World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 128 The Prom (1)
Day after day came the Saturday, the hottest time of July, when Mr. Moserf gave the ball.The thunder roared all day, and a thunderstorm seemed to come at any moment. At 7 o'clock in the evening, the last mist in the air slipped quietly, and the sky became blue again, full of golden stars.under the night sky.The big trees in the garden of the Earl's Mansion are clearly visible and full of vitality.In the living room on the ground floor, there was continuous soft music, and occasionally the melody of waltz and gallop, and the open shutters shot out streaks of clear and clear light.A dozen servants were busy in the garden. Seeing that the weather was gradually clearing up, the hostess ordered supper to be served in the garden.Originally, I had been hesitant to pay attention to whether it was in the dining room or under the twill awning set up on the lawn, but the blue starry sky made a decisive decision, so the lawn and awning were favored.The garden paths were hung with colored lanterns, as is the Italian fashion, and candles and flowers were placed on the mats.No matter which country, as long as people pay a little attention to banquets and ostentation, they all have the habit of extravagance. However, among all kinds of luxury, only the banquet decoration is rarely a perfect match.

Countess Mersef gave her servants one last order, and returned to the drawing-room, as the guests streamed in.The fact that the ball attracted many guests was due to the Countess's hospitality and kindness, and the Count's eminence was of secondary importance.The guests had already foreseen Mercedes' refined taste, and there must have been certain subtleties in the arrangement of the ball that would be worth talking about later, and worth emulating if necessary.

Mrs. Donglas was in a state of uneasiness because of the few things we have explained, and she was still uncertain whether to go to Mrs. Mocerf or not.This morning, her carriage happened to meet Villefort's carriage on the road. Villefort made a gesture, and the two carriages leaned side by side. The prosecutor asked through the window: "You will go to Madame Mocerf's house." Right, isn't it?"

"No," Mrs. Tangera replied, "I'm not feeling well."

"You are mistaken," said Villefort, with a significant glance, "and you ought to show yourself at their house."

"Oh, do you think so?" asked the baroness.

"Yes."

"Okay, I'll go."

Then the two carriages separated and went their separate ways.Just like that, Mrs. Tangla also came.

"You are looking for someone now?" said Albert, smiling.

"Is the Count of Monte Cristo coming this evening?"

"Seventeen!" said Albert.

"what did you say?"

"I said it was wonderful, you are the seventeenth person to ask me the same question, the Earl is great! I really want to compliment him..."

"Do you answer that to others, too?"

"Oh, by the way, I didn't answer your question. Please don't worry, ma'am, we will meet this famous man, our luck can't be wrong."

"Did you go to the opera yesterday?"

"No."

"He did."

"Ah, is it? This exentricman English: what new tricks does the weirdo have?"

"Couldn't he have had a new name? Elselle came out in "The Lame Devil," the main character, the Greek princess who could see the magic, and the kashucha, a Spanish dance with castanets. After the dance , he put a beautiful ring on the stem of the bouquet and threw it to the lovely dancer. In honor of him, the dancer even wore this ring on stage during the third act .Can we meet his Greek princess tonight?"

"I can't see you. You'd better not have extravagant hopes. Her status with the earl will change in a moment."

"Okay, you don't have to accompany me anymore, you go to greet Madame de Villefort, I think she is dying of anxiety to talk to you."

Albert bowed to Madame Tangra, and then walked towards Madame de Villefort. Seeing that Albert was approaching, Madame de Villefort opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something. "I bet," said Albert, before Madame de Villefort could speak, "that I know what you mean."

"Ah! You bet?"

"Yes, if I'm right, can you tell me the truth?"

"Ok."

"Guaranteed by reputation?"

"Guaranteed by reputation!"

"Do you want to ask me whether the Count of Monte Cristo has come, or whether he will come?"

"No, I don't care about him now. What I want to ask you is, have you heard from Mr. Franz?"

"Yes, I received a letter yesterday."

"what did he say?"

"Said he was leaving when he mailed the letter."

"Good. Now about the Count."

"The count will come, you can rest assured."

"Do you know that Monte Cristo has another name?"

"No, I do not know."

"Monte Cristo is the name of an island, and he has his own surname."

"I've never heard his last name called."

"Oh, I knew it before you. His name is Zakona."

"this is possible."

"He's Maltese."

"It's also possible."

"He's the son of a shipowner."

"Oh! But, seriously, you should proclaim the news aloud. It will make a great stir."

"He was a soldier in India, worked a silver mine at Thessaly, and he came to Paris to set up a spa at Auteuil."

"Oh, that's great!" said Mosef. "It's news indeed! May I tell someone else?"

"Yes, but you have to speak slowly, one by one, and you can't say that I said it."

"why"

"Because this secret can be said to have been discovered by accident."

"Who found it?"

"Police station."

"So, the news came out because..."

"Because the police station first got the news last night. You know, such luxury is rare. Paris was shocked by it, so the police department investigated."

"Okay! It's almost like saying that the count is too rich, and he was arrested as a tramp."

"Of course, if the investigation is not good for him, he would have been attacked long ago."

"Poor count, does he know the danger he is in?"

"not necessarily."

"Then be kind and tell him. I'll tell him as soon as he gets here."

At this time, a handsome young man with piercing eyes, black hair, and a shiny mustache came up and bowed respectfully to Madame de Villefort.Albert stretched out his hand to him, saying, "Madame, I have the honor to introduce to you that this is M. Maximilian Morrel, captain of the cavalry stationed in North Africa, and one of the best and bravest officers in our country. "

"I have had the honor of meeting the Count of Monte Cristo at his villa at Auteuil," said Madame de Villefort, turning away with evident indifference.

Madame de Villefort's answer, and especially the tone in which she said it, chilled poor Morrel, but he was rewarded for it.He turned around and saw the snow-skinned face on the corner of the wall near the door, the pair of blue eyes were wide open, their eyes seemed to be flat, but they were staring at him closely, and the bunch of forget-me-nots was slowly lifted up. lips.Morrel understood that it was greeting him, and with the same look in his eyes, he drew his handkerchief and held it to his lips.In the empty hall stood two living marble statues, one on each side, with hearts beating wildly beneath them, and for a moment they forgot themselves, or rather, while they gazed silently at each other, Forget about everything around you.The two statues, gazing at each other fondly, could stand there for a longer time, and no one in the hall would notice their fascination at this moment, but at this moment the Count of Monte Cristo entered.

We have already said that the Count of Monte Cristo has his charms, whether true or false, he always attracts everyone's attention wherever he appears.What made him attractive was not his black coat—impeccably cut, of course, but austere and unadorned; nor his vest—though white It's like snow, but there's not a stitch or thread embroidered on it; it's not about the trousers—it's neither wide nor narrow, and it just covers his moderately sized feet.It was his dull complexion and wavy black hair that drew all eyes to him, his serene face, his deep and melancholy eyes, and his mouth—— Not only flat, thin and delicate, but also narcissistic and self-admired, it is very easy to show an expression of arrogance and contempt.

Some men will be more handsome, but no one will be more meaningful (let's use this word for a while).Everything about the count has meaning and value.He is also used to thinking, and when he thinks, he will gain something, so his appearance and expression, his completely careless movements are all incomparably graceful and natural, and incomparably tough and fortitude.Yet our Parisian society is so queer that all this might go unnoticed were it not for the mysterious experience gilded with great wealth.

(End of this chapter)