基督山伯爵 英文版 The Count of Monte Cristo
大仲马 Alexandre Dumas père
Chapter 73 Page 1
The Promise.
"This is, indeed, a house of mourning," said Valentine;"speak, Maximilian, although the cup of sorrow seems alreadyfull."
"Dear Valentine," said Morrel, endeavoring to conceal hisown emotion, "listen, I entreat you; what I am about to sayis very serious. When are you to be married?"
me. Idread this marriage, Maximilian, as much as you."mademoiselle!
"I will tell you all," said Valentine; "from you I havenothing to conceal. This morning the subject was introduced,and my dear grandmother, on whom I depended as my onlysupport, not only declared herself favorable to it, but isso anxious for it, that they only await the arrival of M.d'Epinay, and the following day the contract will besigned." A deep sigh escaped the young man, who gazed longand mournfully at her he loved. "Alas," replied he, "it isdreadful thus to hear my condemnation from your own lips.The sentence is passed, and, in a few hours, will beexecuted; it must be so, and I will not endeavor to preventit. But, since you say nothing remains but for M. d'Epinayto arrive that the contract may be signed, and the followingday you will be his, to-morrow you will be engaged to M.d'Epinay, for he came this morning to Paris." Valentineuttered a cry.
"I was at the house of Monte Cristo an hour since," saidMorrel; "we were speaking, he of the sorrow your family hadexperienced, and I of your grief, when a carriage rolledinto the court-yard. Never, till then, had I placed anyconfidence in presentiments, but now I cannot help believingthem, Valentine. At the sound of that carriage I shuddered;soon I heard steps on the staircase, which terrified me asmuch as the footsteps of the commander did Don Juan. Thedoor at last opened; Albert de Morcerf entered first, and Ibegan to hope my fears were vain, when, after him, anotheryoung man advanced, and the count exclaimed -- `Ah, here isthe Baron Franz d'Epinay!' I summoned all my strength andcourage to my support. Perhaps I turned pale and trembled,but certainly I smiled; and five minutes after I left,without having heard one word that had passed."
"Poor Maximilian!" murmured Valentine.
"Valentine, the time has arrived when you must answer me.And remember my life depends on your answer. What do youintend doing?" Valentine held down her head; she wasoverwhelmed.
"Listen," said Morrel; "it is not the first time you havecontemplated our present position, which is a serious andurgent one; I do not think it is a moment to give way touseless sorrow; leave that for those who like to suffer attheir leisure and indulge their grief in secret. There aresuch in the world, and God will doubtless reward them inheaven for their resignation on earth, but those who mean tocontend must not lose one precious moment, but must returnimmediately the blow which fortune strikes. Do you intend tostruggle against our ill-fortune? Tell me, Valentine for itis that I came to know."
Valentine trembled, and looked at him with amazement. Theidea of resisting her father, her grandmother, and all thefamily, had never occurred to her. "What do you say,Maximilian?" asked Valentine. "What do you mean by astruggle? Oh, it would be a sacrilege. What? I resist myfather's order, and my dying grandmother's wish?Impossible!" Morrel started. "You are too noble not tounderstand me, and you understand me so well that youalready yield, dear Maximilian. No, no; I shall need all mystrength to struggle with myself and support my grief insecret, as you say. But to grieve my father -- to disturb mygrandmother's last moments -- never!"
"You are right," said Morrel, calmly.
"In what a tone you speak!" cried Valentine.
"I speak as one who admires you, mademoiselle."
"Mademoiselle," cried Valentine; "mademoiselle! Oh, selfishman, -- he sees me in despair, and pretends he cannotunderstand me!"
"You mistake -- I understand you perfectly. You will notoppose M. Villefort, you will not displease the marchioness,and to-morrow you will sign the contract which will bind youto your husband."
"But, mon Dieu, tell me, how can I do otherwise?"
"Do not appeal to me, mademoiselle; I shall be a bad judgein such a case; my selfishness will blind me," repliedMorrel, whose low voice and clinched hands announced hisgrowing desperation.
"What would you have proposed, Maximilian, had you found mewilling to accede?"
"It is not for me to say."
"You are wrong; you must advise me what to do."
"Do you seriously ask my advice, Valentine?"
