《基督山伯爵》第091章 母与子

　　THE COUNT of Monte Cristo bowed to the five young men with a melancholy and dignified smile, and got into his carriage with Maximilian and Emmanuel. Albert, Beauchamp, and Chateau-Renaud remained alone. Albert looked at his two friends, not timidly, but in a way that appeared to ask their opinion of what he had just done.

　　"Indeed, my dear friend," said Beauchamp first, who had either the most feeling or the least dissimulation, "allow me to congratulate you; this is a very unhoped-for conclusion of a very disagreeable affair."

　　Albert remained silent and wrapped in thought. Chateau-Renaud contented himself with tapping his boot with his flexible cane. "Are we not going?" said he, after this embarrassing silence. "When you please," replied Beauchamp; "allow me only to compliment M. de Morcerf, who has given proof to-day of rare chivalric generosity."

　　"Oh, yes," said Chateau-Renaud.

　　"It is magnificent," continued Beauchamp, "to be able to exercise so much self-control！"

　　"Assuredly; as for me, I should have been incapable of it," said Chateau-Renaud, with most significant coolness.

　　"Gentlemen," interrupted Albert, "I think you did not understand that something very serious had passed between M. de Monte Cristo and myself."

　　"Possibly, possibly," said Beauchamp immediately; "but every simpleton would not be able to understand your heroism, and sooner or later you will find yourself compelled to explain it to them more energetically than would be convenient to your bodily health and the duration of your life. May I give you a friendly counsel? Set out for Naples, the Hague, or St. Petersburg--calm countries, where the point of honor is better understood than among our hot-headed Parisians. Seek quietude and oblivion, so that you may return peaceably to France after a few years. Am I not right, M. de Chateau-Renaud?"

　　"That is quite my opinion," said the gentleman; "nothing induces serious duels so much as a duel forsworn."

　　"Thank you, gentlemen," replied Albert, with a smile of indifference; "I shall follow your advice--not because you give it, but because I had before intended to quit France. I thank you equally for the service you have rendered me in being my seconds. It is deeply engraved on my heart, and, after what you have just said, I remember that only." Chateau-Renaud and Beauchamp looked at each other; the impression was the same on both of them, and the tone in which Morcerf had just expressed his thanks was so determined that the position would have become embarrassing for all if the conversation had continued.

　　"Good-by, Albert," said Beauchamp suddenly, carelessly extending his hand to the young man. The latter did not appear to arouse from his lethargy; in fact, he did not notice the offered hand. "Good-by," said Chateau-Renaud in his turn, keeping his little cane in his left hand, and saluting with his right. Albert's lips scarcely whispered "Good-by," but his look was more explicit; it expressed a whole poem of restrained anger, proud disdain, and generous indignation. He preserved his melancholy and motionless position for some time after his two friends had regained their carriage; then suddenly unfastening his horse from the little tree to which his servant had tied it, he mounted and galloped off in the direction of Paris.

　　In a quarter of an hour he was entering the house in the Rue du Helder. As he alighted, he thought he saw his father's pale face behind the curtain of the count's bedroom. Albert turned away his head with a sigh, and went to his own apartments. He cast one lingering look on all the luxuries which had rendered life so easy and so happy since his infancy; he looked at the pictures, whose faces seemed to smile, and the landscapes, which appeared painted in brighter colors. Then he took away his mother's portrait, with its oaken frame, leaving the gilt frame from which he took it black and empty. Then he arranged all his beautiful Turkish arms, his fine English guns, his Japanese china, his cups mounted in silver, his artistic bronzes by Feucheres and Barye; examined the cupboards, and placed the key in each; threw into a drawer of his secretary, which he left open, all the pocket-money he had about him, and with it the thousand fancy jewels from his vases and his jewel-boxes; then he made an exact inventory of everything, and placed it in the most conspicuous part of the table, after putting aside the books and papers which had collected there. At the beginning of this work, his servant, notwithstanding orders to the contrary, came to his room. "What do you want?" asked he, with a more sorrowful than angry tone. "Pardon me, sir," replied the valet; "you had forbidden me to disturb you, but the Count of Morcerf has called me."

　　"Well！" said Albert.

