World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 48 Morrel and Sons (2)
"Oh, father," said the girl, clasping her hands, "forgive your child for bringing you bad news." Morrel turned pale, and Julie threw herself into his arms. "Oh, Papa!" she said, "don't be so sad."

"Is the 'King of Egypt' shipwrecked?" Morrel asked with a choked voice.The girl didn't speak, but nodded while snuggling into her father's arms. "Where's the crew?" Morrel continued.

"It was saved," said the girl. "It was saved by the Bordeaux ship that just entered the port."

Morrel raised his arms towards the sky with a look of resignation and gratitude. "Thank goodness!" he said, "fortunately, God has punished me alone."

No matter how indifferent the Englishman's face was, tears welled up his eyes at this moment.

"Come in," said Morrel, "come in, all of you; I expected you all to be at the door."

As soon as he finished speaking, Madame Morrel entered the room, sobbing, followed by Emmanuel, and behind them, still standing in the waiting room, there were seven or eight sailors, almost all of them poorly dressed. Covering their bodies, each of them had a mournful face.Seeing them, the Englishman shuddered, and he took a step forward, as if to go to them, but he held back, and finally stepped aside, in the farthest and most inconspicuous part of the office. Hide in a corner.Madame Morrel found a chair and sat down, holding her husband's hand tightly with both hands, while Julie was still nestled in her father's arms.Emmanuel stood in the middle of the room, as if acting as a link between the Morrels and the sailors at the door.

"How did it happen?" asked Morrel.

"Come here, Penelon," said Emmanuel, "and tell me what happened."

An old sailor, suntanned by the equatorial sun, took a few steps forward and kept turning a battered hat with his hands. "Good day, Monsieur Morrel," said he, as if he had left yesterday Marseille, just now from Aix or Toulon.

"Hello, my friend," said the captain, who could not help smiling, but with tears still on his face, "where is the captain?"

"Captain, Monsieur Morrel, he is ill in Palma, one of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. He stayed, but, God forbid, is not very ill, and he will be back in a few days, as you can see to him as healthy as you and me."

"Very well... now tell me, Penelon," said M. Morrel.

Penelon pushed the chewing tobacco in his mouth from his right cheek to his left cheek, covered his mouth with one hand, turned around, sprayed a mouthful of saliva stained with tobacco from a distance into the waiting room, and then turned to the waiting room. He took a step forward, twisted his waist, and began to speak. "At that time, Monsieur Morrel, we first walked for a week with calm seas, and then we came to the sea between Cape Blanc and Cape Pollardor, which is almost the sea area of ​​this area, and the wind is also very good. It is south-southwest. The wind. At this moment Captain Gomar came to me, and I must confess to you that I was at the helm, and he said to me: 'Father Penelon, what do you think of the clouds rising on the horizon over there?' I was looking at those clouds too, and I said to the captain: 'I don't think so, Captain, I think these clouds are rising too fast, as they shouldn't be. More than good.''I think so too,' said the captain, 'I always like to be cautious when doing things. When the wind comes up later, we will have too many sails now...Hey, everyone pay attention, furl the top sail, and lower the first sail. The sails were pitched.' It was too late, but the captain's order was carried out when the wind caught up and we began to list.' Why,' said the captain, 'our sails are still too full. Attention, furling the sails!' In five minutes the sails are furled, and we go with only the foresail, second and third sails.' 'Well, old Penelon,' said the captain to me,' What are you shaking your head for?" "Me, if I were you, you see, I wouldn't go on this way." "I think you're right, old fellow," said he, "we'll be With a gust.' 'Oh, look, Captain,' I said to him, 'and whoever buys the day as a gust will make a fortune! It's a real storm, or I don't I understand.' Let's put it this way, the posture of the wind blowing at that time looked like flying sand and stones. Fortunately, the captain is still knowledgeable. Ridges, yards to the wind, squaresails furled, yard tackles!'”

"That's not enough in this kind of sea," said the Englishman, "if I were to furl the square sails and lay down the foresail." His voice was so firm, sonorous and unexpected, that everyone Can't help being surprised.Penelon put his hand over his eyebrows to see who was going to comment on his captain's operations.