"Certainly, dear Maximilian, for if it is good, I willfollow it; you know my devotion to you."
"Valentine," said Morrel pushing aside a loose plank, "giveme your hand in token of forgiveness of my anger; my sensesare confused, and during the last hour the most extravagantthoughts have passed through my brain. Oh, if you refuse myadvice" --
"What do you advise?" said Valentine, raising her eyes toheaven and sighing. "I am free," replied Maximilian, "andrich enough to support you. I swear to make you my lawfulwife before my lips even shall have approached yourforehead."
"You make me tremble!" said the young girl.
"Follow me," said Morrel; "I will take you to my sister, whois worthy also to be yours. We will embark for Algiers, forEngland, for America, or, if your prefer it, retire to thecountry and only return to Paris when our friends havereconciled your family." Valentine shook her head. "I fearedit, Maximilian," said she; "it is the counsel of a madman,and I should be more mad than you, did I not stop you atonce with the word `Impossible, impossible!'"
"You will then submit to what fate decrees for you withouteven attempting to contend with it?" said Morrelsorrowfully. "Yes, -- if I die!"
"Well, Valentine," resumed Maximilian, "I can only say againthat you are right. Truly, it is I who am mad, and you proveto me that passion blinds the most well-meaning. Iappreciate your calm reasoning. It is then understood thatto-morrow you will be irrevocably promised to M. Franzd'Epinay, not only by that theatrical formality invented toheighten the effect of a comedy called the signature of thecontract, but your own will?"
"Again you drive me to despair, Maximilian," said Valentine,"again you plunge the dagger into the wound! What would youdo, tell me, if your sister listened to such a proposition?"
"Mademoiselle," replied Morrel with a bitter smile, "I amselfish -- you have already said so -- and as a selfish manI think not of what others would do in my situation, but ofwhat I intend doing myself. I think only that I have knownyou not a whole year. From the day I first saw you, all myhopes of happiness have been in securing your affection. Oneday you acknowledged that you loved me, and since that daymy hope of future happiness has rested on obtaining you, forto gain you would be life to me. Now, I think no more; I sayonly that fortune has turned against me -- I had thought togain heaven, and now I have lost it. It is an every-dayoccurrence for a gambler to lose not only what he possessesbut also what he has not." Morrel pronounced these wordswith perfect calmness; Valentine looked at him a moment withher large, scrutinizing eyes, endeavoring not to let Morreldiscover the grief which struggled in her heart. "But, in aword, what are you going to do?" asked she.
"I am going to have the honor of taking my leave of you,mademoiselle, solemnly assuring you that I wish your lifemay be so calm, so happy, and so fully occupied, that theremay be no place for me even in your memory."
"Oh!" murmured Valentine.
"Adieu, Valentine, adieu!" said Morrel, bowing.
"Where are you going?" cried the young girl, extending herhand through the opening, and seizing Maximilian by hiscoat, for she understood from her own agitated feelings thather lover's calmness could not be real; "where are yougoing?"
"I am going, that I may not bring fresh trouble into yourfamily: and to set an example which every honest and devotedman, situated as I am, may follow."
"Before you leave me, tell me what you are going to do,Maximilian." The young man smiled sorrowfully. "Speak,speak!" said Valentine; "I entreat you."
"Has your resolution changed, Valentine?"
"It cannot change, unhappy man; you know it must not!" criedthe young girl. "Then adieu, Valentine!" Valentine shook thegate with a strength of which she could not have beensupposed to be possessed, as Morrel was going away, andpassing both her hands through the opening, she clasped andwrung them. "I must know what you mean to do!" said she."Where are you going?"
"Oh, fear not," said Maximilian, stopping at a shortdistance, "I do not intend to render another man responsiblefor the rigorous fate reserved for me. Another mightthreaten to seek M. Franz, to provoke him, and to fight withhim; all that would be folly. What has M. Franz to do withit? He saw me this morning for the first time, and hasalready forgotten he has seen me. He did not even know Iexisted when it was arranged by your two families that youshould be united. I have no enmity against M. Franz, andpromise you the punishment shall not fall on him."
"On whom, then! -- on me?"
"On you? Valentine! Oh, heaven forbid! Woman is sacred; thewoman one loves is holy."
