Part 4 (2/2)
Having acquitted theed a hearty shake of the hand with Edlars and Caderousse took their places beside Fernand and old Dantes,--the latter of whom attracted universal notice The oldwatered silk, trimmed with steel buttons, beautifully cut and polished His thin but wiry legs were arrayed in a pair of richly elishstrea, supporting hied countenance lit up with happiness, looking for all the world like one of the aged dandies of 1796, parading the newly opened gardens of the Tuileries and Luxelided Caderousse, whose desire to partake of the good things provided for the wedding-party had induced hih there still lingered in his mind a faint and unperfect recollection of the events of the preceding night; just as the brain retains on waking in the lars approached the disappointed lover, he cast on hi, while Fernand, as he slowly paced behind the happy pair, who seeotten that such a being as himself existed, was pale and abstracted; occasionally, however, a deep flush would overspread his countenance, and a nervous contraction distort his features, while, with an agitated and restless gaze, he would glance in the direction of Marseilles, like one who either anticipated or foresaw soreat and ily, clad in the dress peculiar to the merchant service--a costuarb; and with his fine countenance, radiant with joy and happiness, a ined
Lovely as the Greek girls of Cyprus or Chios, Mercedes boasted the sa eyes of jet, and ripe, round, coral lips She ht, free step of an Arlesienne or an Andalusian One reat cities would have hid her blushes beneath a veil, or, at least, have cast down her thickly fringed lashes, so as to have concealed the liquid lustre of her aniirl looked around her with a smile that seemed to say: ”If you are my friends, rejoice with me, for I aht of La Reserve, M Morrel descended and came forth to meet it, followed by the soldiers and sailors there asseiven, that Dantes should be the successor to the late Captain Leclere Edmond, at the approach of his patron, respectfully placed the arm of his affianced bride within that of M Morrel, who, forthwith conducting her up the flight of wooden steps leading to the chaayly followed by the guests, beneath whose heavy tread the slight structure creaked and groaned for the space of severalwhen she had reached the centre of the table, ”sit, I pray you, on ht hand; on my left I will place hi with a soft and gentle smile to Fernand; but her words and look seemed to inflict the direst torture on hihastly pale, and even beneath the dark hue of his coh so this time, Dantes, at the opposite side of the table, had been occupied in siuests M Morrel was seated at his right hand, Danglars at his left; while, at a sign froed thean to pass around the dusky, piquant, Arlesian sausages, and lobsters in their dazzling red cuirasses, prawns of large size and brilliant color, the echinus with its prickly outside and dainty morsel within, the clovis, estee the exquisite flavor of the oyster,--all the delicacies, in fact, that are cast up by the wash of waters on the sandy beach, and styled by the grateful fishermen ”fruits of the sea”
”A pretty silence truly!” said the old father of the bride-groolass of wine of the hue and brightness of the topaz, and which had just been placed before Mercedes herself ”Noould anybody think that this roo better than to laugh and dance the hours away?”
”Ah,” sighed Caderousse, ”a man cannot always feel happy because he is about to be married”
”The truth is,” replied Dantes, ”that I am too happy for noisy mirth; if that is what you ht; joy takes a strange effect at times, it seelars looked towards Fernand, whose excitable nature received and betrayed each fresh impression
”Why, what ails you?” asked he of Ed evil? I should say that you were the happiestthat alarms me,” returned Dantes ”Man does not appear to me to be intended to enjoy felicity so unmixed; happiness is like the enchanted palaces we read of in our childhood, where fierce, fiery dragons defend the entrance and approach; andto be overcome ere victory is ours I own that I am lost in wonder to find myself promoted to an honor of which I feelthe husband of Mercedes”
”Nay, nay!” cried Caderousse, s, ”you have not attained that honor yet Mercedes is not yet your wife Just assume the tone and manner of a husband, and see how she will remind you that your hour is not yet come!”
The bride blushed, while Fernand, restless and uneasy, seemed to start at every fresh sound, and froe drops of perspiration that gathered on his brow
”Well, never hbor Caderousse; it is not worth while to contradict me for such a trifle as that 'Tis true that Mercedes is not actuallyout his watch, ”in an hour and a half she will be”
A general exclamation of surprise ran round the table, with the exception of the elder Dantes, whose laugh displayed the still perfect beauty of his large white teeth Mercedes looked pleased and gratified, while Fernand grasped the handle of his knife with a convulsive clutch
”In an hour?” inquired Danglars, turning pale ”How is that, my friend?”
”Why, thus it is,” replied Dantes ”Thanks to the influence of M Morrel, to who I enjoy, every difficulty his been removed We have purchased permission to waive the usual delay; and at half-past two o'clock thefor us at the city hall Now, as a quarter-past one has already struck, I do not consider I have asserted too , that, in another hour and thirty minutes Mercedes will have beco sensation passed across his brow, and he was co from his chair; but in spite of all his efforts, he could not refrain froroan, which, however, was lost amid the noisy felicitations of the company
”Upon my word,” cried the old man, ”you make short work of this kind of affair Arrived here only yesterday , and oing the quick way to work!”
