World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 61
However, no matter how distasteful it may be, Albert always puts on his best clothes when he goes to the opera with Franz. It is a pity that these beautiful clothes are for nothing. Ashamed to be a true representative, Albert wandered all over Italy for four months without encountering any love affairs.Sometimes Albert wanted to laugh it off, but deep down he felt insulted.Unexpectedly, Albert Moserf, the most popular young man, was just fishing for moons here.This is very irritating, because, judging from our French customs, Albert really had a wild idea when he left Paris, thinking that he would be very successful in love affairs in Italy, and then he would go to Italy. Back in Paris, it will be a great pleasure to talk about these erotic stories on the Rue de Ghent.It's a pity that he has never encountered such a romantic affair. Those lovely countesses, whether they are from Genoa, Florence, or Naples, although they will cheat their husbands, they are all loyal to their lovers. Albert was obliged to admit with pain that Italian ladies had at least one great advantage over French ones, that they could be faithful to their infidelities.Of course, I am not saying that there are no exceptions, whether it is Italy or other countries.

However, Albert was not only a handsome young man, but also a very funny man.Besides, he is a viscount, new of course, but today people don't ask about that, it doesn't matter whether the title was created in 1399 or 1815, and the most important thing is that he has 5 miles a year. Fu's income.The reader will know that this is more than enough money to be a celebrity in Paris.Therefore, no matter which city he went to, he was not favored, which is embarrassing.So he was going to make up for the loss in Rome.Carnival is a commendable festival. As long as a country celebrates Carnival, the whole country will be free and easy during the few days of the festival, and even the most rigid people can't help doing some ridiculous things.The carnival will start tomorrow, so Albert will have to show himself off anyway before the festival.With this in mind, Albert took a box in the most conspicuous part of the theatre, and, in order to attract attention, he made himself impeccable.The box he rented was in the first row. In the French theater, this should be the balcony.The first three rows of boxes are very luxurious and elegant, so they have the reputation of aristocratic boxes.In addition, Albert's box can comfortably seat a dozen people, but the cost is not as high as renting a box for four in a theater in Paris.

Albert had another hope, that if he could win the heart of some Roman beauty, he would naturally get a seat in the carriage, and watch the carnival in a magnificent carriage, or from a luxurious balcony.All these thoughts made Albert feel more relaxed and happy than ever. With his back to the actors, half of his body was exposed outside the railing of the box, and he greedily inspected every beautiful woman with a pair of 6-inch binoculars.However, his various actions did not cause any of the beauties to give him a wink in return, and they did not even project a curious look.In fact, the people in the box were just chattering about their worries, loves and joys, about the carnival and the next Holy Week. Turning toward the stage at a certain moment when one should normally be silent or should be applauding, and listen to a Conseri recitative, applaud a brilliant performance by Moriani, or shout out for Speck. Cheers and applause, and then everyone talked about their own affairs as usual.Towards the end of the first act, the door of a box which had been vacant opened, and Franz saw entering a lady whom he had had the honor of being introduced to in Paris, and who he thought was still there. .Albert saw Franz shake as the lady entered her box, and turning to Franz he asked: "Do you know this lady?"

"Yes, what do you think of her?"

"Very beautiful, my dear friend, fair hair, oh, what lovely hair! Is she French?"

"She's a Venetian."

"Fang's name is...?"

"This is a countess, whose name is..."

"Oh, I know her name," exclaimed Albert; "it is said that she is not only beautiful, but also intelligent. Indeed, she was there at the last ball given by Madame de Villefort, and I might have asked to be introduced to her, But I was sloppy, and now that I think about it, I should really be called a fool."

"Shall I make amends for this mistake?" asked Franz.

"What? You know her so well, can you take me to her box?"

"I've had the honor of talking to her three or four times in my life, but you know, based on these few exchanges, it doesn't matter if I talk to her again." At this time, the countess also saw Franz and asked him very delicately. After beckoning, Franz nodded respectfully.

"Oh, I see you are very friendly with her," said Albert.

"Well, you are mistaken, we French have always done this a thousand times abroad, and judged everything by our Parisian ideas. In Spain, and especially in Italy, You must not judge the intimacy between people by the degree of intimacy. The Countess and I just have a sympathy."

"Is it a spiritual sympathy?" Albert asked with a smile.

