World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 164 Insult (1)
Walking out of the gate of the banker's mansion, Beauchamp grabbed Mosef and said, "Listen to me, I told you at Mr. Tanglar's place just now, you should ask Mr. Monte Cristo to explain, right?"

"Yes, we're going to his apartment now."

"Don't be impatient, Mosef. Before going to the count's apartment, you should think carefully."

"What do you want me to think about?"

"Consider the seriousness of doing this."

"Is it more serious than going to Mr. Tangla?"

"Yes, Mr. Dongla is a man of money, and you know that a man of money is money and will not risk a duel lightly. As for this one, on the contrary, he is a gentleman. , at least on the surface. Are you not afraid that the gentleman you are looking for now is a bloody man?"

"What I'm afraid of is that those who find it won't dare to fight."

"Oh! Calm down," Beauchamp said. "This one can duel now. I can't help worrying about one thing. I'm afraid he is very good at martial arts. You have to be careful!"

"My friend," Mosef said with a bright smile, "this is exactly what I hoped for. For me, the best ending is that I lost my mind for my father. This ending actually saved our father and son."

"But Lingtang will be overwhelmed with pain!"

"Poor mother," said Albert, rubbing his eyes with his hands, "I know that, but it's better than dying of shame."

"Have you really made up your mind, Albert?"

"Yes."

"Come on, then! But do you think we'll find him?"

"He should have left a few hours after me, and he must be back by now."

So the two boarded the carriage and came to No. 30 Champs Elysees.Beauchamp wanted to get out of the car alone, but Albert reminded him that this matter was out of routine now, and he could ignore the duel rules.Albert was so reckless, and his motives were very sacred, so Beauchamp had no choice but to follow Albert's wishes, and finally agreed to his words, and he just followed behind.Albert passed through the gate and hurried to the steps in front of the small building. It was Batistein who came out to meet him.It is true that the count has just returned to his apartment, but he is in the bath and has not seen any visitors.

"So, after the shower?" Mosef asked.

"Sir, it's time for dinner."

"And after dinner?"

"Sir will sleep for an hour."

"and then?"

"And then to the opera."

"Are you sure?" asked Albert.

"Quite sure, sir, that he has ordered his carriage to be ready at eight o'clock."

"Very well," said Albert, "that's all I want to ask." Then turning to Beauchamp, he said: "You have something to do, Beauchamp, do it quickly. If you have an engagement to-night, Then change it to tomorrow. You know, I very much need you to accompany me to the Opera. If you can do it, call me Chateau-Lenaud too." Beauchamp then broke up with Albert and went to For my own business, before I left, I agreed that he would go to Albert at a quarter to eight in the evening.

After Albert returned home, he notified Franz, Debray, and Morrel separately, hoping to see them at the opera that evening.Then he went to see his mother.After what happened yesterday, his mother told the servants to pay attention that no one was allowed to enter her bedroom, and she herself never left the room.Albert saw his mother lying in bed, and her heart was broken by this public humiliation.As a son has expected, Mercedes seized Albert's hand when she saw him, and burst into sobs.Only tears could soothe her pain at this moment.For a moment Albert stood silently by his mother's bedside, his face pale, his brows furrowed, and the thought of revenge was gradually fading away.

"Mother," asked Albert, "do you know any enemies of Mr. Mocerf?"

Mercedes shuddered, noticing that her son did not say "my father".

"My friend," said Mercedes, "a count has many enemies that he does not know. And, as you know, the enemies you know are not the most dangerous."

"That's right, I know that, so I think I should use your keen eyes to see what's going on. Mother, you are a woman with extraordinary bearing, and nothing can hide from your eyes."

"Why do you say these things to me?"

"Because, for example, you have noticed that M. Monte Cristo would not eat anything in our house on the evening of your ball."

Mercedes shivered and supported herself on her hot arms. "Monsieur Monte Cristo!" she cried, "what does your question to me have to do with him?"

"You know, mother, that Monsieur Monte Cristo is almost an Oriental, and Orientals never eat or drink a drop of water in the house of their enemies, in order not to be caught up in their revenge."

"Did you say that M. Monte Cristo is the enemy of our family, Albert?" said Mercedes, who had grown paler than the sheet she was covering herself with; "who told you? What reason? You are mad, Albert. Monsieur Monte Cristo is always courteous to us. Monsieur Monte Cristo saved your life, and you introduced him to us yourself. Oh! You must listen to me, Throw it away, my boy, if you think so. If I have anything to tell you, I would even say, if I have anything to ask of you, it is that you should be at peace with him. "

"Mother," said the young man, with dark and melancholy eyes, "you have your own considerations, and you want me to be careful with him."

