World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 65 Roman Carnival (1)
When Franz regained consciousness, he saw Albert drinking from a cup.Albert's face was pale, it seemed that he really needed to drink some water, and the count had begun to wear the clothes of the clown.Franz mechanically looked at the square again, the guillotine, the executioner, the condemned prisoner, everything had disappeared, leaving only the happy crowd bustling with excitement.The great bell on the Sittorio Hill, which only struck at the death of the Pope and the beginning of the masquerade, was now striking vigorously. "Well," he asked the count, "what happened?"

"Nothing, nothing happened," said the count, "only, as you can see, the carnival has begun, so let's change quickly."

"Indeed," said Franz to the count, "this dreadful scene has passed like a dream."

"It was just a dream, you just had a nightmare."

"Yes, I am, but what about the prisoner?"

"It was a dream too, but he will sleep forever, and you will wake up. Who can tell which of you is luckier?"

"And Pepino," asked Franz, "what happened to him?"

"Pepino is a reasonable young man, and he can't think of any self-respect. Ordinary people lose their temper when they are not cared for by others. He is not, and he is happy to see everyone's attention focused on his companion. Terribly, while no one was paying attention, he sneaked into the crowd and slipped away, not even caring to thank the two venerable priests who had been with him all the time. Indeed, man is an ungrateful and extremely selfish animal . . . but put on your clothes anyway, and you see Mr. Mocerf has made the appearance for you."

Sure enough, Albert was mechanically slipping the taffeta trousers of the jester's suit over his black trousers and shiny leather boots.

"Well, Albert?" asked Franz. "Would you like to have a good time? Answer me honestly, will you?"

"No," said Albert, "but, to be honest, I am very happy to see such a thing, and I understand what the count said just now, that is, once you get used to seeing such scenes, you don't want to see them again." less emotional."

"In addition, it is only at this time that one can examine a person's nature." The count said, "As soon as you step on the first step of the guillotine, the god of death will tear off the mask that you have worn all your life, revealing your true face. It should be said, Andra's not in good shape.... The loathsome rascal!... Put on your clothes, gentlemen, put on your clothes."

It would be ridiculous for Franz not to change clothes like his two companions, but to ask for invitations repeatedly like the little mistress.So he changed his clothes too, and put on a mask as pale as his own.When they had finished their make-up they went downstairs, where the carriage was waiting at the door, piled high with plaster balls and bouquets of flowers.They pushed into the ranks of the carriage.The changes before and after in the square are so unpredictable, it is hard to imagine any more thorough contrast.The National Square had just been a gloomy and silent atmosphere of death, but now it was replaced by a carnival scene full of ecstatic and loud voices.Everyone put on a mask, some stepped through the door of the building, some stepped down the window sill, and swarmed from all directions.Horse-drawn carriages drove up from every street corner, and some of the people in the carriages were dressed up as clowns in white clothes, some in gaudy patchwork clothes, pretending to be funny characters, and some in long black coats and hoods, pretending to be old-timers. Priests, others pretending to be governors of the ancient frontier provinces, Transsteverers, burlesque dancers, knights or peasants.Everyone was screaming, dancing, flying eggshells stuffed with flour, little plaster balls, bouquets of flowers, everyone was teasing everyone else, some with words, some with throwable objects, no distinction was made. Whether it is a friend or an outsider, an acquaintance or a stranger, no one is angry, everyone just laughs.

