Stories to remember - Chapter 29

THE BURGLARY

The next day, Monte Cristo received a letter from an unknown person. This is what it said :-

You are informed that a man will break into your house tonight. He will try to steal some papers from your desk in the dressing room. Do not call the police, as it might harm me. As you are brave, you need only hide yourself, wait for the burglar, and catch him. It will be better if there are no servants in the house. Send them to your country house! If the burglar sees servants in the house and is frightened away, I might not get a second chance to warn you.

The Count thought this must be a thieves' trick to keep him in his house in Paris and then to rob his country house. But then why should they ask him to send his servants to the country house?

'No,' he thought again, 'they want to get me alone in the house and then kill me. Well, we shall see who these enemies are.'

Monte Cristo ordered all the servants, except Ali, to go off to his country house. Haydee went there too.

He and Ali then hid themselves in the bedroom in the Paris house and waited for the burglar. There was a small spyhole in the wall. The Count could see through it into the dressing room. He looked and waited, with a gun and two pistols at his side.

The whole house was in darkness. Not a light burned anywhere. The Count had removed the staple of the bolt on the door in the dressing room leading to his bed room.

Now he got up and looked out of his bedroom window to see if he could see anyone in the street. He could see nothing. He went again to the little hole in the wall and looked through it into the dressing room. He had nothing to do but wait.

About midnight, Monte Cristo thought he heard a scratching noise in the drawing room. Then there was a second scratching noise, and a third, and a fourth. The Count knew what was happening. Somebody was cutting the four sides of a pane of glass with a diamond. Monte Cristo's heart began to beat more quickly for a few seconds. He wondered how many thieves were breaking into the house, and he signalled to Ali to come a little closer. He saw something white appearing at one of the windows in the dressing room. It was a sheet of paper being stuck to the pane. Then the square of glass cracked without falling. A hand came through the opening and unfastened the window. It opened slowly. A man came through it into the room. He was alone.

'That's a daring rascal!' thought the Count.

Ali touched Monte Cristo's shoulder and pointed to the bedroom window. The Count went over to it and looked into the street. There was another man down there, looking at the house.

'Good!' said the Count to himself. 'Now I know there are two of them. One acts while the other watches.'

He made a sign to Ali to watch the man in the street and he went to the hole in the wall to watch the man in the dressing room.

The burglar was bolting all the doors in the dressing room. Now he thought that no one could disturb him and he could safely break open the desk. He didn't know that the Count had removed a staple from one of the bolts. He lifted the cover of his lantern to look at the desk, to see how he could pick open the lock. As he did this, the light fell on his face. The Count was surprised.

'Why,' he whispered,'it is........!'

Ali raised his hatchet.

'Put down your hatchet,' whispered the Count. Then he gave Ali some instructions. Ali went away quietly. He soon came back, carrying a priest's dress, a long black wig and a false beard. Quickly, Monte Cristo put these on and turned himself into Father Busoni. Then, going again to the window, he looked once more into the street. The other man was still there, standing under a street lamp with the light on his face. Now Monte Cristo recognised him also. He understood everything.

'Stay here,' he whispered to Ali, 'and don't come into the dressing room unless I call you.'

He lighted a candle and walked straight into the dressing room.

'Good evening, dear Monsieur Caderousse,' said Monte Cristo. 'What are you doing here at this time of night?'

 

Stories to remember - Chapter 28

WISHING YOU ALL MY READERS 

A VERY HAPPY DIWALI 

AND 

A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

CADEROUSSE AND CAVALCANTI

'Why do you come to disturb me?' repeated Cavalcanti to the man in the carriage. 

'And you, my boy,' said the man, who was none other than Caderousse, 'why have you deceived me?'

'How have I deceived you?'

'Why, when we escaped together from prison, you told me that you were going to work in Italy, but you have come to Paris.'

'Does that annoy you?'

'No, it doesn't annoy me. You seem to be rich. I think you can help me!'

'You are mistaken,' said Andrea.

'Oh, I don't think so,' replied Caderousse. 'Here you are, with your new carriage, a groom, and fine clothes. You must have discovered a gold mine.'

'It isn't my fault if I have had good luck.'

'So, you have had good luck, have you? This horse and carriage, the groom and the fine clothes, are not hired? Good!'

'You must have known that before you spoke to me,' said Andrea. 'If I had been wearing a red handkerchief like yours on my head, with torn and dirty clothes, you wouldn't have spoken to me.'

'Come, my boy, you wrong me; but at any rate, now that I have found you, I can also be well dressed. I know how good and kind hearted you are. If you have two coats, you can give me one. You know I used to divide my soup and beans with you when you were hungry!'