　　"I did not like to go to him without first seeing you."

　　"Why?"

　　"Because the count is doubtless aware that I accompanied you to the meeting this morning."

　　"It is probable," said Albert.

　　"And since he has sent for me, it is doubtless to question me on what happened there. What must I answer?"

　　"The truth."

　　"Then I shall say the duel did not take place?"

　　"You will say I apologized to the Count of Monte Cristo. Go."

　　The valet bowed and retired, and Albert returned to his inventory. As he was finishing this work, the sound of horses prancing in the yard, and the wheels of a carriage shaking his window, attracted his attention. He approached the window, and saw his father get into it, and drive away. The door was scarcely closed when Albert bent his steps to his mother's room; and, no one being there to announce him, he advanced to her bed-chamber, and distressed by what he saw and guessed, stopped for one moment at the door. As if the same idea had animated these two beings, Merc茅d猫s was doing the same in her apartments that he had just done in his. Everything was in order,--laces, dresses, jewels, linen, money, all were arranged in the drawers, and the countess was carefully collecting the keys. Albert saw all these preparations and understood them, and exclaiming, "My mother！" he threw his arms around her neck.

　　The artist who could have depicted the expression of these two countenances would certainly have made of them a beautiful picture. All these proofs of an energetic resolution, which Albert did not fear on his own account, alarmed him for his mother. "What are you doing?" asked he.

　　"What were you doing?" replied she.

　　"Oh, my mother！" exclaimed Albert, so overcome he could scarcely speak; "it is not the same with you and me--you cannot have made the same resolution I have, for I have come to warn you that I bid adieu to your house, and--and to you."

　　"I also," replied Merc茅d猫s, "am going, and I acknowledge I had depended on your accompanying me; have I deceived myself?"

　　"Mother," said Albert with firmness. "I cannot make you share the fate I have planned for myself. I must live henceforth without rank and fortune, and to begin this hard apprenticeship I must borrow from a friend the loaf I shall eat until I have earned one. So, my dear mother, I am going at once to ask Franz to lend me the small sum I shall require to supply my present wants."

　　"You, my poor child, suffer poverty and hunger? Oh, do not say so; it will break my resolutions."

　　"But not mine, mother," replied Albert. "I am young and strong; I believe I am courageous, and since yesterday I have learned the power of will. Alas, my dear mother, some have suffered so much, and yet live, and have raised a new fortune on the ruin of all the promises of happiness which heaven had made them--on the fragments of all the hope which God had given them！ I have seen that, mother; I know that from the gulf in which their enemies have plunged them they have risen with so much vigor and glory that in their turn they have ruled their former conquerors, and have punished them. No. mother; from this moment I have done with the past, and accept nothing from it--not even a name, because you can understand that your son cannot bear the name of a man who ought to blush for it before another."

　　"Albert, my child," said Merc茅d猫s, "if I had a stronger heart that is the counsel I would have given you; your conscience has spoken when my voice became too weak; listen to its dictates. You had friends, Albert; break off their acquaintance. But do not despair; you have life before you, my dear Albert, for you are yet scarcely twenty-two years old; and as a pure heart like yours wants a spotless name, take my father's--it was Herrera. I am sure, my dear Albert, whatever may be your career, you will soon render that name illustrious. Then, my son, return to the world still more brilliant because of your former sorrows; and if I am wrong, still let me cherish these hopes, for I have no future to look forward to. For me the grave opens when I pass the threshold of this house."

　　"I will fulfil all your wishes, my dear mother," said the young man. "Yes, I share your hopes; the anger of heaven will not pursue us, since you are pure and I am innocent. But, since our resolution is formed, let us act promptly. M. de Morcerf went out about half an hour ago; the opportunity in favorable to avoid an explanation."

　　"I am ready, my son," said Merc茅d猫s.

