World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 147 Ionina Newsletter (2)
The carriage that Albert let him sit in was waiting at the door of the count's residence, and he slipped forward on foot.When he reached Fuwei Road, he felt that the horses in front of the gate of Gosse shooting range seemed to belong to the Earl, so he walked over and saw that they were indeed the Earl's horses, and then he recognized the coachman. "Is Monsieur the Earl shooting a target?" Mercerf asked the coachman.

"Yes, sir," replied the coachman.

As soon as Mosev approached the shooting range, he heard several evenly-paced gunshots.At this time he entered the shooting range, and the range attendant was standing in the small garden inside.

"Excuse me," said the waiter, "may Mr. Viscount wait a moment?"

"Why, Philip?" asked Albert, who wondered at the fact that he, a frequent visitor to the range, should stop him now, and did not understand what was so strange.

"Because the guy who is practicing now wants to shoot alone. He never practiced in front of others."

"Can't even you be there, Philip?"

"You see, sir, I can only stay outside now."

"Who's going to load him?"

"His servant."

"Is it a Nubian?"

"A black person."

"That's right."

"So you know the gentleman?"

"I'm here to find him, he's my friend."

"Oh, that's another matter. I'll go in and talk to him." Philippe himself was very curious, so he went into the shooting booth, but as soon as he went in, Monte Cristo came to the door.

"Forgive me for chasing you here, my dear count," said Albert; "but first of all, I must say that it is not your servant's fault, but my own recklessness. I have gone to your lodgings, servant. Tell me you're walking, and that you're back for dinner at ten o'clock. I'll walk until ten o'clock, when I saw your horse and carriage."

"According to what you mean, I really hope to invite you to have a meal together."

"You're welcome, thank you. Now is not the time to talk about dinner, maybe we can have dinner together in the future, but that would be friendship."

"What the hell are you talking to me about?"

"My dear friend, I will duel today."

"You? For what?"

"To convince people with strength!"

"Yes, I know that, but what is the cause? There are various reasons for a duel, as you know."

"I do it for the honor."

"Ah, that's a big deal."

"It's really a big deal, so I'm here to ask you a favor."

"What help?"

"Be my witness."

"So the matter is very serious. This is not the place to talk. Go back to my place first. Ali, give me the water."

The Count rolled up his cuffs and went into a small hall in front of the shooting range, where the rangers usually wash their hands.

"Come in, Monsieur Viscount," said Philip in a low voice, "come and see, it's very interesting."

Mosef walked in.Instead of the target paper with the bull's-eye black dots on the target board, there are cards.Moserf looked at it from a distance and thought it was a straight flush, and the cards were exactly A to 10.

"Ah! ah!" said Albert, "you were playing cards."

"No," said the count, "I am making cards."

"What card to make?"

“您看，那几张牌是A和2，但是我打出的子弹把牌改成3、5、7、8、9和10。”

Albert went over to look, and sure enough, the bullet points left on the card were aligned horizontally and vertically, with the same distance from front to back, up and down, and hit the place where the flower was missing.As Mosef walked towards the target board, he also picked up three or four swallows, all of which accidentally flew into the range of the Earl's pistol and were shot and killed by the Earl.

"Good boy!" Mosef said.

"What do you say to me, my dear vicomte," said Monte Cristo, drying his hands with the towel Ali offered, "I must find something to do when I am idle. But come here, I It's waiting for you."

The two got into the two-seater carriage of Monte Cristo together, and after a while the carriage took them to 30 Champs Elysees.Monte Cristo led Albert into his study, showed him his seat, and they sat down together.

"Now let us talk calmly," said the count.

"As you can see, I am very calm."

"Who are you dueling?"

"Beauchamp."

"But he is your friend!"

"An opponent in a duel is always a friend."

"There must be a reason for everything."

"There is a reason."

"What has he done to you?"

"It was in the paper last night... Here is the paper, read it yourself."

Albert handed the newspaper to Monte Cristo, who read:
Ionina Newsletter: There is a historical fact that is still unknown, at least not disclosed, and this newspaper has learned.The castle that guarded the city of Ioannina was surrendered to the Turks by the defection of a French officer.This French officer was trusted by Governor Ali-Terberin, and his name was Fernand.

"Well!" asked Monte Cristo, "what do you think is hurting you here?"

"What? I think?"

"Yes. What does it matter to you that the castle of Ioannina was betrayed by a French officer named Fernand?"

"Of course it has something to do with me, because the father, Earl Messef's Christian name is Fernan."

"Is your father serving under Governor Ali?"

"That is, he fought for the independence of Greece, and now he draws such a slanderous statement."

"Oh, well, my dear Viscount, that makes sense."

"I can't ask for more."

