World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 179 Marriage (2)
Sure enough, at 8:[-] in the evening, the large living room of Tangla Mansion, the corridor next to the large living room and the other three living rooms on the same floor were crowded with fragrant guests.The guests are invited to the meeting, not necessarily out of any deep friendship, many people feel that they must come because they feel itchy in their hearts, because they know that there may be something new.A member of the Academy of Sciences seems to have said that the evening party in the social world brings together exotic flowers and plants, attracting swarms of fluttering butterflies, hungry bees and buzzing hornets.Needless to say, all the living rooms are illuminated by candlelight and bright everywhere. The silk veneer on the walls and the gold-inlaid decorations on various hangings are shining like blue waves. At this moment, it is also resplendent and magnificent.

Miss Eugenie was very elegantly dressed, wearing a white dress embroidered with dark white flowers. Except for a white rose half exposed in her black jade-like hair, she had no other ornaments on her body.In her eyes, this simple and unadorned attire has a connotation of elegance and purity, but the look of self-admiration in her eyes is not commensurate with this connotation.Madame Donglas was talking to Debray, Beauchamp, and Chateau-Renoir at a distance of thirty paces from her.Debray only returned to this mansion because of the signing ceremony, but he was just a guest, and there was no other special place.Mr. Tangla is surrounded by a circle of members of parliament and financial circles, who are talking about a new taxation theory. He plans to implement this new taxation system once the government invites him into the cabinet due to the situation.Andra is holding a playboy who is good for the limelight in the opera house, and he is talking about his future life plans without shame. At this time, he also needs to be bold so that he can look chic.He also boasted how, with his annual income of 30 livres, he would introduce new luxury styles to the Paris fashion world.

The guests came and went in the living rooms, and the tides of turquoise, ruby, emerald, opalite and diamond came and went from time to time.As in all social occasions, the oldest women are the best dressed, and the ugliest are the most eager to show off, as is evident at a glance.If there are delicate white lilies and sweet-smelling roses, you have to look hard to find them, because they are always pulled and hidden in the in a corner.

Amidst the buzzing and noisy laughter, servants could be heard loudly announcing the guests at any time, including financial tycoons, military dignitaries, and literary celebrities. commotion.However, after countless names that were ignored or ridiculed, I heard a resounding name that could cause waves in this sea of ​​people.When the sleeping Andymion was carved on it, the shepherd in ancient Greek mythology, the moon god fell in love with him, made him sleep, and kept his beautiful appearance forever.When the hands of the huge pendulum clock of the statue point to 9 o'clock on the pure gold clock face, when the hammer that faithfully reflects the mechanical thinking strikes 9 times, the count of Monte Cristo can only be heard. Name, everyone in the living room turned their heads towards the door as if they were being struck by a flash of lightning.

The earl was dressed in a black dress, which was as plain as usual. His white vest set off his broad and majestic chest, and the black bow tie with his fair and masculine face was particularly striking.The only ornament was the gold chain he wore on his vest, but it was so thin that it barely showed on the white piqué vest.

A large group of people immediately surrounded the entrance of the living room.The count saw clearly at a glance that Mrs. Tanglar was on one side of the living room, Mr. Tanglar was on the other side, and Miss Eugenie was right in front of him.He went first to the baroness, who was talking to Madame de Villefort—Valentine was not well, so Madame de Villefort had come alone.Wherever he went, people made way for him, so he went straight from the baroness to Eugénie, and congratulated the proud artist with a few short and veiled words.Mademoiselle Louise Amily, who was next to Eugenie, thanked the Count for his kind letters of recommendation for her going to Italy, which she said would be in use soon.Then, the count left the ladies and turned around. Tangra was standing next to him face to face. It turned out that Tangra had come over to shake hands with him.Having accomplished these three requisites of social etiquette, Monte Cristo stood still and looked about him confidently, with a look in his eyes which is characteristic only of those who have a certain command of a situation, and especially those who have a certain influence, As if to say, "I've done what I have to do, now it's up to someone else to do something for me."

Andrea was in a nearby drawing room, and he sensed the arrival of Monte Cristo from the commotion of the guests, so he hurried over to greet the count.He saw that the count was surrounded, and everyone was scrambling to speak to him.This is usually the case with those who do not speak lightly, but must carry weight when they speak.

At this time, the notaries of both parties entered the living room and put the drafted marriage contract text on the table specially prepared for signature.It was a table of gilded wood, covered with a velvet rug embroidered with gold.A notary sat down, while another stood aside.The notary was about to read the marriage contract, which was to be signed by half the Parisian society invited to the ceremony.Everyone took their places, or rather, the ladies formed a circle and the gentlemen addressed Boileau, the French writer (1639-1711).The so-called "stiff style" didn't care much, and was whispering about how nervous Andra was, how preoccupied M. Donguell was, how icy Eugenie was, and how absent-minded the baroness was about such important matters.There was no sound in the drawing-room when the engagement was announced, but immediately after the reading the drawing-rooms were bustling with voices, which, compared with the original din, seemed almost overwhelming.These resounding huge sums of money, the millions that will roll into the pockets of the young couple in the future, plus the full set of dowry of the bride that is specially displayed in a room, the young woman's various The diamonds made the already greedy guests admire one by one.Miss Tangla's charm suddenly multiplied in the eyes of the young man, and at this moment the sun was overshadowed.As for those ladies, needless to say, these millions made them feel itchy, but they all felt that they were still beautiful without this money.Surrounded by his friends, and amidst the congratulations and flattery, Andra began to feel that his dream had come true, and he was so sweetly overwhelmed.The notary picked up a quill, raised it above his head and said, "Gentlemen, the marriage contract is now being signed."

