kneeling on one knee, respectfully kissed the hand of the count.
This corroboration of the lesson he had just received put the
finishing stroke to the wonder and stupefaction of M. Baptistin.
The count then motioned the valet de chambre to retire, and to Ali
to follow to his study, where they conversed long and earnestly
together. As the hand of the clock pointed to five the count struck
thrice upon his gong. When Ali was wanted one stroke was given, two
summoned Baptistin, and three Bertuccio. The steward entered. "My
horses," said Monte Cristo.
"They are at the door harnessed to the carriage as your
excellency desired. Does your excellency wish me to accompany
him?"
"No, the coachman, Ali, and Baptistin will go." The count
descended to the door of his mansion, and beheld his carriage drawn
by the very pair of horses he had so much admired in the morning as
the property of Danglars. As he passed them he said — "They are
extremely handsome certainly, and you have done well to purchase
them, although you were somewhat remiss not to have procured them
sooner."
"Indeed, your excellency, I had very considerable difficulty in
obtaining them, and, as it is, they have cost an enormous
price."
"Does the sum you gave for them make the animals less
beautiful," inquired the count, shrugging his shoulders.
"Nay, if your excellency is satisfied, it is all that I could
wish. Whither does your excellency desire to be driven?"
"To the residence of Baron Danglars, Rue de la Chaussee
d'Antin." This conversation had passed as they stood upon the
terrace, from which a flight of stone steps led to the
carriage-drive. As Bertuccio, with a respectful bow, was moving
away, the count called him back. "I have another commission for
you, M. Bertuccio," said he; "I am desirous of having an estate by
the seaside in Normandy — for instance, between Havre and Boulogne.
You see I give you a wide range. It will be absolutely necessary
that the place you may select have a small harbor, creek, or bay,that the place you may select have a small harbor, creek, or bay,
into which my corvette can enter and remain at anchor. She draws
only fifteen feet. She must be kept in constant readiness to sail
immediately I think proper to give the signal. Make the requisite
inquiries for a place of this description, and when you have met
with an eligible spot, visit it, and if it possess the advantages
desired, purchase it at once in your own name. The corvette must
now, I think, be on her way to Fecamp, must she not?"
"Certainly, your excellency; I saw her put to sea the same
evening we quitted Marseilles."
"And the yacht."
"Was ordered to remain at Martigues."
"'Tis well. I wish you to write from time to time to the
captains in charge of the two vessels so as to keep them on the
alert."
"And the steamboat?"
"She is at Chalons?"
"Yes."
"The same orders for her as for the two sailing vessels."
"Very good."
"When you have purchased the estate I desire, I want constant
relays of horses at ten leagues apart along the northern and
southern road."
"Your excellency may depend upon me." The Count made a gesture
of satisfaction, descended the terrace steps, and sprang into his
carriage, which was whirled along swiftly to the banker's house.
Danglars was engaged at that moment, presiding over a railroad
committee. But the meeting was nearly concluded when the name of
his visitor was announced. As the count's title sounded on his ear
he rose, and addressing his colleagues, who were members of one or
the other Chamber, he said, — "Gentlemen, pardon me for leaving you
so abruptly; but a most ridiculous circumstance has occurred, which
is this, — Thomson & French, the Roman bankers, have sent to me
a certain person calling himself the Count of Monte Cristo, and
have given him an unlimited credit with me. I confess this is the
drollest thing I have ever met with in the course of my extensive
foreign transactions, and you may readily suppose it has greatly
roused my curiosity. I took the trouble this morning to call on theroused my curiosity. I took the trouble this morning to call on the
pretended count — if he were a real count he wouldn't be so rich.
But, would you believe it, `He was not receiving.' So the master of
Monte Cristo gives himself airs befitting a great millionaire or a
capricious beauty. I made inquiries, and found that the house in
the Champs Elysees is his own property, and certainly it was very
decently kept up. But," pursued Danglars with one of his sinister
smiles, "an order for unlimited credit calls for something like
caution on the part of the banker to whom that order is given. I am
very anxious to see this man. I suspect a hoax is intended, but the
instigators of it little knew whom they had to deal with. `They
laugh best who laugh last!'"
Having delivered himself of this pompous address, uttered with a
degree of energy that left the baron almost out of breath, he bowed
to the assembled party and withdrew to his drawing-room, whose
sumptuous furnishings of white and gold had caused a great
sensation in the Chaussee d'Antin. It was to this apartment he had
desired his guest to be shown, with the purpose of overwhelming him
at the sight of so much luxury. He found the count standing before
some copies of Albano and Fattore that had been passed off to the
banker as originals; but which, mere copies as they were, seemed to
feel their degradation in being brought into juxtaposition with the
gaudy colors that covered the ceiling. The count turned round as he
heard the entrance of Danglars into the room. With a slight
inclination of the head, Danglars signed to the count to be seated,
pointing significantly to a gilded arm-chair, covered with white
satin embroidered with gold. The count sat down. "I have the honor,
I presume, of addressing M. de Monte Cristo."
The count bowed. "And I of speaking to Baron Danglars, chevalier
of the Legion of Honor, and member of the Chamber of Deputies?"
Monte Cristo repeated all the titles he had read on the baron's
card.