World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 97 Devil Robert (1)
The excuse of going to the Opera House is too easy to say, not to mention that there is indeed a grand performance at the Paris Opera House tonight.Levasseur has finally recovered from his long illness and will return to the stage to play Baltrand tonight.As usual, all the best of Paris were attracted by the performance of the popular masterpieces of famous masters.

Moserf, like most rich boys, had his own solo seat in the front of the theater, and there were at least ten boxes among his acquaintances. Seats are even more of a problem for him.Next to Mocerf's single seat was Chateau-Renoir's single seat, and Beauchamp was the reporter and therefore king of the theater hall, and he had his seat everywhere.That night, Lucien Debray was free to use the minister's box, so he gave up the box to Count Messef, but Mercedes didn't want to go, and Count Messef gave the box to Tangra again, and sent a message. I told Tangla that if the baroness and the lady were kind enough to go to the box he let out, he might visit them at night.The mother and daughter would never refuse, because no one would be as reluctant to a box that costs nothing as a millionaire.However, Tangla claimed that in view of his political views and his status as an opposition MP, it was inconvenient for him to go to the minister's box.So the baroness wrote to Lucien, saying that she could not take Eugenie to the opera alone, and asked Lucien to come and pick her up.It is true, if there are only two women sitting in a box, everyone will feel that it is inappropriate, but it is justifiable for Miss Tanglar to go to the opera house accompanied by her mother and her mother's lover.You have to take care of the world's conditions and customs in life.

As usual, the theater was almost empty when the curtain rose, which is another fashion in our Parisian society: the theater should not arrive until after the performance has begun.Therefore, when the first act was performed, most of the audience present were not watching or listening to the play, but were watching the audience who were coming one after another, and besides the sound of doors opening and closing and buzzing voices, nothing could be heard. arrive.

"Hey!" Albert said immediately when he saw the doors of the first row of boxes open, "Hey, Countess Grischi...!"

"Who is the Countess Gris?" asked Chateau-Renoir.

"Oh, Baron, to ask such an inexcusable question, you ask who Countess Grischi is, don't you?"

"Oh, indeed," said Chateau-Renoir, "isn't it the charming Madame Venetian?"

"Not bad."

At this time, Countess Grisch saw Albert, and greeted Albert with a smile.

"You know her?" said Chateau-Renoir.

"Yes," said Albert, "Franz introduced her to me in Rome."

"Since Franz helped you in Rome, can you do me a favor in Paris?"

"Ok."

"Hush!" the audience yelled.

The two young people still talked about what they had said. As for whether the audience in the back row wanted to listen to music, they didn't seem to care at all.

"She went to see the races at the training ground," said Chateau-Renaud.

"today?"

"Yes."

"Ah, by the way, there is a horse race today. Have you bought a lottery ticket?"

"Oh, I bought a little bit, I bought a 50 gold louis.'

"Which horse won?"

"Nautilus, this is the one I'm betting on."

"But there are three games, right?"

"Yes, today there is the Cavalier Club Trophy, a gold cup, and a strange thing happened."

"what's up?"

"Hush! Stop talking!" shouted the audience.

"What is it?" repeated Albert.

"The horse and rider who won the prize in this race are unknown to the whole audience."

"what!"

"Oh, my God, that's what happened. At first no one noticed a horse named Wampa and a rider named Roop, but out of nowhere came out a very beautiful sorrel horse as big as a fist." They had to stuff 20 catties of lead sand in the rider’s pocket to be able to compete, but he was the first to reach the finish line, three lengths ahead of Ariel and Barbaro.”

"Have you never figured out which family the horse and rider belong to?"

"No."

"You said the horse's race name was..."

"Wampa."

"Then," said Albert, "I am one step ahead of you, and I know whose horse it is."

"Please be quiet!" The audience in the back row called out for the third time.This time the protest was very obvious, and the two youths finally realized that the audience was talking about them, so they turned and looked behind for a while, trying to find out who among the crowd did what they thought was rude.But no one shouted any more, and they turned back to the stage.At this moment the door of the minister's box opened, and Madame Tanglars, her daughter, and Lucien Debray came in and took their seats.

