World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 70
The next day, as soon as Albert got up, he asked Franz to accompany him to visit the count.He had already thanked the count the previous evening, but he knew that he must thank him again for the count who had driven him so far.Franz felt that the Count of Monte Cristo was both lovely and terrifying, so he didn't want Albert to go to see the count alone, so he went with him.The two were ushered into the living room, and five minutes later the count also came into the living room.

"Monsieur," said Albert, going up to him, "permit me to repeat to you this morning my lack of words last night. I shall never forget the circumstances under which you rescued me, and I shall never." Remember, you are, or almost were, my savior."

"My dear neighbor," replied the count, laughing, "you have exaggerated your debt to me, and I have nothing else to do but save you about 2 francs in your travel expenses. You deserve your gratitude. You know that such things are not worth mentioning. On the contrary," he went on, "permit me to offer you my sincere congratulations, and your admirable attitude of letting things take their course."

"I did it out of necessity, Count!" said Albert. "I only thought it was a quarrel, followed by a duel, and my intention was to make these robbers understand the fact that there are fights all over the world, but Only the French are laughing when they fight. However, your kindness to me is still overwhelming. I am here to ask you whether there is anything I, or my relatives and friends, can do for you. A place of service. My father, the Count Mercerf, though of Spanish descent, held high positions in both France and Spain, and I want to say to you that I and all who love me will run for you."

"Ah!" said the count, "I would like to tell you the truth, Mr. Mocerf, that I do expect your help, and I appreciate your kindness very much, and I have already intended to ask you for a great favor."

"what's up?"

"I've never been to Paris, so I don't know anything about Paris..."

"Is that true?" cried Albert. "You have never seen Paris in your life? It is inconceivable."

"However, this is absolutely true. However, we coincidentally. It would be absurd to be so ignorant of this capital of human wisdom. It's just that I don't know anyone in the upper class of Paris. If I really have Acquaintances can introduce me, and why has the indispensable trip to Paris not taken place so far!"

"Yes, a man like you has not been able to make it!" exclaimed Albert.

"You are too polite. However, I feel that I have nothing to do except to be able to compete with the big Spanish banker Acquado (1784-1842). I am really not good at comparing with millionaires like Rothgold, and I I didn’t go to Paris to play any stock exchange, so I didn’t go there for a long time. Now that I have you, I have made up my mind. Well, my dear Monsieur Mocerf,” said the count, with a very serious look on his face. Strange smile, "When I go to France, will you promise to open the doors of this high society for me? Once I get there, I will be exactly the same as the North American Indians or Cochin China. stranger."

"Oh, Monsieur Count, I will do this with all my heart and without ambiguity. I will be more than happy to help, and," said Albert, "my dear Franz, don't laugh, and, just this morning I I received a letter from my father calling me back to Paris to consider my fate with a certain family, which is very happy and has a lot of friends in Paris."

"Is it better to have two surnames?" Franz said with a smile.

"Oh, my God, that's exactly it! So when you get back to Paris, you'll find me settled, perhaps the head of the family. It's in keeping with my dignified nature, isn't it? Anyhow, I'd like to Say it again, count, that I and my family have the utmost loyalty to you."

"Then I will be humble," said the count. "To tell you the truth, I have been contemplating certain plans for a long time, and now I am waiting for such an opportunity to carry them out."

Franz immediately thought that these plans might be the result of the count's revelation in the cave of Monte Cristo, so as soon as the count said these words, he looked towards the count, hoping to see some clues from the count's face. What exactly was the plan that prompted the count to go to Paris.But the man's mind, especially when he concealed it with a smile, was hard to fathom.

"But, count," continued Albert, feeling very pleased with himself at the thought of introducing to Paris society such a man as the Count of Monte Cristo, "is the plan you speak of the same as we have thought of during our travels?" The plan is the same, but it’s just a random thought, is it something that was built on the beach, and it will disappear without a trace when a gust of wind blows?”

"Not at all, I can swear it," said the count. "I said I was going to Paris, and I must go."

"when to go?"

"When will you be in Paris yourself?"