"Me?" cried Mercedes, whose face had turned pale just now, and which now flushed suddenly, and then became paler than before in an instant.

"Yes, you must have considered it, and your consideration," continued Albert, "is to hope that this man will not hurt us again, is it not?"

Trembling, Mercedes fixed her eyes on her son, as if trying to figure out what he meant. "You speak so strangely," she said, "that you seem to have some very strange prejudices. Does the count displease you, then? You were with him in Normandy three days ago, three days ago. I thought, and you thought he was your best friend a few days ago."

A sneer flitted across Albert's lips.Mercedes saw it, and with her dual instincts as a wife and mother, she understood everything in her heart at once, but she was a solemn and strong woman, and she suppressed the confusion and fear in her heart quietly.Albert didn't say anything more, and after a while the countess picked up the topic again and said: "You came to ask me how I am, and tell you frankly, my friend, I don't feel well. You should stay here. Albert, you must stay with me, I really don't want to be alone in the room."

"Mother," said the young man, "it is my duty to obey you, and you know what a blessing it is to me, but I have something very urgent to do, and I must go away, I can't be with you all night."

"Ah! well," said Mercedes, with a sigh, "go away, Albert. I don't want you to lose your mind because of your filial piety."

Albert pretended not to hear, bowed to his mother, and left.As soon as the young man walked out of the room and closed the door, Mercedes immediately sent someone to call a confidant servant to her side, and told him to watch Albert wherever he went tonight, and to report to her immediately if there was anything wrong.Then she rang the bell and called her maid into the house to attend to her dressing.She is weak, but she has to be ready for whatever happens.

The job of the confidant servant was not difficult.Albert returned to his small building, and carefully sorted it out. At ten minutes to eight, Beauchamp arrived. He had already met Chateau-Renoir, who had promised to be in the front of the opera house before the opening.Albert and Beauchamp got into Albert's own carriage, and Albert didn't have to hide where he was going, so he ordered loudly: "To the Opera House!"

Albert was so anxious that he arrived at the opera house before the opening.Chateau-Renoir was also sitting on the single seat in the front of the main hall. Beauchamp had already explained the situation to him before coming, so Albert did not need to explain anything to him.It is natural for a son to avenge his father's shame. Chateau-Renoir did not want to dissuade him at all, but told Albert that he would help wherever he was needed.Debray had not arrived yet, but Albert knew that it was rare for Debray to miss a performance at the Opera House.Albert had been wandering the theater before the opening, hoping to meet Monte Cristo in the corridors or on the stairs.The opening bell rang, and he returned to his seat, sitting in the front seat of the main hall, with Chateau-Renoir on one side and Beauchamp on the other.

However, he kept his eyes on the box between the two colonnades, and during the first act, as if playing tricks, the box refused to open.Albert looked at his watch a hundred times, and the box finally opened at the beginning of the second act.Monte Cristo, dressed in black, entered the box, and, leaning on the front rail of the box, glanced at the seats in the hall.Morrel came in after him, and looking for his sister and brother-in-law, he saw them in the second row of boxes, and he greeted them.

When the count looked around the main hall, he saw a pale face and a pair of sparkling eyes. Those eyes seemed to be very eager to attract the count's attention.The count recognized Albert, but seeing such an expression on that stern-eyed face, he must have thought it better to pretend not to see it.So he sat down quietly, then took his binoculars from a locket and looked in another direction.However, although the count did not appear to be paying attention to Albert, his eyes were in fact fixed on him all the time. When the second act was over and the curtain fell, the count's infallible eyes were fixed on him. Albert, who left the front seat, was followed by his two friends.Then, the young man's face passed behind the door and window of the box opposite the count, and the count felt that a storm was coming.He heard the sound of a key turning in the lock of the door of his box, but he talked to Morrel with a smile on his face.The count knew how to deal with it, and he was already prepared.

The door of the box opened, and Monte Cristo, turning around, saw Albert pale and trembling, with Beauchamp and Chateau-Renaud behind him.

"Ah!" he shouted, in a very friendly and polite tone, which was very different from his usual polite but cold indifference in social occasions. "My knight has succeeded! Good night, Moserf Sir." He is very good at controlling his emotions, and he has a pleasant face and is extremely enthusiastic.Only then did Morrel think of the letter the Viscount gave him, in which the Viscount didn't make any explanation, but just invited him to the opera house. Looking at the scene in front of him, Morrel suddenly realized that something terrible might happen. .

(End of this chapter)