World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 114 Ghost (2)
Mrs. Tanglar would usually retort when she heard such reproaches, but this time it baffled the young people. She pretended not to hear and said nothing. Some unusual resignation was observed, and Monte Cristo smiled, and pointed out to the baroness two tall and large Chinese porcelain basins.The porcelain basin is covered with a thick layer of marine plants that seem to be exquisitely carved, not only in various poses and with different expressions, lifelike, but also carved with moon and clouds, unique ingenuity, only nature can have such workmanship.The baroness could not help but admire. "Ah, you can put the chestnut tree from the Tuileries Palace in this pot!" she said, "How did you make such a big porcelain pot?"

"Ah, Madame," said Monte Cristo, "that question should not be asked of us moderns, who can only make small porcelain figurines and frosted patterned glass. These things are ancient, and can be said to be the creation of the spirits of the earth and the sea." work."

"How on earth is this done? What year?"

"I don't know either. I just heard that an emperor in China specially ordered a kiln to be built, and a total of 12 such porcelain pots were fired. Two of them were cracked by the fire, and the remaining 10 sank. To the seabed at a depth of 200 meters. The sea understands people's spirituality and knows what to do, so they buried seaweed on the pots, wrapped them with corals, and inlaid shells. It took 200 years to glue them together as a whole. The emperor who did this experiment was blown away by a rebellion, leaving only a playbook explaining how these porcelain pots were fired and how they sank to the bottom of the sea. After 10 years, the playbook was released again When they found them, someone wanted to salvage these flower pots. So a submersible was specially built, and people were sent to dive into the seabed in the bay where the flower pots sunk. But only 3 of the [-] pots were found, and the rest were washed away by the waves. Scattered and broken. I like these flower pots very much. Sometimes I seem to see ghosts and ghosts lurking in the pots, all of them are shadowy, hideous, and mysterious, all of which are like ghosts and monsters that can only be seen when diving into the water. These ghosts panicked, their eyes froze, they all looked like dead wood and ashes, and they were all so ruthless. And in this big basin, there were countless small fishes who came here to hide in order to escape the pursuit of natural enemies."

When the count was talking about the origin of the flower pots, Tangra was not interested in such strange things, but stood aside and mechanically picked the flowers from a bright and dazzling orange tree, one after another.After picking the flowers on the orange tree, I went to pick the thorns on a cactus, but the cactus thorns were not as easy to pick as the orange tree flowers, so I stabbed him hard.He shivered involuntarily and rubbed his eyes, as if he had just woken up from a dream.

"Sir," Monte Cristo said to him with a smile, "not only do you like painting, but you also have many treasures. My collection of paintings is not worth introducing to you, but there are a few works that are worth seeing. Painter (1638-1709). Of, one Paul Porter Dutch painter (1625-1654). Of, one Millis Dutch painter (1635-1681). Of, two Gerard Dou Dutch painter (1613 -1675). Of, a Raphael Italian painter (1483-1520). Of, a Fantic Flanders painter (1599-1641). Of, a Mirbaran Spanish painter (1598-1664) ), and two or three more by the Spanish painter Mirillo (1617-1682). "

"What?" said Debray. "This one's a Hober horse. I recognize it."

"Ah, really!"

"This painting has been recommended to the museum."

"I suppose there are no such pictures in museums?" interposed Monte Cristo.

"No, and I didn't even buy the painting."

"Then why?" Chateau-Renoir asked.

"It's interesting that you ask, because the government has no money."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" said Chateau-Renoir. "I've been hearing this every day for eight years, and I still can't get used to it."

"You'll get used to it later," said Debray.

"Not necessarily," said Chateau-Renoir.

"Major Bartolomeo Cavallecanti is here! Viscount Andra Cavallecanti is here!" Battistan announced loudly.

A new neckline in black satin just from the tailor, a freshly manicured beard, grizzled curls, firm eyes, a major's uniform, three medals and five crosses—in short, an old Impeccably attired as a soldier, this is the image of Major Bartolomeo Cavacanti, the loving father we have come to know.The person who came next to him was covered in brand new clothes, with a smile on his face, that was Viscount Andra Cavallecanti.

He was the respectful and polite son we all knew too.The three young people who were talking couldn't help casting their eyes on the father, and then on the son. Of course, they looked at the son for a long time, carefully measuring from head to toe.

"Cavalecanti!" said Debray.

"What a name!" said Morrel. "Really!"

"Yes," said Chateau-Renaud, "that's right. Italians have nice names, but they wear ugly clothes."

"You are too picky, Chateau-Renoir," said Debray. "Their clothes are all made by high-class tailors, and they are new from top to bottom."

"So I said they couldn't get dressed, and that gentleman seemed to be dressed for the first time today."

"Who are these two gentlemen?" Tangra asked Monte Cristo.

"You heard it too, Cavallecanti."

