World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 6 Wedding Banquet (1)
The next day was sunny and sunny.The sun rose into the cloudless sky, shining brightly, and the purple morning glow sprinkled rubies among the vast white waves, and the sea was even more colorful.

Readers have already patronized the arbor of the Reserve Hotel, and today a feast is prepared in the hall on the second floor of the hotel.The restaurant is spacious and bright, with five or six large windows, each with the name of a major French city inexplicably written on it, and under the windows is a wooden corridor that circles the building.The banquet was scheduled to begin at 12:11 noon, but by [-]:[-] am the corridors were packed with impatient guests.They were the crew of the "King of Egypt" that Edmund had gotten along with, as well as several soldiers, who were also friends of Edmund.The visitors all put on their most beautiful clothes, which is also a congratulations to the newlyweds.It was rumored that the captain of the "King of Egypt" came to the wedding banquet to celebrate their first mate, but they couldn't believe that Dantès could have such a big face.However, Tangla, who arrived with Cuderos, confirmed the news. He met Mr. Morrel in the morning, and Mr. Morrel himself said that he would come to the Reserve Hotel for a wedding reception.

Sure enough, shortly after Tangla and Caderos arrived, Mr. Morrel rushed to the dining room, and the sailors of the "King of Egypt" applauded and welcomed him.In their view, the presence of the captain confirmed the rumors that Dantès was really going to be appointed captain.Dantès was very agreeable on board, and the eager sailors were very grateful to the owner, who this time had chosen exactly what they had hoped for.As soon as Mr. Morrel arrived, the guests unanimously sent Tangra and Cuderos to tell the groom that the distinguished guest had arrived. Everyone was very happy and hoped that he would come quickly.

Tangra and Caderos immediately ran away from the hotel, but they hadn't walked a hundred steps when they saw a group of people walking towards them near the gunpowder magazine.Edmond was holding the bride on his arm, and the bridesmaids were four girls, all Catalan like Mercedes, and all of them were friends of Mercedes, and on the other side of the bride was Dantès' father, Behind them was Fernand, with a sinister smile on his lips.

Neither Edmond nor Mercedes noticed Fernand's sinister smile. They were so happy that they only saw themselves and the beautiful clear sky that blessed them.Tangra and Caderos reported to them on behalf of the guests, and shook hands with Dantès in a warm and friendly manner.Then, Tangra stood next to Fernan, and Caderos and Papa Dantès stood next to each other.

Old Dantès was the center of attention.His taffeta jacket was crisp and handsome, with a row of large, wide iron buttons, each angled.His thin but still strong legs are neatly dressed in gorgeous long embroidered gauze stockings, which can be seen as British smuggled goods at a glance, and a bunch of blue and white streamers hang down from the three-cornered hat on his head.He carried a wooden cane bent like an ancient crosier, and he looked almost like a royalist dude who paraded in 1796 in the newly reopened parks of Luxembourg and the Tuileries.

As I have said, Cudeross came and squeezed beside the old man.This Caderos hoped for a good meal, and he was fawning on the Dantès and his son again; what happened last night was like a vague impression left in the mind of a person who woke up from a dream, and he was still in a daze. remember.

When Tangra approached Fernan, he took a deep look at the broken-hearted lover.And this Fernand walked behind the soon-to-be lovers, he had been completely forgotten by Mercedes.A young man in love has only himself in his heart, and Mercedes has only her Edmond in her eyes at this time.Fernan's face was pale, and flushed from time to time, and after each sudden flush, his face became paler.He glanced in the direction of Marseilles after a while, and his limbs twitched nervously.He seemed to be waiting for something, or at least seemed to anticipate something big to come.

Dantès' clothes were very simple. He was dressed like a merchant mariner, half military uniform, half casual.He used to look good, but now he was beaming with joy, and beside him was a beautiful bride, who was really beautiful, and with this attire, he looked even more handsome.