　　Albert ran to fetch a carriage. He recollected that there was a small furnished house to let in the Rue de Saints-P猫res, where his mother would find a humble but decent lodging, and thither he intended conducting the countess. As the carriage stopped at the door, and Albert was alighting, a man approached and gave him a letter. Albert recognized the bearer. "From the count," said Bertuccio. Albert took the letter, opened, and read it, then looked round for Bertuccio, but he was gone. He returned to Merc茅d猫s with tears in his eyes and heaving breast, and without uttering a word he gave her the letter. Merc茅d猫s read:--

　　Albert,--While showing you that I have discovered your plans, I hope also to convince you of my delicacy. You are free, you leave the count's house, and you take your mother to your home; but reflect, Albert, you owe her more than your poor noble heart can pay her. Keep the struggle for yourself, bear all the suffering, but spare her the trial of poverty which must accompany your first efforts; for she deserves not even the shadow of the misfortune which has this day fallen on her, and providence is not willing that the innocent should suffer for the guilty. I know you are going to leave the Rue du Helder without taking anything with you. Do not seek to know how I discovered it; I know it--that is sufficient.

　　Now, listen, Albert. Twenty-four years ago I returned, proud and joyful, to my country. I had a betrothed, Albert, a lovely girl whom I adored, and I was bringing to my betrothed a hundred and fifty louis, painfully amassed by ceaseless toil. This money was for her; I destined it for her, and, knowing the treachery of the sea I buried our treasure in the little garden of the house my father lived in at Marseilles, on the All茅es de Meillan. Your mother, Albert, knows that poor house well. A short time since I passed through Marseilles, and went to see the old place, which revived so many painful recollections; and in the evening I took a spade and dug in the corner of the garden where I had concealed my treasure. The iron box was there--no one had touched it--under a beautiful fig-tree my father had planted the day I was born, which overshadowed the spot. Well, Albert, this money, which was formerly designed to promote the comfort and tranquillity of the woman I adored, may now, through strange and painful circumstances, be devoted to the same purpose. Oh, feel for me, who could offer millions to that poor woman, but who return her only the piece of black bread forgotten under my poor roof since the day I was torn from her I loved. You are

　　a generous man, Albert, but perhaps you may be blinded by pride or resentment; if you refuse me, if you ask another for what I have a right to offer you, I will say it is ungenerous of you to refuse the life of your mother at the hands of a man whose father was allowed by your father to die in all the horrors of poverty and despair.

　　Albert stood pale and motionless to hear what his mother would decide after she had finished reading this letter. Merc茅d猫s turned her eyes with an ineffable look towards heaven. "I accept it," said she; "he has a right to pay the dowry, which I shall take with me to some convent！" Putting the letter in her bosom, she took her son's arm, and with a firmer step than she even herself expected she went down-stairs.

　　基督山伯爵带着一个抑郁而庄重的微笑向那五个青年鞠了一躬，和马西米兰、艾曼纽跨进他的马车走了。决斗场上只剩下了阿尔贝、波尚、夏多路勒诺。阿尔贝望着他的两位朋友，但他的眼光里决没有懦弱的神情，看来只象是在征求他们对他刚才那种举动的意见。

　　鈥溦娴模�我亲爱的朋友，鈥澆ㄉ惺紫人担�不知道他究竟是受到了怎样的感动，或是因为装腔作势，鈥溓朐市砦蚁蚰愕篮兀�对于这样一件非常难理解的事情，这确是一个想象不到的结果。鈥�

　　阿尔贝默不出声，仍沉溺在思索里。夏多路勒诺只是用他那根富于弹性的手杖拍打他的皮靴。在一阵尴尬的沉默以手，他说：鈥溛颐亲甙桑库��

　　鈥溩甙桑�鈥澆ㄉ谢卮穑�鈥溨皇窍仍市砦蚁蚵矶�塞夫先生祝贺一下，他今天做了一件这样宽宏大量，这样富于骑士精神和这样罕见的举动！鈥�

　　鈥溑叮�是的。鈥澫亩�路勒诺说。

　　鈥溎芄挥姓庋�的自制能力真是难得！鈥澆ㄉ杏炙怠�

　　鈥湹比宦蓿�要是我，我就办不到啦。鈥澫亩�路勒诺用十分明显的冷淡的神气。

　　鈥湺�位，鈥澃⒍�贝插进来说，鈥溛蚁肽忝谴蟾挪幻靼谆�督山先生曾与我之间发生过一桩非常严肃的事情。鈥�

　　鈥溈赡艿模�可能的，鈥澆ㄉ辛⒓此担�鈥湹�无论如何哪一个傻瓜都不能明白你的英雄气概的，而你迟早就会发觉自己不得不费尽全身心向他们解释。作为一个朋友我可以给你一个忠告，到那不勒斯、海牙或圣路彼得堡去，鈥斺�數侥切┠�静的地方，那些比我们急性的巴黎人对于名誉攸关的问题比我们看得理智。静静地、隐姓埋名地在那儿住下来，这样，几年以后你就可以平平安安地回到法国来了。我说得对吗，夏多路勒诺先生？鈥�

