MONTE CRISTO uttered a joyful¹ exclamation² on seeing the young men together. "Ah, ha!" said he, "I hope all is over, explained and settled."

"Yes," said Beauchamp; "the absurd reports have died away, and should they be renewed, I would be the first to oppose them; so let us speak no more of it."

"Albert will tell you," replied the count "that I gave him the same advice. Look," added he. "I am finishing the most execrable morning's work."

"What is it?" said Albert; "arranging your papers, apparently³."

"My papers, thank God, no,--my papers are all in capital order, because I have none; but M. Cavalcanti's."

"M. Cavalcanti's?" asked Beauchamp.

"Yes; do you not know that this is a young man whom the count is introducing?" said Morcerf.

"Let us not misunderstand each other," replied Monte Cristo; "I introduce my one, and certainly not M. Cavalcanti."

"And who," said Albert with a forced smile, "is to marry Mademoiselle Danglars instead of me, which grieves me cruelly."

"What? Cavalcanti is going to marry Mademoiselle Danglars?" asked Beauchamp.

"Certainly; do you come from the end of the world?" said Monte Cristo; "you, a journalist, the husband of renown⁴? It is the talk of all Paris."

"And you, count, have made this match?" asked Beauchamp.

"I? Silence, purveyor⁵ of gossip, do not spread that report. I make a match? No, you do not know me; I have done all in my power to oppose it."

"Ah, I understand," said Beauchamp, "on our friend Albert's account."

"On my account?" said the young man; "oh, no, indeed, the count will do me the justice to assert that I have, on the contrary, always entreated⁶ him to break off my engagement, and happily it is ended. The count pretends I have not him to thank;--so be it--I will erect⁷ an altar Deo ignoto."

"Listen," said Monte Cristo; "I have had little to do with it, for I am at variance⁸ both with the father-in-law and the young man; there is only Mademoiselle Eugénie, who appears but little charmed with the thoughts of matrimony, and who, seeing how little I was disposed to persuade her to renounce⁹ her dear liberty, retains any affection for me."

"And do you say this wedding is at hand?"

"Oh, yes, in spite of all I could say. I do not know the young man; he is said to be of good family and rich, but I never trust to vague assertions. I have warned M. Danglars of it till I am tired, but he is fascinated with his Luccanese. I have even informed him of a circumstance I consider very serious; the young man was either charmed by his nurse, stolen by gypsies, or lost by his tutor, I scarcely know which. But I do know his father lost sight of him for more than ten years; what he did during these ten years, God only knows. Well, all that was useless. They have commissioned me to write to the major to demand papers, and here they are. I send them, but like Pilate--washing my hands."

"And what does Mademoiselle d'Armilly say to you for robbing her of her pupil?"

"Oh, well, I don't know; but I understand that she is going to Italy. Madame Danglars asked me for letters of recommendation for the impresari; I gave her a few lines for the director of the Valle Theatre, who is under some obligation to me. But what is the matter, Albert? you look dull; are you, after all, unconsciously in love with Mademoiselle Eugénie?"

"I am not aware of it," said Albert, smiling sorrowfully. Beauchamp turned to look at some paintings. "But," continued Monte Cristo, "you are not in your usual spirits?"

"I have a dreadful headache," said Albert.

"Well, my dear viscount," said Monte Cristo, "I have an infallible remedy to propose to you."

"What is that?" asked the young man.

"A change."

"Indeed?" said Albert.

"Yes; and as I am just now excessively annoyed, I shall go from home. Shall we go together?"

"You annoyed, count?" said Beauchamp; "and by what?"

"Pardieu! you think very lightly of it; I should like to see you with a brief preparing in your house."

"What brief?"

"The one M. de Villefort is preparing against my amiable¹⁰ assassin--some brigand¹¹ escaped from the gallows¹² apparently."

"True," said Beauchamp; "I saw it in the paper. Who is this Caderousse?"

"Some provincial¹³, it appears. M. de Villefort heard of him at Marseilles, and M. Danglars recollects¹⁴ having seen him. Consequently, the procureur is very active in the affair, and the prefect of police very much interested; and, thanks to that interest, for which I am very grateful, they send me all the robbers of Paris and the neighborhood, under pretence¹⁶ of their being Caderousse's murderers, so that in three months, if this continue, every robber and assassin in France will have the plan of my house at his fingers' end. I am resolved to desert them and go to some remote corner of the earth, and shall be happy if you will accompany me, viscount."

"Willingly."

"Then it is settled?"

"Yes, but where?"

"I have told you, where the air is pure, where every sound soothes¹⁷, where one is sure to be humbled¹⁹, however proud may be his nature. I love that humiliation²⁰, I, who am master of the universe, as was Augustus."

"But where are you really going?"

