Reading Help The Count of Monte Cristo Ch.11-39
`
` "I pretended that I had a disorder of the skin, and asked `
` for a little sulphur, which was readily supplied." Dantes `
` laid the different things he had been looking at on the `
` table, and stood with his head drooping on his breast, as `
` though overwhelmed by the perseverance and strength of `
` Faria's mind. `
` `
` "You have not seen all yet," continued Faria, "for I did not `
` think it wise to trust all my treasures in the same `
` hiding-place. Let us shut this one up." They put the stone `
` back in its place; the abbe sprinkled a little dust over it `
` to conceal the traces of its having been removed, rubbed his `
` foot well on it to make it assume the same appearance as the `
` other, and then, going towards his bed, he removed it from `
` the spot it stood in. Behind the head of the bed, and `
` concealed by a stone fitting in so closely as to defy all `
` suspicion, was a hollow space, and in this space a ladder of `
` cords between twenty-five and thirty feet in length. Dantes `
` closely and eagerly examined it; he found it firm, solid, `
` and compact enough to bear any weight. `
` `
` "Who supplied you with the materials for making this `
` wonderful work?" `
` `
` "I tore up several of my shirts, and ripped out the seams in `
` the sheets of my bed, during my three years' imprisonment at `
` Fenestrelle; and when I was removed to the Chateau d'If, I `
` managed to bring the ravellings with me, so that I have been `
` able to finish my work here." `
` `
` "And was it not discovered that your sheets were unhemmed?" `
` `
` "Oh, no, for when I had taken out the thread I required, I `
` hemmed the edges over again." `
` `
` "With what?" `
` `
` "With this needle," said the abbe, as, opening his ragged `
` vestments, he showed Dantes a long, sharp fish-bone, with a `
` small perforated eye for the thread, a small portion of `
` which still remained in it. "I once thought," continued `
` Faria, "of removing these iron bars, and letting myself down `
` from the window, which, as you see, is somewhat wider than `
` yours, although I should have enlarged it still more `
` preparatory to my flight; however, I discovered that I `
` should merely have dropped into a sort of inner court, and I `
` therefore renounced the project altogether as too full of `
` risk and danger. Nevertheless, I carefully preserved my `
` ladder against one of those unforeseen opportunities of `
` which I spoke just now, and which sudden chance frequently `
` brings about." While affecting to be deeply engaged in `
` examining the ladder, the mind of Dantes was, in fact, `
` busily occupied by the idea that a person so intelligent, `
` ingenious, and clear-sighted as the abbe might probably be `
` able to solve the dark mystery of his own misfortunes, where `
` he himself could see nothing. `
` `
` "What are you thinking of?" asked the abbe smilingly, `
` imputing the deep abstraction in which his visitor was `
` plunged to the excess of his awe and wonder. `
` `
` "I was reflecting, in the first place," replied Dantes, `
` "upon the enormous degree of intelligence and ability you `
` must have employed to reach the high perfection to which you `
` have attained. What would you not have accomplished if you `
` had been free?" `
` `
` "Possibly nothing at all; the overflow of my brain would `
` probably, in a state of freedom, have evaporated in a `
` thousand follies; misfortune is needed to bring to light the `
` treasures of the human intellect. Compression is needed to `
` explode gunpowder. Captivity has brought my mental faculties `
` to a focus; and you are well aware that from the collision `
` of clouds electricity is produced -- from electricity, `
` lightning, from lightning, illumination." `
` `
` "No," replied Dantes. "I know nothing. Some of your words `
` are to me quite empty of meaning. You must be blessed indeed `
` to possess the knowledge you have." `
` `
` The abbe smiled. "Well," said he, "but you had another `
` subject for your thoughts; did you not say so just now?" `
` `
` "I did!" `
` `
` "You have told me as yet but one of them -- let me hear the `
` other." `
` `
` "It was this, -- that while you had related to me all the `
` particulars of your past life, you were perfectly `
` unacquainted with mine." `
` `
` "Your life, my young friend, has not been of sufficient `
` length to admit of your having passed through any very `
` important events." `
` `
` "It has been long enough to inflict on me a great and `
` undeserved misfortune. I would fain fix the source of it on `