'True,' said Andrea.

'What an appetite you used to have! Is it as good now?'

'Oh, yes!' replied Andrea, laughing uncertainly.

'And you were a sly fellow,' said Caderousse. 'You always had little purses and money boxes which you tried to hide from your poor friend Caderousse. But luckily he had a sharp nose, that friend Caderousse.'

'Oh, that's all in the past,' said Andrea. 'Why are you bothering me with that?'

'Ah! You are only twenty-three. You can forget the past. I am fifty. I cannot forget it. But tell me, Benedetto, where did you get all these fine things?'

'I've been lucky. I have found my fortune.'

'Your fortune! And how did you find that?'

'My good friend, the Count of Monte Cristo, helped me to find it.'

'A Count, and a rich one too, eh?'

'Yes, but you had better not say anything to him. I don't think he is very patient.'

'Oh, I don't want to speak to him,' replied Caderousse, 'but as you know him, you can help me to get rich without spending anything yourself.'

'Come, Caderousse, no nonsense!' said Andrea.

'But you would not have to spend anything.'

'Do you want me to rob the Count, to spoil all my good fortune, and to be sent to prison again?'

'Don't be alarmed, my little Benedetto, just show me how to get some money without your help, and I will manage it. What is the Count's house like?'

'It is a palace.'

'A palace, eh? You should take me to see it.'

'I can't do that.'

'You are right, but I would like to see it. I shall find a way.'

'No nonsense, Caderousse!'

'Well, I shall have to imagine what it looks like. Try to help me.'

Andrea suddenly had an idea.

'I should need a pen and ink and paper to make a plan,' he said.

'I have them all with me,' said Caderousse, pulling writing materials out of his dirty clothes. Andrea took the pen, with a little smile, and began to draw a plan of the Count of Monte Cristo's house. When it was finished, Caderousse said, 'Does the Count live in this house always?'

'Oh, no,' replied Andrea. 'He often goes to his country house outside Paris. When he goes there, he leaves this house empty. I am sure he will be robbed some day.'

'Where does he keep his money?' asked Caderousse.

'I don't know, but I think he keeps it in a desk in a room on the first floor.'

'Draw me a plan of the first floor, as you have drawn the one of the ground floor, my boy.'

'That's very easy,' said Andrea, taking the pen again.

'On the first floor there is a bedroom and a dressing room here, and on that side we have a drawing room, a library and a study. The desk is here, 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. Caderousse became thoughtful.

'Does the Count often go to his country house?' he asked.

'Yes, tomorrow he is going there for two days.'

'Are you sure?'

'Quite sure. The Count tells me everything. He is very fond of me. I think he is going to leave all his fortune to me when he dies.'

'Ah, you lucky fellow!' said Caderousse.

'Yes,' replied Andrea, 'but when that happens, I shall remember all my old friends.'

'You will? Well then, until that time, you can at least give me a little present. Give me that diamond ring you have on your finger.'

Andrea took the ring off his finger and gave it to Caderousse. Caderousse took it and scraped it across the lamp glass of Andrea's carriage. He found that it cut the glass.

'It is a real diamond,' he said.

'Of course! What did you think?' said Andrea. 'Now what else do you want from me?'

'Nothing! I shall go home now. Goodbye, dear Benedetto!'

And Caderousse slipped away as quietly as he had come.

 

Stories to remember - Chapter 27

THE BALL AND THE BEGGAR

A few days later, Monte Cristo was invited to a ball at the home of the Count and Countess Morcerf. Many people were there, including the Danglars family and also Andrea Cavalcanti. Cavalcanti danced with Eugenie Danglars almost the whole evening.

'Aren't you jealous?' Monte Cristo asked Albert Morcerf.

'You know very well that I don't want to marry Eugenie,' replied Albert. 'If she and Cavalcanti like one another, it suits me very well.'

'I think that Baron Danglars will be pleased about it too, now,' said Monte Cristo.

'Do you mean that he would prefer Andrea Cavalcanti to me for his son-in-law?' asked Albert, surprised.

'That's what he told me the other day,' replied the Count.

Just then Mercedes came towards them.

'Good evening,' she said to Monte Cristo. 'Is it true that you have seen so much, travelled so far, and suffered so deeply, as my son has told me?'

'I have suffered deeply, madame,' answered Monte Cristo.

'Have you no sister, no son, no father?'

'I have no one.'

'How can you live without anyone to make your life worth living?'

'That is not my fault, madame. When I was young, in Malta, I loved a young girl. We were going to be married, but war came and I was taken away from her. I thought she loved me well enough to wait for me, but when I returned, she was married to someone else.'