"To sea, viscount; you know I am a sailor. I was rocked when an infant in the arms of old ocean, and on the bosom²¹ of the beautiful Amphitrite; I have sported with the green mantle²² of the one and the azure²³ robe of the other; I love the sea as a mistress, and pine if I do not often see her."

"Let us go, count."

"To sea?"

"Yes."

"You accept my proposal?"

"I do."

"Well, Viscount, there will be in my court-yard this evening a good travelling britzka, with four post-horses, in which one may rest as in a bed. M. Beauchamp, it holds four very well, will you accompany us?"

"Thank you, I have just returned from sea."

"What? you have been to sea?"

"Yes; I have just made a little excursion to the Borromean Islands."*

* Lake Maggiore.

"What of that? come with us," said Albert.

"No, dear Morcerf; you know I only refuse when the thing is impossible. Besides, it is important," added he in a low tone, "that I should remain in Paris just now to watch the paper."

"Ah, you are a good and an excellent friend," said Albert; "yes, you are right; watch, watch, Beauchamp, and try to discover the enemy who made this disclosure." Albert and Beauchamp parted, the last pressure of their hands expressing what their tongues could not before a stranger.

"Beauchamp is a worthy²⁴ fellow," said Monte Cristo, when the journalist was gone; "is he not, Albert?"

"Yes, and a sincere friend; I love him devotedly²⁵. But now we are alone,--although it is immaterial to me,--where are we going?"

"Into Normandy, if you like."

"Delightful²⁶; shall we be quite retired²⁷? have no society, no neighbors?"

"Our companions will be riding-horses, dogs to hunt with, and a fishing-boat."

"Exactly what I wish for; I will apprise²⁸ my mother of my intention, and return to you."

"But shall you be allowed to go into Normandy?"

"I may go where I please."

"Yes, I am aware you may go alone, since I once met you in Italy--but to accompany the mysterious Monte Cristo?"

"You forget, count, that I have often told you of the deep interest my mother takes in you."

"'Woman is fickle²⁹.' said Francis I.; 'woman is like a wave of the sea,' said Shakespeare; both the great king and the great poet ought to have known woman's nature well."

"Woman's, yes; my mother is not woman, but a woman."

"As I am only a humble¹⁸ foreigner, you must pardon me if I do not understand all the subtle refinements³⁰ of your language."

"What I mean to say is, that my mother is not quick to give her confidence, but when she does she never changes."

"Ah, yes, indeed," said Monte Cristo with a sigh; "and do you think she is in the least interested in me?"

"I repeat it, you must really be a very strange and superior man, for my mother is so absorbed by the interest you have excited, that when I am with her she speaks of no one else."

"And does she try to make you dislike me?"

"On the contrary, she often says, 'Morcerf, I believe the count has a noble nature; try to gain his esteem³¹.'"

"Indeed?" said Monte Cristo, sighing.

"You see, then," said Albert, "that instead of opposing, she will encourage me."

"Adieu, then, until five o'clock; be punctual, and we shall arrive at twelve or one."

"At Tréport?"

"Yes; or in the neighborhood."

"But can we travel forty-eight leagues in eight hours?"

"Easily," said Monte Cristo.

"You are certainly a prodigy³²; you will soon not only surpass the railway, which would not be very difficult in France, but even the telegraph."

"But, viscount, since we cannot perform the journey in less than seven or eight hours, do not keep me waiting."

"Do not fear, I have little to prepare." Monte Cristo smiled as he nodded to Albert, then remained a moment absorbed in deep meditation³³. But passing his hand across his forehead as if to dispel³⁴ his revery, he rang the bell twice and Bertuccio entered. "Bertuccio," said he, "I intend going this evening to Normandy, instead of to-morrow or the next day. You will have sufficient time before five o'clock; despatch³⁵ a messenger to apprise the grooms³⁷ at the first station. M. de Morcerf will accompany me." Bertuccio obeyed and despatched a courier to Pontoise to say the travelling-carriage would arrive at six o'clock. From Pontoise another express was sent to the next stage, and in six hours all the horses stationed on the road were ready. Before his departure, the count went to Haidée's apartments, told her his intention, and resigned everything to her care. Albert was punctual. The journey soon became interesting from its rapidity, of which Morcerf had formed no previous idea. "Truly," said Monte Cristo, "with your posthorses going at the rate of two leagues an hour, and that absurd law that one traveller shall not pass another without permission, so that an invalid³⁸ or ill-tempered traveller may detain those who are well and active, it is impossible to move; I escape this annoyance³⁹ by travelling with my own postilion and horses; do I not, Ali?"