"Haha," said Chateau-Renoir, "your acquaintance is here, Viscount. What the hell are you looking to the right? They are looking for you." Albert then turned his face, and his eyes met those of Baroness Tangra. Eyes meet.The baroness greeted Albert with a wave of her fan, and as for Mademoiselle Eugène, she also greeted, for at last she was willing to lower her large black eyes towards the front seat. "Really, my dear friend," said Chateau-Renoir, "I don't understand, except that I don't deserve it, but I don't think you will care much about it, so I said, I don't understand, except that I don't deserve it." Besides being unworthy, why do you look down on Miss Tangla. Really, she is very beautiful."

"Pretty, that's for sure," said Albert, "but I will tell you that when it comes to beauty, I prefer something softer, sweeter, and in a word more feminine."

"You young people are never satisfied," said Chateau-Renoir, who, by virtue of being 30 years old, put on an air of elders in front of Mocerf, "what's the matter, my dear friend, to you You found a fiancée who looks like Diana the Huntsman (the moon god in Roman mythology), but you are not satisfied."

"Hey, don't you! I like Milo. Milo is a Greek island where Venus was found. Or Capunas or something, and as for Diana the Huntsman, she's always with her nymphs Together, I am very uneasy, I am afraid that she will take me for Artemis. In ancient Greek mythology, the hunter encountered the goddess Artemis in the bath, and the enraged Artemis turned into a deer, and finally Devoured by his own hounds."

Indeed, one only had to look at the girl to see that Albert's emotion was justified.Miss Tangla is very beautiful, but she is a bit strong.The black oily hair is beautiful, but from the natural ripples, one can see some kind of stubbornness that refuses to be combed.Her eyeballs are as black as her hair, and her eyelashes are straight. The only flaw is that sometimes her brows are frowning, and her eyes seem more than fortitude. It is amazing to see such an expression in the eyes of women.The size and proportion of her nose fit the sculptor's sculpture of Junon, the wife of the main god Jupiter in ancient Roman mythology, the patron saint of women.The only requirement is that the mouth is a bit bigger, and the beautiful teeth make the lips more conspicuous, and the bright red lips are very prominent on the pale face.In addition, there was a black mark at the corner of the mouth, larger than nature usually left at will, which gave the visage a fierceness and awe in Moserf.Moreover, Eugenie's whole body is consistent with the face we have just described. Chateau-Renoir is right, this is a Diana of the hunt, but there is something stronger and more masculine in her beauty s things.

As to her education, if anything, it was, like some aspects of her appearance, somewhat masculine.She can speak two or three languages, is good at painting, and can compose poetry and music. She especially likes music and is still studying hard.A female classmate of her boarding school accompanied her to learn music. She was a girl from a poor family, but she was very talented, and it was said that she could become an excellent singer.It was also said that a great composer had taken a paternal interest in the girl, had been nurturing her, and hoped that she would one day be rich with her voice.Miss Louise Amery, the talented girl, was very likely to be on stage some day, and so Miss Donglas, though she kept her company at home, never appeared with her in public.In addition, Louise is not a real girlfriend in the banker's house. After all, she is dependent on others, but her status is better than that of ordinary governesses.

As soon as Mrs. Tanglar entered the box, the curtain fell.The intermission was so long that there was enough time for half an hour to walk in the audience lounge or meet friends and acquaintances, so the front seats were almost empty at this time.Mercerf and Chateau-Renoir belonged to the first group of spectators to leave. At first, Mrs. Tangera thought that Mercerf was coming to greet her in such a hurry, so she whispered in her daughter's ear that Albert would be here soon. But the daughter just smiled and shook her head.At this moment, as if deliberately proving how grounded Eugenie's suspicion was, Messef appeared in the first row of boxes, that is, the box of Countess Grischi.

"Ah, it is you, Monsieur Tourist," said the countess, extending her hand warmly like an old acquaintance, "thank you for recognizing me, and above all for coming to see me in the first place."

"You may be sure, madame," said Albert, "that if I had known that you were in Paris and your address, I would not have delayed so late. But now allow me to introduce you to the Baron de Chateau-Renoir." Monsieur, he is my friend, a rare gentleman who is still in France, and I heard from him just now that you went to see the horse race in the training ground."

Chateau-Renoir bowed.

"Ah, you went to the races, sir?" asked the countess hastily.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Ah," Madame Grisch said hastily again, "can you tell me whose horse is the one that won the Knight's Club Prize?"

"I don't know, Madame," said Chateau-Renaud, "I was asking Albert just now."

"You think so much, countess?" asked Albert.

"Thinking about what?"

"Want to know the owner of that horse?"

"Extremely thoughtful, do you know...but who is this man? You may know, Viscount?"

