World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 112 The Way to Repel Rats (2)
Monte Cristo did enter the building.There are three floors in the building. On the bottom floor, there are some farm tools, such as shovels, rakes, and watering cans. Everything is placed against the wall, and there is nothing else.The second floor was where the operator lived, or rather, where he slept at night.There are a few simple and necessary household appliances, plus a bed, a table, two chairs, and a ceramic sink.Also hanging from the ceiling were some dried bean stalks, which the count recognized as sweet peas and string beans.The weird guy left the beans in their pods for storage, but he neatly labeled each seedling like an expert in an arboretum.

"It will take a long time to learn to telegraph, sir?" asked Monte Cristo.

"It doesn't take long to learn, but it takes a long time to become a full-time employee."

"How much is your annual salary?"

"A thousand francs, sir."

"Too little."

"It's not too small, you see, there is still a place to live."

Monte Cristo looked around the room. "I hope he doesn't take the room too seriously," he murmured to himself.Then they went up to the third floor, which was the telegraph room.Monte Cristo looked at the two iron handles on the telegraph with which the operator operated it. "It's very interesting," he said, "but as the days go by, you must think that life is a bit boring?"

"Yes, at first my neck was sore because I was too old to look at it, but I got used to it after a year or two. In addition, we also have rest time and holidays when we don't work."

"Have a holiday?"

"Yes."

"What holiday?"

"It's a holiday when it's foggy."

"Ah, that's right."

"That's my holiday. Whenever I have a day like this, I go downstairs to the garden, plant the seedlings, trim the branches, cut the leaves, get rid of the insects, and in general, the time passes."

"How long have you been here?"

"10 years, plus 5 extra years, a total of 15 years."

"You this year..."

"55 is old."

"How long does it take to get a pension?"

"Ah, sir, twenty-five years."

"How much is the pension?"

"100 ecu."

"Poor thing," murmured Monte Cristo.

"What did you say, sir?" asked the operator.

"I said it was very interesting."

"What's interesting?"

"Everything you showed me is interesting... Do you really not understand any of your signals?"

"I don't understand anything."

"You never thought of studying?"

"No, what's the use of learning it?"

"However, some signals are sent directly to you."

"of course."

"You understand these signals, don't you?"

"It's always those few who are upside down."

"What are the words?"

"'Nothing', 'An hour's rest', or 'See you tomorrow'..."

"This is all insignificant talk," said the count, "but you see, hasn't the person who communicated with you started signaling?"

"Ah, really. Thank you, sir."

"What did he say? You understand these words, don't you?"

"Yes, he asked me if I was ready."

"How do you answer him?"

"Send a signal to the guy on my right that I'm ready and tell the guy on my left that he needs to get ready."

"Ingenious," said the Count.

"You'll see right away," said the man triumphantly, "that he'll be speaking in five minutes."

"Then I have five minutes," said Monte Cristo, "and that will be more than enough. My dear sir," he went on, "permit me to ask you a question."

"please."

"You like gardening?"

"It's my hobby."

"If you don't own a 20-foot hillside, but a large garden of forty or fifty acres, you will be very happy, right?"

"Sir, I will make this piece of land a paradise on earth."

"You live very hard on a thousand francs, don't you?"

"Tight, but doable."

"It's okay, but this garden is too shabby."

"Ah, yes, the garden is not big."

"Not only is it not big, but there is a dormouse that eats everything."

"Ah, this is my bane."

"Tell me, what would happen if the man on your right was about to send and you turned your head away?"

"I can't see him send the message."

"Is something going to happen?"

"I can't send his signal."

"and then?"

"I've been fined for my negligence in failing to pass down the signal."

"How much is the fine?"

"100 francs."

"It's 1/10 of your income, enough!"

"Hi!" said the operator.

"Has such a thing happened to you?" asked Monte Cristo.

"Once, sir. I was delayed because I was grafting a brown rose."

"Well, now you say, what if you change the signal a little bit, or send another signal altogether?"

"That would have made a big difference, I would have been fired and my pension would have been lost."

"300 francs?"

"One hundred crowns, that's the amount, sir. So you see, I would never do such a thing."

"Even if you're given fifteen years' salary? That's worth considering, you see, eh?"

"Fifteen thousand francs?"

"Yes."

"Sir, you frightened me to death."

"As for?"

"Sir, are you trying to seduce me?"

"You are right! Fifteen thousand francs, understand?"

"Sir, please show me the person on the right."

"On the contrary, don't look at him, look at this."

"What is this?"

"What? Don't you know what little pieces of paper these are?"

