The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (books to read to improve english txt) đ
- Author: Alexandre Dumas
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âAlas,â said dâAvrigny, âshe is indeed dead, poor child!â
âYes,â answered the doctor laconically, dropping the sheet he had raised. Noirtier uttered a kind of hoarse, rattling sound; the old manâs eyes sparkled, and the good doctor understood that he wished to behold his child. He therefore approached the bed, and while his companion was dipping the fingers with which he had touched the lips of the corpse in chloride of lime, he uncovered the calm and pale face, which looked like that of a sleeping angel.
A tear, which appeared in the old manâs eye, expressed his thanks to the doctor. The doctor of the dead then laid his permit on the corner of the table, and having fulfilled his duty, was conducted out by dâAvrigny. Villefort met them at the door of his study; having in a few words thanked the district doctor, he turned to dâAvrigny, and said:
âAnd now the priest.â
âIs there any particular priest you wish to pray with Valentine?â asked dâAvrigny.
âNo.â said Villefort; âfetch the nearest.â
âThe nearest,â said the district doctor, âis a good Italian abbĂ©, who lives next door to you. Shall I call on him as I pass?â
âDâAvrigny,â said Villefort, âbe so kind, I beseech you, as to accompany this gentleman. Here is the key of the door, so that you can go in and out as you please; you will bring the priest with you, and will oblige me by introducing him into my childâs room.â
âDo you wish to see him?â
âI only wish to be alone. You will excuse me, will you not? A priest can understand a fatherâs grief.â
And M. de Villefort, giving the key to dâAvrigny, again bade farewell to the strange doctor, and retired to his study, where he began to work. For some temperaments work is a remedy for all afflictions.
As the doctors entered the street, they saw a man in a cassock standing on the threshold of the next door.
âThis is the abbĂ© of whom I spoke,â said the doctor to dâAvrigny. DâAvrigny accosted the priest.
âSir,â he said, âare you disposed to confer a great obligation on an unhappy father who has just lost his daughter? I mean M. de Villefort, the kingâs attorney.â
âAh,â said the priest, in a marked Italian accent; âyes, I have heard that death is in that house.â
âThen I need not tell you what kind of service he requires of you.â
âI was about to offer myself, sir,â said the priest; âit is our mission to forestall our duties.â
âIt is a young girl.â
âI know it, sir; the servants who fled from the house informed me. I also know that her name is Valentine, and I have already prayed for her.â
âThank you, sir,â said dâAvrigny; âsince you have commenced your sacred office, deign to continue it. Come and watch by the dead, and all the wretched family will be grateful to you.â
âI am going, sir; and I do not hesitate to say that no prayers will be more fervent than mine.â
DâAvrigny took the priestâs hand, and without meeting Villefort, who was engaged in his study, they reached Valentineâs room, which on the following night was to be occupied by the undertakers. On entering the room, Noirtierâs eyes met those of the abbĂ©, and no doubt he read some particular expression in them, for he remained in the room. DâAvrigny recommended the attention of the priest to the living as well as to the dead, and the abbĂ© promised to devote his prayers to Valentine and his attentions to Noirtier.
In order, doubtless, that he might not be disturbed while fulfilling his sacred mission, the priest rose as soon as dâAvrigny departed, and not only bolted the door through which the doctor had just left, but also that leading to Madame de Villefortâs room.
Chapter 104. Danglarsâ Signature
The next morning dawned dull and cloudy. During the night the undertakers had executed their melancholy office, and wrapped the corpse in the winding-sheet, which, whatever may be said about the equality of death, is at least a last proof of the luxury so pleasing in life. This winding-sheet was nothing more than a beautiful piece of cambric, which the young girl had bought a fortnight before.
During the evening two men, engaged for the purpose, had carried Noirtier from Valentineâs room into his own, and contrary to all expectation there was no difficulty in withdrawing him from his child. The AbbĂ© Busoni had watched till daylight, and then left without calling anyone. DâAvrigny returned about eight oâclock in the morning; he met Villefort on his way to Noirtierâs room, and accompanied him to see how the old man had slept. They found him in the large armchair, which served him for a bed, enjoying a calm, nay, almost a smiling sleep. They both stood in amazement at the door.
âSee,â said dâAvrigny to Villefort, ânature knows how to alleviate the deepest sorrow. No one can say that M. Noirtier did not love his child, and yet he sleeps.â
âYes, you are right,â replied Villefort, surprised; âhe sleeps, indeed! And this is the more strange, since the least contradiction keeps him awake all night.â
âGrief has stunned him,â replied dâAvrigny; and they both returned thoughtfully to the procureurâs study.
âSee, I have not slept,â said Villefort, showing his undisturbed bed; âgrief does not stun me. I have not been in bed for two nights; but then look at my desk; see what I have written during these two days and nights. I have filled those papers, and have made out the accusation against the assassin Benedetto. Oh, work, work,âmy passion, my joy, my delight,âit is for thee to alleviate my sorrows!â and he convulsively grasped the hand of dâAvrigny.
âDo you require my services now?â asked dâAvrigny.
