"AND WHAT sort of persons do you expect to breakfast?" said Beauchamp.

"A gentleman, and a diplomatist."

"Then we shall have to wait two hours for the gentleman, and three for the diplomatist. I shall come back to dessert; keep me some strawberries, coffee, and cigars. I shall take a cutlet on my way to the Chamber²."

"Do not do anything of the sort; for were the gentleman a Montmorency, and the diplomatist a Metternich, we will breakfast at eleven; in the meantime, follow Debray's example, and take a glass of sherry and a biscuit."

"Be it so; I will stay; I must do something to distract my thoughts."

"You are like Debray, and yet it seems to me that when the minister is out of spirits, the opposition³ ought to be joyous⁴."

"Ah, you do not know with what I am threatened. I shall hear this morning that M. Danglars make a speech at the Chamber of Deputies, and at his wife's this evening I shall hear the tragedy of a peer of France. The devil take the constitutional government, and since we had our choice, as they say, at least, how could we choose that?"

"I understand; you must lay in a stock of hilarity⁵."

"Do not run down M. Danglars' speeches," said Debray; "he votes for you, for he belongs to the opposition."

"Pardieu! that is exactly the worst of all. I am waiting until you send him to speak at the Luxembourg, to laugh at my ease."

"My dear friend," said Albert to Beauchamp, "it is plain that the affairs of Spain are settled, for you are most desperately⁷ out of humor this morning. Recollect⁸ that Parisian gossip has spoken of a marriage between myself and Mlle. Eugénie Danglars; I cannot in conscience, therefore, let you run down the speeches of a man who will one day say to me, 'Vicomte, you know I give my daughter two millions.'"

"Ah, this marriage will never take place," said Beauchamp. "The king has made him a baron¹⁰, and can make him a peer, but he cannot make him a gentleman, and the Count of Morcerf is too aristocratic to consent, for the paltry¹² sum of two million francs, to a mésalliance. The Viscount of Morcerf can only wed¹³ a marchioness."

"But two million francs make a nice little sum," replied Morcerf.

"It is the social capital of a theatre on the boulevard, or a railroad from the Jardin des Plantes to La Rapée."

"Never mind what he says, Morcerf," said Debray, "do you marry her. You marry a money-bag label, it is true; well, but what does that matter? It is better to have a blazon¹⁵ less and a figure more on it. You have seven martlets on your arms; give three to your wife, and you will still have four; that is one more than M. de Guise¹⁶ had, who so nearly became King of France, and whose cousin was Emperor of Germany."

"On my word, I think you are right, Lucien," said Albert absently.

"To be sure; besides, every millionaire is as noble as a bastard--that is, he can be."

"Do not say that, Debray," returned Beauchamp, laughing, "for here is Chateau-Renaud, who, to cure you of your mania¹⁷ for paradoxes¹⁸, will pass the sword of Renaud de Montauban, his ancestor, through your body."

"He will sully it then," returned Lucien; "for I am low--very low."

"Oh, heavens," cried Beauchamp, "the minister quotes Beranger, what shall we come to next?"

"M. de Chateau-Renaud--M. Maximilian Morrel," said the servant, announcing two fresh guests.

"Now, then, to breakfast," said Beauchamp; "for, if I remember, you told me you only expected two persons, Albert."

"Morrel," muttered Albert--"Morrel--who is he?" But before he had finished, M. de Chateau-Renaud, a handsome young man of thirty, gentleman all over,--that is, with the figure of a Guiche and the wit of a Mortemart,--took Albert's hand. "My dear Albert," said he, "let me introduce to you M. Maximilian Morrel, captain of Spahis, my friend; and what is more--however the man speaks for himself ---my preserver. Salute¹⁹ my hero, viscount." And he stepped on one side to give place to a young man of refined and dignified²⁰ bearing, with large and open brow, piercing eyes, and black mustache, whom our readers have already seen at Marseilles, under circumstances sufficiently²¹ dramatic not to be forgotten. A rich uniform, half French, half Oriental, set off his graceful²² and stalwart figure, and his broad chest was decorated with the order of the Legion of Honor. The young officer bowed with easy and elegant politeness. "Monsieur," said Albert with affectionate courtesy, "the count of Chateau-Renaud knew how much pleasure this introduction would give me; you are his friend, be ours also."

"Well said," interrupted Chateau-Renaud; "and pray that, if you should ever be in a similar predicament, he may do as much for you as he did for me."

"What has he done?" asked Albert.

"Oh, nothing worth speaking of," said Morrel; "M. de Chateau-Renaud exaggerates."

"Not worth speaking of?" cried Chateau-Renaud; "life is not worth speaking of!--that is rather too philosophical²³, on my word, Morrel. It is very well for you, who risk your life every day, but for me, who only did so once"--

"We gather from all this, baron, that Captain Morrel saved your life."

"Exactly so."

"On what occasion?" asked Beauchamp.

"Beauchamp, my good fellow, you know I am starving," said Debray: "do not set him off on some long story."

"Well, I do not prevent your sitting down to table," replied Beauchamp, "Chateau-Renaud can tell us while we eat our breakfast."

"Gentlemen," said Morcerf, "it is only a quarter past ten, and I expect some one else."

"Ah, true, a diplomatist!" observed Debray.

"Diplomat¹ or not, I don't know; I only know that he charged himself on my account with a mission, which he terminated so entirely²⁴ to my satisfaction, that had I been king, I should have instantly created him knight²⁵ of all my orders, even had I been able to offer him the Golden Fleece and the Garter."

"Well, since we are not to sit down to table," said Debray, "take a glass of sherry, and tell us all about it."

"You all know that I had the fancy of going to Africa."

"It is a road your ancestors have traced for you," said Albert gallantly²⁶.

"Yes? but I doubt that your object was like theirs--to rescue the Holy Sepulchre."

"You are quite right, Beauchamp," observed the young aristocrat¹¹. "It was only to fight as an amateur. I cannot bear duelling since two seconds, whom I had chosen to arrange an affair, forced me to break the arm of one of my best friends, one whom you all know--poor Franz d'Epinay."

"Ah, true," said Debray, "you did fight some time ago; about what?"

"The devil take me, if I remember," returned Chateau-Renaud. "But I recollect perfectly²⁷ one thing, that, being unwilling²⁸ to let such talents as mine sleep, I wished to try upon the Arabs the new pistols that had been given to me. In consequence I embarked²⁹ for Oran, and went from thence to Constantine, where I arrived just in time to witness the raising of the siege. I retreated with the rest, for eight and forty hours. I endured the rain during the day, and the cold during the night tolerably well, but the third morning my horse died of cold. Poor brute--accustomed to be covered up and to have a stove in the stable, the Arabian finds himself unable to bear ten degrees of cold in Arabia."

"That's why you want to purchase my English horse," said Debray, "you think he will bear the cold better."

"You are mistaken, for I have made a vow³⁰ never to return to Africa."

"You were very much frightened, then?" asked Beauchamp.

"Well, yes, and I had good reason to be so," replied Chateau-Renaud. "I was retreating on foot, for my horse was dead. Six Arabs came up, full gallop³¹, to cut off my head. I shot two with my double-barrelled gun, and two more with my pistols, but I was then disarmed³², and two were still left; one seized me by the hair (that is why I now wear it so short, for no one knows what may happen), the other swung a yataghan, and I already felt the cold steel on my neck, when this gentleman whom you see here charged them, shot the one who held me by the hair, and cleft³³ the skull³⁴ of the other with his sabre. He had assigned himself the task of saving a man's life that day; chance caused that man to be myself. When I am rich I will order a statue of Chance from Klagmann or Marochetti."

"Yes," said Morrel, smiling, "it was the 5th of September, the anniversary of the day on which my father was miraculously³⁵ preserved; therefore, as far as it lies in my power, I endeavor to celebrate it by some"--

"Heroic action," interrupted Chateau-Renaud. "I was chosen. But that is not all--after rescuing me from the sword, he rescued me from the cold, not by sharing his cloak with me, like St. Martin, but by giving me the whole; then from hunger by sharing with me--guess what?"

"A Strasbourg pie?" asked Beauchamp.

"No, his horse; of which we each of us ate a slice with a hearty³⁶ appetite. It was very hard."

"The horse?" said Morcerf, laughing.

"No, the sacrifice," returned Chateau-Renaud; "ask Debray if he would sacrifice his English steed for a stranger?"