"No. A spiritual sympathy, that's all." Franz replied solemnly.

"Formed by what opportunity?"

"Went to the arena to play once, like the two of us played together."

"Travel under the moon?"

"Yes."

"Just two people?"

"You can say yes."

"You're talking about..."

"dead."

"Ah!" exclaimed Albert, "it is indeed a very interesting subject. But I can tell you that if I have the luck to accompany this beautiful countess on such a walk, I will talk to her about the living."

"Then you are wrong."

"Let's talk about the present. Are you really introducing me to her as you said just now?"

"As soon as the curtain falls."

"Damn it, this first act is long."

"Listen to the finale, it's beautiful, and Conseri sings it wonderfully."

"Yes, but what kind of figure is that!"

"Speck's performance is simply unparalleled."

"You know, as long as you've heard Pine Cone and Mary Brown..."

"Don't you think Moriani's technique is excellent?"

"I don't like listening to brown-haired people sing blonde roles."

"Oh, my dear friend," said Franz, turning away, while Albert continued to watch the other boxes through the telescope, "to tell the truth, you are too harsh."

When the curtain finally fell, Viscount Moserf was very happy. He grabbed his hat, ran his hands through his hair hastily, straightened his bow tie and cuffs, and signaled to Franz that they could go.Franz had already greeted the countess with his eyes, and the countess had signaled his welcome, and immediately went to Albert's courtesies.Albert followed him out of the box, taking the time to straighten the crooked collar and crumpled clothes along the way.From the aisle they came to box No. [-], which the countess had rented, and Franz knocked on the door, and entered.A young man who was sitting next to the countess in the front row of the box got up immediately and offered his place.This is the etiquette of the Italians, the guests who arrive first should give up their seats to the guests who arrive later.Franz introduced Albert to the countess, and praised him as one of the most outstanding young men in France, starting from his social status and his own intelligence.What Franz said was entirely true, Albert was indeed a perfect and handsome young man in Paris and the surroundings in which he lived.Franz also said that Albert regretted that the countess had not seen her last time in Paris, so he was invited to make amends, and at the same time he asked the countess to forgive him, because although he was entrusted by a friend, You should also ask someone to introduce you. It would be rude to come here to ask for an interview without authorization.After hearing this, the countess saluted Albert with a smile and extended her hand to Franz.She asked Albert to take the vacant seat in the front row, and Franz to take the seat in the second row immediately behind Madame.Albert found at once an excellent subject--to talk about Paris, and to tell the countess about acquaintances they both knew. The sub-large binoculars also began to look towards the auditorium.In the third row of boxes opposite them, there was a very beautiful woman sitting alone in the front row. She was wearing a Greek dress, and she looked very relaxed. It could be seen that this was the dress she was used to when she was a child.There was a figure of a man in the dark behind her, but the man's face could not be seen clearly.Franz then interrupted the conversation between Albert and the countess, and asked the countess if she knew this Albanian beauty (Greece bordered Albania, and both countries were ruled by the Ottoman Empire in Turkey at that time, so there was this confusion.), she is so beautiful , neither men nor women will not pay attention to her.

"I don't know," said the Countess, "I only know that she was in Rome at the beginning of the season, because I saw her in that box the first night the theater opened, and she hasn't missed a performance for a month, Sometimes she's accompanied by the man she's with now, and sometimes just a nigger is there."

"What do you think of her, countess?"

"Extremely beautiful, and the great beauty Medora is nothing more than this."

Franz and the countess smiled at each other, and then the countess chatted with Albert again, while Franz raised his binoculars to look at the Albanian beauty.The curtain rises, and now there is a ballet, one of the finest ballets in Italy, directed by the illustrious Henri.The director is very famous in Italy as a choreographer, but unfortunately, he ruined his reputation with one scene in the water play.In this kind of dance drama, from the first protagonist to the last supporting role, all the actors’ movements are very big. The movements of 150 people are uniform, and all the hands are raised, and all the feet are raised. It is called this kind of dance drama in Italian. "Boriska" dance.Franz's attention was so absorbed by his Greek beauty that he did not bother to watch the ballet, though it was wonderful.As for the woman, it could be seen that she was watching the show with great interest, and her interest was in sharp contrast to the extreme indifference of the person who accompanied her.During the performance of this masterpiece of ballet, no matter how the orchestra and trumpets played, or the small bells of cymbals rang, the man remained motionless, as if he was enjoying the heavenly tranquility that can only be found in a peaceful and beautiful sleep. .The dance drama was finally over, the curtain was lowered, and the audience burst into wild applause.

