instant he was placed in the stern-sheets of the boat, between the
gendarmes, while the officer stationed himself at the bow; a shove sent
the boat adrift, and four sturdy oarsmen impelled it rapidly towards the
Pilon. At a shout from the boat, the chain that closes the mouth of
the port was lowered and in a second they were, as Dantes knew, in the
Frioul and outside the inner harbor.
The prisoner's first feeling was of joy at again breathing the pure
air--for air is freedom; but he soon sighed, for he passed before La
Reserve, where he had that morning been so happy, and now through the
open windows came the laughter and revelry of a ball. Dantes folded his
hands, raised his eyes to heaven, and prayed fervently.
The boat continued her voyage. They had passed the Tete de Morte,
were now off the Anse du Pharo, and about to double the battery. This
manoeuvre was incomprehensible to Dantes.
"Whither are you taking me?" asked he.
"You will soon know."
"But still"--
"We are forbidden to give you any explanation." Dantes, trained in
discipline, knew that nothing would be more absurd than to question
subordinates, who were forbidden to reply; and so he remained silent.
The most vague and wild thoughts passed through his mind. The boat they
were in could not make a long voyage; there was no vessel at anchor
outside the harbor; he thought, perhaps, they were going to leave him on
some distant point. He was not bound, nor had they made any attempt to
handcuff him; this seemed a good augury. Besides, had not the deputy,
who had been so kind to him, told him that provided he did not pronounce
the dreaded name of Noirtier, he had nothing to apprehend? Had not
Villefort in his presence destroyed the fatal letter, the only proof
against him?
He waited silently, striving to pierce through the darkness.
They had left the Ile Ratonneau, where the lighthouse stood, on the
right, and were now opposite the Point des Catalans. It seemed to the
prisoner that he could distinguish a feminine form on the beach, for it
was there Mercedes dwelt. How was it that a presentiment did not warn
Mercedes that her lover was within three hundred yards of her?
One light alone was visible; and Dantes saw that it came from Mercedes'
chamber. Mercedes was the only one awake in the whole settlement. A loud
cry could be heard by her. But pride restrained him and he did not utter
it. What would his guards think if they heard him shout like a madman?
He remained silent, his eyes fixed upon the light; the boat went on, but
the prisoner thought only of Mercedes. An intervening elevation of land
hid the light. Dantes turned and perceived that they had got out to sea.
While he had been absorbed in thought, they had shipped their oars and
hoisted sail; the boat was now moving with the wind.
In spite of his repugnance to address the guards, Dantes turned to the
nearest gendarme, and taking his hand,--
"Comrade," said he, "I adjure you, as a Christian and a soldier, to tell
me where we are going. I am Captain Dantes, a loyal Frenchman, thought
accused of treason; tell me where you are conducting me, and I promise
you on my honor I will submit to my fate."
The gendarme looked irresolutely at his companion, who returned for
answer a sign that said, "I see no great harm in telling him now," and
the gendarme replied,--
"You are a native of Marseilles, and a sailor, and yet you do not know
where you are going?"
"On my honor, I have no idea."
"Have you no idea whatever?"
"None at all."
"That is impossible."
"I swear to you it is true. Tell me, I entreat."
"But my orders."
"Your orders do not forbid your telling me what I must know in ten
minutes, in half an hour, or an hour. You see I cannot escape, even if I
intended."
"Unless you are blind, or have never been outside the harbor, you must
know."
"I do not."
"Look round you then." Dantes rose and looked forward, when he saw
rise within a hundred yards of him the black and frowning rock on which
stands the Chateau d'If. This gloomy fortress, which has for more than
three hundred years furnished food for so many wild legends, seemed to
Dantes like a scaffold to a malefactor.
"The Chateau d'If?" cried he, "what are we going there for?" The
gendarme smiled.
"I am not going there to be imprisoned," said Dantes; "it is only
used for political prisoners. I have committed no crime. Are there any
magistrates or judges at the Chateau d'If?"
