Reading Help The Count of Monte Cristo Ch.40-74
two leagues to go in such a storm.' -- `Remain,' said `
` Caderousse. `You can sleep here.' -- `Yes; do stay,' added `
` La Carconte in a tremulous voice; `we will take every care `
` of you.' -- `No; I must sleep at Beaucaire. So, once more, `
` good-night.' Caderousse followed him slowly to the `
` threshold. `I can see neither heaven nor earth,' said the `
` jeweller, who was outside the door. `Do I turn to the right, `
` or to the left hand?' -- `To the right,' said Caderousse. `
` `You cannot go wrong -- the road is bordered by trees on `
` both sides.' -- `Good -- all right,' said a voice almost `
` lost in the distance. `Close the door,' said La Carconte; `I `
` do not like open doors when it thunders.' -- `Particularly `
` when there is money in the house, eh?' answered Caderousse, `
` double-locking the door. `
` `
` "He came into the room, went to the cupboard, took out the `
` bag and pocket-book, and both began, for the third time, to `
` count their gold and bank-notes. I never saw such an `
` expression of cupidity as the flickering lamp revealed in `
` those two countenances. The woman, especially, was hideous; `
` her usual feverish tremulousness was intensified, her `
` countenance had become livid, and her eyes resembled burning `
` coals. `Why,' she inquired in a hoarse voice, `did you `
` invite him to sleep here to-night?' -- `Why?' said `
` Caderousse with a shudder; `why, that he might not have the `
` trouble of returning to Beaucaire.' -- `Ah,' responded the `
` woman, with an expression impossible to describe; `I thought `
` it was for something else.' -- `Woman, woman -- why do you `
` have such ideas?' cried Caderousse; `or, if you have them, `
` why don't you keep them to yourself?' -- `Well,' said La `
` Carconte, after a moment's pause, `you are not a man.' -- `
` `What do you mean?' added Caderousse. -- `If you had been a `
` man, you would not have let him go from here.' -- `Woman!' `
` -- `Or else he should not have reached Beaucaire.' -- `
` `Woman!' -- `The road takes a turn -- he is obliged to `
` follow it -- while alongside of the canal there is a shorter `
` road.' -- `Woman! -- you offend the good God. There -- `
` listen!' And at this moment there was a tremendous peal of `
` thunder, while the livid lightning illumined the room, and `
` the thunder, rolling away in the distance, seemed to `
` withdraw unwillingly from the cursed abode. `Mercy!' said `
` Caderousse, crossing himself. `
` `
` At the same moment, and in the midst of the terrifying `
` silence which usually follows a clap of thunder, they heard `
` a knocking at the door. Caderousse and his wife started and `
` looked aghast at each other. `Who's there?' cried `
` Caderousse, rising, and drawing up in a heap the gold and `
` notes scattered over the table, and which he covered with `
` his two hands. -- `It is I,' shouted a voice. -- `And who `
` are you?' -- `Eh, pardieu, Joannes, the jeweller.' -- `Well, `
` and you said I offended the good God,' said La Carconte with `
` a horrid smile. `Why, the good God sends him back again.' `
` Caderousse sank pale and breathless into his chair. La `
` Carconte, on the contrary, rose, and going with a firm step `
` towards the door, opened it, saying, as she did so -- `Come `
` in, dear M. Joannes.' -- `Ma foi,' said the jeweller, `
` drenched with rain, `I am not destined to return to `
` Beaucaire to-night. The shortest follies are best, my dear `
` Caderousse. You offered me hospitality, and I accept it, and `
` have returned to sleep beneath your friendly roof.' `
` Caderousse stammered out something, while he wiped away the `
` sweat that started to his brow. La Carconte double-locked `
` the door behind the jeweller. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 45 `
` The Rain of Blood. `
` `
` "As the jeweller returned to the apartment, he cast around `
` him a scrutinizing glance -- but there was nothing to excite `
` suspicion, if it did not exist, or to confirm it, if it were `
` already awakened. Caderousse's hands still grasped the gold `
` and bank-notes, and La Carconte called up her sweetest `
` smiles while welcoming the reappearance of their guest. `
` `Well, well,' said the jeweller, `you seem, my good friends, `
` to have had some fears respecting the accuracy of your `
` money, by counting it over so carefully directly I was `
` gone.' -- `Oh, no,' answered Caderousse, `that was not my `
` reason, I can assure you; but the circumstances by which we `
