World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 72 The Guest (2)
"Come in, come in, dreadful pen!" said Albert, rising up to meet the young man. "You see, Debray is here too, and he speaks against you without reading your book, At least that's what he said himself."

"He's right," said Beauchamp, "and so am I. I don't know what he's doing when he attacks him. Hello, Cavalier."

"Ah, you already know about it," said the Minister's private secretary, shaking hands with the reporter, who smiled at each other.

"Of course!" said Beauchamp.

"What did the outside world say?"

"Which realm? In 1838 AD we had many realms!"

"Uh, political circles, you are one of the coaches."

"Everyone said that this matter is fair, that you deliberately sowed a lot of red flowers, but inadvertently grew some blue flowers."

"All right, all right, that's a good point," said Lucien, "why don't you join us, my dear Beauchamp, a man of your intelligence can make a fortune in three or four years. "

"Therefore, I will follow your advice only when one thing is accomplished, and I will see if any minister can stay in the top position for six months. My dear Albert, let me just say a word now, Because I have to give poor Lucien a break too. Shall we have lunch or dinner? I have to go to the Chamber of Deputies, you see, our business is not always so idyllic."

"Only for lunch, now we are waiting for two people, as soon as they arrive, we will be seated immediately."

"We can't eat until they come. Who are these two people?" Beauchamp asked.

"One is a gentleman, the other a diplomat," replied Albert.

"Then we'll have to wait about two hours for a gentleman, and more than two hours for a diplomat. I'll forget my sweets when I come back. Give me some strawberries, coffee, and a cigar. I'll just go to the House of Representatives and eat a steak."

"Why bother, Beauchamp, even if the gentleman is Montmorency (French gentleman (1600-1627) who was sentenced to death for fighting in defiance of Richelieu's ban), and the diplomat is Metternich (Austrian Diplomat (1773-1859).), we dine on time at 10:[-]. But now, like Debray, you might as well try my Zeres wine and biscuits first."

"Well, I'll stay. I definitely need a break this morning."

"Very well, you are exactly like Debray! But I think that when the minister is downcast, the opposition should be happy."

"Ah, you see, dear friend, you don't understand what frightens me. On this day, I have to go to the Chamber of Deputies in the morning to hear Mr. Tangra's speech, and in the evening I have to go to his wife's to hear about a French nobleman. The tragedy of the members of the House of Representatives. To hell with this constitutional government! Everyone says we have the power to choose, how can we choose such a government?"

"I see, you need to prepare a lot of jokes."

"Please don't criticize Tangla's speech," said Debray. "He is in the opposition and he voted for you."

"That's right, that's where the bad is! So, I hope you send him to the seat of the French Senate at the Luxembourg Palace to give a speech, so that I can laugh at him as much as I can."

"My dear friend," said Albert to Beauchamp, "everyone can see that the affairs of Spain are well arranged, and that you have indeed spoken stingingly this morning. Please do not forget that the question concerning myself and Eugenie Miss Tangla's marriage has been rumored in Paris, so, in good conscience, I can't let you speak against this person, because one day he will say to me, "Mr. Viscount, you know that I gave my daughter 200 million '."

"Forget it!" Beauchamp said, "this marriage is impossible. The king has made him a baron, and he can be made a member of the House of Peers in the future, but he will never be made a gentleman. Count Mosef is a nobleman. Temperament, it is impossible to condescend to such an improper marriage for only 200 million. Viscount Mosef should marry a Marquis."

"Two million! This is very impressive!" Mosef continued.

"Using this money to start a company, you can build a theater on the Boulevard, or build a railway from the Botanical Garden to Lapey."

"He said his," said Debray casually, "you'd better get married, Mercerf. You married the purse tag, didn't you? Well, you don't have to care about that. How nice, though the tag A coat of arms is missing, but there is a zero after the money. There are seven thrushes on your coat of arms, three for your wife, and four for yourself. Owned by the Lorraine family, it was transferred to the Orleans family after 1832. There is one more sir, but Mr. Guze almost became the king of France, and his cousin is the emperor of Germany."

"Yes, I think you are right, Lucien," said Albert absently.

"Absolutely! And millionaires are as noble as illegitimate children, which means they may be illegitimate children."

