World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 7 Wedding Banquet (2)
"By the court!" cried a loud voice, but no one in the hall answered.In an instant the door was pushed open, and a police officer wearing a ribbon came in, followed by four ordinary soldiers with guns and a corporal.The restlessness in the hall turned to panic.

"What's the matter?" asked the skipper, who recognized the officer. "There must be some misunderstanding, sir."

"Mr. Morrel," replied the Inspector, "if it is a misunderstanding, please believe me, it will be cleared up soon. But now I am only under orders to arrest people. Although I am very reluctant to carry out this task, the order has to be carried out. Which one, gentlemen, is Edmond Dantès?"

All eyes turned to the young man.The young man, though very nervous, still behaved dignifiedly, took a step forward and said, "I am, sir. Excuse me, what can I do?"

"Edmond Dantès," continued the inspector, "I arrest you in the name of the law."

"Arrest me?" said Edmund, turning slightly pale. "Why?"

"I don't know, sir, but you will know at the first interrogation."

M. Morrel knew well that it was no use arguing over such rigid matters.The police officer who wears the ribbon is not a person, but a statue embodying the law, ruthless, ruthless, and insensitive to argument.But old Dantès didn't think so, he hurried to the police officer, there are some things that a parent's heart can never understand.The old man begged again and again, and his tears and entreaties were of course in vain, but his deep disappointment touched the heart of the policeman.

"Sir," said the police officer, "please keep calm. Your son may have neglected some customs or quarantine procedures. It is very likely that he will be released after he has explained the matter clearly."

"Hmph, what kind of trick is this?" Caderos frowned and asked Tangra.Tangla pretended to be surprised and replied, "How do I know, me? I'm just like you. I just watched this and didn't know anything. I was confused." Caderos looked around. Looking for Fernan, but Fernan has disappeared.At this moment Cuderos recalled with great sobriety the events of the previous day, as if the catastrophe had lifted the veil that had veiled him and his memory during his drunkenness the day before. "Oh, oh," he said in a hoarse voice, "Dangla, is this the second half of the joke you said yesterday? If it is true, the person who made this joke will be doomed, it's too despicable. "

"That's nothing!" Tangra yelled, "You clearly saw me tear up that piece of paper."

"You didn't tear it," said Cudeross, "you threw the paper in a corner, yes."

"Shut up! What do you see? You're drunk."

"Where are the Fernandos?" Caderos asked.

"How do I know?" Tang La replied, "Maybe he has gone to his own business. Let's leave him alone and find a way to help those unfortunate people."

While the two of them were talking, Dantès smiled and shook hands with his friends one by one, and then let the soldiers come to arrest him, saying: "Please rest assured, the misunderstanding will be cleared up soon, I'm afraid I haven't seen you in prison yet." Then things will be settled.”

"Yes, definitely, I'm sure." Tang La said, and then he came back to everyone.

Dantès followed the policeman down the stairs between two soldiers.A carriage with its doors open was waiting outside the hotel, and he got into it, and the policeman and two soldiers got into it.Then the doors were closed and the carriage drove off towards Marseilles.

"Goodbye, Edmond! Goodbye, Dantès!" Mercedes shouted, leaning over the railing.

The prisoner heard that last cry, like a sob from the torn heart of his fiancée.He stuck his head out of the window and shouted: "Goodbye, Mercedes!" At this moment, the carriage rounded the corner of Fort Saint-Nicolas and disappeared.

"You will wait here for me," said M. Morrel. "I will get a carriage to Marseilles at once, and when I hear the news, I will tell you."

"Go, go," everyone said in unison, "Go and come back!"

The two carriages drove away one after the other, and the people left were dumbfounded.Old Dantès and Mercedes stood beside each other sadly and silently, but at last their eyes met, and they couldn't help feeling that they were two victims of the same blow, so they hugged each other tightly.At this time, Fernan returned to the hall.He poured himself a glass of water and drank it down, then sat down on a chair.Mercedes got rid of the old man's embrace, and just fell on the chair next to Fernand.Fernand abruptly moved his chair back.Caderos never left Fernand's eyes, he said to Tangra:
"it's him."

"I don't believe it," Tang La replied, "Then he is too stupid, anyway, let him take the blame."

