World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 109 The Telegraph Room (1)
When M. de Villefort and Madame de Villefort came out, they learned that the Count of Monte Cristo was visiting and was waiting for them in the drawing room.Madame de Villefort was too excited to meet her guests immediately, so she went to her bedroom to rest for the time being, while the prosecutor was more able to control his emotions, so he went directly to the living room.But no matter how good M. de Villefort was at controlling his emotions, and no matter how well he could control the expression of his face, he could not completely get rid of the cloud on his brow, and the count, who was smiling, immediately noticed that his face was gloomy and preoccupied.

"Oh, my God!" said Monte Cristo, after some courtesies, "what is the matter with you, M. de Villefort? Have I come at an untimely time, and you are drawing up some very important indictment?"

Villefort forced a smile. "No, Monsieur Count," said he, "this time I am the only victim of the suit, I have been defeated, and it was luck, obstinacy, and stupidity that brought the prosecution."

"What do you mean?" asked the count, with an air of great interest. "Has any great misfortune happened to you?"

"Oh, Monsieur Comte," said Villefort calmly and with great bitterness, "the matter is not worth mentioning, or nothing at all, except the loss of a sum of money."

"That is true," said Monte Cristo. "Pecuniary losses are nothing to a man of your wealth, generosity, and refinement."

"So," said Villefort, "I am not at all concerned with money. Of course, after all, the loss of 90 francs is a pity, or at least unpleasant. I am particularly saddened by fate, That luck and misfortune should have arranged this. I cannot describe what force it was, not only against me, to destroy my hopes of property, but possibly to destroy my daughter's future, simply because of a Elderly people become as ignorant as children, blindly willful."

"Oh, my God, what's the matter?" exclaimed the count, "90 francs, is that what you said? Indeed, as you just said, this sum is regrettable, even for a It is a pity for the most thoughtful person. So who made you feel so sad?"

"Father, I have told you about him."

"Monsieur Noirquier! Is that so? But I remember that you told me that he was paralyzed, that he had lost all function?"

"Yes, all the functions of the organism have been lost, because he can neither move nor speak, but you will see that he can think without speaking or moving, has his own will, and plays his role. I Just left him for five minutes, and at this very moment he was giving his will to two notaries."

"So he can talk again?"

"Speak more intelligently than yourself, and all your thoughts can be understood by others."

"how can that be possible?"

"In terms of gaze, his eyes are still alive, and you will see, those eyes can kill a person."

"My friend," said Madame de Villefort, as soon as she entered the drawing-room, "perhaps you have exaggerated the situation too much?"

"Madame..." said the Count, bowing.

Madame de Villefort returned the gift with a very graceful smile.

"What is it about what M. de Villefort told me just now?" asked the count, "that such an incredible misfortune..."

"Unbelievable, that's the right thing to say." The prosecutor shrugged and continued, "It's purely because the old man is too capricious."

"Is there no way to get him to change that decision?"

"There is a way," said Madame de Villefort. "It depends on what my husband does. He can change the will from Valentine's disadvantage to her advantage."

The count, noticing that the words of the Villeforts had become cryptic and tortuous, put on an air of indifference, and watched Edward pour ink into the water bowl of the birdcage with rapt attention and feigned admiration.

"My dear," said Villefort in reply to his wife, "you know how much I dislike being the patriarch at home, and that I never thought that all affairs of the world could be decided by a nod of my head. But my decision In my family must be respected, and a plan that has been conceived in my heart for so many years must not be squandered because of an old man's stupid words, or a child's caprice. You know that the Baron d'Epinay is my friend, and our family A marriage with his son is most fitting."

"Do you think that Valentine is in collusion with him?" said Madame de Villefort. What I heard may have been discussed by them long ago."

"Madame," said Villefort, "you will be assured that a fortune of nine hundred thousand francs cannot be thrown away for nothing."

"Since she thought of going to a convent a year ago, sir, she can give up even worldly life."

"Never mind," said Villefort, "since I have said so, the marriage must be consummated, madame."

"Is your father's wish to be disregarded?" said Madame de Villefort, deliberately pulling another chord. "That would be serious!"

Monte Cristo pretended not to listen to them, but he heard every word they said.

