WHEN FRANZ returned to himself, he seemed still to be in a dream. He thought himself in a sepulchre, into which a ray of sunlight in pity scarcely penetrated. He stretched forth his hand, and touched stone; he rose to his seat, and found himself lying on his bournous in a bed of dry heather, very soft and odoriferous. The vision had fled; and as if the statues had been but shadows from the tomb, they had vanished at his waking. He advanced several paces towards the point whence the light came, and to all the excitement of his dream succeeded the calmness of reality. He found that he was in a grotto, went towards the opening, and through a kind of fanlight saw a blue sea and an azure sky. The air and water were shining in the beams of the morning sun; on the shore the sailors were sitting, chatting and laughing; and at ten yards from them the boat was at anchor, undulating gracefully on the water. There for some time he enjoyed the fresh breeze which played on his brow, and listened to the dash of the waves on the beach, that left against the rocks a lace of foam as white as silver. He was for some time without reflection or thought for the divine charm which is in the things of nature, specially after a fantastic dream; then gradually this view of the outer world, so calm, so pure, so grand, reminded him of the illusiveness of his vision, and once more awakened memory. He recalled his arrival on the island, his presentation to a smuggler chief, a subterranean palace full of splendor, an excellent supper, and a spoonful of hashish. It seemed, however, even in the very face of open day, that at least a year had elapsed since all these things had passed, so deep was the impression made in his mind by the dream, and so strong a hold had it taken of his imagination. Thus every now and then he saw in fancy amid the sailors, seated on a rock, or undulating in the vessel, one of the shadows which had shared his dream with looks and kisses. Otherwise, his head was perfectly clear, and his body refreshed; he was free from the slightest headache; on the contrary, he felt a certain degree of lightness, a faculty for absorbing the pure air, and enjoying the bright sunshine more vividly than ever.
He went gayly up to the sailors, who rose as soon as they perceived him; and the patron, accosting him, said, "The Signor Sinbad has left his compliments for your excellency, and desires us to express the regret he feels at not being able to take his leave in person; but he trusts you will excuse him, as very important business calls him to Malaga."
"So, then, Gaetano," said Franz, "this is, then, all reality; there exists a man who has received me in this island, entertained me right royally, and his departed while I was asleep?"
"He exists as certainly as that you may see his small yacht with all her sails spread; and if you will use your glass, you will, in all probability, recognize your host in the midst of his crew." So saying, Gaetano pointed in a direction in which a small vessel was making sail towards the southern point of Corsica. Franz adjusted his telescope, and directed it towards the yacht. Gaetano was not mistaken. At the stern the mysterious stranger was standing up looking towards the shore, and holding a spy-glass in his hand. He was attired as he had been on the previous evening, and waved his pocket-handkerchief to his guest in token of adieu. Franz returned the salute by shaking his handkerchief as an exchange of signals. After a second, a slight cloud of smoke was seen at the stern of the vessel, which rose gracefully as it expanded in the air, and then Franz heard a slight report. "There, do you hear?" observed Gaetano; "he is bidding you adieu." The young man took his carbine and fired it in the air, but without any idea that the noise could be heard at the distance which separated the yacht from the shore.
"What are your excellency's orders?" inquired Gaetano.
"In the first place, light me a torch."
"Ah, yes, I understand," replied the patron, "to find the entrance to the enchanted apartment. With much pleasure, your excellency, if it would amuse you; and I will get you the torch you ask for. But I too have had the idea you have, and two or three times the same fancy has come over me; but I have always given it up. Giovanni, light a torch," he added, "and give it to his excellency."
Giovanni obeyed. Franz took the lamp, and entered the subterranean grotto, followed by Gaetano. He recognized the place where he had awaked by the bed of heather that was there; but it was in vain that he carried his torch all round the exterior surface of the grotto. He saw nothing, unless that, by traces of smoke, others had before him attempted the same thing, and, like him, in vain. Yet he did not leave a foot of this granite wall, as impenetrable as futurity, without strict scrutiny; he did not see a fissure without introducing the blade of his hunting sword into it, or a projecting point on which he did not lean and press in the hopes it would give way. All was vain; and he lost two hours in his attempts, which were at last utterly useless. At the end of this time he gave up his search, and Gaetano smiled.
