World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 100 Buying Short and Selling Short (2)
"Then," said the count, "I will dare to speak frankly to you. Monsieur Tangra is the banker who handles my credit, and Monsieur de Villefort is courteous to me, because I happened to have the honor of doing him a favor once." As a gift, I expect dinner parties and socializing will continue. But I don't want to appear ostentatious because of this kind of entertainment. I'd like to invite you first, and invite them before them. If you think it's appropriate, I'm going to invite you at the same time. Monsieur and Madame Tangra, Monsieur and Madame de Villefort, come to my country house in Auteuil for a little gathering. If I invite you to this dinner again, and invite Monsieur and Madame de Mercerve, is this a bit like an engagement Or, at least, would Countess Moserf think so? If Mr. Tangla would honor him and take his lady with him, wouldn’t that be even more so? This would make the church resent me, but I definitely don't hope this is the case, on the contrary, I just want to try my best to win the countess' favor, so I hope you have the opportunity to take care of Lingtang."

"Really, Count," said Merseve, "thank you for being so frank with me, and I agree with what you have arranged for me, so I should not be there. You say you want as much as you can. My mother's favor, in fact, my mother's opinion of you is already very good."

"Really?" asked Monte Cristo, interested.

"Oh, I'm sure. We talked about you for an hour after you left my house that day. But let's get back to the topic. Well, I'll tell my mother what you mean when I get a chance, and she will be right when she knows." You are grateful, and of course my father is likely to be angry."

The Count laughed. "Well," he said, "you understand what I mean, but I'm thinking that it's not just your father who is angry. Mr. Tangla and Mrs. Tangla will think that I am not very polite. They know that I have put you As a close friend, I also know that you are the first person I met in Paris, so when they see you are not here, they will ask me why I didn’t invite you. You must at least think of an excuse, saying that there is an appointment in advance, and on the surface It's true, and write me a note. You know, with those bankers, nothing counts except what's written."

"I can do better, Monsieur the count," said Albert. "My mother is going to the seaside to breathe the fresh air. What day is your feast?"

"Saturday."

"Today is Tuesday, and we will leave tomorrow evening and arrive at Le Trépoux (a thalassotherapy resort on the Strait of La Manche in northwestern France) the morning after tomorrow. You know, Monsieur Comte, you are so considerate that you don't embarrass anyone. "

"Me! Seriously, you've flattered me too much. I just want to show you favors."

"What day did you send the invitation?"

"Send it today."

"Good! I will go to Mr. Tanglar's house immediately and tell his mother and I to leave Paris tomorrow. I haven't seen you, so I don't know anything about your banquet."

"You are very confused. Mr. Debray saw you with me just now."

"Ah, that's right."

"You have to say, on the other hand, that I have seen you and invited you unofficially, but you were very frank and answered me immediately that I could not come because you were going to Le Trepo."

"Very well, that's it. But will you come and see my mother before tomorrow?"

"I can't get out before tomorrow, and it's not convenient for me to go. You are busy preparing to leave."

"That's fine, but you can do better and better. You are just making people feel kind now, and you can be admirable in the future."

"How can I earn this reputation?"

"What should you do?"

"I would like to ask you for advice."

"Today you are as free as air, please come and have dinner with me, there are no other outsiders, just you, my mother and me. You and my mother just met each other, and you should get to know her more carefully. My mother is a wonderful person The only thing I regret is that I don't see a woman who is 20 years younger and exactly like her, otherwise, I can swear to you, there will be Mercer besides the Countess Mercer Madam Viscountess. As for my father, you will not meet him. Tonight he has official business and is going to dinner at the Palace of the Lord Chancellor. Come, please, and we can talk about travels. You have traveled all over the world, and you can tell us Tell us about your adventures, and you can tell us about that Greek beauty. The day you took her to the opera, you said she was your slave, but you treated her like a princess. We can say Italian, Spanish. How about it? Please say yes, and my mother will thank you."

"Thank you very much," said the Count. "I am overjoyed by your invitation, but I regret that I cannot be invited. I am not as free as you think, but on the contrary, I have a very important appointment."

"Ah, you have to pay attention. Just now you taught me how to get rid of embarrassing banquets. Please show me the evidence. I am really lucky. Unlike Mr. Tangra, I am not a banker, but, needless to say, I and him The same is not easy to believe."

"So I will show you the evidence at once," said the count, and rang the rope bell.

"Oh," said Moserf, "this is the second time you have refused to dine with my mother, and it was on purpose, Count."

Monte Cristo was startled. "Oh, don't think so," he said, "and you see, my evidence is here." Baptistan came in and stood at the door, awaiting orders. "I didn't know you were coming, did I?" continued the count.

"Oh, you are so extraordinary, I'd better not answer this question."

"Then, to say the least, I never guessed that you would invite me to dinner?"

"Well, well, it's possible."

"Well, Baptistan, listen... what did I tell you when I called you into my study this morning?"

