基督山伯爵 英文版 The Count of Monte Cristo
大仲马 Alexandre Dumas père
Chapter 51 Page 2
"Don't speak of Marseilles, I beg of you, Maximilian; thatone word brings back my mother to my recollection -- myangel mother, who died too soon for myself and all who knewher; but who, after watching over her child during the briefperiod allotted to her in this world, now, I fondly hope,watches from her home in heaven. Oh, if my mother were stillliving, there would be nothing to fear, Maximilian, for Iwould tell her that I loved you, and she would protect us."
"I fear, Valentine," replied the lover, "that were sheliving I should never have had the happiness of knowing you;you would then have been too happy to have stooped from yourgrandeur to bestow a thought on me."
"Now it is you who are unjust, Maximilian," cried Valentine;"but there is one thing I wish to know."
"And what is that?" inquired the young man, perceiving thatValentine hesitated.
"Tell me truly, Maximilian, whether in former days, when ourfathers dwelt at Marseilles, there was ever anymisunderstanding between them?"
prince I believe they said -- theCount of Monte Cristo?
"Not that I am aware of," replied the young man, "unless,indeed, any ill-feeling might have arisen from their beingof opposite parties -- your father was, as you know, azealous partisan of the Bourbons, while mine was whollydevoted to the emperor; there could not possibly be anyother difference between them. But why do you ask?"
"I will tell you," replied the young girl, "for it is butright you should know. Well, on the day when yourappointment as an officer of the Legion of honor wasannounced in the papers, we were all sitting with mygrandfather, M. Noirtier; M. Danglars was there also -- yourecollect M. Danglars, do you not, Maximilian, the banker,whose horses ran away with my mother-in-law and littlebrother, and very nearly killed them? While the rest of thecompany were discussing the approaching marriage ofMademoiselle Danglars, I was reading the paper to mygrandfather; but when I came to the paragraph about you,although I had done nothing else but read it over to myselfall the morning (you know you had told me all about it theprevious evening), I felt so happy, and yet so nervous, atthe idea of speaking your name aloud, and before so manypeople, that I really think I should have passed it over,but for the fear that my doing so might create suspicions asto the cause of my silence; so I summoned up all my courage,and read it as firmly and as steadily as I could."
"Dear Valentine!"
"Well, would you believe it? directly my father caught thesound of your name he turned round quite hastily, and, likea poor silly thing, I was so persuaded that every one mustbe as much affected as myself by the utterance of your name,that I was not surprised to see my father start, and almosttremble; but I even thought (though that surely must havebeen a mistake) that M. Danglars trembled too."
"`Morrel, Morrel,' cried my father, `stop a bit;' thenknitting his brows into a deep frown, he added, `surely thiscannot be one of the Morrel family who lived at Marseilles,and gave us so much trouble from their violent Bonapartism-- I mean about the year 1815.' -- `Yes,' replied M.Danglars, `I believe he is the son of the old shipowner.'"
"Indeed," answered Maximilian; "and what did your father saythen, Valentine?"
"Oh, such a dreadful thing, that I don't dare to tell you."
"Always tell me everything," said Maximilian with a smile.
"`Ah,' continued my father, still frowning, `their idolizedemperor treated these madmen as they deserved; he calledthem `food for powder,' which was precisely all they weregood for; and I am delighted to see that the presentgovernment have adopted this salutary principle with all itspristine vigor; if Algiers were good for nothing but tofurnish the means of carrying so admirable an idea intopractice, it would be an acquisition well worthy ofstruggling to obtain. Though it certainly does cost Francesomewhat dear to assert her rights in that uncivilizedcountry.'"
"Brutal politics, I must confess." said Maximilian; "butdon't attach any serious importance, dear, to what yourfather said. My father was not a bit behind yours in thatsort of talk. `Why,' said he, `does not the emperor, who hasdevised so many clever and efficient modes of improving theart of war, organize a regiment of lawyers, judges and legalpractitioners, sending them in the hottest fire the enemycould maintain, and using them to save better men?' You see,my dear, that for picturesque expression and generosity ofspirit there is not much to choose between the language ofeither party. But what did M. Danglars say to this outburston the part of the procureur?"
"Oh, he laughed, and in that singular manner so peculiar tohimself -- half-malicious, half-ferocious; he almostimmediately got up and took his leave; then, for the firsttime, I observed the agitation of my grandfather, and I musttell you, Maximilian, that I am the only person capable ofdiscerning emotion in his paralyzed frame. And I suspectedthat the conversation that had been carried on in hispresence (for they always say and do what they like beforethe dear old man, without the smallest regard for hisfeelings) had made a strong impression on his mind; for,naturally enough, it must have pained him to hear theemperor he so devotedly loved and served spoken of in thatdepreciating manner."
"The name of M. Noirtier," interposed Maximilian, "iscelebrated throughout Europe; he was a statesman of highstanding, and you may or may not know, Valentine, that hetook a leading part in every Bonapartist conspiracy set onfoot during the restoration of the Bourbons."
"Oh, I have often heard whispers of things that seem to memost strange -- the father a Bonapartist, the son aRoyalist; what can have been the reason of so singular adifference in parties and politics? But to resume my story;I turned towards my grandfather, as though to question himas to the cause of his emotion; he looked expressively atthe newspaper I had been reading. `What is the matter, deargrandfather?' said I, `are you pleased?' He gave me a signin the affirmative. `With what my father said just now?' Hereturned a sign in the negative. `Perhaps you liked what M.Danglars said?' Another sign in the negative. `Oh, then, youwere glad to hear that M. Morrel (I didn't dare to sayMaximilian) had been made an officer of the Legion ofHonor?' He signified assent; only think of the poor oldman's being so pleased to think that you, who were a perfectstranger to him, had been made an officer of the Legion ofHonor! Perhaps it was a mere whim on his part, for he isfalling, they say, into second childhood, but I love him forshowing so much interest in you."
"How singular," murmured Maximilian; "your father hates me,while your grandfather, on the contrary -- What strangefeelings are aroused by politics."
"Hush," cried Valentine, suddenly; "some one is coming!"Maximilian leaped at one bound into his crop of lucerne,which he began to pull up in the most ruthless way, underthe pretext of being occupied in weeding it.
"Mademoiselle, mademoiselle!" exclaimed a voice from behindthe trees. "Madame is searching for you everywhere; there isa visitor in the drawing-room."
"A visitor?" inquired Valentine, much agitated; "who is it?"
"Some grand personage -- a prince I believe they said -- theCount of Monte Cristo."
"I will come directly," cried Valentine aloud. The name ofMonte Cristo sent an electric shock through the young man onthe other side of the iron gate, to whom Valentine's "I amcoming" was the customary signal of farewell. "Now, then,"said Maximilian, leaning on the handle of his spade, "Iwould give a good deal to know how it comes about that theCount of Monte Cristo is acquainted with M. de Villefort."