Stories to remember - Chapter 46

DANGLARS ORDERS A MEAL

After a good night's sleep, Danglars awoke. He did not realise at first where he was. Then he remembered.

'Yes, yes,' he murmured, 'I am in the hands of the same bandits who captured Albert Morcerf. They haven't killed or wounded me yet, but perhaps they've robbed me.' He put his hands in his pockets. The money he had with him was still there.

'What peculiar bandits!' he exclaimed. 'They have left me with my money and my watch. Still, I suppose they'll soon demand money to set me free.'

He looked at his watch and saw that it was six o'clock in the morning. He decided to wait and see what the bandits wanted.

At twelve o'clock, the guard outside his door went off duty and another one came and sat down there. Danglars could see him through a small hole in the door.

The man started eating some black bread, cheese, and onions. 'I don't know how he can eat such awful food,' said Danglars to himself.

But as he watched the man eating, Danglars also began to feel hungry.

'Come!' he called to the man, 'I think it's time somebody gave me something to eat also.'

The man outside the door took no notice of him.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, another guard came on duty. This man had brought with him some peas stewed with bacon, a basket of grapes and a bottle of wine. Danglars' mouth began to water. He tapped on the door of his cell and the guard came to see what he wanted. Danglars noticed that he was the same man who had told him so rudely, the evening before, to put his head back inside the carriage. But he decided that this was not the time for a quarrel. So, with a pleasant smile, he said politely, 'Excuse me, but aren't they going to give me any dinner?'

'Does your Excellency happen to be hungry?' said the guard.

'Happen to be hungry! That's good, when I haven't eaten for twenty-four hours,' muttered Danglars, but he said aloud, 'Yes, I'm very hungry.'

'And your Excellency would like to eat?'

'Yes, and quickly, if that's possible.'

''Of course, your Excellency. Here you can have whatever you wish for as long as you pay for it. That's the custom among all honest people.'

'Of course!' said Danglars, 'although those who capture you and imprison you ought at least to feed their prisoners.'

'Ah, your Excellency,' replied the guard, 'that is not the custom here.'

'That's a poor reason,' said Danglars, 'but anyway bring me something to eat.'

'What would your Excellency like? Just give your orders!'

''Have you kitchens and cooks here, then?'

'Yes, very good ones.'

'Why, it's just like being in Paris,' murmured Danglars. Then he said to the guard, 'Very well, then, bring me a roast chicken.'

The guard turned around and called out, 'A roast chicken for his Excellency!'

In a minute, a young man appeared, carrying a roast chicken on a silver dish.

'Here, your Excellency!' said the guard, taking the chicken and putting it on the table in the cell. Danglars asked for a knife and fork.

'Here, your Excellency!' said the guard, giving them to him.

Danglars took the knife in one hand and the fork in the other, and was about to cut up the chicken.

'Pardon me, your Excellency,' said the guard. 'People pay here before they eat. Otherwise, they might refuse to pay afterwards.'

'Ah!' thought Danglars. 'This is no longer like Paris. But I'll pay them well. Chickens can't cost much here.' He gave the guard one piastre, which he reckoned was enough to buy about a hundred chickens in Rome. The guard took the piastre and Danglars again prepared to cut up the chicken with his knife and fork.

'Just a moment, your Excellency,' said the guard, 'you still owe me something.'

'How do I owe you anything?' asked Danglars, surprised.

'Your Excellency has given me only one piastre.'

'Only one piastre for a chicken! Isn't that more than enough?'

'Oh no, your Excellency, you still owe me 16,666 piastres.'

Danglars opened his eyes wide when he heard this huge joke.

'Ah! very funny,' he murmured, 'very funny!' He got ready to cut the chicken again, but the guard seized his wrist with one hand and held out his other hand for the money. 'Come,' said he.

'Aren't you joking?' said Danglars.

'We never joke, your Excellency,' replied the guard.