When Franz appeared again on the shore, the yacht only seemed like a small white speck on the horizon. He looked again through his glass, but even then he could not distinguish anything. Gaetano reminded him that he had come for the purpose of shooting goats, which he had utterly forgotten. He took his fowling-piece, and began to hunt over the island with the air of a man who is fulfilling a duty, rather than enjoying a pleasure; and at the end of a quarter of an hour he had killed a goat and two kids. These animals, though wild and agile as chamois, were too much like domestic goats, and Franz could not consider them as game. Moreover, other ideas, much more enthralling, occupied his mind. Since, the evening before, he had really been the hero of one of the tales of the Thousand and One Nights, and he was irresistibly attracted towards the grotto. Then, in spite of the failure of his first search, he began a second, after having told Gaetano to roast one of the two kids. The second visit was a long one, and when he returned the kid was roasted and the repast ready. Franz was sitting on the spot where he was on the previous evening when his mysterious host had invited him to supper; and he saw the little yacht, now like a sea-gull on the wave, continuing her flight towards Corsica. "Why," he remarked to Gaetano, "you told me that Signor Sinbad was going to Malaga, while it seems he is in the direction of Porto-Vecchio."
"Don't you remember," said the patron, "I told you that among the crew there were two Corsican brigands?"
"True; and he is going to land them," added Franz.
"Precisely so," replied Gaetano. "Ah, he is one who fears neither God nor Satan, they say, and would at any time run fifty leagues out of his course to do a poor devil a service."
"But such services as these might involve him with the authorities of the country in which he practices this kind of philanthropy," said Franz.
"And what cares he for that," replied Gaetano with a laugh, "or any authorities? He smiles at them. Let them try to pursue him! Why, in the first place, his yacht is not a ship, but a bird, and he would beat any frigate three knots in every nine; and if he were to throw himself on the coast, why, is he not certain of finding friends everywhere?"
It was perfectly clear that the Signor Sinbad, Franz's host, had the honor of being on excellent terms with the smugglers and bandits along the whole coast of the Mediterranean, and so enjoyed exceptional privileges. As to Franz, he had no longer any inducement to remain at Monte Cristo. He had lost all hope of detecting the secret of the grotto; he consequently despatched his breakfast, and, his boat being ready, he hastened on board, and they were soon under way. At the moment the boat began her course they lost sight of the yacht, as it disappeared in the gulf of Porto-Vecchio. With it was effaced the last trace of the preceding night; and then supper, Sinbad, hashish, statues,--all became a dream for Franz. The boat sailed on all day and all night, and next morning, when the sun rose, they had lost sight of Monte Cristo. When Franz had once again set foot on shore, he forgot, for the moment at least, the events which had just passed, while he finished his affairs of pleasure at Florence, and then thought of nothing but how he should rejoin his companion, who was awaiting him at Rome.
He set out, and on the Saturday evening reached the Eternal City by the mail-coach. An apartment, as we have said, had been retained beforehand, and thus he had but to go to Signor Pastrini's hotel. But this was not so easy a matter, for the streets were thronged with people, and Rome was already a prey to that low and feverish murmur which precedes all great events; and at Rome there are four great events in every year,--the Carnival, Holy Week, Corpus Christi, and the Feast of St. Peter. All the rest of the year the city is in that state of dull apathy, between life and death, which renders it similar to a kind of station between this world and the next--a sublime spot, a resting-place full of poetry and character, and at which Franz had already halted five or six times, and at each time found it more marvellous and striking. At last he made his way through the mob, which was continually increasing and getting more and more turbulent, and reached the hotel. On his first inquiry he was told, with the impertinence peculiar to hired hackney-coachmen and inn-keepers with their houses full, that there was no room for him at the H?tel de Londres. Then he sent his card to Signor Pastrini, and asked for Albert de Morcerf. This plan succeeded; and Signor Pastrini himself ran to him, excusing himself for having made his excellency wait, scolding the waiters, taking the candlestick from the porter, who was ready to pounce on the traveller and was about to lead him to Albert, when Morcerf himself appeared.
The apartment consisted of two small rooms and a parlor. The two rooms looked onto the street--a fact which Signor Pastrini commented upon as an inappreciable advantage. The rest of the floor was hired by a very rich gentleman who was supposed to be a Sicilian or Maltese; but the host was unable to decide to which of the two nations the traveller belonged. "Very good, signor Pastrini," said Franz; "but we must have some supper instantly, and a carriage for tomorrow and the following days." "As to supper," replied the landlord, "you shall be served immediately; but as for the carriage"--
"What as to the carriage?" exclaimed Albert. "Come, come, Signor Pastrini, no joking; we must have a carriage."
