World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 171 Suicide (1)
At this time, Monte Cristo, together with Emmanuel and Maximilian, also returned to the city.Everyone had a great time along the way.Emmanuel beamed with joy when he saw that the duel had ended in a peace, and declared loudly that he was a philanthropist.Leaning against a corner of the carriage, Morrel let his brother-in-law talk of his pleasure alone, and he was really happy in his heart, but the joy could only be seen in his shining eyes. arrive.As the carriage reached the gates of the Rue des Thrones, they met Beticio, who stood motionless like a sentinel, waiting.Monte Cristo poked his head out of the car window and whispered a few words to Beticio, and the butler turned around and disappeared.

"Mr. Earl," said Emmanuel when the carriage drove near the Royal Palace Market, "you might as well let me get off at my door. I really don't want my wife to have a moment of uneasiness for you and me."

"If it would not be ridiculous to celebrate the count's victory now," said Morrel, "I should like to ask the count to come to our house, but the count must have some frightened hearts to be appeased. Here, Emmanuel, take leave of our friend here, so that he may return on his way."

"Wait a moment," said the count, "both friends cannot leave me at the same time. Emmanuel, you may go back to your lovely wife first, and give me your kind regards; Morrel, You must accompany me to the Champs Elysees."

"Excellent," said Maximilian, "I just happened to be on some errands near your apartment, count."

"Shall I wait for your return for lunch?" Emmanuel asked.

"No," replied Morrel.

The door was closed again, and the carriage continued to drive forward.

"You see, I have brought you happiness," said Morrel when there were only the count and Morrel in the carriage, "you didn't think of it, did you?"

"I see," said Monte Cristo, "that's why I always want to keep you with me a little longer."

"What a miracle!" Morrel said casually, following his own train of thought.

"What miracle?" asked Monte Cristo.

"What happened just now."

"Yes," said the count with a slight smile, "you are right, Morrel, what a miracle!"

"Because, at any rate," continued Morrel, "Albert was brave."

"Very brave," said Monte Cristo, "I have seen him sleep soundly with a knife hanging from his head."

"I know he has fought two duels, and they were both very good," said Morrel, "so you will see that this is the same as this morning's performance."

"Not to mention your influence," said Monte Cristo, smiling.

"It's a good thing Albert is not a fighter."

"why would you say so?"

"Are there any people who apologize on the battlefield?" The young captain shook his head repeatedly.

"Oh," said the count mildly, "you must not have common prejudices, Morrel! Since Albert is so brave, he can't live in peace. The reason why he behaved this morning must be due to him. For the reason, his performance should be called audacity, and nothing else, don't you think so?"

"Of course, of course," said Morrel, "but I would like to say what the Spaniard said, that he is not as brave today as he was yesterday."

"You will dine with me, Morrel?" said the count suddenly, changing the subject.

"No, I have to part with you at ten o'clock."

"So, has someone invited you to dinner?"

Morrel smiled and shook his head again.

"You've got to have somewhere to eat your lunch, though."

"But what if I'm not hungry?" said Morrel.

"Ah!" said the count, "I only know of two passions that can make a man lose his appetite, one is pain—fortunately, I see you are happy, it is not a question of pain or not, and the other is love. Listening to what you said about your sweetheart, I can't help thinking..."

"That is true, count," replied Morrel radiantly, "I do not deny it."

"Wouldn't you like to tell me, Maximilian?" asked the count, speaking with such eagerness that it was evident that he was interested in the secret and wanted to know what was going on.

"I told you this morning that I am already engaged, have I not, Count?"

The count made no answer, but held out his hand to the young man.

"Let me put it this way!" continued Morrel, "since my heart is no longer with you in the Forest of Vincennes, it has flown elsewhere, and I am trying to get it back."

"Go," said the count slowly, "go, my dear friend, but don't be ashamed, if you are in trouble, you should remember that I still have some influence in the world, and I am very willing. Use my influence for those I like, and you, Morrel, I like you very much."

