登陆注册
5382900000306

第306章

"Why not? Who ever heard of such an occurrence as this? -- a false telegraphic despatch -- it is almost impossible for wrong signals to be made as they were in the last two telegrams.It was done on purpose for me -- I am sure of it.""Sir," said the baroness humbly, "are you not aware that the man employed there was dismissed, that they talked of going to law with him, that orders were issued to arrest him and that this order would have been put into execution if he had not escaped by flight, which proves that he was either mad or guilty? It was a mistake.""Yes, which made fools laugh, which caused the minister to have a sleepless night, which has caused the minister's secretaries to blacken several sheets of paper, but which has cost me 700,000 francs.""But, sir," said Hermine suddenly, "if all this is, as you say, caused by M.Debray, why, instead of going direct to him, do you come and tell me of it? Why, to accuse the man, do you address the woman?""Do I know M.Debray? -- do I wish to know him? -- do I wish to know that he gives advice? -- do I wish to follow it? --do I speculate? No; you do all this, not I.""Still it seems to me, that as you profit by it -- "Danglars shrugged his shoulders."Foolish creature," he exclaimed."Women fancy they have talent because they have managed two or three intrigues without being the talk of Paris! But know that if you had even hidden your irregularities from your husband, who has but the commencement of the art -- for generally husbands will not see -- you would then have been but a faint imitation of most of your friends among the women of the world.But it has not been so with me, -- I see, and always have seen, during the last sixteen years.You may, perhaps, have hidden a thought; but not a step, not an action, not a fault, has escaped me, while you flattered yourself upon your address, and firmly believed you had deceived me.What has been the result? -- that, thanks to my pretended ignorance, there is none of your friends, from M.de Villefort to M.Debray, who has not trembled before me.There is not one who has not treated me as the master of the house, -- the only title Idesire with respect to you; there is not one, in fact, who would have dared to speak of me as I have spoken of them this day.I will allow you to make me hateful, but I will prevent your rendering me ridiculous, and, above all, Iforbid you to ruin me."

The baroness had been tolerably composed until the name of Villefort had been pronounced; but then she became pale, and, rising, as if touched by a spring, she stretched out her hands as though conjuring an apparition; she then took two or three steps towards her husband, as though to tear the secret from him, of which he was ignorant, or which he withheld from some odious calculation, -- odious, as all his calculations were."M.de Villefort! -- What do you mean?""I mean that M.de Nargonne, your first husband, being neither a philosopher nor a banker, or perhaps being both, and seeing there was nothing to be got out of a king's attorney, died of grief or anger at finding, after an absence of nine months, that you had been enceinte six.I am brutal, -- I not only allow it, but boast of it; it is one of the reasons of my success in commercial business.Why did he kill himself instead of you? Because he had no cash to save.My life belongs to my cash.M.Debray has made me lose 700,000 francs; let him bear his share of the loss, and we will go on as before; if not, let him become bankrupt for the 250,000 livres, and do as all bankrupts do -- disappear.

He is a charming fellow, I allow, when his news is correct;but when it is not, there are fifty others in the world who would do better than he."Madame Danglars was rooted to the spot; she made a violent effort to reply to this last attack, but she fell upon a chair thinking of Villefort, of the dinner scene, of the strange series of misfortunes which had taken place in her house during the last few days, and changed the usual calm of her establishment to a scene of scandalous debate.

Danglars did not even look at her, though she did her best to faint.He shut the bedroom door after him, without adding another word, and returned to his apartments; and when Madame Danglars recovered from her half-fainting condition, she could almost believe that she had had a disagreeable dream.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 王子与贫儿

    王子与贫儿

    《王子与贫儿》是马克·吐温的童话式讽刺小说,发表于1881年。故事以16世纪英国的生活情况为背景,讲一个衣衫褴褛的贫儿汤姆·康第和太子爱德华同时出生,相貌极为相似;他们由于一个偶然的机会,戏剧性地互换了服装和身份。汤姆登上国王的宝座,当了一国之主后,废除了一些残酷的法律和刑罚,赦免了一些无辜的“犯人”,颁布了一些合乎情理的命令;而王子爱德华则流落在民间,经历了君主专制统治下人民生活的种种苦难。小说通过一个虚构的故事,生动地反映了英国资本主义原始积累时期劳动人民生活的穷困和悲惨,反映了封建统治者的豪奢和凶残。
  • 此情可待成追忆

    此情可待成追忆

    山寺的惊鸿一瞥,他对她心生无尽爱慕之情。小僧的一语道破,他始知这定是一段无果姻缘。但,心底的倾慕,促使他忘记后宫佳丽三千,即使,她是他最恨的权臣之女。竹林的狭路相逢,她认他为知音知己之人。悄悄收下的绯紫玉佩,隐藏了她柔情似水的一片春心。但,显赫的出身,婚姻的不能自主,促使她忘记有这样一个人。此情可待成追忆,此情,已自成追忆。即使,他与她,同在那寂寂深宫中;即使,他是皇帝,她是皇后,也只有相知相对,不相识。
  • 农妇当家

    农妇当家

    穿越了,不可怕,穿成一名又丑又懒的农妇,也不可怕,因为有一个憨厚又老实的农夫宠着。谁料丈夫的亲人个个是极品!既来之则安之,且看21世纪高级美容师如何在异世调教相公,和极品亲戚断绝关系,买山买地,办工厂,开店铺,当个地主婆吧!
  • 超越平凡:自我的力量

    超越平凡:自我的力量

    安东尼·莫里斯·尼克编著的这本《超越平凡:自我的力量》介绍了心智的力量以及如何释放出心智的潜能以获取成功。它为自我帮助和自我发展指明了基本方向,实施为了成功而必须采取的行为,从而有所作为。它描述了无意识惊人的力量,展示了大脑的工作机理以及它是如何释放其巨大的力量并利用它在生活中获得成功。
  • 佛说黑氏梵志经

    佛说黑氏梵志经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 脚下地图

    脚下地图

    《脚下地图》是实力派中年作家邓一光的散文集。军旅题材的散文写人叙事独具一格,鲜活生动,细节真实,视角独到。
  • 金刚般若经疏论纂要刊定记会编

    金刚般若经疏论纂要刊定记会编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 欧罗巴英雄记

    欧罗巴英雄记

    马伯庸用中国古典白话小说的风格,写一段西方热耳熟能详的英雄传奇。东西方文化的无缝结合,中世纪欧洲的武侠狂想,熟悉的文体,绝未见过的世界。英格兰门派,法兰西武学,古希腊内功心法,穴道被十二宫与星命点替换,真气被“四液平衡”替换。欧罗巴江湖儿女,快意恩仇同样精彩。
  • 克拉玛依的味道

    克拉玛依的味道

    从东疆第一个绿洲哈密开始,经过鄯善、吐鲁番、乌鲁木齐,至克拉玛依。路途不算长,可也不算短,长短恰好到人体所能承受的极限。一路摇摇摆摆,始终被加油站怂恿。那些统一的红色逗点将一个长句串连起来,紧扣石油这个中心词,句意再清晰不过。是的,今天,石油无处不在。当它们潜伏在地下时,如休眠的蛇,一旦突破地壳奔窜出来,便紧紧缠住人类脖颈,以不容争辩不容犹豫的力量,劲而强地飚起一股旋风,其威力如洗衣机里转动的波纹,整个世界被它浸染。我的旅行逆流而上,航向石油发源地克拉玛依。
  • 次元小说系统

    次元小说系统

    前世没去那二次元和小说的世界,今世分身去看看那些世界。