"You might as well tell me, does anyone in France know that the officer named Fernand is the same person as Count Meusef? Who is here to ask about the fall of Ioannina at this time? I think, then Should it be 1822 or 1823?"

"So it's so vicious, it's been so long, and today it's bringing up things that everyone has forgotten, deliberately spreading rumors and slander, which will ruin a person in a high position. Oh, I inherit my father I will not allow my family name to cast a shadow of suspicion. Beauchamp's newspaper has published the news, so I will send two witnesses to him, so that he can retract the news in person."

"Beauchamp will never take it back."

"Then we shall fight."

"No, you won't duel, because he will tell you that there may be fifty officers in the Greek army named Fernand."

"He could answer that, but we're still going to duel. Oh! I just hope this matter goes away...My father, such a noble soldier, and his life's career is so brilliant..."

"Why don't he make a statement like this, saying that we have sufficient grounds to believe that Fernand in the report has nothing in common with Mr. Earl Mosef, who has the same Christian name as Fernand."

"He has to take it back completely and completely, and I will never be satisfied with a statement like that."

"Do you wish to send witnesses to him at once?"

"Yes."

"You are wrong."

"That means you refuse my request to help."

"Ah! You know what I think of duels. I told you about them in Rome. Do you remember?"

"But, my dear count, this morning, just a few moments ago, I saw that you were engaged in activities that did not agree with your views."

"Because, my dear friend, you also know that you can never go your own way at any time. Since you live with fools, you have to behave like fools. Maybe at any time, some crazy man who loves adventure is like you quarreling with Beauchamp for no reason. Same, come to me for no reason to quarrel, entangle me with any trivial matter, or call his witness to come to me, or humiliate me in public, hum! This adventurous madman, I have to kill him Impossible."

"So you admit that you can also duel?"

"Of course!"

"Well, why do you think I should not fight?"

"I didn't say at all that you shouldn't duel, I just said that dueling is a very serious business and you should think twice about it."

"He insulted my father, didn't he think twice?"

"If he doesn't, and he admits it to you, don't make trouble with him any more."

"Oh, my dear count, you are too magnanimous!"

"And you are too strict. Well, I assume... Please understand, I assume... don't be angry if I say anything."

"Go ahead."

"Assuming this report is true..."

"A son would not allow such presumptions to be made about his father's reputation."

"Hey, my God! There are a thousand things that are allowed in our age!"

"That's the flaw of our time."

"Aren't you ambitious and want to reform?"

"Yes, everything related to me must be reformed."

"My God! You are so stubborn, my dear friend!"

"I am such a person."

"Can't you listen to advice?"

"No, I will listen to my friend's advice."

"Do you think I'm your friend?"

"Yes."

"Well, before asking the witness to go to Beauchamp, you should first understand the situation."

"From whom?"

"Indeed, you can ask Eddie, for example."

"If a woman is involved, what role can she play?"

"She could tell you that your father had nothing to do with her father's failure or martyrdom, for example, or she could make it clear to you that perhaps your father was unfortunate..."

"I have already told you, my dear count, that I cannot bear such assumptions."

"So you don't agree to it?"

"disagree."

"Absolutely disagree?"

"absolute."

"Well, one last piece of advice."

"Okay, but this is the last one."

"You don't want to hear it at all?"

"On the contrary, I was going to ask you to."

"Don't ask witnesses to find Beauchamp."

"what?"

"Go and find him yourself."

"It's out of the ordinary."

"Your affairs are extraordinary."

"Why should I go to him myself? Tell me, please."

"Because in this case, the matter is always limited between you and Beauchamp."

"Please explain clearly."

"Of course you can. If Boshang is willing to withdraw his foreword, he should be given a reputation of sincerity. This will not affect his retraction. If he refuses, it's not too late to invite two outsiders to intervene in your personal relationship. "

"They should not be outsiders, but two friends."

"Today is a friend, tomorrow is an enemy."

"Oh, what about it?"

"Beauchamp is the proof."

"so……"

"So I advise you to be cautious in your words and deeds."

"So, you think I should go to Beauchamp myself?"

"Correct."

"Am I going alone?"

"Go alone. Since you ask others to bear shame, you have to take care of their self-esteem, and you have to save face, so you can't embarrass others."

"I think you are right."

"Ah, great."

"I'll go alone."

"Go, but you'd better not go."

"No."

"Then you go, it's better than what you meant."

"However, after I went to him, you see, although I was very tactful and thoughtful, I had to fight a duel. If so, can you be my witness?"

"My dear Vicomte," said Monte Cristo, becoming extremely serious, "I am sure you have seen that I am always at your service whenever and wherever, but you want my help now." This is beyond the scope of what I can help."

"why?"

"You may find out later."

"What about now?"

"I beg your pardon, but it is inconvenient for me to say more now."

(End of this chapter)