Baptistin," said the count. Baptistin left the room without waiting
to answer, and in two seconds reappeared, bringing on a waiter all
that his master had ordered, ready prepared, and appearing to have
sprung from the ground, like the repasts which we read of in fairy
tales. "Really, my dear count," said Morcerf. "what I admire in you
is, not so much your riches, for perhaps there are people even
wealthier than yourself, nor is it only your wit, for Beaumarchais
might have possessed as much, — but it is your manner of being
served, without any questions, in a moment, in a second; it is as
if they guessed what you wanted by your manner of ringing, and made
a point of keeping everything you can possibly desire in constant
readiness."
"What you say is perhaps true; they know my habits. For
instance, you shall see; how do you wish to occupy yourself during
tea-time?"
"Ma foi, I should like to smoke."
Monte Cristo took the gong and struck it once. In about the
space of a second a private door opened, and Ali appeared, bringing
two chibouques filled with excellent latakia. "It is quite
wonderful," said Albert.
"Oh no, it is as simple as possible," replied Monte Cristo. "Ali
knows I generally smoke while I am taking my tea or coffee; he has
heard that I ordered tea, and he also knows that I brought you home
with me; when I summoned him he naturally guessed the reason of my
doing so, and as he comes from a country where hospitality is
especially manifested through the medium of smoking, he naturally
concludes that we shall smoke in company, and therefore brings two
chibouques instead of one — and now the mystery is solved."
"Certainly you give a most commonplace air to your explanation,
but it is not the less true that you — Ah, but what do I hear?" and
Morcerf inclined his head towards the door, through which sounds
seemed to issue resembling those of a guitar.
"Ma foi, my dear viscount, you are fated to hear music this
evening; you have only escaped from Mademoiselle Danglars' piano,
to be attacked by Haidee's guzla."to be attacked by Haidee's guzla."
"Haidee — what an adorable name! Are there, then, really women
who bear the name of Haidee anywhere but in Byron's poems?"
"Certainly there are. Haidee is a very uncommon name in France,
but is common enough in Albania and Epirus; it is as it you said,
for example, Chastity, Modesty, Innocence, — it is a kind of
baptismal name, as you Parisians call it."
"Oh, that is charming," said Albert, "how I should like to hear
my countrywomen called Mademoiselle Goodness, Mademoiselle Silence,
Mademoiselle Christian Charity! Only think, then, if Mademoiselle
Danglars, instead of being called Claire-Marie-Eugenie, had been
named Mademoiselle Chastity-Modesty-Innocence Danglars; what a fine
effect that would have produced on the announcement of her
marriage!"
"Hush," said the count, "do not joke in so loud a tone; Haidee
may hear you, perhaps."
"And you think she would be angry?"
"No, certainly not," said the count with a haughty
expression.
"She is very amiable, then, is she not?" said Albert.
"It is not to be called amiability, it is her duty; a slave does
not dictate to a master."
"Come; you are joking yourself now. Are there any more slaves to
be had who bear this beautiful name?"
"Undoubtedly."
"Really, count, you do nothing, and have nothing like other
people. The slave of the Count of Monte Cristo! Why, it is a rank
of itself in France, and from the way in which you lavish money, it
is a place that must be worth a hundred thousand francs a
year."
"A hundred thousand francs! The poor girl originally possessed
much more than that; she was born to treasures in comparison with
which those recorded in the `Thousand and One Nights' would seem
but poverty."
"She must be a princess then."
"You are right; and she is one of the greatest in her country
too."
"I thought so. But how did it happen that such a great princess
became a slave?"
"How was it that Dionysius the Tyrant became a schoolmaster? The
fortune of war, my dear viscount, — the caprice of fortune; that isfortune of war, my dear viscount, — the caprice of fortune; that is
the way in which these things are to be accounted for."
"And is her name a secret?"
"As regards the generality of mankind it is; but not for you, my
dear viscount, who are one of my most intimate friends, and on
whose silence I feel I may rely, if I consider it necessary to
enjoin it — may I not do so?"
"Certainly; on my word of honor."
"You know the history of the pasha of Yanina, do you not?"
"Of Ali Tepelini?* Oh, yes; it was in his service that my father
made his fortune."
"True, I had forgotten that."
(* Ali Pasha, "The Lion," was born at Tepelini, an Albanian
village at the foot of the Klissoura Mountains, in 1741. By
diplomacy and success in arms he became almost supreme ruler of
Albania, Epirus, and adjacent territory. Having aroused the enmity
of the Sultan, he was proscribed and put to death by treachery in
1822, at the age of eighty. — Ed.)
"Well, what is Haidee to Ali Tepelini?"
"Merely his daughter."
"What? the daughter of Ali Pasha?"
"Of Ali Pasha and the beautiful Vasiliki."
"And your slave?"
"Ma foi, yes."
"But how did she become so?"
"Why, simply from the circumstance of my having bought her one
day, as I was passing through the market at Constantinople."
"Wonderful! Really, my dear count, you seem to throw a sort of
magic influence over all in which you are concerned; when I listen
to you, existence no longer seems reality, but a waking dream. Now,
I am perhaps going to make an imprudent and thoughtless request,
but" —
"Say on."
"But, since you go out with Haidee, and sometimes even take her
to the opera" —
"Well?"
"I think I may venture to ask you this favor."
"You may venture to ask me anything."
"Well then, my dear count, present me to your princess."
"I will do so; but on two conditions."
"I accept them at once."
"The first is, that you will never tell any one that I have
granted the interview."
"Very well," said Albert, extending his hand; "I swear I will
not."