“說(shuō)真話,”唐太斯說(shuō),“你使我太寒心了。難道世界上真的遍地是老虎和鱷魚嗎?”
“是的,但兩只腳的老虎和鱷魚比四只腳的更危險(xiǎn)?!?br/>
噢,人呀,人呀!鱷魚的子孫呀!”伯爵把他緊握成拳頭的雙手伸向人群,大聲說(shuō)道,“我早就認(rèn)識(shí)你們了。你們?cè)谌魏螘r(shí)候都是自作自受呀!”
?cedant arma toage (拉丁文:用長(zhǎng)袍代替武器吧)
pastor quum traheret (拉丁文:當(dāng)牧人率領(lǐng)羊群的時(shí)候)
mala ducie avi domum(拉丁文:你持家險(xiǎn)象環(huán)生。)
bell,horrida bella (拉丁文):戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng),可怕的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)。)
justum et tenacem propositi virum (拉丁文:一個(gè)公正而意志堅(jiān)定的人)
哲理是學(xué)不會(huì)的。哲學(xué)是天才掌握并運(yùn)用的科學(xué)的總合,哲學(xué)是基督踏著重新升天的五彩祥云。
脆弱啊,你的名字就是女人?!。ɑ缴讲粢蒙勘葋喌摹豆防滋亍返囊痪湓挘?br/>
人就是忘恩負(fù)義,極端自私的畜牲。
一踏上斷頭臺(tái)的梯級(jí),死亡就摘掉人一生所帶的面具,本相暴露無(wú)遺。
被撒旦擄到地球的最高山上,他站在頂峰指給我看全世界,還像從前對(duì)基督那樣對(duì)我說(shuō):喏,人類的孩子,你要求什么,就可以崇拜我? 于是,我思考許久,因?yàn)榇_實(shí)有一種巨大的野心,很久以來(lái)就吞食我的靈魂;然后我答道:聽我說(shuō),我總聽人談?wù)撎熘?,但是我從未見過(guò),連類似的東西都未見過(guò),因而以為根本就沒(méi)有天主。我要做天主,因?yàn)閾?jù)我所知,世間最美、最偉大、最崇高的事情,莫過(guò)于揚(yáng)善懲惡。 當(dāng)時(shí)撒旦低下頭,嘆息一聲,說(shuō)道:你錯(cuò)了,天主存在,你只是看不見,因?yàn)樗巧系壑油系垡粯邮强床灰姷?。你也一點(diǎn)也沒(méi)有見類似他的東西。那也是因?yàn)樗偼ㄟ^(guò)隱蔽的方式行事,總是走在暗道密經(jīng)。我所能為你做的就是把你變成天主的使者。就此成交在這筆交易中,也許我要喪失靈魂,但是這又何妨,如果再有機(jī)會(huì),我還會(huì)做這種交易。
(我個(gè)人是相信上帝的存在,并且是上帝的虔誠(chéng)信徒)
毫無(wú)疑問(wèn),只有女人才善于掩飾。
人富到一定程度,就沒(méi)有必需品,只追求浮華了;同樣,想必這些夫人也會(huì)同意:人狂熱到了一定程度,就不在考慮實(shí)際,而只看重理想了。那么由此推論,最奇妙的東西該是什么?正是我們不理解的東西。我們真正渴望的財(cái)富又是什么呢?就是我們得不到的財(cái)富。因而,親眼看到我無(wú)法理解的東西,獲取無(wú)法得到的東西,便是我一生的課題。
正如哈姆雷特所言,埋藏的最深的秘密,有時(shí)也會(huì)透出點(diǎn)兒風(fēng)聲,好似磷火在空氣中亂竄;然而,這類一閃即逝的光亮,卻會(huì)把人引入歧途。
mane,thecel,phares (巴比倫過(guò)的末日到了)
我的上帝啊,我的上帝,請(qǐng)寬恕我一直否認(rèn)您;您確實(shí)存在,您在天上正是人類之父,在人間正是人類的審判官。我的上帝,主啊,我那么就不承認(rèn)您!我的上帝,主啊,寬恕我吧!我的上帝,主啊,接受我吧!