The beautiful Mercedes is simply the Greek beauty of Cyprus or Caios, her eyes are dark and shining like jet jade, her lips are as red as coral, and her steps are light and easy, like the beauty of Arles or the place name of Andalusia in southern Spain. .beauty.If she had been a city girl, she would have concealed her joy, or at least lowered her bushy eyelashes, but Mercedes smiled and looked at the people next to her with innocent eyes as if Said: "If you are my friends, then be happy with me, really, I am very happy."

No sooner had the guests at the Lesseves seen the wedding procession than Monsieur Morrel hurried downstairs to meet it, followed by sailors and soldiers.While with them just now, Monsieur Morrel repeated the intention he had communicated to Dantès, that the lad would be the successor of the late captain, Monsieur Leclair.Seeing the captain approaching, Edmond let go of his fiancée's arm, and let M. Morrel take it.So the captain and the girl took the lead to climb the wooden stairs together, and walked to the hall where the banquet was set up.

"Father," Mercedes stopped in the middle of the long table and said, "You sit on my right hand, and I will give up the seat on my left to someone who has always treated me like an elder brother." She spoke softly, but like A dagger pierced deeply into Fernan's heart.Fernan's lips turned white. Although his face was full of masculinity, although his complexion was dark, he could still see the blood slowly receding and rushing to his heart.

At this moment, Dantès was arranging seats across the table. He asked Mr. Morrel to sit on his right hand, and Tangra to sit on his left.

The dishes on the table are one after another, including brown-red flesh-colored Arles sausages with a strong aroma, bright red and dazzling shelled lobsters, pink seashells, sea urchins with thorns on the outside and delicate meat like millet, and other dishes praised by southern diners. Clams that I think are more delicious than northern oysters, etc., etc.The fishermen are grateful for everything that flips with the waves on the beach. All kinds of delicacies, which are collectively called seafood, can be found on the table of this wedding banquet.

"It's so quiet!" said old Dantès, who was tasting the topaz-colored wine that Papa Bonfil personally brought to Mercedes. "Who would have thought that there are 30 talking and laughing people here?" Woolen cloth?"

"Well, the groom isn't always happy," said Cudeross.

"In fact I am so happy," said Dantès, "that I am not happy at the moment. If that is what you mean, my good neighbour, you are right. Sometimes there is joy in it. A peculiar effect that can be as depressing as pathos."

Tang Lazai glanced at Fernan carefully.Fernan was impulsive by nature, and he took his joy, anger, sorrow, and joy to heart, and put them all on his face.

"Isn't it possible?" Tangra said, "Are you afraid of something happening? From my point of view, on the contrary, you have got your wish."

"Because of this, I feel uneasy." Dantès said, "I don't think people should get happiness so easily. Happiness is like the palace on the magic island with a dragon guarding the gate. You have to fight to conquer it. And I, to tell the truth, do not know what I have been honored to be the husband of Mercedes."

"Husband, husband," said Caderousse, laughing, "not yet, my captain. Try and be a husband. Just wait and see how it feels."

Mercedes couldn't help flushing.Fei Ernan who was sitting on the side was restless, trembling at the slightest sound, and he wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead from time to time.These are not beads of sweat, they are simply thick raindrops at the beginning of the rainstorm.

"Well, Caderos," said Dantès, "it is not worth speaking out against me about such trivial matters. Mercedes is not my wife, and that is true." He took out his watch and looked at it. "She will be there in an hour and a half."

Everyone shouted in surprise, but old Dantès didn't shout, but he opened his mouth wide and smiled, showing a row of still very beautiful white teeth.Mercedes no longer blushed, but smiled.Fernand gripped the handle of his dagger tightly convulsively.

"An hour later?" Tangra said, his face turned pale immediately, "How do you say that?"

"Yes, gentlemen," replied Dantès, "after my father, M. Morrel is my greatest benefactor. By virtue of his good reputation, all difficult things are done. We have bought The wedding announcement at the church, at 02:30, the mayor of Marseilles will be waiting for us at the town hall. It is just a quarter past one, so I say that in another hour and a half, Mercedes will be Mrs. Dantès Well, I think, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Fernan closed his eyes, a golden star appeared under his eyelids.He leaned over the table so as not to faint and fall, he couldn't help himself, and he could not help but sigh in a low voice.At this time, all the guests present were laughing and congratulating the new couple one after another, and the low sighs were drowned out by the sound of joy.