"I," said Albert, "oh, my God! I am going home, and will be there in two or three weeks at the most."

"Very well," said the count, "I will give you three months, and you see that is a very generous time."

"Then," cried Albert with delight, "you will come to my house in three months' time?"

"Would you like to say exactly what day and what time we will meet?" said the count. "I would like to remind you that I am very punctual."

"The day and the hour have been settled," said Albert, "that suits me so well."

"Okay, that's it." The count said, pointing to the calendar hanging on the side of the full-length mirror, "Today is February 2," he took out his watch and said, "21:10 in the morning. Wait for me at 5:21 in the morning, is that okay?"

"Excellent!" said Albert. "Lunch is ready."

"Where do you live?"

"27 Erard Road."

"You are alone at home, I won't cause you any inconvenience, will I?"

"I live with my father, but I live alone in a small building deep in the courtyard."

"Very good." The count took out his notepad and wrote: "At 5:21 in the morning on May 10st, No. 27, Erede Road." After writing, he put the notepad back in his pocket, and then said, "Now, you may Don't worry, I will be exactly like the hands of the clock in your house, every minute and every second."

"Will I see you before I go?" asked Albert.

"Not necessarily, when are you leaving?"

"Leave at five o'clock tomorrow night."

"Well, I must bid you farewell. I have business to go to Naples, and I won't be back until Saturday evening or Sunday morning. And you," the count went on to Franz, "will you go too, Monsieur Baron?"

"Yes."

"Going to France?"

"No, to Venice, I have to live in Italy for a year or two."

"So we can't meet in Paris?"

"I'm afraid I won't have the honor."

"Well, gentlemen, I wish you a pleasant journey," said the count, extending his hand to shake hands with the two friends.

The first time Franz shook hands with the count, he shuddered, for it was as cold as a dead man's.

"For the last time," said Albert, "it's all settled, and everyone is sworn to remain the same, isn't it? We'll meet at 5, Rue Erard, May 21 at half-past ten in the morning, won't you?"

"At 5:21 in the morning on May 10st, we will meet at No. 27, Erard Road." The count also said it again.

At this moment the two young men bowed to the count, and left the drawing-room.

"What is the matter with you? You look very worried," said Albert to Franz, as they returned to their room.

"Yes," said Franz, "I will tell you the truth, the count is a very eccentric man, and I find it disturbing that he has arranged to meet you in Paris."

"A rendezvous . . . disturbing! Why, so it is, my dear Franz, are you mad?" cried Albert.

"What do you want me to say?" said Franz, "whether I'm crazy or not, that's the way it is."

"Listen to me," continued Albert, "I am glad to take this opportunity to tell you that I have always felt that the Count was as good as he could be towards us, but you, I have always thought you were cold to him, Is there anything about him that annoys you?"

"Maybe."

"Have you seen him anywhere before you came here and met him?"

"I did see it."

"where?"

"Can you promise not to spread a word of what I have told you?"

"I promise."

"Do you swear?"

"I swear."

"Very well, let me tell you."

Franz then related to Albert his visit to the island of Monte Cristo, how he had found there a company of smugglers, and how they had been accompanied by two Corsican robbers.He described in detail how the earl's cave on the island was like the magic cave in "Arabian Nights" and how the earl treated him miraculously and warmly in the cave.He told Albert again of the supper, of the marijuana, of the beauty carved in stone, of the reality in the cave, and of the visions of his dreams, and how, when he awoke, nothing remained of all this. He could not recall a trace of it, but he saw the yacht sailing towards Porto Vecchio on the far horizon.Then the conversation turned to Rome, and he told of that night in the Colosseum, and how he had heard the count and Wampa talking about Peppino, the count's promise to get a reprieve for the robber, and the count's How the promise, as the reader can well judge, is kept.Finally, he talked about the adventure last night, how he felt embarrassed because he couldn't get the 700 piastres together, and how he remembered the idea of ​​asking the count for help, and the matter was successfully and satisfactorily resolved.

