World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 99 Buying Short and Selling Short (1)
A few days after this meeting, Albert Mocerf went to the Champs-Elysées to visit the Count of Monte Cristo, whose residence was already like a palace.The earl's family is worth millions, even if it is a temporary house, he has to redecorate it and decorate it magnificently.

Albert came to thank Madam Tanglar again. In fact, Madam Tanglar had already written a letter to thank the Earl. At the end of the letter, in addition to writing "Baroness Tanglar", she added "My maiden name: Ermina Seville" a few words.Albert was accompanied by Lucien Debray, so in addition to Albert's own words, Debray also said some compliments, of course, the words were high-sounding, but the count's eyes were sharp, and it was not difficult to see the origin of the words. .He even felt that Lucien's visit was a double curiosity, half of which came from the Rouge d'Antin.This is indeed the case, he can be sure that Mrs. Tangla really can't figure out what articles are in it with her own eyes alone, and he doesn't understand why someone would give her two horses worth 3 francs. The Greek slave girl next to the opera house actually wore millions of francs of diamonds, so she sent her usual observation eyes to see what was going on in the articles, and then went back to inform her.But the count was so quiet that it was impossible to see that he would suspect that the visit to Lucien had anything to do with the baroness's curiosity.

"You and Baron Tanglar have been in touch all the time, right?" the count asked Albert Moserf.

"Yes, Monsieur Count, you know what I have said to you."

"Is the overall situation settled?"

"It's already a sure thing to win," Lucien said, "it's all settled." Then, Lucien probably felt that after inserting such a sentence, he could stay out of the conversation, and he clipped his monocle tortoiseshell glasses In the eyes, while biting the small golden ball on the top of the cane, he paced and turned around the room, looking carefully at various coats of arms and paintings one by one.

"Ah," said Monte Cristo, "what you say, I did not expect it to be so swift."

"What can you do? Things happen unexpectedly. You don't have to think about them, but they always think about you, and when you look back, you're surprised at how far things have come. My father." He served in Spain with Mr. Tangra. My father was in the army and Mr. Tangra was in charge of rations. My father went bankrupt because of the revolution. Mr. Tangra himself did not have any ancestral property. They both started at that time. My father was politically and military Having made a fortune, the current situation is very good, Mr. Tangla has made a fortune in politics and finance, and the current situation is very remarkable."

"By the way, that's it," said Monte Cristo. "I remember that when I visited Mr. Tangera, he talked about it to me." He said, and glanced at Lucien who was flipping through a picture album next to him, " Is Mademoiselle Eugenie pretty? I seem to remember her name is Eugenie."

"Very beautiful, or very beautiful," answered Albert, "but such a beauty is not to my liking. I am not worthy of it!"

"You speak as if you were her husband!"

"Oh!" said Albert, looking round again, also to see what Lucien was doing.

"Do you know," said Monte Cristo, lowering his voice, "that I see that you are not very enthusiastic about this marriage."

"Miss Tanglar is too rich, and I can't get high," Albert said, "I can't help but be intermediary."

"Oh!" said Monte Cristo, "that's a very good reason. Aren't you rich?"

"My father's annuity is almost 50000 livres, and I might get 10000 or 12000 when I get married."

"That's not a lot," said the count, "and it's not much in Paris. But in this world, not everything depends on money. A good family name and a high social status are also very good. Your surname You are famous, and your position is very good, and the Count Meusef is a soldier, and now everyone likes to see Bayard, a French soldier (1476-1524), famous for his valor. The integrity and du Guacrin France The commander of the army (1320-1380). The poor and poor together. Selflessness is the most beautiful sunshine, which can make the sword of noble nobles shine. I am just the opposite. I think your combination is the most suitable, Tangla A lady can make you rich, and you can make her noble."

Albert shook his head, and then fell into thought. "There are other reasons," he said.

"To tell the truth," continued Monte Cristo, "I find it difficult to understand why a girl who is both rich and beautiful should be disliked."

"Oh, my God!" said Moserf, "the dislike, if there is a dislike, is not entirely on my part."

"Then from what? Because you told me that your father was in favor of the marriage."

"It's about my mother. My mother's vision is cautious and reliable. Well, she is not satisfied with this marriage, and she has a prejudice against the Tangla family that I can't explain."

"Oh!" said the count, his tone seemed unnatural, "It is conceivable that Countess Messef is the embodiment of nobility, grace and elegance. Marriage, this is a matter of reason."

"I don't know if that's the case," said Albert. "All I know is that this marriage, if it should be consummated, would seem to cause pain to my mother. Six weeks ago, when we were going to discuss it together, I suddenly had a headache. superb……"

"Really a headache?" said the count with a smile.

"Oh, of course it's true, it must have been caused by constant anxiety... The discussion together had to be postponed for two months. There was nothing to worry about, you know, I'm not yet twenty-one, and Eugenie is only seventeen. But next week it will be two months, and there must be a talk. My dear count, you cannot imagine how much I am at a loss... Oh, how happy you are to be so free!"

