to receive his guests. Franz hastened to inquire after the count,
and to express regret that he had not returned in sufficient time;
but Pastrini reassured him by saying that the Count of Monte Cristo
had ordered a second carriage for himself, and that it had gone at
four o'clock to fetch him from the Rospoli Palace. The count had,
moreover, charged him to offer the two friends the key of his box
at the Argentina. Franz questioned Albert as to his intentions; but
Albert had great projects to put into execution before going to the
theatre; and instead of making any answer, he inquired if Signor
Pastrini could procure him a tailor. "A tailor," said the host;
"and for what?"
"To make us between now and to-morrow two Roman peasant
costumes," returned Albert. The host shook his head. "To make you
two costumes between now and to-morrow? I ask your excellencies'
pardon, but this is quite a French demand; for the next week you
will not find a single tailor who would consent to sew six buttons
on a waistcoat if you paid him a crown a piece for each
button."
"Then I must give up the idea?"
"No; we have them ready-made. Leave all to me; and to-morrow,
when you awake, you shall find a collection of costumes with which
you will be satisfied."
"My dear Albert," said Franz, "leave all to our host; he has
already proved himself full of resources; let us dine quietly, and
afterwards go and see `The Algerian Captive.'"
"Agreed," returned Albert; "but remember, Signor Pastrini, that
both my friend and myself attach the greatest importance to having
to-morrow the costumes we have asked for." The host again assured
them they might rely on him, and that their wishes should be
attended to; upon which Franz and Albert mounted to their
apartments, and proceeded to disencumber themselves of their
costumes. Albert, as he took off his dress, carefully preserved the
bunch of violets; it was his token reserved for the morrow. The two
friends sat down to table; but they could not refrain fromfriends sat down to table; but they could not refrain from
remarking the difference between the Count of Monte Cristo's table
and that of Signor Pastrini. Truth compelled Franz, in spite of the
dislike he seemed to have taken to the count, to confess that the
advantage was not on Pastrini's side. During dessert, the servant
inquired at what time they wished for the carriage. Albert and
Franz looked at each other, fearing really to abuse the count's
kindness. The servant understood them. "His excellency the Count of
Monte Cristo had," he said, "given positive orders that the
carriage was to remain at their lordships' orders all day, and they
could therefore dispose of it without fear of indiscretion."
They resolved to profit by the count's courtesy, and ordered the
horses to be harnessed, while they substituted evening dress for
that which they had on, and which was somewhat the worse for the
numerous combats they had sustained. This precaution taken, they
went to the theatre, and installed themselves in the count's box.
During the first act, the Countess G—— entered. Her first look was
at the box where she had seen the count the previous evening, so
that she perceived Franz and Albert in the place of the very person
concerning whom she had expressed so strange an opinion to Franz.
Her opera-glass was so fixedly directed towards them, that Franz
saw it would be cruel not to satisfy her curiosity; and, availing
himself of one of the privileges of the spectators of the Italian
theatres, who use their boxes to hold receptions, the two friends
went to pay their respects to the countess. Scarcely had they
entered, when she motioned to Franz to assume the seat of honor.
Albert, in his turn, sat behind.
"Well," said she, hardly giving Franz time to sit down, "it
seems you have nothing better to do than to make the acquaintance
of this new Lord Ruthven, and you are already the best friends in
the world."
"Without being so far advanced as that, my dear countess,"the world."
"Without being so far advanced as that, my dear countess,"
returned Franz, "I cannot deny that we have abused his good nature
all day."
"All day?"
"Yes; this morning we breakfasted with him; we rode in his
carriage all day, and now we have taken possession of his box."
"You know him, then?"
"Yes, and no."
"How so?"
"It is a long story."
'Tell it to me."
"It would frighten you too much."
"So much the more reason."
"At least wait until the story has a conclusion."
"Very well; I prefer complete histories; but tell me how you
made his acquaintance? Did any one introduce you to him?"
"No; it was he who introduced himself to us."
"When?"
"Last night, after we left you."
"Through what medium?"
"The very prosaic one of our landlord."
"He is staying, then, at the Hotel de Londres with you?"
"Not only in the same hotel, but on the same floor."
"What is his name — for, of course, you know?"
"The Count of Monte Cristo."
"That is not a family name?"
"No, it is the name of the island he has purchased."
"And he is a count?"
"A Tuscan count."
"Well, we must put up with that," said the countess, who was
herself from one of the oldest Venetian families. "What sort of a
man is he?"
"Ask the Vicomte de Morcerf."
"You hear, M. de Morcerf, I am referred to you," said the
countess.
"We should be very hard to please, madam," returned Albert, "did
we not think him delightful. A friend of ten years' standing could
not have done more for us, or with a more perfect courtesy."
"Come," observed the countess, smiling, "I see my vampire is
only some millionaire, who has taken the appearance of Lara in
order to avoid being confounded with M. de Rothschild; and you have
seen her?"
"Her?"
"The beautiful Greek of yesterday."
"No; we heard, I think, the sound of her guzla, but she remained
perfectly invisible."
"When you say invisible," interrupted Albert, "it is only to
keep up the mystery; for whom do you take the blue domino at the
window with the white curtains?"
"Where was this window with white hangings?" asked the
countess.