THE EVENING passed on; Madame de Villefort expressed a desire to return to Paris, which Madame Danglars had not dared to do, notwithstanding the uneasiness she experienced. On his wife's request, M. de Villefort was the first to give the signal of departure. He offered a seat in his landau to Madame Danglars, that she might be under the care of his wife. As for M. Danglars, absorbed in an interesting conversation with M. Cavalcanti, he paid no attention to anything that was passing. While Monte Cristo had begged the smelling-bottle of Madame de Villefort, he had noticed the approach of Villefort to Madame Danglars, and he soon guessed all that had passed between them, though the words had been uttered in so low a voice as hardly to be heard by Madame Danglars. Without opposing their arrangements, he allowed Morrel, Chateau-Renaud, and Debray to leave on horseback, and the ladies in M. de Villefort's carriage. Danglars, more and more delighted with Major Cavalcanti, had offered him a seat in his carriage. Andrea Cavalcanti found his tilbury waiting at the door; the groom, in every respect a caricature of the English fashion, was standing on tiptoe to hold a large iron-gray horse.
Andrea had spoken very little during dinner; he was an intelligent lad, and he feared to utter some absurdity before so many grand people, amongst whom, with dilating eyes, he saw the king's attorney. Then he had been seized upon by Danglars, who, with a rapid glance at the stiff-necked old major and his modest son, and taking into consideration the hospitality of the count, made up his mind that he was in the society of some nabob come to Paris to finish the worldly education of his heir. He contemplated with unspeakable delight the large diamond which shone on the major's little finger; for the major, like a prudent man, in case of any accident happening to his bank-notes, had immediately converted them into an available asset. Then, after dinner, on the pretext of business, he questioned the father and son upon their mode of living; and the father and son, previously informed that it was through Danglars the one was to receive his 48,000 francs and the other 50,000 livres annually, were so full of affability that they would have shaken hands even with the banker's servants, so much did their gratitude need an object to expend itself upon. One thing above all the rest heightened the respect, nay almost the veneration, of Danglars for Cavalcanti. The latter, faithful to the principle of Horace, nil admirari, had contented himself with showing his knowledge by declaring in what lake the best lampreys were caught. Then he had eaten some without saying a word more; Danglars, therefore, concluded that such luxuries were common at the table of the illustrious descendant of the Cavalcanti, who most likely in Lucca fed upon trout brought from Switzerland, and lobsters sent from England, by the same means used by the count to bring the lampreys from Lake Fusaro, and the sterlet from the Volga. Thus it was with much politeness of manner that he heard Cavalcanti pronounce these words, "To-morrow, sir, I shall have the honor of waiting upon you on business."
"And I, sir," said Danglars, "shall be most happy to receive you." Upon which he offered to take Cavalcanti in his carriage to the H?tel des Princes, if it would not be depriving him of the company of his son. To this Cavalcanti replied by saying that for some time past his son had lived independently of him, that he had his own horses and carriages, and that not having come together, it would not be difficult for them to leave separately. The major seated himself, therefore, by the side of Danglars, who was more and more charmed with the ideas of order and economy which ruled this man, and yet who, being able to allow his son 60,000 francs a year, might be supposed to possess a fortune of 500,000 or 600,000 livres.
As for Andrea, he began, by way of showing off, to scold his groom, who, instead of bringing the tilbury to the steps of the house, had taken it to the outer door, thus giving him the trouble of walking thirty steps to reach it. The groom heard him with humility, took the bit of the impatient animal with his left hand, and with the right held out the reins to Andrea, who, taking them from him, rested his polished boot lightly on the step. At that moment a hand touched his shoulder. The young man turned round, thinking that Danglars or Monte Cristo had forgotten something they wished to tell him, and had returned just as they were starting. But instead of either of these, he saw nothing but a strange face, sunburnt, and encircled by a beard, with eyes brilliant as carbuncles, and a smile upon the mouth which displayed a perfect set of white teeth, pointed and sharp as the wolf's or jackal's. A red handkerchief encircled his gray head; torn and filthy garments covered his large bony limbs, which seemed as though, like those of a skeleton, they would rattle as he walked; and the hand with which he leaned upon the young man's shoulder, and which was the first thing Andrea saw, seemed of gigantic size. Did the young man recognize that face by the light of the lantern in his tilbury, or was he merely struck with the horrible appearance of his interrogator? We cannot say; but only relate the fact that he shuddered and stepped back suddenly. "What do you want of me?" he asked.
