Reading Help The Count of Monte Cristo Ch.11-39
"No; we were quite alone." `
` `
` "Could your conversation have been overheard by any one?" `
` `
` "It might, for the cabin door was open -- and -- stay; now I `
` recollect, -- Danglars himself passed by just as Captain `
` Leclere was giving me the packet for the grand marshal." `
` `
` "That's better," cried the abbe; "now we are on the right `
` scent. Did you take anybody with you when you put into the `
` port of Elba?" `
` `
` "Nobody." `
` `
` "Somebody there received your packet, and gave you a letter `
` in place of it, I think?" `
` `
` "Yes; the grand marshal did." `
` `
` "And what did you do with that letter?" `
` `
` "Put it into my portfolio." `
` `
` "You had your portfolio with you, then? Now, how could a `
` sailor find room in his pocket for a portfolio large enough `
` to contain an official letter?" `
` `
` "You are right; it was left on board." `
` `
` "Then it was not till your return to the ship that you put `
` the letter in the portfolio?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "And what did you do with this same letter while returning `
` from Porto-Ferrajo to the vessel?" `
` `
` "I carried it in my hand." `
` `
` "So that when you went on board the Pharaon, everybody could `
` see that you held a letter in your hand?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Danglars, as well as the rest?" `
` `
` "Danglars, as well as others." `
` `
` "Now, listen to me, and try to recall every circumstance `
` attending your arrest. Do you recollect the words in which `
` the information against you was formulated?" `
` `
` "Oh yes, I read it over three times, and the words sank `
` deeply into my memory." `
` `
` "Repeat it to me." `
` `
` Dantes paused a moment, then said, "This is it, word for `
` word: `The king's attorney is informed by a friend to the `
` throne and religion, that one Edmond Dantes, mate on board `
` the Pharaon, this day arrived from Smyrna, after having `
` touched at Naples and Porto-Ferrajo, has been intrusted by `
` Murat with a packet for the usurper; again, by the usurper, `
` with a letter for the Bonapartist Club in Paris. This proof `
` of his guilt may be procured by his immediate arrest, as the `
` letter will be found either about his person, at his `
` father's residence, or in his cabin on board the Pharaon.'" `
` The abbe shrugged his shoulders. "The thing is clear as `
` day," said he; "and you must have had a very confiding `
` nature, as well as a good heart, not to have suspected the `
` origin of the whole affair." `
` `
` "Do you really think so? Ah, that would indeed be infamous." `
` `
` "How did Danglars usually write?" `
` `
` "In a handsome, running hand." `
` `
` "And how was the anonymous letter written?" `
` `
` "Backhanded." Again the abbe smiled. "Disguised." `
` `
` "It was very boldly written, if disguised." `
` `
` "Stop a bit," said the abbe, taking up what he called his `
` pen, and, after dipping it into the ink, he wrote on a piece `
` of prepared linen, with his left hand, the first two or `
` three words of the accusation. Dantes drew back, and gazed `
` on the abbe with a sensation almost amounting to terror. `
` `
` "How very astonishing!" cried he at length. "Why your `
` writing exactly resembles that of the accusation." `
` `
` "Simply because that accusation had been written with the `
` left hand; and I have noticed that" -- `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "That while the writing of different persons done with the `
` right hand varies, that performed with the left hand is `
` invariably uniform." `
` `
` "You have evidently seen and observed everything." `
` `
` "Let us proceed." `
` `
` "Oh, yes, yes!" `
` `
` "Now as regards the second question." `
` `
` "I am listening." `
` `
` "Was there any person whose interest it was to prevent your `
` marriage with Mercedes?" `
` `
` "Yes; a young man who loved her." `
` `
` "And his name was" -- `
` `
` "Fernand." `
` `
` "That is a Spanish name, I think?" `
` `
` "He was a Catalan." `
` `
` "You imagine him capable of writing the letter?" `
` `
` "Oh, no; he would more likely have got rid of me by sticking `
` a knife into me." `
` `
` "That is in strict accordance with the Spanish character; an `
` assassination they will unhesitatingly commit, but an act of `
` cowardice, never." `
` `
` "Besides," said Dantes, "the various circumstances mentioned `
` in the letter were wholly unknown to him." `
` `
` "You had never spoken of them yourself to any one?" `
` `