The count put his head out of the window and whistled, and the horses appeared to fly. The carriage rolled with a thundering noise over the pavement, and every one turned to notice the dazzling meteor. Ali, smiling, repeated the sound, grasped the reins⁴⁰ with a firm hand, and spurred his horses, whose beautiful manes floated in the breeze. This child of the desert was in his element, and with his black face and sparkling eyes appeared, in the cloud of dust he raised, like the genius of the simoom and the god of the hurricane. "I never knew till now the delight of speed," said Morcerf, and the last cloud disappeared from his brow; "but where the devil do you get such horses? Are they made to order?"

"Precisely," said the count; "six years since I bought a horse in Hungary remarkable⁴¹ for its swiftness. The thirty-two that we shall use to-night are its progeny⁴²; they are all entirely⁴³ black, with the exception of a star upon the forehead."

"That is perfectly⁴⁴ admirable; but what do you do, count, with all these horses?"

"You see, I travel with them."

"But you are not always travelling."

"When I no longer require them, Bertuccio will sell them, and he expects to realize thirty or forty thousand francs by the sale."

"But no monarch⁴⁵ in Europe will be wealthy enough to purchase them."

"Then he will sell them to some Eastern vizier, who will empty his coffers to purchase them, and refill them by applying the bastinado to his subjects."

"Count, may I suggest one idea to you?"

"Certainly."

"It is that, next to you, Bertuccio must be the richest gentleman in Europe."

"You are mistaken, viscount; I believe he has not a franc in his possession."

"Then he must be a wonder. My dear count, if you tell me many more marvellous things, I warn you I shall not believe them."

"I countenance⁴⁶ nothing that is marvellous, M. Albert. Tell me, why does a steward⁴⁷ rob his master?"

"Because, I suppose, it is his nature to do so, for the love of robbing."

"You are mistaken; it is because he has a wife and family, and ambitious desires for himself and them. Also because he is not sure of always retaining his situation, and wishes to provide for the future. Now, M. Bertuccio is alone in the world; he uses my property without accounting⁴⁸ for the use he makes of it; he is sure never to leave my service."

"Why?"

"Because I should never get a better."

"Probabilities are deceptive⁴⁹."

"But I deal in certainties; he is the best servant over whom one has the power of life and death."

"Do you possess that right over Bertuccio?"

"Yes."

There are words which close a conversation with an iron door; such was the count's "yes." The whole journey was performed with equal rapidity; the thirty-two horses, dispersed⁵⁰ over seven stages, brought them to their destination in eight hours. At midnight they arrived at the gate of a beautiful park. The porter was in attendance; he had been apprised⁵¹ by the groom³⁶ of the last stage of the count's approach. At half past two in the morning Morcerf was conducted to his apartments, where a bath and supper were prepared. The servant who had travelled at the back of the carriage waited on him; Baptistin, who rode in front, attended the count. Albert bathed, took his supper, and went to bed. All night he was lulled⁵² by the melancholy⁵³ noise of the surf. On rising, he went to his window, which opened on a terrace, having the sea in front, and at the back a pretty park bounded by a small forest. In a creek⁵⁴ lay a little sloop⁵⁵, with a narrow keel and high masts, bearing on its flag the Monte Cristo arms which were a mountain on a sea azure, with a cross gules on the shield. Around the schooner⁵⁶ lay a number of small fishing-boats belonging to the fishermen of the neighboring village, like humble subjects awaiting orders from their queen. There, as in every spot where Monte Cristo stopped, if but for two days, luxury abounded⁵⁷ and life went on with the utmost ease.

Albert found in his anteroom two guns, with all the accoutrements for hunting; a lofty room on the ground-floor containing all the ingenious instruments the English--eminent in piscatory pursuits, since they are patient and sluggish--have invented for fishing. The day passed in pursuing those exercises in which Monte Cristo excelled. They killed a dozen pheasants in the park, as many trout⁵⁸ in the stream, dined in a summer-house overlooking the ocean, and took tea in the library.

Towards the evening of the third day. Albert, completely exhausted⁵⁹ with the exercise which invigorated Monte Cristo, was sleeping in an arm-chair near the window, while the count was designing with his architect the plan of a conservatory⁶⁰ in his house, when the sound of a horse at full speed on the high road made Albert look up. He was disagreeably surprised to see his own valet de chambre, whom he had not brought, that he might not inconvenience Monte Cristo.

"Florentin here!" cried he, starting up; "is my mother ill?" And he hastened to the door. Monte Cristo watched and saw him approach the valet, who drew a small sealed parcel from his pocket, containing a newspaper and a letter. "From whom is this?" said he eagerly. "From M. Beauchamp," replied Florentin.

"Did he send you?"

"Yes, sir; he sent for me to his house, gave me money for my journey, procured⁶¹ a horse, and made me promise not to stop till I had reached you, I have come in fifteen hours."

Albert opened the letter with fear, uttered a shriek⁶² on reading the first line, and seized the paper. His sight was dimmed, his legs sank under him, and he would have fallen had not Florentin supported him.

