almost a queen. Look well at that man; it is he who raised your father's
head on the point of a spear; it is he who sold us; it is he who forsook
us! Look well at his right hand, on which he has a large wound; if you
forgot his features, you would know him by that hand, into which fell,
one by one, the gold pieces of the merchant El-Kobbir!" I know him!
Ah, let him say now if he does not recognize me!' Each word fell like a
dagger on Morcerf, and deprived him of a portion of his energy; as she
uttered the last, he hid his mutilated hand hastily in his bosom, and
fell back on his seat, overwhelmed by wretchedness and despair. This
scene completely changed the opinion of the assembly respecting the
accused count.
"'Count of Morcerf,' said the president, 'do not allow yourself to be
cast down; answer. The justice of the court is supreme and impartial as
that of God; it will not suffer you to be trampled on by your enemies
without giving you an opportunity of defending yourself. Shall further
inquiries be made? Shall two members of the House be sent to Yanina?
Speak!' Morcerf did not reply. Then all the members looked at each other
with terror. They knew the count's energetic and violent temper; it must
be, indeed, a dreadful blow which would deprive him of courage to defend
himself. They expected that his stupefied silence would be followed by a
fiery outburst. 'Well,' asked the president, 'what is your decision?'
"'I have no reply to make,' said the count in a low tone.
"'Has the daughter of Ali Tepelini spoken the truth?' said the
president. 'Is she, then, the terrible witness to whose charge you dare
not plead "Not guilty"? Have you really committed the crimes of which
you are accused?' The count looked around him with an expression which
might have softened tigers, but which could not disarm his judges. Then
he raised his eyes towards the ceiling, but withdrew then, immediately,
as if he feared the roof would open and reveal to his distressed view
that second tribunal called heaven, and that other judge named God.
Then, with a hasty movement, he tore open his coat, which seemed to
stifle him, and flew from the room like a madman; his footstep was heard
one moment in the corridor, then the rattling of his carriage-wheels
as he was driven rapidly away. 'Gentlemen,' said the president, when
silence was restored, 'is the Count of Morcerf convicted of felony,
treason, and conduct unbecoming a member of this House?'--'Yes,' replied
all the members of the committee of inquiry with a unanimous voice.
"Haidee had remained until the close of the meeting. She heard the
count's sentence pronounced without betraying an expression of joy or
pity; then drawing her veil over her face she bowed majestically to the
councillors, and left with that dignified step which Virgil attributes
to his goddesses."
Chapter 87. The Challenge.
"Then," continued Beauchamp, "I took advantage of the silence and
the darkness to leave the house without being seen. The usher who
had introduced me was waiting for me at the door, and he conducted me
through the corridors to a private entrance opening into the Rue de
Vaugirard. I left with mingled feelings of sorrow and delight. Excuse
me, Albert,--sorrow on your account, and delight with that noble girl,
thus pursuing paternal vengeance. Yes, Albert, from whatever source the
blow may have proceeded--it may be from an enemy, but that enemy is only
the agent of providence." Albert held his head between his hands;
he raised his face, red with shame and bathed in tears, and seizing
Beauchamp's arm, "My friend," said he, "my life is ended. I cannot
calmly say with you, 'Providence has struck the blow;' but I must
discover who pursues me with this hatred, and when I have found him I
shall kill him, or he will kill me. I rely on your friendship to assist
me, Beauchamp, if contempt has not banished it from your heart."
"Contempt, my friend? How does this misfortune affect you? No, happily
that unjust prejudice is forgotten which made the son responsible for
the father's actions. Review your life, Albert; although it is only just
beginning, did a lovely summer's day ever dawn with greater purity than
has marked the commencement of your career? No, Albert, take my advice.
You are young and rich--leave Paris--all is soon forgotten in this great
Babylon of excitement and changing tastes. You will return after three
or four years with a Russian princess for a bride, and no one will think
more of what occurred yesterday than if it had happened sixteen years
ago."
"Thank you, my dear Beauchamp, thank you for the excellent feeling
which prompts your advice; but it cannot be. I have told you my wish, or
rather my determination. You understand that, interested as I am in this
affair, I cannot see it in the same light as you do. What appears to you
to emanate from a celestial source, seems to me to proceed from one far
less pure. Providence appears to me to have no share in this affair; and
happily so, for instead of the invisible, impalpable agent of celestial
rewards and punishments, I shall find one both palpable and visible,
on whom I shall revenge myself, I assure you, for all I have suffered
during the last month. Now, I repeat, Beauchamp, I wish to return
to human and material existence, and if you are still the friend you
profess to be, help me to discover the hand that struck the blow."
"Be it so," said Beauchamp; "if you must have me descend to earth, I
submit; and if you will seek your enemy, I will assist you, and I
will engage to find him, my honor being almost as deeply interested as
yours."
"Well, then, you understand, Beauchamp, that we begin our search
immediately. Each moment's delay is an eternity for me. The calumniator
is not yet punished, and he may hope that he will not be; but, on my
honor, if he thinks so, he deceives himself."
"Well, listen, Morcerf."
"Ah, Beauchamp, I see you know something already; you will restore me to
life."
"I do not say there is any truth in what I am going to tell you, but it
is, at least, a ray of light in a dark night; by following it we may,
perhaps, discover something more certain."
"Tell me; satisfy my impatience."
"Well, I will tell you what I did not like to mention on my return from
Yanina."
"Say on."
"I went, of course, to the chief banker of the town to make inquiries.
At the first word, before I had even mentioned your father's name"--
"'Ah,' said he. 'I guess what brings you here.'
"'How, and why?'
"'Because a fortnight since I was questioned on the same subject.'
"'By whom?'--'By a Paris banker, my correspondent.'
"'Whose name is'--
"'Danglars.'"
