World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 118 The Beggar (2)
"But you, my brother, what are you doing against me?"

"What should I do against you?"

"What? Do you need to ask? When we parted at the Pont de Val, you told me you were going to Piedmont and Tuscany. That's not the case. You came to Paris."

"What's bothering you?"

"It doesn't hinder me. On the contrary, I hope this will fulfill me."

"Ah! Ah!" said Andra, "so you're using me as a bargaining chip."

"Oh! It's ugly again."

"That's because you are wrong, Monsieur Cuderosse, and I made it clear."

"Oh, my God! Don't be mad, little boy. But you ought to know what it's like to be unlucky, too. Why, you get jealous when you're unlucky. I thought you were running around Piedmont and Tuscany." I have to work as a porter or guide. I pity you from the bottom of my heart as I pity my own child. You know, I always call you my child."

"What else do you want to say?"

"You have to be patient, this temper is too impatient!"

"I'm being patient. Well, let's go on."

"Suddenly I saw you passing through the Pont-Zome gate, again with a page, and again in a chaise, and also in a new and scratchy suit. My fellow! Have you discovered some mines? Or What kind of stockbroker did you become?"

"So, just like you recruited yourself, are you jealous?"

"No, I'm happy, I'm really happy, so I want to congratulate you, little brother, but I don't dress up decently, so I have an extra heart, so as not to hurt you."

"What kindness!" said Andra, "you stop me in the presence of my servant."

"Ah! What do you say to me, my boy! If I can catch you, I must stop you. Your horse is fast and your cart is light, and you must slip like an eel. If you stop tonight Without you, I might never meet you again."

"You can also see clearly that I neither hide nor hide."

"You are lucky enough, I really want to be able to boast this, but I have to hide, not to mention that I am really afraid that you will not recognize me, but you do." Caderos She said with a wicked smile, "You still have a conscience."

"All right," said Andra, "what do you want?"

"It's not good for you to change your words now, it's all yours for me, Benedetto, you are my old friend. You must be careful not to upset me."

A threatening word suppressed the anger of the young man, and for a moment the wind of helplessness became the upper hand.The young man let the horse trot again. "It's your own fault, Caderos," said the young man. "You say you are an old friend, so you shouldn't provoke an old friend. You are from Maasai, and I am..."

"So, you now know where you are from?"

"I don't know, but I grew up in Corsica. You're old and stubborn. I'm young and stubborn. It's not good to play bullying between people like us. Everything should be discussed and negotiated." .Is it my fault that your luck is always bad, and I, on the contrary, have good luck?"

"Have you had any luck? So the servant boy wasn't hired? Didn't the buggy come here? Didn't you get your clothes here? Well, that's really nice. said Caderos, with a greedy fire in his eyes.

"Oh, since you've come to stop me, you've seen everything, and you know everything," said Andra, gradually becoming complacent. short overalls, and those holey shoes on your feet, and you won't come to recognize me."

"You see, you underestimate me, boy, and that's your fault. Now that I've found you again, and I know you've got a good heart, I'm going to wear the French city of Erbeuf like everyone else, and weave You are famous for your business. There will be no problem with tweed clothes. If you have two clothes, you will share one with me. When you were hungry, I gave you soup and beans generously food."

"Yes." Andra said.

"How delicious you ate then! You always have such a good appetite?"

"Yes." Andra said with a smile.

"Just now you came out of the Prince's Mansion, you must have had a good meal there."

"He is not a prince, but a count."

"Count? A rich lord?"

"Yes, but don't take it seriously, the Lord doesn't seem like someone to be messed with."

"Oh, my God! Don't worry! You won't say anything about your count, who's left to you alone. But," continued Cuderos, with another smirk on his lips. , "In this case, you have to take some out, you know it in your heart."

"Okay, what do you want?"

"A hundred francs a month, I suppose?"

"how?"

"My life can go on..."

"By 100 francs?"

"But it's a bit miserable, you know it well, but if you have to..."

"How many?"

"With 150 francs, I am very comfortable."

"This is 200." Andra said, taking out 10 gold louis and putting them in Cuderos' hands.

"Good," said Caderos.

"From now on, you will go to my concierge every month at the beginning of the month, and you can get so much every time."

"Come on! Don't neglect me again!"

"How can it be?"

"You are sending me to deal with servants, no, you have to understand, I just want to deal with you."

"Oh! Well, come and find me. The time is at the beginning of each month. As long as I make money, you will have a share."