"Poor young man," said Monte Cristo in a low voice; "it is then true that the sin of the father shall fall on the children to the third and fourth generation." Meanwhile Albert had revived, and, continuing to read, he threw back his head, saying, "Florentin, is your horse fit to return immediately?"

"It is a poor lame⁶³ post-horse."

"In what state was the house when you left?"

"All was quiet, but on returning from M. Beauchamp's, I found madame in tears: she had sent for me to know when you would return. I told her my orders from M. Beauchamp; she first extended her arms to prevent me, but after a moment's reflection, 'Yes, go, Florentin,' said she, 'and may he come quickly.'"

"Yes, my mother," said Albert, "I will return, and woe⁶⁴ to the infamous⁶⁵ wretch⁶⁶! But first of all I must get there."

He went back to the room where he had left Monte Cristo. Five minutes had sufficed to make a complete transformation⁶⁷ in his appearance. His voice had become rough and hoarse⁶⁸; his face was furrowed⁶⁹ with wrinkles; his eyes burned under the blue-veined lids, and he tottered⁷⁰ like a drunken man. "Count," said he, "I thank you for your hospitality, which I would gladly have enjoyed longer; but I must return to Paris."

"What has happened?"

"A great misfortune, more important to me than life. Don't question me, I beg of you, but lend me a horse."

"My stables are at your command, viscount; but you will kill yourself by riding on horseback. Take a post-chaise or a carriage."

"No, it would delay me, and I need the fatigue⁷¹ you warn me of; it will do me good." Albert reeled as if he had been shot, and fell on a chair near the door. Monte Cristo did not see this second manifestation⁷² of physical exhaustion⁷³; he was at the window, calling, "Ali, a horse for M. de Morcerf--quick! he is in a hurry!" These words restored Albert; he darted⁷⁴ from the room, followed by the count. "Thank you!" cried he, throwing himself on his horse. "Return as soon as you can, Florentin. Must I use any password to procure¹⁵ a horse?"

"Only dismount; another will be immediately saddled." Albert hesitated a moment. "You may think my departure strange and foolish," said the young man; "you do not know how a paragraph in a newspaper may exasperate⁷⁵ one. Read that," said he, "when I am gone, that you may not be witness of my anger."

While the count picked up the paper he put spurs to his horse, which leaped in astonishment⁷⁶ at such an unusual stimulus⁷⁷, and shot away with the rapidity of an arrow. The count watched him with a feeling of compassion⁷⁸, and when he had completely disappeared, read as follows:--

"The French officer in the service of Ali Pasha of Yanina alluded⁷⁹ to three weeks since in the Impartial⁸⁰, who not only surrendered the castle of Yanina, but sold his benefactor⁸¹ to the Turks, styled himself truly at that time Fernand, as our esteemed⁸² contemporary states; but he has since added to his Christian⁸³ name a title of nobility and a family name. He now calls himself the Count of Morcerf, and ranks among the peers."

Thus the terrible secret, which Beauchamp had so generously destroyed, appeared again like an armed phantom⁸⁴; and another paper, deriving⁸⁵ its information from some malicious⁸⁶ source, had published two days after Albert's departure for Normandy the few lines which had rendered the unfortunate young man almost crazy.

基督山看见那两个青年人一同走来，便发出一声欣喜的喊叫。“呀，呀”他说，“我希望一切都已过去，都已澄清，妥当了结了吧。”

“是的，”波尚说，“那种荒谬的报导已经不存在了。要是再有那种消息，我要第一个站出来反对，所以我们还是不要再谈它吧。”

“阿尔贝会告诉您，”伯爵答道，“我也曾这样劝过他。瞧，”

他又说，“我正在忙这件最可厌的早晨工作。”

“那是什么？”阿尔贝说，“显然是在整理你的文件吧。”

“我的文件，感谢上帝，不！我的文件早已被整理得十分清楚了，因为我一张都没有。这是卡瓦尔康蒂先生的。”

“卡瓦尔康蒂先生的？”波尚问道。

“是的，你不知道这是伯爵所引荐的一位青年吗？”马尔塞夫说。

“我们大家不要误会，”基督山答道，“我没有引荐任何人，当然更没有介绍卡瓦尔康蒂先生。”

“而他，”阿尔贝带着一个勉强的微笑继续说，“正要把我取而代之，与腾格拉尔小姐结婚？”基督山说。“您，一位新闻记者，大名鼎鼎的人物！这是全巴黎的谈话资料啦。”

“而您，伯爵，是您促成的吗？”波尚问。

“我？快别那样说，新闻记者阁下，别散布那个消息。我促成的！不，你难道不知我的为人！正巧相反，我曾尽我的全力反对那件婚事。”

“啊！我懂了，”波尚说，“是为了我们的朋友阿尔贝。”

