World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 66 Roman Carnival (2)
"If we didn't find him lovable, we'd be too picky. A friend of 10 years wouldn't be more accommodating than he is. And he's elegant, nuanced, courteous, and a real upper class people."

"Well," said the countess with a smile, "you will see later that the vampire I'm talking about is just an upstart, and he wants to buy a pardon with his millions of bad money, maybe he will use Lera He looks at people with the same eyes, lest people confuse him with Mr. Rothgiard German banker (1743-1812). Have you seen that woman?"

"Which girl?" asked Franz, smiling.

"The Greek beauty from yesterday."

"No. We heard her playing the monochord, I think, but were not seen."

"That is to say, my dear Franz," said Albert, "it is sheer hypocrisy when you say that no one saw it. The man in the blue robe and hood sitting at the window with the white satin curtains. , who are you?"

"Where are the white satin curtained windows?"

"The Rospoli Palace."

"The count has three windows at Rospoli Palace?"

"Yes, you're from the Rue de Cull, aren't you?"

"of course."

"Very well! Have you noticed that two windows have yellow damask curtains, and one has a white damask curtain with a red cross? All three windows belong to the count."

"Ah, that's right! Didn't this guy come back to Europe after making a fortune in India? Carnival week, renting three windows at the Rospoli Palace, that is to say, in the best part of the Rue de Cull, you know How much does it cost?"

"Two or three hundred Roman crowns."

"Two or three thousand, you know?"

"Oh!"

"Has such a good income on his island?"

"The island? Totally penniless."

"Why did he buy the island?"

"A pure whim."

"Is that a weirdo?"

"In short," said Albert, "I find him rather queer. If he had lived in Paris long and had been a frequent visitor to our theatres, I could say, my dear friend, that he was a mischievous man, or a well-loved man. A nerd who hurts written works. Really, the two or three tricks he played this morning are very similar to the characters in Didier Hugo's play "Marion Delorme". Or the characters in the play of the same name by Antoine Dumas .'s style."

At this moment another visitor came, and Franz, as usual, gave up his seat to the newcomer, and this arrival, together with the change of seats, changed the subject.An hour later, the two friends returned to the hotel.Master Pastrini had arranged for their fancy dress for the morrow, and boasted that they would be pleased with his intelligence.

Sure enough, at nine o'clock the next day he came to Franz's room, and the tailor who came with him brought eight or nine Roman peasant costumes.Franz and Albert each chose a set of clothes of the same style that roughly fit them, and asked the boss to find someone to sew a ribbon of about 9 meters on each of their hats, and then wore long and thin ribbons according to the common people's holiday dress. Loose belts, and find each of them a lovely long silk shawl in bright colours.Albert was anxious to see how he would look in this attire.He wore a blue velvet jacket and breeches, embroidered stockings, buckled shoes, and a silk waistcoat, which made Albert even more of a man.He elegantly wrapped his belt around his belt, and then tilted his hat slightly to one side, and the rippling ribbons fell on his shoulders. At this time, Franz had to admit that we say that certain peoples have beautiful bodies, and clothing often plays an important role. role.The Turks used to wear their brightly colored robes, which were elegant and chic. Now they wear blue button-down dresses and Greek shorts, which look like wine bottles with red caps. Isn't it ugly?Franz paid Albert a compliment, and Albert himself looked in the glass, smiling and triumphant.While they were busy adorning, the Count of Monte Cristo entered.

"Gentlemen," he said, "it's nice to have company, but it's better to play freely, so I'm here to tell you, just use my carriage for a few days like yesterday. The hotel owner may I have already told you that I have chartered three or four other carriages at the hotel, so I will not be without a carriage because of you. You two can use the carriage as you like, whether you want to play or do your business. If we have anything to discuss, we can meet at Rospoli Palace."

The two young men wanted to decline politely, but they couldn't find a proper reason, and they couldn't bear such kindness, so they didn't refuse in the end.The Count of Monte Cristo spent about a quarter of an hour with them, answering all kinds of questions fluently.As the reader has noted, he is well acquainted with the literature of all countries.From the picture frame hanging on the wall of his living room, Franz and Albert knew that he loved oil painting, and from the few ordinary words he uttered casually, they heard that he was no stranger to science. Specializes in chemistry.Both Franz and Albert were ashamed to invite the count to lunch in return, because it would be like playing a trick on the count to return the count's good food and wine with the simple food and drink of the pastrini boss.They frankly expressed their thoughts to the earl, and the earl expressed his understanding, and he praised them for being so polite in his words.Albert was fascinated by the earl's demeanor. If he hadn't mentioned science, Albert would have regarded him as an out-and-out gentleman.What made Albert even more delighted was that he could use the carriage at will.He had already taken a fancy to those beautiful peasant girls, and when he met him yesterday, they sat in a very elegant carriage, and it would certainly not be a disappointment if they could still keep pace with them in this aspect today.