"Sir," replied the host, "we will do all in our power to procure you one--this is all I can say."
"And when shall we know?" inquired Franz.
"To-morrow morning," answered the inn-keeper.
"Oh, the deuce! then we shall pay the more, that's all, I see plainly enough. At Drake's or Aaron's one pays twenty-five lire for common days, and thirty or thirty-five lire a day more for Sundays and feast days; add five lire a day more for extras, that will make forty, and there's an end of it."
"I am afraid if we offer them double that we shall not procure a carriage."
"Then they must put horses to mine. It is a little worse for the journey, but that's no matter."
"There are no horses." Albert looked at Franz like a man who hears a reply he does not understand.
"Do you understand that, my dear Franz--no horses?" he said, "but can't we have post-horses?"
"They have been all hired this fortnight, and there are none left but those absolutely requisite for posting."
"What are we to say to this?" asked Franz.
"I say, that when a thing completely surpasses my comprehension, I am accustomed not to dwell on that thing, but to pass to another. Is supper ready, Signor Pastrini?"
"Yes, your excellency."
"Well, then, let us sup."
"But the carriage and horses?" said Franz.
当弗兰兹醒来的时候，外界的景物似乎成了他梦的延续。
他以为自己是躺在一个坟墓里，一缕阳光象一道怜悯的眼光似的从外面透进来。他伸出手去，触着了石头。他坐起身来，发觉自己和衣躺在一张非常柔软而芳香的干芰草所铺成的床上。幻景完全消失了。他向光线透进来的那个地方走前几步，在梦的兴奋激动过后，跟着就来了现实的宁静，发觉自己是在一个岩洞里，他向洞口走去，透过一座拱形的门廊，他看到一片蔚蓝色的海和一片淡青色的天空，空气和海水在清晨的阳光里闪闪发光，水手们坐在海滩上，在那儿叽哩咕噜地谈笑着，离他们十码远的地方，静静的停着那艘小船。他在洞口站了一会儿，尽情地享受着那拂过他额头的清新的微风，倾听着那卷到海滩上来的、在岩石四周留下一圈白色泡沫波浪的轻微拍击声。此时他让自己完全沉醉在大自然的圣洁妩媚里了，一切回忆和思虑都抛在了一边，当人们在一场迷乱的怪梦以后，通常总是这样的；于是，眼前的这个宁静，纯洁，宏伟的现实世界渐渐的向他证实了梦的虚幻，他开始回忆起来。他想起了自己是怎样到达这个小岛，怎样被介绍给了一个走私贩子的首领，怎样进入了一座富丽堂皇的地下宫殿，怎样享用了一顿山珍海味的晚餐，怎样咽下了一匙大麻。但是，面对着白天，所经过的这一切如是一年以前发生的事情一般，那个梦在他的脑子里所留下的印象是这样的深刻，在他的想象里所占据的位置是这样的重要。他不时地在幻想中，看到梦中垂青于他并投以香吻的女仙中的一个在水手中；时而幻想着看到她坐在岩石上，时而坐在船里，随着船儿左右摇摆。除了这一点以外，他的头脑却十分清醒，他的身体也已完全从疲劳中恢复了过来。他的头脑毫无迟钝的感觉，相反的，他却感觉相当轻松，他从来没象现在这样尽情地呼吸清新的空气或欣赏明媚的阳光。
