World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 102 Major Cavalle Conti (2)
"Yes," said Monte Cristo, "you are telling these gossips as if you were telling the truth yourself, trying to hide from everyone a mistake in your youth."

Luca stood up suddenly, pretending to be very calm and very solemn, but he lowered his eyes timidly, maybe trying to restrain himself to maintain a normal state, maybe trying to imagine it.But he turned his eyes and looked at the count secretly, and saw that the count still had his invariable smile on his mouth, which showed that the count was still so kind and liked to ask questions. "Yes, sir," said the major, "I wish to conceal this mistake from all the public."

"Not for yourself," said Monte Cristo, "for men don't care about such things."

"Oh, yes, not for myself, of course," said the major, shaking his head with a slight smile.

"But for his mother's sake," said the count.

"For his mother's sake," cried Luca's visitor, picking up the third biscuit, "for his poor mother's sake."

"Have a drink, my dear Monsieur Cavalle-Conti," said Monte Cristo, pouring out a second glass of Arriet for Luca's visitor, "you are so excited that you are out of breath."

"For his poor mother!" murmured Luca, who was trying to make a little effort, as he thought in his heart, to let the lacrimal gland secrete a drop of false tears, so as to wet the corners of his eyes.

"I suppose she came from a distinguished family in Italy?"

"She is a nobleman from the Italian place name of Feezor, Mr. Earl, a nobleman from Feezor."

"What is your name?"

"Would you like to know her name?"

"Oh, my God!" said Monte Cristo, "you don't need to tell me, I know."

"Mr. Earl knows everything." Luca said while bowing.

"Oliva Corcinari, isn't she?"

"Oliva Corcinari!"

"The Marquis?"

"The Marquis!"

"You married her in spite of your family's opposition?"

"My God! Yes, I married her at last."

"Well," continued Monte Cristo, "have you brought all the proper papers?"

"What documents?" Luca asked.

"Your and Oliva Corcinari's marriage certificate and the child's birth certificate."

"The child's birth certificate?"

"Your son, Andra Cavallecanti's birth certificate, isn't his name Andra?"

"I suppose so," said Luca the visitor.

"What! Do you think?"

"Oh, I'm not sure, he's been away for too long."

"That's right," said Monte Cristo. "In short, do you have these papers?"

"Mr. Earl, I am very sorry to say that I was not told to bring these documents, so I was negligent."

"Too bad," said Monte Cristo.

"Are these documents useful?"

"All are indispensable."

Luka visitor wiped his forehead, "Ah, really," he said, "so it must be missing."

"Of course not. It is difficult to say whether there will be any doubts about the legality of your marriage and the legality of your children."

"Exactly," said Luca's visitor, "one would be suspicious."

"That young man might be in trouble."

"That's bad luck."

"If there is any good marriage, he can only miss it."

"That would be a pity."

"You know, France is not as serious as Italy. It is not enough to find a priest and say to him, 'We are in love, please marry us.' documents."

"That's bad, I don't have the papers."

"Luckily I have them here," said Monte Cristo.

"you?"

"Yes."

"Do you have these documents?"

"I have these documents."

"Oh, that's great," said the visitor from Luca, who, seeing that his purpose of coming to Paris had been thwarted by the lack of these papers, was very much apprehensive, lest this momentary neglect might cause any trouble to the 4.8 livres. . "Oh, well, luck. Yes," he went on, "for luck, because I didn't think of it myself."

"Of course! I believe it. There will always be something wrong when you think about things. But fortunately, Elder Buzzoni has already thought of it for you."

"Look at how nice this elder is!"

"He is a cautious man."

"A respectable man," said Luca's visitor, "has he sent you his papers?"

"It's all here."

Luca's visitor clasped his hands tightly, which meant that he felt great admiration.

"You and Oliva Corcinari were married in the church of St. Paul in Montecatini. Here is the priest's letter."

"Indeed, this is the letter," said the major, looking at him in amazement.

"Here is the baptismal certificate of Andra Cavalleconti, issued by Father Sarafoza."

"It's in full compliance," said the major.

"Well, please keep the certificate. It's useless for me to keep it. You should give the certificate to your son, but he has to keep it properly."

"I think it will be preserved! . . . In case he gets lost . . . "

"Well! What if he is lost?" said Monte Cristo.

"Well!" Luca said, "then I have to write and ask for it, and it will take a lot of trouble to get another copy."

"Very difficult indeed," said Monte Cristo.

"Almost impossible," replied Luca the visitor.

"I'm glad you appreciate the value of these documents."

