Reading Help The Count of Monte Cristo Ch.75-117
bolted the doors, he let fall his bunch of keys, and `
` remained motionless and stupefied. The count placed himself `
` between Caderousse and the window, thus cutting off from the `
` thief his only chance of retreat. "The Abbe Busoni!" `
` repeated Caderousse, fixing his haggard gaze on the count. `
` `
` "Yes, undoubtedly, the Abbe Busoni himself," replied Monte `
` Cristo. "And I am very glad you recognize me, dear M. `
` Caderousse; it proves you have a good memory, for it must be `
` about ten years since we last met." This calmness of Busoni, `
` combined with his irony and boldness, staggered Caderousse. `
` `
` "The abbe, the abbe!" murmured he, clinching his fists, and `
` his teeth chattering. `
` `
` "So you would rob the Count of Monte Cristo?" continued the `
` false abbe. `
` `
` "Reverend sir," murmured Caderousse, seeking to regain the `
` window, which the count pitilessly blocked -- "reverend sir, `
` I don't know -- believe me -- I take my oath" -- `
` `
` "A pane of glass out," continued the count, "a dark lantern, `
` a bunch of false keys, a secretary half forced -- it is `
` tolerably evident" -- `
` `
` Caderousse was choking; he looked around for some corner to `
` hide in, some way of escape. `
` `
` "Come, come," continued the count, "I see you are still the `
` same, -- an assassin." `
` `
` "Reverend sir, since you know everything, you know it was `
` not I -- it was La Carconte; that was proved at the trial, `
` since I was only condemned to the galleys." `
` `
` "Is your time, then, expired, since I find you in a fair way `
` to return there?" `
` `
` "No, reverend sir; I have been liberated by some one." `
` `
` "That some one has done society a great kindness." `
` `
` "Ah," said Caderousse, "I had promised" -- `
` `
` "And you are breaking your promise!" interrupted Monte `
` Cristo. `
` `
` "Alas, yes!" said Caderousse very uneasily. `
` `
` "A bad relapse, that will lead you, if I mistake not, to the `
` Place de Greve. So much the worse, so much the worse -- `
` diavolo, as they say in my country." `
` `
` "Reverend sir, I am impelled" -- `
` `
` "Every criminal says the same thing." `
` `
` "Poverty" -- `
` `
` "Pshaw!" said Busoni disdainfully; "poverty may make a man `
` beg, steal a loaf of bread at a baker's door, but not cause `
` him to open a secretary in a house supposed to be inhabited. `
` And when the jeweller Johannes had just paid you 40,000 `
` francs for the diamond I had given you, and you killed him `
` to get the diamond and the money both, was that also `
` poverty?" `
` `
` "Pardon, reverend sir," said Caderousse; "you have saved my `
` life once, save me again!" `
` `
` "That is but poor encouragement." `
` `
` "Are you alone, reverend sir, or have you there soldiers `
` ready to seize me?" `
` `
` "I am alone," said the abbe, "and I will again have pity on `
` you, and will let you escape, at the risk of the fresh `
` miseries my weakness may lead to, if you tell me the truth." `
` `
` "Ah, reverend sir," cried Caderousse, clasping his hands, `
` and drawing nearer to Monte Cristo, "I may indeed say you `
` are my deliverer!" `
` `
` "You mean to say you have been freed from confinement?" `
` `
` "Yes, that is true, reverend sir." `
` `
` "Who was your liberator?" `
` `
` "An Englishman." `
` `
` "What was his name?" `
` `
` "Lord Wilmore." `
` `
` "I know him; I shall know if you lie." `
` `
` "Ah, reverend sir, I tell you the simple truth." `
` `
` "Was this Englishman protecting you?" `
` `
` "No, not me, but a young Corsican, my companion." `
` `
` "What was this young Corsican's name?" `
` `
` "Benedetto." `
` `
` "Is that his Christian name?" `
` `
` "He had no other; he was a foundling." `
` `
` "Then this young man escaped with you?" `
` `
` "He did." `
` `
` "In what way?" `
` `
` "We were working at St. Mandrier, near Toulon. Do you know `
` St. Mandrier?" `
` `
` "I do." `
` `
` "In the hour of rest, between noon and one o'clock" -- `
` `
` "Galley-slaves having a nap after dinner! We may well pity `
` the poor fellows!" said the abbe. `
` `
` "Nay," said Caderousse, "one can't always work -- one is not `
` a dog." `
` `
