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There were some sycophants who tittered at his stupid pleasantry; then the table fell silent to hear what answer I should make, and a frown sat like a thundercloud upon the brow of Cavalcanti. I toyed with my goblet, momentarily tempted to fling its contents in his pustuled face, and risk the consequences. But I bethought me of something else that would make a deadlier missile. "Alas!" I sighed.
"Very good, father-in-law," said Cavalcanti, yielding to his low-born nature, which would escape sometimes through the aristocratic gloss with which he sought to conceal it. Correcting himself immediately, he said, "Excuse me, sir; hope alone makes me almost mad, what will not reality do?"
"I mean, sir, to warn you. Do not drive me to do more." We were quite alone. Behind us stretched the long, empty room, before us the empty gardens. He was without weapons as was I. But my manner was so fierce that he recoiled before me, in positive fear of my hands, I think. I swung on my heel and pursued my way. I went above to seek Cavalcanti, and found him newly risen.
When Monte Cristo entered the boudoir, to which we have already once introduced our readers, and where the baroness was examining some drawings, which her daughter passed to her after having looked at them with M. Cavalcanti, his presence soon produced its usual effect, and it was with smiles that the baroness received the count, although she had been a little disconcerted at the announcement of his name.
"I know it; to avoid meeting him, my mother and I left town." "But he met here M. Andrea Cavalcanti." "Your Italian prince?" "Not so fast; M. Andrea only calls himself count." "Calls himself, do you say?" "Yes, calls himself." "Is he not a count?" "What can I know of him? He calls himself so. I, of course, give him the same title, and every one else does likewise." "What a strange man you are!
"Well, then," replied the major, "they paid me 50,000 francs down." "Monsieur Cavalcanti," said Andrea, "do you believe in fairy tales?" "I used not to do so, but I really feel now almost obliged to have faith in them." "You have, then, been induced to alter your opinion; you have had some proofs of their truth?" The major drew from his pocket a handful of gold.
"What next? what more do you want?" "I wish to know if, in demanding my signature, you leave me entirely free in my person?" "Absolutely." "Then, as I said before, sir, very well; I am ready to marry M. Cavalcanti." "But what are you up to?" "Ah, that is my affair. What advantage should I have over you, if knowing your secret I were to tell you mine?" Danglars bit his lips.
Yet the people had found a leader in Dante, whose words had set their minds on fire, and the gradually increasing number of the Reds that had made their way to the place and were clustered about Guido Cavalcanti stiffened their fluent units into something like a solidity of opposition.
"Yes, sir, I will give my attention to the subject." "I do not say that I await with pleasure his decision, but I do await it. A banker must, you know, be a slave to his promise." And Danglars sighed as M. Cavalcanti had done half an hour before. "Bravi, bravo, brava!" cried Morcerf, parodying the banker, as the selection came to an end.
I prefer not to have as a neighbor a thief and an assassin, even if he did shine so brilliantly once in aristocratic Parisian society as the Prince Cavalcanti!" "What is the matter, my lord?" asked Haydée, noticing the expression on Monte-Cristo's countenance. "From whom is the letter?" "Oh! it is nothing," answered the Count, with a smile.
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