The Count of Monte Cristo

, after having traversed La Canebière, took the Rue de Noailles, and entering a small house, on the left of the Allées de Meillan, rapidly ascended four flights of a dark staircase,

chair, was amusing himself by training with trembling hand the nasturtiums and sprays of clematis that clambered over the trellis

d round; then, seeing his son, he fe

ther? Are you ill?" inquired

id not expect you; and joy, the surprise of seeing yo

rts, and so I came to you without any warning. Come now, do smile, instead of

an; "but how shall we be happy? Shall you never leave me agai

nd I really cannot pretend to lament it. The good Captain Leclere is dead, father, and it is probable that, with the aid of M. Morrel, I shall have his place. Do you unders

eplied the old man, "

mall house, with a garden in which to plant clematis, nasturtiums

away"--and as he said so the old man's s

a glass of wine, father, will reviv

not look for it; I do not

where it is," and he open

id the old man, "t

ernately at the hollow cheeks of the old man and the empty

w that I have you,

tion from his brow,--"yet I gave you two hun

neighbor, Caderousse. He reminded me of it, telling me if I did not pay for you, h

el

I paid

was a hundred and forty f

mmered the

t of the two hundred

d man

or three months on sixty

tle I require," s

d Edmond, falling on his

re you

unded me to

e," said the old man; "and now it's al

this--take it, and send for something immediately." And he emptied his pockets on the table, the contents consisting

is belong to?

aid the old man, with a smile; "and by your leave I will use your purse moderately, for they would say, if they saw m

u left alone so long. I have some smuggled coffee and most capital tobacco, in a smal

r arrival, and no doubt comes to congr

ther," murmured Edmond. "But, never mind, he is a neighb

t the door. He was a man of twenty-five or six, and held a piece of c

he, with a broad Marseillaise accent, and

reeable to you in any and every way," replied Dantès, but

ere are others who have need of me." Dantès made a gesture. "I do not allude to you, my boy. N

us," was Dantès' reply; "for when we do no

ur happy return, my boy. I had gone on the quay to match a piece of mulberr

t Smyrna.'--'I was; bu

he dear boy, our

And so I came," added Caderousse, "as fast as I could

id the old man, "he is

But it seems you have come back rich, my boy," continued the tailor, looking a

was expressing to my father my fears that he had wanted many things in my absence, and to convince me he emptied his purse on the table. Com

ed to my means. Keep your money--keep it, I say;--one never has too much;--but, at the

with good will

, you stand well with M. Morrel I

been exceedingly kind

." "What, did you refuse to dine with him?" sai

smiling at his father's astonishment

efuse, my son?" in

n, my dear father," replied the young

," said Caderousse. "And when you are looking forwa

of my refusal," replied Dantès, "a

one must do a little fla

ptain without th

r pleasure to all your old friends; and I know one down there beh

" said the

een you, and know you are well and have all you require, I w

"and heaven bless you in your wife

fast you go on, father Dantès; she is

l probability she soon w

"but you were right to return

d w

and fine girls never lack followers;

ith a smile which had in it

tal offers, too; but you know, you will be

a smile which but ill-concealed his tro

Caderousse, sha

of women in general, and of Mercédès in particular; and I am ce

be married, there is nothing like implicit confidence; but never mind that, my bo

y; and, embracing his father, and noddi

of old Dantès, he went downstairs to rejoin Dangla

anglars, "did

ft him," answer

to his hope of

as a thing alr

, "he is in too much hu

Morrel has promise

s quite elate

y offered me his patronage, as if he were a grand personage, a

you ref

o put into his hands the first silver he ever earned; but now M. Dantès ha

anglars, "he i

answered Caderousse; "for if he should be

"he will remain what he is; and pe

do you

o myself. And is he still

s I am much mistaken, there wil

in you

shoul

an you think, perhaps. Y

like up

l you know about

ce me to believe, as I told you, that the future captain will f

ou seen?--co

been accompanied by a tall, strapping, black-eyed Catalan, with a

ink this cousin pay

a strapping chap of twenty-one mea

Dantès has gone

efore I ca

t La Rèserve, and we can drink a glass

Caderousse; "but

quickly to the designated place, they cal

Catalans, they sat down under the budding foliage of the planes and sycamores, in the br