` "So much the better for the dogs," said Monte Cristo. `
` `
` "While the rest slept, then, we went away a short distance; `
` we severed our fetters with a file the Englishman had given `
` us, and swam away." `
` `
` "And what is become of this Benedetto?" `
` `
` "I don't know." `
` `
` "You ought to know." `
` `
` "No, in truth; we parted at Hyeres." And, to give more `
` weight to his protestation, Caderousse advanced another step `
` towards the abbe, who remained motionless in his place, as `
` calm as ever, and pursuing his interrogation. "You lie," `
` said the Abbe Busoni, with a tone of irresistible authority. `
` `
` "Reverend sir!" `
` `
` "You lie! This man is still your friend, and you, perhaps, `
` make use of him as your accomplice." `
` `
` "Oh, reverend sir!" `
` `
` "Since you left Toulon what have you lived on? Answer me!" `
` `
` "On what I could get." `
` `
` "You lie," repeated the abbe a third time, with a still more `
` imperative tone. Caderousse, terrified, looked at the count. `
` "You have lived on the money he has given you." `
` `
` "True," said Caderousse; "Benedetto has become the son of a `
` great lord." `
` `
` "How can he be the son of a great lord?" `
` `
` "A natural son." `
` `
` "And what is that great lord's name?" `
` `
` "The Count of Monte Cristo, the very same in whose house we `
` are." `
` `
` "Benedetto the count's son?" replied Monte Cristo, `
` astonished in his turn. `
` `
` "Well, I should think so, since the count has found him a `
` false father -- since the count gives him four thousand `
` francs a month, and leaves him 500,000 francs in his will." `
` `
` "Ah, yes," said the factitious abbe, who began to `
` understand; "and what name does the young man bear `
` meanwhile?" `
` `
` "Andrea Cavalcanti." `
` `
` "Is it, then, that young man whom my friend the Count of `
` Monte Cristo has received into his house, and who is going `
` to marry Mademoiselle Danglars?" `
` `
` "Exactly." `
` `
` "And you suffer that, you wretch -- you, who know his life `
` and his crime?" `
` `
` "Why should I stand in a comrade's way?" said Caderousse. `
` `
` "You are right; it is not you who should apprise M. `
`
` remained motionless and stupefied. The count placed himself `
` between Caderousse and the window, thus cutting off from the `
` thief his only chance of retreat. "The Abbe Busoni!" `
` repeated Caderousse, fixing his haggard gaze on the count. `
` `
` "Yes, undoubtedly, the Abbe Busoni himself," replied Monte `
` Cristo. "And I am very glad you recognize me, dear M. `
` Caderousse; it proves you have a good memory, for it must be `
` about ten years since we last met." This calmness of Busoni, `
` combined with his irony and boldness, staggered Caderousse. `
` `
` "The abbe, the abbe!" murmured he, clinching his fists, and `
` his teeth chattering. `
` `
` "So you would rob the Count of Monte Cristo?" continued the `
` false abbe. `
` `
` "Reverend sir," murmured Caderousse, seeking to regain the `
` window, which the count pitilessly blocked -- "reverend sir, `
` I don't know -- believe me -- I take my oath" -- `
` `
` "A pane of glass out," continued the count, "a dark lantern, `
` a bunch of false keys, a secretary half forced -- it is `
` tolerably evident" -- `
` `
` Caderousse was choking; he looked around for some corner to `
` hide in, some way of escape. `
` `
` "Come, come," continued the count, "I see you are still the `
` same, -- an assassin." `
` `
` "Reverend sir, since you know everything, you know it was `
` not I -- it was La Carconte; that was proved at the trial, `
` since I was only condemned to the galleys." `
` `
` "Is your time, then, expired, since I find you in a fair way `
` to return there?" `
` `
` "No, reverend sir; I have been liberated by some one." `
` `
` "That some one has done society a great kindness." `
` `
` "Ah," said Caderousse, "I had promised" -- `
` `
` "And you are breaking your promise!" interrupted Monte `
` Cristo. `
` `
` "Alas, yes!" said Caderousse very uneasily. `
` `
` "A bad relapse, that will lead you, if I mistake not, to the `
` Place de Greve. So much the worse, so much the worse -- `
` diavolo, as they say in my country." `
` `
` "Reverend sir, I am impelled" -- `
` `