` man that I may no longer vent reproaches upon heaven." `
` `
` "Then you profess ignorance of the crime with which you are `
` charged?" `
` `
` "I do, indeed; and this I swear by the two beings most dear `
` to me upon earth, -- my father and Mercedes." `
` `
` "Come," said the abbe, closing his hiding-place, and pushing `
` the bed back to its original situation, "let me hear your `
` story." `
` `
` Dantes obeyed, and commenced what he called his history, but `
` which consisted only of the account of a voyage to India, `
` and two or three voyages to the Levant until he arrived at `
` the recital of his last cruise, with the death of Captain `
` Leclere, and the receipt of a packet to be delivered by `
` himself to the grand marshal; his interview with that `
` personage, and his receiving, in place of the packet `
` brought, a letter addressed to a Monsieur Noirtier -- his `
` arrival at Marseilles, and interview with his father -- his `
` affection for Mercedes, and their nuptual feast -- his `
` arrest and subsequent examination, his temporary detention `
` at the Palais de Justice, and his final imprisonment in the `
` Chateau d'If. From this point everything was a blank to `
` Dantes -- he knew nothing more, not even the length of time `
` he had been imprisoned. His recital finished, the abbe `
` reflected long and earnestly. `
` `
` "There is," said he, at the end of his meditations, "a `
` clever maxim, which bears upon what I was saying to you some `
` little while ago, and that is, that unless wicked ideas take `
` root in a naturally depraved mind, human nature, in a right `
` and wholesome state, revolts at crime. Still, from an `
` artificial civilization have originated wants, vices, and `
` false tastes, which occasionally become so powerful as to `
` stifle within us all good feelings, and ultimately to lead `
` us into guilt and wickedness. From this view of things, `
` then, comes the axiom that if you visit to discover the `
` author of any bad action, seek first to discover the person `
` to whom the perpetration of that bad action could be in any `
` way advantageous. Now, to apply it in your case, -- to whom `
` could your disappearance have been serviceable?" `
` `
` "To no one, by heaven! I was a very insignificant person." `
` `
` "Do not speak thus, for your reply evinces neither logic nor `
` philosophy; everything is relative, my dear young friend, `
` from the king who stands in the way of his successor, to the `
` employee who keeps his rival out of a place. Now, in the `
` event of the king's death, his successor inherits a crown, `
` -- when the employee dies, the supernumerary steps into his `
` shoes, and receives his salary of twelve thousand livres. `
` Well, these twelve thousand livres are his civil list, and `
` are as essential to him as the twelve millions of a king. `
` Every one, from the highest to the lowest degree, has his `
` place on the social ladder, and is beset by stormy passions `
` and conflicting interests, as in Descartes' theory of `
` pressure and impulsion. But these forces increase as we go `
` higher, so that we have a spiral which in defiance of reason `
` rests upon the apex and not on the base. Now let us return `
` to your particular world. You say you were on the point of `
` being made captain of the Pharaon?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "And about to become the husband of a young and lovely `
` girl?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Now, could any one have had any interest in preventing the `
` accomplishment of these two things? But let us first settle `
` the question as to its being the interest of any one to `
` hinder you from being captain of the Pharaon. What say you?" `
` `
` "I cannot believe such was the case. I was generally liked `
` on board, and had the sailors possessed the right of `
` selecting a captain themselves, I feel convinced their `
` choice would have fallen on me. There was only one person `
` among the crew who had any feeling of ill-will towards me. I `
` had quarelled with him some time previously, and had even `
` challenged him to fight me; but he refused." `
` `
` "Now we are getting on. And what was this man's name?" `
` `
` "Danglars." `
` `
` "What rank did he hold on board?" `
` `
` "He was supercargo." `
` `
` "And had you been captain, should you have retained him in `
` his employment?" `
` `
` "Not if the choice had remained with me, for I had `
` frequently observed inaccuracies in his accounts." `
` `
` "Good again! Now then, tell me, was any person present `
` during your last conversation with Captain Leclere?" `
` `
