作者：王若平
出版社：航空工业出版社
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
基督山伯爵试读：
前 言
◆英语是语言的帝国全球60亿人中,有3. 8亿人的母语是英语,2. 5亿人的第二母语是英语, 12. 3亿人学习英语,33. 6亿人和英语有关。全世界电视节目的75%、电子邮件的80%、网络的85%、软件源代码的100%都使用英语。40~ 50年后,全球将有50%的人精通英语。全球约有6000种语言,21世纪末其中的90%将消亡。届时英语作为主导语言的地位将进一步得到提升。目前中国大约有4亿人在学英语,超过英国和美国的人口总和,这是中国努力与时代接轨、与国际接轨的一个重要标志,大量中国人熟练掌握国际通用语言是中华民族走向繁荣富强的必要保障。◆全民学英语运动中国近20年来兴起了一场轰轰烈烈的全民学英语的运动。其规模之大,范围之广,古今中外前所未有。学生、教师、公务员、公司职员、商店店员、出租车司机等,各行各业,都在学英语。其学习过程的漫长,也令人感叹。从幼儿园、小学、中学、大学、硕士、博士,到毕业工作,出国,直至退休,一直都在学,英语的学习可谓是终生性的。◆英语学了多年之后的尴尬中国人学了多年英语之后,如果冷静地反省一下多年努力的成效,不难发现自己的英语水平令人十分尴尬。这里将具体表现列举一二。●读任何原版的英语杂志,如Times(时代)、Newsweek(新闻周刊)、The Economists(经济学家),或者原版小说,如Jane Eyre(简·爱)、Gone with the Wind(飘)等,必须借助词典,因为我们随时都可能读不懂。即便查阅大部头的词典,我们常常还是不能理解文意,将文意理解得面目全非。最为可悲的是我们中很多人已经屈从于这种一知半解的阅读状态,甚至有人还荒唐地认为英语本身就是一门模模糊糊的语言,这样当然就更谈不上尝到读原汁原味英语的乐趣了。●学习和探索专业知识的主流载体仍然是汉语。但我们必须清楚:整个现代科学体系基本是用英语来描述和表达的,译成汉语会有一定程度的失真,而且必然导致滞后。●英语表达是一个更大的问题。主要体现在用英语写作以及用英语深入交谈上。事实上,大多数人只能用简单的英语来进行粗略的表述,无法顺利地参加国际学术会议或者进行国际贸易谈判。即便是学术水平很高的专家,在国际刊物上发表论文时,只能请仅懂英语不懂专业的人翻译。一篇在很多老外眼中不伦不类的论文就这样产生了。客观地讲,即使采用不太高的标准来衡量,在中国英语学习的失败率也应该在99%以上。◆来自西方的教育理念中国人读英语有个缺点,学习缺乏渐进性。他们习惯于读满篇都是生词的文章,以为这样“收获”才最大。结果他们的阅读不断地被查词典打断,一小时只能看两三页,读起来自然索然无味,最后只能作罢。这是中国人学英语的通病!读的文章几乎全部达到了语言学家所说的“frustration level”(使学生感到沮丧的程度)。西方的语言学家和心理学家对英语学习者的阅读状况进行了大量的研究,结论令人非常吃惊:最适宜阅读的难度比我们长期所处的、我们所习惯的、我们头脑中定位的难度要低得多!只有文中生词量小到足以保证阅读的持续性时,语言吸收的效果才最好,语言水平的提高也最快。举个形象的例子:上山是从峭壁直接艰难攀登还是走平缓的盘山路好?显然,能够从峭壁登顶者寥寥无几!即使其能勉强成功,也远远落后于沿坦途行进者。◆犹太民族的启示曾经有人说:全世界的金钱装在美国人的口袋里,而美国人的金钱却装在犹太人的脑袋里。据统计,犹太人占世界总人口约0. 3%,却掌握着世界经济命脉。在全世界最富有的企业家中,犹太人占50%以上。无论是过去和现在,在知名的经济巨头中犹太人占有绝对的比例。如第一个亿万巨富、石油大王洛克菲勒,“美国股神”巴菲特,华尔街的缔造者摩根,花旗集团董事长威尔,“打开个人计算机直销大门”的戴尔,坐在全球软件头把交椅“甲骨文公司”的艾利森,华纳电影公司创办人华纳,电影世界的领头羊斯皮尔伯格,他们都是犹太人。犹太人成就的背后就是他们的噬书习惯。联合国教科文组织调查表明,全世界读书最多的民族是犹太民族。其中以色列在人均拥有图书和出版社以及每年人均读书的比例上,超过了世界上任何一个国家,成为世界之最,平均每人每年读书64本。与之反差很大的是中华民族,平均每人每年读书0. 7本。这之中有阅读习惯的中国人虽占5%,却掌握着中国80%的财富。一句话,阅读,特别是经典名著的阅读,是一个人和民族崛起的最根本方法。阅读不能改变人生的起点,但它可以改变人生的终点。不论出身高贵与卑贱,阅读都能改变人生的坐标和轨迹。◆通往英语自由境界的阶梯英语的自由境界指的是用英语自由地学习和工作;自由地阅读英文原版书刊和资料;自如地用英语表达和交流;自然地用英语进行思维;自主地用英语撰写论文和著作。一个英语达到自由境界的人,他的生活也常常是令人羡慕的。清晨随手拿起一份国外的报纸或者杂志,一边喝着浓浓的咖啡,一边轻松、惬意地阅读。可以用英语自由地进行实质性的交谈和撰写书面材料。能够自由地在英文网页上荡漾,能够随时了解国外的最新科技动态或最新的商贸行情。自己的生存空间不再受到国界的限制,无论是交友、择偶,还是发展自己的事业,都有更宽的、跨国度的选择。有一定英语基础的读者要想“修成正果”,达到英语的自由境界,最缺少的就是可读之书。市面上的英语读物粗粗看来似乎琳琅满目,但稍一细读就会发现这些语料要么是难度过低,词汇量只有一、两千词的相当于中学水平的简写本;要么是令人望而生畏、读之更是倍受挫折的原著,语料难度脱节甚至是“代沟”,严重地阻碍了英语中高级学习者对英语的掌握。床头灯英语5000词系列填补了这方面的空白,为读者打造了到达英语自由境界的阶梯。◆本套读物的特色———真正适合中高级英语学习者的原汁原味英语读物●难度适中:本套读物用英语中核心5000词写成,对于难以理解之处均有注释,使你躺在床上不用翻词典就能顺利地读下去,在不知不觉中走向英语自由境界。●语言地道:美国作家执笔,用流畅的现代英语写成,并保留了原著的语言特色。●选材经典:皆为一生中不可不读的作品,读之可提高英语水平、积淀西方文化和提高人生境界。●情节曲折:让你徜徉在一个又一个迥异奇妙的书中世界。……◆“床头灯”英语系列读物的使用方法:●整个床头灯系列包含儿童、中学生、3000词、5000词、6500词等不同层次。你可以选择不用查字典你就能保证阅读的持续性的级别进入,这个级别最少读30本,体会一下用英语读懂名著的感觉———英语形成语感、自信心增强。然后乘胜追击,读下一个级别的,每个级别读30本以上。●使用床头灯英语学习读本(英汉对照版)练写作:看书中汉语部分,然后你试着翻译成英文,再把你翻译的英文与书上的英文对比。本套读物是通向英语自由王国的钥匙,是通往英语最高境界的签证。在中国走向世界的道路上,英语水平决定工资水平!让每天阅读半小时“床头灯”成为你生活中的一部分。我相信这才是英语成功的真谛。与股神巴菲特吃一顿午餐要花几百万美金,这使人们注意到了与名人交流的昂贵。而与比巴菲特更著名的大家近距离沟通,只需要去读“床头灯”。王若平 于北京本系列丛书学习指导咨询中心:北京汉英达外语信息咨询中心地 址:北京市海淀区中关村东路华清商务会馆1501室邮 编:100083电 话:010- 82867079网 址:http:∥www. yinghanda. comE-mail:wrx1@ vip. sina. com床头灯英语的BLOG:http:∥chuangtoudeng. blog. sohu. com人物关系表