` "To no one." `
` `
` "Not even to your mistress?" `
` `
` "No, not even to my betrothed." `
` `
` "Then it is Danglars." `
` `
` "I feel quite sure of it now." `
` `
` "Wait a little. Pray, was Danglars acquainted with Fernand?" `
` `
` "No -- yes, he was. Now I recollect" -- `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "To have seen them both sitting at table together under an `
` arbor at Pere Pamphile's the evening before the day fixed `
` for my wedding. They were in earnest conversation. Danglars `
` was joking in a friendly way, but Fernand looked pale and `
` agitated." `
` `
` "Were they alone?" `
` `
` "There was a third person with them whom I knew perfectly `
` well, and who had, in all probability made their `
` acquaintance; he was a tailor named Caderousse, but he was `
` very drunk. Stay! -- stay! -- How strange that it should not `
` have occurred to me before! Now I remember quite well, that `
` on the table round which they were sitting were pens, ink, `
` and paper. Oh, the heartless, treacherous scoundrels!" `
` exclaimed Dantes, pressing his hand to his throbbing brows. `
` `
` "Is there anything else I can assist you in discovering, `
` besides the villany of your friends?" inquired the abbe with `
` a laugh. `
` `
` "Yes, yes," replied Dantes eagerly; "I would beg of you, who `
` see so completely to the depths of things, and to whom the `
` greatest mystery seems but an easy riddle, to explain to me `
` how it was that I underwent no second examination, was never `
` brought to trial, and, above all, was condemned without ever `
` having had sentence passed on me?" `
` `
` "That is altogether a different and more serious matter," `
` responded the abbe. "The ways of justice are frequently too `
` dark and mysterious to be easily penetrated. All we have `
` hitherto done in the matter has been child's play. If you `
` wish me to enter upon the more difficult part of the `
` business, you must assist me by the most minute information `
` on every point." `
` `
` "Pray ask me whatever questions you please; for, in good `
` truth, you see more clearly into my life than I do myself." `
` `
` "In the first place, then, who examined you, -- the king's `
` attorney, his deputy, or a magistrate?" `
` `
` "The deputy." `
` `
` "Was he young or old?" `
` `
`
` `
` "Could your conversation have been overheard by any one?" `
` `
` "It might, for the cabin door was open -- and -- stay; now I `
` recollect, -- Danglars himself passed by just as Captain `
` Leclere was giving me the packet for the grand marshal." `
` `
` "That's better," cried the abbe; "now we are on the right `
` scent. Did you take anybody with you when you put into the `
` port of Elba?" `
` `
` "Nobody." `
` `
` "Somebody there received your packet, and gave you a letter `
` in place of it, I think?" `
` `
` "Yes; the grand marshal did." `
` `
` "And what did you do with that letter?" `
` `
` "Put it into my portfolio." `
` `
` "You had your portfolio with you, then? Now, how could a `
` sailor find room in his pocket for a portfolio large enough `
` to contain an official letter?" `
` `
` "You are right; it was left on board." `
` `
` "Then it was not till your return to the ship that you put `
` the letter in the portfolio?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "And what did you do with this same letter while returning `
` from Porto-Ferrajo to the vessel?" `
` `
` "I carried it in my hand." `
` `
` "So that when you went on board the Pharaon, everybody could `
` see that you held a letter in your hand?" `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "Danglars, as well as the rest?" `
` `
` "Danglars, as well as others." `
` `
` "Now, listen to me, and try to recall every circumstance `
` attending your arrest. Do you recollect the words in which `
` the information against you was formulated?" `
` `
` "Oh yes, I read it over three times, and the words sank `
` deeply into my memory." `
` `
` "Repeat it to me." `
` `
` Dantes paused a moment, then said, "This is it, word for `
` word: `The king's attorney is informed by a friend to the `
` throne and religion, that one Edmond Dantes, mate on board `
` the Pharaon, this day arrived from Smyrna, after having `
` touched at Naples and Porto-Ferrajo, has been intrusted by `
` Murat with a packet for the usurper; again, by the usurper, `
` with a letter for the Bonapartist Club in Paris. This proof `
` of his guilt may be procured by his immediate arrest, as the `
` letter will be found either about his person, at his `