“为了我？”阿尔贝说，“噢，不，真的！伯爵将为我主持公道，因为我一向在求他解除我的婚约，现在解决了，我很快乐。伯爵假装这一切不是他干的，是要我不要感谢他，就算如此吧，——我将象古人那样给一位不知名的神建立一个祭坛。”

“听着，”基督山说，“这件事跟我没有什么关系，因为那岳父和那青年人和我都不十分投机，只有欧热妮小姐，——她对婚姻问题似乎毫无兴趣，——她，看到我无意劝她放弃她那宝贵的自由，才对我保持着一点好感。”

“你不是说这件婚事快要举行了吗？”

“哦，是的，我说的话不能有什么效用。我并不了解那青年人。据说他的出身很好，很有钱，但在我看来，这都是传闻罢了。我曾几次三番把这一点告诉腾格拉尔先生，直到我自己都听厌了，但他还是迷着他那位卢卡人。我甚至告诉他一种我认为非常严重的事实：那个青年人大概曾被他的保姆掉过包，或是被波希米亚人拐去过，或是被他的家庭教师丢失过，究竟属于哪一类，我也不十分知道，但我的确知道他的父亲曾有十年以上不曾见过他的面。他在那十年里面究竟做了些什么，上帝知道。嗯，那一切话也都没有用。他们要把我写信给少校，要求证明文件，现在证明文件也在这儿了。把这些文件送出去，我就象彼拉多［《圣经》传说：“流这义人的血，罪不在我，你们承当罢。”——译注］一样，洗手不管了。”

“亚密莱小姐对你说了些什么话？”波尚问道，“你抢走了她的学生。”

“什么！我不知道，但我知道她要到意大利去了。腾格拉尔夫人要求我写几封介绍信给意大利歌剧团，我写了张便笺给梵尔剧院的董事，因为我曾有恩于他。怎么啦，阿尔贝？您看来无精打采，难道您真正爱着欧热妮小姐吗？”

 

 

“我自己也不知道。”阿尔贝带着一种忧愁的微笑说。

“但是，”基督山继续说，“您不象往常那样有精神。来，有什么事？说说看！”

“我头疼。”阿尔贝说。

“唉，我亲爱的子爵，”基督山说，“我有一种万试万灵的药方向您推荐，——每当我有烦恼的时候，吃了这种药没有不成功的。”

“是什么？”

“真的？我现在也非常烦恼，要离开家去散散心。我们一同去好吗？”

“你烦恼，伯爵？”波尚说，“为什么事？”

“你把事情看得非常轻松，我倒很愿意看到在您府上也有一件诉讼案准备办理！”

“什么诉讼案？”

“就是维尔福先生在准备的那一件，他要提出公诉控告我那位可爱的刺客，——看上去象是监狱里逃出来的一个匪徒。”

“不错，”波尚说，“我在报纸上看到过这回事。这个卡德鲁斯是谁？”

“看来是一个乡下人。维尔福先生在马赛的时候曾听说过他，腾格拉尔也记得曾见过他。因此，检察官阁下对这件事非常关心，警察总监也极感兴趣。我当然非常感激，这一切但由于这种关切，他们把巴黎附近所有的窃贼都押到我这儿来。要辨认其中有无杀害卡德鲁斯的凶手。假如这样继续下去，不出三个月，法国的每一个窃贼和刺客都会把我家里的情形弄得了如指掌了。所以我决定离开他们，逃避到世界一个遥远的地方，我很高兴您能陪我一同去了，子爵。”

“非常高兴。”

“那就这样决定了？”

“是的，但到哪儿去？”

“我已经告诉您了，——到那空气清新，到那每一种声音都使人很平静，到那不论天性如何骄傲的人都会感到自己渺小和卑微的地方去。我喜欢那种虚怀若谷的情调，——尽管我曾象奥古斯都那样被人称为宇宙的主宰。”

“但你究竟要到哪儿去？”

“到海上去，子爵，到海上去。你知道我是一个水手。当我还是一个婴儿的时候，我便是在老海神的怀抱和那养丽的安费德丽蒂［希腊神话中海神之妻。——译注］的胸怀里长大的。我曾在老海神的绿色的袍子和后者的蔚兰的衣衫上嬉游，我爱海，把海当作我的情人，假如我长时间见不到她，便会感到苦恼。”

“我们去吧，伯爵。”

“到海上去？”

“是的。”

“您接受了我的建议？”

“我接受了。”

“好吧，子爵，今天晚上，我的院子里将有一辆用四匹驿马拉的旅行马车，那辆车子很好，人可以在里面象躺在床上一样休息。波尚先生，它可以容纳四个人，您能陪我们一起去吗？”

“谢谢你，我刚从海上回来。”

“什么？您到海上去过了？”