"Why don't you talk about the person who advised him?" Caderos said.

"Oh, my God," Tangla said, "do you have to be responsible for everything you say?"

"Yes, it's tricky and weird if you say it casually."

At this time, everyone was talking about the arrest.

"Tang La, what do you think about this matter?" Someone asked.

"I," Tangla said, "I think he might have brought some contraband."

"But, it's true, you should know, Tangla, you are the accountant on the ship."

"Yes, I'm the accountant. But the accountant doesn't know what's there until after the account is paid. I know we've got cotton on board and nothing else. The cotton is at Mr. Pastre's in Alexandria and Pascale in Smyrna. Ask me anything else, and I can't tell."

"Well, I remember now," murmured the poor old man at the words, "yesterday he said he brought me a pack of coffee and a pack of tobacco."

"Look," Tangra said, "I'm not mistaken. I must have searched on the 'King of Egypt' at the customs and found the secret item while we were away."

Mercedes didn't believe such a thing at all, and the sadness accumulated in her heart broke out in the sound of sobs.

"Come, come, there is still hope." Old Dantès said, but he was also dizzy with anger, not knowing what he was talking about.

"There is hope." Tangra continued.

"There is hope." Fernand muttered, but his words were choked up, and his trembling lips could not utter a single sound.

"Gentlemen," cried one of the guests who had been standing watch in the corridor, "gentlemen, I see the carriage! Oh, it is Mr. Morrel, very good, very good! He will bring us good news." coming."

Mercedes and old Dantès rushed out to meet the captain, meeting him at the door, where M. Morrel turned pale.

"How?" The old and the young asked in unison.

"Alas, gentlemen!" said the captain, shaking his head, "things are more serious than we thought."

"Hey, sir," cried Mercedes, "he's innocent!"

"I believe so," replied M. Morrel, "but he is accused of..."

"Sue him for what?" asked old Dantès.

"Say he's a Napoleonist."

The reader, who has lived through the period in which our story takes place, will remember how terrible the crime Mr. Morrel has just spoken of was in those days.Suddenly Mercedes screamed, and old Dantès fell down on a chair.

"Ah, Tangra," Caderos murmured, "you lied to me, and the trick really came out. But I can't let them, the old and the young, worry about their lives. I have to make it clear to them."

"Shut up, are you crazy?" Tangra squeezed Cuderos's hand tightly and said, "or I will leave you alone. Who told you that Dantès is really innocent? The ship docked at Elba Island , he went ashore and stayed in Portoferraio all day. If any letters were found on him and he was really involved, anyone who spoke for him would have to be treated as an accomplice."

Soon, out of selfish nature, Cudeross took the weight of this statement.He was frightened and very sad in his heart, staring at Tang La with dull eyes.In the end, he had no choice but to take two steps forward, and murmured, "Let's talk about it later."

"By the way, wait a minute." Tang La said, "If he is innocent, of course he will be released. If he is really guilty, it is not a crime to be implicated by someone who conspired against him."

"Well, let's go, I can't stay here any longer."

"Yes, let's go." Tang La said, he was very proud, and found an accomplice when he was about to retire, "Let's go, they go or not, as they wish."

The two of them left the hotel.Fernand became the girl's protector again, and he took her by the arm and sent her to the village of Catalunya.Dantès' friends accompanied the almost fainted old man back to Maihang Lane in Marseille.Immediately, rumors spread like wildfire, and the whole city of Marseille knew that Dantès was a member of Napoleon's party, and he had been arrested and brought to justice.M. Morrel also hastened back to the city. He knew M. Villefort, the deputy prosecutor, and wanted to know something about Edmond.On the way, Mr. Morrel caught up with the accountant and Caderos of the "King of Egypt", and he asked: "Will you believe such a thing, Tangra?"

"Hey, sir!" Tangra replied, "I told you that there was no reason for Dantès to stop at Elba, and it seemed to me that it was not clear."

"Have you ever spoken of your suspicions to anyone but me?"

"I am very cautious in this matter, sir." Tangra whispered, "You know, Mr. Lingshu Bolica Morrel confessed in the previous court, and he did not hide his thoughts. So people are already suspecting that you miss Napoleon deeply. I am afraid that if you are not careful, you will hurt Edmond, and you will be hurt if you chase after him. There are some things that we as subordinates must make clear to the captain, but we should tell others. Keep your mouth shut."

