World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 170 Mother and Son

The count bowed to the five young men with a melancholy and dignified smile, and got into his carriage together with Maximilian and Emmanuel.Only Albert, Beauchamp and Chateau-Renoir were left in the duel.Albert looked at his two witnesses without timidity, but as if asking them how they felt about what had just happened.

"Excellent! My dear friend," said Beauchamp first, perhaps because he was emotional, or because he was not good at hiding his head and showing his tail, "permit me to congratulate you, it is a very unpleasant thing. The ending was truly unexpected.”

Albert, turmoiled with emotion, was silent for a moment.Chateau-Renaud just slapped his boots with his limp cane, and after an awkward silence he said, "Aren't we going?"

"You are welcome," Beauchamp replied, "but please let me congratulate Mr. Moserf first. His performance today is open-minded and chivalrous, which is really commendable!"

"Oh! Yes," said Chateau-Renoir.

"It's amazing," Beauchamp continued, "a person can have such strong self-control!"

"You're so right. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to do it," said Chateau-Renoir, speaking very coldly and without meaning.

"Gentlemen," interrupted Albert, "I do not think you are aware that a very serious matter has taken place between M. Monte Cristo and myself..."

"We know it, we know it perfectly," said Beauchamp at once, "but we spectators are mediocre, unable to comprehend your heroism, and sooner or later you will see that you have to spend your whole life, Qian Xin It's a pain to explain to everyone what it is all about. I have a piece of advice, I don't know if you want to hear it? You should get out of here and go to Naples, The Hague, or St. Petersburg. much wiser than we fanatics in Paris. When you get there, practice your pistol shooting, your four-step back and the three-step back with your sword. Let everyone forget you, and come back in a few years. In France, the sea will be calm by then, and maybe you will be quite decent when you come back as long as you put your head down and practice hard. Isn’t it, Monsieur Chateau-Renaud, am I right?”

"That's exactly what I mean," said the gentleman, "that if a duel goes anticlimactic, it will be worth a few more serious bouts."

"Thank you both," Albert said with a faint smile, "I will follow your advice, not because you told me so, but because I have already made up my mind that I have to leave France. I also Thank you two for coming to be my witnesses. You two are willing to testify about this matter. I have deeply engraved it in my heart, because I heard what you said just now, but I can still remember it now. It's just two testimonies."

Château-Renoir and Beauchamp looked at each other, and the impressions they got were exactly the same. There was a kind of hard-heartedness in the words of Messef expressing his gratitude. .

"Goodbye, Albert." Beauchamp said suddenly, while casually stretching out his hand to Albert, but Albert seemed still dazed and motionless, and he did not extend his hand to shake anyone's hand.

"Good-bye," said Chateau-Renoir, who held his little cane in his left hand and waved his right hand farewell.

Albert's lips seemed to move, and he mumbled "Good-bye."However, his eyes were clear, and the look in his eyes was a poem, containing not only suppressed anger, but also haughty contempt and tolerant indignation.After the two witnesses had boarded their carriage and departed, Albert remained motionless, and stood for a moment disconsolate.Then he suddenly walked up to the little tree where his servant had tied his horse, took off the reins, jumped on lightly, and galloped towards Paris.A quarter of an hour later, he returned to the mansion on Ereder Road.

As he sprang from his horse, it seemed to him that he saw his father's pale face behind the curtain of the earl's bedroom.With a long sigh, Albert turned his head away and went straight back to his small building.Once inside, he took a last glance at the ornate furnishings that had made his life so comfortable and happy since childhood.He glanced at the paintings again. The characters in the paintings seemed to be smiling at him, and the landscapes in the paintings were colorful and beautiful.Then he took his mother's portrait from its oak frame and rolled it into a roll, leaving the gold-rimmed frame open to its black, empty backing.And his collection of beautiful Turkish weapons, exquisite British muskets, Japanese fine porcelain, and various cups filled with things, engraved with the French sculptor Fischer (1807-1852).Or Barry French sculptor and watercolorist (1796-1875).He sorted out the signed bronze works of art.He went through all the cabinets, hung up the keys, put all the change he had on him, and all the thousand gaudy trinkets and jewels in the cups, in the jewelry boxes, and on the shelves, into the writing desk. in one of the drawers and deliberately left that drawer wide open.He wrote down all these things again, made a detailed and accurate list, and then pushed aside a pile of books and papers on a table to make a very conspicuous place to put the list.

