The Count of Monte Cristo1,
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
The Count of Monte Cristo
Voulume One
by
Alexandre Dumas
A Penn State Electronic Classics Series Publication
The Count of Monte Cristo Volume One
by Alexandre Dumas
is a publication of the Pennsylvania
State University. This Portable Document file is furnished free and without any charge of any
kind. Any person using this document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her
own risk. Neither the Pennsylvania State University nor Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, nor anyone
associated with the Pennsylvania State University assumes any responsibility for the material
contained within the document or for the file as an electronic transmission, in any way.
The Count of Monte Cristo Volume One
by Alexandre Dumas
,
the Pennsylvania State University,
Electronic Classics Series
, Jim Manis, Faculty Editor, Hazleton, PA 18201-1291 is a Portable Docu-
ment File produced as part of an ongoing student publication project to bring classical works of
literature, in English, to free and easy access of those wishing to make use of them.
Cover Design: Jim Manis; sketch of Dumas in 1869, French artist
Copyright © 2000 The Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University is an equal opportunity university.
Alexandre Dumas
The Count of Monte Cristo
The ship drew on and had safely passed the strait, which some
volcanic shock has made between the Calasareigne and Jaros is-
lands; had doubled Pomegue, and approached the harbor under
topsails, jib, and spanker, but so slowly and
sedately that the idlers, with that instinct which is the forerunner of
evil, asked one another what misfortune could have happened on
board. However, those experienced in navigation saw plainly that if
any accident had occurred, it was not to the vessel herself, for she
bore down with all the evidence of being skilfully handled, the an-
chor a-cockbill, the jib-boom guys already eased off, and standing
by the side of the pilot, who was steering the Pharaon towards the
narrow entrance of the inner port, was a young man, who, with
activity and vigilant eye, watched every motion of the ship, and re-
peated each direction of the pilot.
The vague disquietude which prevailed among the spectators had
so much affected one of the crowd that he did not await the arrival
of the vessel in harbor, but jumping into a small skiff, desired to be
pulled alongside the Pharaon, which he reached as she rounded
into La Reserve basin.
When the young man on board saw this person approach, he left his
station by the pilot, and, hat in hand, leaned over the ship’s bulwarks.
by
Alexandre Dumas [Père]
Volume One
Chapter 1
Marseilles — The Arrival.
O
N
THE
24
TH
OF
F
EBRUARY
, 1810, the look-out at Notre-Dame de la
Garde signalled the three-master, the Pharaon from Smyrna, Trieste,
and Naples.
As usual, a pilot put off immediately, and rounding the Chateau
d’If, got on board the vessel between Cape Morgion and Rion island.
Immediately, and according to custom, the ramparts of Fort Saint-
Jean were covered with spectators; it is always an event at Marseilles
for a ship to come into port, especially when this ship, like the
Pharaon, has been built, rigged, and laden at the old Phocee docks,
and belongs to an owner of the city.
3
The Count of Monte Cristo
He was a fine, tall, slim young fellow of eighteen or twenty, with
black eyes, and hair as dark as a raven’s wing; and his whole ap-
pearance bespoke that calmness and resolution peculiar to men
accustomed from their cradle to contend with danger.
“Ah, is it you, Dantes?” cried the man in the skiff. “What’s the
matter? and why have you such an air of sadness aboard?”
“A great misfortune, M. Morrel,” replied the young man, — “a
great misfortune, for me especially! Off Civita Vecchia we lost our
brave Captain Leclere.”
“And the cargo?” inquired the owner, eagerly.
“Is all safe, M. Morrel; and I think you will be satisfied on that
head. But poor Captain Leclere — “
“What happened to him?” asked the owner, with an air of consid-
erable resignation. “What happened to the worthy captain?”
“He died.”
“Fell into the sea?”
“No, sir, he died of brain-fever in dreadful agony.” Then turning
to the crew, he said, “Bear a hand there, to take in sail!”
All hands obeyed, and at once the eight or ten seamen who com-
posed the crew, sprang to their respective stations at the spanker
brails and outhaul, topsail sheets and halyards, the jib downhaul,
and the topsail clewlines and buntlines. The young sailor gave a
look to see that his orders were promptly and accurately obeyed,
and then turned again to the owner.
“And how did this misfortune occur?” inquired the latter, resum-
ing the interrupted conversation.
“Alas, sir, in the most unexpected manner. After a long talk with
the harbor-master, Captain Leclere left Naples greatly disturbed in
mind. In twenty-four hours he was attacked by a fever, and died
three days afterwards. We performed the usual burial service, and
he is at his rest, sewn up in his hammock with a thirty-six pound
shot at his head and his heels, off El Giglio island. We bring to his
widow his sword and cross of honor. It was worth while, truly,”
added the young man with a melancholy smile, “to make war against
the English for ten years, and to die in his bed at last, like everybody
else.”
“Why, you see, Edmond,” replied the owner, who appeared more
comforted at every moment, “we are all mortal, and the old must
make way for the young. If not, why, there would be no promotion;
and since you assure me that the cargo — “
“Is all safe and sound, M. Morrel, take my word for it; and I
advise you not to take 25,000 francs for the profits of the voyage.”
4
Alexandre Dumas
Then, as they were just passing the Round Tower, the young man
shouted: “Stand by there to lower the topsails and jib; brail up the
spanker!”
The order was executed as promptly as it would have been on
board a man-of-war.
“Let go — and clue up!” At this last command all the sails were
lowered, and the vessel moved almost imperceptibly onwards.
“Now, if you will come on board, M. Morrel,” said Dantes, ob-
serving the owner’s impatience, “here is your supercargo, M.
Danglars, coming out of his cabin, who will furnish you with every
particular. As for me, I must look after the anchoring, and dress the
ship in mourning.”
The owner did not wait for a second invitation. He seized a rope
which Dantes flung to him, and with an activity that would have done
credit to a sailor, climbed up the side of the ship, while the young
man, going to his task, left the conversation to Danglars, who now
came towards the owner. He was a man of twenty-five or twenty-six
years of age, of unprepossessing countenance, obsequious to his
superiors, insolent to his subordinates; and this, in addition to his
position as responsible agent on board, which is always obnoxious
to the sailors, made him as much disliked by the crew as Edmond
Dantes was beloved by them.
“Well, M. Morrel,” said Danglars, “you have heard of the misfor-
tune that has befallen us?”
“Yes — yes: poor Captain Leclere! He was a brave and an honest
man.”
“And a first-rate seaman, one who had seen long and honorable
service, as became a man charged with the interests of a house so
important as that of Morrel & Son,” replied Danglars.
“But,” replied the owner, glancing after Dantes, who was watch-
ing the anchoring of his vessel, “it seems to me that a sailor needs
not be so old as you say, Danglars, to understand his business, for
our friend Edmond seems to understand it thoroughly, and not to
require instruction from any one.”
“Yes,” said Danglars, darting at Edmond a look gleaming with hate.
“Yes, he is young, and youth is invariably self-confident. Scarcely was
the captain’s breath out of his body when he assumed the command
without consulting any one, and he caused us to lose a day and a half
at the Island of Elba, instead of making for Marseilles direct.”
“As to taking command of the vessel,” replied Morrel, “that was
his duty as captain’s mate; as to losing a day and a half off the Island
of Elba, he was wrong, unless the vessel needed repairs.”
5
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]