Edmond Dantes爱德蒙·邓蒂斯:马赛“法老”号船员,后遭诬陷入狱,十四年后越狱成功,后被称为The Count of Monte Cristo基督山伯爵M. Morrel莫雷尔先生:爱德蒙·邓蒂斯供职的轮船公司的主人Captain Leclere勒克莱尔船长:“法老”号船长Danglars邓格拉:“法老”号船员,后成为银行家Mercedes默西迪丝:爱德蒙女友,爱德蒙蒙冤入狱后,与菲尔南结婚Fernand菲尔南:默西迪丝表兄,即后来的The Count of Morcerf莫瑟夫伯爵Gaspard Caderousse加斯帕·卡德鲁斯:爱德蒙·邓蒂斯早年邻居Villefort维尔福:检察官,保皇党,为表忠心,放弃父亲姓氏Jacopo雅克布:搭救爱德蒙的走私船上的水手,后成为爱德蒙朋友Bertuccio贝尔图乔:基督山伯爵在欧特伊避暑庄园的管家,曾刺杀维尔福Benedetto贝尼德多:贝尔图乔从维尔福手里抢出并与其嫂子共同养大的孩子Andrea Cavalcanti安德烈·卡瓦尔康迪:是后来基督山伯爵给贝尼德多的虚假身份Baron Franz d’Epinay法朗兹·伊皮内男爵:阿尔贝朋友,维尔福为女儿瓦伦蒂娜选定的未婚夫Beauchamp波尚:新闻记者,阿尔贝朋友Albert Morcerf阿尔贝·莫瑟夫:默西迪丝与菲尔南之子Emmanuel Herbaut伊曼纽尔·赫堡:莫雷尔先生公司职员,其女儿朱莉的丈夫Eugenie尤金妮:邓格拉的女儿Faria法利亚:意大利牧师,爱德蒙在伊夫堡监狱的难友Ali Tepelini阿里·铁贝林:希腊亚尼纳总督,也称阿里总督(Ali Pasha)Haidee海蒂:希腊人,亚尼纳总督,阿里·铁贝林之女,曾被卖作奴隶,基督山伯爵以重金从他人手中解救出来Lucien Debray吕西安·德布雷:邓格拉夫人的情人Luigi Vampa卢吉·旺巴:强盗头子,与基督山伯爵有交往Marqis Saint- Meran圣·梅朗侯爵:维尔福前妻的父亲Marquis Bartolomeo Cavalcanti巴托洛米欧·卡瓦尔康蒂侯爵:一位意大利退休少将,是基督山伯爵为实现复仇计划给一个老者的虚假身份Maximilian Morrel马克西米利安·莫雷尔:船主莫雷尔先生的儿子Monsieur Noirtier诺瓦蒂埃先生:维尔福之父,拿破仑支持者Valentine瓦伦蒂娜:维尔福的女儿,马克西米利安的恋人Busoni布索尼:伯爵乔装改扮的意大利老牧师Lord Wilmore威尔莫勋爵:伯爵乔装改扮的英国贵族地名表
Yanina, a Greek state亚尼纳,希腊城邦Marseille马赛,法国城市Elba厄尔巴岛the Catalans加泰罗尼亚区,马赛城中贫穷的西班牙区Chateau d’If伊夫堡监狱Leghorn来亨(意大利城市)Monte Cristo基督山岛故事梗概
亚历山大·仲马(大仲马①)(1802- 1870)是法国著名作家,出生于一个军官家庭,最初主要从事戏剧创作,三十年代中期起开始从事历史小说创作,其作品《三个火枪手》取得很大成功。《基督山伯爵》是大仲马的代表作,情节跌宕起伏,迂回曲折。这部小说出版后,很快就赢得了广大读者的青睐,小说被翻译成几十种文字出版,在法国和美国多次被拍成电影。一百多年来这部作品的影响经久不衰,拥有的读者难以计数。故事的主人公爱德蒙·邓蒂斯在返航马赛途中,遵照病死途中的“法老”号船长勒克莱尔的命令,到厄尔巴岛上去见囚禁中的拿破仑。拿破仑委托邓蒂斯带一封密信给巴黎的亲信。邓蒂斯向船主莫雷尔请假与默西迪丝完婚,并计划婚礼结束后去执行船长遗嘱。莫雷尔准备让邓蒂斯做“法老”号船长,令船员邓格拉心生嫉恨,而即将举行的婚礼又让爱慕默西迪丝的菲尔南嫉恨难平。两个人狼狈为奸,诬告邓蒂斯为拿破仑同党。邓蒂斯在婚宴上被捕,负责审理该案的代理检察官维尔福发现密信的收信人是其父诺瓦蒂埃,为了确保自身前途,明知邓蒂斯无罪,却下令将其作为极度危险的政治犯,关押在伊夫堡监狱。邓蒂斯度过了十四年坟墓般的牢狱生活,在与隔壁囚室被认为发疯的老神甫相遇后,终于在后者的分析中意识到身陷囹圄的原因。神甫教邓蒂斯学会了好几门语言,并告诉他基督山岛上埋藏着一笔巨大财富的秘密。两个人商定共同越狱,但在最后阶段,老人因病故去。邓蒂斯钻进原本装着神甫尸体的麻袋中,被当作神甫扔进大海,几经周折,终于获救并找到基督山岛上的宝藏。老父抑郁而死,未婚妻另嫁他人的消息,加深了邓蒂斯心中的仇恨,他发誓一定要复仇。复仇之前,邓蒂斯对有恩于他的人慷慨回报,将莫雷尔先生从彻底破产、意欲自杀的窘境中解救出来,偿清了他的债务,送给他一艘新的“法老”号,还给他女儿朱莉一笔丰厚的嫁妆。邓蒂斯以基督山伯爵的身份回到了巴黎,经过种种努力,他不仅有了显赫的地位和声望。基督山伯爵借他人之手在报纸上披露了菲尔南在希腊服役期间卖城投降、杀害阿里总督并将其妻女卖为奴隶的罪行,菲尔南被宣判罪名成立。妻子默西迪丝与儿子阿尔贝不辞而别,菲尔南绝望之中饮弹自尽。基督山伯爵收买电报员,发了一封假电报,致使邓格拉损失一笔巨款。在伯爵的安排下,逃犯贝尼德多———假扮意大利亲王之子的安德烈成了邓格拉女儿的未婚夫,但在婚礼上,他因犯罪而被逮捕。无奈之下,邓格拉携巨款逃往意大利,却被基督山伯爵的强盗朋友绑架。最终,邓格拉饱受折磨和惊吓,头发全白了,基督山伯爵透露了自身的真实身份,并饶恕了已有悔改之意的邓格拉。对于最大的仇人维尔福,基督山伯爵决定用更残忍的手段全面摧毁维尔福的一切。他先是不动声色地点出了维尔福与邓格拉夫人当年意欲活埋私生子的罪行,继而假装无意之中透露给维尔福夫人一个毒药配方,企图让自己的孩子独自继承遗产的维尔福夫人利用这种毒药毒死了维尔福的前岳父、前岳母,并阴谋毒死前妻的女儿瓦伦蒂娜。在去审理逃犯杀人案之前,维尔福逼迫罪行败露的妻子服毒自尽。在基督山伯爵的授意下,贝尼德多在庭审过程中,突然当众指认维尔福是自己的父亲,在劫难逃的维尔福不加辩解就承认了。他决心和家人离开巴黎,回到家,却发现妻子已经死去,并毒死了自己心爱的儿子。在巨大的打击之下,维尔福疯了。基督山伯爵深仇已报,却对因自己的复仇给无辜的人带来的伤害和不幸深感不安。所幸在伯爵的暗中保护下,瓦伦蒂娜幸免于难,并与深爱的人马克西米利安终成眷属。最终伯爵与海蒂也表明彼此的爱,伯爵带着海蒂远走天涯。INTRODUCTION