` "No; we were quite alone." `
`
` "I pretended that I had a disorder of the skin, and asked `
` for a little sulphur, which was readily supplied." Dantes `
` laid the different things he had been looking at on the `
` table, and stood with his head drooping on his breast, as `
` though overwhelmed by the perseverance and strength of `
` Faria's mind. `
` `
` "You have not seen all yet," continued Faria, "for I did not `
` think it wise to trust all my treasures in the same `
` hiding-place. Let us shut this one up." They put the stone `
` back in its place; the abbe sprinkled a little dust over it `
` to conceal the traces of its having been removed, rubbed his `
` foot well on it to make it assume the same appearance as the `
` other, and then, going towards his bed, he removed it from `
` the spot it stood in. Behind the head of the bed, and `
` concealed by a stone fitting in so closely as to defy all `
` suspicion, was a hollow space, and in this space a ladder of `
` cords between twenty-five and thirty feet in length. Dantes `
` closely and eagerly examined it; he found it firm, solid, `
` and compact enough to bear any weight. `
` `
` "Who supplied you with the materials for making this `
` wonderful work?" `
` `
` "I tore up several of my shirts, and ripped out the seams in `
` the sheets of my bed, during my three years' imprisonment at `
` Fenestrelle; and when I was removed to the Chateau d'If, I `
` managed to bring the ravellings with me, so that I have been `
` able to finish my work here." `
` `
` "And was it not discovered that your sheets were unhemmed?" `
` `
` "Oh, no, for when I had taken out the thread I required, I `
` hemmed the edges over again." `
` `
` "With what?" `
` `
` "With this needle," said the abbe, as, opening his ragged `
` vestments, he showed Dantes a long, sharp fish-bone, with a `
` small perforated eye for the thread, a small portion of `
` which still remained in it. "I once thought," continued `
` Faria, "of removing these iron bars, and letting myself down `
` from the window, which, as you see, is somewhat wider than `
` yours, although I should have enlarged it still more `
` preparatory to my flight; however, I discovered that I `
` should merely have dropped into a sort of inner court, and I `
` therefore renounced the project altogether as too full of `
` risk and danger. Nevertheless, I carefully preserved my `
` ladder against one of those unforeseen opportunities of `
` which I spoke just now, and which sudden chance frequently `
` brings about." While affecting to be deeply engaged in `
` examining the ladder, the mind of Dantes was, in fact, `
` busily occupied by the idea that a person so intelligent, `
` ingenious, and clear-sighted as the abbe might probably be `
` able to solve the dark mystery of his own misfortunes, where `
` he himself could see nothing. `
` `
` "What are you thinking of?" asked the abbe smilingly, `
` imputing the deep abstraction in which his visitor was `
` plunged to the excess of his awe and wonder. `
` `
` "I was reflecting, in the first place," replied Dantes, `
` "upon the enormous degree of intelligence and ability you `
` must have employed to reach the high perfection to which you `
` have attained. What would you not have accomplished if you `
` had been free?" `
` `
` "Possibly nothing at all; the overflow of my brain would `
` probably, in a state of freedom, have evaporated in a `
` thousand follies; misfortune is needed to bring to light the `
` treasures of the human intellect. Compression is needed to `
` explode gunpowder. Captivity has brought my mental faculties `
` to a focus; and you are well aware that from the collision `
` of clouds electricity is produced -- from electricity, `
` lightning, from lightning, illumination." `
` `
` "No," replied Dantes. "I know nothing. Some of your words `
` are to me quite empty of meaning. You must be blessed indeed `
` to possess the knowledge you have." `
` `
` The abbe smiled. "Well," said he, "but you had another `
` subject for your thoughts; did you not say so just now?" `
` `
` "I did!" `
` `
` "You have told me as yet but one of them -- let me hear the `
` other." `
` `
` "It was this, -- that while you had related to me all the `
` particulars of your past life, you were perfectly `
` unacquainted with mine." `
` `
` "Your life, my young friend, has not been of sufficient `
` length to admit of your having passed through any very `
` important events." `
` `
` "It has been long enough to inflict on me a great and `
` undeserved misfortune. I would fain fix the source of it on `
` man that I may no longer vent reproaches upon heaven." `