一個(gè)!
女人變化無(wú)常,弗朗索瓦一世就這么說(shuō)過(guò);莎士比亞也說(shuō):女人是水中浪花。這兩人,一個(gè)是偉大的國(guó)君,一個(gè)是偉大的詩(shī)人,他們都了解女人。
獅子被降服了,復(fù)仇者認(rèn)輸了。
尤其可憐的埃德蒙也不會(huì)被您愛多久了,這個(gè)死過(guò)的人又要回到墳?zāi)惯@個(gè)幽靈又要回到黑夜中。
設(shè)想一下,最高主宰在創(chuàng)造了世界之后,廓清了混沌之后,就在世界創(chuàng)造了將近二分之一之后,又突然停下來(lái),以避免有一天,我們的罪孽會(huì)引一位永生的天使流淚;請(qǐng)?jiān)O(shè)想一下,上帝在一切準(zhǔn)備就緒之后,在萬(wàn)物創(chuàng)造成型之后,在大地成為沃土之后,他正欣賞自己的杰作時(shí),就一下熄滅了太陽(yáng),一腳將世界踢進(jìn)永世的黑夜里。
真糊涂啊,我下定決心報(bào)仇的那一天怎么不把自己的心挖出來(lái)呀!
怎么!籌建這么久,這么艱難困苦造起來(lái)的大廈,就憑一句話,吹了一口氣,頃刻間就倒了嗎!怎么!這個(gè)我,原以為不同凡響,這個(gè)我,原來(lái)那么自豪,這個(gè)我,在伊夫獄堡的地牢里自視那么渺小,后來(lái)又自我塑造的這么強(qiáng)大,后來(lái)就化為一撮塵埃嗎?唉!這肉軀死不足惜:生命體的這種毀滅,不正是萬(wàn)物,不正是一切不幸者渴望的歸宿嗎?
良心啊,你要我怎么樣呢?哼!我親愛的,假如他們?cè)谒X(jué),那就讓他們睡吧;假如他們失眠,那么就讓他們大驚失色*吧!看在熱愛上帝的份上,您就安穩(wěn)睡覺(jué),您沒(méi)有虧心事攪擾睡眠。
偉大的城市??!還不到半年前,我闖進(jìn)你的大門。我相信是上帝的意志指引我來(lái)的,勝利后又帶我離開。我來(lái)到你這城垣的秘密,只向上帝坦露過(guò);唯獨(dú)上帝看透了我的心思,唯獨(dú)上帝了解,我離開實(shí)際無(wú)怨恨,也不得意,但是不無(wú)遺憾;唯獨(dú)上帝知道,我使用他賦予的威力,既不為一己私利,也沒(méi)有無(wú)端濫施。偉大的城市啊!我是進(jìn)入你這躁動(dòng)的胸膛里,找到了我尋找的東西。我好似堅(jiān)忍不拔的礦工,翻騰了你的五臟六腑,以便鏟除罪惡。現(xiàn)在我的任務(wù)完成了,我的使命結(jié)束了;現(xiàn)在,你既不能給我歡樂(lè),也不能給我痛苦了。別了,巴黎!別了!
算了,你這死里逃生的人;算了,你這行為怪誕的富翁;算了,你這清醒的睡夢(mèng)這;算了,你這萬(wàn)能的幻視者;算了,你這戰(zhàn)無(wú)不勝的百萬(wàn)富翁。你稍停片刻,再走的,而絕望接待你的道路,重新走一遍;在基督山認(rèn)出唐代斯的這面鏡子的玻璃上,如今有太多的鉆石,太多的黃金,太多的幸福光芒耀眼。藏起這些鉆石吧,收起這些黃金,。摸掉這些光輝吧;由自由人變回囚犯,由復(fù)活者變回為尸體。
“你懺悔了嗎?”一個(gè)莊嚴(yán)低沉的聲音問(wèn)道。騰格拉爾聽了嚇得頭發(fā)根都直豎起來(lái)。他睜大衰弱的眼睛竭力想看清眼前的東西,在那強(qiáng)盜的后面,他看見一個(gè)人裹著披風(fēng)站在石柱的影-陰-里。
“我懺悔什么呢?”騰格拉爾結(jié)結(jié)巴巴地說(shuō)。
“懺悔你所做過(guò)的壞事?!蹦莻€(gè)聲音說(shuō)。
“噢,是的!我懺悔了!我懺悔了!”騰格拉爾說(shuō),他用他那瘦削的拳頭捶著他的胸膛。
“那么我寬恕你?!蹦侨苏f(shuō)著就摔下他的披風(fēng),走到亮光里。
“基督山伯爵!”騰格拉爾說(shuō),饑餓和痛苦使他的臉色*蒼白,恐懼更使他面如土色*了。
“你弄錯(cuò)了,我不是基督山伯爵!”