The novel begins in the south of France during the early 1800’s. Before beginning The Count of Monte Cristo, Dumas wrote several travel and romance pieces, demonstrating his passion for exotic travel and extravagant storylines. France, during this time, was in confusion as Napoleon Bonaparte was removed from the throne, and the king, Louis the Eighteenth, was again restored. Dumas, throughout the story,illustrates his loyalty to Napoleon, though the exiled leader had destroyed Dumas’own father, who had at one time been a Bonaparte general.The main character, Edmond Dantes, endures great hardship, therefore undergoing a tremendous change from an idealistic and honest sailor to an unforgiving but brilliant gentleman, later to be called the Count of Monte Cristo. This transformation comes about after the young man was wrongfully accused of a crime by three others,envious of his talent and charm. The count is later able to take revenge on those who have wronged him, while rewarding those who have helped him. To accomplish this end, he used several deceptive guises, including that of an elderly Italian priest, called Busoni, and an English nobleman, Lord Wilmore.注释demonstrate['demənstreit]vt.表明;举例说明;展示exotic[iց'zɔtik]adj.异国情调的,外来的,奇异的extravagant[ik'strævəցənt]adj.奢侈的,浪费的,过度的,过分的confusion[kən'fjuːʒən]n.混乱,紊乱,纠纷restore[ris'tɔː]vt.(使)复职,(使)复辟illustrate['iləstreit]vt.举例说明,例证exile['eksail]v.放逐,流放endure[in'djuə]vt.忍耐,忍受tremendous[tri'mendəs]adj.极大的,巨大的accuse[ə'kjuːz]vt.控告,谴责;accuse of因某事控告某人revenge[ri'vendʒ]n.报仇,复仇accomplish[ə'kʌmpliʃ]vt.完成,达到,实现guise[ցaiz]n.伪装CHAPTER 1
On the 24th of February,1810, the grand Pharaon safely returned to Marseille. The young man on board was a fine, tall,slim young fellow of nineteen, with black eyes,and hair just as dark. His whole appearance showed a calm resolution peculiar to men accustomed from their cradle to contend with danger.“Ah,is it you, Dantes?”cried Mr. Morrel, the goodhearted ship company owner.“What’s the matter? And why have you such an air of sadness aboard?”“A great misfortune, M. Morrel,”replied the young man,“a great misfortune, for me especially! We lost our brave Captain Leclere.”“How unfortunate; he was, indeed, a great man,”responded M. Morrel sorrowfully.“And the cargo?”inquired the owner, after a pause.“Is all safe, M. Morrel; and I think you will be satisfied on that head. But poor Captain Leclere—”“What happened to him?”asked the owner, with an air of considerable resignation.“What happened to the worthy captain?”“He died.”“Fell into the sea?”“No, sir, he died of brain-fever in dreadful agony,”and he went on with a regretful explanation of the captain’s last days. He was eventually buried at sea.