"Ma'am, do you want to tell a story, you say, 'Did you know...'"

"Oh! you know, that handsome sorrel horse and that handsome little rider in a rose-colored knight's cap, I loved it the first time I saw it, and hoped that both horse and rider would be victorious, as if it were me. Betting half the fortune on them. So when I saw them get to the finish line three lengths ahead of the other riders, I clapped like mad with joy. You know how surprised I was afterwards , When I went back to the room, I met the little equestrian in the rose hat on the stairs! I thought, the horse racing champion happened to live in the same building as me. I pushed open the door of my living room, and I saw the golden cup , it is the trophy won by the horse and rider who don’t know where it came from, and there is a note inside, with these words written on it: 'Countess Grace's gift, from Lord Rothman'."

"That's right," Mosef said.

"What? That's right, what are you talking about?"

"I mean the man is Lord Rothven."

"Which Lord Rothven?"

"Our one, the vampire, the one from the Argentinian theater."

"Is that so!" cried the countess, "he is here, then?"

"Not bad."

"Have you met him, received him, and paid him a visit?"

"He is a close friend of mine, and M. Chateau-Renoir himself had the honor of meeting him."

"On what basis do you think he won the race?"

"His race horse bears the name Wampa."

"So what?"

"Oh, don't you remember the name of the famous robber who kidnapped me?"

"Ah, that's right."

"Also, wasn't it the Count who miraculously rescued me from this robber?"

"That's it."

"The robber's name is Wampa. So, you see, this is him."

"But why did he give me the trophy?"

"In the first place, Countess, because I often speak of you to him, and that must be what you expected. And secondly, because he is pleased to see a lady here who is his countryman, and he is also sorry for her countryman. It's an honor to care about him."

"I wish you never told him what nonsense I said about him."

"Oh, I can't guarantee it, and it's hard to say whether he gave you the trophy in the name of Lord Rothven for this reason."

"But it's too bad, he's going to hate me."

"Is he acting like an enemy?"

"No, I admit it."

"That's it!"

"So he is in Paris?"

"Yes."

"What kind of a stir has he caused?"

"Well," said Albert, "it's been talking about him for more than two weeks, but afterward the coronation of the Queen of England and the theft of Miss Mars's diamond, that's all the talking about."

"My dear friend," said Chateau-Renaud, "it is evident that the count is indeed your friend, and you are a friend to him. Albert cannot believe what he tells you, countess, on the contrary, Monte Cristo." The count was the leader in Paris. At first he gave Mrs. Tanglar two horses worth 3 francs, then saved Mrs. Villefort's life, and then won the horse race of the Knights Club. So be it. No matter what Mercerf says, I'm on the contrary, and if he's still as grotesque--but it seems to have happened so often in his life--then people will still be talking about the Count now, even a month from now. He's still the only one people are talking about."

"It's possible," Mosev said. "As for now, you see, who is the box of the Russian ambassador?"

"Which box?" asked the countess.

"The one between the first row of pillars seems to have been completely renovated."

"Indeed," said Chateau-Renoir, "was there anyone in the first act?"

"where?"

"The box."

"No," said the countess, "I saw no one, and therefore," she resumed, "do you think that your Count of Monte Cristo has won the prize?"

"I'm sure it was him."

"Is he also the one who gave me the trophy?"

"of course."

"But I don't know him," said the countess, "and I should like to send him back."

"Oh, you must not return it. He will give you another one, which is carved with some sapphire or some ruby. This is his style, and there is nothing you can do about it. Since this is the case, forget it. "

At this moment the bell rang for the beginning of the second act, and Albert rose to return to his seat.

"Can I still see you?" asked the countess.

"At the next intermission, if you will allow me, I will find out what you can do for me in Paris."

"You two," said the Countess, "I live at No. 22 Rue de Ulye, and I have guests at home every Saturday night. Now you have all been notified."

After the two young men saluted, they left the box.When they returned to the main hall, they saw that the audience in the back row stood up, and all their eyes were fixed on one place in the main hall.They followed everyone's line of sight, and finally their eyes stopped on the box originally chartered by the Russian ambassador.A 35-40-year-old man in a black dress had just entered the box, and a woman in an oriental dress came in with him.That woman is so wonderful, and her clothes are so gorgeous, as we have said just now, all eyes immediately focused on her.

"Ah," said Albert, "it is Monte Cristo and his Greek woman."

(End of this chapter)