World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 183 Law (1)
The reader has seen Miss Tanglar and Miss Amely disguise themselves, and leave home at their leisure, because at the time everyone was too preoccupied with their own affairs to care for them both.

Let's put aside the banker for a moment, not talking about how he felt the specter of bankruptcy looming before his eyes, making him sweat profusely, and not talking about how he wrote down one huge loss after another, and now we might as well go See how the Baroness is doing.What happened just now was indeed a heavy blow to her, and she was overwhelmed for a while, but after a while she went to Lucien Debray, who always gave her advice.The baroness was indeed very concerned about her daughter's marriage, because she was finally expected to let go of her daughter's affairs. A daughter with Eugenie's character could only embarrass the mother.To maintain a hierarchical relationship between seniors and young at home, there should be a series of tacit understandings between each other. If a mother wants her daughter to really listen to her own words, she must physically set an example of wisdom and perfect chastity for her daughter.Mrs. Tangera always felt lingering fear when she saw Eugenie's bright eyes and Miss Amelie's advice.She had already noticed that her daughter would cast a certain contemptuous look at Debray, which seemed to indicate that she was aware of the secret affair and money exchange between her mother and the minister's private secretary.Of course, if she looked at the matter more thoroughly and deeply, the baroness would also know that the reason why Eugenie hated Debray was not because Debray was a gossip-causing burden in her family where her father still ruled the house. , but Eugenie simply classified Debray as a beast in clothes. According to Diogenes, an ancient Greek philosopher (about 404-323 BC), one of the main representatives of Cynicism, he advocated "returning to nature".It is said that this is a group of two-legged beasts, while Plato's statement is more euphemistic, calling them animals with two feet and no hair on their bodies.

Mrs. Tanglar had her own opinion.It's unfortunate that everyone has an opinion in this world, so no one wants to know what other people think.We said that Mrs. Tangla had her own opinions, so she felt very sorry for the sudden setback of Eugenie's marriage, but her pity was not because of how suitable and well-matched this marriage was, and how much happiness it would bring to her daughter, but because It's a pity that the marriage was not completed, so she could not be set free.So, as we have just said, she hurried off to find Debray.Debray, like all Parisian society, had gone to the signing of the marriage contract, and having seen the success of the ceremony, he hastened back to his club to discuss the signing of the marriage contract with some of his friends.This city, known as the capital of the world, has attracted worldwide attention because it is easy to spread rumors, but at this moment, three-quarters of the celebrities and romantics in the Paris social circle are chattering about this marriage.

Madame Tanglars, in a long black dress and veil, went up the stairs leading to Debray's apartment, although the porter assured her emphatically that Debray was not upstairs.In fact, at this moment, Debray was eager to dispel the meaning repeatedly hinted by a friend. The friend had something to say, and wanted to prove to Debray that after such a shocking incident, Debray was a good friend of the Tangla family. , it is the responsibility to marry Miss Eugenie Tangra together with her 200 million.Debray protested vigorously, but he seemed to think that it would be a great thing if he could be persuaded, because the idea often occurred to him involuntarily.But, knowing Eugenie so well, and her haughty and uninhibited character, he took a completely defensive attitude from time to time, saying that such a marriage was impossible.However, secretly, he was willing to let his unreasonable desires tease him.According to all ethicists, the most honest and purest man in the world is constantly and constantly troubled by such insanity, but, like Satan lurking behind the cross, this insanity It is dormant in the depths of the soul waiting for the opportunity.In this way, there are friends together, drinking tea, playing cards, and chatting, and we have all seen that such important things are discussed, and of course it is very interesting, and everyone stays until one o'clock in the morning.

They were chatting over there, while Mrs. Tangra was led by Lucien's personal attendant to the small green living room. She was always veiled and waiting anxiously. The two flower baskets beside her were sent by her in the morning. here.Of course, by the way, Debray had arranged and trimmed the flowers again, so that in Debray's absence, the poor woman could not blame him for his interest in gardening.At 11:40, there was still no one coming, and Mrs. Tangla finally got impatient, so she got into the carriage and went home.

Women of a certain class have in common with frivolous young seamstresses who are on their way to success, that they generally return home at night no later than twelve o'clock.The baroness returned to the mansion at this time, just like Eugenie who had just left the mansion, she was so tiptoe and cautious.With a sour heart, the baroness gently went up the stairs leading to the door of her apartment.The reader already knows that her and Eugenie's rooms are connected together.She was very much afraid lest anyone gossip about it, but she herself believed it—at least in this respect, the poor woman was worthy of respect, her daughter was innocent, and she had no second thoughts about her family!After entering her own room, she went to the door leading to Eugenie's room and listened, but she heard no sound, so she tried to push the door, but it was locked.Madame Tangra thought to herself, the stimulation at night was too terrible, and Eugenie must have been exhausted from torment, and she had already gone to bed and fell asleep by this time.She called the maid and asked her what was the matter. "Miss Eugenie and Mademoiselle Amelie went back to the room together," replied the maid, "afterwards they had tea together, and when they had finished they called me away, saying they had nothing to do for me." After coming out of them , the maid has been in the pantry, and like everyone else, she also thought that the two girls were in their apartment.