` have become possessed of this wealth are so unexpected, as `
` to make us scarcely credit our good fortune, and it is only `
` by placing the actual proof of our riches before our eyes `
` that we can persuade ourselves that the whole affair is not `
` a dream.' The jeweller smiled. -- `Have you any other guests `
` in your house?' inquired he. -- `Nobody but ourselves,' `
` replied Caderousse; `the fact is, we do not lodge travellers `
` -- indeed, our tavern is so near the town, that nobody would `
` think of stopping here. -- `Then I am afraid I shall very `
` much inconvenience you.' -- `Inconvenience us? Not at all, `
` my dear sir,' said La Carconte in her most gracious manner. `
` `Not at all, I assure you.' -- `But where will you manage to `
` stow me?' -- `In the chamber overhead.' -- `Surely that is `
` where you yourselves sleep?' -- `Never mind that; we have a `
` second bed in the adjoining room.' Caderousse stared at his `
` wife with much astonishment. `
` `
` "The jeweller, meanwhile, was humming a song as he stood `
` warming his back at the fire La Carconte had kindled to dry `
` the wet garments of her guest; and this done, she next `
` occupied herself in arranging his supper, by spreading a `
` napkin at the end of the table, and placing on it the `
` slender remains of their dinner, to which she added three or `
` four fresh-laid eggs. Caderousse had once more parted with `
` his treasure -- the banknotes were replaced in the `
` pocket-book, the gold put back into the bag, and the whole `
` carefully locked in the cupboard. He then began pacing the `
` room with a pensive and gloomy air, glancing from time to `
` time at the jeweller, who stood reeking with the steam from `
` his wet clothes, and merely changing his place on the warm `
` hearth, to enable the whole of his garments to be dried. `
` `
` "`There,' said La Carconte, as she placed a bottle of wine `
` on the table, `supper is ready whenever you are.' -- `And `
` you?' asked Joannes. -- `I don't want any supper,' said `
` Caderousse. -- `We dined so very late,' hastily interposed `
` La Carconte. -- `Then it seems I am to eat alone,' remarked `
` the jeweller. -- `Oh, we shall have the pleasure of waiting `
` upon you,' answered La Carconte, with an eager attention she `
` was not accustomed to manifest even to guests who paid for `
` what they took. `
` `
` "From time to time Caderousse darted on his wife keen, `
` searching glances, but rapid as the lightning flash. The `
` storm still continued. `There, there,' said La Carconte; `do `
` you hear that? upon my word, you did well to come back.' -- `
` `Nevertheless,' replied the jeweller, `if by the time I have `
` finished my supper the tempest has at all abated, I shall `
` make another start.' -- `It's the mistral,' said Caderousse, `
` `and it will be sure to last till to-morrow morning.' He `
` sighed heavily. -- `Well,' said the jeweller, as he placed `
` himself at table, `all I can say is, so much the worse for `
` those who are abroad.' -- `Yes,' chimed in La Carconte, `
` `they will have a wretched night of it.' `
` `
` "The jeweller began eating his supper, and the woman, who `
` was ordinarily so querulous and indifferent to all who `
` approached her, was suddenly transformed into the most `
` smiling and attentive hostess. Had the unhappy man on whom `
` she lavished her assiduities been previously acquainted with `
` her, so sudden an alteration might well have excited `
` suspicion in his mind, or at least have greatly astonished `
` him. Caderousse, meanwhile, continued to pace the room in `
` gloomy silence, sedulously avoiding the sight of his guest; `
` but as soon as the stranger had completed his repast, the `
` agitated inn-keeper went eagerly to the door and opened it. `
` `I believe the storm is over,' said he. But as if to `
` contradict his statement, at that instant a violent clap of `
` thunder seemed to shake the house to its very foundation, `
` while a sudden gust of wind, mingled with rain, extinguished `
` the lamp he held in his hand. Trembling and awe-struck, `
` Caderousse hastily shut the door and returned to his guest, `
` while La Carconte lighted a candle by the smouldering ashes `
` that glimmered on the hearth. `You must be tired,' said she `
` to the jeweller; `I have spread a pair of white sheets on `
` your bed; go up when you are ready, and sleep well.' `
` `
` "Joannes stayed for a while to see whether the storm seemed `
` to abate in its fury, but a brief space of time sufficed to `
