It was evident that one sentiment affected all the guests on entering
the dining-room. Each one asked what strange influence had brought them
to this house, and yet astonished, even uneasy though they were, they
still felt that they would not like to be absent. The recent events, the
solitary and eccentric position of the count, his enormous, nay, almost
incredible fortune, should have made men cautious, and have altogether
prevented ladies visiting a house where there was no one of their own
sex to receive them; and yet curiosity had been enough to lead them
to overleap the bounds of prudence and decorum. And all present, even
including Cavalcanti and his son, notwithstanding the stiffness of
the one and the carelessness of the other, were thoughtful, on finding
themselves assembled at the house of this incomprehensible man. Madame
Danglars had started when Villefort, on the count's invitation, offered
his arm; and Villefort felt that his glance was uneasy beneath his gold
spectacles, when he felt the arm of the baroness press upon his own.
None of this had escaped the count, and even by this mere contact of
individuals the scene had already acquired considerable interest for an
observer. M. de Villefort had on the right hand Madame Danglars, on
his left Morrel. The count was seated between Madame de Villefort and
Danglars; the other seats were filled by Debray, who was placed between
the two Cavalcanti, and by Chateau-Renaud, seated between Madame de
Villefort and Morrel.
The repast was magnificent; Monte Cristo had endeavored completely to
overturn the Parisian ideas, and to feed the curiosity as much as the
appetite of his guests. It was an Oriental feast that he offered to
them, but of such a kind as the Arabian fairies might be supposed to
prepare. Every delicious fruit that the four quarters of the globe could
provide was heaped in vases from China and jars from Japan. Rare birds,
retaining their most brilliant plumage, enormous fish, spread upon
massive silver dishes, together with every wine produced in the
Archipelago, Asia Minor, or the Cape, sparkling in bottles, whose
grotesque shape seemed to give an additional flavor to the draught,--all
these, like one of the displays with which Apicius of old gratified his
guests, passed in review before the eyes of the astonished Parisians,
who understood that it was possible to expend a thousand louis upon a
dinner for ten persons, but only on the condition of eating pearls, like
Cleopatra, or drinking refined gold, like Lorenzo de' Medici.
Monte Cristo noticed the general astonishment, and began laughing
and joking about it. "Gentlemen," he said, "you will admit that, when
arrived at a certain degree of fortune, the superfluities of life are
all that can be desired; and the ladies will allow that, after having
risen to a certain eminence of position, the ideal alone can be
more exalted. Now, to follow out this reasoning, what is the
marvellous?--that which we do not understand. What is it that we really
desire?--that which we cannot obtain. Now, to see things which I cannot
understand, to procure impossibilities, these are the study of my life.
I gratify my wishes by two means--my will and my money. I take as
much interest in the pursuit of some whim as you do, M. Danglars, in
promoting a new railway line; you, M. de Villefort, in condemning a
culprit to death; you, M. Debray, in pacifying a kingdom; you, M. de
Chateau-Renaud, in pleasing a woman; and you, Morrel, in breaking a
horse that no one can ride. For example, you see these two fish; one
brought fifty leagues beyond St. Petersburg, the other five leagues from
Naples. Is it not amusing to see them both on the same table?"
"What are the two fish?" asked Danglars.
"M. Chateau-Renaud, who has lived in Russia, will tell you the name of
one, and Major Cavalcanti, who is an Italian, will tell you the name of
the other."
"This one is, I think, a sterlet," said Chateau-Renaud.
"And that one, if I mistake not, a lamprey."
"Just so. Now, M. Danglars, ask these gentlemen where they are caught."
"Starlets," said Chateau-Renaud, "are only found in the Volga."
"And," said Cavalcanti, "I know that Lake Fusaro alone supplies lampreys
of that size."
"Exactly; one comes from the Volga, and the other from Lake Fusaro."
"Impossible!" cried all the guests simultaneously.
"Well, this is just what amuses me," said Monte Cristo. "I am like
Nero--cupitor impossibilium; and that is what is amusing you at this
moment. This fish, which seems so exquisite to you, is very likely no
better than perch or salmon; but it seemed impossible to procure it, and
here it is."
"But how could you have these fish brought to France?"
"Oh, nothing more easy. Each fish was brought over in a cask--one filled
with river herbs and weeds, the other with rushes and lake plants; they
were placed in a wagon built on purpose, and thus the sterlet lived
twelve days, the lamprey eight, and both were alive when my cook seized
them, killing one with milk and the other with wine. You do not believe
me, M. Danglars!"