　　鈥溎钦�是我的意思，鈥澞俏簧鹗克担�鈥溤谡庋�严肃的决斗象今天这样无结果散伙以后，只有这条路可走了。鈥�

　　鈥溞恍荒忝嵌�位，鈥澃⒍�贝带着一种淡淡的微笑答道，鈥溛医�听从你们的劝告，鈥斺�數共⒉皇且蛭�你们给了这个劝告，而是因为我已经下决心要离开法国。我感谢你们二位帮助了我做我的陪证人。这是深深地印刻在我的心上，因为你们虽然说了那些话，但我却只记得这一点。鈥�

　　夏多路勒诺和波尚对望了一眼，他们两个人得到了相同的印象：马尔塞夫刚才表示感谢的口气是那样的坚决，假如谈话再继续下去，只会使大家更加为难。鈥�

　　鈥湼娲橇耍�阿尔贝。鈥澆ㄉ型蝗凰担�同时漫不精心把手给那个青年，但阿尔贝看来象还没有摆脱他的恍惚状态似的，并未注意到那只伸过来的手。

　　鈥湼娲橇恕ｂ�澫亩�路勒诺说，他的左手握着那根小手杖，用右手打了一个手势。

　　阿尔贝用低得几乎让人听不见的声音说句鈥溤偌�鈥潱�但他的眼光却更明显；那种眼光是一首诗，包含着抑制的愤怒、傲慢的轻视和宽容的庄重。他的两位朋友回到他们的马车里以后，他依旧抑郁地，一动不动地呆了一会儿；随后，猛然解下他的仆人绑在小树上的那匹马，一跃到马背上，朝向巴黎那个方向疾驰而去。一刻钟后，他回到了海尔达路的那座大夏。当他下马的时候，他好象从伯爵卧室的窗帘后面看到了他父亲那张苍白的脸。阿尔贝叹了一声叹息转过头去，走进他自己的房间里。他向那些童年时代曾给他带来生活安逸和快乐的种种华丽奢侈的东西最后望了一眼；他望望那些图画，图画上的人似乎在微笑，图画上的风景似乎色彩更明亮了。他从镜框里拿出他母亲的画像，把它卷了起来，只留下那只镶金边的空框子。然后，他整理一下他的那些漂亮的土耳其武器，那些精致的英国枪，那些日本瓷器，那些银盖的玻璃杯，以及那些刻有鈥湻哑蚶锼光�澔蜮�湴桶ｂ�潱鄯哑蚶锼梗ㄒ话�○七鈥斠话宋宥�），法国雕塑家。鈥斺�斠胱ⅲ莸让�字的铜器艺术品；他仔细看了一下衣柜，把钥匙都插在框门里；打开一只书桌抽屉，把他身上所有的零用钱，把珠宝箱里的千百种珍奇的古玩品都仍到里面，然后他到了一张详细的财产目录放在最引人注目的地方。