"That's just telling me what their last names are."

"Ah, by the way, you are not familiar with our Italian aristocratic family. When you say the surname is Cavalle Conti, it means the princely family."

"Isn't it rich?"

"Amazingly rich."

"What are they capable of?"

"They try to eat their money, but they just can't spend it all. They came to see me the day before yesterday, and I heard from them that they have a credit account in your bank. I invited them here for you, and I will introduce you."

"I think their French is very authentic," Tangla said.

"The little one went to a school in the South of France, Marseilles or something near it, I think. You'll see he's a very warm fellow."

"Passion for what?" asked the baroness.

"Enthusiasm for the ladies of France, Madame, and he's determined to marry a lady in Paris."

"His idea is not bad!" Tang La shrugged and said.

Mrs. Donglas gave her husband a look that would have sparked a storm at any other time, but again she refrained from saying anything.

"The baron seems very pensive today," Monte Cristo said to Mrs. Tanglar, "do you want to ask him to be a minister?"

"No, as far as I know, not yet. I think he lost his bet on the exchange. I don't know who to take it out on."

"Monsieur de Villefort and his wife!" cried Baptistan.

The couple walked in.M. de Villefort, in spite of his self-control, looked agitated, and Monte Cristo felt that his hand was trembling when he shook it. "Obviously, only women can hide themselves." Monte Cristo said to himself, and he looked at Madame Tangra, who smiled at the prosecutor and embraced Madame de Villefort.

Beticio had been busy on the other side of the pantry, but just after the greetings in the living room, the count saw him sneaking into a small living room next to the large living room where the guests were, and the count went to look for him.

"What can you do, Monsieur Beticio?" asked the count.

"Your Excellency hasn't told me how many guests are here today."

"Ah, really."

"How many guests in total?"

"Count it yourself."

"Have all the guests arrived, sir?"

"Yes."

Beticio looked through the half-open door, Monte Cristo fixed his eyes on him.

"Ah! my God!" cried Beticio.

"what's wrong?"

"That woman! That woman!"

"which one?"

"Wearing a white dress, wearing a lot of diamonds... golden hair..."

"Madame Tanglar?"

"I don't know her name, but it's her, sir, it's her!"

"who is it?"

"The woman in the garden! The pregnant woman! She was walking in the garden, waiting... and waiting..." Beticio opened his mouth wide, his face turned pale, and his hair stood on end.

"Wait for who?"

Beticio didn't answer, but just pointed at Villefort with his finger. He looked a bit like the protagonist in Macbeth Shakespeare's play of the same name. He killed the king and the general Banquo out of ambition, and then saw Banquo's ghost. Immediately horrified.Refers to Banquo. "Oh! Oh!" he murmured at last. "Did you see that?"

"See what? Who?"

"he!"

"He! M. de Villefort, the prosecutor? Of course I saw him."

"So I didn't kill him?"

"Ah, indeed, I think you are mad, my friend, Monsieur Beticio," said the count.

"Then he is not dead?"

"No! He's not dead, and you can see that clearly. You Corsican stabbers always stab between the sixth and seventh ribs on the left. You must have stabbed higher or lower. These The judge is also fatal. Otherwise, none of what you told me was true. This is because you were dreaming in a dream, or because you were in a trance. You may be asleep, but the revenge You can't hold your breath, it's always stuck in your chest, and you've had a nightmare, that's all. Now, calm down, and count. M. and Madame de Villefort, two; M. and Ms. Tanglars, Four; Monsieur Chateau-Renoir, Monsieur Debray, Monsieur Morrel, seven; Monsieur Major Bartolomeo Cavallecanti, eight."

"Eight!" repeated Beticio.

"Don't hurry! Don't hurry! You're in such a hurry to get away, what the hell! You forgot one of my guests. Turn a little to the left... see... Andra Cavallecanti , the young man in the black jacket who was looking at Mirillo's Madonna, turned around."

This time Beticio was so startled that the cry was on his lips, and it was only suppressed by Monte Cristo's hard stare. "Benededo!" he murmured to himself, "what a day!"

"It's half-past six, Mr. Beticio," said the count sternly. "I've ordered you to be seated at this time. You know that I don't like to wait." Monte Cristo returned In the living room, the guests were waiting for him, while Beticio leaned on the wall and finally returned to the dining room. Five minutes later, the two doors of the living room opened, and Beticio stood in the doorway, like the caterer of Prince Vatelcondé. One day in 6, Prince Condé entertained Louis XIV in Chantilly. Because a fish was not delivered in time, Vatel felt guilty and drew his sword to kill himself.Like Chantilly, with a tragic last courage, he said: "Mr. Earl, please dine!"

Monte Cristo held out his arm to Madame de Villefort. "Mr. Villefort, please accompany Baroness Tanglar to the table."

Villefort complied, and the host and guest entered the dining room.

(End of this chapter)