Albert listened attentively. "Well," he said, when Franz had finished, "what's wrong with these things, please? The count travels all over the place, and has his own ships, because he's very rich. You go to Portsmouth or South Both places in Ampton are British ports. If you walk around, you will see that the harbor is crowded with private yachts of British rich men. Don’t these rich men do things on a whim? In order to know where to stay when wandering, in order not to Eating that unappetizing shoddy meal--I ate it for four months, you ate it for four years, and in order not to sleep in that hideous bed that makes it impossible to sleep, he arranged for himself a lodging at Monte Cristo. etc. The place to stay was arranged, and he was afraid that the Tuscan government would waste a lot of money in inviting him away, so he bought the island and took the name of the island as his own surname. My dear friend, you can Think it over, and then tell me, how many of your acquaintances do not bear the names of lands that you did not own before?"

"But," Franz asked Albert, "what explains the fact that the Corsican bandit mixed with his crew?"

"Hey, what's all the fuss about? You know better than anyone, really, that Corsican bandits are not thieves, they've been forced to flee their homes purely because of a feud, so meeting them won't affect you. My own reputation. I don’t hide it myself. Once I go to Corsica, before I visit the governor-general, if I can find the French writer Mérimée (1803-1870) of the same name who described the Corsican vendetta The protagonists of the novel. A gang of robbers, I must see them first, I think they are charming people."

"But Wampa and his company," continued Franz, "are highway robbers, I think you will admit it. How do you explain the count's influence over such people? "

"My dear friend, I think it is very probable that it was by this influence that I saved my life, so that it is not at all for me to say anything about it. I cannot agree with you, therefore, to say that On the contrary, even if I excuse him, you can't think it is wrong, because, let's not say that he saved my life, which is a bit of an exaggeration, but at least he saved my life. 4000 piastres. 4000 piastres are equivalent to 4000 livres in our money. It is certain that I would not have such a high social status in France, which confirms the proverb, said Albert, laughing, "there is no virtuous man among the natives."

"Well said, I was about to ask what country the count was from? What language was his mother tongue? What did he live on? Where did he get his great fortune? How did you get here in the first half of your life? Why did you paint the second half of your life with such a gloomy and cynical color? If I were you, these are the doubts I want to figure out."

"My dear Franz," said Albert, "you have received my letter, and you have seen that we must ask the count, and you will go to the count and say, 'My friend Albert Mocerf is in danger. , help me to try to rescue him.' Is that what you said?"

"Yes."

"Well, did he ask you, who is Albert Mecerf? Where did he get his surname and title? Where did he get his fortune? What did he live on? What country was he from? Where was it born? Tell me, did he ever ask you any of these questions?"

"To tell the truth, he never asked."

"He rushed to the rescue, there was no nonsense. He saved me from Wampa. To be honest, you said that I was at ease at the time, but in fact it was only on the outside. In fact, I was out of order. Oh, I My dear friend, who drives me so far, and wants in return the services we do every day to any Russian or Italian prince who passes through Paris, just to introduce him into society, And you want me to refuse! Oh, you are stupid."

It should be said that contrary to the usual practice, this time the truth was on Albert's side.

"Anyway," said Franz with a sigh, "you can see for yourself, my dear Viscount, that your reasons are quite original, I admit, but, in any case, the Count of Monte Cristo is a wack."

"The Count of Monte Cristo is a philanthropist. He didn't tell you why he went to Paris. Well, he went to fight for the Montion Prize, a charity and literary award named after the French philanthropist Montion (1733-1820). If. He only needs my vote to win the award, and if he needs the influence of the ugly gentleman who presented the award, oh, I must vote for him, and I will definitely give him the influence he wants. Now, my dear Franz, let's not say much about this matter, let's go to dinner first, and then go to St. Pierre Church for one last visit."

The day was passed away at Albert's suggestion, and at five o'clock the next afternoon the two young men parted.Albert Mocerf returned to Paris, and Franz d'Epinet went to Venice for a fortnight.Before Albert boarded the carriage, fearing that his guests would not be able to attend the appointment, he handed over a business card to the waiter in the hotel and ordered it to be handed over to the Count of Monte Cristo. Written in pencil at the bottom: "May 5st at 5:21 in the morning, 10 Rue Erard."

(End of this chapter)