　　他吩咐他的仆人不许进来，但当他开始做这些事情的时候，他的仆人却仍走了进来。鈥準裁词拢库�澛矶�塞夫用一种伤心比恼怒更重的语气说。

　　鈥溤�谅我，少爷，鈥澠腿怂档溃�鈥溎悴恍砦依创蛉拍�，但马尔塞夫伯爵派人来叫我了。鈥�

　　鈥溎怯衷趺囱�呢？鈥澃⒍�贝说。

　　鈥溛胰ゼ�他以前，希望先来见一下您。鈥�

　　鈥溛�什么？鈥�

　　鈥溡蛭�伯爵可能已经知道我今天早晨陪着您去决斗的。鈥�

　　鈥溣锌赡馨伞ｂ�澃⒍�贝说。

　　鈥溂热凰�派人来叫我，肯定是要问我事情的全部经过。我该怎么回答呢？鈥�

　　鈥準祷笆邓怠ｂ��

　　鈥溎敲次揖退稻龆访挥芯傩新穑库��

　　鈥溎闼滴蚁蚧�督山伯爵道歉了。快去吧。鈥�

　　仆人鞠了一躬退了出去，阿尔贝继续列的财产目录单。当他完成这件工作的时候，园子里响了马蹄声，车轮滚动声音震动了他的窗户。这种声音引起了他的注意。他走近窗口，看见他的父亲正坐着马车出去。伯爵走后，大门还未关闭，阿尔贝便朝他母亲的房间走去；没有人告诉他的母亲，他便一直走到她的卧室里去；他在卧室门口站了一会儿，痛苦地发觉他所看见的一切同他想的一样。这两个人心灵是相通的，美塞苔丝在房间里所做的事情正如阿尔贝在他的房间里所做的一样。一切都已安排妥当，鈥斺�斒质巍⒁路�、珠宝、衣料、金钱，一切都已整齐的放在抽屉里，鈥斺�敳�爵夫人正在仔细地汇集钥匙。阿尔贝看见这一切，他懂得这种种准备的意思，于是大声喊道：鈥溌瑁♀�澅闵先ケё∷�的脖子。要是当时一位画家能画出这两张脸上的表情，他一定能画出一幅出色的画。阿尔贝自己下这种强有力的决心时并不可怕，但看到他母亲也这样做时他却慌了。鈥溎阍诟墒裁矗库�澦�问。

　　鈥溎阍诟墒裁矗库�澦�回答。

　　鈥溹蓿�妈妈！鈥澃⒍�贝喊道，他激动得已经讲不出话来了，鈥溎愫臀沂遣灰谎�的，你不能和我下同样的决心，因为我这次来，是来和家告别，而且鈥斺�敹�且来向你告别的！

　　鈥溛乙惨�走了，鈥澝廊�苔丝答道，鈥溔绻�我没弄错的话，你会陪我的。鈥�

　　鈥溌瑁�鈥澃⒍�贝坚决地说，鈥溛也荒苋媚愫臀乙黄鹑プ急赋械Ｎ业拿�运。从此以后，我必须过一种没有爵位和财产的生活。在开始这种艰苦生活之前，在我还没有赚到钱以前，我必须向朋友借钱来度日。所以，我亲爱的妈妈呀，我现在要去向弗兰兹借一小笔款子来应付目前的需要了。鈥�

　　鈥溎悖�我可怜的孩子，竟然要忍受贫穷和饥饿！噢，别那样说，这会使我改变决心的。鈥�

　　鈥湹�却改变不了我的，妈，鈥澃⒍�贝回答。鈥溛夷昵崃ψ常�我相信我也很勇敢。自昨天起，我已明白了意志的力量。唉！亲爱的妈，有人受过那样的苦，但还是坚强地活了下来，而且从苍天所赐给他们的废墟上，从上帝所给他们的希望的碎片上重新建立了他们的功名利禄！我见过了那种事情，妈，从这时候起，我已经和过去割断了一切关系，并且决不接受过去的任何东西，鈥斺�斏踔廖业男眨�因为你懂得鈥斺�斒遣皇牵库�斺�斈愕亩�子是不能承受着旁人姓的。鈥�

　　鈥湴⒍�贝，我的孩子，鈥澝廊�苔丝说，鈥溂偃缥倚脑偌崆啃�，我也是要给你这劝告的。但因为我的声音太微弱的时候，你的良知已替我把它说了出来，那末就按照你的意思办。你有朋友，阿尔贝，现在暂时割断和他的关系。但不要绝望，你的生命还长有一颗纯洁的心，的确需要一个纯洁无瑕的姓。接受我父亲的姓吧，那个姓是希里拉。我相信，我的阿尔贝，不论你将来从事什么工作，你不久一定会使那个姓氏大放光芒的。那时，我的孩子，让那不堪回首的往事会使你在世界上变得更加光辉，假如事与愿违，那么至少让我保存着这些希望吧，因为我就只剩这点盼头了，可现在鈥斺�數蔽铱绯稣庾�房子的门的时候，坟墓已经打开了。鈥�

