afford him muchhospitality, thanks to the smugglers and bandits. Thehistory of the scuttled vessels, which had appearedimprobable during the day, seemed very probable at night;placed as he was between two possible sources of danger, hekept his eye on the crew, and his gun in his hand. Thesailors had again hoisted sail, and the vessel was once morecleaving the waves. Through the darkness Franz, whose eyeswere now more accustomed to it, could see the looming shorealong which the boat was sailing, and then, as they roundeda rocky point, he saw the fire more brilliant than ever, andabout it five or six persons seated. The blaze illumined thesea for a hundred paces around. Gaetano skirted the light,carefully keeping the boat in the shadow; then, when theywere opposite the fire, he steered to the centre of thecircle, singing a fishing song, of which his companions sungthe chorus. At the first words of the song the men seatedround the fire arose and approached the landing-place, theireyes fixed on the boat, evidently seeking to know who thenew-comers were and what were their intentions. They soonappeared satisfied and returned (with the exception of one,who remained at the shore) to their fire, at which thecarcass of a goat was roasting. When the boat was withintwenty paces of the shore, the man on the beach, who carrieda carbine, presented arms after the manner of a sentinel,and cried, "Who comes there?" in Sardinian. Franz coollycocked both barrels. Gaetano then exchanged a few words withthis man which the traveller did not understand, but whichevidently concerned him. "Will your excellency give yourname, or remain incognito?" asked the captain.
"My name must rest unknown, -- merely say I am a Frenchmantravelling for pleasure." As soon as Gaetano had transmittedthis answer, the sentinel gave an order to one of the menseated round the fire, who rose and disappeared among therocks. Not a word was spoken, every one seemed occupied,Franz with his disembarkment, the sailors with their sails,the smugglers with their goat; but in the midst of all thiscarelessness it was evident that they mutually observed eachother. The man who had disappeared returned suddenly on theopposite side to that by which he had left; he made a signwith his head to the sentinel, who, turning to the boat,said, "S'accommodi." The Italian s'accommodi isuntranslatable; it means at once, "Come, enter, you arewelcome; make yourself at home; you are the master." It islike that Turkish phrase of Moliere's that so astonished thebourgeois gentleman by the number of things implied in itsutterance. The sailors did not wait for a second invitation;four strokes of the oar brought them to land; Gaetano sprangto shore, exchanged a few words with the sentinel, then hiscomrades disembarked, and lastly came Franz. One of his gunswas swung over his shoulder, Gaetano had the other, and asailor held his rifle; his dress, half artist, half dandy,did not excite any suspicion, and, consequently, nodisquietude. The boat was moored to the shore, and theyadvanced a few paces to find a comfortable bivouac; but,doubtless, the spot they chose did not suit the smuggler whofilled the post of sentinel, for he cried out, "Not thatway, if you please."
Gaetano faltered an excuse, and advanced to the oppositeside, while two sailors kindled torches at the fire to lightthem on their way. They advanced about thirty paces, andthen stopped at a small esplanade surrounded with rocks, inwhich seats had been cut, not unlike sentry-boxes. Around inthe crevices of the rocks grew a few dwarf oaks and thickbushes of myrtles. Franz lowered a torch, and saw by themass of cinders that had accumulated that he was not thefirst to discover this retreat, which was, doubtless, one ofthe halting-places of the wandering visitors of MonteCristo. As for his suspicions, once on terra firma, oncethat he had seen the indifferent, if not friendly,appearance of his hosts, his anxiety had quite disappeared,or rather, at sight of the goat, had turned to appetite. Hementioned this to Gaetano, who replied that nothing could bemore easy than to prepare a supper when they had in theirboat, bread, wine, half a dozen partridges, and a good fireto roast them by. "Besides," added he, "if the smell oftheir roast meat tempts you, I will go and offer them two ofour birds for a slice."