他兴冲冲地向水手们走过去，他们一看见他，就马上站起来，船长招呼他说：“辛巴德先生留言向您致意，他不能亲自向您告别，托我们转达他的歉意，但他相信您一定会原谅他的，因为有非常重要的大事召他到马拉加去了。”
“那么，盖太诺，”弗兰兹说，“这一切，那么，都是真的了？这个岛上真有一个人请我去过，极其殷勤地款待过我，而在我睡着的时候走了，是吗？”
“真得不能更真啦，您还可以看到他那艘扯着满帆的小游艇呢。假如您拿您的望远镜来观看，你多半还能在他的船员之中认出您的那个东道主哩。”
说着，盖太诺就向一个方向指了指，果然那儿有一艘小帆船正在扬帆向科西嘉的南端驶去。弗兰兹调正了一下他的望远镜，向所指的那个方向望去。盖太诺没有说错。在那艘船的尾部，那位神秘的陌生人也正在拿着一个望远镜，向岸边望来。他还是穿着昨天晚上的那套衣服，正舞着他的手帕向客人告别，弗兰兹也同样地挥舞着他的手回答他的敬意。过了一会儿，帆船的尾部发出了一蓬轻烟，象一朵白云似的升到了空中散了开来，接着弗兰兹就听到了一下隐约的炮声。“喏，你听到了吗？”盖太诺说，“他在向你告别呢。”青年拿起他的枪来，向空中放了一枪，也不去多想枪声是否能从岸上边传到这一大段距离而被游艇上的人听到。
“先生您有什么吩咐？”盖太诺问道。
“啊，是有，我懂了，”船长高声回答说，“您是要去寻那间魔室的进口，遵命，先生，只要您高兴，我就把火把给您拿来。我也有过您这样的念头，也这样想过两三次，但最后还是放弃了这个念头。琪奥凡尼，去点一支火把来，”他又说，“拿来给先生。”
琪奥尼遵命照办。弗兰兹拿着火把走进了地下岩洞，后面跟着盖太诺。他认得他睡觉的地方，那张芰草铺成的床还在那儿，但他虽然用火把照遍了岩洞的上下左右，却仍是枉然。除了一些煤烟的痕迹，别的他什么也看不到，这些煤烟的痕迹是前人作这种同样尝试的结果，而象他一样，他们也扑了一个空。可是，这些象“未来”一样难以渗透的花岗石壁，他把别的地方都仔仔细细的检查过了。他每看到一线裂缝，就用那把剑的剑锋插进去撬，每看到一块凸出地面的地方，就去撞去推，希望它会陷进去。但一切都毫无用处，他费了两个钟头来检查，结果是一无所得。最后，他放弃了搜索，盖太诺胜利了。
当弗兰兹又回到岸边的时候，那艘游艇已经象是地平线上的一个小白点了。他又拿起望远镜来看，但即便从望远镜里看出去，他也分辨不出什么东西了。盖太诺提醒他，他原是为猎山羊而来的，这一点他可完全忘记了。他这才拿起猎枪，开始在岛上打起猎来，从神色上看，他倒象是在了却一种责任而不象在寻欢作乐，一刻钟内，他已猎杀了一只大山羊和两只小山羊。这些动物虽然是野生的，而且敏捷得象羚羊一样，但实在太象家养的山羊了，所以弗兰兹认为这不能算是打猎。而且还有其他更有力的念头占据着他的脑子。自从昨天傍晚以来，他已真的变成《一千零一夜》神话里的角色之一了，他身不由己地又被吸引到岩洞面前。他叫盖太诺在两只小山羊里挑一只来烤着吃，然后，不顾第一次的失败，他又开始了第二次搜索。这第二次花了很长的时间，当他回来的时候，小山羊已经烤熟了，大家正在等他用餐了。弗兰兹坐在前一天晚上他那位神秘的东道主来邀他去用晚餐的地方，看到那艘小游艇现在象是一只在海面上的海鸥，继续向科西嘉飞去。
“咦，”他对盖太诺说，“你告诉我说辛巴德先生是到马拉加去。但在我看来，他倒是笔直地在向韦基奥港去呀。”
“您不记得了吗，”船长说，“我告诉过您船员里面还有两个科西嘉强盗呢。”
“对的了！他要送他们上岸吗？”
“一点不错，”盖太诺答道。“他们说，他这个人是天不怕地不怕的，随时都会多绕一百五十哩路给一个可怜虫帮一次忙。”
“但这样的帮忙一定会连累到他自己的呀，他在一个地方实行这种博爱主义，那么地方当局不是找他麻烦吗？”弗兰兹说道。
