Part 149

“What does that signify, so long as they favor your suit?” “But it is not the case, my dear count: on the contrary. I am repulsed on all sides.” “What!” “It is so indeed; Mademoiselle Eugénie scarcely answers me, and Mademoiselle d’Armilly, her confidant, does not speak to me at all.” “But the father has the greatest regard possible for you,” said Monte Cristo. “He? Oh, no, he has plunged a thousand daggers into my heart, tragedy-weapons, I own, which instead of wounding sheathe their points in their own handles, but daggers which he nevertheless believed to be real and deadly.” “Jealousy indicates affection.” “True; but I am not jealous.” “He is.” “Of whom?—of Debray?” “No, of you.” “Of me? I will engage to say that before a week is past the door will be closed against me.” “You are mistaken, my dear viscount.” “Prove it to me.” “Do you wish me to do so?” “Yes.” “Well, I am charged with the commission of endeavoring to induce the Comte de Morcerf to make some definite arrangement with the baron.” “By whom are you charged?” “By the baron himself.” “Oh,” said Albert with all the cajolery of which he was capable. “You surely will not do that, my dear count?” “Certainly I shall, Albert, as I have promised to do it.” “Well,” said Albert, with a sigh, “it seems you are determined to marry me.” “I am determined to try and be on good terms with everybody, at all events,” said Monte Cristo. “But apropos of Debray, how is it that I have not seen him lately at the baron’s house?” “There has been a misunderstanding.” “What, with the baroness?” “No, with the baron.” “Has he perceived anything?” “Ah, that is a good joke!” “Do you think he suspects?” said Monte Cristo with charming artlessness. “Where have you come from, my dear count?” said Albert. “From Congo, if you will.” “It must be farther off than even that.” “But what do I know of your Parisian husbands?” “Oh, my dear count, husbands are pretty much the same everywhere; an individual husband of any country is a pretty fair specimen of the whole race.” “But then, what can have led to the quarrel between Danglars and Debray? They seemed to understand each other so well,” said Monte Cristo with renewed energy. “Ah, now you are trying to penetrate into the mysteries of Isis, in which I am not initiated. When M. Andrea Cavalcanti has become one of the family, you can ask him that question.” The carriage stopped. “Here we are,” said Monte Cristo; “it is only half-past ten o’clock, come in.” “Certainly, I will.” “My carriage shall take you back.” “No, thank you; I gave orders for my _coupé_ to follow me.” “There it is, then,” said Monte Cristo, as he stepped out of the carriage. They both went into the house; the drawing-room was lighted up—they went in there. “You will make tea for us, Baptistin,” said the count. Baptistin left the room without waiting to answer, and in two seconds reappeared, bringing on a tray, all that his master had ordered, ready prepared, and appearing to have sprung from the ground, like the repasts which we read of in fairy tales. “Really, my dear count,” said Morcerf, “what I admire in you is, not so much your riches, for perhaps there are people even wealthier than yourself, nor is it only your wit, for Beaumarchais might have possessed as much,—but it is your manner of being served, without any questions, in a moment, in a second; it is as if they guessed what you wanted by your manner of ringing, and made a point of keeping everything you can possibly desire in constant readiness.” “What you say is perhaps true; they know my habits. For instance, you shall see; how do you wish to occupy yourself during tea-time?” “_Ma foi_, I should like to smoke.” Monte Cristo took the gong and struck it once. In about the space of a second a private door opened, and Ali appeared, bringing two chibouques filled with excellent latakia. “It is quite wonderful,” said Albert. “Oh no, it is as simple as possible,” replied Monte Cristo. “Ali knows I generally smoke while I am taking my tea or coffee; he has heard that I ordered tea, and he also knows that I brought you home with me; when I summoned him he naturally guessed the reason of my doing so, and as he comes from a country where hospitality is especially manifested through the medium of smoking, he naturally concludes that we shall smoke in company, and therefore brings two chibouques instead of one—and now the mystery is solved.” “Certainly you give a most commonplace air to your explanation, but it is not the less true that you——Ah, but what do I hear?” and Morcerf inclined his head towards the door, through which sounds seemed to issue resembling those of a guitar. “_Ma foi_, my dear viscount, you are fated to hear music this evening; you have only escaped from Mademoiselle Danglars’ piano, to be attacked by Haydée’s guzla.” “Haydée—what an adorable name! Are there, then, really women who bear the name of Haydée anywhere but in Byron’s poems?” “Certainly there are. Haydée is a very uncommon name in France, but is common enough in Albania and Epirus; it is as if you said, for example, Chastity, Modesty, Innocence,—it is a kind of baptismal name, as you Parisians call it.” “Oh, that is charming,” said Albert, “how I should like to hear my countrywomen called Mademoiselle Goodness, Mademoiselle Silence, Mademoiselle Christian Charity! Only think, then, if Mademoiselle Danglars, instead of being called Claire-Marie-Eugénie, had been named Mademoiselle Chastity-Modesty-Innocence Danglars; what a fine effect that would have produced on the announcement of her marriage!” “Hush,” said the count, “do not joke in so loud a tone; Haydée may hear you, perhaps.” “And you think she would be angry?” “No, certainly not,” said the count with a haughty expression. “She is very amiable, then, is she not?” said Albert. “It is not to be called amiability, it is her duty; a slave does not dictate to a master.” “Come; you are joking yourself now. Are there any more slaves to be had who bear this beautiful name?” “Undoubtedly.” “Really, count, you do nothing, and have nothing like other people. The slave of the Count of Monte Cristo! Why, it is a rank of itself in France, and from the way in which you lavish money, it is a place that must be worth a hundred