` "Every criminal says the same thing." `
` `
` "Poverty" -- `
` `
` "Pshaw!" said Busoni disdainfully; "poverty may make a man `
` beg, steal a loaf of bread at a baker's door, but not cause `
` him to open a secretary in a house supposed to be inhabited. `
` And when the jeweller Johannes had just paid you 40,000 `
` francs for the diamond I had given you, and you killed him `
` to get the diamond and the money both, was that also `
` poverty?" `
` `
` "Pardon, reverend sir," said Caderousse; "you have saved my `
` life once, save me again!" `
` `
` "That is but poor encouragement." `
` `
` "Are you alone, reverend sir, or have you there soldiers `
` ready to seize me?" `
` `
` "I am alone," said the abbe, "and I will again have pity on `
` you, and will let you escape, at the risk of the fresh `
` miseries my weakness may lead to, if you tell me the truth." `
` `
` "Ah, reverend sir," cried Caderousse, clasping his hands, `
` and drawing nearer to Monte Cristo, "I may indeed say you `
` are my deliverer!" `
` `
` "You mean to say you have been freed from confinement?" `
` `
` "Yes, that is true, reverend sir." `
` `
` "Who was your liberator?" `
` `
` "An Englishman." `
` `
` "What was his name?" `
` `
` "Lord Wilmore." `
` `
` "I know him; I shall know if you lie." `
` `
` "Ah, reverend sir, I tell you the simple truth." `
` `
` "Was this Englishman protecting you?" `
` `
` "No, not me, but a young Corsican, my companion." `
` `
` "What was this young Corsican's name?" `
` `
` "Benedetto." `
` `
` "Is that his Christian name?" `
` `
` "He had no other; he was a foundling." `
` `
` "Then this young man escaped with you?" `
` `
` "He did." `
` `
` "In what way?" `
` `
` "We were working at St. Mandrier, near Toulon. Do you know `
` St. Mandrier?" `
` `
` "I do." `
` `
` "In the hour of rest, between noon and one o'clock" -- `
` `
` "Galley-slaves having a nap after dinner! We may well pity `
` the poor fellows!" said the abbe. `
` `
` "Nay," said Caderousse, "one can't always work -- one is not `
` a dog." `
` `
` "So much the better for the dogs," said Monte Cristo. `
` `
` "While the rest slept, then, we went away a short distance; `
` we severed our fetters with a file the Englishman had given `
` us, and swam away." `
` `
` "And what is become of this Benedetto?" `
` `
` "I don't know." `
` `
` "You ought to know." `
` `
` "No, in truth; we parted at Hyeres." And, to give more `
` weight to his protestation, Caderousse advanced another step `
` towards the abbe, who remained motionless in his place, as `
` calm as ever, and pursuing his interrogation. "You lie," `
` said the Abbe Busoni, with a tone of irresistible authority. `
` `
` "Reverend sir!" `
` `
` "You lie! This man is still your friend, and you, perhaps, `
` make use of him as your accomplice." `
` `
` "Oh, reverend sir!" `
` `
` "Since you left Toulon what have you lived on? Answer me!" `
` `
` "On what I could get." `
` `
` "You lie," repeated the abbe a third time, with a still more `
` imperative tone. Caderousse, terrified, looked at the count. `
` "You have lived on the money he has given you." `
` `
` "True," said Caderousse; "Benedetto has become the son of a `
` great lord." `
` `
` "How can he be the son of a great lord?" `
` `
` "A natural son." `
` `
` "And what is that great lord's name?" `
` `
` "The Count of Monte Cristo, the very same in whose house we `
` are." `
` `
` "Benedetto the count's son?" replied Monte Cristo, `
` astonished in his turn. `
` `
` "Well, I should think so, since the count has found him a `
` false father -- since the count gives him four thousand `
` francs a month, and leaves him 500,000 francs in his will." `
` `
` "Ah, yes," said the factitious abbe, who began to `
` understand; "and what name does the young man bear `
` meanwhile?" `
` `
` "Andrea Cavalcanti." `
` `
` "Is it, then, that young man whom my friend the Count of `
` Monte Cristo has received into his house, and who is going `
` to marry Mademoiselle Danglars?" `
` `
` "Exactly." `
` `
` "And you suffer that, you wretch -- you, who know his life `
` and his crime?" `
` `
` "Why should I stand in a comrade's way?" said Caderousse. `
` `
` "You are right; it is not you who should apprise M. `
`