“哦，”盖太诺大笑着回答说。“他还怕什么当局？他嘲笑他们，让他们去追他试试看吧！嘿，第一，他那艘游艇就不是一条船，而是一只鸟，不论什么巡逻船，每走十二海里就得被他超出三海里，假如他到了岸上，嘿，他不是到处都肯定会找得到朋友的吗？”
从这一番话中就可以知道，弗兰兹的东道主辛巴德翻天覆地显然和地中海沿岸的走私贩子和强盗都保持着极其友善的关系，单是这点就使他显得够奇特的了，至于弗兰兹，他已丝毫不再想在基督山逗留了。他对于探索岩洞的秘密已感到毫无希望了。所以匆匆用完早餐，急忙上了船，他的船本来就已准备好了，他们不久便开船了。当小船开始它的航程的时候，他们已望不到那艘游艇了，因为它已消失在韦基奥港的港湾里了。随着它的消失，昨天晚上最后的痕迹也渐渐地抹去了，晚餐，辛巴德，大麻，石像，这一节全都被埋葬在同一个梦里了。小船整日整夜地前进着，第二天早晨，当太阳升起来的时候，他们已望不见基督山岛了。弗兰兹登岸以后，先前所经历过的种种事情都被他暂时忘记，他把他在佛罗伦萨寻欢作乐的事情告一段落，然后一心一意地设想着怎样再同那位在罗马等他的朋友相会。于是他就乘车出发，在星期六傍晚到达了邮局旁边的杜阿纳广场。我们已经说过，房间是事先预定了的，所以他只要到派里尼老板的旅馆去就得了。但这可不是一件容易的事，因为街上挤满了人，到处都已充满了粗鄙狂热的街谈巷议，这是罗马每件大事以前常有的现象。罗马每年有四件大事——狂欢节，复活节，圣体瞻礼节和圣·彼得节。一年中其余的日子，全城都在一种不死不活阴沉清冷的状态之中，看来象是阳世和阴世之间的一个中间站，是一个超尘绝俗的地点，一个充满着诗意和特色的安息地，弗兰兹曾来此小住过五六次，而每次总发觉它比以前更神奇妙绝。他终于从那不断地愈来愈多，愈来愈兴奋的人群中挤出来，到了旅馆里。最初一问，侍者就用车夫生意很忙和旅馆已经客满时那种特有的傲慢神气告诉他，伦敦旅馆已经没收有他住的份儿了。于是他拿出名片来，求见派里尼老板和阿尔贝·马尔塞夫。这一着很成功，派里尼老板亲自跑出来迎接他，一面道歉失迎，一面责骂那侍者，一面又从那准备招揽旅客的向导手里接过蜡烛台。
当他正要领他去见阿尔贝的时候，阿尔贝却自己出来了。
他们的寓所包括两个小房间和一个套间。那两间卧室是朝向大街的，这一点，派里尼老板认为是一个无可评价的优点。这层楼上其它的房间都被一位非常有钱的绅士租去了，他大概是一个西西里人或马耳他人；但这位旅客究竟是哪个地方的人，旅馆老板也不能确定。
“好极了，派里尼老板，”弗兰兹说，“但我们必须立刻用晚餐，从明天起给我们雇一辆马车。”
“晚餐嘛，”旅馆老板回答说，“马上就可以给两位拿来。只是马车”
“马车怎么了？”阿尔贝大声叫道，“喂，喂，派里尼老板，别开玩笑了，我们一定要有一辆马车才行呀。”
“阁下，”店主回答说，“我们尽力给您去找就是了，我只能这样说。”
“我们什么时候才能知道呢？”弗兰兹问道。
“明天早晨。”旅馆老板回答说。
“噢，见鬼！”阿尔贝说，“那么我们得多付一点钱了，不过如此而已。我早就看明白了。在德雷克和亚隆，平常日子租一辆马车只要二十五法朗，可到了星期天和节日就要三十或三十五法郎，外加五法郎的小费，加起来就是四十了，那就了结啦。”
“我怕，”店主说道，“即使您给他们两倍于那个数目的钱，那些先生也无法给你找到一辆马车。”
“那么叫他们把马套到我的车子上来好了，”阿尔贝说道。”我的车子坐起来虽然并不十分舒服，但那也没关系了。”
“连马也没有。”
阿尔贝望着弗兰兹，象是不懂这句回答是什么意思似的。
“你听见了吗，我亲爱的弗兰兹？连马也没有！”他又说，“难道我们就不能租用驿马吗？”
“驿马在这两周内早已租光了，留下来的几匹都是应急用的。”
“这件事你说怎么办才好呢？”弗兰兹问道。
“我说当一件事情完全超出我的理解力之外的时候，我不愿去钻牛角尖，而情愿去想想另外的事，晚餐好了吗，派里尼老板？”
“好了，先生。”
“好吧，那么，我们来用晚餐吧。”
“但那车和马怎么办呢？”弗兰兹说道。
“放心吧，我的好孩子，到时候它们自然会来的。问题只在于我们要花多少钱而已。”
马尔塞夫相信只要有了一只鼓鼓的钱袋和支票本，天下就不会有办不到的事情，他就抱着那种令人钦佩的哲学用完了餐，然后爬上床，呼呼地睡着了，他做了一个梦，梦到自己乘着一辆六匹马拉的轿车在度狂欢节。