"Madame," continued Villefort, "I may say that I have always respected my father, because in me, besides the affection due to me as a junior, I have also seen my father's superior character, and because, in two senses, Fathers are holy, he is both the founder of our life and our teacher. But today I have to take a skeptical attitude towards the sanity of the old man, because he continues to hate the enemy just because of the hatred he had for his father in the past. Son. It would be ridiculous to ask me to let him do what he wants and to do it. I will always respect M. Noirquier. I can bear his monetary punishment and I will never complain, but my will will not be changed. It is up to others to decide which side of the truth lies. Therefore, I must marry my daughter to the Baron Franz d'Epinay, because I think this marriage is suitable and dignified. I’m just as happy as I am.”

"What!" said the count, and the prosecutor kept looking at him for his approval. "What! You mean that Monsieur Noirquier will not bequeath his property to Mademoiselle Valentine because she is going to marry the Baron Franz d'Epinay?"

"Oh, my God, it is so, monsieur. That's why," said Villefort, shrugging his shoulders.

"Apparently, at least," continued Madame de Villefort.

"It's the real reason, ma'am. Believe me, I know my father."

"Will you believe it?" said the young woman. "I would like to ask you, in what respect is M. d'Epinet so inferior that M. Noirquier dislikes him so much?"

"Yes," said the count, "I know Monsieur Franz d'Epinay, whose father, General Kenel, was not made Baron d'Epinay by Charles X."

"Exactly," said Villefort.

"Ah, but I think the young man is very lovely."

"So it's just an excuse. I see it very clearly," said Madame de Villefort. "The old man is emotionally unreasonable. M. Noirquier actually doesn't want his granddaughter to marry."

"But," said Monte Cristo, "don't you know what is the cause of this hatred?"

"Hey, my God! Who knows?"

"Perhaps out of some political antagonism?"

"It is true that my father and M. d'Epinet's father lived through the years of the great storm, and I myself only caught up with the last few days and nights," said Villefort.

"Isn't your father a member of the party of Napoleon?" asked Monte Cristo. "I think you told me about it."

"Never mind anything else, my father was a Jacobin," said Villefort, who, in a moment of excitement, could not help speaking beyond the limits of prudence, "though Napoleon has thrown the senator's robe over his shoulders, but he The old man just changed his appearance, and his inner political views remained unchanged. When my father conspired against the emperor, he didn’t really support the emperor, but just wanted to attack the Burbon dynasty. struggle, he strives only for possible ends, and, according to the terrible theory of the Montagne, he does everything he can to succeed in attaining those terrible ends."

"Yes," said Monte Cristo, "you see, the way things are, M. Noirquier and M. d'Epinay must meet politically. General d'Epinay, although he served under Napoleon, did not always remain in his heart. Is he loyal to the royal family? One evening he went to a club of Napoleon's party, and he was expected to be loyal to Napoleon, but didn't he get assassinated when he came out of the club?" Villefort looked at the count almost with fear. "Am I wrong?" said the Count.

"It is true, monsieur," said Madame de Villefort, "on the contrary, it is the truth. It is for the reasons you have just stated that M. de Villefort wished to see the annihilation of the old enmity, and thus the birth of two hostile families. The idea of ​​a child turning hatred into love."

"What a sublime idea!" said Monte Cristo, "another idea of ​​love, which society will celebrate. Indeed, it would be nice to see Mademoiselle Valentina Villefort become Franz Epinet Ma'am is very gratifying."

Villefort shuddered, and could not help looking at Monte Cristo, as if he wanted to read the count's inner thoughts before he said what he had just said.But the count still had that invariable kind smile on his lips, and the prosecutor couldn't read Monte Cristo's mind at all, so he could only complain to himself.

"Therefore," said Villefort, "it is indeed a great misfortune that Valentine should not receive her grandfather's inheritance, but I do not think that the marriage is hindered by this, nor do I believe that M. d'Epinet was held back by pecuniary frustrations. He will see that I may be worth more than the money, because I would rather sacrifice money than break my promise to him, and he will understand that Valentine can inherit her mother's inheritance and her grandparents who loved her very much. The property of Mr. and Mrs. Melan, she is already very rich."

"Valentine should love and take care of her grandparents as much as M. Noirquier. Besides, they will come to Paris in a month at most, and Valentine can relax after suffering such a shame." Don't always live in secluded life for M. Noirquier like you are now."

(End of this chapter)