'And did you ever see her again?'

'No, I never returned to the country where she lived.'

'Malta?'

'Yes, Malta.'

'Is she still in Malta?'

'I think so.'

'And have you forgiven her for all she has made you suffer?'

'Yes, I have pardoned her.'

'But only her; do you still hate those who separated you from her?'

'Hate them--not at all-- why should I ?' answered the Count. And his mouth moved in a wry smile.

When the ball was over, the guests left, one after the other in their carriages. Andrea Cavalcanti had bought his carriage only a few days ago, with some of the money given to him by Monte Cristo. It was new and shining and it was driven by a groom in a smart uniform. The carriage drove up to the door and, as Andrea was stepping into it, a hand touched his shoulder. The young man turned around to see who wanted to speak to him. He saw an old man dressed in torn and filthy clothes. A red handkerchief was tied round his head and his face was covered with a dirty grey beard.

Andrea's groom jumped down from the carriage to push this intruder away from his master.

'You have no right to beg here,' said the groom.

The unknown old man smiled cunningly.

'I am not begging, my fine fellow,' he said. 'I only wanted to speak to your master, who asked me to do something for him last week.'

'What do you want?' said Andrea, nervously.

'I'm very tired,' said the old man, 'and not having eaten as good a dinner as you have, I can hardly walk.'

'Yes, but tell me what you want,' said Andrea again.

'Well, because I am tired and cannot walk, I want you to give me a ride in your fine carriage. Do you understand, Benedetto?'

The young man took a step backwards when he heard this name and he looked surprised. Then he said to his groom, 'Yes, this man is right. I did ask him to do something for me. Let him get into the carriage. I will drive, and you can go home.'

The astonished groom went away, and Andrea drove off with the old man in his carriage. When they had gone some distance and he was sure that they could not be seen or heard, he stopped the carriage and turned to the stranger.

'Now, Caderousse, tell me why you have come to disturb me,' he said.

Stories to remember - Chapter 26

ANDREA CAVALCANTI

One day a young man calling himself Andrea Cavalcanti arrived at the Count of Monte Cristo's house. He had come from Italy with a letter from Father Busoni. The letter told him to go to the Count of Monte Cristo in Paris. The Count would show him Paris and give him any money he needed. Bertuccio saw this young man when he arrived. Very excited, he pulled the Count aside.

'That young man's name is not Andrea Cavalcanti,' he whispered. 'It is Benedetto. I brought him up as my own son and, in the year 1829, he robbed me and ran away from home. I told Father Busoni all about him.'

'I know,' said Monte Cristo, 'but do not worry. I have my own reasons for wanting him to be here. Meanwhile, you had better not let him see you in this house. You can take a holiday and go away for some time.'

Monte Cristo went into the room where Andrea Cavalcanti was waiting to see him.

'Good morning,' said the Count. 'Father Busoni has written to me and told me that you are an Italian noble man wishing to see Paris. As I owe Father Busoni some money, he has asked me to pay all your expenses here, out of the money I owe him.'

Benedetto could not understand why the priest had sent him to Paris, nor why he had been asked to call himself Andrea Cavalcanti and pretend he was a nobleman. But as the Count gave him a thousand francs towards his expenses, with a promise to pay more later, Benedetto did not complain. He decided to act his part as Andrea Cavalcanti as long as he was paid to play it.

A few days later, when Baron Danglars met Andrea Cavalcanti, he showed a great interest in the young man. Cavalcanti seemed to be very wealthy. Danglars began to think that perhaps such a young nobleman might be a better match for his daughter, Eugenie, than Albert Morcerf. One day, he asked Monte Cristo about him.

'I do not know much about Cavalcanti,' said the Count. 'I only know he was sent here by my friend Father Busoni.'

'When young Italian noblemen like Cavalcanti marry, do they receive any fortune from their fathers?' asked Danglars.

'Oh, that depends on whether the son marries the girl of his father's choice. In that case Andrea might get three million francs from his father, who is a very wealthy man. But his father would cut him off with nothing if Andrea married against his wishes.'

'So, I expect that he will marry some princess or other.'

'Oh no, I do not think so,' replied Monte Cristo. 'These Italian noble families often marry into plain families. But do you wish Andrea to marry your daughter, that you are asking so many questions?'

'Upon my word! I think it might be a good idea,' said Danglars.

'But what would Albert Morcerf do about that?' said the Count. 'I thought he was engaged to be married to your daughter.'

'Albert would care very little about it, I think. And as Andrea Cavalcanti belongs to a more noble family than Morcerf, I would prefer him. He has plenty of money too, it seems.'