"That is, I have to see them as priceless."

"Then," said Monte Cristo, "as for the young man's mother..."

"As for the young man's mother..." The major just repeated with a flustered expression.

"As for the Marquis of Corcinari?"

"My God!" said Luca's visitor, and the difficulty seemed to arise once he got here, "is she still coming?"

"No, monsieur," said Monte Cristo; "besides, has she not already..."

"Yes, yes," said the major, "she has..."

"Heaven took his soul?"

"Hi, that's right." Luca said hurriedly.

"I know that," said Monte Cristo. "She died ten years ago."

"The thought of her death still brings tears to my eyes, sir," said the major, taking a check handkerchief from his pocket, and mopping his left and right eye.

"Life is up to you," said Monte Cristo, "we are all going to die. Now you should know, my dear Monsieur Cavalle-Conti, that it is not necessary in France that you and your son have been separated for fifteen years. Bohemia Stories like child abduction are not popular here, you actually sent him to some provincial school, and now you intend to further his education in Parisian society, so you leave Viareggio Italy Place names. Come here, of course you have been living in Viareggio since your wife died. That's enough."

"is it?"

"Of course i!

"That would be great."

"If someone finds out that your father and son are separated..."

"Oh yes, what did I say?"

"There was a tutor who was treacherous, and he was bribed by your family's enemies..."

"Bought off by the Corcinari family?"

"Of course...he took the child away, trying to make your family extinct."

"It makes sense because he's an only son."

"Okay, now that everything is settled, and you have revisited those past events again, I think it will not make you feel at a loss again, so you probably have guessed that I have arrangements to surprise you."

"Overjoyed?" Luca asked the visitor.

"Ah," said Monte Cristo, "I am not mistaken; a father's eye and heart are not deceived."

"Hey!" said the major.

"Maybe someone spoke quickly and gave you some information, or you guessed that he was already here."

"Who's here?"

"Your child, your son, your Andra."

"I already guessed it," Luka said, with a very indifferent tone, "so he is here?"

"Here," said Monte Cristo, "my valet came in and told me he was here."

"Oh, that's great! Oh, that's great!" said the major, tightening the ribs he was wearing with each cry.

"My dear Monsieur," said Monte Cristo, "I can understand your great excitement, and that you need a little time to calm down. I must also prepare the young man for this long-awaited reunion of father and son. It seems to me that he Like you, I can't wait."

"I think so," Cavallecanti said.

"Very good! We will arrange for you to meet in a quarter of an hour."

"Would you bring him to see me? You are too kind to be so kind as to come and introduce us yourself?"

"No, I never mean to be between father and son. You will meet alone, Mr. Major. Don't worry, even if the brotherhood is difficult to talk about for a while, you will never be mistaken. He came in through this door. The lad is handsome, fair-haired, perhaps a little too yellow, and soft-spoken. You know it when you see him."

"By the way," said the major, "you know that all I had with me was the two thousand francs that the good old Bouzoni had sent me, and I spent the money on the journey, so..."

"That's why you ask for money... That's very reasonable, my dear Monsieur Cavalle-Conti. Here, let's count it as a sum, eight 8-franc notes." The major's eyes suddenly shone like rubies. "I owe you another forty thousand francs," continued Monte Cristo.

"Would you like a receipt, sir?" asked the major, slipping the bill into the inside pocket of his coat.

"Why bother?" said the count.

"You can deduct the money from Elder Buzzoni's account."

"Oh! Just give me a general receipt when you receive the remaining forty thousand francs. Gentlemen don't have to be so serious."

"Ah, yes, that's right," said the major. "A gentleman's friend."

"And now one last word, Marquis."

"Please speak."

"You'll allow me to say something, won't you?"

"How do you say that! Please enlighten me."

"There is nothing wrong with changing the straight-necked long dress you are wearing."

"Really!" said the major, looking with some satisfaction at his clothes.

"Yes, this dress is still worn in Viareggio, it is indeed very chic, but it has long been out of fashion in Paris."

"That's the trouble," Luca said.

"Oh, if you insist on wearing them, you can put them on when you leave Paris."

"But what am I wearing now?"

"Is there anything in those boxes of yours?" said the major, who was getting more and more flustered.

"Then now," said Monte Cristo, "you are fully prepared emotionally, and you will not be too excited. My dear Mr. Cavalle Conti, please prepare to be reunited with your son Andra." Monte Cristo finished So he bowed gracefully to the proud and joyful Lucca visitor, and then disappeared around the door curtain.

(End of this chapter)