Franz and Albert seemed to be drinking away their sorrows, gradually sinking into drunkenness, and the more they drank, the more they felt that a veil had been drawn between the past and the present.But they can always see, or rather, always feel that what they have just seen is still discernible.Gradually, however, the frenzy and excitement that overflowed everywhere also infected them, as if they were going to lose a little bit of their already very weak sanity.They feel an inexplicable need within themselves to yell, dance, and go crazy with everyone else.A small plaster ball was thrown at Moserf from a nearby carriage, and he and his two companions were all over his body. His neck and the parts of his face that were exposed outside the mask seemed to be covered by 100 plaster balls. It felt numb and itchy like a small needle prick, and finally wrapped him into a masked melee.In fact, the melee had already begun, and they were just watching from the sidelines.So he stood up in the carriage, snatched a handful of eggshells from the large bag on the carriage, and with all his strength and astuteness he could, threw them at the people in the neighboring carriages.And just like that, the battle began.The impression left by these two young people half an hour ago has disappeared. What they see now is only the colorful, cheerful and crazy crowd, and their attention is completely attracted. .As for the Count of Monte Cristo, as we have described above, he was always on the sidelines.

Just imagine that you are on this wide and gorgeous Kur Street.From one end to the other on both sides of the street, there are gorgeous buildings of five or six stories high, with tapestry hanging on the balcony and flags flying on the window.The balconies and windowsills were full of spectators, as many as 30, including Romans, Italians, and foreigners from all over the world.All the princes and dignitaries, no matter they are inherited from generation to generation, rich and glorious, or successful and famous, will gather here.Those beautiful and charming women were also infected by this scene, or leaning on the balcony, or leaning on the window, throwing small balls to the passing carriages one after another, while the people in the carriages threw bouquets of flowers to them.The entire sky is mottled, small balls are falling one after another, and flowers are floating up.The crowds on the street are constantly flowing, one by one jumping up and down, mesmerized, and their costumes are so strange, some pretend to be big-headed dolls and run around, some have the head of a cow and bark, some It has become a big dog that seems to be walking on two hind legs.Amidst the chaos and noise, only a mask was lifted, Kahlo French painter (1592-1635).The imaginary St. Anthony the Portuguese (1195-1231), the holy master of the church, is said to have magical powers such as recovering lost items and healing the sick.A general temptation arose, and so a certain Astar, the Phoenician god of love and fertility.With a charming face, you really want to follow her, but a group of ghosts and ghosts appear like a dream, pushing the beauty away.All of these can make you roughly imagine the excitement of the Roman Carnival.

Turning to the second circle, the count stopped the carriage, and took his leave of his two companions, leaving the carriage at their disposal.Franz looked up, and they were right in front of the Rospoli Palace.On the middle window-sill, hung with a curtain of white satin and a red cross, sat a figure in a long blue coat and hood, which Franz instantly guessed from his imagination to be the Greek beauty from the Teatro Argentino.

"My gentlemen," said the count, jumping down from the carriage, "if you are tired of playing and just want to look around, you know that you can use my window seat. Now, take my coachman, my carriage and my servants, please. Just order."

We forgot to mention that the earl's coachman was thickly wrapped in a black bearskin, exactly like Audry's costume in "The Bear and the Lord", and the two footmen standing behind the coach were dressed as two green furs. Monkey, the clothes are cut to fit very well, and the mask on the face is spring-loaded, which can make faces at the people passing by at any time.

Franz thanked the count for his concern, but Albert was busy courting the Roman peasant girls in the next cart, throwing bouquets of flowers to them.That carriage, like the earl's carriage, stopped for a while to rest, and many carriages were like this, walking for a while to rest.It was Albert's misfortune that the procession of carriages moved again, and his carriage headed for the Place de la National, while the carriage which had attracted his attention headed for the Palazzo Venezia.

"Ah, my dear friend," he said to Franz, "don't you see?"

"What?" asked Franz.

"Look, it's the four-wheeled carriage that is going away, and the Roman peasant girl on top of it."

"Not paying attention."

"Oh, I'm sure they are all beautiful."

"You are very unlucky to be wearing a mask, my dear Albert," said Franz. "This would be a good time to make up for your disappointment in love."

"Oh," he said with a half-doubting smile, "I'd very much like to make amends for a few days at the carnival."