"We did well, sir," said the old sailor with some respect, "for we furled the mizzensail, turned the stern into the wind, and got ahead of the storm. Ten minutes later we had all the second The ply sails, when all the sails on the ship are furled."

"That ship is too old to take the risk," said the Englishman.

"Oh, that's true! We fell right on top of it. We tossed and tossed and tossed for twelve hours as if haunted, and the boat gave way." Penelon," the captain said to me. Said, 'I see we are sinking, my old man, give me the rudder, and you go down to the cabin to see.' I gave him the rudder, and went down. The water was three feet deep, and I hurried Got on deck yelling, 'Pump! Pump!' Hey, really, it's too late. We pumped, but I think it's pumping more and more. After 12 hours of pumping, I said, 'Oh , my God, we are sinking anyway, let's just sink, don't people just die once." "Is this an example for you, Master Penelon?" said the captain, "Very well, you wait He went to his cabin and came back with two pistols. 'I'll blow the brains out of anyone who dares to leave the sump pump.'"

"Good," said the Englishman.

"As long as the reason is right, we will have courage." The sailor went on, "and the sky has cleared and the wind has stopped at this time. But the water always rises, not much, about two times an hour. Inch, but it is always going up. 2 inches in an hour, you count, it seems nothing to make a fuss about, but 12 hours is 24 inches, 24 inches is 2 feet. 2 feet plus the 3 inches that leaked in earlier feet, that is 5 feet. If a boat is filled with 5 feet of water, it will become a hydraulic machine. 'Forget it,' said the captain, 'it's almost enough. Mr. Morrel can't blame us any more. In order to save this We've done our best with the boat, now we have to find a way to save people. Get into the lifeboats, boys, get on, get on! . . . Let's put it this way, Monsieur Morrel," Penelon went on, "we're all reluctant King', however, no matter how much a sailor hates his ship, what he hates even more is his own life. So we don't need him to shout a second time. In this way, you will also understand that this boat is enough As if to say to us: 'Go, you all go!' It is true, the poor King of Egypt, we really feel that she has sunk under our feet. It is too late to say At that time, the lifeboat was launched, and all 8 of us were on it. The captain was the last one to come down. No, to put it this way, he didn’t come down. He was reluctant to leave the boat. I picked him up by the waist and threw him into the lifeboat I jumped on it, and then I jumped on it. It was so dangerous. I just jumped away, only to hear a boom, and the deck exploded like a battleship's guns. After 10 minutes, the bow first fell, and then Then the stern sank, and then like a dog circling and scratching its tail, the ship spun around, and then, goodbye, company! Grumble! . . . All was said, the King of Egypt was gone! The few of us didn’t eat or drink for three whole days. We said whether we should draw lots to see who would serve everyone as food. At this moment, we found the "Gilongde" and sent out a distress signal." Jilongde ' The _Saw us too, came towards us, and lowered the skiff to meet us again. That's how it happened, Mr. Morrel, I swear on my honor, on the sailor's honor. Is it true, they You can say a few."

Then there was a buzz of agreement, and everyone said that the old sailor had told the truth, and had told the whole story.

"Very well, gentlemen," said M. Morrel, "you are all good men. I have known for a long time that my misfortune was my fault, and no one was at fault. It was the will of God and no one else. It is the fault of God. We must worship the will of God. Now, what is your wages?"

"Oh, come on! Let's not talk about that, Monsieur Morrel."

"On the contrary, let's talk," said the captain with a sad smile.

"Well, it's three months..." Penelon said.

"Cocles, you pay two hundred francs to each of these fine fellows. At other times, gentlemen," continued Morrel, "I will say, an additional two hundred francs each, but, now It’s time to recite the time, and the little money I have is no longer my own. Please forgive me, I hope our friendship will always be there.”

Penelon was very sympathetic, he turned around with a frown and pouted, discussed with his companions, and then turned back. "As for this, Monsieur Morrel," he said, pushing the chewing tobacco from cheek to cheek as before, and spat far into the anteroom as before, "as for this... ..."

"As for what?"

"As for the money..."

"how?"

"Well, Monsieur Morrel, it is said that fifty francs each is enough for now, and the rest can wait."