` assure him that, instead of diminishing, the violence of the `
` rain and thunder momentarily increased; resigning himself, `
` therefore, to what seemed inevitable, he bade his host `
` good-night, and mounted the stairs. He passed over my head `
` and I heard the flooring creak beneath his footsteps. The `
` quick, eager glance of La Carconte followed him as he `
` ascended, while Caderousse, on the contrary, turned his `
` back, and seemed most anxiously to avoid even glancing at `
` him. `
` `
` "All these circumstances did not strike me as painfully at `
` the time as they have since done; in fact, all that had `
` happened (with the exception of the story of the diamond, `
` which certainly did wear an air of improbability), appeared `
` natural enough, and called for neither apprehension nor `
` mistrust; but, worn out as I was with fatigue, and fully `
` purposing to proceed onwards directly the tempest abated, I `
` determined to obtain a few hours' sleep. Overhead I could `
` accurately distinguish every movement of the jeweller, who, `
` after making the best arrangements in his power for passing `
` a comfortable night, threw himself on his bed, and I could `
` hear it creak and groan beneath his weight. Insensibly my `
` eyelids grew heavy, deep sleep stole over me, and having no `
` suspicion of anything wrong, I sought not to shake it off. I `
` looked into the kitchen once more and saw Caderousse sitting `
` by the side of a long table upon one of the low wooden `
` stools which in country places are frequently used instead `
` of chairs; his back was turned towards me, so that I could `
` not see the expression of his countenance -- neither should `
` I have been able to do so had he been placed differently, as `
` his head was buried between his two hands. La Carconte `
` continued to gaze on him for some time, then shrugging her `
` shoulders, she took her seat immediately opposite to him. At `
` this moment the expiring embers threw up a fresh flame from `
` the kindling of a piece of wood that lay near, and a bright `
` light flashed over the room. La Carconte still kept her eyes `
` fixed on her husband, but as he made no sign of changing his `
` position, she extended her hard, bony hand, and touched him `
` on the forehead. `
` `
` "Caderousse shuddered. The woman's lips seemed to move, as `
`
` Caderousse. `You can sleep here.' -- `Yes; do stay,' added `
` La Carconte in a tremulous voice; `we will take every care `
` of you.' -- `No; I must sleep at Beaucaire. So, once more, `
` good-night.' Caderousse followed him slowly to the `
` threshold. `I can see neither heaven nor earth,' said the `
` jeweller, who was outside the door. `Do I turn to the right, `
` or to the left hand?' -- `To the right,' said Caderousse. `
` `You cannot go wrong -- the road is bordered by trees on `
` both sides.' -- `Good -- all right,' said a voice almost `
` lost in the distance. `Close the door,' said La Carconte; `I `
` do not like open doors when it thunders.' -- `Particularly `
` when there is money in the house, eh?' answered Caderousse, `
` double-locking the door. `
` `
` "He came into the room, went to the cupboard, took out the `
` bag and pocket-book, and both began, for the third time, to `
` count their gold and bank-notes. I never saw such an `
` expression of cupidity as the flickering lamp revealed in `
` those two countenances. The woman, especially, was hideous; `
` her usual feverish tremulousness was intensified, her `
` countenance had become livid, and her eyes resembled burning `
` coals. `Why,' she inquired in a hoarse voice, `did you `
` invite him to sleep here to-night?' -- `Why?' said `
` Caderousse with a shudder; `why, that he might not have the `
` trouble of returning to Beaucaire.' -- `Ah,' responded the `
` woman, with an expression impossible to describe; `I thought `
` it was for something else.' -- `Woman, woman -- why do you `
` have such ideas?' cried Caderousse; `or, if you have them, `
` why don't you keep them to yourself?' -- `Well,' said La `
` Carconte, after a moment's pause, `you are not a man.' -- `
` `What do you mean?' added Caderousse. -- `If you had been a `
` man, you would not have let him go from here.' -- `Woman!' `
` -- `Or else he should not have reached Beaucaire.' -- `
` `Woman!' -- `The road takes a turn -- he is obliged to `
` follow it -- while alongside of the canal there is a shorter `
` road.' -- `Woman! -- you offend the good God. There -- `
` listen!' And at this moment there was a tremendous peal of `
` thunder, while the livid lightning illumined the room, and `