The Baron should be the first to sign, then the agent of Mr. Cavalle-Conti the Elder, then the Baroness, and then—to borrow the disgusting style that is common on this stamp paper. In words, the spouse-to-be signs.At this moment the baron took up his pen and signed, and then the agent also signed.

The baroness walked up to the signing table on the arm of Madame de Villefort. "My friend," said she, taking up her pen, "is this not an annoyance? The murder and theft, which nearly cost the Count of Monte Cristo, have taken place again, and M. de Villefort cannot be present."

"Oh! My God!" Tangra said, but in a tone that seemed to say: "Hmph! I don't care about it!"

"My God!" said Monte Cristo, approaching, "I'm afraid I may be doing a disservice by accident."

"What? You, Earl?" Madam Tanglar said while signing, "If this is the case, you must be careful, I will never forgive you."

Andra pricked up her ears.

"But I can't blame me in the slightest," said the count, "so I think I should make it clear to you."

All listened attentively, for Monte Cristo, who seldom spoke, had something to say.

"I am sure you will remember," said the count in the silence, "that the poor wretch who came to my lodgings to steal is dead, and it is presumed that he was killed by his accomplices on his way out of my lodgings."

"Yes." Tangra said.

"Uh! At that time, in order to rescue him, he took off his clothes and threw them in a corner. Later, the police took the clothes away and handed them over to the court for storage in the litigation storage room. But at that time, only the jacket and trousers were taken, and the gangster's vest was missing. Not taken away."

Andra's face turned pale, and he quietly moved towards the door.He saw a dark cloud rising on the horizon and felt that a storm was brewing in the cloud.

"Uh! This unlucky vest, my servant suddenly discovered it today. It is covered with blood and there is a big hole in the chest."

The ladies shrieked, and two or three looked as if they were about to faint.

"They showed me the vest, and no one could figure out where the shit came from, but it occurred to me that it was most likely the vest of the dead gangster. My valet, though it was disgusting, still After looking through the clothes that had been ripped off from the dead man, I suddenly felt that there was a piece of paper in my pocket, so I took it out, and it turned out to be a letter, to whom? To you, Baron."

"For me?" Tangra shouted.

"Oh, my God! Yes, it is for you. The letter is stained with blood, but I recognize your name written on it," replied Monte Cristo, in a sound of astonishment.

"But," asked Madame Donglas, looking anxiously at her husband, "how can this prevent M. de Villefort from coming to us?"

"The reason is simple, Madame," said Monte Cristo, "that the vest and the letter are so-called physical evidence, and I have sent both the vest and the letter to Monsieur the Attorney. The most reliable way is to do it through legal channels, maybe there is some conspiracy against you here."

Andra stared blankly at Monte Cristo, then slipped quietly into the second drawing room.

"It's possible," Tangra said, "wasn't the person who was killed originally a convict?"

"Yes," replied the count, "a former convict named Caderousse."

Tangra's face suddenly turned pale, and Andra slipped out of the second living room and rushed to the waiting hall.

"Let's sign it, sign it!" said Monte Cristo. "I think I've made everyone's heart tremble by saying this. I'm sorry. I beg your pardon, Baroness, Mademoiselle Tangra."

The baroness had just finished signing, and handed the pen to the notary.

"Prince Cavalleconti," said the notary, "Prince Cavalleconti, where are you?"

"Andra! Andra!" several young people shouted again and again. They had gotten to know the Italian nobleman so well that they could call him by his first name.

"Go and call the prince over and tell him that it's time for him to sign." Tang La ordered a servant loudly.

But at this moment, the guests in the hall were dumbfounded and shrank back one after another, as if a terrifying monster had broken into the house and was looking for its delicious food.

People in the hall slipped, panicked, and shouted, and there was a reason for this.A captain of the gendarmerie posted two gendarmerie guards at the door of each drawing room, and then walked towards Tangra after a police officer wearing a ribbon.Mrs. Tangra fainted after screaming. Tangra felt that she was here to catch him—some people's consciences are never at peace, and suddenly his face changed in fright, and he didn't care how the guests looked at him.

"What is it, sir?" asked Monte Cristo, going up to the police officer.

"Gentlemen," asked the inspector, without answering Monte Cristo, "who among you is Andra Cavalcanti?"

There were screams from all over the living room, and people were looking for people and asking people in an instant.

"Excuse me, who is this Andra Cavalleconti?" Tangla asked who was almost stunned.

"A fugitive from Toulon's convict prison."

"What crime did he commit?"

"He is charged," said the Inspector icily, "with the murder of a certain Caderousse, also a convict, who was in chains with him, and who was coming out of the lodgings of the Count of Monte Cristo when he was killed."

Monte Cristo glanced around quickly, and Andra had already fled.

(End of this chapter)