"Not for a stranger," said Debray, "but for a friend I might, perhaps."

"I divined that you would become mine, count," replied Morrel; "besides, as I had the honor to tell you, heroism³⁷ or not, sacrifice or not, that day I owed an offering to bad fortune in recompense for the favors good fortune had on other days granted to us."

"The history to which M. Morrel alludes," continued Chateau-Renaud, "is an admirable one, which he will tell you some day when you are better acquainted with him; to-day let us fill our stomachs, and not our memories. What time do you breakfast, Albert?"

"At half-past ten."

"Precisely³⁸?" asked Debray, taking out his watch.

"Oh, you will give me five minutes' grace," replied Morcerf, "for I also expect a preserver."

"Of whom?"

"Of myself," cried Morcerf; "parbleu, do you think I cannot be saved as well as any one else, and that there are only Arabs who cut off heads? Our breakfast is a philanthropic one, and we shall have at table--at least, I hope so--two benefactors³⁹ of humanity."

"What shall we do?" said Debray; "we have only one Monthyon prize."

"Well, it will be given to some one who has done nothing to deserve it," said Beauchamp; "that is the way the Academy mostly escapes from the dilemma⁴⁰."

"And where does he come from?" asked Debray. "You have already answered the question once, but so vaguely⁴¹ that I venture to put it a second time."

"Really," said Albert, "I do not know; when I invited him three months ago, he was then at Rome, but since that time who knows where he may have gone?"

"And you think him capable of being exact?" demanded Debray.

"I think him capable of everything."

"Well, with the five minutes' grace, we have only ten left."

"I will profit by them to tell you something about my guest."

"I beg pardon," interrupted Beauchamp; "are there any materials for an article in what you are going to tell us?"

"Yes, and for a most curious one."

"Go on, then, for I see I shall not get to the Chamber this morning, and I must make up for it."

"I was at Rome during the last Carnival⁴²."

"We know that," said Beauchamp.

"Yes, but what you do not know is that I was carried off by bandits."

"There are no bandits," cried Debray.

"Yes there are, and most hideous⁴³, or rather most admirable ones, for I found them ugly enough to frighten me."

"Come, my dear Albert," said Debray, "confess that your cook is behindhand, that the oysters⁴⁴ have not arrived from Ostend or Marennes, and that, like Madame de Maintenon, you are going to replace the dish by a story. Say so at once; we are sufficiently well-bred to excuse you, and to listen to your history, fabulous⁴⁵ as it promises to be."

"And I say to you, fabulous as it may seem, I tell it as a true one from beginning to end. The brigands⁴⁷ had carried me off, and conducted me to a gloomy spot, called the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian."

"I know it," said Chateau-Renaud; "I narrowly escaped catching⁴⁸ a fever there."

"And I did more than that," replied Morcerf, "for I caught one. I was informed that I was prisoner until I paid the sum of 4,000 Roman crowns--about 24,000 francs. Unfortunately, I had not above 1,500. I was at the end of my journey and of my credit. I wrote to Franz--and were he here he would confirm every word--I wrote then to Franz that if he did not come with the four thousand crowns before six, at ten minutes past I should have gone to join the blessed saints and glorious martyrs⁴⁹ in whose company I had the honor of being; and Signor Luigi Vampa, such was the name of the chief of these bandits, would have scrupulously⁵⁰ kept his word."

"But Franz did come with the four thousand crowns," said Chateau-Renaud. "A man whose name is Franz d'Epinay or Albert de Morcerf has not much difficulty in procuring⁵¹ them."

"No, he arrived accompanied simply by the guest I am going to present to you."

"Ah, this gentleman is a Hercules killing⁵² Cacus, a Perseus freeing Andromeda."

"No, he is a man about my own size."

"Armed to the teeth?"

"He had not even a knitting-needle."

"But he paid your ransom⁵³?"

"He said two words to the chief and I was free."

"And they apologized to him for having carried you off?" said Beauchamp.

"Just so."

"Why, he is a second Ariosto."

"No, his name is the Count of Monte Cristo."

"There is no Count of Monte Cristo" said Debray.

"I do not think so," added Chateau-Renaud, with the air of a man who knows the whole of the European nobility perfectly.

"Does any one know anything of a Count of Monte Cristo?"

"He comes possibly from the Holy Land, and one of his ancestors possessed⁵⁴ Calvary, as the Mortemarts did the Dead Sea."

"I think I can assist your researches," said Maximilian. "Monte Cristo is a little island I have often heard spoken of by the old sailors my father employed--a grain of sand in the centre of the Mediterranean⁵⁵, an atom in the infinite."

"Precisely!" cried Albert. "Well, he of whom I speak is the lord and master of this grain of sand, of this atom; he has purchased the title of count somewhere in Tuscany."

"He is rich, then?"

"I believe so."

"But that ought to be visible."

"That is what deceives you, Debray."

"I do not understand you."

"Have you read the Arabian Nights'?"

"What a question!"

"Well, do you know if the persons you see there are rich or poor, if their sacks of wheat are not rubies⁵⁶ or diamonds? They seem like poor fishermen, and suddenly they open some mysterious cavern⁵⁷ filled with the wealth of the Indies."

"Which means?"

"Which means that my Count of Monte Cristo is one of those fishermen. He has even a name taken from the book, since he calls himself Sinbad the Sailor, and has a cave filled with gold."

"And you have seen this cavern, Morcerf?" asked Beauchamp.

"No, but Franz has; for heaven's sake, not a word of this before him. Franz went in with his eyes blindfolded⁵⁸, and was waited on by mutes and by women to whom Cleopatra was a painted strumpet. Only he is not quite sure about the women, for they did not come in until after he had taken hashish, so that what he took for women might have been simply a row of statues."

The two young men looked at Morcerf as if to say,--"Are you mad, or are you laughing at us?"

"And I also," said Morrel thoughtfully, "have heard something like this from an old sailor named Penelon."

"Ah," cried Albert, "it is very lucky that M. Morrel comes to aid me; you are vexed⁵⁹, are you not, that he thus gives a clew to the labyrinth⁶⁰?"

"My dear Albert," said Debray, "what you tell us is so extraordinary."

"Ah, because your ambassadors and your consuls⁶¹ do not tell you of them--they have no time. They are too much taken up with interfering⁶² in the affairs of their countrymen who travel."

"Now you get angry, and attack our poor agents. How will you have them protect you? The Chamber cuts down their salaries every day, so that now they have scarcely any. Will you be ambassador, Albert? I will send you to Constantinople."

"No, lest on the first demonstration⁶³ I make in favor of Mehemet Ali, the Sultan send me the bowstring, and make my secretaries strangle me."

"You say very true," responded Debray.

"Yes," said Albert, "but this has nothing to do with the existence of the Count of Monte Cristo."

"Pardieu! every one exists."

"Doubtless, but not in the same way; every one has not black slaves, a princely retinue⁶⁴, an arsenal⁶⁵ of weapons that would do credit to an Arabian fortress⁶⁶, horses that cost six thousand francs apiece, and Greek mistresses."

"Have you seen the Greek mistress?"

"I have both seen and heard her. I saw her at the theatre, and heard her one morning when I breakfasted with the count."

"He eats, then?"

"Yes; but so little, it can hardly be called eating."

"He must be a vampire⁶⁷."

"Laugh, if you will; the Countess G----, who knew Lord Ruthven, declared that the count was a vampire."

"Ah, capital," said Beauchamp. "For a man not connected with newspapers, here is the pendant to the famous sea-serpent of the Constitutionnel."

"Wild eyes, the iris⁶⁸ of which contracts or dilates⁶⁹ at pleasure," said Debray; "facial angle strongly developed, magnificent forehead, livid complexion⁷⁰, black beard, sharp and white teeth, politeness unexceptionable."

"Just so, Lucien," returned Morcerf; "you have described him feature for feature. Yes, keen and cutting politeness. This man has often made me shudder⁷¹; and one day that we were viewing an execution, I thought I should faint, more from hearing the cold and calm manner in which he spoke⁹ of every description of torture, than from the sight of the executioner and the culprit."

"Did he not conduct you to the ruins of the Colosseum and suck your blood?" asked Beauchamp.

"Or, having delivered you, make you sign a flaming parchment, surrendering your soul to him as Esau did his birth-right?"

"Rail on, rail on at your ease, gentlemen," said Morcerf, somewhat piqued⁷³. "When I look at you Parisians, idlers on the Boulevard de Gand or the Bois de Boulogne, and think of this man, it seems to me we are not of the same race."