"Thank you, my friends, thank you," cried Mr. Morrel, who was deeply moved. "You are all good-hearted people, and you will take the money, and take it all. If you find any good work, go to it." Do it, you just go."

At this point, Morrel's words caused great repercussions among these admirable sailors. They looked at each other, but they were bewildered.Penelon choked, and if he hadn't squeezed his throat hastily, he would have swallowed the chewing tobacco in one gulp. "Why, Monsieur Morrel," he choked out, "what, you send us away! Are you dissatisfied with us?"

"No, my fellows," said the captain, "no, on the contrary, I have nothing against you. No, I am not sending you away, but what can I do? I have no ship, and no sailors. gone."

"What, you don't have a boat?" said Penelon. "Well, you can rebuild it, we'll just wait. Thank God, we're good at sailing."

"I have no money to build ships anymore, Penelon," said the owner with a wry smile. "I am so touched by your kindness, but I cannot accept it."

"Hey, you don't have any money, so don't pay us, and we can sail with bare masts like the poor King of Egypt."

"Well, well, my friends," said Morrel, suppressing his excitement, "go, I beg you. We shall meet again in good fortune. Emmanuel," said the captain He also said, "You send them off, please pay attention, I have to do what I want."

"At least we shall see each other again, shall we not, Monsieur Morrel?" said Penelon.

"Yes, my friends, at least this is my hope, everyone please go." He gestured to Cocles, so Cocles went ahead, the sailors followed, and Emmanuel followed. El. "Now," said the owner to his wife and daughter, "leave me here for a while, and I will speak to this gentleman." He glanced at the representative of Thomson & French.Just now, the guest has been standing in the corner, except for the few words we mentioned, he just stayed quietly from the beginning to the end.The mother and daughter had completely forgotten that such a guest was present, and at this moment they looked up at him, and then withdrew.But just as she was going out, the girl cast a beseeching look at the man, and the visitor smiled back.It would surprise even an indifferent onlooker if anyone else smiled at this icy face at such a time.There were only two men left in the house.

"Well, sir," said Morrel, throwing himself back into his chair, "you have seen and heard, and I have nothing more to tell you."

"Sir," said the Englishman, "I see that, after suffering, you have been unjustly tortured again, and I am more determined to serve you."

"Oh, sir!" said Morrel.

"I see," went on the guest, "that I am one of the principal creditors of your firm, am I not?"

"At least, the promissory notes you have are the first to pay."

"Do you wish me to grant an extension?"

"An extension could save my reputation and thus my life."

"How long would you like to delay?"

Morrel thought for a moment, and said, "Two months."

"Well," said the guest, "I'll give you three months."

"But you think Thomson & French..."

"Don't worry, sir, I take all the responsibility. Today is June 6th."

"Yes."

"Well, please change all promissory notes to expire on September 9th. On September 5th, exactly 9 o'clock in the morning." At this time, the big wall clock happened to be 5 o'clock, "I will see you again."

"I will be waiting, sir," said Morrel, "and will pay you back in full, or I will die for you." These last words were so low that the visitor could not catch them.

The promissory notes were reissued, and the original ones were torn up, and the unfortunate owner had at least another three months to recover.The Englishman listened to the words of thanks with the indifference peculiar to his nation, and took leave of Morrel, who followed him to the door, blessing his visitor as he went.When going downstairs, the guest met Julie again. The girl pretended to go downstairs, but she was actually waiting for the guest.

"Oh, sir!" she said, shaking her hands.

"Miss," said the visitor, "you will receive a letter one day, signed... Samba the Sailor... No matter how strange it may seem to you, you must obey it."

"Yes, sir," Julie replied.

"Can you promise me that you will do it?"

"I can swear to you, it will be done."

"Very good, madam. May you always be as good and noble as you are now, and I fully trust that God will reward you by giving Emmanuel your husband."

Zhu Li yelled softly, her face flushed like a cherry, and she leaned against the railing of the stairs, so she didn't fall down.The guest waved her goodbye and went downstairs.When he got to the courtyard, he met Penelon again. The old sailor was holding a roll of 100 franc notes in one hand, and seemed to be wondering whether he should take it or not.

"Come with me, friend," said the Englishman, "I want to talk to you."

(End of this chapter)