"Pardon me, my friend, if I disturb you," said the man with the red handkerchief, "but I want to speak to you."
"You have no right to beg at night," said the groom, endeavoring to rid his master of the troublesome intruder.
"I am not begging, my fine fellow," said the unknown to the servant, with so ironical an expression of the eye, and so frightful a smile, that he withdrew; "I only wish to say two or three words to your master, who gave me a commission to execute about a fortnight ago."
"Come," said Andrea, with sufficient nerve for his servant not to perceive his agitation, "what do you want? Speak quickly, friend."
The man said, in a low voice: "I wish--I wish you to spare me the walk back to Paris. I am very tired, and as I have not eaten so good a dinner as you, I can scarcely stand." The young man shuddered at this strange familiarity. "Tell me," he said--"tell me what you want?"
"Well, then, I want you to take me up in your fine carriage, and carry me back." Andrea turned pale, but said nothing.
"Yes," said the man, thrusting his hands into his pockets, and looking impudently at the youth; "I have taken the whim into my head; do you understand, Master Benedetto?"
At this name, no doubt, the young man reflected a little, for he went towards his groom, saying, "This man is right; I did indeed charge him with a commission, the result of which he must tell me; walk to the barrier, there take a cab, that you may not be too late." The surprised groom retired. "Let me at least reach a shady spot," said Andrea.
"Oh, as for that, I'll take you to a splendid place," said the man with the handkerchief; and taking the horse's bit he led the tilbury where it was certainly impossible for any one to witness the honor that Andrea conferred upon him.
"Don't think I want the glory of riding in your fine carriage," said he; "oh, no, it's only because I am tired, and also because I have a little business to talk over with you."
"Come, step in," said the young man. It was a pity this scene had not occurred in daylight, for it was curious to see this rascal throwing himself heavily down on the cushion beside the young and elegant driver of the tilbury. Andrea drove past the last house in the village without saying a word to his companion, who smiled complacently, as though well-pleased to find himself travelling in so comfortable a vehicle. Once out of Auteuil, Andrea looked around, in order to assure himself that he could neither be seen nor heard, and then, stopping the horse and crossing his arms before the man, he asked,--"Now, tell me why you come to disturb my tranquillity?"
"Let me ask you why you deceived me?"
"How have I deceived you?"
"'How,' do you ask? When we parted at the Pont du Var, you told me you were going to travel through Piedmont and Tuscany; but instead of that, you come to Paris."
"How does that annoy you?"
"It does not; on the contrary, I think it will answer my purpose."
"So," said Andrea, "you are speculating upon me?"
"What fine words he uses!"
"I warn you, Master Caderousse, that you are mistaken."
"Well, well, don't be angry, my boy; you know well enough what it is to be unfortunate; and misfortunes make us jealous. I thought you were earning a living in Tuscany or Piedmont by acting as facchino or cicerone, and I pitied you sincerely, as I would a child of my own. You know I always did call you my child."
"Come, come, what then?"
"Patience--patience!"
"I am patient, but go on."
"All at once I see you pass through the barrier with a groom, a tilbury, and fine new clothes. You must have discovered a mine, or else become a stockbroker."
"So that, as you confess, you are jealous?"
"No, I am pleased--so pleased that I wished to congratulate you; but as I am not quite properly dressed, I chose my opportunity, that I might not compromise you."
"Yes, and a fine opportunity you have chosen!" exclaimed Andrea; "you speak to me before my servant."
