Reading Help The Count of Monte Cristo Ch.75-117
"Try, at least, to give me an idea of what it is." `
` `
` "How can I?" `
` `
` "Nothing is easier. Is it large?" `
` `
` "Middling." `
` `
` "How is it arranged?" `
` `
` "Faith, I should require pen, ink, and paper to make a `
` plan." `
` `
` "They are all here," said Caderousse, briskly. He fetched `
` from an old secretary a sheet of white paper and pen and `
` ink. "Here," said Caderousse, "draw me all that on the `
` paper, my boy." Andrea took the pen with an imperceptible `
` smile and began. "The house, as I said, is between the court `
` and the garden; in this way, do you see?" Andrea drew the `
` garden, the court and the house. `
` `
` "High walls?" `
` `
` "Not more than eight or ten feet." `
` `
` "That is not prudent," said Caderousse. `
` `
` "In the court are orange-trees in pots, turf, and clumps of `
` flowers." `
` `
` "And no steel-traps?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "The stables?" `
` `
` "Are on either side of the gate, which you see there." And `
` Andrea continued his plan. `
` `
` "Let us see the ground floor," said Caderousse. `
` `
` "On the ground-floor, dining-room, two drawing-rooms, `
` billiard-room, staircase in the hall, and a little back `
` staircase." `
` `
` "Windows?" `
` `
` "Magnificent windows, so beautiful, so large, that I believe `
` a man of your size should pass through each frame." `
` `
` "Why the devil have they any stairs with such windows?" `
` `
` "Luxury has everything." `
` `
` "But shutters?" `
` `
` "Yes, but they are never used. That Count of Monte Cristo is `
` an original, who loves to look at the sky even at night." `
` `
` "And where do the servants sleep?" `
` `
` "Oh, they have a house to themselves. Picture to yourself a `
` pretty coach-house at the right-hand side where the ladders `
` are kept. Well, over that coach-house are the servants' `
` rooms, with bells corresponding with the different `
` apartments." `
` `
` "Ah, diable -- bells did you say?" `
` `
` "What do you mean?" `
` `
` "Oh. nothing! I only say they cost a load of money to hang, `
` and what is the use of them, I should like to know?" `
` `
` "There used to be a dog let loose in the yard at night, but `
` it has been taken to the house at Auteuil, to that you went `
` to, you know." `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "I was saying to him only yesterday, `You are imprudent, `
` Monsieur Count; for when you go to Auteuil and take your `
` servants the house is left unprotected.' Well,' said he, `
` `what next?' `Well, next, some day you will be robbed.'" `
` `
` "What did he answer?" `
` `
` "He quietly said, `What do I care if I am?'" `
` `
` "Andrea, he has some secretary with a spring." `
` `
` "How do you know?" `
` `
` "Yes, which catches the thief in a trap and plays a tune. I `
` was told there were such at the last exhibition." `
` `
` "He has simply a mahogany secretary, in which the key is `
` always kept." `
` `
` "And he is not robbed?" `
` `
` "No; his servants are all devoted to him." `
` `
` "There ought to be some money in that secretary?" `
` `
` "There may be. No one knows what there is." `
` `
` "And where is it?" `
` `
` "On the first floor." `
` `
` "Sketch me the plan of that floor, as you have done of the `
` ground floor, my boy." `
` `
` "That is very simple." Andrea took the pen. "On the first `
` story, do you see, there is the anteroom and the `
` drawing-room; to the right of the drawing-room, a library `
` and a study; to the left, a bedroom and a dressing-room. The `
` famous secretary is in the dressing-room." `
` `
` "Is there a window in the dressing-room?" `
` `
` "Two, -- one here and one there." Andrea sketched two `
` windows in the room, which formed an angle on the plan, and `
` appeared as a small square added to the rectangle of the `
` bedroom. Caderousse became thoughtful. "Does he often go to `
` Auteuil?" added he. `
` `
` "Two or three times a week. To-morrow, for instance, he is `
` going to spend the day and night there." `
` `