In spite of Albert's orders that no one should come in, his valet came to him when he first began to tidy up. "What's the matter?" Mosef asked. Although he spoke harshly, there was more sadness in his voice.

"Excuse me, sir," said the footman, "I know that sir won't let me disturb you, but Mr. Count Mocerf has just sent for me to come over."

"What is it?" asked Albert.

"Before I go to see Mr. Earl, I want to come and hear what Mr. Sir has to say."

"why?"

"Because Mr. Earl may know that I accompanied Mr. to the duel."

"Maybe."

"He called me over, and he will definitely ask me how things are going over there. How should I answer?"

"Tell me the truth."

"Then I have to say there was no duel at the end?"

"Just say that I have apologized to the Count of Monte Cristo. Go."

The servant bowed, then turned and stepped back.Albert continued to write his list.When he was about to finish writing, there was a sound of horseshoes in the vestibule, and the wheels of the rumbling carriage rattled the glass on the window, and Albert couldn't help paying attention.He went to the window and saw his father leave the mansion in the open carriage.As soon as the count's carriage had left, the door of the mansion was closed, and Albert turned immediately to his mother's apartment.No one informed him at the door of the apartment, so he walked straight to Mercedes' bedroom. Seeing everything in front of him and thinking of the reason, he felt pained to the bone and stopped at the door.

It can be said that the mother and the child are completely in love with each other, just as Albert was packing up in his room, Mercedes was also packing up in her own room.All the things were packed away, and the lace, jewels, jewels, dresses, and coins were just about to be put into the drawers when the Countess was meticulously chaining the keys together.Albert saw it and understood it, and shouted: "My mother!" Then he threw himself on his mother's neck.If any painter can describe the expression of the mother and son at that time, it must be a masterpiece of sorrow and beauty.Albert himself was not afraid when he set his teeth and made up his mind, but he was disturbed when he saw his mother doing the same. "What are you up to?" he asked.

"What have you been up to?" said Mercedes.

"Oh, mother!" exclaimed Albert, speechless with emotion, "your case is different from mine! No, you must not be so determined as I am, for I have come to tell you that I am leaving your mansion . . . to bid you farewell."

"Me too, Albert," said Mercedes, "I am going too. To tell you the truth, I expected my son to go with me. Do I take it for granted?"

"Mother," Albert said decisively, "I have my own destiny, and I cannot let you share my worries. From now on I will live a life of obscurity and poverty, which I have to learn from the beginning. I can't even earn money for the bread I eat, so I had to borrow money from my friends at first. Dear mother, I will go to Franz now and ask him to lend me a small sum. A sum of money is indispensable to start living.”

"You, my poor child!" cried Mercedes, "you are going to suffer, you are going to starve! Oh, don't say that, you have disturbed my resolve."

"But my resolution will never be disturbed, mother," said Albert. "I am young and strong, and I feel brave, and since yesterday I have learned what will is. Not only did they not die, but they were able to rebuild rich and glorious buildings on the ruins of the happiness promised by the sky, and on the remnants of the hopes that God had bestowed. I understand this kind of ups and downs, honor and disgrace, mother, I have seen such people with my own eyes. I also understand that the enemy pushed them into the abyss, but they were strong and unyielding, and finally stood up from the abyss with dignity, subdued the former victors, and pushed them into the abyss in turn. No, mother, no, from today I have broken with the past, I don't want anything from the past, not even my name, and you know why, don't you, mother? Someone is ashamed before others, yours A son must not take this man's last name!"

"Albert, my child," said Mercedes, "if I had a stronger heart, this is the advice I would give you. My voice is dead and speechless, but yours Conscience speaks my heart. Live as your conscience says, my son. You have your friends, Albert, keep them out of your way for a while, but for your mother's sake, don't you despair! At your age , life is still good, my dear Albert, because you have just turned 22. A heart as pure as yours deserves a spotless and good surname, and you can take my father's surname, his name is Elera. I know what you are, and whatever your occupation, you must add to the name. So, my friend, when you return to society, your past misfortunes will make you more radiant. I may think so, It may not work out as I wish, but you should at least give me hope that I have nothing else to ask for, I have no future to speak of, and as soon as I step out of the gate of this house, I will Start walking to the grave."