"How can I help that, my boy? I speak to you when I can catch you. You have a quick horse, a light tilbury, you are naturally as slippery as an eel; if I had missed you to-night, I might not have had another chance."
"You see, I do not conceal myself."
"You are lucky; I wish I could say as much, for I do conceal myself; and then I was afraid you would not recognize me, but you did," added Caderousse with his unpleasant smile. "It was very polite of you."
"Come," said Andrea, "what do want?"
"You do not speak affectionately to me, Benedetto, my old friend, that is not right--take care, or I may become troublesome." This menace smothered the young man's passion. He urged the horse again into a trot. "You should not speak so to an old friend like me, Caderousse, as you said just now; you are a native of Marseilles, I am"--
"Do you know then now what you are?"
"No, but I was brought up in Corsica; you are old and obstinate, I am young and wilful. Between people like us threats are out of place, everything should be amicably arranged. Is it my fault if fortune, which has frowned on you, has been kind to me?"
"Fortune has been kind to you, then? Your tilbury, your groom, your clothes, are not then hired? Good, so much the better," said Caderousse, his eyes sparkling with avarice.
"Oh, you knew that well enough before speaking to me," said Andrea, becoming more and more excited. "If I had been wearing a handkerchief like yours on my head, rags on my back, and worn-out shoes on my feet, you would not have known me."
"You wrong me, my boy; now I have found you, nothing prevents my being as well-dressed as any one, knowing, as I do, the goodness of your heart. If you have two coats you will give me one of them. I used to divide my soup and beans with you when you were hungry."
"True," said Andrea.
"What an appetite you used to have! Is it as good now?"
"Oh, yes," replied Andrea, laughing.
"How did you come to be dining with that prince whose house you have just left?"
"He is not a prince; simply a count."
"A count, and a rich one too, eh?"
"Yes; but you had better not have anything to say to him, for he is not a very good-tempered gentleman."
"Oh, be easy! I have no design upon your count, and you shall have him all to yourself. But," said Caderousse, again smiling with the disagreeable expression he had before assumed, "you must pay for it--you understand?"
"Well, what do you want?"
"I think that with a hundred francs a month"--
"Well?"
"I could live"--
"Upon a hundred francs!"
"Come--you understand me; but that with"--
"With?"
"With a hundred and fifty francs I should be quite happy."
"Here are two hundred," said Andrea; and he placed ten gold louis in the hand of Caderousse.
"Good!" said Caderousse.
"Apply to the steward on the first day of every mouth, and you will receive the same sum."
"There now, again you degrade me."
"How so?"
"By making me apply to the servants, when I want to transact business with you alone."
"Well, be it so, then. Take it from me then, and so long at least as I receive my income, you shall be paid yours."
"Come, come; I always said you were a line fellow, and it is a blessing when good fortune happens to such as you. But tell me all about it?"
"Why do you wish to know?" asked Cavalcanti.
"What? do you again defy me?"
"No; the fact is, I have found my father."
"What? a real father?"
"Yes, so long as he pays me"--
"You'll honor and believe him--that's right. What is his name?"
"Major Cavalcanti."
"Is he pleased with you?"
"So far I have appeared to answer his purpose."
"And who found this father for you?"
"The Count of Monte Cristo."
"The man whose house you have just left?"
"Yes."
"I wish you would try and find me a situation with him as grandfather, since he holds the money-chest!"
"Well, I will mention you to him. Meanwhile, what are you going to do?"
"I?"
"Yes, you."
"It is very kind of you to trouble yourself about me."
"Since you interest yourself in my affairs, I think it is now my turn to ask you some questions."
"Ah, true. Well; I shall rent a room in some respectable house, wear a decent coat, shave every day, and go and read the papers in a café. Then, in the evening, I shall go to the theatre; I shall look like some retired baker. That is what I want."
"Come, if you will only put this scheme into execution, and be steady, nothing could be better."
"Do you think so, M. Bossuet? And you--what will you become? A peer of France?"
"Ah," said Andrea, "who knows?"
"Major Cavalcanti is already one, perhaps; but then, hereditary rank is abolished."