` the thunder, rolling away in the distance, seemed to `
` withdraw unwillingly from the cursed abode. `Mercy!' said `
` Caderousse, crossing himself. `
` `
` At the same moment, and in the midst of the terrifying `
` silence which usually follows a clap of thunder, they heard `
` a knocking at the door. Caderousse and his wife started and `
` looked aghast at each other. `Who's there?' cried `
` Caderousse, rising, and drawing up in a heap the gold and `
` notes scattered over the table, and which he covered with `
` his two hands. -- `It is I,' shouted a voice. -- `And who `
` are you?' -- `Eh, pardieu, Joannes, the jeweller.' -- `Well, `
` and you said I offended the good God,' said La Carconte with `
` a horrid smile. `Why, the good God sends him back again.' `
` Caderousse sank pale and breathless into his chair. La `
` Carconte, on the contrary, rose, and going with a firm step `
` towards the door, opened it, saying, as she did so -- `Come `
` in, dear M. Joannes.' -- `Ma foi,' said the jeweller, `
` drenched with rain, `I am not destined to return to `
` Beaucaire to-night. The shortest follies are best, my dear `
` Caderousse. You offered me hospitality, and I accept it, and `
` have returned to sleep beneath your friendly roof.' `
` Caderousse stammered out something, while he wiped away the `
` sweat that started to his brow. La Carconte double-locked `
` the door behind the jeweller. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter 45 `
` The Rain of Blood. `
` `
` "As the jeweller returned to the apartment, he cast around `
` him a scrutinizing glance -- but there was nothing to excite `
` suspicion, if it did not exist, or to confirm it, if it were `
` already awakened. Caderousse's hands still grasped the gold `
` and bank-notes, and La Carconte called up her sweetest `
` smiles while welcoming the reappearance of their guest. `
` `Well, well,' said the jeweller, `you seem, my good friends, `
` to have had some fears respecting the accuracy of your `
` money, by counting it over so carefully directly I was `
` gone.' -- `Oh, no,' answered Caderousse, `that was not my `
` reason, I can assure you; but the circumstances by which we `
` have become possessed of this wealth are so unexpected, as `
` to make us scarcely credit our good fortune, and it is only `
` by placing the actual proof of our riches before our eyes `
` that we can persuade ourselves that the whole affair is not `
` a dream.' The jeweller smiled. -- `Have you any other guests `
` in your house?' inquired he. -- `Nobody but ourselves,' `
` replied Caderousse; `the fact is, we do not lodge travellers `
` -- indeed, our tavern is so near the town, that nobody would `
` think of stopping here. -- `Then I am afraid I shall very `
` much inconvenience you.' -- `Inconvenience us? Not at all, `
` my dear sir,' said La Carconte in her most gracious manner. `
` `Not at all, I assure you.' -- `But where will you manage to `
` stow me?' -- `In the chamber overhead.' -- `Surely that is `
` where you yourselves sleep?' -- `Never mind that; we have a `
` second bed in the adjoining room.' Caderousse stared at his `
` wife with much astonishment. `
` `
` "The jeweller, meanwhile, was humming a song as he stood `
` warming his back at the fire La Carconte had kindled to dry `
` the wet garments of her guest; and this done, she next `
` occupied herself in arranging his supper, by spreading a `
` napkin at the end of the table, and placing on it the `
` slender remains of their dinner, to which she added three or `
` four fresh-laid eggs. Caderousse had once more parted with `
` his treasure -- the banknotes were replaced in the `
` pocket-book, the gold put back into the bag, and the whole `
` carefully locked in the cupboard. He then began pacing the `
` room with a pensive and gloomy air, glancing from time to `
` time at the jeweller, who stood reeking with the steam from `
` his wet clothes, and merely changing his place on the warm `
` hearth, to enable the whole of his garments to be dried. `
` `
` "`There,' said La Carconte, as she placed a bottle of wine `
` on the table, `supper is ready whenever you are.' -- `And `
` you?' asked Joannes. -- `I don't want any supper,' said `
` Caderousse. -- `We dined so very late,' hastily interposed `
` La Carconte. -- `Then it seems I am to eat alone,' remarked `
` the jeweller. -- `Oh, we shall have the pleasure of waiting `
` upon you,' answered La Carconte, with an eager attention she `
` was not accustomed to manifest even to guests who paid for `
