The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (books to read to improve english txt) đ
- Author: Alexandre Dumas
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The shipowner, smiling, followed him with his eyes until he saw him spring out on the quay and disappear in the midst of the throng, which from five oâclock in the morning until nine oâclock at night, swarms in the famous street of La Canebière,âa street of which the modern PhocĂŠens are so proud that they say with all the gravity in the world, and with that accent which gives so much character to what is said, âIf Paris had La Canebière, Paris would be a second Marseilles.â On turning round the owner saw Danglars behind him, apparently awaiting orders, but in reality also watching the young sailor,âbut there was a great difference in the expression of the two men who thus followed the movements of Edmond Dantès.
Chapter 2. Father and Son
We will leave Danglars struggling with the demon of hatred, and endeavoring to insinuate in the ear of the shipowner some evil suspicions against his comrade, and follow Dantès, who, after having traversed La Canebière, took the Rue de Noailles, and entering a small house, on the left of the AllÊes de Meilhan, rapidly ascended four flights of a dark staircase, holding the baluster with one hand, while with the other he repressed the beatings of his heart, and paused before a half-open door, from which he could see the whole of a small room.
This room was occupied by Dantèsâ father. The news of the arrival of the Pharaon had not yet reached the old man, who, mounted on a chair, was amusing himself by training with trembling hand the nasturtiums and sprays of clematis that clambered over the trellis at his window. Suddenly, he felt an arm thrown around his body, and a well-known voice behind him exclaimed, âFatherâdear father!â
The old man uttered a cry, and turned round; then, seeing his son, he fell into his arms, pale and trembling.
âWhat ails you, my dearest father? Are you ill?â inquired the young man, much alarmed.
âNo, no, my dear Edmondâmy boyâmy son!âno; but I did not expect you; and joy, the surprise of seeing you so suddenlyâAh, I feel as if I were going to die.â
âCome, come, cheer up, my dear father! âTis Iâreally I! They say joy never hurts, and so I came to you without any warning. Come now, do smile, instead of looking at me so solemnly. Here I am back again, and we are going to be happy.â
âYes, yes, my boy, so we willâso we will,â replied the old man; âbut how shall we be happy? Shall you never leave me again? Come, tell me all the good fortune that has befallen you.â
âGod forgive me,â said the young man, âfor rejoicing at happiness derived from the misery of others, but, Heaven knows, I did not seek this good fortune; it has happened, and I really cannot pretend to lament it. The good Captain Leclere is dead, father, and it is probable that, with the aid of M. Morrel, I shall have his place. Do you understand, father? Only imagine me a captain at twenty, with a hundred louis pay, and a share in the profits! Is this not more than a poor sailor like me could have hoped for?â
âYes, my dear boy,â replied the old man, âit is very fortunate.â
âWell, then, with the first money I touch, I mean you to have a small house, with a garden in which to plant clematis, nasturtiums, and honeysuckle. But what ails you, father? Are you not well?â
ââTis nothing, nothing; it will soon pass awayââand as he said so the old manâs strength failed him, and he fell backwards.
âCome, come,â said the young man, âa glass of wine, father, will revive you. Where do you keep your wine?â
âNo, no; thanks. You need not look for it; I do not want it,â said the old man.
âYes, yes, father, tell me where it is,â and he opened two or three cupboards.
âIt is no use,â said the old man, âthere is no wine.â
âWhat, no wine?â said Dantès, turning pale, and looking alternately at the hollow cheeks of the old man and the empty cupboards. âWhat, no wine? Have you wanted money, father?â
âI want nothing now that I have you,â said the old man.
âYet,â stammered Dantès, wiping the perspiration from his brow,ââyet I gave you two hundred francs when I left, three months ago.â
âYes, yes, Edmond, that is true, but you forgot at that time a little debt to our neighbor, Caderousse. He reminded me of it, telling me if I did not pay for you, he would be paid by M. Morrel; and so, you see, lest he might do you an injuryâââ
âWell?â
âWhy, I paid him.â
âBut,â cried Dantès, âit was a hundred and forty francs I owed Caderousse.â
âYes,â stammered the old man.
âAnd you paid him out of the two hundred francs I left you?â
The old man nodded.
âSo that you have lived for three months on sixty francs,â muttered Edmond.
âYou know how little I require,â said the old man.
âHeaven pardon me,â cried Edmond, falling on his knees before his father.
âWhat are you doing?â
âYou have wounded me to the heart.â
âNever mind it, for I see you once more,â said the old man; âand now itâs all overâeverything is all right again.â
âYes, here I am,â said the young man, âwith a promising future and a little money. Here, father, here!â he said, âtake thisâtake it, and send for something immediately.â And he emptied his pockets on the table, the contents consisting of a dozen gold pieces, five or six five-franc pieces, and some smaller coin. The countenance of old Dantès brightened.
âWhom does this belong to?â he inquired.