"On yourself, then, unhappy man; on yourself?"
"I am the only guilty person, am I not?' said Maximilian.
"Maximilian!" said Valentine, "Maximilian, come back, Ientreat you!" He drew near with his sweet smile, and but forhis paleness one might have thought him in his usual happymood. "Listen, my dear, my adored Valentine," said he in hismelodious and grave tone; "those who, like us, have neverhad a thought for which we need blush before the world, suchmay read each other's hearts. I never was romantic, and amno melancholy hero. I imitate neither Manfred nor Anthony;but without words, protestations, or vows, my life hasentwined itself with yours; you leave me, and you are rightin doing so, -- I repeat it, you are right; but in losingyou, I lose my life.
"The moment you leave me, Valentine, I am alone in theworld. My sister is happily married; her husband is only mybrother-in-law, that is, a man whom the ties of social lifealone attach to me; no one then longer needs my uselesslife. This is what I shall do; I will wait until the verymoment you are married, for I will not lose the shadow ofone of those unexpected chances which are sometimes reservedfor us, since M. Franz may, after all, die before that time,a thunderbolt may fall even on the altar as you approach it,-- nothing appears impossible to one condemned to die, andmiracles appear quite reasonable when his escape from deathis concerned. I will, then, wait until the last moment, andwhen my misery is certain, irremediable, hopeless, I willwrite a confidential letter to my brother-in-law, another tothe prefect of police, to acquaint them with my intention,and at the corner of some wood, on the brink of some abyss,on the bank of some river, I will put an end to myexistence, as certainly as I am the son of the most honestman who ever lived in France."
Valentine trembled convulsively; she loosened her hold ofthe gate, her arms fell by her side, and two large tearsrolled down her cheeks. The young man stood before her,sorrowful and resolute. "Oh, for pity's sake," said she,"you will live, will you not?"
"No, on my honor," said Maximilian; "but that will notaffect you. You have done your duty, and your consciencewill be at rest." Valentine fell on her knees, and pressedher almost bursting heart. "Maximilian," said she,"Maximilian, my friend, my brother on earth, my true husbandin heaven, I entreat you, do as I do, live in suffering;perhaps we may one day be united."
"Adieu, Valentine," repeated Morrel.
then! -- on me?"Villefort.bowing.wrong; you must advise me !
"My God," said Valentine, raising both her hands to heavenwith a sublime expression, "I have done my utmost to remaina submissive daughter; I have begged, entreated, implored;he has regarded neither my prayers, my entreaties, nor mytears. It is done," cried she, willing away her tears, andresuming her firmness, "I am resolved not to die of remorse,but rather of shame. Live, Maximilian, and I will be yours.Say when shall it be? Speak, command, I will obey." Morrel,who had already gone some few steps away, again returned,and pale with joy extended both hands towards Valentinethrough the opening. "Valentine," said he, "dear Valentine,you must not speak thus -- rather let me die. Why should Iobtain you by violence, if our love is mutual? Is it frommere humanity you bid me live? I would then rather die."
"Truly," murmured Valentine, "who on this earth cares forme, if he does not? Who has consoled me in my sorrow but he?On whom do my hopes rest? On whom does my bleeding heartrepose? On him, on him, always on him! Yes, you are right,Maximilian, I will follow you. I will leave the paternalhome, I will give up all. Oh, ungrateful girl that I am,"cried Valentine, sobbing, "I will give up all, even my dearold grandfather, whom I had nearly forgotten."
"No," said Maximilian, "you shall not leave him. M. Noirtierhas evinced, you say, a kind feeling towards me. Well,before you leave, tell him all; his consent would be yourjustification in God's sight. As soon as we are married, heshall come and live with us, instead of one child, he shallhave two. You have told me how you talk to him and how heanswers you; I shall very soon learn that language by signs,Valentine, and I promise you solemnly, that instead ofdespair, it is happiness that awaits us."
"Oh, see, Maximilian, see the power you have over me, youalmost make me believe you; and yet, what you tell me ismadness, for my father will curse me -- he is inflexible --he will never pardon me. Now listen to me, Maximilian; if byartifice, by entreaty, by accident -- in short, if by anymeans I can delay this marriage, will you wait?"