"I am highly flattered," returned Beauchamp. "At the same time," added Chateau-Renaud, "your Count of Monte Cristo is a very fine fellow, always excepting his little arrangements with the Italian banditti."

"There are no Italian banditti," said Debray.

"No vampire," cried Beauchamp. "No Count of Monte Cristo" added Debray. "There is half-past ten striking, Albert."

"Confess you have dreamed this, and let us sit down to breakfast," continued Beauchamp. But the sound of the clock had not died away when Germain announced, "His excellency the Count of Monte Cristo." The involuntary start every one gave proved how much Morcerf's narrative⁷⁴ had impressed them, and Albert himself could not wholly refrain from manifesting sudden emotion. He had not heard a carriage stop in the street, or steps in the ante-chamber; the door had itself opened noiselessly. The count appeared, dressed with the greatest simplicity⁷⁵, but the most fastidious dandy could have found nothing to cavil⁷⁶ at in his toilet. Every article of dress--hat, coat, gloves, and boots--was from the first makers⁷⁷. He seemed scarcely five and thirty. But what struck everybody was his extreme resemblance to the portrait Debray had drawn⁷⁸. The count advanced, smiling, into the centre of the room, and approached Albert, who hastened towards him holding out his hand in a ceremonial manner. "Punctuality," said Monte Cristo, "is the politeness of kings, according to one of your sovereigns, I think; but it is not the same with travellers. However, I hope you will excuse the two or three seconds I am behindhand; five hundred leagues are not to be accomplished⁷⁹ without some trouble, and especially in France, where, it seems, it is forbidden to beat the postilions."

"My dear count," replied Albert, "I was announcing your visit to some of my friends, whom I had invited in consequence of the promise you did me the honor to make, and whom I now present to you. They are the Count of Chateau-Renaud, whose nobility goes back to the twelve peers, and whose ancestors had a place at the Round Table; M. Lucien Debray, private secretary to the minister of the interior; M. Beauchamp, an editor of a paper, and the terror of the French government, but of whom, in spite of his national celebrity⁸⁰, you perhaps have not heard in Italy, since his paper is prohibited there; and M. Maximilian Morrel, captain of Spahis."

At this name the count, who had hitherto saluted⁸¹ every one with courtesy, but at the same time with coldness and formality, stepped a pace forward, and a slight tinge⁸² of red colored his pale cheeks. "You wear the uniform of the new French conquerors⁸³, monsieur," said he; "it is a handsome uniform." No one could have said what caused the count's voice to vibrate so deeply, and what made his eye flash, which was in general so clear, lustrous⁸⁴, and limpid⁸⁵ when he pleased. "You have never seen our Africans, count?" said Albert. "Never," replied the count, who was by this time perfectly master of himself again.

"Well, beneath this uniform beats one of the bravest and noblest hearts in the whole army."

"Oh, M. de Morcerf," interrupted Morrel.

"Let me go on, captain. And we have just heard," continued Albert, "of a new deed of his, and so heroic a one, that, although I have seen him to-day for the first time, I request you to allow me to introduce him as my friend." At these words it was still possible to observe in Monte Cristo the concentrated look, changing color, and slight trembling of the eyelid⁸⁶ that show emotion. "Ah, you have a noble heart," said the count; "so much the better." This exclamation⁸⁷, which corresponded to the count's own thought rather than to what Albert was saying, surprised everybody, and especially Morrel, who looked at Monte Cristo with wonder. But, at the same time, the intonation⁸⁸ was so soft that, however strange the speech might seem, it was impossible to be offended at it. "Why should he doubt it?" said Beauchamp to Chateau-Renaud.

"In reality," replied the latter, who, with his aristocratic glance and his knowledge of the world, had penetrated⁸⁹ at once all that was penetrable⁹⁰ in Monte Cristo, "Albert has not deceived us, for the count is a most singular being. What say you, Morrel!"

"Ma foi, he has an open look about him that pleases me, in spite of the singular remark he has made about me."

"Gentlemen," said Albert, "Germain informs me that breakfast is ready. My dear count, allow me to show you the way." They passed silently into the breakfast-room, and every one took his place. "Gentleman," said the count, seating himself, "permit me to make a confession⁹¹ which must form my excuse for any improprieties I may commit. I am a stranger, and a stranger to such a degree, that this is the first time I have ever been at Paris. The French way of living is utterly⁹² unknown to me, and up to the present time I have followed the Eastern customs, which are entirely in contrast to the Parisian. I beg you, therefore, to excuse if you find anything in me too Turkish, too Italian, or too Arabian. Now, then, let us breakfast."

"With what an air he says all this," muttered Beauchamp; "decidedly he is a great man."

"A great man in his own country," added Debray.

"A great man in every country, M. Debray," said Chateau-Renaud. The count was, it may be remembered, a most temperate⁹³ guest. Albert remarked this, expressing his fears lest, at the outset, the Parisian mode of life should displease⁹⁴ the traveller in the most essential point. "My dear count," said he, "I fear one thing, and that is, that the fare of the Rue¹⁴ du Helder is not so much to your taste as that of the Piazza⁹⁵ di Spagni. I ought to have consulted you on the point, and have had some dishes prepared expressly."

"Did you know me better," returned the count, smiling, "you would not give one thought of such a thing for a traveller like myself, who has successively lived on maccaroni at Naples, polenta at Milan, olla podrida at Valencia, pilau at Constantinople, karrick in India, and swallows' nests in China. I eat everywhere, and of everything, only I eat but little; and to-day, that you reproach me with my want of appetite, is my day of appetite, for I have not eaten since yesterday morning."

"What," cried all the guests, "you have not eaten for four and twenty hours?"

"No," replied the count; "I was forced to go out of my road to obtain some information near N?mes, so that I was somewhat late, and therefore I did not choose to stop."

"And you ate in your carriage?" asked Morcerf.

"No, I slept, as I generally do when I am weary without having the courage to amuse myself, or when I am hungry without feeling inclined to eat."

"But you can sleep when you please, monsieur?" said Morrel.

"Yes."

"You have a recipe for it?"

"An infallible one."

"That would be invaluable⁹⁶ to us in Africa, who have not always any food to eat, and rarely anything to drink."

"Yes," said Monte Cristo; "but, unfortunately, a recipe excellent for a man like myself would be very dangerous applied⁹⁷ to an army, which might not awake when it was needed."

"May we inquire what is this recipe?" asked Debray.

"Oh, yes," returned Monte Cristo; "I make no secret of it. It is a mixture of excellent opium⁹⁸, which I fetched myself from Canton in order to have it pure, and the best hashish which grows in the East--that is, between the Tigris and the Euphrates. These two ingredients are mixed in equal proportions, and formed into pills. Ten minutes after one is taken, the effect is produced. Ask Baron Franz d'Epinay; I think he tasted them one day."

"Yes," replied Morcerf, "he said something about it to me."

"But," said Beauchamp, who, as became a journalist, was very incredulous, "you always carry this drug about you?"

"Always."

"Would it be an indiscretion to ask to see those precious pills?" continued Beauchamp, hoping to take him at a disadvantage.

"No, monsieur," returned the count; and he drew from his pocket a marvellous casket, formed out of a single emerald and closed by a golden lid which unscrewed and gave passage to a small greenish colored pellet about the size of a pea. This ball had an acrid⁹⁹ and penetrating¹⁰⁰ odor. There were four or five more in the emerald, which would contain about a dozen. The casket passed around the table, but it was more to examine the admirable emerald than to see the pills that it passed from hand to hand. "And is it your cook who prepares these pills?" asked Beauchamp.

"Oh, no, monsieur," replied Monte Cristo; "I do not thus betray my enjoyments¹⁰¹ to the vulgar. I am a tolerable chemist, and prepare my pills myself."

"This is a magnificent emerald, and the largest I have ever seen," said Chateau-Renaud, "although my mother has some remarkable¹⁰² family jewels."

"I had three similar ones," returned Monte Cristo. "I gave one to the Sultan, who mounted it in his sabre; another to our holy father the Pope, who had it set in his tiara, opposite to one nearly as large, though not so fine, given by the Emperor Napoleon to his predecessor¹⁰³, Pius VII. I kept the third for myself, and I had it hollowed out, which reduced its value, but rendered it more commodious¹⁰⁴ for the purpose I intended." Every one looked at Monte Cristo with astonishment¹⁰⁵; he spoke with so much simplicity that it was evident he spoke the truth, or that he was mad. However, the sight of the emerald made them naturally incline to the former belief. "And what did these two sovereigns give you in exchange for these magnificent presents?" asked Debray.