“Why, you see, Edmond,”replied the owner, touched by the boy’s deep sadness,“we are all mortal, and the old must make way for the young. If not, why, there would be no promotion; and since you assure me that the cargo—”“It is all safe and sound, M. Morrel, take my word for it; and I advise that you’ll take 25,000 francs for the profits of the voyage.”The owner then boarded the ship for inspection, and was met by Danglars, an insulting and hateful man of twenty-five, as hated by the other sailors as Dantes was beloved by them.“Well, M. Morrel,”said Danglars,“you have heard of the misfortune that has befallen us?”“Yes—yes; poor Captain Leclere! He was a brave and honest man.”“And a first-rate seaman. But,”he continued, darting at Edmond a look filled with hate,“I’m sure you have not yet learned that Dantes immediately assumed command without consulting anyone, upon the captain’s death, and he caused us to lose a day and a half at the Island of Elba,instead of making for Marseilles direct.”“As to taking command of the vessel,”replied Morrel,“that was his duty as captain’s mate; as to losing a day and a half off the Island of Elba, he was wrong, unless the vessel needed repairs.”The owner then called Dantes to him, while Danglars shrank away.“I wish to inquire why you stopped at the Island of Elba,”he began.“I do not know, sir;it was to fulfil the last instructions of Captain Leclere, who, when dying, gave me a packet for Marshal Bertrand.”“Then did you see him, Edmond?”“Who?”“Napoleon Bonaparte.”“Yes.”Morrel looked around him, and then, drawing Dantes to one side, he said suddenly,“And how is the emperor?”“Very well,as far as I could judge from the sight of him.”Dantes was then dismissed, and Danglars ap-proached,saying,“Well,it appears that he has given you satisfactory reasons for his landing.”“Yes, most satisfactory, my dear Danglars.”“Well,so much the better, for it is not pleasant to think that a comrade has not done his duty.”“Dantes has done his,”replied the owner,“and that is not saying much. It was Captain Leclere who gave orders for this delay.”“Speaking of Captain Leclere, has not Dantes given you a letter from him?”“To me?No, was there one?”“I believe that, besides the packet, Captain Leclere confided a letter to his care.”“He did not speak to me of it,”replied the shipowner;“but if there be any letter he will give it to me.”Danglars reflected for a moment.“Then, M. Morrel, I beg of you,”said he,“not to say a word to Dantes on the subject. I may have been mistaken.”At this moment Dantes returned, and Danglars withdrew.“Well, my dear Dantes, are you now free?”inquired the owner.“Yes, sir. Then I have your leave, sir?”“Yes,if you have nothing more to say to me.”“Nothing.”“Captain Leclere did not, before he died, give you a letter for me?”“He was unable to write, sir. But that reminds me that I must ask your leave of absence for some days.”