But no matter what Albert hoped, there was no adventure all day, except that the carriage full of Roman peasant girls met two or three times later, and once they met, I don’t know whether it was a coincidence or Albert’s intention. Yes, his mask fell off.When the carriage passed by, he held the remaining flowers in his carriage and threw them all over.The people in the carriage were all dressed in the costumes of peasant girls, very coquettish. Albert expected that these were all beautiful and charming women, and one of them was really moved by his courteousness. When Albert and Franz's carriage passed by again , she actually threw a bouquet of purple flowers over.Albert immediately turned and threw himself at the floating bouquet, but Franz had no reason to believe that it was thrown to him, so he left Albert to catch it.Albert triumphantly stuck the flowers in the buttonhole of his coat, while the carriage drove on with dignity.

"Very well!" said Franz to him, "the love affair has begun."

"You can make fun of it all you want," replied Albert, "but to tell you the truth, I really think so, and that's why I can't bear the bouquet."

"Of course! I'm sure!" laughed Franz. "It's a token."

Sure enough, it didn't take long for the fake show to come true. The carriage of Franz and Albert, who had been following the traffic flow, ran into the four-wheeled carriage of the peasant girls again. The woman who threw the bouquet to Albert saw that the flowers had already disappeared into his buttonhole, and clapped his hands.

"Very well, my dear friend, very well," said Franz, "things are going wonderfully! Shall I go away, and you will be more at ease by yourself?"

"No," Albert said, "don't be too hasty. I don't want to be that foolish guy who's been caught without a fight. Now he's giving me a glance. In our words, I don't know when I can go to the opera house to dance. We only know that we will meet now." By the clock. If the pretty peasant girl wants to keep the play going, we'll find her tomorrow, or rather, she'll come to us, and I'll know what to do if she gives me a word. gone."

"My dear Albert," said Franz, "it is true that you are as shrewd as Nestor, and as prudent as Ulysses. If your Sisese could make you No matter what kind of birds and beasts, it seems that she must be extremely alert, and she must have great supernatural powers."

Albert was right.The nameless beauty must have decided not to continue the play that night, because although the two young men went around a few times and kept staring, they never saw the carriage again, probably it had turned around. To which street next door.So they returned to Rospoli Palace.The count himself and the man in the long blue coat and hood had gone, but there were still people at the two windows, hung with yellow satin curtains, and they must have been the count's guests.At this moment, the big bell that had been rung at the beginning to announce the masquerade ball was rung again, announcing the silence.The traffic on Kuhl Street immediately dispersed.In an instant, all kinds of carriages drove into the various cross roads on the side.Franz and Albert were at this moment on the opposite side of the Rue Malat.The coachman did not lead the way, but drove directly through Malat Street, next to the Rospoli Palace, to the Plaza de España, and finally stopped at the entrance of the hotel.Boss Pastrini rushed to the door to greet the two guests.

As soon as Franz opened his mouth, he asked how the Count was doing, and said that he was very sorry for not bringing the Count back in time, but Pastrini's words reassured him, saying that the Count of Monte Cristo had rented a carriage for himself alone. , had brought him back from the Rospoli Palace at four o'clock, and the count had entrusted him with giving them both the key to the box at the Teatro Argentino.Franz asked Albert if he wanted to go, but Albert, who had a great business to attend to, could not think of going to the theatre, so he did not answer Franz, but asked Master Pastrini if ​​he could Find him a tailor.

"Tailor!" asked the boss, "what do you want a tailor for?"

"Ask him to send us some Roman peasant costumes before tomorrow, in the best possible workmanship," said Albert.

Pastrini shook his head. "Get out two sets of clothes for you by tomorrow?" he shouted. "Please forgive me, this request is too French. Get out two sets of clothes! Within a week, even if you find a tailor to nail a vest If you pay him a crown for each of the six buttons, that's not enough."

"So I'm going to have to give up my idea of ​​getting some suits?"