'But is not the Morcerf family also a noble one?' asked the Count, pretending to be surprised.

'It is not even as noble as my family. I am not a baron by birth, but at least my real name is Danglars.'

'And the Count Morcerf?'

'His real name is not Morcerf.'

'Oh, that is impossible!'

'Listen, my dear Count, I have known Morcerf for the past thirty years. When I was a clerk, he was just a simple fisherman, named Fernand Mondego.'

'Then why do you think of giving your daughter to his son?'

'Because Fernand and Danglars were both poor men who have become rich. We are both equal in worth, except that certain things have been said about him that were never said about me.'

'What are they?'

'Oh, nothing!'

'Ah, yes! What you have told me reminds me that I have heard something about the name of Fernand Mondego in the East.'

'In connection with Ali Tebelin Pacha?'

'Yes, that is right.'

'This is the mystery,' said Danglars. 'I would give anything to find out the truth about it.'

'Well, I suppose you can do that if you wish,' said the Count carelessly.

'How so?'

'You are a banker. You must have your agents everywhere.'

'Of course.'

'Well, why don't you write to your agent in Janina and ask about a French officer named Fernand Mondego? Ask him how this officer was concerned with the downfall of Ali Tebelin.'

'That is a good idea,' said Danglars. 'I will write today.'

Stories to remember - Chapter 25

MONTE CRISTO ARRIVES IN PARIS

Exactly three months later, at half past ten in the morning on the 21st of May 1838, there was a knock on the door of the Paris home of the Count Morcerf. It was the Count of Monte Cristo, arrived to have breakfast with his friend Albert.

Albert was pleased to see his friend. After their breakfast was finished he introduced him to his father, Fernand, the Count Morcerf. Fernand did not realise that the Count of Monte Cristo was really Edmond Dante. He thought that his son had found a new and very interesting friend. They talked for some time happily. Then Mercedes, the Countess Morcerf, entered the room.

'Ah, here's my mother!' cried Albert.

When she saw the Count of Monte Cristo, Mercedes turned pale.

'Are you ill, mother?' asked her son, springing towards her.

'No, I just felt a little excited at seeing for the first time the man who has saved your life.'

She turned to Monte Cristo.

'I thank you,' she said, 'for rescuing Albert from those bandits in Rome.'

Monte Cristo bowed.

'It was nothing, Madame,' he said.

When the Count of Monte Cristo had left them, Mercedes asked Albert all kinds of questions about him. She seemed to be very interested in the rich and elegant stranger.

During his first days in Paris, Monte Cristo bought a magnificent house which he furnished in the most luxurious manner. Very soon he was comfortably settled with his servants, Ali and Bertuccio, to wait on him. Haydee also lived in the house. She had her own quarters and her own maid-servants to wait upon her.

True to his promise, Albert inroduced the Count of Monte Cristo to all his friends in Paris, one of whom was the State Prosecutor, Monsieur Villefort. When Bertuccio heard that Villefort was still alive, he nearly fainted.

'Then I didn't kill him!' he cried. 'You know that I confessed to your friend, Father Busoni, that I killed Villefort, and now you tell me that he is not dead.'

'No, you did not kill him,' said the Count. 'Instead of striking him in the heart, you must have struck too high or too low. So you see, you are not a murderer after all.'

'Thank God!' said Bertuccio.

Albert also introduced Monte Cristo to Baron Danglars, the banker, his wife, the Baroness Danglars, and to their daughter, Eugenie.

As we already know, Albert's father, Fernand, the Count Morcerf and Eugenie's father, the Baron Danglars, were old friends. They were both rich, and wanted their two families joined together so that their children would be even richer. So they arranged for Albert and Eugenie to be engaged to be married.

Albert told the Count of Monte Cristo about his engagement to Eugenie Danglars.

'But,' he said, 'I, myself, do not wish to marry her and she does not wish to marry me. It is our fathers who wish us to marry.'

'What about your mother?' asked Monte Cristo.

'Ah, she does not agree to the match. She dislikes the Danglars, although I cannot discover why. If we do not marry, she, at least, will be pleased.'

The Count and Countess Morcerf, Monsieur and Madame Villefort and the Danglars family all admired Albert's friend. They found him a wise and intelligent man. They often invited him to their homes and he invited them to his own large house in Paris. They came to know one another very well.

Monte Cristo, with his distinguished looks and his charming manners, seemed to cast a spell over them all.

Stories to remember - Chapter 24

ROMAN BANDITS

Viscount Albert Morcerf, the son of Fernand and Mercedes, was travelling with his friend, Franz Epinay, in Italy. It was the beginning of the year 1838.

