The Count of Monte Cristo, Part One. Александр Дюма
Читать онлайн книгу.
be no progress—now, Edmond, let us see the invoices.
EDMOND
Hold on, here right now is Mr. Danglars, your accountant, who is just leaving his cabin and who will give you all the receipts you could want. As for me, Mr. Morel, with your permission, I need to oversee the anchoring and put the boat in ship-shape.
MOREL
Go, my friend, go.
(Edmond goes off.)
MOREL
(aside)
There’s a worthy and honest young man. If he doesn’t prosper, there is no justice in heaven.
DANGLARS
An irreparable misfortune, sir, that is the word. Where will we find his like again? An old sailor like him—admirably suited to be entrusted with the interests of a firm as important as yours.
MOREL
I believe you exaggerate, Danglars, not the loss we have suffered, but the difficulty we will have in repairing it. There’s no necessity to be an old sailor, you see, to know his job—and we have Dantès, who does his without the need to consult anyone.
DANGLARS
(with irritation)
Yes, yes, he’s young—and he doesn’t doubt himself—still, hardly had Captain Leclere died than he took command of the Pharaoh and cost us a day and a half at Elba instead of returning directly to Marseille.
MOREL
As to taking command of the boat, that was his duty as Chief Mate and he was right to do so. But as for wasting a day and a half at Elba—he was wrong unless the ship needed repairs.
DANGLARS
The boat was as well as I am and as I hope you are, Mr. Morel. And the day and a half was lost from pure caprice, for the pleasure of going ashore.
MOREL
You are certain?
DANGLARS
By Jove, I am!
MOREL
(turning)
Dantès! Come here, if you would.
EDMOND
Pardon, Monsieur Morel, I will be with you in a moment.
(ordering)
Lower the flag to half mast. Put the flagstaff down. Cross the yards.
DANGLARS
You see, he already thinks he is captain, my word of honor.
MOREL
It’s all but done.
DANGLARS
Yes, save for your signature, Mr. Morel.
MOREL
Damnation, why shouldn’t I let him have the position? He’s young, I am aware, but despite his youth, he appears to me to be very experienced in his job.
DANGLARS
You find him so?
(Edmond comes in.)
EDMOND
There—now that the ship is anchored here, I am all yours. You called me, I believe?
MOREL
Yes, my friend. I wanted to ask you why you stopped at the Isle of Elba?
EDMOND
I myself do not know, sir.
MOREL
What—you don’t know?
EDMOND
Yes, it was to complete the list of recommendations of Captain Leclere who, dying, gave me a package for the Grand Marshal.
MOREL
You saw him, Edmond?
EDMOND
Who?
MOREL
The Grand Marshal.
EDMOND
Yes.
MOREL
Hush! And how is the Emperor?
EDMOND
Very well, sire, so far as I could judge by my eyes.
MOREL
You saw the Emperor, too?
EDMOND
He came to the home of the Marshal while I was there.
MOREL
And you spoke with him, Dantès?
EDMOND
Say rather he spoke to me, sir.
MOREL
What did he say to you?
EDMOND
He asked me some questions about the ship from the time of its departure from Marseille, the route it took and the cargo it carried. I think that if it had been empty and if I had been the master of this boat, his intention was to buy it, but I told him I was simply second in command and the boat belonged to the Morels of Marseille, “Oh, oh! The Morels,” he said, “I know them. They are owners from father to son, and there was a Morel who served in the same regiment with me while I was in garrison at Valence.”
MOREL
By God, that’s true, Dantès! That Morel—it was my Uncle Policar, who has since become Captain. Edmond, you will tell my Uncle that the Emperor remembered him and you will see him cry, the old grumbler. Come, come, you have done well to follow the instructions of Captain Leclere. But, if it became known you had spoken to the Emperor that could compromise you.
EDMOND
How could it compromise me, sir? I don’t know even what I brought, and the Emperor only questioned me in a way he would anyone. But pardon, here comes the customs officer who’s making everything go helter-skelter, as he usually does. You will excuse me, won’t you?
MOREL
Go ahead, go ahead.
EDMOND
Wait, gentlemen! Wait!
(Edmond goes to the customs officers.)
DANGLARS
(approaching)
Well, Mr. Morel, he gave you good reasons for his stop at Porto Ferraio, it appears?
MOREL
Excellent ones, my dear, Mr. Danglars.
EDMOND
Ah! So much the better! It’s always unfortunate to have a comrade who doesn’t know his duty.
MOREL
Dantès knows his, Danglars, and it was Captain Leclere who ordered this release.
DANGLARS
Apropos of Captain Leclere, didn’t he give you a letter from him?
MOREL
Who? Dantès?
DANGLARS
Yes.
MOREL
For me? No, was there one?
DANGLARS
I thought when he was dying, besides the package, the Captain had given him a letter and I thought the letter was for you.
MOREL
Besides the package.
DANGLARS
The one Dantès took to Porto Ferraio.
MOREL