"I cannot help doubting," answered Danglars with his stupid smile.
"Baptistin," said the count, "have the other fish brought in--the
sterlet and the lamprey which came in the other casks, and which are yet
alive." Danglars opened his bewildered eyes; the company clapped their
hands. Four servants carried in two casks covered with aquatic plants,
and in each of which was breathing a fish similar to those on the table.
"But why have two of each sort?" asked Danglars.
"Merely because one might have died," carelessly answered Monte Cristo.
"You are certainly an extraordinary man," said Danglars; "and
philosophers may well say it is a fine thing to be rich."
"And to have ideas," added Madame Danglars.
"Oh, do not give me credit for this, madame; it was done by the Romans,
who much esteemed them, and Pliny relates that they sent slaves from
Ostia to Rome, who carried on their heads fish which he calls the mulus,
and which, from the description, must probably be the goldfish. It was
also considered a luxury to have them alive, it being an amusing sight
to see them die, for, when dying, they change color three or four times,
and like the rainbow when it disappears, pass through all the prismatic
shades, after which they were sent to the kitchen. Their agony formed
part of their merit--if they were not seen alive, they were despised
when dead."
"Yes," said Debray, "but then Ostia is only a few leagues from Rome."
"True," said Monte Cristo; "but what would be the use of living eighteen
hundred years after Lucullus, if we can do no better than he could?" The
two Cavalcanti opened their enormous eyes, but had the good sense not
to say anything. "All this is very extraordinary," said Chateau-Renaud;
"still, what I admire the most, I confess, is the marvellous promptitude
with which your orders are executed. Is it not true that you only bought
this house five or six days ago?"
"Certainly not longer."
"Well, I am sure it is quite transformed since last week. If I remember
rightly, it had another entrance, and the court-yard was paved and
empty; while to-day we have a splendid lawn, bordered by trees which
appear to be a hundred years old."
"Why not? I am fond of grass and shade," said Monte Cristo.
"Yes," said Madame de Villefort, "the door was towards the road before,
and on the day of my miraculous escape you brought me into the house
from the road, I remember."
"Yes, madame," said Monte Cristo; "but I preferred having an entrance
which would allow me to see the Bois de Boulogne over my gate."
"In four days," said Morrel; "it is extraordinary!"
"Indeed," said Chateau-Renaud, "it seems quite miraculous to make a new
house out of an old one; for it was very old, and dull too. I recollect
coming for my mother to look at it when M. de Saint-Meran advertised it
for sale two or three years ago."
"M. de Saint-Meran?" said Madame de Villefort; "then this house belonged
to M. de Saint-Meran before you bought it?"
"It appears so," replied Monte Cristo.
"Is it possible that you do not know of whom you purchased it?"
"Quite so; my steward transacts all this business for me."
"It is certainly ten years since the house had been occupied," said
Chateau-Renaud, "and it was quite melancholy to look at it, with the
blinds closed, the doors locked, and the weeds in the court. Really, if
the house had not belonged to the father-in-law of the procureur, one
might have thought it some accursed place where a horrible crime had
been committed." Villefort, who had hitherto not tasted the three or
four glasses of rare wine which were placed before him, here took one,
and drank it off. Monte Cristo allowed a short time to elapse, and then
said, "It is singular, baron, but the same idea came across me the first
time I came here; it looked so gloomy I should never have bought it
if my steward had not taken the matter into his own hands. Perhaps the
fellow had been bribed by the notary."
"It is probable," stammered out Villefort, trying to smile; "but I can
assure you that I had nothing to do with any such proceeding. This house
is part of Valentine's marriage-portion, and M. de Saint-Meran wished to
sell it; for if it had remained another year or two uninhabited it would
have fallen to ruin." It was Morrel's turn to become pale.
"There was, above all, one room," continued Monte Cristo, "very plain in
appearance, hung with red damask, which, I know not why, appeared to me
quite dramatic."
"Why so?" said Danglars; "why dramatic?"
"Can we account for instinct?" said Monte Cristo. "Are there not some
places where we seem to breathe sadness?--why, we cannot tell. It is a
chain of recollections--an idea which carries you back to other times,
to other places--which, very likely, have no connection with the present
time and place. And there is something in this room which reminds me
forcibly of the chamber of the Marquise de Ganges [*] or Desdemona. Stay,
since we have finished dinner, I will show it to you, and then we will
take coffee in the garden. After dinner, the play." Monte Cristo looked
inquiringly at his guests. Madame de Villefort rose, Monte Cristo did
the same, and the rest followed their example. Villefort and Madame
Danglars remained for a moment, as if rooted to their seats; they
questioned each other with vague and stupid glances. "Did you hear?"
said Madame Danglars.