"The Sultan, the liberty of a woman," replied the Count; "the Pope, the life of a man; so that once in my life I have been as powerful as if heaven had brought me into the world on the steps of a throne."

"And it was Peppino you saved, was it not?" cried Morcerf; "it was for him that you obtained pardon?"

"Perhaps," returned the count, smiling.

"My dear count, you have no idea what pleasure it gives me to hear you speak thus," said Morcerf. "I had announced you beforehand to my friends as an enchanter of the Arabian Nights, a wizard of the Middle Ages; but the Parisians are so subtle in paradoxes that they mistake for caprices of the imagination the most incontestable truths, when these truths do not form a part of their daily existence. For example, here is Debray who reads, and Beauchamp who prints, every day, 'A member of the Jockey Club has been stopped and robbed on the Boulevard;' 'four persons have been assassinated¹⁰⁶ in the Rue St. Denis' or 'the Faubourg St. Germain;' 'ten, fifteen, or twenty thieves, have been arrested in a café on the Boulevard du Temple, or in the Thermes de Julien,'--and yet these same men deny the existence of the bandits in the Maremma, the Campagna di Romana, or the Pontine Marshes¹⁰⁷. Tell them yourself that I was taken by bandits, and that without your generous intercession I should now have been sleeping in the Catacombs of St. Sebastian, instead of receiving them in my humble¹⁰⁸ abode¹⁰⁹ in the Rue du Helder."

"Ah," said Monte Cristo "you promised me never to mention that circumstance."

"It was not I who made that promise," cried Morcerf; "it must have been some one else whom you have rescued in the same manner, and whom you have forgotten. Pray speak of it, for I shall not only, I trust, relate the little I do know, but also a great deal I do not know."

"It seems to me," returned the count, smiling, "that you played a sufficiently important part to know as well as myself what happened."

"Well, you promise me, if I tell all I know, to relate, in your turn, all that I do not know?"

"That is but fair," replied Monte Cristo.

"Well," said Morcerf, "for three days I believed myself the object of the attentions of a masque, whom I took for a descendant of Tullia or Poppoea, while I was simply the object of the attentions of a contadina, and I say contadina to avoid saying peasant girl. What I know is, that, like a fool, a greater fool than he of whom I spoke just now, I mistook for this peasant girl a young bandit of fifteen or sixteen, with a beardless chin and slim waist, and who, just as I was about to imprint¹¹⁰ a chaste¹¹¹ salute on his lips, placed a pistol to my head, and, aided by seven or eight others, led, or rather dragged me, to the Catacombs of St. Sebastian, where I found a highly educated brigand⁴⁶ chief perusing¹¹² C?sar's Commentaries, and who deigned¹¹³ to leave off reading to inform me, that unless the next morning, before six o'clock, four thousand piastres were paid into his account at his banker's, at a quarter past six I should have ceased to exist. The letter is still to be seen, for it is in Franz d'Epinay's possession, signed by me, and with a postscript¹¹⁴ of M. Luigi Vampa. This is all I know, but I know not, count, how you contrived¹¹⁵ to inspire so much respect in the bandits of Rome who ordinarily have so little respect for anything. I assure you, Franz and I were lost in admiration¹¹⁶."

"Nothing more simple," returned the count. "I had known the famous Vampa for more than ten years. When he was quite a child, and only a shepherd, I gave him a few gold pieces for showing me my way, and he, in order to repay me, gave me a poniard, the hilt of which he had carved with his own hand, and which you may have seen in my collection of arms. In after years, whether he had forgotten this interchange of presents, which ought to have cemented our friendship, or whether he did not recollect me, he sought to take me, but, on the contrary, it was I who captured him and a dozen of his band. I might have handed him over to Roman justice, which is somewhat expeditious¹¹⁷, and which would have been particularly so with him; but I did nothing of the sort--I suffered him and his band to depart."

"With the condition that they should sin no more," said Beauchamp, laughing. "I see they kept their promise."

"No, monsieur," returned Monte Cristo "upon the simple condition that they should respect myself and my friends. Perhaps what I am about to say may seem strange to you, who are socialists¹¹⁸, and vaunt humanity and your duty to your neighbor, but I never seek to protect a society which does not protect me, and which I will even say, generally occupies itself about me only to injure me; and thus by giving them a low place in my esteem¹¹⁹, and preserving a neutrality towards them, it is society and my neighbor who are indebted to me."

"Bravo," cried Chateau-Renaud; "you are the first man I ever met sufficiently courageous¹²⁰ to preach egotism. Bravo, count, bravo!"

"It is frank, at least," said Morrel. "But I am sure that the count does not regret having once deviated¹²¹ from the principles he has so boldly avowed¹²²."

"How have I deviated from those principles, monsieur?" asked Monte Cristo, who could not help looking at Morrel with so much intensity¹²³, that two or three times the young man had been unable to sustain that clear and piercing glance.

"Why, it seems to me," replied Morrel, "that in delivering M. de Morcerf, whom you did not know, you did good to your neighbor and to society."

"Of which he is the brightest ornament," said Beauchamp, drinking off a glass of champagne¹²⁴.

"My dear count," cried Morcerf, "you are at fault--you, one of the most formidable logicians I know--and you must see it clearly proved that instead of being an egotist, you are a philanthropist. Ah, you call yourself Oriental, a Levantine, Maltese, Indian, Chinese; your family name is Monte Cristo; Sinbad the Sailor is your baptismal appellation¹²⁵, and yet the first day you set foot in Paris you instinctively¹²⁶ display the greatest virtue¹²⁷, or rather the chief defect, of us eccentric Parisians,--that is, you assume the vices¹²⁸ you have not, and conceal¹²⁹ the virtues¹³⁰ you possess."

"My dear vicomte," returned Monte Cristo, "I do not see, in all I have done, anything that merits, either from you or these gentlemen, the pretended eulogies¹³¹ I have received. You were no stranger to me, for I knew you from the time I gave up two rooms to you, invited you to breakfast with me, lent you one of my carriages, witnessed the Carnival in your company, and saw with you from a window in the Piazza del Popolo the execution that affected¹³² you so much that you nearly fainted. I will appeal to any of these gentlemen, could I leave my guest in the hands of a hideous bandit, as you term him? Besides, you know, I had the idea that you could introduce me into some of the Paris salons¹³³ when I came to France. You might some time ago have looked upon this resolution as a vague project, but to-day you see it was a reality, and you must submit to it under penalty of breaking your word."

"I will keep it," returned Morcerf; "but I fear that you will be much disappointed, accustomed as you are to picturesque¹³⁴ events and fantastic horizons. Amongst us you will not meet with any of those episodes with which your adventurous¹³⁵ existence has so familiarized you; our Chimborazo is Mortmartre, our Himalaya is Mount Valerien, our Great Desert is the plain of Grenelle, where they are now boring an artesian well to water the caravans¹³⁶. We have plenty of thieves, though not so many as is said; but these thieves stand in far more dread¹³⁷ of a policeman than a lord. France is so prosaic¹³⁸, and Paris so civilized¹³⁹ a city, that you will not find in its eighty-five departments--I say eighty-five, because I do not include Corsica--you will not find, then, in these eighty-five departments a single hill on which there is not a telegraph, or a grotto¹⁴⁰ in which the commissary of police has not put up a gaslamp. There is but one service I can render you, and for that I place myself entirely at your orders, that is, to present, or make my friends present, you everywhere; besides, you have no need of any one to introduce you--with your name, and your fortune, and your talent" (Monte Cristo bowed with a somewhat ironical¹⁴¹ smile) "you can present yourself everywhere, and be well received. I can be useful in one way only--if knowledge of Parisian habits, of the means of rendering⁷² yourself comfortable, or of the bazaars¹⁴², can assist, you may depend upon me to find you a fitting dwelling¹⁴³ here. I do not dare offer to share my apartments with you, as I shared yours at Rome--I, who do not profess¹⁴⁴ egotism, but am yet egotist par⁶ excellence¹⁴⁵; for, except myself, these rooms would not hold a shadow more, unless that shadow were feminine."