"There are only," said the gendarme, "a governor, a garrison, turnkeys,
and good thick walls. Come, come, do not look so astonished, or you
will make me think you are laughing at me in return for my good nature."
Dantes pressed the gendarme's hand as though he would crush it.
"You think, then," said he, "that I am taken to the Chateau d'If to be
imprisoned there?"
"It is probable; but there is no occasion to squeeze so hard."
"Without any inquiry, without any formality?"
"All the formalities have been gone through; the inquiry is already
made."
"And so, in spite of M. de Villefort's promises?"
"I do not know what M. de Villefort promised you," said the gendarme,
"but I know we are taking you to the Chateau d'If. But what are you
doing? Help, comrades, help!"
By a rapid movement, which the gendarme's practiced eye had perceived,
Dantes sprang forward to precipitate himself into the sea; but four
vigorous arms seized him as his feet quitted the bottom of the boat. He
fell back cursing with rage.
"Good!" said the gendarme, placing his knee on his chest; "believe
soft-spoken gentlemen again! Harkye, my friend, I have disobeyed my
first order, but I will not disobey the second; and if you move, I will
blow your brains out." And he levelled his carbine at Dantes, who felt
the muzzle against his temple.
For a moment the idea of struggling crossed his mind, and of so ending
the unexpected evil that had overtaken him. But he bethought him of M.
de Villefort's promise; and, besides, death in a boat from the hand of
a gendarme seemed too terrible. He remained motionless, but gnashing his
teeth and wringing his hands with fury.
At this moment the boat came to a landing with a violent shock. One of
the sailors leaped on shore, a cord creaked as it ran through a pulley,
and Dantes guessed they were at the end of the voyage, and that they
were mooring the boat.
His guards, taking him by the arms and coat-collar, forced him to rise,
and dragged him towards the steps that lead to the gate of the fortress,
while the police officer carrying a musket with fixed bayonet followed
behind.
Dantes made no resistance; he was like a man in a dream: he saw soldiers
drawn up on the embankment; he knew vaguely that he was ascending a
flight of steps; he was conscious that he passed through a door, and
that the door closed behind him; but all this indistinctly as through
a mist. He did not even see the ocean, that terrible barrier against
freedom, which the prisoners look upon with utter despair.
They halted for a minute, during which he strove to collect his
thoughts. He looked around; he was in a court surrounded by high walls;
he heard the measured tread of sentinels, and as they passed before the
light he saw the barrels of their muskets shine.
They waited upwards of ten minutes. Certain Dantes could not escape, the
gendarmes released him. They seemed awaiting orders. The orders came.
"Where is the prisoner?" said a voice.
"Here," replied the gendarmes.
"Let him follow me; I will take him to his cell."
"Go!" said the gendarmes, thrusting Dantes forward.
The prisoner followed his guide, who led him into a room almost under
ground, whose bare and reeking walls seemed as though impregnated with
tears; a lamp placed on a stool illumined the apartment faintly,
and showed Dantes the features of his conductor, an under-jailer,
ill-clothed, and of sullen appearance.
"Here is your chamber for to-night," said he. "It is late, and the
governor is asleep. To-morrow, perhaps, he may change you. In the
meantime there is bread, water, and fresh straw; and that is all a
prisoner can wish for. Goodnight." And before Dantes could open his
mouth--before he had noticed where the jailer placed his bread or the
water--before he had glanced towards the corner where the straw was,
the jailer disappeared, taking with him the lamp and closing the door,
leaving stamped upon the prisoner's mind the dim reflection of the
dripping walls of his dungeon.
Dantes was alone in darkness and in silence--cold as the shadows that
he felt breathe on his burning forehead. With the first dawn of day the
jailer returned, with orders to leave Dantes where he was. He found the
prisoner in the same position, as if fixed there, his eyes swollen with
weeping. He had passed the night standing, and without sleep. The jailer
advanced; Dantes appeared not to perceive him. He touched him on the
shoulder. Edmond started.