"Monsieur Earl ordered the door to be closed as soon as five o'clock has struck."

"and then?"

"The viscount, like you, is trying to enter Parisian society with his father's millions. The major came to see me tonight and introduced me to Andra, his son, as we say in Italy. , is his contino (Italian: heir.). The major has entrusted me with the care of his son, and if the young man has something to offer, I should support him. You will help me, won't you?"

"That's for sure! Is this Major Cavachinconti an old friend of yours?"

"Not at all. This is a respectable lord. He is very respectful and polite. There are many people like him in Italy. They are all descendants of ancient families, but their status is quite low. I am in Florence. , Bologna and Lucca, a city in Italy. I have seen him many times, and now he has informed me that he is coming. People I met during travels are demanding, and you happen to do them a favor once, and they will ask wherever they go If you help, it seems that a well-educated person can spend an hour with anyone, but not necessarily at any time without his own ideas. The venerable Major Cavalle-Conti wants to visit Paris again , during the Empire, he passed through Paris before going to Moscow to suffer from the cold. I have to treat him once, he will leave his son in my care, and I will promise to look after him, let this young man do as he pleases, and we both That’s what I’m sorry for.”

"Excellent!" said Albert. "I think you are a very good teacher. Good-bye, then, and we will return to Paris on Sunday. By the way, I have a letter from Franz."

"Oh, is it?" said Monte Cristo, "is he doing well in Italy?"

"I think so, but he regrets that you are not in Italy. He said that you are the sun in Rome, and Rome is cloudy when you are away. I dare not say whether he will exaggerate to say that it is going to rain."

"So your Franz friend has changed his mind about me?"

"On the contrary, he still thinks you are a first-class magical figure, so he regrets that you are not here."

"What a lovely young man!" said Monte Cristo; "so I took a fancy to him the first night I saw him. I saw him trying to get something for his supper that night, and afterwards He agreed to dine with me. I suppose he's General Epinet's son?"

"Not bad."

"The general who was assassinated in 1815?"

"Assassinated by partisans of Napoleon."

"That's right! Oh, I like this young man very much! Hasn't his marriage been discussed?"

"Yes, he is going to marry Mademoiselle de Villefort."

"really?"

"It's as real as if I'm going to marry Miss Tanglar." Albert said with a smile.

"Are you laughing..."

"Yes."

"why are you laughing?"

"I laugh because it seems to me that, from his side, he is as enthusiastic about the marriage as I am on the side of my marriage to Mademoiselle Tangra. But in truth, my dear Count, we are now It is unforgivable to talk about women as much as women talk about men." Albert stood up now.

"Are you leaving?"

"What a great question! I've been bugging you for two hours, but you're still so polite to ask me if I'm leaving! To be honest, you're the most polite person in the world, and your servants, one by one They're all so well trained, especially Monsieur Baptistan! I've never had servants like that. My servants seem to have all learned from the servants on the stage of the Opera de France, because they only have one line to say, so I always go to the front stage and tell the audience. If you don’t use Batistan in the future, you must give it to me first.”

"That's it, Viscount."

"There is more, please wait a moment. Please give my regards to your sophisticated Lucca guest, Lord Cavalle-Conti of the Cavalle-Conti family. In case he intends to start a family for his son, you have to Find a lady for him, at least from the mother's point of view, it should be a very rich and noble lady, and from the father's point of view, it should be the daughter of the baron's mansion. I can help you find it together."

"Ah, ah," said Monte Cristo, "in truth, can you do me any favors?"

"OK."

"Okay, nothing can be said to be dead."

"Ah, Count," exclaimed Moserf, "if I could, by your favor, continue my single life, if only for ten years, you have done me a great favor, and I would have liked it a hundred times more. Your."

"Anything is possible," said Monte Cristo, in a very serious tone.After seeing Albert off, he went back to his room, and struck three times on his brass bell, and Beticio came at once. "Monsieur Beticio," said he, "please remember that I am at the Villa Auteuil on Saturday."

Beticio shivered slightly. "Yes, sir," he said.

"You have to take great care," continued the count, "that everything must be properly prepared. This house is very handsome, or at least it can be very beautiful."

"To make it look pretty, you'll have to change everything, Monsieur Count, for the curtains and wall hangings are too old."

"Then replace them all, but there is one room that cannot be moved, that is, the bedroom with the red satin curtains, you must absolutely keep it as it is." Beticio bowed, "Don't move the garden, as for the courtyard and other places, everything It can be arranged according to your consideration, and I even hope that it can be changed beyond recognition."

"I will do my best to ensure that Mr. Earl is satisfied. It's just that if Mr. Earl explains what he thinks about the dinner, I will feel more at ease."

"Really, my dear Monsieur Beticio," said the count, "you have been so bewildered and anxious since you came to Paris, don't you understand what I want?"

"However, I hope you can tell me which guests to invite."

"I don't know it myself, and you don't need to know. What kind of people eat where, what's there to ask?"

Beticio bowed and backed away.

(End of this chapter)