"Ah," said the count, "that is a most conjugal¹⁴⁶ reservation; I recollect that at Rome you said something of a projected marriage. May I congratulate you?"

"The affair is still in projection¹⁴⁷."

"And he who says in 'projection,' means already decided," said Debray.

"No," replied Morcerf, "my father is most anxious about it; and I hope, ere long, to introduce you, if not to my wife, at least to my betrothed--Mademoiselle Eugénie Danglars."

"Eugénie Danglars," said Monte Cristo; "tell me, is not her father Baron Danglars?"

"Yes," returned Morcerf, "a baron of a new creation."

"What matter," said Monte Cristo "if he has rendered the State services which merit this distinction?"

"Enormous ones," answered Beauchamp. "Although in reality a Liberal, he negotiated a loan of six millions for Charles X., in 1829, who made him a baron and chevalier of the Legion of Honor; so that he wears the ribbon, not, as you would think, in his waistcoat-pocket, but at his button-hole."

"Ah," interrupted Morcerf, laughing, "Beauchamp, Beauchamp, keep that for the Corsaire or the Charivari, but spare my future father-in-law before me." Then, turning to Monte Cristo, "You just now spoke his name as if you knew the baron?"

"I do not know him," returned Monte Cristo; "but I shall probably soon make his acquaintance, for I have a credit opened with him by the house of Richard & Blount, of London, Arstein & Eskeles of Vienna, and Thomson & French at Rome." As he pronounced the two last names, the count glanced at Maximilian Morrel. If the stranger expected to produce an effect on Morrel, he was not mistaken--Maximilian started as if he had been electrified¹⁴⁸. "Thomson & French," said he; "do you know this house, monsieur?"

"They are my bankers in the capital of the Christian¹⁴⁹ world," returned the count quietly. "Can my influence with them be of any service to you?"

"Oh, count, you could assist me perhaps in researches which have been, up to the present, fruitless. This house, in past years, did ours a great service, and has, I know not for what reason, always denied having rendered us this service."

"I shall be at your orders," said Monte Cristo bowing.

"But," continued Morcerf, "à propos of Danglars,--we have strangely wandered from the subject. We were speaking of a suitable habitation for the Count of Monte Cristo. Come, gentlemen, let us all propose some place. Where shall we lodge¹⁵⁰ this new guest in our great capital?"

"Faubourg Saint-Germain," said Chateau-Renaud. "The count will find there a charming hotel, with a court and garden."

"Bah, Chateau-Renaud," returned Debray, "you only know your dull and gloomy Faubourg Saint-Germain; do not pay any attention to him, count--live in the Chaussée d'Antin, that's the real centre of Paris."

"Boulevard de l'Opéra," said Beauchamp; "the second floor--a house with a balcony. The count will have his cushions of silver cloth brought there, and as he smokes his chibouque, see all Paris pass before him."

"You have no idea, then, Morrel?" asked Chateau-Renaud; "you do not propose anything."

"Oh, yes," returned the young man, smiling; "on the contrary, I have one, but I expected the count would be tempted¹⁵¹ by one of the brilliant proposals made him, yet as he has not replied to any of them, I will venture to offer him a suite¹⁵² of apartments in a charming hotel, in the Pompadour style, that my sister has inhabited for a year, in the Rue Meslay."

"You have a sister?" asked the count.

"Yes, monsieur, a most excellent sister."

"Married?"

"Nearly nine years."

"Happy?" asked the count again.

"As happy as it is permitted to a human creature to be," replied Maximilian. "She married the man she loved, who remained faithful to us in our fallen fortunes--Emmanuel Herbaut." Monte Cristo smiled imperceptibly. "I live there during my leave of absence," continued Maximilian; "and I shall be, together with my brother-in-law Emmanuel, at the disposition¹⁵³ of the Count, whenever he thinks fit to honor us."

"One minute," cried Albert, without giving Monte Cristo the time to reply. "Take care, you are going to immure¹⁵⁴ a traveller, Sinbad the Sailor, a man who comes to see Paris; you are going to make a patriarch of him."

"Oh, no," said Morrel; "my sister is five and twenty, my brother-in-law is thirty, they are gay, young, and happy. Besides, the count will be in his own house, and only see them when he thinks fit to do so."

"Thanks, monsieur," said Monte Cristo; "I shall content myself with being presented to your sister and her husband, if you will do me the honor to introduce me; but I cannot accept the offer of any one of these gentlemen, since my habitation is already prepared."

"What," cried Morcerf; "you are, then, going to an hotel--that will be very dull for you."

"Was I so badly lodged¹⁵⁵ at Rome?" said Monte Cristo smiling.

"Parbleu! at Rome you spent fifty thousand piastres in furnishing your apartments, but I presume that you are not disposed to spend a similar sum every day."

"It is not that which deterred¹⁵⁶ me," replied Monte Cristo; "but as I determined¹⁵⁷ to have a house to myself, I sent on my valet de chambre, and he ought by this time to have bought the house and furnished it."

"But you have, then, a valet de chambre who knows Paris?" said Beauchamp.

"It is the first time he has ever been in Paris. He is black, and cannot speak," returned Monte Cristo.

"It is Ali!" cried Albert, in the midst of the general surprise.

"Yes, Ali himself, my Nubian mute, whom you saw, I think, at Rome."

"Certainly," said Morcerf; "I recollect him perfectly. But how could you charge a Nubian to purchase a house, and a mute to furnish it?--he will do everything wrong."

"Undeceive yourself, monsieur," replied Monte Cristo; "I am quite sure, that, on the contrary, he will choose everything as I wish. He knows my tastes, my caprices, my wants. He has been here a week, with the instinct of a hound, hunting by himself. He will arrange everything for me. He knew, that I should arrive to-day at ten o'clock; he was waiting for me at nine at the Barrière de Fontainebleau. He gave me this paper; it contains the number of my new abode; read it yourself," and Monte Cristo passed a paper to Albert. "Ah, that is really original," said Beauchamp.

"And very princely," added Chateau-Renaud.

"What, do you not know your house?" asked Debray.

"No," said Monte Cristo; "I told you I did not wish to be behind my time; I dressed myself in the carriage, and descended¹⁵⁸ at the viscount's door." The young men looked at each other; they did not know if it was a comedy Monte Cristo was playing, but every word he uttered had such an air of simplicity, that it was impossible to suppose what he said was false--besides, why should he tell a falsehood? "We must content ourselves, then," said Beauchamp, "with rendering the count all the little services in our power. I, in my quality of journalist, open all the theatres to him."

"Thanks, monsieur," returned Monte Cristo, "my steward¹⁵⁹ has orders to take a box at each theatre."

"Is your steward also a Nubian?" asked Debray.

"No, he is a countryman of yours, if a Corsican is a countryman of any one's. But you know him, M. de Morcerf."

"Is it that excellent M. Bertuccio, who understands hiring windows so well?"

"Yes, you saw him the day I had the honor of receiving you; he has been a soldier, a smuggler--in fact, everything. I would not be quite sure that he has not been mixed up with the police for some trifle--a stab with a knife, for instance."

"And you have chosen this honest citizen for your steward," said Debray. "Of how much does he rob you every year?"

"On my word," replied the count, "not more than another. I am sure he answers my purpose, knows no impossibility, and so I keep him."

"Then," continued Chateau-Renaud, "since you have an establishment, a steward, and a hotel in the Champs Elysées, you only want a mistress." Albert smiled. He thought of the fair Greek he had seen in the count's box at the Argentina and Valle theatres. "I have something better than that," said Monte Cristo; "I have a slave. You procure¹⁶⁰ your mistresses from the opera, the Vaudeville¹⁶¹, or the Variétés; I purchased mine at Constantinople; it cost me more, but I have nothing to fear."

"But you forget," replied Debray, laughing, "that we are Franks by name and franks by nature, as King Charles said, and that the moment she puts her foot in France your slave becomes free."

"Who will tell her?"

"The first person who sees her."

"She only speaks Romaic."

"That is different."

"But at least we shall see her," said Beauchamp, "or do you keep eunuchs as well as mutes?"

"Oh, no," replied Monte Cristo; "I do not carry brutalism so far. Every one who surrounds me is free to quit me, and when they leave me will no longer have any need of me or any one else; it is for that reason, perhaps, that they do not quit me." They had long since passed to dessert and cigars.

"My dear Albert," said Debray, rising, "it is half-past two. Your guest is charming, but you leave the best company to go into the worst sometimes. I must return to the minister's. I will tell him of the count, and we shall soon know who he is."