"Hush! Don't say these things, Debray," said Beauchamp, laughing, "because, you see, Chateau-Renoir is coming, and he will use the sword of his ancestor Renaud Montauban. If you pierce it, I can cure you of this nonsense."

"Then he will lose his dignity," continued Lucien, "because I am very vulgar and vulgar."

"Okay!" Beauchamp shouted, "the government also sang the song of the French singer Béranger (1790-1857), who is famous for singing the people. My God, where have we gone?" "

"Monsieur Chateau-Renoir is here! Monsieur Maximilian Morrel is here!" cried the footman, announcing the arrival of the two new guests.

"It's full!" said Beauchamp. "We can dine, because, if I remember correctly, you have two waiting, Albert?"

"Morrel!" said Albert, wondering, to himself, "Morrel! who is this man?"

Mr. Chateau-Renoir is a handsome young man, 30 years old, from head to toe a gentleman, that is to say, his appearance is like Gish (French noble family.), his intelligence is like Montmart (French noble family.), he does not When Albert finished muttering, he came over and took his hand and said: "My dear friend, please allow me to introduce you to Mr. Maximilian Morrel, captain of the cavalry stationed in North Africa, my friend, and it is I. My savior. Still, he is handsome enough to introduce himself. Salute my hero, Viscount."

So he took a step aside and let the young man meet the group.He was a tall, dignified young man with a broad forehead, sharp eyes, and a black mustache.Readers will remember seeing this young man in Marseilles, and the exciting scene at that time must be vividly remembered by everyone.Now I can see that he is wearing a handsome military uniform, which is half French and half Eastern, which not only elegantly sets off his broad chest with the medal of honor on it, but also elegantly sets off his strong and vigorous figure.The young officer was generous and courteous, and bowed.Morrel's every move is so calm, because he is a strong man.

"Sir," said Albert courteously and politely, "Mr. Baron Chateau-Renoir has the foresight. I am very glad to know you through his introduction. You are his friend, sir, and I hope you can become our friend too."

"Well said," said Chateau-Renoir, "you can count on it, my dear vicomte, and he will also drive you if necessary, because he has been of great help to me."

"What can he do for you?" asked Albert.

"Oh!" said Morrel, "it's not worth mentioning, M. Chateau-Renoir is exaggerating."

"What?" said Chateau-Renoir, "it's not worth mentioning! Isn't life worth mentioning? ... To be honest, your words are too eloquent, my dear M. Morrel ... you can be every day Going through life and death, and once I risk my life once..."

"I know what happened, Baron, and Mr. Captain Morrel saved your life."

"Oh, my God, yes, it is," said Chateau-Renoir.

"What's going on?" Beauchamp asked.

"Beauchamp, my dear friend, you know I'm going to starve to death!" said Debray. "You don't want to listen to the story?"

"That's good!" Beauchamp said, "I have no objection to being seated... Chateau-Renoir can tell us his story while eating."

"Gentlemen," said Moserf, "please note that it is only a quarter past ten, and we should wait for the last visitor."

"Ah, yes, wait for a diplomat," said Debray.

"Diplomat or something else, I don't know, what I know, I have appointed him as my emissary for my own business, and he has done his job very well, I am very satisfied, if I were the king , I will award him all the medals of all levels, if I can do it, even the Golden Fleece and the British Order of the Garter. Give him all."

"Then, since we are not seated yet," said Debray, "please pour out a glass of Zereth as we have done, and tell us what's going on, Baron."

"As you all know, I had the idea of ​​going to Africa."

"This is the road opened up for you by the ancestors of your family, my dear Chateau-Leno." Mosef said flatteringly.

"Yes, but I doubt whether he went to Africa, like his ancestors, to save the Tomb of Christ."

"You're right, Beauchamp," said the young nobleman. "I went for a hobby, just to shoot a gun. You all know that I'm tired of duels now, because I was there to settle a dispute. , I had two witnesses who forced me to maim a good friend on the arm... Oh, that's poor Franz Epinet, you all know it."

"Oh, yes, there is such a thing," said Debray, "you have dueled, and why?"