"No politics, Caderousse. And now that you have all you want, and that we understand each other, jump down from the tilbury and disappear."
"Not at all, my good friend."
"How? Not at all?"
"Why, just think for a moment; with this red handkerchief on my head, with scarcely any shoes, no papers, and ten gold napoleons in my pocket, without reckoning what was there before--making in all about two hundred francs,--why, I should certainly be arrested at the barriers. Then, to justify myself, I should say that you gave me the money; this would cause inquiries, it would be found that I left Toulon without giving due notice, and I should then be escorted back to the shores of the Mediterranean. Then I should become simply No. 106, and good-by to my dream of resembling the retired baker! No, no, my boy; I prefer remaining honorably in the capital." Andrea scowled. Certainly, as he had himself owned, the reputed son of Major Cavalcanti was a wilful fellow. He drew up for a minute, threw a rapid glance around him, and then his hand fell instantly into his pocket, where it began playing with a pistol. But, meanwhile, Caderousse, who had never taken his eyes off his companion, passed his hand behind his back, and opened a long Spanish knife, which he always carried with him, to be ready in case of need. The two friends, as we see, were worthy of and understood one another. Andrea's hand left his pocket inoffensively, and was carried up to the red mustache, which it played with for some time. "Good Caderousse," he said, "how happy you will be."
"I will do my best," said the inn-keeper of the Pont du Gard, shutting up his knife.
