Volume II Part 1 (1/2)
The Son of Monte-Cristo
Volume II
by Alexandre Dumas pere
CHAPTER I
FANFARO'S ADVENTURES
Spero, the son of Monte-Cristo, was peacefully sleeping in another roo-room of Fanfaro's house, were Monte-Cristo, Miss Clary, Madame Caraman, Coucou, and Albert de Morcerf, ready to listen to the story of Fanfaro's adventures, which, as narrated at the close of the preceding volu is Fanfaro's narrative:
It was about the middle of Dece the road which leads through the Black Forest fro The rider was abrown overcoat, reaching to his knees, and shoes fastened with steel buckles
His powdered hair was combed back and tied with a black band, while his head was covered with a cap that had a projecting peak The evening came, and darkness spread over the valley: the Black Forest had not received its na there stands a lonely hill, named the Emperor's Chair Dark masses of basalt forreens stretch their branches protectingly over the hill A freshtrees, and the north wind is in eternal battle with this giant, which it bends but can never break
Pierre Labarre, the solitary horseereuse, and the darker the road became the more uncomfortable he felt He continually spurred on his horse, but the tired aniainst tree roots which lined the narrow path
”Quick, Margotte,” said Pierre to the animal, ”you kno anxiously we are awaited, and besides we are the bearers of good news”
The aniain at a smart pace, and for a tiht, the stored fiercer and fiercer, and the roar of the distant river sounded like the tolling of church-bells
Pierre had now reached a hill, upon which century-old lindens stretched their leafless branches toward heaven; the road parted at this point, and the rider suddenly reined in his horse One of the paths led to Breisach, the other to Gundebfingen Pierre rose in the stirrups and cautiously glanced about, but then he shook his head and , and yet I thought I heard the clatter of a horse's hoofs”
He mechanically put his hand in his breast-pocket and nodded his head in a satisfied way
”The portfolio is still in the right place,” he whispered ”Forward, Margotte--we et under shelter”
But just as the steed was about to start, the rider again heard the sound of a horse's hoofs on the frozen ground, and in a twinkling a horse bounded past Pierre like the wind It was the second rider who had rushed past the servant at such a rapid gait
Pierre was not superstitious, yet he felt his heart ends about spectres rose up in his mind Perhaps the rider was the wild huntsman of whom he had heard so much, or as more likely, it was no spectre, but a robber
This last possibility frightened Pierre veryHe cocked the trigger and continued on his hile he e, old boy; if it should come to the worst you will kill your man”
Pierre rode on une hi in less than half an hour Suddenly a report was heard, and Pierre uttered a hollow groan A bullet had struck his breast
Bending with pain over his horse's neck he looked about The bushes parted and aforth and rushed upon the servant The moment he put his hand on the horse's rein, Pierre raised hiry voice exclaimed:
”Not so quickly, bandits!”
At the same moment he aimed his pistol and fired The bandit uttered a round as Pierre had expected He disappeared in the darkness A second shot fired after him struck in the nearest tree, and Pierre swore roundly