"Very well," said the young man, "I'll remember, as a selfish child remembers his parents when he needs them. When I need you—and there may be times like this, I'll will come to you, Count."

"Very well, I remember your words. Good-bye, then."

"Goodbye."

At this moment the carriage was just in front of the count's apartment on the Champs-Elysées, Monte Cristo opened the door, and Morrel jumped out of the carriage.Beticio was waiting on the front steps.Morrel disappeared in the Via Marigny, and Monte Cristo walked up to Beticio. "Well?" asked Monte Cristo.

"It is so," replied the butler, "that she is going to leave her house at once."

"Where's her son?"

"Her son's valet, Florentin, says that son will go too."

"Come with me." Monte Cristo took Beticio into his study, wrote the letter we already know, and handed it to the steward. "Go," said Monte Cristo, "do it quickly, and tell Ede that I am back."

"Here I am," said the girl, who, hearing the sound of the carriage, went downstairs, and beamed with joy at seeing the count safe and sound.

Beticio exits the study.

Ede waited anxiously for the count to come back, and now that the count did come back, she immediately felt elated, as if a daughter saw her dear father again, and she was ecstatic, like a concubine seeing her beloved lover again.The count was also very happy in his heart, but his face was not as happy.Joy is to the weather-beaten soul what dew is to the parched earth, and both the soul and the earth will suck the rain from heaven, without showing any signs of it outwardly.Monte Cristo realized in these days what he had never believed for a long time, that there were two Mercedeses in this world, and he would have his la dolce vita.His fiery eyes full of happiness wandered freely in Eddie's moist eyes, and suddenly the study door opened, and the count couldn't help frowning.

"Mr. Moserf is visiting!" Baptistan said, sounding apologetic for saying the name.

But the earl's face immediately showed joy. "Which Mosef?" he asked, "the Viscount or the Earl?"

"count."

"My God!" cried Ede, "is it not over?"

"I don't know if it's over, my dear child," said Monte Cristo, taking the girl's hands, "but I know that you have nothing to fear."

"Oh! But this shameless person..."

"This man is at the end of my life, Eddie," said Monte Cristo. "It was more difficult when I dealt with his son."

"That is why I am so frightened," said the girl, "that you will never know, my lord."

Monte Cristo smiled. "I swear by my father's grave," said Monte Cristo, stroking the girl's head with his hand, "I swear to you, if anything unfortunate should happen, it will not be me."

"I believe your words, my lord, as if God spoke to me," said the girl, leaning her forehead towards the count.

Monte Cristo kissed that forehead, so pure and beautiful, that it made both hearts throb, but the one beating vigorously, the other dignifiedly.

"Oh! My God!" the count whispered to himself, "so you allow me to have my love!" Then he walked to the secret staircase with the beautiful Greek woman, and said to Barty Stein said, "Please, Mr. Earl Moserf, come and meet me in the living room."

The visit of Count Mosef may have been expected by Monte Cristo, but readers may not have expected it, so it is necessary to explain here.

As mentioned above, when Albert was in his small building, he made a list of his things, and Mercedes did the same. She made a list of all kinds of things in her room alone.She sorted the jewelry into categories, pushed the drawers closed one by one, put the keys together, and put everything in an orderly manner.At this moment, a pale and sinister face was thrust through a glass door, but Mercedes was not at all aware of it.This glass door was originally used for lighting the corridor. From this door, not only the people in the room can be seen, but also the voices inside can be heard.The man who was poking his head in front of this door was neither seen nor heard, but he saw and heard everything in the room of Countess Mossef.

After peeping through the glass door, the pale man went into Count Mosef's bedroom.Once in the bedroom, with his convulsive hand he raised the curtain of a window that opened onto the vestibule.He just stood there for 10 minutes, motionless and silent, only hearing his heart beating wildly.These ten minutes were too long for him, and it was at this moment, when Albert came back from the duel, that he caught a glimpse of his father hiding behind the window curtain waiting for his return, and Albert turned his head away.

(End of this chapter)