"Well, then, we will go into Paris. But how will you pass through the barrier without exciting suspicion? It seems to me that you are in more danger riding than on foot."
"Wait," said Caderousse, "we shall see." He then took the great-coat with the large collar, which the groom had left behind in the tilbury, and put it on his back; then he took off Cavalcanti's hat, which he placed upon his own head, and finally he assumed the careless attitude of a servant whose master drives himself.
"But, tell me," said Andrea, "am I to remain bareheaded?"
"Pooh," said Caderousse; "it is so windy that your hat can easily appear to have blown off."
"Come, come; enough of this," said Cavalcanti.
"What are you waiting for?" said Caderousse. "I hope I am not the cause."
"Hush," said Andrea. They passed the barrier without accident. At the first cross street Andrea stopped his horse, and Caderousse leaped out.
"Well!" said Andrea,--"my servant's coat and my hat?"
"Ah," said Caderousse, "you would not like me to risk taking cold?"
"But what am I to do?"
夜渐渐地深了。维尔福夫人提出要回巴黎去了，这正是腾格拉尔夫人所不敢提出的，尽管她感到在这儿很不安。维尔福先生听到他的妻子提出这个要求，就首先告辞了。他请腾格拉尔夫人乘他的马车回去，以便他妻子可以一路上照顾他。而腾格拉尔先生，他却正在兴致勃勃地和卡瓦尔康蒂先生谈话，并未注意到经过的种种情形。
基督山去向维尔福夫人要嗅瓶的时候，就已经注意到了维尔福凑近了腾格拉尔夫人的身边，并已猜到了他向她说了些什么，尽管讲那些话时声音很低，甚至低得连腾格拉尔夫人本人都很难听清。他并没表示反对他们的安排，就让莫雷尔、夏多·勒诺和德布雷骑马回去，而让两位太太坐维尔福先生的马车走。腾格拉尔愈来愈喜欢上了卡瓦尔康蒂少校，已邀请他和自己同车回去。
安德烈·卡瓦尔康蒂发现他的双轮车已等在了门口。他的马夫，从各方面看来都非常象英国式漫画上的人物，此时他正踮起脚使劲拉住一匹铁灰色的高头大马。安德烈在席间一直很少讲话。他是个聪明的小伙子，深怕自己在这么多大人物面前会说出一些荒诞可笑的话来，所以只是睁大着他那一双也多少带有些恐惧的眼睛望着检察官。后来腾格拉尔缠上了他，那位银行家看到这位少校是那样的盛气凌人，而他的儿子却是这样的谦虚有礼，再想到伯爵对他们的态度是那样的，就认定他遇到的是一位带儿子到巴黎来增加阅历的大富翁。他带着说不出的喜悦注视着少校小手指上戴着的那只大钻戒；至于少校，他原本就是一个凡事小心谨慎的人，因怕他的钞票遭遇到什么不测，所以立刻把它变成了值钱东西。