There is a ballet in Italian opera intermission, so the intermission is very short, but opera singers can change their costumes and take a break calmly, because at this time dancers come on stage to perform pirouettes and a series of jumping movements.The prelude to the second act of the opera began, and when the bow struck the first note, Franz saw the man with closed eyes slowly stand up and walk to the side of the Greek beauty, who turned her face to the He said a few words, and then leaned over the railing of the box again.Although the man moved closer to talk to the Greek woman, he was still standing in the dark, and Franz still couldn't see his face clearly.As the curtain opened, Franz's attention was momentarily drawn to the actors, and his eyes turned from the box where the Greek beauty was to the stage for a moment.

As the reader knows, the second act of "Parisina" begins with a duet in a dream.Parisina revealed the secret of her love for Yugo to her husband Yazo in her sleep. The disappointed husband was furious because of jealousy. Finally, he was convinced that his wife had been unfaithful to him, so he woke her up and announced to his face that he would take revenge.This duet is the Italian composer Donizetti (1797-1848), the prolific composer, and the above-mentioned "Lucia Lamemore" is one of his masterpieces.One of the most beautiful, moving, and stirring things ever written.Franz listened to this piece for the third time. Although he was not a crazy music fan, he was deeply moved after listening to it.But when he was about to applaud and applaud with the applause and applause of the audience, his hands that were about to clap were frozen and opened, and the applause that had reached his mouth was swallowed again.The man opposite the van had also stood up now, and with his head thrust into the light, Franz saw clearly that this man was the mysterious inhabitant of Monte Cristo, who had seemed to have been killed by him the night before in the ruins of the Circus. The one who recognized the size and voice.There was no need to doubt that this amazing tourist lived in Rome.When Franz saw this person appear, he was extremely shocked, and the expression on his face was naturally revealed, because the countess who was looking at him couldn't help laughing, and then asked him what happened.

"Countess," replied Franz, "I asked you just now if you knew the Albanian woman, and now I am going to ask you if you know her husband."

"I know neither woman nor man," replied the countess.

"Have you never paid attention to him?"

"Only you French! Do you know that for us Italian women there are no men in society except those whom we love."

"Exactly," said Franz.

"Anyway," said the countess, holding Albert's glass to her eyes, and looking towards the box opposite, "this man must have just been dug out of the grave, and the gravedigger sent him out of the grave." A walking corpse that crawled out of it, I think his face is frighteningly white."

"He's always been like that," said Franz.

"So you know him?" asked the countess. "Then I'm going to ask you, who is he?"

"I think I've seen him before, so I should recognize him."

"So it is," said the Countess, shrugging her beautiful shoulders as if a shudder was running through her veins, "I see that such a man, once seen, is never forgotten." .”

Franz's feelings were obviously not his own, for other people besides him felt the same way.After the countess picked up the binoculars and looked again, he asked the countess: "Well, what do you think of that man?"

"It's like a living Lord Rothman."

Such quotations from Byron's characters impressed Franz deeply. If anyone could convince him that there were indeed ghosts who came out of the grave at night to suck human blood, it was this person. "I must find out who he is," said Franz, rising.

"No, no," cried the countess, "no, you cannot leave me, I am counting on you to take me home, and I will not let you go."

"Why?" said Franz, leaning closer to her ear, "really, are you frightened?"

"Listen," said the countess to him, "Byron swore to me that he believed in vampires, even told me he had seen them, and described them to me, oh, with this Exactly the same: the hair is black, the eyes shoot out two strange lights, the face is deathly pale. And, you see, the woman next to him is not like ordinary women... She is a foreigner, a Greek , a sectarian... must be like him, a witch. I advise you not to go to that box. Tomorrow, you can find out as much as you want, but today, I said that you will not let you go." But , Franz still insisted on going. "Listen," said the countess, standing up, "I'm going home. I have guests at home, and I can't wait until the play is over. Don't you even know how to be courteous, and don't you want to go home with me? "

(End of this chapter)