"If I remember, I shall go to hell," said Chateau-Renaud, "but one thing I remember very well, I was given some new pistols, and I should like to try them on the Arabs. , because it would be a disgrace to me to let such a genius of mine die. So I took a boat to Oran, and from Oran to Constantine, just in time for the siege to be withdrawn there. I retreated with everyone for two weeks. Two days and two nights, it rained during the day and snowed at night, and I survived. But on the third morning, my horse froze to death. Poor beast! The stable has a shawl and a stove, all spoiled Now... this is still an Arabian horse, and it is a little uncomfortable to encounter the ten-degree low temperature in Arabia."

"That's why you want to buy my English horse," said Debray. "You think English horses are more hardy than Arabian horses, don't you?"

"You are wrong, because I have sworn never to go to Africa again."

"Were you very scared at that time?" Beauchamp asked.

"I'm really afraid, I don't hide it," replied Chateau-Renoir. "There was a reason! My horse was dead, and I had to retreat on foot. Six Arabs came galloping on horseback, trying to cut My head, I took two shots with the pistol and knocked two down, and two shots with the pistol and knocked down two too, and it was a good shot. But there were two of them left, and I shot them all. It's over. One grabbed me by the hair—so I've got short hair now, nobody knows what's going to happen to me, and the other put his scimitar around my neck, and I felt the coldness of the iron knife. At this moment, the gentleman you saw rushed up to those two people. The person who pulled my hair was shot dead by him with a pistol, and the person who was about to cut my neck was split open with a saber. Mr. It was my duty to save people on this day, and I happened to catch up. When I have money, I will definitely hire the French sculptor from Cragman (1810-1867) or the Italian sculptor from Marocchidi (1805-1867). A statue of luck."

"Yes," said Morrel with a smile, "this day is September 9th, which is the anniversary of my father's miraculous rescue, so every year I do my best to commemorate this day with some practical action. "

"That's a feat, isn't it?" Chateau-Renoir hurried on. "In short, I'm very lucky, and there's more to come. After he rescued me from the iron sword, he saved me from the cold." , he gave me his cloak, not like Martin, the French bishop (315-397), it is said that he once shared his cloak with a poor man. That way he only gave me half of it, but gave me the whole one, And then spared me the suffering of hunger, and shared with me... Everyone may wish to guess, what to share?"

"Flix's pie?" asked Beauchamp.

"No, his horse, we each gobbled up a chunk of it, and it didn't taste good."

"Eating horses?" Mosef asked with a smile.

"No, that is a sacrifice," replied Chateau-Renoir; "you may ask Debray if he would sacrifice his English horse to a stranger?"

"For a stranger, no," said Debray, "but for a friend, maybe I can."

"I have had a presentiment that you will be my friend, Monsieur Baronet," said Morrel, "and, I have the honor to tell you, whether it is a feat or a sacrifice, let alone what you and I should do that day To offer a sacrifice to doom, in return for the favors bestowed upon us by old fortune."

"Monsieur Morrel is talking about an experience of his," continued Chateau-Renoir. "It is an admirable story, and he will tell you one day as you get to know him more. As for Today we have stomachs to fill, not heads. When is lunch, Albert?"

"At half past ten."

"At half-past ten?" asked Debray, drawing out his watch.

"Oh, please give me five minutes," Mosef said, "because I'm also waiting for a lifesaver."

"who?"

"Of course it's mine," replied Moserf. "Do you think I can't be saved like the others? Only Arabs kill and behead? Our lunch is a fraternity meal, shared with us, or so I hope." Yes, there are two benefactors of humanitarianism."

"What do we do with it?" Debray said. "We only have one place for the Montion Award."

"Hey, it's okay to award someone without merit," Beauchamp said. "That's how the French Institute of Languages ​​usually gets out of trouble."

"Where does he come from?" asked Debray. "Excuse me for repeating the question. I know you have already answered this question, but in a vague way, so I will take the liberty of asking it again."

"To tell the truth," said Albert, "I know nothing. He was in Rome when I invited him three months ago, but since then no one can tell what journey he has embarked on. "

"Do you think he'll be there on time?" asked Debray.

"I think he's omnipotent," Mosef replied.

"Please note, with the 5 minutes of grace, we only have 10 minutes."

"Well, let me take this time to tell you a little bit about my guests."

"I'm sorry," Beauchamp said, "Is there any material for a column about what you want to tell us?"

"Certainly," said Moserf, "even very peculiar ones."

(End of this chapter)