"Take care," returned Albert; "no one has been able to accomplish that."

"Oh, we have three millions for our police; it is true they are almost always spent beforehand, but, no matter, we shall still have fifty thousand francs to spend for this purpose."

"And when you know, will you tell me?"

"I promise you. Au revoir, Albert. Gentlemen, good morning."

As he left the room, Debray called out loudly, "My carriage."

"Bravo," said Beauchamp to Albert; "I shall not go to the Chamber, but I have something better to offer my readers than a speech of M. Danglars."

"For heaven's sake, Beauchamp," returned Morcerf, "do not deprive me of the merit of introducing him everywhere. Is he not peculiar¹⁶²?"

"He is more than that," replied Chateau-Renaud; "he is one of the most extraordinary men I ever saw in my life. Are you coming, Morrel?"

"Directly I have given my card to the count, who has promised to pay us a visit at Rue Meslay, No. 14."

"Be sure I shall not fail to do so," returned the count, bowing. And Maximilian Morrel left the room with the Baron de Chateau-Renaud, leaving Monte Cristo alone with Morcerf.

读者大概还记得，伯爵是一个极节食的宾客。阿尔贝注意到了这一点，深恐巴黎式的生活一开始就会在这最重要的一点上使这位客人不高兴。

“亲爱的伯爵，”他说道，“我怕海尔达路的饭菜不象爱勘探巴广场的那样合您的胃口。这一点我本应该先跟您商量，为您做几样特别合您口味的菜的。”

“要是您对我了解较多的话，”伯爵微笑着答道，“对于象我这样一个随缘度日，在那不勒斯吃通心粉，在梅朗吃粟粉粥，在瓦朗斯吃杂烩羹，在君士坦丁堡吃抓饭，在印度吃‘卡力克’，在中国吃燕窝的旅行家，这种事您想都不会想的。我无论到什么地方，什么饭菜都能吃，只是我吃得很少。今天，您怪我吃得少，实际上这已是胃口很好的时候了，因为从昨天早晨以来，我还没吃过东西。”

“什么！”宾客都惊叫道，“您二十四小时没吃东西了吗？”

“是的，”伯爵答道，“因为必须绕道到尼姆去听一点消息，所以来不及了，沿途就没有停车。”那么您在马车里进餐了吗？”马尔塞夫问道。

“没有，我睡觉，当我累了而又无心去消遣，或当我肚子饿而又不想吃东西的时候，我总是睡觉的。”

“但您能睡就睡吗，阁下？”莫雷尔问道。

“差不多是这样吧。”

“您的办法保险吗？”

“万无一失。”

“那对于我们那些在非洲的人真是太难得了，我们常常找不到吃的，饮料也极少。”

“是的，”基督山说，“但不幸的是，我的办法对象我这样过着一种特别生活的人虽然很有用外，可是对全军将士却非常危险，会使他们需要醒的时候醒不过来。”

“我们能否问一下这种办法究竟是什么呢？”德布雷问道。

“噢，可以的，”基督山答道，“我并不想保守秘密。那是上等的鸦片和最好的大麻的一种混合剂。鸦片是我从广东买来的，可保证它的质量上等，大麻是东方的产品，也就是说，是在底格和幼发拉底河之间生长的。这两种成份以相等的份量混合起来，制成丸药，吃下一颗以后，十分钟就可见效。这点可问一下弗兰兹·伊皮奈男爵阁下，我记得他曾吃过一次。”

“是的，”马尔塞夫回答说，“他对我说起过这样的事。”

“但是，”波尚说道，他站在新闻记者的立场上，仍抱着非常怀疑的态度，“这种药丸您总是带在身上吗？”

“总是带着的。”

“我想看一下这种宝贵的药丸，伯爵不会怪我失礼吧？”波尚又说道，心里很想难倒他。

“没什么，阁下。”伯爵回答道，说完他从衣袋里摸出了一只非常名贵的小盒子，那是整块翡翠镂刻成的，上面有一个金质的盖子，盖子一转，就从里面倒出了一粒淡绿色的小丸子，约莫有豌豆大小。这粒药丸有一股辛辣刺鼻的香味。翡翠盒子里还有四五粒，这本来的容量大概在一打左右。全桌的人传看着这只小盒子，但宾客们把它拿到手上的时候，主要的是细察这块令人羡慕的翡翠而不是去看那药丸。

“这些药丸是您的厨师给您调制的吗？”波尚问道。

“噢，不，阁下，”基督山答道，“我不会把我真正心爱的享受品托给无能的人去随意乱弄的。我自己勉强可算是一个药剂师，我的药丸都是我亲自调制的。”

“这块翡翠真漂亮，是我生平所见的最大的了，”夏多·勒诺说道，“虽然家母也颇有一些家传的稀奇珠宝。”

“我有三块同样的，”基督山答道。“一块我送给了土尔其皇帝他把它镶在了他的佩刀上，另一块让我送给了我们的圣父教皇，他把它和拿破仑皇帝送给他的前任庇护七世的那一块一同镶在他的皇冠上了，他原来的那一块差不多也这样大，但质地没这么好。这第三块我留给了自己，我把它镂空了，虽然降低了它的价值，但用起来却的确非常方便。”

每个人都惊异地望着基督山，他的话讲得这样简洁，显然所说的是实情，否则的话他疯了。但是，这块翡翠明明在眼前，所以他们自然倾向于相信。

“那两位君主用什么和您交换这种珍贵的礼物的呢？”德布雷问道。

“我向土耳其皇帝交换了一个女人的自由，”伯爵回答说，“向教皇交换了一个男人的生命。所以在我的一生中，也曾一度有过权力。好象上天送到帝王宫中降生似的。”

“您救的是庇皮诺，对吧？”马尔塞夫大声说道，“您就是为他才去弄到那个赦罪令的吧？”

“或许是的吧。”伯爵微笑着回答说。

“伯爵阁下，您不知道我听了这些话有多高兴，”马尔塞夫说道。“我事先已对我这几位朋友宣称过，说您是《一千零一夜》里的一位魔术师，中世纪的巫师，但巴黎人诡辩起来倒是十分精明的，假如那种事不是他们的日常生活所遇到的话，那他们就会把最无可争辩的事实误认作狂想。譬如说，骑士俱乐部的一个会员在大街上被抢劫啦；圣·但尼街或圣·日尔曼村有四个人被暗杀啦；寺院大道或几龄路的一家咖啡馆里捉到了十个，十五个，或二十个小偷啦；这一类新闻，德布雷天天看到，波尚天天刊登，可是，他们却拚命说马里曼丛林，罗马平原，或邦汀沼泽地带没有强盗。请您当面告诉他们，我的确被强盗绑去过，要不是您仗义搭救，恐怕我现在早已躺在圣·塞巴斯蒂安的陵墓里，而决不可能再在海尔达路我这间寒舍里接待他们啦。”

“但是，基督山说道，“您答应过我决不再提那次不幸的事的。”

“我可没那样答应您呀，”马尔塞夫大声说道，“那一定是另外一个人答应的，那个人也蒙您这样把他救了出来，而您却把他忘了。请谈谈吧，假如您愿意把那件事讲出来，我不但可以听到几件我已经知道了的事，而且或许还可以知道更多到现在为止还不明白的事情呢。”

“依我看，”伯爵微笑着答道，“您也扮演了一个相当重要的角色，对于经过的种种事情，已经知道得象我一样清楚了呀。”

“好吧，请答应我，假如我把我所知道的一切都讲出来，您也就把我所不知道的一切都讲出来。”

“那很公平合理。”基督山伯爵回答说。

“是这样的，”马尔塞夫开始了他的讲述，“接连三天，我自以为已成了一个蒙面女郎青睐的目标，我把她看作了丽亚或鲍贝类美女的后裔了，而实际上她是个化装的农家女，我之所以说是农家女，是为了避免说农妇。我只知道自己当时象个傻瓜，一个大傻瓜，我错把这个下巴上没有胡须，腰肢纤细，年约十五六岁的男强盗看成是一个农家女了，正当我想在他的嘴唇上吻一下时，他忽然拿出一支手枪顶住我脑袋，另外还有七八支手枪过来帮忙，于是我被领到，或说得更准确些，是被拖到了圣·塞巴斯蒂安的陵墓里。在那儿，我发现有一位受过高深教育的强盗正在那儿阅读《凯撒历史回忆录》，蒙他弃书赐教，告诉我说，除非我在第二天早晨六点钟以前拿出四千毕阿士特，否则到了六点一刻我就活不成了。那封信现在还在，因为弗兰兹·伊皮奈还保留着，上面有我的签名，有罗吉·万帕先生的附言。我所知道的就这些了，我不了解的是，伯爵阁下，您究竟怎么使这些天不怕地不怕的罗马强盗这样尊敬您。说实话，弗兰兹和我的确都对您佩服极啦。”