“是的，我刚才到波罗米群岛去巡游了一番。”

“那有什么关系？跟我们一起去吧。”阿尔贝说。

“不，亲爱的马尔塞夫，你知道我只有对我不可能做到的事情才会托绝。而且，”他又低声说，“我现在应该留在巴黎注意报纸，这是很重要的。”

“啊！你是一个好朋友，一个最最好的朋友，”阿尔贝说，“是的，你说得对，多留些神吧，细心注意着，波尚，设法查出究竟是哪一个敌人透露这个消息的。”

阿尔贝与波尚分手了，他们分手时那紧紧的最后一握表达了他们在外人面前不能用语言表达的意思。

“波尚是一个可敬的人，”那新闻记者走后，基督山说，“是不，阿尔贝？”

“是的，而且是一个真诚的朋友，我非常爱他。现在只有我们两个人了，我虽然无所谓，但我们究竟是到哪儿去呢？”

“假如您愿意的话，我们到诺曼底去。”

“很有趣，我们能完全隐居人群吗？——没有社交、没有邻居吗？”

“我们的伴侣将是供驰骋的马、供打猎的狗和一艘渔船。”

“正合我的意思，我要把这通知家母，，再回到你这儿来。”

“但您能被允许到诺曼底去吗？”

“我喜欢到哪儿去就到哪儿去。”

“是的，我知道您可以单独出门，因为有一次我在意大利遇到您——但陪伴那神秘的基督山同去呢？”

“你忘啦，伯爵，我常常告诉你，家母对你非常关切。”

“弗朗斯瓦一世［弗朗斯瓦一世（一四九四—一五四七），法国一五一五至一五四七年的国王。——译注］说，‘女人是易变的，’莎士比亚说，‘女人象是大海里的一个浪。’他们两位是一个伟大的国王，一位是一个伟大的诗人，他们二人都是应该知道女人的。”

“是的，那是一般的女人，但家母不同于一般的女人，她是一个好女人。”

“我的意思是：家母不轻易对人表现出关切，但一旦称赞了一个人，那便永不改变的了。”

“啊，真的，”基督山说，叹息了一声，“而您以为她真的对我那样关心，并不是对我完全漠不关心吗？”

“听着！我已经说过了，但是再说一遍，就是：你一定是一个非常神奇，非常卓越的人。”

“哦！”

“是的，因为家母对您的关切完全是出于同情，而不是出于好奇心。当我和她在一起的时候，她从没有谈论过别人。”

“而她在竭力劝您不要信任我这个曼弗雷特是不是？”

“正巧相反，她说：‘马尔塞夫，我想伯爵是一个生性高贵的人，尽力获得他的喜欢吧。’”

基督山转过眼去，叹了一口气。“啊，真的？”他说。

“在我看来，”阿尔贝说，“她非但不会反对我的旅行，而且将热心地赞成，因为这是与她每天叮嘱我的话相符的。”

“那好，下午五点钟再会。请遵守时间，我们在夜里十二点钟或一点钟可以到了。”

“到达的黎港吗？”

“是的，或是在的黎港附近。”

“但我们能在八小时之内走完一百四十四哩的路吗？”

“容易得很。”基督山说。

“你一定是一个奇迹创造者，不用多久，你不但将超过火车，——超过火车并不难，尤其是在法国，——而且甚至将超过急报了。”

“子爵，既然我们要在七八个钟头以后才能起程，务请遵守时间。”

“别怕，我除了准备以外没有别的事情了。”

阿尔贝走了。基督山和阿尔贝点头道别的时候他还是面含微笑的，这时他陷入了沉思。然后，象是要驱散他这种恍惚状态似的，手抹一抹他的额头，拉了两下铃，贝尔图乔进来了。“贝尔图乔，”他说，“我本来说明天或后天到诺曼底去，但现在我准备今天就去。你在五点钟以前可以有充分的时间去准备。派一个人去通知第一站的马夫。马尔塞夫先生陪我一起去。去吧。”

贝尔图乔遵命行事，派了一个跑差赶到蓬图瓦兹去传达旅行马车要求在六点钟到达的。蓬图瓦兹站另派一个专差去通知第二站，在六小时之内，路上的各处驿站都已准备好了。

在起程以前，伯爵到海黛的房间里去，把他要出门的消息告诉她，托她照顾一切。

阿尔贝很守时间。这次旅行最初似乎很乏味，但不久就由于速度的影响而有趣起来。马尔塞夫想不到跑得如此之快。

“你们的驿马每小时只走六哩，”基督山说，“而且还有那荒谬的法律，规定非经前车旅客的允许后车不能超过，这样一个不中用的或坏脾气的旅客就阻挠一个生性活跃的旅客，在这样的限制之下，的确是寸步难行了。我用我自己的马夫和马逃避这种恼人的状况，不是吗，阿里？”