“To marry that beautiful woman of yours?”“Yes, first, and then to go to Paris.”“Very good; have what time you require, Dantes. It will take six weeks to unload the cargo, and we cannot get you ready for sea until three months after that;only,be back again in three months, for the Pharaon,”added the owner,patting the young sailor on the back,“cannot sail without her captain.”“Without her captain!”cried Dantes, his eyes sparkling;“pray, mind what you say, for you are touching on the most secret wishes of my heart. Is it really your intention to make me captain of the Pharaon?”“It certainly is, my dear boy.”“Ah, M. Morrel,”exclaimed the young seaman, with tears in his eyes,and grasping the owner’s hand,“M. Morrel,I thank you in the name of my fa-ther and of Mercedes. Shall I row you ashore?”“No, thank you;I shall remain and look over the accounts with Danglars. Have you been satisfied with him this voyage?”“That is according to the sense you attach to the question, sir. Do you mean, is he a good comrade? No, for I believe him to be rather disagreeable, but if you mean as a responsible agent when you ask me the question, I believe there is nothing to say against him, and that you will be content with the way in which he has performed his duty.”“But tell me, Dantes,if you had command of the Pharaon should you be glad to see Danglars remain?”“Captain or mate, M. Morrel, I shall always have the greatest respect for those who possess the owners’confidence.”“That’s right, that’s right, Dantes!I see you are a thoroughly good fellow,and will detain you no longer.”“Then, for the present, M. Morrel, farewell, and a thousand thanks!”We will leave Danglars struggling with hatred against his comrade, and follow Dantes, who, after entering a small house, paused before a half-open door, from which he could see the whole of a small room.This room was occupied by Dantes’father. The news of the arrival of the Pharaon had not yet reached the old man.“Father, dear father!”the young man exclaimed.The old man uttered a cry, and turned round; then, seeing his son, he fell into his arms, pale and trembling.“What ails you, my dearest father?Are you ill?”inquired the young man, much alarmed.“No, no, my dear Edmond, my boy, my son! No, but I did not expect you;and joy, the surprise of seeing you so suddenly—Ah,I feel as if I were going to die.”“But, what ails you, father? You look unwell.”“It is nothing, nothing; it will soon pass away”—and as he said so,the old man’s strength failed him, and he fell back.“You look far too thin, Father. Have you wanted money, Father?”“I want nothing now that I have you,”said the old man.“Yet,”stammered Dantes,“yet I gave you two hundred francs when I left, three months ago.”