Soon after his arrival in Rome, Albert met the Count of Monte Cristo. They became good friends.

One night Albert foolishly allowed himself to be caught by bandits. The bandits took him to some caves, just outside Rome, and held him prisoner. They wrote a note to Albert's friend, Franz, demanding four thousand piastres. The note said : ' If the four thousand piastres are not in our hands by six o'clock tomorrow morning, the Viscount Albert Morcerf will be dead by seven o'clock.'

Franz Epinay had only three thousand piastres with him. He did not know where he could get another one thousand piastres so quickly. Then he thought of the Count of Monte Cristo. He went to him and asked if he could borrow a thousand piastres.

When the Count heard the story he laughed.

'We will go together to these bandits,' he said.

He told his slave, Ali, to get the coach ready and they drove to the caves outside Rome. There the Count demanded to see the chief of the bandits.

'Well, you seem to have forgotten our agreement,' said Monte Cristo.

'What agreement have I forgotten, Monsieur the Count?' asked the bandit chief.

'Did we not agree that you would never harm any of my friends?'

'And how have I broken that agreement, your Excellency?'

'This evening you have carried off the Viscount Albert Morcerf, who is one of my friends,' replied the Count.

'Why did you not tell me this--you?' said the brigand chief, turning angrily towards his men. They all backed away before his look.

'I apologise,' said the chief to the Count. 'He shall be released immediately.'

Albert was set free and rode back to Rome with the Count. He was very grateful to Monte Cristo, not only for his freedom, but also because it was obtained without paying any ransom.

'If there is anything I can do in return,' said Albert to the Count, ' I shall gladly do it.'

'Yes,' said Monte Cristo, 'there is something you can do for me.'

'What is that?'

'I have never been to Paris before, but I am going there soon. When I arrive there, will you show me the city and introduce me to your friends?'

'That I will gladly do,' replied Albert. 'When will you be coming to Paris?'

'To-day is the 21st of February, and it is now half past ten o'clock,' said the Count. 'I'll meet you at your home in Paris in exactly three months' time. Promise to remember this, and expect me on the 21st of May at half past ten in the morning.'

'Very good,' said Albert, 'breakfast will be ready for you.'

 

Stories to remember - Chapter 23

HAYDEE

Three years later, in 1832, the Count of Monte Cristo was in Constantinople.

At the court of the Sultan Mahmoud in that city there lived a young girl who was thirteen years old. Her name was Haydee and she was a slave. Seven years before, Haydee had been sold to the Sultan's slave merchant, El-Kobbir.

Now the Count of Monte Cristo was talking to that same slave merchant. El-Kobbir told the Count how, on behalf of the Sultan, he had bought the girl from a French officer.

'Do you remember the officer's name?' asked Monte Cristo.

'It was the Colonel Fernand Mondego,' replied El-Kobbir. 'He was the commander of the troops of Ali Tebelin, Pacha of Janina.'

'Do you think it would be possible for me to purchase this girl from the Sultan?'

'Everything is possible if you can pay enough. The price will be very high,' said El-Kobbir.

A few days later, the Count of Monte Cristo gave El-Kobbir an emerald worth eight hundred thousand livres. El-Kobbir passed on this valuable jewel to the Sultan in exchange for the slave girl, Haydee.

At the same time, the Count bought another slave; a big strong man called Ali. Ali was dumb, because his tongue had been cut out by the Sultan.

In the years that followed, Monte Cristo looked after Haydee as a father would his daughter. He discovered that she was the daughter of the Pacha of Janina. He also found out from her now Colonel Fernand Mondego had betrayed her father, seized his fortune, and sold her and her mother into slavery. Her mother had died on their arrival at Constantinople.

For the next few years, Monte Cristo and Haydee lived in the East. Haydee was given everything she desired, and lived in great luxury. During this time, the Count found out the whole history of Fernand Mondego and his betrayal of Haydee 's father. This same Fernand, who had betrayed Edmond Dante many years ago, had likewise betrayed Prince Ali Tebelin, the Pacha of Janina, who had trusted him.

Soon after this, the Count of Monnte Cristo returned to Europe, taking Haydee and the slave Ali with him. Bertuccio, the steward, went with them. They went to live in the underground palace on the island of Monte Cristo. Here, the Count wrote again to his old friend, the captain of the smuggling ship, the Young Amelia. The island of Monte Cristo became a smugglers' meeting place. Smugglers and bandits who were hiding from the police were often given shelter in the Count's palace.

Before long, there was hardly a well-known smuggler or bandit in Italy who did not have to thank the Count for some help or service that he had received. In return, if ever the Count needed anything from them, they were ready to help him.