` "Are you sure of it?" `
` `
` "He has invited me to dine there." `
` `
` "There's a life for you," said Caderousse; "a town house and `
` a country house." `
` `
` "That is what it is to be rich." `
` `
` "And shall you dine there?" `
` `
` "Probably." `
` `
` "When you dine there, do you sleep there?" `
` `
` "If I like; I am at home there." Caderousse looked at the `
` young man, as if to get at the truth from the bottom of his `
` heart. But Andrea drew a cigar-case from his pocket, took a `
` havana, quietly lit it, and began smoking. "When do you want `
` your twelve hundred francs?" said he to Caderousse. `
` `
` "Now, if you have them." Andrea took five and twenty louis `
` from his pocket. `
` `
` "Yellow boys?" said Caderousse; "no, I thank you." `
` `
` "Oh, you despise them." `
` `
` "On the contrary, I esteem them, but will not have them." `
` `
` "You can change them, idiot; gold is worth five sous." `
` `
` "Exactly; and he who changes them will follow friend `
` Caderousse, lay hands on him, and demand what farmers pay `
` him their rent in gold. No nonsense, my good fellow; silver `
` simply, round coins with the head of some monarch or other `
` on them. Anybody may possess a five-franc piece." `
` `
` "But do you suppose I carry five hundred francs about with `
` me? I should want a porter." `
` `
` "Well, leave them with your porter; he is to be trusted. I `
` will call for them." `
` `
` "To-day?" `
` `
` "No, to-morrow; I shall not have time to day." `
` `
` "Well, to-morrow I will leave them when I go to Auteuil." `
` `
` "May I depend on it?" `
` `
` "Certainly." `
` `
` "Because I shall secure my housekeeper on the strength of `
` it." `
` `
` "Now see here, will that be all? Eh? And will you not `
` torment me any more?" `
` `
` "Never." Caderousse had become so gloomy that Andrea feared `
` he should be obliged to notice the change. He redoubled his `
` gayety and carelessness. "How sprightly you are," said `
` Caderousse; "One would say you were already in possession of `
` your property." `
` `
` "No, unfortunately; but when I do obtain it" -- `
` `
` "Well?" `
` `
`
` `
` "How can I?" `
` `
` "Nothing is easier. Is it large?" `
` `
` "Middling." `
` `
` "How is it arranged?" `
` `
` "Faith, I should require pen, ink, and paper to make a `
` plan." `
` `
` "They are all here," said Caderousse, briskly. He fetched `
` from an old secretary a sheet of white paper and pen and `
` ink. "Here," said Caderousse, "draw me all that on the `
` paper, my boy." Andrea took the pen with an imperceptible `
` smile and began. "The house, as I said, is between the court `
` and the garden; in this way, do you see?" Andrea drew the `
` garden, the court and the house. `
` `
` "High walls?" `
` `
` "Not more than eight or ten feet." `
` `
` "That is not prudent," said Caderousse. `
` `
` "In the court are orange-trees in pots, turf, and clumps of `
` flowers." `
` `
` "And no steel-traps?" `
` `
` "No." `
` `
` "The stables?" `
` `
` "Are on either side of the gate, which you see there." And `
` Andrea continued his plan. `
` `
` "Let us see the ground floor," said Caderousse. `
` `
` "On the ground-floor, dining-room, two drawing-rooms, `
` billiard-room, staircase in the hall, and a little back `
` staircase." `
` `
` "Windows?" `
` `
` "Magnificent windows, so beautiful, so large, that I believe `
` a man of your size should pass through each frame." `
` `
` "Why the devil have they any stairs with such windows?" `
` `
` "Luxury has everything." `
` `
` "But shutters?" `
` `
` "Yes, but they are never used. That Count of Monte Cristo is `
` an original, who loves to look at the sky even at night." `
` `
` "And where do the servants sleep?" `
` `
` "Oh, they have a house to themselves. Picture to yourself a `
` pretty coach-house at the right-hand side where the ladders `
` are kept. Well, over that coach-house are the servants' `
` rooms, with bells corresponding with the different `
` apartments." `
` `
` "Ah, diable -- bells did you say?" `
` `
` "What do you mean?" `
` `
