[The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Pere]@TWC D-Link book
The Count of Monte Cristo

Chapter3
10/14

"A lover is never terrible," he said.
"Poor fellow!" remarked Danglars, affecting to pity the young man from the bottom of his heart.

"Why, you see, he did not expect to see Dantes return so suddenly--he thought he was dead, perhaps; or perchance faithless! These things always come on us more severely when they come suddenly." "Ah, ma foi, under any circumstances," said Caderousse, who drank as he spoke, and on whom the fumes of the wine began to take effect,--"under any circumstances Fernand is not the only person put out by the fortunate arrival of Dantes; is he, Danglars ?" "No, you are right--and I should say that would bring him ill-luck." "Well, never mind," answered Caderousse, pouring out a glass of wine for Fernand, and filling his own for the eighth or ninth time, while Danglars had merely sipped his.

"Never mind--in the meantime he marries Mercedes--the lovely Mercedes--at least he returns to do that." During this time Danglars fixed his piercing glance on the young man, on whose heart Caderousse's words fell like molten lead.
"And when is the wedding to be ?" he asked.
"Oh, it is not yet fixed!" murmured Fernand.
"No, but it will be," said Caderousse, "as surely as Dantes will be captain of the Pharaon--eh, Danglars ?" Danglars shuddered at this unexpected attack, and turned to Caderousse, whose countenance he scrutinized, to try and detect whether the blow was premeditated; but he read nothing but envy in a countenance already rendered brutal and stupid by drunkenness.
"Well," said he, filling the glasses, "let us drink to Captain Edmond Dantes, husband of the beautiful Catalane!" Caderousse raised his glass to his mouth with unsteady hand, and swallowed the contents at a gulp.

Fernand dashed his on the ground.
"Eh, eh, eh!" stammered Caderousse.

"What do I see down there by the wall, in the direction of the Catalans?
Look, Fernand, your eyes are better than mine.


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