”But,” asked Danglars, in a tie about the other formalities--the contract--the settlely, ”it didn't take long to fix that Mercedes has no fortune; I have none to settle on her So, you see, our papers were quickly written out, and certainly do not come very expensive” This joke elicited a fresh burst of applause
”So that e presumed to bedinner!” said Danglars
”No, no,” answered Dantes; ”don't i to put you off in that shabby o, and the sae the commission intrusted to me, is all the time I shall be absent I shall be back here by the first of March, and on the second I give e feast”
This prospect of fresh festivity redoubled the hilarity of the guests to such a degree, that the elder Dantes, who, at the commencement of the repast, had commented upon the silence that prevailed, now found it difficult, aeneral din of voices, to obtain a moment's tranquillity in which to drink to the health and prosperity of the bride and bride-grooerness of his father, responded by a look of grateful pleasure; while Mercedes glanced at the clock and esture to Edned that noisy hilarity which usually prevails at such a ti people sufficiently free from the demands of social position not to feel the trammels of etiquette Such as at the commencement of the repast had not been able to seat the to their inclination rose uncerereeable co for a reply and each one seehts
Fernand's paleness appeared to have colars As for Fernand hi the tortures of the da the first to quit the table, and, as though seeking to avoid the hilarioussounds, he continued, in utter silence, to pace the farther end of the salon
Caderousse approached hilars, whom Fernand seemed most anxious to avoid, had joined him in a corner of the room
”Upon my word,” said Caderousse, from whose mind the friendly treatment of Dantes, united with the effect of the excellent wine he had partaken of, had effaced every feeling of envy or jealousy at Dantes' good fortune,--”upon ood fellow, and when I see hi there beside his pretty wife that is so soon to be I cannot help thinking it would have been a great pity to have served hi yesterday”
”Oh, there was no harlars; ”at first I certainly did feel soht be tempted to do; but when I sa cos, even so far as to become one of his rival's attendants, I knew there was no further cause for apprehension” Caderousse looked full at Fernand--he was ghastly pale
”Certainly,” continued Danglars, ”the sacrifice was no trifling one, when the beauty of the bride is concerned Upon ! Gad, I only wish he would let me take his place”
”Shall we not set forth?” asked the sweet, silvery voice of Mercedes; ”two o'clock has just struck, and you knoe are expected in a quarter of an hour”
”To be sure!--to be sure!” cried Dantes, eagerly quitting the table; ”let us go directly!”
His words were re-echoed by the whole party, with vociferous cheers
At thisevery change in Fernand's look and er and fall back, with an alainst a seat placed near one of the open s At the saht a sort of indistinct sound on the stairs, followed by theof swords and military accoutrements; then came a hum and buzz as of many voices, so as to deaden even the noisyof curiosity and apprehension quelled every disposition to talk, and almost instantaneously the most deathlike stillness prevailed
The sounds drew nearer Three bloere struck upon the panel of the door The company looked at each other in consternation
”I demand admittance,” said a loud voice outside the room, ”in the name of the law!” As no atteistrate, wearing his official scarf, presented himself, followed by four soldiers and a corporal Uneasiness now yielded to the most extreme dread on the part of those present
”May I venture to inquire the reason of this unexpected visit?” said M Morrel, addressing the istrate, whom he evidently knew; ”there is doubtless some mistake easily explained”
”If it be so,” replied themade; h I nedthe persons here assembled answers to the na itation he could not but feel, advanced with dignity, and said, in a firm voice, ”I am he; what is your pleasure with istrate, ”I arrest you in the na color, ”and wherefore, I pray?”
”I cannot inform you, but you will be duly acquainted with the reasons that have rendered such a step necessary at the preliminary examination”
M Morrel felt that further resistance or reated to enforce the law, and perfectly well knew that it would be as unavailing to seek pity froistrate decked with his official scarf, as to address a petition to so forward There are situations which the heart of a father or a mother cannot be made to understand He prayed and supplicated in terh fir of you to callected soo, and it is iven the infor the health of his crew, or the value of his freight”
”What is the lars, who had assumed an air of utter surprise
”How can I tell you?” replied he; ”I a on, and cannot in the least make out what it is about” Caderousse then looked around for Fernand, but he had disappeared
The scene of the previous night now ca clearness The painful catastrophe he had just witnessed appeared effectually to have rent away the veil which the intoxication of the evening before had raised between himself and hisvoice, to Danglars, ”this, then, I suppose, is a part of the trick you were concerting yesterday? All I can say is, that if it be so, 'tis an ill turn, and well deserves to bring double evil on those who have projected it”
”Nonsense,” returned Danglars, ”I tell you again I have nothing whatever to do with it; besides, you know very well that I tore the paper to pieces”
”No, you did not!” answered Caderousse, ”youin a corner”
”Hold your tongue, you fool!--what should you know about it?--why, you were drunk!”