World Literature Classics Library: The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 191 Tangla's Signature (2)
"But your tone... how about it, as long as you have the mood, you might as well take my clerk to the Bank of France, and you will see that when he comes out of the bank, he has a bill in his hand and counts the money. Quite a few."

"No," said Monte Cristo, folding the five papers, "no, indeed, but the fact is so novel that I should like to experience it for myself. I was overdrawn with you." 600 million, 90 francs have been withdrawn, so you should still pay me 510 million francs. I believe that these five pieces of paper are valid with your signature, so I will take them. This is a receipt for 600 million francs, so that we The bill was settled. I wrote the receipt before I came, because, to be honest, I have an urgent need today." With this, Monte Cristo stuffed the five sheets of paper into his pocket with one hand, and held out the other. With the other hand, he handed the receipt to the banker.

Even if a thunderbolt had fallen at the banker's feet, he would not have been so startled. "What?" he stammered. "What? Monsieur Count, you want this money? But I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but it's a deposit I've had with the poorhouse, and I've promised them to withdraw it this morning. "

"Ah!" said Monte Cristo, "that's another matter. I don't really want these five slips of paper, but you can write me a separate check. I just took the money out of curiosity. You can tell everyone you meet that Tangla Trading Company will pay me 5 million in cash within 500 minutes without prior notice or waiting! Once you say this, everyone will be shocked! However, you have these tickets , I repeat, please invoice me separately."

So, he handed the five tickets to Tangla.Tang La's face was ashen, and he immediately stretched out his hand, like a caged vulture stretching out its claws from the cracks in the iron bars, trying to snatch back the meat that was taken from it.Suddenly he changed his mind again, clenched his teeth and finally endured it, then a smile appeared on his face, and his wrinkled face gradually loosened. "Actually," he said, "your receipt is money."

"Oh! my God, yes! When you come to Rome, just show me my receipt, and Thomson & French will pay you right away, just as you are now, and there will be no trouble."

"Forgive me, Monsieur Count, please forgive me."

"So, I can accept the money?"

"Yes," Tang La said while wiping the sweat dripping down from the root of her hair, "you can put it away, put it away."

Monte Cristo put the five bills back into his pocket again, with an indescribable expression on his face, as if to say: "My God! You've got to think about it, I'm sorry, it's still too late."

"No," Tangla said, "no, really, I have already signed these tickets, so you can take them. However, you also know that people in the financial world are the most rigid in their work. This sum of money I originally prepared the money for the poorhouse, and I felt that instead of giving them the money I was going to give them, I seemed to be stealing their money. It seems that there is a distinction between this crown and that crown. What happened just now I hope you can forgive me." After speaking, he laughed out loud, but it was a nervous laugh.

"I won't mind," said Monte Cristo kindly, "I'll take the money." And he put the tickets into his purse.

"But," Tangra said, "we still have 10 francs in our account, so we have to settle it?"

"Oh! a trifle!" said Monte Cristo. "The commission is about that amount. You keep it, and we shall settle it."

"Count," Tangla said, "are you serious?"

"I never joke with bankers," replied Monte Cristo, with a seriousness that was almost a bit of an insult.

Afterwards, he walked towards the door, just at that moment Tangla's personal attendant came to announce: "Mr. Powell, the cashier of the poorhouse, has arrived!"

"Oh!" said Monte Cristo, "it seems that I have come at the right time. I have just received the ticket signed by you, and everyone is fighting for it."

Tangra's face turned pale again, and hurriedly sent the count away.Monsieur de Povière waited in the anteroom, and Monte Cristo and he bowed to each other courteously.As soon as Monte Cristo left, M. de Poville was led into Tangra's study.Monte Cristo saw the cashier of the workhouse with a purse in his hand, and a fleeting smile flashed across his face.He went down to the door, mounted his own carriage at once, and gave orders to go at once to the Bank of France.At this time, Tang Ge suppressed the panic in his heart and walked over to meet the chief cashier.Of course, there was a stiff smile on his face, pretending to be amiable.

"Good day," he said, "my dear creditor, I'll bet you've come to draw money?"

"You are quite right, Monsieur Baronet," said M. de Powell. "I have come to you as a representative of the poorhouse, and I have come here to ask for five millions in alms from the widows and orphans there."

"Everyone says that orphans all over the world make people feel heartbroken!" Tang Gela said, deliberately taking the joke and blocking it for a while, "These children are really pitiful!"

"So I've come to see you on their behalf," said M. Poviller. "You must have received the letter I sent you yesterday?"

"Yes."

"I've brought the receipt."

"My dear Monsieur de Poville," said Tangra, "if you feel that nothing is wrong, you must ask your widows and orphans to wait twenty-four hours, because Monsieur Monte Cristo, the one you just saw going out, . . . You saw him, didn't you?"

"Yes, what's the matter?"

"Well, M. Monte Cristo has taken their five million away!"

"What's the matter?"

"The count opened an account with unlimited credit with me, and the Thomson-French firm in Rome was responsible for the settlement. He just came to ask for a withdrawal of 500 million, and I wrote him a check from the Bank of France. All the funds of the Bank of France are stored in the Bank of France, so you will also understand that I am afraid that if I withdraw 1000 million from the director of the Bank of France in one day, he will feel strange. If it is withdrawn in two days, " Tangla smiled Judi went on to say, "It's not convenient for me to say that."