"Oh, it's a good job," said old Dantès. "You see, it hasn't stopped for a moment. I just came back yesterday morning, and I'm married at three o'clock this afternoon! You see, sailors are quick to do things." .”

"But," Tangra asked cautiously, "what about other procedures, such as the marriage contract and other documents?"

"Marriage contract," Dantès said with a smile, "this has been written long ago, because Mercedes has no property, and neither do I. The union of the two of us is that the property is shared by husband and wife, which is too simple. So then The paperwork didn't take long to write, and it didn't cost much money." A joke sparked another burst of joy and shouts.

"So, this meal, which we thought was an engagement wine, has actually become a veritable wedding wine," Tangla said.

"No, no," said Dantès, "you can't do without a drink, don't worry. To-morrow morning I will leave for Paris, four days to go, four days to return, and one more day to do my errands honestly. I can come back on March 3, and treat everyone to a real wedding wine the next day."

Seeing that there was still a feast waiting, the guests were all rejoiced.Old Dantès thought it was too quiet at the beginning of the banquet, but at this time everyone was chatting with each other, and it was very lively. The old man wanted to say a few auspicious words for the newlyweds, but he couldn't do it because of the noise.Edmund saw what the old man was thinking, and smiled passionately at the old man.Mercedes began to look at the wall clock in the hall, and then quietly motioned to Edmond.

There was joy and laughter all around the wine table, and the guests were free.The banquets of the common people of the lower class are like this, and there are no rules after they are full of wine and food.The person who feels that the seat is not satisfactory has already changed the seat and found a seat next to him that is satisfactory.Everyone was talking in a chaotic manner, and no one had the intention to answer what others asked him. Everyone was talking about their own things.

Fernan's pale face had almost infected Tangra's cheeks.And Fernan himself couldn't bear it any longer, it seemed that he had already been thrown into hell and sentenced to a sea of ​​flames.He stood up with the first few people to leave the table, and walked up and down the hall, trying to avoid the noise of singing and clinking glasses.

Caderos walked over to look for him, as if to avoid Tangla, but at this moment Tangra walked to the corner of the hall and grabbed Caderos.

"To be honest," Caderos said, Dantès' good fortune was so sudden that he planted the roots of hatred in that guy's heart.But today, with Dantès' hospitality, especially the good wine from Papa Bonfil, the hatred in his heart was wiped away. "To be honest, Dantès is a croaking young man. When I saw him sitting with the bride, I thought to myself, if the prank you planned yesterday was really done to him, it would be too deceitful. .”

"Yes," Tangra said, "you saw it too, the joke didn't go on. Fernand was hit so hard. At first I sympathized with him. Now he can restrain himself and volunteered to be his rival's best man. There is nothing to say." Cuderos glanced at Fernand, only to see his pale face. "It's not a small sacrifice," Tangla went on, "and, seriously, the girl is so pretty, hey, this guy is in luck, my future captain. I really want to change my name, too. Call Dantès for twelve hours."

"Shall we go?" Mercedes asked in her sweet voice. "The clock is striking two, and they are waiting for us at a quarter past two."

"Yes, yes, let's go!" said Dantès, standing up hastily.

"Go!" shouted the guests in unison.

Tangra kept staring at Fernan who was sitting by the window sill. At this moment, he saw Fernan suddenly opened his panicked eyes, stood up abruptly like a convulsion, and fell down to sit on the window sill again.Almost at the same instant, there was a commotion on the stairs.The sound of heavy footsteps, the impact of weapons, and the buzzing noise covered the loud exclamations of the guests in the hall, and everyone's attention was immediately attracted, everyone was anxious, and the hall was instantly silent.

The sound got closer and closer, and there were three more knocks on the hall door.Everyone in the hall was astonished and couldn't help turning their heads to look at the people next to them.

(End of this chapter)