icon 0
icon TOP UP
rightIcon
icon Reading History
rightIcon
icon Log out
rightIcon
icon Get the APP
rightIcon

The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter 5 The Marriage Feast

Word Count: 5612    |    Released on: 15/03/2018

plendent, touching the foamy waves i

inexplicable reason the name of one of the principal cities of France; beneath these windows a wooden balcony extended the entire length of the house. And although the entertainment was fixed for twelve o'clock, an hour previous to that time the balcony was fi

romised to attend the nuptial feast; but all seemed unanimous in doubting tha

fectually confirmed the report, stating that he had recently conversed with M

s a sure indication that the man whose wedding feast he thus delighted to honor would ere long be first in command of the ship; and as Dantès was universally beloved o

he bridegroom to convey to him the intelligence of the arrival of the important person

group advancing towards them, composed of the betrothed pair, a party of young girls in attendance on the bride,

of his countenance; they were so happy that they were cons

of the hand with Edmond, Danglars and Caderousse took their places besid

ked stockings, evidently of English manufacture, while from his three-cornered hat depended a long streaming knot of white and blue ribbons. Thus he came along, supporting himself on a curious

come reconciled to the Dantès, father and son, although there still lingered in his mind a faint and unperfect recollection o

0

o have entirely forgotten that such a being as himself existed, was pale and abstracted; occasionally, however, a deep flush would overspread his countenance, and a nervous contraction d

-a costume somewhat between a military and a civil garb; and with his fine countenance, radia

Andalusian. One more practiced in the arts of great cities would have hid her blushes beneath a veil, or, at least, have cast down her thickly fringed lashes, so as to have concealed the

Dantès should be the successor to the late Captain Leclere. Edmond, at the approach of his patron, respectfully placed the arm of his affianced bride within that of M. Morrel, who, forthwith conducting her up the

been as a brother to me, " pointing with a soft and gentle smile to Fernand; but her words and look seemed to inflict the direst torture on him, for his lips

ng his most honored guests. M. Morrel was seated at his right hand, Danglars at his left; while,

e echinus with its prickly outside and dainty morsel within, the clovis, esteemed by the epicures of the South as more than rivalling the exquisite flavor of th

hue and brightness of the topaz, and which had just been placed before Mercédès herself. "Now, would anybody think

n cannot always feel happy beca

is what you meant by your observation, my worthy friend, you are right; joy tak

whose excitable nature received a

u fear any approaching evil? I should say that y

nted palaces we read of in our childhood, where fierce, fiery dragons defend the entrance and approach; and monsters of all shapes and kinds, requiring to be over

yet. Mercédès is not yet your wife. Just assume the tone and manner of a

to start at every fresh sound, and from time to time wiped a

t me for such a trifle as that. 'Tis true that Mercédès is not actually my wif

, whose laugh displayed the still perfect beauty of his large white teeth. Mercédès looked pl

anglars, turning pale. "

. We have purchased permission to waive the usual delay; and at half-past two o'clock the Mayor of Marseilles will be waiting for us at the city hall. Now, as a quart

0

self by the table to prevent his falling from his chair; but in spite of all his efforts, he could not r

of affair. Arrived here only yesterday morning, and married today at t

, "how did you manage about the other f

s no fortune; I have none to settle on her. So, you see, our papers were quickly written ou

the betrothal feast turns out to be the

or Paris; four days to go, and the same to return, with one day to discharge the commission entrusted to me, is all th

e commencement of the repast, had commented upon the silence that prevailed, now found it difficult, amid the general din

responded by a look of grateful pleasure; while Mercédès gl

e trammels of etiquette. Such as at the commencement of the repast had not been able to seat themselves according to their inclination rose unceremoniously, and sou

e tortures of the damned; unable to rest, he was among the first to quit the table, and, as though seeking to avoid the

, whom Fernand seemed most anxious to avoi

ffaced every feeling of envy or jealousy at Dantès' good fortune, -"upon my word, Dantès is a downright good fellow, and when I see him sitting there besi

t be tempted to do; but when I saw how completely he had mastered his feelings, even so far as to become one of his rival

n the beauty of the bride is concerned. Upon my soul, that future captain

voice of Mercédès; "two o'clock has just struck, an

0

ed Dantès, eagerly quitting t

d by the whole party, w

At the same instant his ear caught a sort of indistinct sound on the stairs, followed by the measured tread of soldiery, with the clanking of swords and military accoutrements; then came a hum and buzz as of many voices

truck upon the panel of the door. The comp

o prevent it, the door was opened, and a magistrate, wearing his official scarf, presented himself, followed b