“Yes, yes, Edmond, that is true, but you forgot at that time a little debt to our neighbor, Caderousse. He reminded me of it, telling me if I did not pay for you, he would be paid by M. Morrel; and so, you see,lest he might do you an injury—”“Well?”“Why, I paid him.”“But,”cried Dantes,“it was a hundred and forty francs I owed Caderousse.”“Yes,”stammered the old man.At that moment, Caderousse arrived to congratulate the young Dantes on his arrival.“Ah, lips that say one thing, while the heart thinks another,”murmured Edmond, as he heard the footsteps of the neighbor.“But,never mind,he is a neighbor who has done us service at times, so he’s welcome.”After a short visit with Caderousse, young Dantes immediately took leave of his father to see his love, Mercedes, in the poor Spanish section of Marseilles, the Catalans.Caderousse lingered for a moment, then taking leave of old Dantes, went downstairs to rejoin Danglars, who awaited him at the corner.Our readers will follow us along the only street in this little village, called the Catlans, and enter with us one of the houses, which holds a young and beautiful girl, with thick black hair,leaning with her back against the door, looking out onto the garden just outside. At three paces from her, sat a tall young man of twenty or twenty-two, who was looking at her with an air in which irritation and uneasiness were mingled.“You see, Mercedes,”said the young man,“here is Easter come round again; tell me,is this the moment for a wedding?”“I have answered you a hundred times, Fernand, and really you must be very stupid to ask me again.”“Well, repeat it, so that I may at last believe it! Tell me for the hundredth time that you refuse my love, which had your mother’s sanction. Ah, to have dreamt for ten years of being your husband, Mercedes,and to lose that hope, which was the only stay of my existence!”“At least it was not I who ever encouraged you in that hope, Fernand,”replied Mercedes;“I love you as a brother; but do not ask from me more than sisterly affection, for my heart belongs to another.”“But, do you forget that it is among the Catalans a sacred law for cousins to marry?”“You are mistaken, Fernand;it is not a law,but merely a custom. Oh, Fernand, once you become a soldier, what would you do with me,a poor orphan, without fortune?”“And if it were, Mercedes, poor and lonely as you are, you suit me as well as the daughter of the first shipowner or the richest banker of Marseilles! All that I desire is a good wife and careful housekeeper, and where can I find these better than in you?”“Fernand,”answered Mercedes, shaking her head,“a woman becomes a bad manager, and who shall say she will remain an honest woman, when she loves another man better than her husband? Be content with my friendship,as I cannot give you more. I love Edmond Dantes,and none but Edmond shall ever be my husband.”“And you will always love him?”“As long as I live.”