Mrs. Tanglar didn't have any doubts, and went to bed with peace of mind.However, I finally felt at ease with people, but I was always thinking about that matter.The thoughts in her mind gradually became clearer, and the matter of the signing ceremony of the wedding concubine gradually magnified.This is no longer something that attracts people's discussion, and people will definitely make a fuss.This is not something to lose face, but simply a great shame.At this moment the baroness could not help remembering how cruel she had been to poor Mercedes not long ago, who had suffered such terrible misfortunes because of her husband and son. "Eugénie is ruined," she thought, "and so are we. It must be publicized, and we shall be notorious, for in a society like ours some shame is a wound that never heals, Always bloody open."

"Fortunately," she murmured, "God has created in Eugenie such a queer character, which often makes me tremble with anger!" She lifted her eyes, and looked up to the sky gratefully.God's will is unpredictable, everything is pre-arranged, what should happen will happen, sometimes a flaw, a flaw can turn disaster into blessing.Then, like a bird fluttering its wings in the abyss, her thoughts flew across the sky and stopped at Cavalle Conti. "This Andra is a shameless person. He is a thief and a murderer. But Andra behaves well. It seems that he has been educated. Although not very complete, at least it is generally reasonable. He stepped into the society. When you cross the border, you look like someone from a noble family."

How can this mess be sorted out?Who can I turn to to get rid of this pitiless distress?Debray?She had gone to it on her first impulse to be a woman. A woman always hopes to be rescued from the man she loves, but sometimes men destroy women, and Debray can only help her. Just an idea.It was supposed to be someone else she was looking for, someone more powerful than Debray.The baroness then thought of M. de Villefort.

It was M. de Villefort who had ordered the arrest of Cavalle-Conti, and it was M. de Villefort who had done nothing to spare her family, as if M. de Villefort had no friendship with her family at all.However, this may not be the case. If you think about it carefully, the prosecutor is not a ruthless person. He is a judge and must be loyal to his duties. He is a loyal and reliable friend. The steady and reliable hand holds the scalpel and cuts the rotten sore.He is not an executioner, but a surgeon.The Tangla family flaunted an unworthy young man as their son-in-law to the social world. It was this surgeon who cut off this humiliation in front of the social world and preserved the reputation of the Tangla family.Mr. Villefort is a friend of the Tangra family, and since he has done this, there is no need to wonder whether, as a prosecutor, he has been aware of Andra's conspiracy in advance, and whether he is a little bit tolerant.Thinking about it this way, the baroness felt that Villefort was doing this for their common interests.However, the ruthless prosecutor should stop here. She will go to the prosecutor tomorrow and ask him, even if it is inconvenient to violate his duties as a judge, at least he should show mercy to the Tangla family.The baroness was going to make a fuss about the past, to arouse her feelings for the past, and she would use the sinful and happy days of the past as an excuse to intercede with him.M. de Villefort will suppress the case, at least, if he is willing to tilt his eyes a little sideways, at least he can let Cavalle Conti escape, so that even if there is a trial, the prisoner is only a shadow, and it will be a crime. so-called trial in absentia.

Thinking of this, she fell asleep peacefully.

She got up at 9 o'clock the next morning, but she didn't ring the bell for her maid, and didn't show a little movement to anyone. She put on the plain clothes of the night before and went downstairs. From the mansion, he walked to the Provence Street on foot, hired a cab and went straight to M. de Villefort's mansion.

For a month the haunted house looked ghastly, almost like a plague quarantine.There were several apartments in the building that were tightly shut inside and out, and all the shutters were closed, only opened a little for a change of air.At this time, a servant's frightened face can be seen in the window, and then the window is closed again, as if a large stone slab covering a tomb has fallen again, pressing the tomb tightly, and the neighbors next to each other will ask each other with their voices lowered: " Are we going to see the prosecutor carrying a coffin out of his house again today?"

Mrs. Tangla could not help but shudder when she saw the withered and decayed scene of this small building.She got out of the car, dragged her legs so weak that she couldn't straighten up, walked to the tightly closed gate and rang the rope bell.The bell sounded desolately, as if it was lamenting with everyone.It wasn't until the bell rang three times in a row that the concierge came out to open the door, but there was only a small gap, just enough for the voice to come out.The concierge saw that it was a lady, and she was a lady of high society, elegantly dressed, but there was only a small crack in the door.

"You open the door!" said the baroness.

"First of all, madam, who are you?" asked the porter.

"Who am I? You know me!"

"We don't know each other now, ma'am."

"You are mad, my friend!" cried the baroness.

"Which one are you?"

"Oh! That's too much."

"Madam, this is an order from above, please forgive me. What is your surname?"

"Baroness Tanglar. You have seen me countless times."

"It is possible, madam. Now, what can I ask you?"

(End of this chapter)