* Elisabeth de Rossan, Marquise de Ganges, was one of the
famous women of the court of Louis XIV. where she was known
as "La Belle Provencale." She was the widow of the Marquise
de Castellane when she married de Ganges, and having the
misfortune to excite the enmity of her new brothers-in-law,
was forced by them to take poison; and they finished her off
with pistol and dagger.--Ed.
"We must go," replied Villefort, offering his arm. The others, attracted
by curiosity, were already scattered in different parts of the house;
for they thought the visit would not be limited to the one room, and
that, at the same time, they would obtain a view of the rest of the
building, of which Monte Cristo had created a palace. Each one went out
by the open doors. Monte Cristo waited for the two who remained; then,
when they had passed, he brought up the rear, and on his face was a
smile, which, if they could have understood it, would have alarmed them
much more than a visit to the room they were about to enter. They began
by walking through the apartments, many of which were fitted up in
the Eastern style, with cushions and divans instead of beds, and pipes
instead of furniture. The drawing-rooms were decorated with the rarest
pictures by the old masters, the boudoirs hung with draperies from
China, of fanciful colors, fantastic design, and wonderful texture. At
length they arrived at the famous room. There was nothing particular
about it, excepting that, although daylight had disappeared, it was not
lighted, and everything in it was old-fashioned, while the rest of the
rooms had been redecorated. These two causes were enough to give it
a gloomy aspect. "Oh." cried Madame de Villefort, "it is really
frightful." Madame Danglars tried to utter a few words, but was not
heard. Many observations were made, the import of which was a unanimous
opinion that there was something sinister about the room. "Is it not
so?" asked Monte Cristo. "Look at that large clumsy bed, hung with such
gloomy, blood-colored drapery! And those two crayon portraits, that have
faded from the dampness; do they not seem to say, with their pale
lips and staring eyes, 'We have seen'?" Villefort became livid; Madame
Danglars fell into a long seat placed near the chimney. "Oh," said
Madame de Villefort, smiling, "are you courageous enough to sit down
upon the very seat perhaps upon which the crime was committed?" Madame
Danglars rose suddenly.
"And then," said Monte Cristo, "this is not all."
"What is there more?" said Debray, who had not failed to notice the
agitation of Madame Danglars.
"Ah, what else is there?" said Danglars; "for, at present, I cannot
say that I have seen anything extraordinary. What do you say, M.
Cavalcanti?"
"Ah," said he, "we have at Pisa, Ugolino's tower; at Ferrara, Tasso's
prison; at Rimini, the room of Francesca and Paolo."
"Yes, but you have not this little staircase," said Monte Cristo,
opening a door concealed by the drapery. "Look at it, and tell me what
you think of it."
"What a wicked-looking, crooked staircase," said Chateau-Renaud with a
smile.
"I do not know whether the wine of Chios produces melancholy, but
certainly everything appears to me black in this house," said Debray.
Ever since Valentine's dowry had been mentioned, Morrel had been silent
and sad. "Can you imagine," said Monte Cristo, "some Othello or Abbe de
Ganges, one stormy, dark night, descending these stairs step by step,
carrying a load, which he wishes to hide from the sight of man, if not
from God?" Madame Danglars half fainted on the arm of Villefort, who was
obliged to support himself against the wall. "Ah, madame," cried Debray,
"what is the matter with you? how pale you look!"
"It is very evident what is the matter with her," said Madame de
Villefort; "M. de Monte Cristo is relating horrible stories to us,
doubtless intending to frighten us to death."
"Yes," said Villefort, "really, count, you frighten the ladies."
"What is the matter?" asked Debray, in a whisper, of Madame Danglars.
"Nothing," she replied with a violent effort. "I want air, that is all."
"Will you come into the garden?" said Debray, advancing towards the back
staircase.
"No, no," she answered, "I would rather remain here."
"Are you really frightened, madame?" said Monte Cristo.
"Oh, no, sir," said Madame Danglars; "but you suppose scenes in a manner
which gives them the appearance of reality."