“And if he were to die at sea, could you not love another?”“Do not speak of such things, Fernand.I will always love Edmond, and if he were gone, I would rather die than live without him.”Fernand let fall his head like a defeated man.“Mercedes!”called a joyous voice from without,“Mercedes!”“Ah,”exclaimed the young girl, blushing with delight,and fairly leaping in excess of love,“you see he has not forgotten me, for here he is!”And rushing towards the door, she opened it, saying,“Here, Edmond, here I am!”Edmond and Mercedes were clasped in each other’s arms.“Oh,”exclaimed Fernand, running furiously and tearing his hair—“Oh, who will deliver me from this man?Wretched—wretched that I am!”“Hello, Catalan! Hello, Fernand! Where are you running to?”exclaimed a voice.The young man stopped suddenly, looked around him, and perceived Caderousse sitting at table with Danglars.“Well, Fernand, I must say,”said Caderousse, beginning the conversation, with that brutality of the common people in which curiosity destroys all diplo-macy,“you look uncommonly like a rejected lover.”“Bah!”said Danglars,“a lad of his make was not born to be unhappy in love. You are laughing at him, Caderousse.”“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.”“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.“I shall get nothing from these fools,”he muttered;“and I am very much afraid of being here between a drunkard and a coward. Here’s an envious fellow making himself drunk on wine when he ought to be nursing his wrath, and here is a fool who sees the woman he loves stolen from under his nose and talks on like a big baby. Unquestionably, Edmond’s star is in the ascendant,and he will marry the splen-did girl; he will be captain, too, and laugh at us all, unless”—a sinister smile passed over Danglars’lips—“unless I take a hand in the affair,”he added.As the three sat together, Dantes and his love approached,arm-in-arm.“Hello, Edmond!”announced Caderousse,“Edmond, do not you see your friends, or are you too proud to speak to them?”“No, my dear fellow!”replied Dantes,“Iam not proud, but I am happy, and happiness blinds, I think, more than pride.”“So, then, the wedding is to take place immediately, M. Dantes,”said Danglars, bowing to the young couple.“As soon as possible, M. Danglars; today all preliminaries will be arranged at my father’s,and tomorrow, or next day at the latest, the wedding festival here at La Reserve, and I hope you will all be in attendance.”“Tomorrow or next day the ceremony! You are in a hurry, captain!”exclaimed Danglars.“We are always in a hurry to be happy, M. Danglars, but it is not selfishness alone that makes me thus in haste. I must go to Paris.”“Ah, really? To Paris! Have you business there?”“Not of my own; the last commission of poor Captain Leclere; you know to what I allude, Danglars—it is sacred.试读结束[说明：试读内容隐藏了图片]