“说来简单极了，”伯爵答道。“我认识那位大名鼎鼎的万帕已有十几年了。当他还只是个孩子，一个牧童的时候，他就曾给我领了一段路，为此我曾送了他几块金洋。他呢，为了报答我，就送了一把匕首，那把匕首的柄是他亲手雕刻的，你们要是去参观我的武器收藏柜的话，还可以看到它。本来，这次交换礼物，应该可以建立起我们之间的友谊的，但到了后来，不知他究竟是把这件事忘了呢，还是记不得了，他想来抓我，结果反倒是我抓住了他，还把他的手下人也捉了一打。我本来可以把他交给罗马法庭的，法庭方面大概也是会欢迎的，尤其是他，但我没那样做，相反的，我把他和他的手下人都放了。”

“条件是不许他们再作恶，”波尚大笑着说道。“我很高兴看到他们确能信守诺言。”

“不，阁下，”基督山回答，“我的条件只是要求他该尊重我和我的朋友。你们之中要是有社会主义者，以宣扬人道和以对你们邻居尊重为荣的话，那么对于下面的这番话或许会觉得奇怪的，我从来不想去保护社会，因为社会并没有保护我，我甚至可以说，一般而言，它只想来伤害我，所以我对它毫无敬意，并对它们保持中立的态度，并非我欠社会和我的邻居的情，而是社会和我的邻居欠了我的情。”

“好！”夏多·勒诺大声说道，“您是我生平遇到的第一个敢于把利己主义说得这样坦诚的人。好样的，伯爵阁下，说得好！”

“至少可算得上说得很坦白，”莫雷尔说道。“但我相信伯爵阁下虽曾有一度背离了他这样大胆宣称的原则，但他是不会感到遗憾的。”

“我怎么背离了那些原则，阁下？”基督山问道，他象这样不由自主地以专注的目光去望莫雷尔，已经有两三次了，这个青年简直有点受不了伯爵这明亮而清澈的目光。

“噢，在我看来，”莫雷尔答道，“您救了您并不认识的马尔塞夫先生，也就是帮助您的邻居和社会了。”

“他是那个社会的光荣。”波尚说道，喝干了一杯香槟。

“伯爵阁下，”马尔塞夫大声说道，“这回您错了，您可是我所知道的最严谨的逻辑学家啊。您一定会清楚地看到，依据这个推理，您非但不是一个利己主义者，而且还是一个博爱主义者呢。啊！您自称为东方人，勒旺人，马耳他人，印度人，中国人。您的姓是基督山，水手辛巴德是您的教名，可是在您的脚踏上巴黎的第一天，您就自然具备我们这些反常的巴黎人的最大美德，或说得更确切些，我们的最大的缺点，就是，故意表白您所没有的污点，而掩饰了您固有的美德。”

“亲爱的子爵，”基督山答道，“我看不出在我所做的一切事上有哪一点值得您和这几位先生如此过奖。您和我早已不是陌生人，因为我们早就相识了。我曾让了两个房间给您，我曾请您和我共进早餐，我曾借给您一辆马车；我们曾一同看狂欢节；我们也曾在波波罗广场的一个窗口上一同看处决人，那次把您吓得差一点昏过去。我请这几位先生说句公道话，我能让我的客人由那个您所谓的可怕的强盗去任意摆布吗？而且，您知道，我曾想过，当我到法国来的时候，您可以介绍我踏进巴黎的几家客厅。您以前或许把我这个决定看作一个空泛不可能实现的计划，但今天您已经看到了它的实施事情，这件事，您要是不守信用，一定要受罚的。”

“我一定守信用，”马尔塞夫回答说，“但我深恐您见惯了奇事美景，对这里会大感失望的。在我们这里，您遇不到任何在您的冒险生活里常常遇到的那种插曲。马特山就是我们的琴博拉索山，凡尔灵山就是我们的喜马拉雅山，格勒内尔平原就是我们的戈壁大沙漠，而且他们现在正在那儿掘一口自流井，以便沙漠里的旅客能有水吃。我们有不少小偷，尽管没有报上说的那样多，但这些小偷怕警察甚于怕失主。法国是这样平淡无奇，巴黎又是这样文明的一个都市，以致在它的八十五个省境内——我说八十五个，因为我没有把科西嘉包括进去——嗯，在这八十五个省境内，您无论在哪一座小山上都可找到一座急报站，无论哪一个岩洞里都可找到一盏警察局安放的煤气灯。我只有一件事可以为您效劳，听您的吩咐，由我或请我的朋友到处为您介绍。其实，您也无需任何人为您介绍——凭您的大名、您的财富和您的天才，（基督山带着一个近于讽刺意味的微笑鞠了一躬）您可以到处自荐而受到很好的接待。我只在一点上可以对您有点用处，在熟悉巴黎生活的习惯，使日子过得安乐舒适，或则买衣物用具这几方面，我的经验对您能有所帮助的话，您尽管差遣我为您去找一所适当的住宅。我在罗马分享了您的住处，但我不敢请您分享我的住处——虽然我并不主张利己主义，但我却是个十足的利己主义者——因为除了我本人以外，这些房间连一个影子也容纳不下，除非是一个女人的倩影。”

“啊，”伯爵说道，“那是准备金屋藏娇了，我记得在罗马的时候，你曾提到过一件计划中的婚事。我可以向您道喜了吗？”

“那件事到目前还只是一个计划。”

“所谓‘计划’，意思说是事实。”德布雷说道。

“不是的，马尔塞夫答道，“家父极想结这门亲事，我希望在不久的将来能介绍您见一见这位即使不是我的太太，至少也是我的未婚妻的欧热妮·腾格拉尔小姐。”

“欧热妮·腾格拉尔！”基督山说道，“请告诉我，她的父亲不就是腾格拉尔男爵阁下吗？”

“正是，”马尔塞夫答道，“他是一位新封的男爵。”

“那有什么关系，”基督山说道，“假如他对国家有贡献，佩得上这称号的话。”

“贡献大极了，”波尚回答说。“虽然身为自由派，他却在一八二九年为查理十世，谈成了一笔六万的借款，而查理十世就给他封了个男爵的称号，并赏他荣誉爵士的衔头，所以他也挂起勋章来了，只是，并不象您所想的那样挂在他的背心上，而是挂在他的纽扣眼上。”

“啊！”马尔塞夫大笑着插进来说道，“波尚，波尚，这些资料你还是留给滑稽画报吧，别当着我的面来挖苦我未来的岳父了。”然后，他转向基督山，“您刚才提到了他的名字，这么说您认识男爵了？”

“我并不认识他，”基督山回答说，“但我想不久大概就可以认识他的，因为我经伦敦理杳·勃龙银行，维也纳阿斯丹·爱斯克里斯银行，罗马汤姆生·弗伦奇银行的担保，在他的银行里可享受无限贷款的权利。”

当他说到这最后一家银行的时候，伯爵向玛西梅朗·莫雷尔瞟了一眼。假如他这一瞟的用意是想引起莫雷尔的注意的话，那么，他的目的达到了，因为玛西梅朗象触了电似地突然一惊。“汤姆生·弗伦奇银行！”他说，“您认识那家银行吗，阁下？”

“那是我在基督世界的首都与之有业务往来的银行，”伯爵泰然自若地回答说。“我在那家银行很有点势力，有能为您效劳的地方吗？”

“噢，伯爵阁下，有一件事我直到现在也没法搞清您可以帮我查一查。那家银行过去曾帮过我们一次大忙，可是，我也不知为什么，他们却老是否认那次曾帮过我们。”

“很愿意为您效劳。”基督山说道，并欠了欠身。

“但是，”马尔塞夫又说，“奇怪，我们怎么把话题扯到腾格拉尔身上去啦。我们在讨论给伯爵找一所适当的住宅，来吧，诸位，我们大家来建议一个地方吧，我们应该把这位新客人安置在我们大首都的什么地方好呢？”