"How could it be?" Mr. Powell shouted, with a taste of complete disbelief in his voice, "500 million was given to this gentleman who just left? He even greeted me when he left, as if I It's like knowing him."

"You don't know him, but he may know you. M. Monte Cristo knows everyone."

"500 million!"

"This is his receipt. You may wish to learn from one of the 12 believers in St. Thomas Jesus. He doubted the resurrection of Jesus until he saw it with his own eyes and touched Jesus with his hands. You can see it with your own eyes and touch it with your own hands."

Mr. Powell took the note Tangla handed him, and read:
I hereby receive 510 million francs from Baron Tanglar. This loan can be withdrawn from Thomson & French Firm in Rome at any time.

"It is indeed true!" said Mr. Poviller.

"Do you know Thomson & French?"

"Yes," said M. Poviller, "I had a transaction with this firm of 20 francs, but I have not heard from them since."

"This is one of the most reputable firms in Europe." Tangra said, while taking the receipt from Mr. Poweller, and then casually threw it on his desk.

"He's got five millions with you alone? My fellow! So the Count of Monte Cristo has come back from India with a fortune?"

"My God! I don't know what it is, but he has three accounts with unlimited credit, one with me, one with Rothschild's, and one with Lafayette, and, Tangla continued casually, "As you can see, he likes to take out loans from me, and specially gave me 10 francs as a handling fee."

Mr. Powell looked overwhelmed with admiration. "I've got to visit him," he said, "and try to get him to give us some money."

"Oh! Then you will be able to return home full of money. His charity exceeds 2 francs every month."

"Excellent, and I can give him an example of the case of Mrs. Murcerf and her son."

"What example?"

"They gave all their property to the poorhouse."

"What property?"

"Their property, that is, the property of the late General Moserf."

"For what reason?"

"Because they don't want the ill-gotten gains."

"What do they live on?"

"The mother went to live in seclusion in other provinces, and the son joined the army."

"Oh! Oh!" Tangra said, "It's too serious!"

"I already gave them a donation certificate yesterday."

"How much money do they have?"

"Oh! Not much, one hundred and twenty-three million. But let's get down to business and talk about the millions."

"Okay," Tangra said, with a calm expression on his face, "So, you are in a hurry to use the money?"

"Isn't it? Tomorrow we'll be cashiering the accounts."

"Tomorrow? Why didn't you tell me as soon as you came? But there's plenty of time until tomorrow! What time will you check the accounts?"

"Two o'clock in the afternoon."

"You can send someone to pick it up at 12 o'clock." Tang Gela said with a smile.

Mr. Poweiler didn't say anything more, just nodded, picked up the wallet and shook it in his hand.

"Oh! I just remembered," said Tangra. "This is a better way."

"You said, what should I do?"

"Monsieur Monte Cristo's receipt is money. You can exchange it at Rothschild or at Lafferd, and they will pay you immediately."

"Can the bills paid by Rome be honored?"

"Of course, but you will have to pay five or six thousand francs in interest."

The chief cashier immediately took a step back. "Oh! No, I'll wait until tomorrow. You can really figure it out!"

"I thought, please forgive me," Tang Gela said brazenly, "I thought, you have a small debt that needs to be filled."

"Ah!" said the chief cashier.

"Listen, it happens all the time, and if it does, it's a sacrifice."

"Thank God, there's no need," said Mr. Powell.

"Well, tomorrow, is that all, my dear cashier?"

"Okay, tomorrow, but nothing will go wrong?"

"Wrong? You can really tell a joke! You will send someone at 12 noon tomorrow, and I will notify the bank in advance."

"I will do it myself."

"Great, I'm glad to see you again tomorrow."

So, the two shook hands.

"By the way," said M. Poviller, "I happened to be attending the funeral for poor Mademoiselle de Villefort in the avenue. Why didn't you go?"

"No," said the banker. "After what happened with Benedetto, I'm still a bit of a joke, so I just don't go out."

"Hey! You're wrong. What's wrong with you in this?"

"Listen to me, my dear cashier, if a person's reputation is as flawless as mine, there are many taboos."

"Everyone sympathizes with you, it is true, and everyone especially sympathizes with your daughter."

"Poor Eugenie!" Tangra said with a deep sigh, "she is in a convent, do you know, monsieur?"

"do not know."

"Hey, what a misfortune for the family! On the second day after the accident, she left home with a nun who was very close to her. She wanted to find a strict monastery in Italy or Spain."

"Oh! It's terrible!" Mr. Powell exclaimed, and then he got up to say goodbye, and at the same time, he was still looking for a samurai.

But as soon as he left the house, Tang La suddenly changed his appearance. That appearance can only be seen after Frederick played the protagonist in the opera of the same name performed by Robert Mackel in Paris in 1834. He was born as a pirate and swindled and deceived as a banker. .Only people can imagine it. "Fool!" cried Tangra, stuffing the Monte Cristo receipt into a tiny purse. "You can come at noon," he continued, "I have already gone away at noon." Then he bolted and locked the door, pulled out the drawers of the cash drawer and emptied them all, and searched here and there to collect 5 francs He burned some of the letters, and spread the rest in the open. Then he began to write the letter. After finishing the writing, he sealed the envelope and wrote "For Baroness Tanglar" on the envelope. "This evening," he said to himself, "I will go and put this letter on her dressing-table myself." Finally he took a passport from a drawer. "Very well," he said, "it's still valid for two months."

(End of this chapter)