At 01:30 in the afternoon, Franz and Albert went downstairs, and the coachman and footman could really imagine that they should put their livery on top of the animal skins they wore in disguise. This is more ridiculous than yesterday, frank Lowndes and Albert praised him.The bouquet of purple flowers had faded, but Albert inserted them in the buttonhole with great affection.At the sound of the bell, they set off at once, and hurried from Victoria Street into Coole Street.On the second round, a bouquet of fresh purple flowers was thrown from a carriage full of harlequins, and fell right into the count's carriage.Albert saw that the peasant girls whom he had seen yesterday had changed their disguises today, just like he and his friends.Perhaps it was a coincidence, perhaps a sympathy, that Albert elegantly put on their dress, and they put on his.Albert replaced the old ones with fresh ones, but the withered bouquet was still in his hands.When he came across the hansom again, he made himself affectionate, and lifted the flowers to his lips, a gesture which seemed to please not only the flower-throwing beauty, but also her crazy girlfriends.The day was as lively as yesterday, and, if one looked closely, it was even louder and full of laughter.For a moment Franz and Albert saw the count at his window-sill, but when the carriage passed again he was gone.It is needless to say that Albert and the beauty in the buffoon costume who threw the purple flowers spent the whole day flirting with each other.

Returning in the evening, Franz received a letter from the embassy informing him that he would have the honor of being received by His Majesty the Pope tomorrow.Every time before he came to Rome, he had to ask for this grace, and each time it was granted.Out of religious belief and gratitude, as long as he came to Rome, the capital of the Christian world, he must go to St. Pierre, one of the 12 disciples of Christ, and was regarded as the first pope.to pay his respects at the feet of his successor, for Saint-Pierre is a rare example of all virtues.Franz forgot about the carnival that day.Known as Grigley XVI, Pope from 1831 to 1846.This old man is not only noble but also sacred, although he is majestic and kind, but whenever he sees him, everyone is very excited and respectful.When Franz came out of the Vatican, he deliberately bypassed the Rue de la Cour and went straight back to the hotel.It would be blasphemous to go to a masquerade ball full of piety after the Pope received him.

At 5:10, Albert also returned, and he was very happy.The woman in the clown costume changed into a peasant girl's dress again, and when she met Albert's carriage face-to-face, she took off the mask.She is so beautiful.Franz congratulated Albert with all sincerity, and Albert listened to these compliments with an air of conscientiousness, and said that he had recognized the unknown beauty, from certain manners which were difficult to imitate. She is a noble lady.Albert resolved to write to her tomorrow.When Franz listened to Albert's confession, he found that Albert seemed to ask him for help with something, but he hesitated to bring it up.So he decided on the beauty of manhood, and explained himself first, that for Albert's good fortune, he would never refuse to sacrifice any sacrifice he could make.Albert gave way again and again, until the friendship of his friend was justified, and finally he told Franz the truth, and asked Franz to grant him the carriage by himself tomorrow.Albert believed that it was due to the absence of Franz that the beautiful peasant girl was so devoted to unmasking.The reader will know that Franz would not have been so selfish as to stop Albert in the middle of an adventure which, moreover, had not only been delightful, aroused his curiosity, but delighted and satisfied him. his pride.Franz knew very well that his venerable friend had nothing to hide, and would tell him all that had happened.In the past two or three years, although Franz has traveled all over Italy, he has never had the opportunity to weave this beautiful story. It is not impossible for him to hear the ins and outs of such a beautiful thing.In this way, he promised Albert that he would look at the window of the Rospoli Palace all day tomorrow.

The next day, he did see Albert go round and round.Albert was holding a bouquet of flowers, which he apparently intended to deliver as a love letter.If at first it was only possible, later it became certain.For the bouquet was easily recognizable as a bouquet of white camellias, which Franz saw afterwards had reached the hands of a charming woman in a rose-red satin jester's costume.So this evening Albert was not only beaming, but quite dizzy, and he believed that the unknown beauty would follow suit and send him an answer.Franz, anticipating his intentions, told Albert that the noise of the carnival had grown tired of hearing him, and that he would like to look at the album again and write some notes all day tomorrow.Albert was not mistaken, for when he came to Franz's room the next evening, Franz saw him jumping for joy, pinching the corners of a square of paper with his fingers, and shaking it mechanically.

"Well," said Albert, "I am not mistaken?"

"Has she answered?" cried Franz.

"Please read," said Albert, in a tone that cannot describe the words.Franz took the note and read:
Please get off at Pont Fish Street at 7 o'clock on Tuesday night.A Roman peasant girl is coming to take your yolk candle, please follow her.In order for this woman to recognize you, when you come to the first step of the church of San Giacomo, you should tie a rose-colored ribbon on the shoulder of your jester's jacket.I won't see you until Tuesday.Loyal and cautious.

"How?" asked Albert, as soon as Franz had finished reading, "how do you feel, my dear friend?"

"It seems to me," replied Franz, "that it has gone so far as to be quite an affair."

"I think so too," said Albert. "I am afraid that you will be the only one to go to the Duke Braciano's ball."

It turned out that on this morning, both Franz and Albert had received invitations to a ball from the famous banker in Rome. "Please note, my dear Albert," said Franz, "that all the nobles of Rome will go to the ducal palace, and if your unknown beauty is a real lady, she will not fail to show her face."

"Whether she appears or not, my opinion of her remains the same," continued Albert. "Have you read the letter?"

"Yes."

"Do you know how incomplete the education of women of the propertied classes in Italy is?"

(End of this chapter)