t?" said M. Morrel, addressing the magistrate, whom he evide

earer of an order of arrest, and although I most reluctantly perform the task assigned me, it must, n

spite of the agitation he could not but feel,

t is your ple

the magistrate, "I arrest

lightly changing color,

inted with the reasons that have rendered such a

y. Old Dantès, however, sprang forward. There are situations which the heart of a father or a mother cannot be made to understand. He prayed and supplicated in terms so moving, that even the officer was touched, and, although firm in his duty, he kindly said, "My worthy friend, let me beg of yo

ed Caderousse, frowningly, of Danglars, w

0

d at all that is going on, and cannot in the least make out what it is ab

painful catastrophe he had just witnessed appeared effectually to have rent away the vei

s a part of the trick you were concerting yesterday? All I can say is, that if it be so,

I have nothing whatever to do with it; besides, yo

derousse, "you merely threw it

!-what should you know abou

nand?" inquir

o be, to look after his own affairs, most likely. Never mind where he

rendered himself to the officer sent to arrest him, merely saying, "Make yourselves quite easy, my good fellows, there is some l

0

had now approached the group, "nothing m

the soldiers. A carriage awaited him at the door; he got in, followed by two

cried Mercédès, stretching out h

aning from the coach he called out, "Good-bye, Mercédès-we shall soon meet again

l take the first conveyance I find, and hurry to Marsei

ultitude of voices, "go, and

t behind. The old father and Mercédès remained for some time apart, each absorbed in grief; but at length the two poo

went to sit down at the first vacant place, and this was, by mere chance, placed next to the seat on which poor Mercédès had fal

sure of it, " whispered Caderousse, who had n

tupid to imagine such a scheme. I only hope the misc

who aided and abetted the

cannot be held responsible for ev

e arrow lights point down

e arrest was being canvass

said one of the party, turnin

tès may have been detected with some trifling art

hout your knowledge, Danglars, sin

know she was loaded with cotton, and that she took in her freight at Alexandria from Pastret's warehouse, and at

; "my poor boy told me yesterday he had got a sma

depend upon it the custom-house people went rummaging about the s

over's arrest. Her grief, which she had hitherto tried to re

man, "be comforted, my poor

epeated D

eemed to die away on his pale agitated lips, and

oned in the balcony on the lookout. "Here comes M. Morrel ba

o meet the shipowner and greeted

laimed a general

a mournful shake of his head, "the thing has

ir, he is innocent!"

wered M. Morrel; "but

inquired the

ur readers may be able to recollect how formidable such an

e pale lips of Mercédès; th

f last night has been played; but I cannot suffer a poor old man or an innocent g

tès be innocent or guilty? The vessel did touch at Elba, where he quitted it, and passed a whole day in the island. Now, should any letters o

ved the solidity of this mode of reasoning; he gazed, doubtfully,

hat comes of it, " said he, casting

If he be innocent, of course he will be set at liberty; if gu

. I cannot stay

e other so tractable. "Let us take ourselves out of the w

protector of Mercédès, led the girl to her home, while some friends of

Bonapartist agent was not slow i

the port for the purpose of gleaning fresh tidings of Dantès, from M. de Villefort, the assistant p

considered the circumstance of his having anchored at

hese suspicions to any

0

ceal what he thinks on the subject, you are strongly suspected of regretting the abdication of Napoleon. I should have feared to injure both Edmond and yourself, had I divulged my own apprehensions to a

worthy fellow; and I had already thought of your interests in

ible you we

n of you, and if he should have any reluctance to continue you in you

t was hi

ly referred to without entering into particulars, but that whoever possessed the

te!" murmure

e. "No one can deny his being

d M. Morrel, "here is the

rt for the next three months, let us hope that ere the

but in th

erienced captain in the service; and it will be so far advantageous to you to accept my services, that upon Edmond's release from

once to assume the command of the Pharaon, and look carefully to the unloading of

l; but do you think we shall be

terest in Edmond's favor. I am aware he is a furious royalist; but, in spite of that, and o

"but I hear that he is ambitious

"we shall see. But now hasten on bo

ed the two allies, and proceeded in t

0

sse, "the turn things have taken. Do you stil

to me a shocking thing that a mere jo

self, but Fernand; you knew very well that I threw the paper i

did not. I only wish I could see it now as plainly as I saw

o be copied; perhaps, even, he did not take the trouble of recopying it. And now I think of it, by

of Dantès being eng

ng was a joke, nothing more. It seems, however, t

he kind had happened; or, at least, that I had had no hand in it. You w

be implicated in any way? All we have got to do is, to keep our own counsel, and remain perfectly quiet, not brea

ng his steps towards the Allées de Meilhan, moving his head to and fro, and muttering

f that fool of a Caderousse can be persuaded to hold his tongue. My only fear is the chance of Dantès being released. But, there, he is in the hands of Justice; and,