　　鈥溛业闭兆拍愕脑竿�做，我亲爱的妈妈，鈥澃⒍�贝说，鈥準堑模�我跟你有同样的希望，上苍的愤怒不会追逐我们的，鈥斺�斈闶钦庋�的纯洁，而我又是这样无辜。但既然我们的决心已下定了，就让我们赶快行动吧。马尔塞夫先生已在半小时前出去了，这是一个很好的机会，可以免费口舌。鈥�

　　鈥溛易急负昧耍�我的孩子。鈥澝廊�苔丝说。

　　阿尔贝立刻跑到街上，叫了一辆出租马车载着他们离开了他们的家，他记得圣父街上有一所备有家具的小房子要出租，那儿虽不太好，但还可以过得去，他准备带伯爵夫人到那儿去住。当马车在门口停下，阿尔贝正下车的时候，一个人走过来，交给他一封信。阿尔贝认识那个送信的人。鈥準遣�爵送来的。鈥澆�都西奥说。阿尔贝接过那封信，拆开它，读了一遍，然后四处去寻找伯都西奥，但他已经走了。他含着眼泪，胸膛激动得回到美塞苔丝那儿，一言不发地把那封信交给她。美塞苔丝念道：鈥斺��

　　鈥湴⒍�贝，鈥斺�斣谙蚰惚砻魑乙逊⒕跄愕募苹�的时候，我也希望你能相信我的用心。你是自由的，你离开伯爵的家，带你的母亲离开你的家；但且想一想，阿尔贝，你欠她的恩惠，不是你的可怜的高贵的心所能偿付得了的。你尽管去奋斗，去忍受一切艰难，但不要使她遭受到你那一切贫穷；因为今天落到她身上的那种不幸的阴影，她本来也是不应该遭受的，而上帝决不肯让一个无辜者为罪人受苦的。我知道你们俩就要一文不取地离开海尔达路。不要想我是怎么知道的，我知道了，鈥斺�斈蔷凸涣恕Ｏ衷冢�听我说，阿尔贝。二十四年前，我骄傲而快乐地回到我的故乡。我有一个未婚妻，阿尔贝，一个我崇拜的可爱的姑娘；而我给我的未婚妻带来了辛辛苦苦储积起来的一百五十块金路易。这笔钱是给她的。我特地把这笔钱留给她；只因为我知道大海是变化莫测的，我把我们的宝藏埋在马赛的米兰巷我父亲所住的那座房子的小花园里。你的母亲，阿尔贝，很熟悉那座房子的。不久以前，我路过马赛，去看看那座老房子，它唤起了我许多许多痛苦的回忆；晚上，我带了一把铲子到花园上我埋宝藏的那个地方挖出当时种植的那棵美丽的无花果树。唉，阿尔贝，这笔钱，我以前是准备用来带给所崇拜的那个女人的安乐和宁静用的，现在，由于一种特别可悲的机会，它可以仍用来做同样的用途。噢，我本来是可以给那个可怜的女人几百万的，但现在我却只给了她那一片自从我被人从我所爱的人身边拉走时留给我那可怜的家屋底下的黑面包，我希望你能明白我的这番用意！阿尔贝，你是一个心地宽厚的人，但也许会被骄傲或怨恨所蒙蔽，你会拒绝我，你会另向别人去要求我有权提供的那种帮助，那我就要说，有个人的父亲是受你的父亲的迫害在饥饿和恐怖而死的，而你竟拒绝接受他向你的母亲提供生活费，这样，你未免太不够仁慈了。鈥�

　　阿尔贝脸色苍白，一动不动地站着，等待母亲在读完这封信以后决定。美塞苔丝带着一种难以形容的神情抬头望天。

　　鈥溛医邮芰耍�鈥澦�说，鈥溗�有权利作这样的赠与，我应当带着它进修道院去！鈥澦�把那封信藏在怀里，挽起儿子的手臂，跨着一种或许她自己都想不到能这样坚定的步伐走下车去。