"Ah, yes," said Monte Cristo smiling; "it is all a matter of
imagination. Why should we not imagine this the apartment of an honest
mother? And this bed with red hangings, a bed visited by the goddess
Lucina? And that mysterious staircase, the passage through which, not
to disturb their sleep, the doctor and nurse pass, or even the father
carrying the sleeping child?" Here Madame Danglars, instead of being
calmed by the soft picture, uttered a groan and fainted. "Madame
Danglars is ill," said Villefort; "it would be better to take her to her
carriage."
"Oh, mon Dieu," said Monte Cristo, "and I have forgotten my
smelling-bottle!"
"I have mine," said Madame de Villefort; and she passed over to
Monte Cristo a bottle full of the same kind of red liquid whose good
properties the count had tested on Edward.
"Ah," said Monte Cristo, taking it from her hand.
"Yes," she said, "at your advice I have made the trial."
"And have you succeeded?"
"I think so."
Madame Danglars was carried into the adjoining room; Monte Cristo
dropped a very small portion of the red liquid upon her lips; she
returned to consciousness. "Ah," she cried, "what a frightful dream!"
Villefort pressed her hand to let her know it was not a dream. They
looked for M. Danglars, but, as he was not especially interested in
poetical ideas, he had gone into the garden, and was talking with Major
Cavalcanti on the projected railway from Leghorn to Florence. Monte
Cristo seemed in despair. He took the arm of Madame Danglars, and
conducted her into the garden, where they found Danglars taking coffee
between the Cavalcanti. "Really, madame," he said, "did I alarm you
much?"
"Oh, no, sir," she answered; "but you know, things impress us
differently, according to the mood of our minds." Villefort forced
a laugh. "And then, you know," he said, "an idea, a supposition, is
sufficient."
"Well," said Monte Cristo, "you may believe me if you like, but it is my
opinion that a crime has been committed in this house."
"Take care," said Madame de Villefort, "the king's attorney is here."
"Ah," replied Monte Cristo, "since that is the case, I will take
advantage of his presence to make my declaration."
"Your declaration?" said Villefort.
"Yes, before witnesses."
"Oh, this is very interesting," said Debray; "if there really has been a
crime, we will investigate it."
"There has been a crime," said Monte Cristo. "Come this way, gentlemen;
come, M. Villefort, for a declaration to be available, should be made
before the competent authorities." He then took Villefort's arm, and, at
the same time, holding that of Madame Danglars under his own, he dragged
the procureur to the plantain-tree, where the shade was thickest. All
the other guests followed. "Stay," said Monte Cristo, "here, in this
very spot" (and he stamped upon the ground), "I had the earth dug up and
fresh mould put in, to refresh these old trees; well, my man, digging,
found a box, or rather, the iron-work of a box, in the midst of which
was the skeleton of a newly born infant." Monte Cristo felt the arm of
Madame Danglars stiffen, while that of Villefort trembled. "A newly born
infant," repeated Debray; "this affair becomes serious!"
"Well," said Chateau-Renaud, "I was not wrong just now then, when I
said that houses had souls and faces like men, and that their exteriors
carried the impress of their characters. This house was gloomy because
it was remorseful: it was remorseful because it concealed a crime."
"Who said it was a crime?" asked Villefort, with a last effort.
"How? is it not a crime to bury a living child in a garden?" cried Monte
Cristo. "And pray what do you call such an action?"
"But who said it was buried alive?"
"Why bury it there if it were dead? This garden has never been a
cemetery."
"What is done to infanticides in this country?" asked Major Cavalcanti
innocently.
"Oh, their heads are soon cut off," said Danglars.
"Ah, indeed?" said Cavalcanti.
"I think so; am I not right, M. de Villefort?" asked Monte Cristo.
"Yes, count," replied Villefort, in a voice now scarcely human.
Monte Cristo, seeing that the two persons for whom he had prepared this
scene could scarcely endure it, and not wishing to carry it too far,
said, "Come, gentlemen,--some coffee, we seem to have forgotten it," and
he conducted the guests back to the table on the lawn.
"Indeed, count," said Madame Danglars, "I am ashamed to own it, but all
your frightful stories have so upset me, that I must beg you to let me
sit down;" and she fell into a chair. Monte Cristo bowed, and went
to Madame de Villefort. "I think Madame Danglars again requires your
bottle," he said. But before Madame de Villefort could reach her friend
the procureur had found time to whisper to Madame Danglars, "I must
speak to you."
"When?"
"To-morrow."
"Where?"
"In my office, or in the court, if you like,--that is the surest place."
"I will be there."--At this moment Madame de Villefort approached.
"Thanks, my dear friend," said Madame Danglars, trying to smile; "it is
over now, and I am much better."
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