` father's residence, or in his cabin on board the Pharaon.'" `
` The abbe shrugged his shoulders. "The thing is clear as `
` day," said he; "and you must have had a very confiding `
` nature, as well as a good heart, not to have suspected the `
` origin of the whole affair." `
` `
` "Do you really think so? Ah, that would indeed be infamous." `
` `
` "How did Danglars usually write?" `
` `
` "In a handsome, running hand." `
` `
` "And how was the anonymous letter written?" `
` `
` "Backhanded." Again the abbe smiled. "Disguised." `
` `
` "It was very boldly written, if disguised." `
` `
` "Stop a bit," said the abbe, taking up what he called his `
` pen, and, after dipping it into the ink, he wrote on a piece `
` of prepared linen, with his left hand, the first two or `
` three words of the accusation. Dantes drew back, and gazed `
` on the abbe with a sensation almost amounting to terror. `
` `
` "How very astonishing!" cried he at length. "Why your `
` writing exactly resembles that of the accusation." `
` `
` "Simply because that accusation had been written with the `
` left hand; and I have noticed that" -- `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "That while the writing of different persons done with the `
` right hand varies, that performed with the left hand is `
` invariably uniform." `
` `
` "You have evidently seen and observed everything." `
` `
` "Let us proceed." `
` `
` "Oh, yes, yes!" `
` `
` "Now as regards the second question." `
` `
` "I am listening." `
` `
` "Was there any person whose interest it was to prevent your `
` marriage with Mercedes?" `
` `
` "Yes; a young man who loved her." `
` `
` "And his name was" -- `
` `
` "Fernand." `
` `
` "That is a Spanish name, I think?" `
` `
` "He was a Catalan." `
` `
` "You imagine him capable of writing the letter?" `
` `
` "Oh, no; he would more likely have got rid of me by sticking `
` a knife into me." `
` `
` "That is in strict accordance with the Spanish character; an `
` assassination they will unhesitatingly commit, but an act of `
` cowardice, never." `
` `
` "Besides," said Dantes, "the various circumstances mentioned `
` in the letter were wholly unknown to him." `
` `
` "You had never spoken of them yourself to any one?" `
` `
` "To no one." `
` `
` "Not even to your mistress?" `
` `
` "No, not even to my betrothed." `
` `
` "Then it is Danglars." `
` `
` "I feel quite sure of it now." `
` `
` "Wait a little. Pray, was Danglars acquainted with Fernand?" `
` `
` "No -- yes, he was. Now I recollect" -- `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "To have seen them both sitting at table together under an `
` arbor at Pere Pamphile's the evening before the day fixed `
` for my wedding. They were in earnest conversation. Danglars `
` was joking in a friendly way, but Fernand looked pale and `
` agitated." `
` `
` "Were they alone?" `
` `
` "There was a third person with them whom I knew perfectly `
` well, and who had, in all probability made their `
` acquaintance; he was a tailor named Caderousse, but he was `
` very drunk. Stay! -- stay! -- How strange that it should not `
` have occurred to me before! Now I remember quite well, that `
` on the table round which they were sitting were pens, ink, `
` and paper. Oh, the heartless, treacherous scoundrels!" `
` exclaimed Dantes, pressing his hand to his throbbing brows. `
` `
` "Is there anything else I can assist you in discovering, `
` besides the villany of your friends?" inquired the abbe with `
` a laugh. `
` `
` "Yes, yes," replied Dantes eagerly; "I would beg of you, who `
` see so completely to the depths of things, and to whom the `
` greatest mystery seems but an easy riddle, to explain to me `
` how it was that I underwent no second examination, was never `
` brought to trial, and, above all, was condemned without ever `
` having had sentence passed on me?" `
` `
` "That is altogether a different and more serious matter," `
` responded the abbe. "The ways of justice are frequently too `
` dark and mysterious to be easily penetrated. All we have `
` hitherto done in the matter has been child's play. If you `
` wish me to enter upon the more difficult part of the `
` business, you must assist me by the most minute information `
` on every point." `
` `
` "Pray ask me whatever questions you please; for, in good `
` truth, you see more clearly into my life than I do myself." `
` `
` "In the first place, then, who examined you, -- the king's `
` attorney, his deputy, or a magistrate?" `
` `
` "The deputy." `
` `
` "Was he young or old?" `
` `
`