伯爵伸头到窗外打了一个唿哨，那几匹马看来象是插上了翅膀。马车带着一种雷鸣似的喧闹声滚过街道；每一个人都转过头来注视这颗飞快而过而又耀目的流星。阿里面带微笑，连连吹着唿哨，用一只手紧紧地抓住缰绳，驰马奔腾，马的美丽鬃毛在迎风飘着。阿里这个沙漠之子这时最得意了，在他所掀起的阵阵尘雾中，他那黝黑的面孔和闪闪发光的眼睛使人想到风沙之精和飓风之神。

“我到现在才知道由于速度而产生的快感，”马尔塞夫说，他额头上最后的一片阴霾也消失了。“但这些马你是怎么弄来的呢？是专门驯养的吗？”

“一点不错，”伯爵说。“六年以前，我在匈牙利买进一匹以快速闻名的种马，——价钱多少我不知道，是贝尔图乔付钱买的。我们今天晚上用的三十二匹马都是它的后裔，它们都是全身漆黑，只有前额上有一颗白星。”

“真神妙！但是，伯爵，你要这些马来做什么用呢？”

“您看见啦，我用它们来旅行。”

“但你也不是总旅行呀。”

“当我不再需要它们的时候，贝尔图乔会把它们卖掉的，他预计可以卖到三四万法郎。”

“欧洲的国王没有哪一个有那么多的钱来买。”

“那末他可以卖给一个东方的大君，那个大君用他所有的钱来把它们买去，然后再回去敲榨他的人民，重新装满他的钱箱。”

“伯爵，我可以向你提问一个问题吗？”

“当然可以。”

“除了你以外，贝尔图乔一定也是欧洲最有钱的人了。”

“你错了，子爵，我相信假如您搜遍贝尔图乔的口袋，您不会找到十个铜板。”

“那这样他一定是一个奇迹了。我亲爱的伯爵，假如你再告诉我这样神奇的事情，我就真的要不相信了。”

“我从不讲神话，阿尔贝，告诉我，一个管家为什么要在他的主人身上揩油？”

“我想，那是因为他的天性如此，天生爱揩油。”

“您错啦，那是因为他有妻子和家庭，而他本人和他的家人都有难以满足的欲望。同时他也不能确定是否可以永远保持他的职位，希望能给自己找条后路。现在，贝尔图乔先生在这个世界上只有孤苦伶仃独自一个，他可以任意动用我的财产。他确信他决不会离开他的职务。”

“为什么？”

“因为我决不能再找到一个更好的人。”

“你把假定当作既定，讲来讲去依旧是讲的可能性。”

“噢，决不，我讲的是必然性。在你可以对他们操生死大权的仆人之中，他是最好的了。”

“你对贝尔图乔有那种权力吗？”

“有。”伯爵冷冷地回答。

有些字句可以象一扇铁门似的截断一次谈话，伯爵的“有”便是这一类的字句。全部旅程以相等的速度完成，分成八段的那三十二匹马在八小时之内走完了一百四十四哩路。

他们在午夜来到一个美丽的花园门前。看门人已经起身了，开着大门在等候，因为最后一站的马夫已来通知过他。清晨两点半钟，马尔塞夫被领进他的房间里，洗澡水和晚餐都已准备好了。站在马车后面的那个仆人侍候他；同来的巴浦斯订则侍候伯爵坐在马车前面。阿尔贝洗了澡，用了膳，然后上床。整夜，他是在苍凉的潮声中合眼。早晨起来，他走到窗前，打开窗子，走到一个小小阳台上；他的前面是海，是那浩瀚无垠一望无际的大海，在他的后面，是一个环绕在小树林里的美丽花园。在一条小溪里，停着一艘两舷狭而帆樯高耸的独船，桅顶上挂着一面旗，旗上绣有基督山的微章，那微章的图案是：在一片天蓝色的海上有一座金山，微章上部还有一个十字架，这显然是象征“基督山”这个名字，上帝使这座山变得比金山更值钱，同时它也象征着耶稣蒙难的髑髅地，红十字表示被耶稣的神圣的血所染红的十字架，或是象征着这个人的神秘的往事里的一段受苦和再生的经历。独桅船的四周停着几艘附近村庄里渔夫们的渔船，象是卑微的臣仆在等候他们女王的吩咐。这儿，象基督山逗留一两天的任何地点一样，一切都安排得舒适，日子过得很惬意。

阿尔贝在他的小厅里找到两支枪，和其他一些打猎的工具。在楼下的另一个房间里，藏着英国人——英国人使用的种种巧妙的渔具，他们都是好渔夫，因为耐心——所以还不曾劝服因循度日的法国渔夫采用。时间就在打猎捕鱼中过去了，基督山的成绩非常突出，他们在林园里射死了一打野雉，在小溪里捉到同样多的鳟鱼，在一个可以俯瞰大海的阁楼里进餐，在书斋里用茶。