"Well, you too can be free. Who can stop you? I'll ask you."

"Oh, if I don't marry Miss Tanglar, I will disappoint my father."

"Then you should marry her," said the count, shrugging his shoulders strangely.

"Yes," Mosef said, "but for my mother, it wasn't disappointment, it was pain."

"Then don't marry her," said the count.

"I'll have to see and figure out a way, and you'll help me out? If you can, I'd like you to help me out. Oh, it seems I'll have to go with The Earl has fallen out."

Monte Cristo turned away, seeming agitated. "Well," he said to Debray, who was sitting in a big tall chair at the end of the drawing room, with a pencil in his right hand and a little notepad in his left, "what are you doing? Sen French painter (1594-1665). Painting?"

"Me?" said Debray calmly. "Well, yes. Copying, I'm too fond of drawing to copy! No, I'm not drawing pictures at all, but figures."

"number?"

"Yes, I'm doing the calculations. It's indirectly related to you, Viscount. I'm calculating how much the Tangra firm has made this Haitian bond rally, from 206 to 409 in three days, the prudent banker said At 206, he took in a lot, and he could earn 30 livres at once."

"That's not what he's proud of," Moserf said. "Didn't he make a million in Spanish securities this year?"

"Listen to me, my dear friend," said Lucien, "the Count of Monte Cristo is here, and he will tell you two lines of Italian poetry:
Danaroesantia
Metadella Meta Money and holiness know how much half and half are. (original note)
This is still talking too much.So when people tell me stories like that, I just shrug my shoulders. "

"But aren't you talking about Haitian bonds yourself?" said Monte Cristo.

"Oh, Haiti's is another matter. Haitian bonds are the 'Eckate' (of old card games of all kinds.) 'Boston', but these are all fun to play, and in the end I still play 'Aikatai', which is a cold dish that will never get tired of eating. Mr. Tangla sold it at 406 yesterday and earned 30 francs. He If you wait until today, the bond will fall to 205, not only will you not be able to earn the 30 francs, but you will have to lose [-] or [-] francs."

"How did the bond fall from 409 to 205 again?" asked Monte Cristo. "Excuse me, I really don't know anything about the name of the exchange."

"Because," said Albert, laughing, "news come one after another, and each one is different."

"My fellow!" said the count, "Monsieur Tanglar wins and loses three hundred thousand francs in one day! Oh, he must be very rich?"

"It's not him who is really playing tricks!" Lucien shouted hastily, "That's Mrs. Tanglar, she's really brave."

"However, you are a very sensible person, Lucien, and you also know that the information is not reliable. Since you have the source of the information, you should dissuade her." Mosef said with a smile on his face.

"Her husband can't stop her, so how can I dissuade her?" Lucien asked, "You know the Baroness's temper, no one can control her, she has always been dictatorial."

"Oh, if I were in your place!" said Albert.

"How about it?"

"I'm going to cure her illness, which can be considered as a favor to her future son-in-law."

"How?"

"Ha, it's so easy, I'll give her a hard time."

"Have a hard time?"

"Yes. You have a high position as the minister's secretary, and you have great authority on the news. Before you can speak, the stockbroker quickly took down your words. You let her lose more than 10 francs one after another, and she will be honest. gone."

"I don't understand," murmured Lucien.

"That's obvious." Albert replied, with a look of quick talk, without any hidden twists and turns, "one day you announced to her a little-known thing, and a telegram that only you knew For example, someone saw Henry IV, King of France (1553-1610) yesterday. Gabriel refers to the mistress of Henry IV. At home, this news will definitely make the stock go up, and she presses this She speculated on the market, but she lost the next day, because Beauchamp published such a message in his newspaper: A well-informed person said that he had seen King Henry IV visit Gabriel's house the day before yesterday. It is absurd that Henry IV never left the Pont Neuf in Paris (the bustling area in the history of Paris.).”

Lucien smiled wryly.Monte Cristo did not appear to be interested in their conversation, but in fact he listened to every word, and his piercing eyes seemed to have read some unspeakable secrets in the embarrassment of the minister's private secretary.Albert didn't notice Lucien's embarrassment at all, but Lucien left in a hurry.Obviously, he was flustered, and the count whispered something to him as he was sending him away, and Lucien replied: "Yes, Monsieur Count, I agree."

The count then went back to little Mosef. "Just think about it," said he, "and don't you find it inappropriate to speak of your mother-in-law in Mr. Debray's presence?"

"Oh, Count," said Mocerf, "I beg you not to use that title too soon."

"Please tell me the truth, without any exaggeration. Does the Countess disapprove of this marriage?"

"I strongly disapprove of it, so the baroness rarely comes to our house. Besides, I think my mother will visit Mrs. Tanglar's house less than twice in her life."

(End of this chapter)