` what they took. `
` `
` "From time to time Caderousse darted on his wife keen, `
` searching glances, but rapid as the lightning flash. The `
` storm still continued. `There, there,' said La Carconte; `do `
` you hear that? upon my word, you did well to come back.' -- `
` `Nevertheless,' replied the jeweller, `if by the time I have `
` finished my supper the tempest has at all abated, I shall `
` make another start.' -- `It's the mistral,' said Caderousse, `
` `and it will be sure to last till to-morrow morning.' He `
` sighed heavily. -- `Well,' said the jeweller, as he placed `
` himself at table, `all I can say is, so much the worse for `
` those who are abroad.' -- `Yes,' chimed in La Carconte, `
` `they will have a wretched night of it.' `
` `
` "The jeweller began eating his supper, and the woman, who `
` was ordinarily so querulous and indifferent to all who `
` approached her, was suddenly transformed into the most `
` smiling and attentive hostess. Had the unhappy man on whom `
` she lavished her assiduities been previously acquainted with `
` her, so sudden an alteration might well have excited `
` suspicion in his mind, or at least have greatly astonished `
` him. Caderousse, meanwhile, continued to pace the room in `
` gloomy silence, sedulously avoiding the sight of his guest; `
` but as soon as the stranger had completed his repast, the `
` agitated inn-keeper went eagerly to the door and opened it. `
` `I believe the storm is over,' said he. But as if to `
` contradict his statement, at that instant a violent clap of `
` thunder seemed to shake the house to its very foundation, `
` while a sudden gust of wind, mingled with rain, extinguished `
` the lamp he held in his hand. Trembling and awe-struck, `
` Caderousse hastily shut the door and returned to his guest, `
` while La Carconte lighted a candle by the smouldering ashes `
` that glimmered on the hearth. `You must be tired,' said she `
` to the jeweller; `I have spread a pair of white sheets on `
` your bed; go up when you are ready, and sleep well.' `
` `
` "Joannes stayed for a while to see whether the storm seemed `
` to abate in its fury, but a brief space of time sufficed to `
` assure him that, instead of diminishing, the violence of the `
` rain and thunder momentarily increased; resigning himself, `
` therefore, to what seemed inevitable, he bade his host `
` good-night, and mounted the stairs. He passed over my head `
` and I heard the flooring creak beneath his footsteps. The `
` quick, eager glance of La Carconte followed him as he `
` ascended, while Caderousse, on the contrary, turned his `
` back, and seemed most anxiously to avoid even glancing at `
` him. `
` `
` "All these circumstances did not strike me as painfully at `
` the time as they have since done; in fact, all that had `
` happened (with the exception of the story of the diamond, `
` which certainly did wear an air of improbability), appeared `
` natural enough, and called for neither apprehension nor `
` mistrust; but, worn out as I was with fatigue, and fully `
` purposing to proceed onwards directly the tempest abated, I `
` determined to obtain a few hours' sleep. Overhead I could `
` accurately distinguish every movement of the jeweller, who, `
` after making the best arrangements in his power for passing `
` a comfortable night, threw himself on his bed, and I could `
` hear it creak and groan beneath his weight. Insensibly my `
` eyelids grew heavy, deep sleep stole over me, and having no `
` suspicion of anything wrong, I sought not to shake it off. I `
` looked into the kitchen once more and saw Caderousse sitting `
` by the side of a long table upon one of the low wooden `
` stools which in country places are frequently used instead `
` of chairs; his back was turned towards me, so that I could `
` not see the expression of his countenance -- neither should `
` I have been able to do so had he been placed differently, as `
` his head was buried between his two hands. La Carconte `
` continued to gaze on him for some time, then shrugging her `
` shoulders, she took her seat immediately opposite to him. At `
` this moment the expiring embers threw up a fresh flame from `
` the kindling of a piece of wood that lay near, and a bright `
` light flashed over the room. La Carconte still kept her eyes `
` fixed on her husband, but as he made no sign of changing his `
` position, she extended her hard, bony hand, and touched him `
` on the forehead. `
` `
` "Caderousse shuddered. The woman's lips seemed to move, as `
`