Stories to remember - Chapter 35

THE CHALLENGE

The marriage engagement between Eugenie Danglars and Albert Morcerf was broken off when the Count Morcerf was disgraced.

Soon afterwards, Andrea Cavalcanti asked permission to marry Eugenie. Baron Danglars, very pleased, readily agreed. He thought Cavalcanti would be a very suitable husband for his daughter, and so Eugenie and Andrea became engaged to be married.

Albert Morcerf knew that some enemy must have caused his father's disgrace. Who could it be? He resolved to go to the newspaper offices to  find out who had sent the report from Janina. When he found out that it had been sent in by Danglars, he decided that the Baron was his father's enemy. Like all young Frenchmen of his day, Albert Morcerf thought that the only way to wipe out a dishonour was to challenge to a duel the person who had caused the dishonour. So he set out for Baron Danglars' house.

Danglars thought, at first, that Albert had come to speak about his broken engagement to Eugenie. He was very surprised to be challenged to a duel.

'You are mad,' said Danglars. 'It is not my fault that your father is disgraced.'

'It is your fault,' replied Albert. 'You are the cause of it.'

'How?'

'Where did the news come from?'

'The newspapers told you; from Janina!'

'But who wrote to Janina?'

'I wrote, certainly. When my daughter is about to marry a young man, I think I have the right to find out everything about his parents.'

'You must have written knowing what answer you would receive.'

'I certainly did not. I would never have thought of writing to Janina if the Count of Monte Cristo had not suggested it. I was asking him how I could find out information about your father. He asked me where your father got his fortune. I told him, in Janina. "Then write to Janina!" he said.'

'Aha!' said Albert. 'So he advised you to write to Janina, did he?'

Haydee was living in Monte Cristo's house, therefore Monte Cristo himself must already have known the full story when he advised Danglars to write to Janina. He must have known all about it even when he invited Albert to hear Haydee's story, that day when they had drunk coffee together. What treachery! Monte Cristo must be his father's real enemy!

Albert rushed away from Danglars' house. He found Monte Cristo at home.

'Good afternoon, Albert,' said Monte Cristo. 'I hope you are well!'

'I've not come here to exchange false words of politeness and friendship,' replied Albert. 'I've come to demand an explanation.'

'An explanation!' said the Count. 'I think I should first have one from you.'

'There is no need for me to explain to you that you are my father's enemy, that you have caused his disgrace, and I want to know why, or I shall kill you.'

'I see you've come here to quarrel with me,' said the Count, 'but I don't understand why. I only know that you are shouting at me in my own home. Please let me tell you that I am the only person who has the right to raise his voice above another's in this house. So you had better leave immediately.'

'Ah! I know how to make you leave your home,' said Albert angrily, pulling his glove off his hand and throwing it at the Count.

'So you are challenging me to a duel,' said Monte Cristo, with icy calm. 'You shall have your glove returned to you around a bullet, tomorrow morning at eight o'clock, in the Forest of Vincennes. Now leave this house at once, or I will call my servants to throw you out.'