"Yes, I promise you, as faithfully as you have promised methat this horrible marriage shall not take place, and thatif you are dragged before a magistrate or a priest, you willrefuse."
"I promise you by all that is most sacred to me in theworld, namely, by my mother."
"We will wait, then," said Morrel.
"Yes, we will wait," replied Valentine, who revived at thesewords; "there are so many things which may save unhappybeings such as we are."
"I rely on you, Valentine," said Morrel; "all you do will bewell done; only if they disregard your prayers, if yourfather and Madame de Saint-Meran insist that M. d'Epinayshould be called to-morrow to sign the contract" --
"Then you have my promise, Maximilian."
"Instead of signing" --
"I will go to you, and we will fly; but from this momentuntil then, let us not tempt providence, let us not see eachother. It is a miracle, it is a providence that we have notbeen discovered. If we were surprised, if it were known thatwe met thus, we should have no further resource."
"You are right, Valentine; but how shall I ascertain?"
"From the notary, M. Deschamps."
"I know him."
"And for myself -- I will write to you, depend on me. Idread this marriage, Maximilian, as much as you."
"Thank you, my adored Valentine, thank you; that is enough.When once I know the hour, I will hasten to this spot, youcan easily get over this fence with my assistance, acarriage will await us at the gate, in which you willaccompany me to my sister's; there living, retired ormingling in society, as you wish, we shall be enabled to useour power to resist oppression, and not suffer ourselves tobe put to death like sheep, which only defend themselves bysighs."
"Yes," said Valentine, "I will now acknowledge you areright, Maximilian; and now are you satisfied with yourbetrothal?" said the young girl sorrowfully.
"My adored Valentine, words cannot express one half of mysatisfaction." Valentine had approached, or rather, hadplaced her lips so near the fence, that they nearly touchedthose of Morrel, which were pressed against the other sideof the cold and inexorable barrier. "Adieu, then, till wemeet again," said Valentine, tearing herself away. "I shallhear from you?"
"Yes."
"Thanks, thanks, dear love, adieu!" The sound of a kiss washeard, and Valentine fled through the avenue. Morrellistened to catch the last sound of her dress brushing thebranches, and of her footstep on the gravel, then raised hiseyes with an ineffable smile of thankfulness to heaven forbeing permitted to be thus loved, and then also disappeared.The young man returned home and waited all the evening andall the next day without getting any message. It was only onthe following day, at about ten o'clock in the morning, ashe was starting to call on M. Deschamps, the notary, that hereceived from the postman a small billet, which he knew tobe from Valentine, although he had not before seen herwriting. It was to this effect: --
Tears, entreaties, prayers, have availed me nothing.Yesterday, for two hours, I was at the church ofSaint-Phillippe du Roule, and for two hours I prayed mostfervently. Heaven is as inflexible as man, and the signatureof the contract is fixed for this evening at nine o'clock. Ihave but one promise and but one heart to give; that promiseis pledged to you, that heart is also yours. This evening,then, at a quarter to nine at the gate.
Your betrothed,
Valentine de Villefort.
P.S. -- My poor grandmother gets worse and worse; yesterdayher fever amounted to delirium; to-day her delirium isalmost madness. You will be very kind to me, will you not,Morrel, to make me forget my sorrow in leaving her thus? Ithink it is kept a secret from grandpapa Noirtier, that thecontract is to be signed this evening.
Morrel went also to the notary, who confirmed the news thatthe contract was to be signed that evening. Then he went tocall on Monte Cristo and heard still more. Franz had been toannounce the ceremony, and Madame de Villefort had alsowritten to beg the count to excuse her not inviting him; thedeath of M. de Saint-Meran and the dangerous illness of hiswidow would cast a gloom over the meeting which she wouldregret should be shared by the count whom she wished everyhappiness. The day before Franz had been presented to Madamede Saint-Meran, who had left her bed to receive him, but hadbeen obliged to return to it immediately after. It is easyto suppose that Morrel's agitation would not escape thecount's penetrating eye. Monte Cristo was more affectionatethan ever, -- indeed, his manner was so kind that severaltimes Morrel was on the point of telling him all. But herecalled the promise he had made to Valentine, and kept hissecret.