"Have you not slept?" said the jailer.
"I do not know," replied Dantes. The jailer stared.
"Are you hungry?" continued he.
"I do not know."
"Do you wish for anything?"
"I wish to see the governor." The jailer shrugged his shoulders and left
the chamber.
Dantes followed him with his eyes, and stretched forth his hands towards
the open door; but the door closed. All his emotion then burst forth;
he cast himself on the ground, weeping bitterly, and asking himself what
crime he had committed that he was thus punished.
The day passed thus; he scarcely tasted food, but walked round and
round the cell like a wild beast in its cage. One thought in particular
tormented him: namely, that during his journey hither he had sat so
still, whereas he might, a dozen times, have plunged into the sea, and,
thanks to his powers of swimming, for which he was famous, have gained
the shore, concealed himself until the arrival of a Genoese or Spanish
vessel, escaped to Spain or Italy, where Mercedes and his father could
have joined him. He had no fears as to how he should live--good seamen
are welcome everywhere. He spoke Italian like a Tuscan, and Spanish like
a Castilian; he would have been free, and happy with Mercedes and
his father, whereas he was now confined in the Chateau d'If, that
impregnable fortress, ignorant of the future destiny of his father and
Mercedes; and all this because he had trusted to Villefort's promise.
The thought was maddening, and Dantes threw himself furiously down on
his straw. The next morning at the same hour, the jailer came again.
"Well," said the jailer, "are you more reasonable to-day?" Dantes made
no reply.
"Come, cheer up; is there anything that I can do for you?"
"I wish to see the governor."
"I have already told you it was impossible."
"Why so?"
"Because it is against prison rules, and prisoners must not even ask for
it."
"What is allowed, then?"
"Better fare, if you pay for it, books, and leave to walk about."
"I do not want books, I am satisfied with my food, and do not care to
walk about; but I wish to see the governor."
"If you worry me by repeating the same thing, I will not bring you any
more to eat."
"Well, then," said Edmond, "if you do not, I shall die of hunger--that
is all."
The jailer saw by his tone he would be happy to die; and as every
prisoner is worth ten sous a day to his jailer, he replied in a more
subdued tone.
"What you ask is impossible; but if you are very well behaved you will
be allowed to walk about, and some day you will meet the governor, and
if he chooses to reply, that is his affair."
"But," asked Dantes, "how long shall I have to wait?"
"Ah, a month--six months--a year."
"It is too long a time. I wish to see him at once."
"Ah," said the jailer, "do not always brood over what is impossible, or
you will be mad in a fortnight."
"You think so?"
"Yes; we have an instance here; it was by always offering a million of
francs to the governor for his liberty that an abbe became mad, who was
in this chamber before you."
"How long has he left it?"
"Two years."
"Was he liberated, then?"
"No; he was put in a dungeon."
"Listen!" said Dantes. "I am not an abbe, I am not mad; perhaps I shall
be, but at present, unfortunately, I am not. I will make you another
offer."
"What is that?"
"I do not offer you a million, because I have it not; but I will give
you a hundred crowns if, the first time you go to Marseilles, you will
seek out a young girl named Mercedes, at the Catalans, and give her two
lines from me."
"If I took them, and were detected, I should lose my place, which is
worth two thousand francs a year; so that I should be a great fool to
run such a risk for three hundred."
"Well," said Dantes, "mark this; if you refuse at least to tell Mercedes
I am here, I will some day hide myself behind the door, and when you
enter I will dash out your brains with this stool."
"Threats!" cried the jailer, retreating and putting himself on the
defensive; "you are certainly going mad. The abbe began like you, and in
three days you will be like him, mad enough to tie up; but, fortunately,
there are dungeons here." Dantes whirled the stool round his head.
"All right, all right," said the jailer; "all right, since you will have
it so. I will send word to the governor."
