Stories to remember - Chapter 5

ANOTHER WEDDING

At the same time as the betrothal feast of Edmond and Mercedes came to such an unhappy ending, another betrothal feast was taking place in Marseilles. But this feast was not among the sailors and soldiers. It was among the aristocrats of the town.

Monsieur de Villefort, the young Assistant State Prosecutor, was to be married to Renee, the daughter of the Marquis and Marchioness of Saint - Meran.

The people at this party were all sworn enemies of Napoleon Bonaparte. During his reign they had been abroad plotting and working for his downfall. Now they had returned to France and held positions of importance under the new king, Louis XVIII.

But young Villefort was the son of a Bonapartist. At the time of the French Revolution his father had given up his noble name of Noirtier de Villefort and had changed it simply to Noirtier. He later became a staunch supporter of Napoleon.

The son, however, had disowned his father and changed his own name back to de Villefort. He was a Royalist, holding the position of Assistant State Prosecutor. His father, Monsieur Noirtier, still lived in Paris.

In the middle of this second party a servant entered the room. He handed a note to the Assistant State Prosecutor and whispered a few words in his ear.

'I shall have to leave you for a little while,' said de Villefort to Renee, his bride-to-be. 'I will come back as soon as I can.'

'Why? What is the matter?' asked Renee.

He handed her the note and she read the words:

'The State Prosecutor is informed that Edmond Dante, mate of  the ship Pharaon which arrived at Marseilles this morning after having touched the island of Elba, has been given a letter from Napoleon addressed to the Bonapartist committee in Paris. If he is arrested, this letter will be found either on him or at his father's house, or in his cabin on the Pharaon.'

'But', exclaimed Renee, 'this letter isn't even addressed to you! It is addressed to the State Prosecutor.'

'True,' replied Villefort, 'but I've just been told that Edmond Dante has been arrested. As the State Prosecutor is absent, I, his assistant, will have to examine this man.'

'Be merciful,' whispered Renee. 'Remember this is our wedding day, and I want nothing to spoil it.'

Villefort walked to her side and placed a hand upon her shoulder.

'My dearest Renee,' he said. 'For your sake, I will try to be merciful. But if these charges against this man are true, then you must give me permission to cut off his head.'

Renee shivered and turned away.