晚餐以后，腾格拉尔以谈生意为借口，顺便问到了他们父子的生活状况。这父子俩事先已经知道他们的四万八千法郎和每年的五万法郎都要从腾格拉尔手里得到，所以他们对这位银行家的感激唯恐表示的不充分，叫他们去和他的仆人握手，他们也会十分愿意的。有一件事哪怕腾格拉尔对卡瓦尔康蒂更增添了敬意——或者说是崇拜。后者由于信守贺拉斯那句“处万变而不惊”的格言，所以除了说最大的蓝鳗是哪个湖里的产物以证明他的学识之外，便不再多说一句话，默默地吃完了他面前的那份菜。腾格拉尔由此认为这桌宴席虽然奢侈，但对于卡瓦尔康蒂来说却如同家常便饭。他在卢卡的时候，多半也常吃从瑞士运来的鳟鱼和从英国运来的龙虾，就象伯爵吃由富莎乐湖来的蓝鳗和伏尔加河来的小蝶鲛一样；所以他极热情地接受了卡瓦尔康蒂的这几句话：“明天，阁下，我当登门拜访，和您谈一下有关业务方面的事情。”
“而我，阁下，”腾格拉尔说，“将不胜愉快地恭候您的光临。”说到这里，他就请卡瓦尔康蒂坐他的马车回太子旅馆去，假如他认为不和他的儿子一同回去没什么不方便的话。对这一点，卡瓦尔康蒂说，他的儿子已到了相当独立的年龄，他有自己的马车，来的时候就不是一同来的，各自分别回去也没什么。于是少校就坐到了腾格拉尔的身旁，后者则对于少校的处理经济事务愈来愈感兴趣了，他允许他的儿子每年可以花五万法郎。单从这一点上讲，他就可能有五六十万里弗的财产。
至于安德烈，为了显示一下自己的威风，就开始训斥起他的马夫来，因为马夫没把那辆双轮马车赶到台阶前面，而是等在了大门口，使他不得不走过去三十步。马夫忍气吞声地听着他的辱骂，左手抓住那匹不耐烦的马的嚼环，右手把缰绳递给了安德烈。安德烈接过缰绳，然后他那擦得油亮的皮靴轻轻地踩到了踏级上。就在这当儿，忽然有一只手拍了一下他的肩膀。那青年回过头来，还以为是腾格拉尔或基督山忘了什么事，现在才想起来，特地赶来告诉他的呢。但前面这个人既不是腾格拉尔也不是基督山，而是一个陌生人，那在太阳底下晒得黝黑的肤色，满脸络腮胡子，一双红宝石般明亮的眼睛，嘴角上因带着笑，所以露出了一排洁白整齐、象豺狼一般尖利的牙齿。他那灰色的头上缠着一条红手帕，身上披着破烂龌龊的衣服，四肢粗壮，那骨，象一具骷髅身上似的，走起路来会喀喇喀喇地发响似的，安德烈刚开始只看到了那只放在他肩上的手，那只手就象是巨人的手一般。究竟是那青年人借着车灯的光已认出了那张脸呢，还是他只不过被那种可怕的样子吓了一跳，这一点，我们无法确认，我们只能把事实讲出来，只见他打了一个寒颤，突然退后了一步。“你找我干吗？”他问道。
“对不起，朋友，假如我打扰了你的话，“那个缠红手帕的人说，“但我想跟你谈谈。”
“你无权在晚上讨钱。”马夫说，并摆出了一个阻挡的姿势以使其主人摆脱这个讨厌的怪客。
“我可不是要钱的，亲爱的。”陌生人对那仆人说，他的目光里带着强烈的讽刺，脸上却是一副可怕的微笑，把后者吓得直往后退。“我只想跟你的主人讲几句话，他在半个月以前曾让我去办过一件事。”
“喂，”安德烈说。他强作镇定，不使他的仆人看出他的心慌，“您想干什么？快说，朋友。”
那人低声说道，“我希望——我希望你能让我省点劲，免得我步行回巴黎。我累极了，又没有象你这样吃过一顿丰富的晚餐，我简直有点支持不住啦。”
那青年听到对方提出这种奇怪的要求，不禁打了一个寒颤。“告诉我，”他说，“你究竟要干什么？”
“哦，我想要你请我坐在你这辆漂亮的马车里，带我一起回去。”安德烈脸色发白，但没说什么。“是的，”那个人把手插进口袋里，满脸显出一副满不在乎的表情望着那个青年人说。“我脑子里有了这么个怪念头，你懂吗，贝尼代托先生？”
一听到这个名字，那青年显然怔了一下，他急忙走过去对马夫说道：“这人说得不错，我的确曾让他去办过一件事，他必须把结果告诉我。你先走回去吧，进城以后雇个马车回去好了，免得回旅馆太晚了。”马夫惊奇地走了。
“至少让我先到一个隐蔽些的地方再谈吧。”安德烈说。
“噢！这个，我可以带你到一个绝妙的地方去。”那缠手帕的人说道。于是他扯住马嚼环，把双轮马车领到了一个绝对不会有任何人目睹他们这次会谈的地方。
“别以为我真的想坐你这辆漂亮的马车，”他说，“噢，不，这只不过是因为我累了，此外我还有点小事要和你谈一谈。”
“来，上来吧！”那青年说道。