âTo me, to you, to us! Take it; buy some provisions; be happy, and tomorrow we shall have more.â
âGently, gently,â said the old man, with a smile; âand by your leave I will use your purse moderately, for they would say, if they saw me buy too many things at a time, that I had been obliged to await your return, in order to be able to purchase them.â
âDo as you please; but, first of all, pray have a servant, father. I will not have you left alone so long. I have some smuggled coffee and most capital tobacco, in a small chest in the hold, which you shall have tomorrow. But, hush, here comes somebody.â
ââTis Caderousse, who has heard of your arrival, and no doubt comes to congratulate you on your fortunate return.â
âAh, lips that say one thing, while the heart thinks another,â murmured Edmond. âBut, never mind, he is a neighbor who has done us a service on a time, so heâs welcome.â
As Edmond paused, the black and bearded head of Caderousse appeared at the door. He was a man of twenty-five or six, and held a piece of cloth, which, being a tailor, he was about to make into a coat-lining.
âWhat, is it you, Edmond, back again?â said he, with a broad Marseillaise accent, and a grin that displayed his ivory-white teeth.
âYes, as you see, neighbor Caderousse; and ready to be agreeable to you in any and every way,â replied Dantès, but ill-concealing his coldness under this cloak of civility.
âThanksâthanks; but, fortunately, I do not want for anything; and it chances that at times there are others who have need of me.â Dantès made a gesture. âI do not allude to you, my boy. No!âno! I lent you money, and you returned it; thatâs like good neighbors, and we are quits.â
âWe are never quits with those who oblige us,â was Dantèsâ reply; âfor when we do not owe them money, we owe them gratitude.â
âWhatâs the use of mentioning that? What is done is done. Let us talk of your happy return, my boy. I had gone on the quay to match a piece of mulberry cloth, when I met friend Danglars. âYou at Marseilles?âââYes,â says he.
ââI thought you were at Smyrna.âââI was; but am now back again.â
ââAnd where is the dear boy, our little Edmond?â
ââWhy, with his father, no doubt,â replied Danglars. And so I came,â added Caderousse, âas fast as I could to have the pleasure of shaking hands with a friend.â
âWorthy Caderousse!â said the old man, âhe is so much attached to us.â
âYes, to be sure I am. I love and esteem you, because honest folks are so rare. But it seems you have come back rich, my boy,â continued the tailor, looking askance at the handful of gold and silver which Dantès had thrown on the table.
The young man remarked the greedy glance which shone in the dark eyes of his neighbor. âEh,â he said, negligently, âthis money is not mine. I was expressing to my father my fears that he had wanted many things in my absence, and to convince me he emptied his purse on the table. Come, fatherâ added Dantès, âput this money back in your boxâunless neighbor Caderousse wants anything, and in that case it is at his service.â
âNo, my boy, no,â said Caderousse. âI am not in any want, thank God, my living is suited to my means. Keep your moneyâkeep it, I say;âone never has too much;âbut, at the same time, my boy, I am as much obliged by your offer as if I took advantage of it.â
âIt was offered with good will,â said Dantès.
âNo doubt, my boy; no doubt. Well, you stand well with M. Morrel I hear,âyou insinuating dog, you!â
âM. Morrel has always been exceedingly kind to me,â replied Dantès.
âThen you were wrong to refuse to dine with him.â
âWhat, did you refuse to dine with him?â said old Dantès; âand did he invite you to dine?â
âYes, my dear father,â replied Edmond, smiling at his fatherâs astonishment at the excessive honor paid to his son.
âAnd why did you refuse, my son?â inquired the old man.
âThat I might the sooner see you again, my dear father,â replied the young man. âI was most anxious to see you.â
âBut it must have vexed M. Morrel, good, worthy man,â said Caderousse. âAnd when you are looking forward to be captain, it was wrong to annoy the owner.â
âBut I explained to him the cause of my refusal,â replied Dantès, âand I hope he fully understood it.â
âYes, but to be captain one must do a little flattery to oneâs patrons.â
âI hope to be captain without that,â said Dantès.
âSo much the betterâso much the better! Nothing will give greater pleasure to all your old friends; and I know one down there behind the Saint Nicolas citadel who will not be sorry to hear it.â
âMercĂŠdès?â said the old man.
âYes, my dear father, and with your permission, now I have seen you, and know you are well and have all you require, I will ask your consent to go and pay a visit to the Catalans.â
âGo, my dear boy,â said old Dantès; âand Heaven bless you in your wife, as it has blessed me in my son!â
âHis wife!â said Caderousse; âwhy, how fast you go on, father Dantès; she is not his wife yet, as it seems to me.â
âNo, but according to all probability she soon will be,â replied Edmond.
âYesâyes,â said Caderousse; âbut you were right to return as soon as possible, my boy.â
âAnd why?â
âBecause MercĂŠdès is a very fine girl, and fine girls never lack followers; she particularly has them by dozens.â
âReally?â answered Edmond, with a smile which had in it traces of slight uneasiness.
âAh, yes,â continued Caderousse, âand capital offers, too; but you know, you will be captain, and who could refuse you then?â
âMeaning to say,â replied Dantès, with a smile which but ill-concealed his trouble, âthat if I were not a captainâââ
âEhâeh!â said Caderousse, shaking
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