"All right, all right! I know I'm not mistaken. You're a good boy. It's a blessing for a man like you to be lucky. Come, tell me how good your luck is this time."

"What's the use of knowing it?" Cavalle Conti asked.

"Okay! You want to guard against me again, don't you!"

"No. That's what happened. I found my father."

"A real dad?"

"Of course, as long as he pays..."

"Just admit it, and treat him like an old man and respect him. That's right. What's your father's name?"

"Major Cavallecanti."

"Is he satisfied with you?"

"So far I seem to be able to please him."

"Who found this father for you?"

"The Count of Monte Cristo."

"You just came out of his house?"

"Yes."

"Hey, since he's doing this, think of a way to get me a grandpa from him."

"Okay, I'll mention you to him later, but what are you going to do now?"

"I?"

"Yes, you."

"It's kind of you to worry about me," Caderos said.

"Since you are interested in my affairs, I think," continued Andra, "that I must ask about you, too."

"It's true... I want to rent a room in a decent building, put on decent clothes, shave every day, go to a cafe to read the newspaper, and go to the theater with some hired supporter at night. I should look like Like a retired baker. It's beautiful that I can do that."

"Okay, that's good! If you really do this, behave yourself, and everything will be as you wish."

"You know M. Bosuet's way! . . . And you, what do you want to be? . . . A French nobleman?"

"Hey! Hey!" said Andra, "who knew?"

"Major Mr. Cavalle Conti may already be a noble... But it's a pity that the hereditary system has been cancelled."

"Don't play tricks, Caderos! . . . You've got what you want, and we're here, so get out of the car and go."

"No, dear friend!"

"What doesn't work?"

"But think about it, little boy, I have a red handkerchief wrapped around my head, I don't wear shoes at all, and I don't have any documents in my pocket. I have 10 gold Napoleons (the above is gold louis.), not yet Counting the money I already had, the total sum was exactly 200 francs. I would be arrested at the gate of the city, and I would have to defend myself. I had to say that you gave me the 10 gold Napoleons. This is another arraignment, another If I investigate, they will know that I left Toulon without permission, so the Gendarmerie took turns to escort me back to the Mediterranean. I will be No. 106 again, and my dream of being a retired baker will be goodbye. No, my son! I think it's better to stay in the capital with dignity."

Andra frowned.The son of Major Cavalle-Conti, who had come to him, was, as he boasted, not a very good-natured man.He paused for a moment, then cast a quick glance around.After his scrutinizing eyes had finished scanning around in a hurry, his hand casually reached into the small pocket on the waistband of his trousers, and was touching the trigger button of the small pistol.At the same moment Cuderos, keeping his eyes on his companion, put his hands behind his back, and slowly drew out the long Spanish sword which he always carried with him just in case.Everyone knows that these two people are really close friends, and at this time, they have already tacitly expressed each other's thoughts.Andra took her hand out of her pocket obediently again, raised it to her mouth, and stroked her reddish-brown beard. "Mr. Cuderos," said he, "you're doing pretty well, then?"

"Let's just get on with it," said the proprietor of the Pont du Gard, slipping his knife back up his sleeve.

"Okay, let's go, let's go back to Paris. But when you pass the city gate, how can you not arouse suspicion? I think it's too dangerous for you to wear such a dress and ride in a carriage, so you might as well go on."

"Wait a minute," said Cuderos, "look at me. He took Andra's hat off and put it on his own, and picked up the bag that the footman had left on the seat when he was driven away. A long-sleeved coat, draped over the back, and then pretended to be a servant of a rich family, with an unhappy expression on his face, while the master beside him was driving by himself.

"But I," said Andra, "are I so bareheaded?"

"Hey!" said Cuderos, "the wind is blowing so hard it might blow your hat off."

"Let's go then," said Andra, "the journey must be over."

"Who's holding me back?" said Cudeross. "I suppose it's me?"

"Hush!" said Cavalle-Conti.

They passed through the city gate very smoothly.At the first intersection Andra Lema stopped, and Caderos jumped out of the car.

"Well," said Andra, "where is my servant's coat and my hat?"

"Ah!" said Caderos, "you can't bear to make me catch a cold?"

"But what about me?"

"You, you are still young, but I'm starting to talk. Goodbye, Benedetto." After speaking, he disappeared into an alley.

"Hi!" Andra said with a sigh, "In this world, it is impossible to enjoy complete happiness."

(End of this chapter)