"No, we have ready-made ones, and I'll take care of that. As soon as you wake up tomorrow morning, you will have clothes, hats, jackets, shorts, everything to your satisfaction."

"My dear friend," said Franz to Albert, "let the matter of clothes be left to our master, who has shown us that he has his way. We shall go to dinner, and after that we shall see The Italian Woman." In Algiers."

"The Italian woman in Algiers is to be seen," said Albert, "but please remember, Master Pastrini, myself and this gentleman," he pointed to Franz. Say, "We must use the clothes we ordered with you tomorrow, this is our top priority."

Once again the proprietor begged the two guests to take care of themselves and make sure they were satisfied, and Franz and Albert went upstairs to change the jester's clothes.When Albert changed his clothes, he carefully put away the bouquet of purple flowers, which was his identification mark tomorrow.The two friends then came to the table to dine, and Albert could not refrain from commenting on the obvious difference between the master Pastrini's cook and the Count of Monte Cristo's cook.Franz seemed to have a prejudice against the count, but in any case he had to admit, in the face of the facts, that Pastrini's chef paled in comparison.Albert and Franz looked at each other when the servants came up to ask them when they were eating their last dessert, and they both genuinely felt that this was inappropriate.The servant understood what they meant, "Your Excellency the Count of Monte Cristo has indeed given orders," he said to the two, "the carriage is at the disposal of your two gentlemen all day today, so please feel free to use it without worrying about being rude." The two young men decided not to disappoint the count's good intentions, and ordered the car to be ready to leave, while they first went to put on their evening dresses, which were somewhat wrinkled after many battles.After dressing up, they set out on their way to the Teatro Argentino, to the count's box.

When the first act was being performed, the Countess Grischi, coming to her own box, looked first at the box where the Count of Monte Cristo had been the night before, and found Franz and Albert sitting in that box, but she Twenty-four hours before, Franz had been given a strange lecture about the Count.Her telescope was fixed on Franz, who knew it would be cruel to delay satisfying her curiosity.It happened that the Italian theater had its convenience, and the audience could use the box as a reception room. Franz and Albert took advantage of this light to leave their box and go to pay their respects to the countess.As soon as they entered the box, the countess beckoned Franz to take a seat in the front row of honor, and this time it was Albert's turn to sit in the back row.

"Oh!" she said as soon as Franz sat down, "I'm not in such a hurry as you are, just wanting to get acquainted with the new Lord Northwind. You have become the best friends in the world." ?”

"Our friendship is not as deep as you say, Countess," replied Franz, "but I cannot deny that we have disturbed him all day."

"What, all day?"

"Yes, that's true. In the morning we were invited to lunch with him, at the masquerade ball we drove all the way around the Rue de Cuhl in his carriage, and in the evening we went to his box to see the theatre."

"Did you know him before?"

"Know and don't know."

"How do you say that?"

"It's a long story."

"Tell me about it."

"You'll be terrified to hear that."

"Tell me another reason."

"At least wait until the story has a clue."

"Okay, I like to hear a story with a beginning and an end. But now you tell me, how do you get on with it? Does anyone have any referrals?"

"No one recommended it. On the contrary, he took the initiative to find us first."

"When?"

"Last night, after leaving your house."

"Who is the matchmaker?"

"Oh, my God, it's so trivial to say, it's our restaurant owner who made the bridge."

"Then he, like you, lives at the London Hotel?"

"Not only live in the same hotel, but live on the same floor."

"What's his name? You must know his name?"

"Yes, his name is the Count of Monte Cristo."

"What kind of name is that? It's not a family name."

"It's really not. He bought an island and called it that."

"Is he the count?"

"He is a count of Tuscany."

"Forget it, we can't say anything about people like them." The countess said, her ancestors were one of the oldest nobles in Venice. "Tell me again, how is the other person?"

"Ask Viscount Mercerf."

"Did you hear, sir? I have been sent to you," said the countess.

(End of this chapter)