` `
` "Then you profess ignorance of the crime with which you are `
` charged?" `
` `
` "I do, indeed; and this I swear by the two beings most dear `
` to me upon earth, -- my father and Mercedes." `
` `
` "Come," said the abbe, closing his hiding-place, and pushing `
` the bed back to its original situation, "let me hear your `
` story." `
` `
` Dantes obeyed, and commenced what he called his history, but `
` which consisted only of the account of a voyage to India, `
` and two or three voyages to the Levant until he arrived at `
` the recital of his last cruise, with the death of Captain `
` Leclere, and the receipt of a packet to be delivered by `
` himself to the grand marshal; his interview with that `
` personage, and his receiving, in place of the packet `
` brought, a letter addressed to a Monsieur Noirtier -- his `
` arrival at Marseilles, and interview with his father -- his `
` affection for Mercedes, and their nuptual feast -- his `
` arrest and subsequent examination, his temporary detention `
` at the Palais de Justice, and his final imprisonment in the `
` Chateau d'If. From this point everything was a blank to `
` Dantes -- he knew nothing more, not even the length of time `
` he had been imprisoned. His recital finished, the abbe `
` reflected long and earnestly. `
` `
` "There is," said he, at the end of his meditations, "a `
` clever maxim, which bears upon what I was saying to you some `
` little while ago, and that is, that unless wicked ideas take `
` root in a naturally depraved mind, human nature, in a right `
` and wholesome state, revolts at crime. Still, from an `
` artificial civilization have originated wants, vices, and `
` false tastes, which occasionally become so powerful as to `
` stifle within us all good feelings, and ultimately to lead `
` us into guilt and wickedness. From this view of things, `
` then, comes the axiom that if you visit to discover the `
` author of any bad action, seek first to discover the person `
` to whom the perpetration of that bad action could be in any `
` way advantageous. Now, to apply it in your case, -- to whom `
` could your disappearance have been serviceable?" `
` `
` "To no one, by heaven! I was a very insignificant person." `
` `
` "Do not speak thus, for your reply evinces neither logic nor `
` philosophy; everything is relative, my dear young friend, `
` from the king who stands in the way of his successor, to the `
` employee who keeps his rival out of a place. Now, in the `
` event of the king's death, his successor inherits a crown, `
` -- when the employee dies, the supernumerary steps into his `
` shoes, and receives his salary of twelve thousand livres. `
` Well, these twelve thousand livres are his civil list, and `
` are as essential to him as the twelve millions of a king. `
` Every one, from the highest to the lowest degree, has his `
` place on the social ladder, and is beset by stormy passions `
` and conflicting interests, as in Descartes' theory of `
` pressure and impulsion. But these forces increase as we go `
` higher, so that we have a spiral which in defiance of reason `
` rests upon the apex and not on the base. Now let us return `
` to your particular world. You say you were on the point of `
` being made captain of the Pharaon?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "And about to become the husband of a young and lovely `
` girl?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Now, could any one have had any interest in preventing the `
` accomplishment of these two things? But let us first settle `
` the question as to its being the interest of any one to `
` hinder you from being captain of the Pharaon. What say you?" `
` `
` "I cannot believe such was the case. I was generally liked `
` on board, and had the sailors possessed the right of `
` selecting a captain themselves, I feel convinced their `
` choice would have fallen on me. There was only one person `
` among the crew who had any feeling of ill-will towards me. I `
` had quarelled with him some time previously, and had even `
` challenged him to fight me; but he refused." `
` `
` "Now we are getting on. And what was this man's name?" `
` `
` "Danglars." `
` `
` "What rank did he hold on board?" `
` `
` "He was supercargo." `
` `
` "And had you been captain, should you have retained him in `
` his employment?" `
` `
` "Not if the choice had remained with me, for I had `
` frequently observed inaccuracies in his accounts." `
` `
` "Good again! Now then, tell me, was any person present `
` during your last conversation with Captain Leclere?" `
` `
` "No; we were quite alone." `
`