到第三天傍晚，阿尔贝因为连日奔波，十分疲倦，躺在窗口附近的一张圈椅里睡觉，伯爵对那些运动只当作游戏，正在设计一个图纸，准备在他的家里造一间温室。这时，大路上一阵疾驰的马蹄声使阿尔贝抬起头来。他紧张地在院子里看到了他自己的贴身跟班，他并没有吩咐他跟来，恐惧使基督山感到不便。

“弗劳兰丁来了！”他跳起来喊道。“是我的母亲病了吗？”

他急急忙忙向门口奔去。基督山注视着他，他看到他走近那跟班，跟班从口袋里抽出一密封的小包，里面是一张报纸和一封信。“这是谁送来的？”他急切地说。

“波尚先生。”弗劳兰丁回答。

“是他派你来的吗？”

“是，先生，他派人把我叫到他的家里去，给我旅费，弄到一匹马，叫我答应不见你不停下来。我在十五小时之内赶到了这里。”

阿尔贝哆哆嗦嗦地拆开那封信，才读了几行，他就发出一声惊喊，浑身颤抖地抓住那份报纸张。突然地，他的眼睛变得黯然无神了，他的腿软了下去，要不是弗劳兰丁扶住他，他就要跌在地上了。

“可怜的青年人，”基督山低声说，“俗话说，父亲的罪将连累到第三代和第四代的子孙，这句话看来是确实的了。”

这时，阿尔贝已经醒过来，他把落在汗溶溶前额上的头发甩回去，继续阅读，然后双手把信和报纸压成一团，说：“弗劳兰丁，你的马还能立刻回去吗？”

“你离开的时候家里情形怎么样？”

“一切都很安静，但我从波尚先生那儿回去的时候，我发觉夫人在流泪。她派人叫我去，问您几时回来。我告诉她说，我要来找您了，是波尚先生差我来的，她最初想阻止我，但想了一会儿以后，她说：‘是的，去吧，弗劳兰丁，让他回来吧。’”

“是的，我的母亲，”阿尔贝说，“我就回去了，叫那不要脸的混蛋等着瞧吧！但我必须先去告辞一声——”

他回到刚才离开基督山的那个房间。他已不再是刚才那个人了，在五分钟的时间里已他有了一个可怕的变化。他出去的时候一切如常，回来却带来了一种颤抖声音，一种狂乱的神色，一种气势汹汹的目光和一种踉跄的脚步。“伯爵，”他说，“我感谢你的盛情款待，也很乐意能多享受些，但我现在必须回到巴黎去了。”

“发生了什么事？”

“一件很不幸的事，在我看来比生命更重要的事情。别问我，我求求你；请您借给我一匹马。”

“我的马厩任您选用，子爵，但骑马回去会累跨您的。乘驿车或骄车吧。”

“不，那会耽误我的时间，而且我需要经受您怕我累跨的那种疲劳，它对我很有好处。”

阿尔贝走了几步，象一个中了一颗枪弹的似地一仰身，倒入房门一张附近的椅子里。基督山并没有看到他这第二次虚脱，他正站在窗口喊：“阿里，给马尔塞夫先生备一匹马！他急着要走！”

这几句话振作了阿尔贝的精神，他跑出房间，伯爵跟在后面。“谢谢你！”他跃上马背，喊道。“你也赶快回来，弗劳兰丁。路上换马还需要说什么话吗？”

“只要您从所骑的马背上跳下来，便立刻会有另外一匹马备好了。”

阿尔贝迟疑了一会儿。“你也许会以为我这次告辞奇特而愚蠢，”但“你不知道报纸上几行字会使一个人陷入绝望。好吧，”他把那张报纸摔下来给他，又说，“念一念吧，但等我走了以后才念，免得你看见我气得发疯。”

当伯爵拾起那张报纸的时候，阿尔贝用马刺踢了他的马肚子一下，马象一支箭似地疾驰而去。伯爵带着一种无限怜悯感情望着他，当人影完全消先的时候，他读道：——

“三星期前，《大公报》曾讽示亚尼纳总督阿里手下服务的法国军官以亚尼纳堡拱手让敌，并出卖他的恩主给土耳其人的消息；那个法国军官当时确自称为弗尔南多，但此后他已在他的教名上加了一个贵族的衔头和一个姓氏。他现在自称为马尔塞夫伯爵，并在贵族院里占着一个座位。”

这个被波尚大度地掩盖起来的可怕的秘密，就这样又象一个张牙舞爪的怪物似的出现了；在阿尔贝起程到诺曼底去的两天以后，竟有人残酷地去通知另一家报馆，发表了这几行几乎可使阿尔贝发疯的消息。

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