"He!" cried Albert; "yes, it is indeed he who has so long pursued my
father with jealous hatred. He, the man who would be popular, cannot
forgive the Count of Morcerf for being created a peer; and this marriage
broken off without a reason being assigned--yes, it is all from the same
cause."
"Make inquiries, Albert, but do not be angry without reason; make
inquiries, and if it be true"--
"Oh, yes, if it be true," cried the young man, "he shall pay me all I
have suffered."
"Beware, Morcerf, he is already an old man."
"I will respect his age as he has respected the honor of my family; if
my father had offended him, why did he not attack him personally? Oh,
no, he was afraid to encounter him face to face."
"I do not condemn you, Albert; I only restrain you. Act prudently."
"Oh, do not fear; besides, you will accompany me. Beauchamp, solemn
transactions should be sanctioned by a witness. Before this day closes,
if M. Danglars is guilty, he shall cease to live, or I shall die.
Pardieu, Beauchamp, mine shall be a splendid funeral!"
"When such resolutions are made, Albert, they should be promptly
executed. Do you wish to go to M. Danglars? Let us go immediately." They
sent for a cabriolet. On entering the banker's mansion, they perceived
the phaeton and servant of M. Andrea Cavalcanti. "Ah, parbleu, that's
good," said Albert, with a gloomy tone. "If M. Danglars will not fight
with me, I will kill his son-in-law; Cavalcanti will certainly fight."
The servant announced the young man; but the banker, recollecting
what had transpired the day before, did not wish him admitted. It was,
however, too late; Albert had followed the footman, and, hearing the
order given, forced the door open, and followed by Beauchamp found
himself in the banker's study. "Sir," cried the latter, "am I no longer
at liberty to receive whom I choose in my house? You appear to forget
yourself sadly."
"No, sir," said Albert, coldly; "there are circumstances in which one
cannot, except through cowardice,--I offer you that refuge,--refuse to
admit certain persons at least."
"What is your errand, then, with me, sir?"
"I mean," said Albert, drawing near, and without apparently noticing
Cavalcanti, who stood with his back towards the fireplace--"I mean to
propose a meeting in some retired corner where no one will interrupt us
for ten minutes; that will be sufficient--where two men having met, one
of them will remain on the ground." Danglars turned pale; Cavalcanti
moved a step forward, and Albert turned towards him. "And you, too,"
said he, "come, if you like, monsieur; you have a claim, being almost
one of the family, and I will give as many rendezvous of that kind as I
can find persons willing to accept them." Cavalcanti looked at Danglars
with a stupefied air, and the latter, making an effort, arose and
stepped between the two young men. Albert's attack on Andrea had placed
him on a different footing, and he hoped this visit had another cause
than that he had at first supposed.
"Indeed, sir," said he to Albert, "if you are come to quarrel with this
gentleman because I have preferred him to you, I shall resign the case
to the king's attorney."
"You mistake, sir," said Morcerf with a gloomy smile; "I am not
referring in the least to matrimony, and I only addressed myself to M.
Cavalcanti because he appeared disposed to interfere between us. In one
respect you are right, for I am ready to quarrel with every one to-day;
but you have the first claim, M. Danglars."
"Sir," replied Danglars, pale with anger and fear, "I warn you, when
I have the misfortune to meet with a mad dog, I kill it; and far from
thinking myself guilty of a crime, I believe I do society a kindness.
Now, if you are mad and try to bite me, I will kill you without pity. Is
it my fault that your father has dishonored himself?"
"Yes, miserable wretch!" cried Morcerf, "it is your fault." Danglars
retreated a few steps. "My fault?" said he; "you must be mad! What do
I know of the Grecian affair? Have I travelled in that country? Did I
advise your father to sell the castle of Yanina--to betray"--
"Silence!" said Albert, with a thundering voice. "No; it is not you who
have directly made this exposure and brought this sorrow on us, but you
hypocritically provoked it."
"I?"
"Yes; you! How came it known?"
"I suppose you read it in the paper in the account from Yanina?"
"Who wrote to Yanina?"
"To Yanina?"
"Yes. Who wrote for particulars concerning my father?"
"I imagine any one may write to Yanina."
"But one person only wrote!"
"One only?"
"Yes; and that was you!"
"I, doubtless, wrote. It appears to me that when about to marry your
daughter to a young man, it is right to make some inquiries respecting
his family; it is not only a right, but a duty."
"You wrote, sir, knowing what answer you would receive."
"I, indeed? I assure you," cried Danglars, with a confidence and
security proceeding less from fear than from the interest he really felt
for the young man, "I solemnly declare to you, that I should never
have thought of writing to Yanina, did I know anything of Ali Pasha's
misfortunes."
"Who, then, urged you to write? Tell me."
"Pardieu, it was the most simple thing in the world. I was speaking of
your father's past history. I said the origin of his fortune remained
obscure. The person to whom I addressed my scruples asked me where your
father had acquired his property? I answered, 'In Greece.'--'Then,' said
he, 'write to Yanina.'"
"And who thus advised you?"
"No other than your friend, Monte Cristo."
"The Count of Monte Cristo told you to write to Yanina?"
"Yes; and I wrote, and will show you my correspondence, if you like."
Albert and Beauchamp looked at each other. "Sir," said Beauchamp, who
had not yet spoken, "you appear to accuse the count, who is absent from
Paris at this moment, and cannot justify himself."
"I accuse no one, sir," said Danglars; "I relate, and I will repeat
before the count what I have said to you."
"Does the count know what answer you received?"
"Yes; I showed it to him."
"Did he know my father's Christian name was Fernand, and his family name
Mondego?"
"Yes, I had told him that long since, and I did only what any other
would have done in my circumstances, and perhaps less. When, the day
after the arrival of this answer, your father came by the advice of