` "Oh. nothing! I only say they cost a load of money to hang, `
` and what is the use of them, I should like to know?" `
` `
` "There used to be a dog let loose in the yard at night, but `
` it has been taken to the house at Auteuil, to that you went `
` to, you know." `
` `
` "Yes." `
` `
` "I was saying to him only yesterday, `You are imprudent, `
` Monsieur Count; for when you go to Auteuil and take your `
` servants the house is left unprotected.' Well,' said he, `
` `what next?' `Well, next, some day you will be robbed.'" `
` `
` "What did he answer?" `
` `
` "He quietly said, `What do I care if I am?'" `
` `
` "Andrea, he has some secretary with a spring." `
` `
` "How do you know?" `
` `
` "Yes, which catches the thief in a trap and plays a tune. I `
` was told there were such at the last exhibition." `
` `
` "He has simply a mahogany secretary, in which the key is `
` always kept." `
` `
` "And he is not robbed?" `
` `
` "No; his servants are all devoted to him." `
` `
` "There ought to be some money in that secretary?" `
` `
` "There may be. No one knows what there is." `
` `
` "And where is it?" `
` `
` "On the first floor." `
` `
` "Sketch me the plan of that floor, as you have done of the `
` ground floor, my boy." `
` `
` "That is very simple." Andrea took the pen. "On the first `
` story, do you see, there is the anteroom and the `
` drawing-room; to the right of the drawing-room, a library `
` and a study; to the left, a bedroom and a dressing-room. The `
` famous secretary is in the dressing-room." `
` `
` "Is there a window in the dressing-room?" `
` `
` "Two, -- one here and one there." Andrea sketched two `
` windows in the room, which formed an angle on the plan, and `
` appeared as a small square added to the rectangle of the `
` bedroom. Caderousse became thoughtful. "Does he often go to `
` Auteuil?" added he. `
` `
` "Two or three times a week. To-morrow, for instance, he is `
` going to spend the day and night there." `
` `
` "Are you sure of it?" `
` `
` "He has invited me to dine there." `
` `
` "There's a life for you," said Caderousse; "a town house and `
` a country house." `
` `
` "That is what it is to be rich." `
` `
` "And shall you dine there?" `
` `
` "Probably." `
` `
` "When you dine there, do you sleep there?" `
` `
` "If I like; I am at home there." Caderousse looked at the `
` young man, as if to get at the truth from the bottom of his `
` heart. But Andrea drew a cigar-case from his pocket, took a `
` havana, quietly lit it, and began smoking. "When do you want `
` your twelve hundred francs?" said he to Caderousse. `
` `
` "Now, if you have them." Andrea took five and twenty louis `
` from his pocket. `
` `
` "Yellow boys?" said Caderousse; "no, I thank you." `
` `
` "Oh, you despise them." `
` `
` "On the contrary, I esteem them, but will not have them." `
` `
` "You can change them, idiot; gold is worth five sous." `
` `
` "Exactly; and he who changes them will follow friend `
` Caderousse, lay hands on him, and demand what farmers pay `
` him their rent in gold. No nonsense, my good fellow; silver `
` simply, round coins with the head of some monarch or other `
` on them. Anybody may possess a five-franc piece." `
` `
` "But do you suppose I carry five hundred francs about with `
` me? I should want a porter." `
` `
` "Well, leave them with your porter; he is to be trusted. I `
` will call for them." `
` `
` "To-day?" `
` `
` "No, to-morrow; I shall not have time to day." `
` `
` "Well, to-morrow I will leave them when I go to Auteuil." `
` `
` "May I depend on it?" `
` `
` "Certainly." `
` `
` "Because I shall secure my housekeeper on the strength of `
` it." `
` `
` "Now see here, will that be all? Eh? And will you not `
` torment me any more?" `
` `
` "Never." Caderousse had become so gloomy that Andrea feared `
` he should be obliged to notice the change. He redoubled his `
` gayety and carelessness. "How sprightly you are," said `
` Caderousse; "One would say you were already in possession of `
` your property." `
` `
` "No, unfortunately; but when I do obtain it" -- `
` `
` "Well?" `
` `
`