基督山伯爵 英文版 The Count of Monte Cristo
大仲马 Alexandre Dumas père
Chapter 53 Page 2
"Is it not almost incredible," said Madame Danglars, "that aperson having at least half a million of secret-servicemoney at his command, should possess so little information?"
"Let me assure you, madame," said Lucien, "that had I reallythe sum you mention at my disposal, I would employ it moreprofitably than in troubling myself to obtain particularsrespecting the Count of Monte Cristo, whose only merit in myeyes consists in his being twice as rich as a nabob.However, I have turned the business over to Morcerf, so praysettle it with him as may be most agreeable to you; for myown part, I care nothing about the count or his mysteriousdoings."
"I am very sure no nabob would have sent me a pair of horsesworth 32,000 francs, wearing on their heads four diamondsvalued at 5,000 francs each."
"He seems to have a mania for diamonds," said Morcerf,smiling, "and I verily believe that, like Potemkin, he keepshis pockets filled, for the sake of strewing them along theroad, as Tom Thumb did his flint stones."
"Perhaps he has discovered some mine," said Madame Danglars."I suppose you know he has an order for unlimited credit onthe baron's banking establishment?"
"I was not aware of it," replied Albert, "but I can readilybelieve it."
"And, further, that he stated to M. Danglars his intentionof only staying a year in Paris, during which time heproposed to spend six millions.
"He must be the Shah of Persia, travelling incog."
"Have you noticed the remarkable beauty of the young woman,M. Lucien?" inquired Eugenie.
"I really never met with one woman so ready to do justice tothe charms of another as yourself," responded Lucien,raising his lorgnette to his eye. "A most lovely creature,upon my soul!" was his verdict.
"Who is this young person, M. de Morcerf?" inquired Eugenie;"does anybody know?"
"Mademoiselle," said Albert, replying to this direct appeal,"I can give you very exact information on that subject, aswell as on most points relative to the mysterious person ofwhom we are now conversing -- the young woman is a Greek."
"So I should suppose by her dress; if you know no more thanthat, every one here is as well-informed as yourself."
"I am extremely sorry you find me so ignorant a cicerone,"replied Morcerf, "but I am reluctantly obliged to confess, Ihave nothing further to communicate -- yes, stay, I do knowone thing more, namely, that she is a musician, for one daywhen I chanced to be breakfasting with the count, I heardthe sound of a guzla -- it is impossible that it could havebeen touched by any other finger than her own."
"Then your count entertains visitors, does he?" asked MadameDanglars.
"Indeed he does, and in a most lavish manner, I can assureyou."
"I must try and persuade M. Danglars to invite him to a ballor dinner, or something of the sort, that he may becompelled to ask us in return."
"What," said Debray, laughing; "do you really mean you wouldgo to his house?"
baroness.murmured.
"Why not? my husband could accompany me."
"But do you know this mysterious count is a bachelor?"
"You have ample proof to the contrary, if you lookopposite," said the baroness, as she laughingly pointed tothe beautiful Greek.
"No, no!" exclaimed Debray; "that girl is not his wife: hetold us himself she was his slave. Do you not recollect,Morcerf, his telling us so at your breakfast?"
"Well, then," said the baroness, "if slave she be, she hasall the air and manner of a princess."
"Of the `Arabian Nights'?"
"If you like; but tell me, my dear Lucien, what it is thatconstitutes a princess. Why, diamonds -- and she is coveredwith them."
"To me she seems overloaded," observed Eugenie; "she wouldlook far better if she wore fewer, and we should then beable to see her finely formed throat and wrists."
"See how the artist peeps out!" exclaimed Madame Danglars."My poor Eugenie, you must conceal your passion for the finearts."
"I admire all that is beautiful," returned the young lady.
"What do you think of the count?" inquired Debray; "he isnot much amiss, according to my ideas of good looks."
"The count," repeated Eugenie, as though it had not occurredto her to observe him sooner; "the count? -- oh, he is sodreadfully pale."
"I quite agree with you," said Morcerf; "and the secret ofthat very pallor is what we want to find out. The CountessG---- insists upon it that he is a vampire."
"Then the Countess G---- has returned to Paris, has she?"inquired the baroness.
"Is that she, mamma?" asked Eugenie; "almost opposite to us,with that profusion of beautiful light hair?"
"Yes," said Madame Danglars, "that is she. Shall I tell youwhat you ought to do, Morcerf?"
"Command me, madame."
"Well, then, you should go and bring your Count of MonteCristo to us."
"What for?" asked Eugenie.
"What for? Why, to converse with him, of course. Have youreally no desire to meet him?"
"None whatever," replied Eugenie.
"Strange child," murmured the baroness.