Claim Your Bonus at the APP

Open
1 Chapter 1 Marseilles-The Arrival2 Chapter 2 Father and Son3 Chapter 3 The Catalans4 Chapter 4 Conspiracy5 Chapter 5 The Marriage Feast6 Chapter 6 The Deputy Procureur du Roi7 Chapter 7 The Examination8 Chapter 8 The Chateau d'If9 Chapter 9 The Evening of the Betrothal10 Chapter 10 The King's Closet at the Tuileries11 Chapter 11 The Corsican Ogre12 Chapter 12 Father and Son13 Chapter 13 The Hundred Days14 Chapter 14 The Two Prisoners15 Chapter 15 Number 34 and Number 2716 Chapter 16 A Learned Italian17 Chapter 17 The Abbé's Chamber18 Chapter 18 The Treasure19 Chapter 19 The Third Attack20 Chapter 20 The Cemetery of the Chateau d'If21 Chapter 21 The Island of Tiboulen22 Chapter 22 The Smugglers23 Chapter 23 The Island of Monte Cristo24 Chapter 24 The Secret Cave25 Chapter 25 The Unknown26 Chapter 26 The Pont du Gard Inn27 Chapter 27 The Story28 Chapter 28 The Prison Register29 Chapter 29 The House of Morrel & Son30 Chapter 30 The Fifth of September31 Chapter 31 Italy Sinbad the Sailor32 Chapter 32 The Waking33 Chapter 33 Roman Bandits34 Chapter 34 The Colosseum35 Chapter 35 La Mazzolata36 Chapter 36 The Carnival at Rome37 Chapter 37 The Catacombs of Saint Sebastian38 Chapter 38 The Rendezvous39 Chapter 39 The Guests40 Chapter 40 The Breakfast41 Chapter 41 The Presentation42 Chapter 42 Monsieur Bertuccio43 Chapter 43 The House at Auteuil44 Chapter 44 The Vendetta45 Chapter 45 The Rain of Blood46 Chapter 46 Unlimited Credit47 Chapter 47 The Dappled Grays48 Chapter 48 Ideology49 Chapter 49 Haydée50 Chapter 50 The Morrel Family51 Chapter 51 Pyramus and Thisbe52 Chapter 52 Toxicology53 Chapter 53 Robert le Diable54 Chapter 54 A Flurry in Stocks55 Chapter 55 Major Cavalcanti56 Chapter 56 Andrea Cavalcanti57 Chapter 57 In the Lucern Patch58 Chapter 58 M. Noirtier de Villefort59 Chapter 59 The Will60 Chapter 60 The Telegraph61 Chapter 61 How a Gardener May Get Rid of the Dormice that Eat His Peaches62 Chapter 62 Ghosts63 Chapter 63 The Dinner64 Chapter 64 The Beggar65 Chapter 65 A Conjugal Scene66 Chapter 66 Matrimonial Projects67 Chapter 67 The Office of the King's Attorney68 Chapter 68 A Summer Ball69 Chapter 69 The Inquiry70 Chapter 70 The Ball71 Chapter 71 Bread and Salt72 Chapter 72 Madame de Saint-Méran73 Chapter 73 The Promise74 Chapter 74 The Villefort Family Vault75 Chapter 75 A Signed Statement76 Chapter 76 Progress of Cavalcanti the Younger77 Chapter 77 Haydée78 Chapter 78 We hear From Yanina79 Chapter 79 The Lemonade80 Chapter 80 The Accusation81 Chapter 81 The Room of the Retired Baker82 Chapter 82 The Burglary83 Chapter 83 The Hand of God84 Chapter 84 Beauchamp85 Chapter 85 The Journey86 Chapter 86 The Trial87 Chapter 87 The Challenge88 Chapter 88 The Insult89 Chapter 89 The Night90 Chapter 90 The Meeting91 Chapter 91 Mother and Son92 Chapter 92 The Suicide93 Chapter 93 Valentine94 Chapter 94 Maximilian's Avowal95 Chapter 95 Father and Daughter96 Chapter 96 The Contract97 Chapter 97 The Departure for Belgium98 Chapter 98 The Bell and Bottle Tavern99 Chapter 99 The Law100 Chapter 100 The Apparition