"banknote!"

"Four large-value tickets, a total of 15."

"who?"

"If you want it, it's yours."

"Mine?" cried the operator, out of breath.

"Oh, my God! Yes, it's yours, all yours."

"Sir, the operator on my right has begun to transmit."

"Let him send it."

"Sir, I shall be fined for disturbing my mind."

"You will be fined a hundred francs. Take a good look at it. It's too good to use my banknotes."

"Sir, the radio operator on the right is already in a hurry, so he sent the report again."

"Ignore him, just take it." The count stuffed the stack of banknotes into the operator's hand. "That's not enough," he said, "you can't live on fifteen thousand francs."

"My job is still there."

"No, you'll lose your position too, because you've got another paper to send, but it's not the one you started sending."

"Oh, sir, what do you want me to do?"

"Let's play a little game."

"Sir, unless I'm forced to do it..."

"I just wanted to force you." Monte Cristo drew another wad of banknotes from his pocket. "That's another 10000 francs," he said, "and with the 1.5 you have in your pocket, you get 2.5. With 5000 francs you can buy a nice little house and forty or fifty acres of land, and the rest 2 fixed, you have 1000 francs of interest every year."

"A garden of forty or fifty acres?"

"Annual interest of 1000 francs."

"My God! My God!"

"You take it!" Monte Cristo forced the ten thousand francs into the operator's hand.

"What do you want me to do?"

"It's so easy."

"What's the matter?"

"Send these signals." Monte Cristo drew from his pocket a sheet of paper on which three sets of signals were marked, and the order in which they were sent was marked by numbers. "Look, it won't take long."

"Yes, but..."

"Send a report, and you'll have nectarines and everything else."

That said, it worked.The radio operator's face was flushed with anxiety, beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and he sent out the three sets of signals that the count handed him one by one.The telegraph operator on the right was so frightened that he was completely bewildered by the change and wondered if Mr. Nectarine had gone crazy.As for the radio operator on the left, he carefully sent these signals to the next station, and the signals were finally transmitted to the Ministry of the Interior.

"Now you are rich," said Monte Cristo.

"Yes," said the operator, "but what a price!"

"Listen, my friend," said Monte Cristo, "I do not wish you any remorse. Believe me, for I can swear to you that you have done no harm to anyone, but have served God."

The operator fixed his eyes on the banknotes, ran them through with his hands, and counted them again.His face turned pale and then red, and finally rushed to the room to drink a glass of water, but before he got to the edge of the sink, he passed out on the pile of dried bean stalks. Five minutes later, the telegram was sent to the Ministry of the Interior, and Debray immediately ordered his carriage to be prepared, and hurried to Tangla's mansion.

"Does your husband have any Spanish bonds?" he asked the baroness.

"Yes! I remember it was 600 million."

"Tell him to throw it away no matter what the price is."

"why?"

"Because Carlos has escaped from Bourges and has returned to Spain."

"How did you know that?"

"Certainly," said Debray, shrugging his shoulders, "I know all the news."

The baroness asked no further questions, and immediately ran to her husband.Her husband immediately went to his broker and ordered them to sell everything no matter what the market was.Everyone saw that Mr. Tangla sold, so Spanish bonds fell immediately.Tangra lost 50 francs, but all the bonds were sold.This evening's "Courier" published the following news:
Telegraph from our newspaper: King Carlos escaped from prison, escaped from Bourges, and sneaked into Spain from the Catalan border, and the whole city of Barcelona embraced him.

That night, all the topics were talking about Tangra's foresight, saying that he threw away the bonds in time, that he was really lucky in securities speculation, and he only lost 50 francs in such an unexpected situation.Those who still have bonds in their hands or have bought Tangla bonds already feel that they have lost their fortunes and survived the night like dead wood.An article in the Monitor the next day said:
Yesterday's "Courier" reported that Carlos had absconded and that the news of the Barcelona rebellion was false.King Carlos did not leave Bourges, and the situation on the Iberian Peninsula was extremely calm.This error was actually caused by inaccurate interpretation of telegraph signals in foggy weather.

Bonds rallied immediately, almost doubling their losses.Adding up the lost money and the missed and unearned money, Tanglari lost a total of 100 million.When the news of Tangra’s suffering came out suddenly, Monte Cristo was at Morrel’s house, and he said to Morrel: “Well, I have achieved a possible project with only 2.5 francs. A great find that cost me 10 francs."

"What did you find?" Maximilian asked.

"I have found a good way to save the gardener from the evil of the dormouse eating his peaches."

(End of this chapter)