"He will very probably come of his own accord," saidMorcerf. "There; do you see, madame, he recognizes you, andbows." The baroness returned the salute in the most smilingand graceful manner.
"Well," said Morcerf, "I may as well be magnanimous, andtear myself away to forward your wishes. Adieu; I will goand try if there are any means of speaking to him."
"Go straight to his box; that will be the simplest plan."
"But I have never been presented."
"Presented to whom?"
"To the beautiful Greek."
"You say she is only a slave?"
"While you assert that she is a queen, or at least aprincess. No; I hope that when he sees me leave you, he willcome out."
"That is possible -- go."
"I am going," said Albert, as he made his parting bow. Justas he was passing the count's box, the door opened, andMonte Cristo came forth. After giving some directions toAli, who stood in the lobby, the count took Albert's arm.Carefully closing the box door, Ali placed himself beforeit, while a crowd of spectators assembled round the Nubian.
"Upon my word," said Monte Cristo, "Paris is a strange city,and the Parisians a very singular people. See that clusterof persons collected around poor Ali, who is as muchastonished as themselves; really one might suppose he wasthe only Nubian they had ever beheld. Now I can promise you,that a Frenchman might show himself in public, either inTunis, Constantinople, Bagdad, or Cairo, without beingtreated in that way."
"That shows that the Eastern nations have too much goodsense to waste their time and attention on objectsundeserving of either. However, as far as Ali is concerned,I can assure you, the interest he excites is merely from thecircumstance of his being your attendant -- you, who are atthis moment the most celebrated and fashionable person inParis."
"Really? and what has procured me so fluttering adistinction?"
"What? why, yourself, to be sure! You give away horses wortha thousand louis; you save the lives of ladies of high rankand beauty; under the name of Major Brack you runthoroughbreds ridden by tiny urchins not larger thanmarmots; then, when you have carried off the golden trophyof victory, instead of setting any value on it, you give itto the first handsome woman you think of!"
"And who has filled your head with all this nonsense?"
"Why, in the first place, I heard it from Madame Danglars,who, by the by, is dying to see you in her box, or to haveyou seen there by others; secondly, I learned it fromBeauchamp's journal; and thirdly, from my own imagination.Why, if you sought concealment, did you call your horseVampa?"
"That was an oversight, certainly," replied the count; "buttell me, does the Count of Morcerf never visit the Opera? Ihave been looking for him, but without success."
"He will be here to-night."
"In what part of the house?"
"In the baroness's box, I believe."
"That charming young woman with her is her daughter?"
"Yes."
"I congratulate you." Morcerf smiled. "We will discuss thatsubject at length some future time," said he. "But what doyou think of the music?"
"What music?"
"Why, the music you have been listening to."
"Oh, it is well enough as the production of a humancomposer, sung by featherless bipeds, to quote the lateDiogenes."
"From which it would seem, my dear count, that you can atpleasure enjoy the seraphic strains that proceed from theseven choirs of paradise?"
"You are right, in some degree; when I wish to listen tosounds more exquisitely attuned to melody than mortal earever yet listened to, I go to sleep."
"Then sleep here, my dear count. The conditions arefavorable; what else was opera invented for?"
"No, thank you. Your orchestra is too noisy. To sleep afterthe manner I speak of, absolute calm and silence arenecessary, and then a certain preparation" --
"I know -- the famous hashish!"
"Precisely. So, my dear viscount, whenever you wish to beregaled with music come and sup with me."
"I have already enjoyed that treat when breakfasting withyou," said Morcerf.
"Do you mean at Rome?"
"I do."
"Ah, then, I suppose you heard Haidee's guzla; the poorexile frequently beguiles a weary hour in playing over to methe airs of her native land." Morcerf did not pursue thesubject, and Monte Cristo himself fell into a silentreverie. The bell rang at this moment for the rising of thecurtain. "You will excuse my leaving you," said the count,turning in the direction of his box.
"What? Are you going?"
"Pray, say everything that is kind to Countess G---- on thepart of her friend the Vampire."
"And what message shall I convey to the baroness!"
"That, with her permission, I shall do myself the honor ofpaying my respects in the course of the evening."
The third act had begun; and during its progress the Countof Morcerf, according to his promise, made his appearance inthe box of Madame Danglars. The Count of Morcerf was not aperson to excite either interest or curiosity in a place ofpublic amusement; his presence, therefore, was whollyunnoticed, save by the occupants of the box in which he hadjust seated himself. The quick eye of Monte Cristo however,marked his coming; and a slight though meaning smile passedover his lips. Haidee, whose soul seemed centred in thebusiness of the stage, like all unsophisticated natures,delighted in whatever addressed itself to the eye or ear.