“圣·日尔曼村，”夏多·勒诺说。“伯爵可以在那儿找一座漂亮的大厦，有前庭和花园的。”

“嘿！夏多·勒诺，”德布雷驳道，“你就知道你那死气沉沉，毫无生趣的圣·日尔曼村。别信他的话，伯爵阁下，还是住在安顿大马路好，那才真正是巴黎的市中心呢。”

“在戏院大道中，”波尚说道，“挑一间有阳台的房子，住在二楼上。伯爵阁下可以把他的银沙发带到那儿，一边抽着烟斗，一边看着全巴黎的人从他眼前经过。”

“你有什么主意吗，莫雷尔？”夏多·勒诺问道，“你不提个建议吗？”

“噢，有的，”那青年微笑着说道，“我倒也有一个建议，但他已经有了这么多好的建议，我想他也许已选中了一个，可是既然他还没有回答，我也不妨再冒昧地提一个，请他到一座漂亮的大厦里租几个房间住，那是整巴杜式的建筑物，我的妹妹已在那儿住了一年，就在密斯雷路上。”

“您还有一个妹妹？”伯爵问道。

“是的，阁下，一个最好的妹妹。”

“她结婚了吗？”

“差不多九年了。”

“幸福吗？”伯爵又问。

“再幸福不过了。”玛西梅朗回答说。”她嫁给了她所爱的人，那个人在我们家遭厄运的时候也没对我们变过心。他叫艾曼纽·赫伯特。”基督山脸上显露出了一个旁人不易觉察的微笑。“我度假的时候就住在那儿，”玛西梅朗继续说，“我，和我的妹夫艾曼纽，只要伯爵阁下肯赏脸有所吩咐，都可以尽力为您效劳的。

“请等一下！”阿尔贝不等基督山有回答的时候，就大声说道，“小心哪，您要把一位旅行家——水手辛巴德，一个到巴黎来观光的人，关到刻板的家庭生活里去啦。您等于在给他找一位管束他的家长了。”

“噢，不是的，”莫雷尔说道，“我的妹妹才二十五岁，我的妹夫三十岁。他们都是活泼愉快的年轻人。而且，伯爵阁下当然是住在他自己家里的，只在高兴的时候才见见他们的。”

“谢谢，阁下，”基督山说道。“假如您肯赏脸给我介绍一下的话。有机会能和令妹和她的丈夫相识已很满意了，这几位先生的好意我都无法接受，因为我的寓所已准备好了。”

“什么！”马尔塞夫大声叫道。“那么说您还是要去住旅馆了，那未免太乏味了吧。”

“我在罗马是住得这样差的吗？”基督山微笑着说。

“天哪！您能在罗马花五万毕阿士特装饰您的房间，但我想您不见得每天都准备花那样一笔钱吧。”

“并非为了那个原因我不敢住旅馆，”基督山答道，“只是我已决心要自己买一所房子，我派我的贴身仆人先来，他这时该买好了房子，而且布置好了。”

“那么，您有一个熟悉巴黎的贴身仆人了？”

“这也是他生平第一次到巴黎来。他是个黑人，又是个哑巴。”基督山回答说。

“是阿里！”阿尔贝在大家的一片惊奇声中大声叫道。

“是的，是阿里，我那个哑巴黑奴，我想，您在罗马时见过他的。”

“当然见过，”马尔塞夫说道，“我记得清清楚楚的。但您怎么能叫一个黑奴来买房子呢？他会把一切都弄糟的呀，可怜的家伙。”

“你可别想错了，阁下，”基督山回答说，“我的看法正巧与您的相反，他一切都会做得令我满意的。他了解我的嗜好，我的怪癖，我的需要，他到这儿已有一星期了，他会象一条猎狗一样凭本能自己去搜索的，他会把一切都为我妥当地安排好的。他知道我今天十点钟到，所以从九点钟起，他就在枫丹白露的木栅门口等候我了。他给了我这张纸条，上面有我新居的地址。您自己看吧。”说着，基督山递给阿尔贝一张纸条。

“香榭丽舍大街，二十号，”阿尔贝念道。

“哪，那可真是从没听说过的事。”波尚说道。

“派头真大。”夏多·勒诺接上一句。

“什么！您还没见过您自己的房子？”德布雷问道。

“没有，”基督山说道，“我告诉过你们了，我不愿迟到，我在马车里换衣服，一直到了子爵的门口才下车。”

“这几个青年互相对视着，一时又摸不清伯爵是否在演一幕喜剧，但他所说的每个字听起来又都是这样的朴实，令人无法相信他说的会是谎话，而且，他又何必要撒谎呢？

“那么”，波尚说道，“我们只能尽力为伯爵阁下效点微劳自慰了。我，可以凭我新闻记者的资格，为他打开各家戏院的大门。”

“非常感谢，阁下，”基督山答道，“不过，我的管家已在每一家戏院里都为我定了一间包厢。”

“是那位出色的伯都西身先生，极其善于租窗口的吗？”

“是的，您那天光临的时候见过他。他当过兵，当过走私贩子。事实上，他什么都干过。我不很了解他究竟有没有和警察局发生过小摩擦。譬如说，用一把小刀子截人之类的事。”

“而您选中了这位诚实的公民做您的管家是吗？”德布雷说道。“他每年要揩您多少油？”

“凭良心讲，”伯爵答道，“我相信比别人多不了多少。他很符合我的标准，认为天下没有办不到的事，所以我留用了他。”

“那么，”夏多·勒诺又说道，“既然您已安排妥当了，有了一位管家，又有了一所座落在香榭丽舍大道上的大厦，您现在就只差有一位情妇了。”

“阿尔贝笑了笑。他想起了他在爱根狄诺戏院和巴丽戏院伯爵包厢里见到的那个希腊美人。

“我有比情妇更好的东西，”基督山说道，“我有一个女奴。你们的情妇里从戏院，歌舞团，或游戏场里弄来的，而我却是在君士坦丁堡把她买来的。她虽然花了我不少钱，但我不在乎。”

“但您忘记啦，”德布雷大笑着说道，”正象查理国王所说的：我们法国人天性最自由，她的脚一踏上法国领土，她便自由了。”

“谁会告诉她这一点呢？”

“随便是谁看见她都会的。”

“可是她只会讲罗马土话。”

“那就是另一回事了。但至少我们可以见见她吧，”波尚说道，“不然，难道您还雇用了哑巴太监来侍候她吗？”

“噢，没有，”基督山回答说，“我可没有东方化到那种程度。我身边的人谁都可以自由地离开我，而当他离开我的时候，他大概已不再有求于我或有求于任何人了，或许正是这个原因，他们才没有离开我。”

“他们已经在吃餐后甜点和抽雪茄。

“亲爱的阿尔贝，“德布雷一边说，一边站起身来，“现在已经两点半了。你的贵宾很有趣，但天下没有不散的筵席。我必须回到部长那儿去了。我要把伯爵的事告诉他，我们不久便可以知道他究竟是什么人了。”

“小心点哪，”阿尔贝答道，“那可是谁都没办到的事啊。”

“噢，我们的警务部有三百万经费。不错，他们几乎总是有亏空，但那没关系，我们为这事是可以花五万法郎的。”

“你知道了告诉我一声好吗？”

“我可以答应你。再会，阿尔贝。诸位，再会。”

“德布雷一离开房间，就高声大喊：“备车！”

“好！”波尚对阿尔贝说道，“我也不到众议院去了，但我已有了一篇文章的素材可以献给我的读者了，那比腾格拉尔先生的演说要强多了。”

“看在上帝的份上，波尚，”马尔塞夫说道，“我求你一个字也不要发表，别抢了我向社会介绍他和推荐他的功劳。他这个人很有趣是吗？”

“岂止有趣，”夏多·勒诺回答说，“他是我生平所见到的最奇特的人了。你走不走，莫雷尔？”

“等我先递一张名片给伯爵阁下，他答应要到密斯雷路十四号来拜访我们一次的。”

“请放心好了，我决不会食言的。”伯爵鞠躬回答。于是玛西梅朗·莫雷尔和夏多·勒诺伯爵一起离开了房间，只留下基督山一个人和马尔塞夫在了一起。

上一篇：基督山伯爵（The Count of Monte Cristo）第三十九章　来宾 下一篇：基督山伯爵（The Count of Monte Cristo）第四十一章　介绍