âNo,â said Villefort; âonly return again at eleven oâclock; at twelve theâtheâoh, Heavens, my poor, poor child!â and the procureur again becoming a man, lifted up his eyes and groaned.
âShall you be present in the reception-room?â
âNo; I have a cousin who has undertaken this sad office. I shall work, doctorâwhen I work I forget everything.â
And, indeed, no sooner had the doctor left the room, than he was again absorbed in work. On the doorsteps dâAvrigny met the cousin whom Villefort had mentioned, a personage as insignificant in our story as in the world he occupiedâone of those beings designed from their birth to make themselves useful to others. He was punctual, dressed in black, with crape around his hat, and presented himself at his cousinâs with a face made up for the occasion, and which he could alter as might be required.
At eleven oâclock the mourning-coaches rolled into the paved court, and the Rue du Faubourg Saint-HonorĂ© was filled with a crowd of idlers, equally pleased to witness the festivities or the mourning of the rich, and who rush with the same avidity to a funeral procession as to the marriage of a duchess.
Gradually the reception-room filled, and some of our old friends made their appearanceâwe mean Debray, ChĂąteau-Renaud, and Beauchamp, accompanied by all the leading men of the day at the bar, in literature, or the army, for M. de Villefort moved in the first Parisian circles, less owing to his social position than to his personal merit.
The cousin standing at the door ushered in the guests, and it was rather a relief to the indifferent to see a person as unmoved as themselves, and who did not exact a mournful face or force tears, as would have been the case with a father, a brother, or a lover. Those who were acquainted soon formed into little groups. One of them was made of Debray, ChĂąteau-Renaud, and Beauchamp.
âPoor girl,â said Debray, like the rest, paying an involuntary tribute to the sad event,ââpoor girl, so young, so rich, so beautiful! Could you have imagined this scene, ChĂąteau-Renaud, when we saw her, at the most three weeks ago, about to sign that contract?â
âIndeed, no,â said ChĂąteau-Renaud.â
âDid you know her?â
âI spoke to her once or twice at Madame de Morcerfâs, among the rest; she appeared to me charming, though rather melancholy. Where is her stepmother? Do you know?â
âShe is spending the day with the wife of the worthy gentleman who is receiving us.â
âWho is he?â
âWhom do you mean?â
âThe gentleman who receives us? Is he a deputy?â
âOh, no. I am condemned to witness those gentlemen every day,â said Beauchamp; âbut he is perfectly unknown to me.â
âHave you mentioned this death in your paper?â
âIt has been mentioned, but the article is not mine; indeed, I doubt if it will please M. Villefort, for it says that if four successive deaths had happened anywhere else than in the house of the kingâs attorney, he would have interested himself somewhat more about it.â
âStill,â said ChĂąteau-Renaud, âDr. dâAvrigny, who attends my mother, declares he is in despair about it. But whom are you seeking, Debray?â
âI am seeking the Count of Monte Cristoâ said the young man.
âI met him on the boulevard, on my way here,â said Beauchamp. âI think he is about to leave Paris; he was going to his banker.â
âHis banker? Danglars is his banker, is he not?â asked ChĂąteau-Renaud of Debray.
âI believe so,â replied the secretary with slight uneasiness. âBut Monte Cristo is not the only one I miss here; I do not see Morrel.â
âMorrel? Do they know him?â asked ChĂąteau-Renaud. âI think he has only been introduced to Madame de Villefort.â
âStill, he ought to have been here,â said Debray; âI wonder what will be talked about tonight; this funeral is the news of the day. But hush, here comes our minister of justice; he will feel obliged to make some little speech to the cousin,â and the three young men drew near to listen.
Beauchamp told the truth when he said that on his way to the funeral he had met Monte Cristo, who was directing his steps towards the Rue de la ChaussĂ©e dâAntin, to M. Danglarsâ. The banker saw the carriage of the count enter the courtyard, and advanced to meet him with a sad, though affable smile.
âWell,â said he, extending his hand to Monte Cristo, âI suppose you have come to sympathize with me, for indeed misfortune has taken possession of my house. When I perceived you, I was just asking myself whether I had not wished harm towards those poor Morcerfs, which would have justified the proverb of âHe who wishes misfortunes to happen to others experiences them himself.â Well, on my word of honor, I answered, âNo!â I wished no ill to Morcerf; he was a little proud, perhaps, for a man who like myself has risen from nothing; but we all have our faults. Do you know, count, that persons of our time of lifeânot that you belong to the class, you are still a young man,âbut as I was saying, persons of our time of life have been very unfortunate this year. For example, look at the puritanical procureur, who has just lost his daughter, and in fact nearly all his family, in so singular a manner; Morcerf dishonored and dead; and then myself covered with ridicule through the villany of Benedetto; besidesâââ
âBesides what?â asked the Count.
âAlas, do you not know?â
âWhat new calamity?â
âMy daughterâââ
âMademoiselle Danglars?â
âEugĂ©nie has left us!â
âGood heavens, what are you telling me?â
âThe truth, my dear count. Oh, how happy you must be in not having either wife or children!â
âDo you think so?â
âIndeed I do.â
âAnd so Mademoiselle Danglarsâââ
âShe
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