The third act passed off as usual. Mesdemoiselles Noblet,Julie, and Leroux executed the customary pirouettes; Robertduly challenged the Prince of Granada; and the royal fatherof the princess Isabella, taking his daughter by the hand,swept round the stage with majestic strides, the better todisplay the rich folds of his velvet robe and mantle. Afterwhich the curtain again fell, and the spectators pouredforth from the theatre into the lobbies and salon. The countleft his box, and a moment later was saluting the BaronneDanglars, who could not restrain a cry of mingled pleasureand surprise. "You are welcome, count!" she exclaimed, as heentered. "I have been most anxious to see you, that I mightrepeat orally the thanks writing can so ill express."
"Surely so trifling a circumstance cannot deserve a place inyour remembrance. Believe me, madame, I had entirelyforgotten it."
"But it is not so easy to forget, monsieur, that the verynext day after your princely gift you saved the life of mydear friend, Madame de Villefort, which was endangered bythe very animals your generosity restored to me."
"This time, at least, I do not deserve your thanks. It wasAli, my Nubian slave, who rendered this service to Madame deVillefort."
"Was it Ali," asked the Count of Morcerf, "who rescued myson from the hands of bandits?"
"No, count," replied Monte Cristo taking the hand held outto him by the general; "in this instance I may fairly andfreely accept your thanks; but you have already tenderedthem, and fully discharged your debt -- if indeed thereexisted one -- and I feel almost mortified to find you stillreverting to the subject. May I beg of you, baroness, tohonor me with an introduction to your daughter?"
"Oh, you are no stranger -- at least not by name," repliedMadame Danglars, "and the last two or three days we havereally talked of nothing but you. Eugenie," continued thebaroness, turning towards her daughter, "this is the Countof Monte Cristo." The Count bowed, while MademoiselleDanglars bent her head slightly. "You have a charming youngperson with you to-night, count," said Eugenie. "Is she yourdaughter?"
"No, mademoiselle," said Monte Cristo, astonished at thecoolness and freedom of the question. "She is a poorunfortunate Greek left under my care."
"And what is her name?"
"Haidee," replied Monte Cristo.
"A Greek?" murmured the Count of Morcerf.
"Yes, indeed, count," said Madame Danglars; "and tell me,did you ever see at the court of Ali Tepelini, whom you sogloriously and valiantly served, a more exquisite beauty orricher costume?"
"Did I hear rightly, monsieur," said Monte Cristo "that youserved at Yanina?"
"I was inspector-general of the pasha's troops," repliedMorcerf; "and it is no secret that I owe my fortune, such asit is, to the liberality of the illustrious Albanese chief."
"But look!" exclaimed Madame Danglars.
"Where?" stammered Morcerf.
"There," said Monte Cristo placing his arms around thecount, and leaning with him over the front of the box, justas Haidee, whose eyes were occupied in examining the theatrein search of her guardian, perceived his pale features closeto Morcerf's face. It was as if the young girl beheld thehead of Medusa. She bent forwards as though to assureherself of the reality of what she saw, then, uttering afaint cry, threw herself back in her seat. The sound washeard by the people about Ali, who instantly opened thebox-door. "Why, count," exclaimed Eugenie, "what hashappened to your ward? she seems to have been taken suddenlyill."
"Very probably," answered the count. "But do not be alarmedon her account. Haidee's nervous system is delicatelyorganized, and she is peculiarly susceptible to the odorseven of flowers -- nay, there are some which cause her tofaint if brought into her presence. However," continuedMonte Cristo, drawing a small phial from his pocket, "I havean infallible remedy." So saying, he bowed to the baronessand her daughter, exchanged a parting shake of the hand withDebray and the count, and left Madame Danglars' box. Uponhis return to Haidee he found her still very pale. As soonas she saw him she seized his hand; her own hands were moistand icy cold. "Who was it you were talking with over there?"she asked.
"With the Count of Morcerf," answered Monte Cristo. "Hetells me he served your illustrious father, and that he oweshis fortune to him."
"Wretch!" exclaimed Haidee, her eyes flashing with rage; "hesold my father to the Turks, and the fortune he boasts ofwas the price of his treachery! Did not you know that, mydear lord?"
"Something of this I heard in Epirus," said Monte Cristo;"but the particulars are still unknown to me. You shallrelate them to me, my child. They are, no doubt, bothcurious and interesting."
"Yes, yes; but let us go. I feel as though it would kill meto remain long near that dreadful man." So saying, Haideearose, and wrapping herself in her burnoose of whitecashmire embroidered with pearls and coral, she hastilyquitted the box at the moment when the curtain was risingupon the fourth act.
"Do you observe," said the Countess G---- to Albert, whohad returned to her side, "that man does nothing like otherpeople; he listens most devoutly to the third act of `Robertle Diable,' and when the fourth begins, takes hisdeparture."