"Very well, Tangra! Very well!" said the captain, "you are very kind. That's why I thought of you when I was going to mention poor Dantès as the captain of the King of Egypt."

"Yes, sir?"

"Yes, I asked Dantès in advance, do you think of you? Does he feel a bit reluctant to keep you on board? I don't know why, but I always feel that the two of you are a bit at odds."

"How did he answer you?"

"He felt that he was a little sorry for you. As for what it was for, he didn't say much. He also said that he would trust anyone who the owner of the ship trusted."

"Hypocrisy!" Tangra muttered in a low voice.

"Poor Dantès!" said Caderos, "how well he talks, and what a fine fellow he is."

"Yes," said M. Morrel, "but the King of Egypt is short of a captain."

"Oh!" Tangra said, "don't be discouraged, anyway, we won't set sail for three months, and Dantès will be released by then."

"Yes, that's for sure, but what about the time now?"

"Well, Monsieur Morrel," Tangra said, "at least I am here during this time. You know, I can also steer a big ship, no less than a first-class ocean-going captain. You use me for you. Very advantageous, because once Edmond is released, you don't have to fire anyone, he does his work, I do mine, it's very simple."

"Thank you, Tangla," said the owner, "this idea is indeed the best of both worlds. You can start commanding now, I have authorized you. Also, please supervise the unloading. No matter what happens to people, business cannot be affected influences."

"Don't worry, sir. But, good Edmond, we must go and see him."

"We'll talk about it later, Tangra. I'm going to speak to M. de Villefort, and to intercede for Edmond. I know he's a fanatical royalist, but, what can I say, how can he be himself?" The royalist, as his prosecutor, is also a human being, and I don't think he can be a villain."

"No," Tang La said, "but I've heard people say that he is very ambitious, and it seems that's the case."

"Anyway," said M. Morrel with a sigh, "we'll see and talk. You go back to the ship first, and I'll come to you later." After speaking, the captain left the two people and walked towards the court alone.

"Look," Tangra said to Caderos, "things have changed! Do you still want to speak for Dantès?"

"Of course I don't want to, but it's just too scary to make such a joke out of it."

"My God! Who made this joke? It wasn't you, and it wasn't me, was it? It was Fernand. You know very well that I threw that piece of paper into the corner, and I even felt like I was tearing it up." It's broken."

"No, no," said Caderousse, "oh, I can't be mistaken on that point. I can see clearly whether the paper is in the corner of the arbor, all crumpled up, or in a ball. Well. I wish the paper was still where I saw it."

"What do you mean by that? Fernan must have picked up the paper and copied a new chapter, or asked someone to copy it. Fernan didn't even bother to copy it. Ah, I remembered, My God! Maybe he just sent the letter I wrote. It's a good thing my handwriting is fake."

"Then you know that Dantès was involved in the conspiracy?"

"I don't know anything. I told you long ago that I thought it was a joke and nothing else. It seems that I look like the buffoon in the Italian comedy of Alequin. Yes, the joke said truth."

"It's all the same anyway," continued Cuderos. "I've said a lot, I don't want to get into this kind of thing, at least I don't want to get involved in it. You see, it's going to make us miserable, Tangra! "

"If it's bad luck, it should be the real sinner, and the real sinner is Fernand, not the two of us. Think about it, what kind of bad luck will we have? As long as we don't panic and don't mention it, The storm passed before the thunderstorm."

"Amen!" Cuderos snorted. He signaled his farewell to Tangla, and then walked towards Maihang Lane.He shook his head and muttered to himself as he walked, as if he was full of thoughts.

"Okay!" Tangra said to himself, "Things are completely as I expected. Now I am the acting captain. As long as the fool Cuderos doesn't talk too much, the captain will be the captain. In case the court decides that Don Did Tes let it go? Hey!" He continued with a slight smile, "The court is the court, and you can't do anything wrong with it." Then, he jumped into a small boat and ordered the boatman to take him aboard the "King of Egypt".The reader will recall that the owner of the ship promised to meet him on that ship.

(End of this chapter)