"I will do as you wish, mother," said the young man; "yes, my hopes coincide with yours, and heaven is always at peace with us, for you are so pure, and I So innocent too. Now that we have all made up our minds, we must act at once. Mr. Moserf has been out for almost half an hour, and you can see that now is a good time to go without making a fuss. There is a lot of fuss, and there is no need to waste any more words."

"I obey you, my son," said Mercedes.

Albert immediately ran into the street, hired a carriage, and was going to leave the palace with his mother. He remembered that there was a house for rent in the Rue Sainte-Frères. It was not large, but fully furnished. Although it is a bit simple to live in, it is still passable.The carriage stopped at the gate of the mansion, and when Albert was getting out of the carriage, someone walked up to him and handed him a letter.Albert recognized at once that the messenger was the steward of Monte Cristo.

"A letter from the count," said Beticio.

Albert took the letter, opened it, and read it.After he finished reading the letter, he looked around for Beticio, but when he read the letter in Albert, Beticio had already disappeared without a trace.Albert was so excited that tears filled his eyes and his chest heaved. He returned to Mercedes' room and handed the letter to Mercedes silently.Mercedes read:
⒍ぐ shellfish:
I would like to show you that I have insight into the project you are about to embark on, and I take it as a way of showing you that I understand your difficulties.You are now free, and are about to leave the count's palace, and your mother is as free as you.You want to take your mother and live with you, but, Albert, I hope you will think twice.You owe your mother a debt you will never repay, though you have a noble and poor heart.You are duty-bound to struggle, and you must also know how to endure hardships. You will certainly absorb the wind and drink the dew at the beginning of the struggle, but you must not let your mother suffer from this kind of suffering.Today she suffered misfortune, but even the shadow of this misfortune should not be borne by her.It is not God's will for the innocent to suffer for the guilty.

I have already learned that you, mother and son, are about to leave the Elder Road Mansion, and you will abandon all the belongings in the mansion.How I got this news, please do not ask.I do know it, and the rest don't need to go into details.

There is a wish to tell, Albert.

24 years ago, I returned to my hometown full of joy and ambition.At that time I had a fiancée, Albert, a girl I loved who was as pure as a saint.For my fiancée, I brought back 150 gold louis accumulated through hard work and hard work.This gold louis was gathered for her and should be used for her.I know very well that the sea is cloudy and treacherous, so I buried this property in the garden of the small building where my father lived, that is, in Lane Maihang in Marseilles.Albert, your mother knows this little building like the back of her hand.

When I came to Paris not long ago, I passed by Marseille, and I went to pay homage to this building specially, seeing things and thinking about people, and being lingering.That night, with a shovel in my hand, I went to the corner where I had buried my property and dug to find it.The iron box containing the money is still in place and has never been touched.The iron box was buried in a corner of the garden, just under the shade of a beautiful fig tree which my father had planted with his own hands the day I was born.

what!Albert, these moneys were planted in order to make the girl I love happy and happy, and I don't want them to be used for the same purpose today by a strange and painful coincidence.oh!Please understand my intentions, I can give millions of dollars to this poor woman, and now I only pay back with a piece of black bread, but this black bread is a property of my poor old house, after I parted with the girl I love. , the bread was forgotten and has survived to this day.

You are open-minded, Albert, but you can also act blindly because you are arrogant, or because you are jealous.If you don't accept my heart, if you ask other people for what you should give, forgive me, there is a man whose father was killed by your father, and died of hunger and despair. It is hardly generosity for you to refuse to accept this man who offered to provide for your mother.

Conviction ended, Albert turned pale, and remained motionless, awaiting his mother's decision.Mercedes looked up to the sky, her eyes filled with an indescribable expression. "I take it," she said, "and give me a share of the property to take to the monastery, which is his right." And she put the letter in her breast, and, taking her son's arm, walked with a stride as far as she could go. Walked downstairs with firm steps that might not have been expected.

(End of this chapter)