可惜这一幕没发生在白天，要不然你就能看到这个流氓是如何重重地往弹簧座垫上一倒，坐到了那年轻高雅的车主身边，这可是个难得看见的情景。安德烈赶着车向林外走去，一路上始终没和他的同伴讲一句话，后者则嘴角挂着满意地微笑，象是很高兴自己能坐上这样舒服的一辆车子。一经过了欧特伊的最后一座房子，安德烈就回头望了一眼，以确定再没有人能看到或听到他，于是他勒住马，双臂交叉在胸前，对那个人说道：“现在说吧，你为什么要来打扰我的安宁？”
“但你，我的孩子，你为什么要骗我呢？”
“我怎么骗你了？”
“怎么——这还要问吗？当我们在瓦尔湖分手的时候，你告诉我说，你要经皮埃蒙特到托斯卡纳去，但你没去那里，却到巴黎来了。”
“这与你有何相干呢？”
“何相干，恰恰相反，我以为这样一来，我的目的倒可以实现了。”
“哦，”安德烈说，“你想在我身上搞投机吗？”
“你用的词多妙啊！”
“我警告你，卡德鲁斯先生，你打错算盘啦。”
“哟，哟，别生气，我的孩子。你知道得很清楚，生气的结果总是很糟糕，都怪运气不好，我才会产生妒忌。我原以为你是在皮埃蒙特或托斯卡纳当向导混饭吃的，我真心真意地可怜你，就象可怜我自己的孩子一样。你知道，我总是把你叫做我的孩子的。”
“嘿，嘿，还有什么别的话要说吗？”
“别忙！耐心点呀！”
“我够耐心了，说下去吧。”
“当我突然看见你经过城门口，带着一个马夫，坐着双轮马车，穿着崭新的漂亮衣服时。我就猜你一定是发现了一个矿，不然就是做了一个证券经纪人。”
“那么，你承认自己妒忌了，是不是？”
“不，我很高兴——高兴得想来跟你道喜，但因为穿着不十分得体，所以我就挑了个机会，免得连累你。”
“是的，你很会挑机会！”安德烈大声说道，“你当着我仆人的面来跟我讲话。”
“有什么办法呢，我的孩子？我什么时候能抓住你，就什么时候来跟你讲话。你除有一匹跑得很快的马，又有一辆轻便的双轮马车，自然滑溜得象条黄鳝一样，假如我今天晚上错过了你，我或许不会再有第二个机会啦。”
“我又没把自己藏起来。”
“可你的运气好，我真希望我也能这么说。但我必须把自己藏起来，而且我还怕你不认得我——好在你还认得，”卡德鲁斯带着一种不悦的微笑又加上了一句。“你太客气了。”
“说吧，”安德烈说，“你想干什么？”
“这样对我说话可不太客气呀，贝尼代托，老朋友，这样可不好啊。小心点儿，不然我也许会给你找点小麻烦的。”
这一恐吓立刻压服了青年人的火气。他让马小跑起来。
“你不该用刚才那种口吻对一个老朋友讲话，卡德鲁斯。你是个马赛人，我是——”
“这么说，你现在知道你是哪儿人了？”
“不，可是别忘了我是在科西嘉长大的。你年老固执，可我是年轻顽强的。在我俩之间，恐吓是没有用的，凡事应该和和气气地来解决才好，命运之神关照我，却讨厌你，难道是我的错吗？”
“那么，命运之神都在关照你喽？难道你的双轮马车，你的马夫，你的衣服，不都是租来的吗？不是？那就好！”卡德鲁斯说道，眼睛露出贪婪的目光。
“噢！你来找我之前早就了解得很清楚啦。”安德烈说道，愈来愈情绪激动了。“倘若我也象你一样头上缠块手帕，背上披些烂布，脚上穿双破鞋子，你就不会认我了。”
“你错看我了，我的孩子。不管怎么说，我现在已经找到了你，什么也不能再阻止我穿得象别人一样整齐了，因为，我知道你一向是心肠好。假如你有两件衣服，你肯定会分一件给我的。从前，当你饿肚子的时候，我可是常常把我的汤和豆子分给你的。”
“不错。”安德烈。
“你那时吃得可不少呀！现在还是那样吗？”
“噢，是的。”安德烈回答，然后大笑起来。
“你刚才从里面出来的那座房子是某个亲王府吧。你怎么会到亲王家里来吃饭呢？”
“他不是什么亲王，是个伯爵。”
“一个伯爵，一个很有钱的伯爵吧，呃？”
“是的，但你最好还是别去跟他说什么话，他也许会很不耐烦的。”
“噢，放心好了！我对你的伯爵才不想打什么主意呢，你只管留着自己享用好了。但是，“卡德鲁斯又装出他以前那种令人看了极不舒服的微笑说，“你得付出点儿代价才行，你懂吗？”
“好吧，你想要什么？”
“我想，如果一个月能有一百法郎——”
“嗯？”
“我就可以生活——”
“靠一百法郎！”
“是很苦，这你也知道，但有了——”
“有了——？”
“有了一百五十法郎，我就可以很快乐了。”
“这是两百。”安德烈说道，他摸出十个路易放到卡德鲁斯的手里。
“好！”卡德鲁斯说。
“每月一号去找我的管家，你可以拿到相同数目的钱。”