thousand francs a year.” “A hundred thousand francs! The poor girl originally possessed much more than that; she was born to treasures in comparison with which those recorded in the _Thousand and One Nights_ would seem but poverty.” “She must be a princess then.” “You are right; and she is one of the greatest in her country too.” “I thought so. But how did it happen that such a great princess became a slave?” “How was it that Dionysius the Tyrant became a schoolmaster? The fortune of war, my dear viscount,—the caprice of fortune; that is the way in which these things are to be accounted for.” “And is her name a secret?” “As regards the generality of mankind it is; but not for you, my dear viscount, who are one of my most intimate friends, and on whose silence I feel I may rely, if I consider it necessary to enjoin it—may I not do so?” “Certainly; on my word of honor.” “You know the history of the Pasha of Yanina, do you not?” “Of Ali Tepelini?13 Oh, yes; it was in his service that my father made his fortune.” “True, I had forgotten that.” 40062m “Well, what is Haydée to Ali Tepelini?” “Merely his daughter.” “What? the daughter of Ali Pasha?” “Of Ali Pasha and the beautiful Vasiliki.” “And your slave?” “_Ma foi_, yes.” “But how did she become so?” “Why, simply from the circumstance of my having bought her one day, as I was passing through the market at Constantinople.” “Wonderful! Really, my dear count, you seem to throw a sort of magic influence over all in which you are concerned; when I listen to you, existence no longer seems reality, but a waking dream. Now, I am perhaps going to make an imprudent and thoughtless request, but——” “Say on.” “But, since you go out with Haydée, and sometimes even take her to the Opera——” “Well?” “I think I may venture to ask you this favor.” “You may venture to ask me anything.” “Well then, my dear count, present me to your princess.” “I will do so; but on two conditions.” “I accept them at once.” “The first is, that you will never tell anyone that I have granted the interview.” “Very well,” said Albert, extending his hand; “I swear I will not.” “The second is, that you will not tell her that your father ever served hers.” “I give you my oath that I will not.” “Enough, viscount; you will remember those two vows, will you not? But I know you to be a man of honor.” The count again struck the gong. Ali reappeared. “Tell Haydée,” said he, “that I will take coffee with her, and give her to understand that I desire permission to present one of my friends to her.” Ali bowed and left the room. “Now, understand me,” said the count, “no direct questions, my dear Morcerf; if you wish to know anything, tell me, and I will ask her.” “Agreed.” Ali reappeared for the third time, and drew back the tapestried hanging which concealed the door, to signify to his master and Albert that they were at liberty to pass on. “Let us go in,” said Monte Cristo. Albert passed his hand through his hair, and curled his moustache, then, having satisfied himself as to his personal appearance, followed the count into the room, the latter having previously resumed his hat and gloves. Ali was stationed as a kind of advanced guard, and the door was kept by the three French attendants, commanded by Myrtho. Haydée was awaiting her visitors in the first room of her apartments, which was the drawing-room. Her large eyes were dilated with surprise and expectation, for it was the first time that any man, except Monte Cristo, had been accorded an entrance into her presence. She was sitting on a sofa placed in an angle of the room, with her legs crossed under her in the Eastern fashion, and seemed to have made for herself, as it were, a kind of nest in the rich Indian silks which enveloped her. Near her was the instrument on which she had just been playing; it was elegantly fashioned, and worthy of its mistress. On perceiving Monte Cristo, she arose and welcomed him with a smile peculiar to herself, expressive at once of the most implicit obedience and also of the deepest love. Monte Cristo advanced towards her and extended his hand, which she as usual raised to her lips. 40064m Albert had proceeded no farther than the door, where he remained rooted to the spot, being completely fascinated by the sight of such surpassing beauty, beheld as it was for the first time, and of which an inhabitant of more northern climes could form no adequate idea. “Whom do you bring?” asked the young girl in Romaic, of Monte Cristo; “is it a friend, a brother, a simple acquaintance, or an enemy.” “A friend,” said Monte Cristo in the same language. “What is his name?” “Count Albert; it is the same man whom I rescued from the hands of the banditti at Rome.” “In what language would you like me to converse with him?” Monte Cristo turned to Albert. “Do you know modern Greek,” asked he. “Alas! no,” said Albert; “nor even ancient Greek, my dear count; never had Homer or Plato a more unworthy scholar than myself.” “Then,” said Haydée, proving by her remark that she had quite understood Monte Cristo’s question and Albert’s answer, “then I will speak either in French or Italian, if my lord so wills it.” Monte Cristo reflected one instant. “You will speak in Italian,” said he. Then, turning towards Albert,—“It is a pity you do not understand either ancient or modern Greek, both of which Haydée speaks so fluently; the poor child will be obliged to talk to you in Italian, which will give you but a very false idea of her powers of conversation.” The count made a sign to Haydée to address his visitor. “Sir,” she said to Morcerf, “you are most welcome as the friend of my lord and master.” This was said in excellent Tuscan, and with that soft Roman accent which makes the language of Dante as sonorous as that of Homer. Then, turning to Ali, she directed him to bring coffee and pipes, and when he had left the room to execute the orders of his young mistress she beckoned Albert to approach nearer to her. Monte Cristo and Morcerf drew their seats towards a small table, on which were arranged music, drawings, and vases of flowers. Ali then entered bringing coffee and chibouques; as to M. Baptistin, this portion of the building was interdicted to him. Albert refused the pipe which the Nubian offered him.