“喏，你又瞧不起我了。”
“怎么了？”
“你要我去跟仆人们打交道，不，告诉你，我只和大人来往。”
“好吧，就这样吧。那么，每月一号，到我这儿来拿吧，只要我有进账，你的钱是缺不了的。”
“我一直都说你是个好心人，托天之福，你现在交了这样的好运。把一切都讲给我听听吧。”
“你干嘛要知道呢？”卡瓦尔康蒂问。
“什么！你还是不信任我吗？”
“不，嗯，我找到我父亲了。”
“什么！是你亲生父亲吗？”
“当然喽，只要他给我钱用——”
“你就可以尊敬他，相信他——就应该这样。他叫什么名字？”
“卡瓦尔康蒂少校。”
“他喜欢你吗？”
“只要我表面上能顺从他的心愿。”
“你父亲是谁帮你找到的？”
“基督山伯爵。”
“就是刚才你从他家里出来的那个人？”
“是的。”
“既然他能找到有钱的主人，我希望你跟他讲讲，给我也想法找一个给别人当爷爷的位子怎么样。”
“嗯，我可以替你去问问他。现在你打算干什么？”
“我？”
“是的，你。”
“你真是心眼太好了，还为我操心。”卡德鲁斯说。
“既然你这么关心我，现在也该轮到我来问你几个问题了。”
“啊，没错！哦，我要在一座上等的房子里租个房间，穿上体面的衣服，每天刮胡子，到咖啡馆去读读报纸。晚上，我还要上戏院去，我要装成一个退休的面包师。这就是我的希望。”
“噢，假如你只想按这个计划行事，而且安安稳稳地去做，这是再好不过的事了。”
“你这样认为吗，布苏亚先生？那么你呢，你将变成什么呢——一个法国贵族？”
“啊！”安德烈说道，“谁知道呢？”
“卡瓦尔康蒂少校或许已经是了，但不幸的是爵位承袭制已经被取消了。”
“别耍花招儿了，卡德鲁斯！你想要的东西现在已经得到了，我们也已经互相谅解了，你快下车去吧。”
“决不，我的好朋友。”
“什么！决不？”
“咦，你也不为我想一想，我头上缠着这么块手帕，脚上简直可说没穿什么鞋子，又没有什么证件，可口袋里却有十个金拿破仑，且不说这十块金洋将来派什么用场，现在就不只要值两百法郎，我这个样子在城门口一定会被抓起来的呀！那时，为了证明我自己，我就不得不说出那些钱是你给我的。这样，他们就要去调查，于是就会发觉我没有获得许可就离开了土伦，那样我就又要被带回到地中海岸边。到那时我便又成了一○六号犯人，我那退休面包师的梦可就化为泡影了！不，不，我的孩子，我情愿还是留在首都享享福的好。”
安德烈脸上立刻显出很不高兴的样子。的确，正如他所自夸的，卡瓦尔康蒂少校的公子爷可不是个好惹的人。他一边把身子挺了一下，一边向四周急速地瞟了一眼，手好象若无其事似地插进了口袋里，他打开了一把袖珍手枪的保险机，卡德鲁斯的眼神始终也没有离开过他这位同伴，此时他也就把手伸到了背后，慢慢地抽出了一把他总是带在身边以备急需的西班牙匕首。由此可见，这两位可敬的朋友的确是互相很了解对方的。安德烈的手又没事似从口装里拿了出来，抬上来摸了一下他的红胡须，玩弄了好长一会儿。“好心的卡德鲁斯！”他说道，“那样你将多快乐呀！”
“我尽力找快乐就是了。”杜加桥客栈的老板说道，把他的小刀子悄悄地缩回了衣袖里。
“嗯，那么，我们进巴黎城里去吧。可你通过城门时怎么才能不引起怀疑呢？依我看，你这样比步行更危险呀。”
“等一下，”卡德鲁斯说，“我们来想个办法。”说着他便拿起马夫忘在车里的那件高领大短挂，披在自己身上，然后又摘下卡瓦尔康蒂的帽子，戴在自己头上，最后装出一副满不在乎的样子，就象一个由他的主人自己驱车的仆人。
“我说，”安德烈说，“难道就这样要我光着脑袋吗？”
“哧！”卡德鲁斯说道，“今天风这么大，你的帽子权当被风吹掉了。”
“那么，”安德烈说，“我们走完这段路吧。”
“不让你走了？”卡德鲁斯说，“我希望不是我。”
“嘘！”安德烈说道。
他们顺利地通过了城门。安德烈在第一道十字路口停住了马，卡德鲁斯跳了下去。
“喂！”安德烈说，“我仆人的衣服和我的帽子呢？”
“啊！”卡德鲁斯说，“你该不会希望我得伤风感冒吧？”
“可我怎么办呢？”
“你！噢，你还年轻，可我却开始变老罗。再见，贝尼代托。”
说完他便消失在一条小巷子里。
“唉！”安德烈叹了一口气说道，“在这个世界上人不可能总是快活的呀！”