“那末你是誰(shuí)呢?”
“我就是那個(gè)被你誣陷、出賣和污蔑的人。我的未婚妻被你害得過(guò)著屈辱的生活。我橫遭你的踐踏,被你作為升官發(fā)財(cái)?shù)膲|腳石,我的父親被你害得活活餓死,——我本來(lái)也想讓你死于饑餓??墒俏覍捤×四?,因?yàn)槲乙残枰獙捤?。我就是愛德蒙·唐太斯?!?
騰格拉爾大叫一聲,摔倒在地上縮成一團(tuán)。
“起來(lái)吧,”伯爵說(shuō),“你的生命是安全的。你的那兩個(gè)同伴可沒(méi)有你這樣幸運(yùn),一個(gè)瘋了,一個(gè)死了。留著剩下的那五萬(wàn)法郎吧,我送給你了。你從醫(yī)院里騙來(lái)的那五百萬(wàn),已經(jīng)送回給他們了?,F(xiàn)在你可以好好地吃一頓。今天晚上你是我的客人。萬(wàn)帕,這個(gè)人吃飽以后,就把他放了?!?
"Valentine, Valentine!" he mentally ejaculated; but his lips uttered no sound, and as though all his strength were centred in that internal emotion, he sighed and closed his eyes. Valentine rushed towards him; his lips again moved.
"He is calling you," said the count; "he to whom you have confided your destiny--he from whom death would have separated you, calls you to him. Happily, I vanquished death. Henceforth, Valentine, you will never again be separated on earth, since he has rushed into death to find you. Without me, you would both have died. May God accept my atonement in the preservation of these two existences!"
Valentine seized the count's hand, and in her irresistible impulse of joy carried it to her lips.
"Oh, thank me again!" said the count; "tell me till you are weary, that I have restored you to happiness; you do not know how much I require this assurance."
"Oh, yes, yes, I thank you with all my heart," said Valentine; "and if you doubt the sincerity of my gratitude, oh, then, ask Haidée! ask my beloved sister Haidée, who ever since our departure from France, has caused me to wait patiently for this happy day, while talking to me of you."
"You then love Haidée?" asked Monte Cristo with an emotion he in vain endeavored to dissimulate.
"Oh, yes, with all my soul."
"Well, then, listen, Valentine," said the count; "I have a favor to ask of you."
"Of me? Oh, am I happy enough for that?"
"Yes; you have called Haidée your sister,--let her become so indeed, Valentine; render her all the gratitude you fancy that you owe to me; protect her, for" (the count's voice was thick with emotion) "henceforth she will be alone in the world."
"Alone in the world!" repeated a voice behind the count, "and why?"
Monte Cristo turned around; Haidée was standing pale, motionless, looking at the count with an expression of fearful amazement.
"Because to-morrow, Haidée, you will be free; you will then assume your proper position in society, for I will not allow my destiny to overshadow yours. Daughter of a prince, I restore to you the riches and name of your father."
Haidée became pale, and lifting her transparent hands to heaven, exclaimed in a voice stifled with tears, "Then you leave me, my lord?"
"Haidée, Haidée, you are young and beautiful; forget even my name, and be happy."
"It is well," said Haidée; "your order shall be executed, my lord; I will forget even your name, and be happy." And she stepped back to retire.
"Oh, heavens," exclaimed Valentine, who was supporting the head of Morrel on her shoulder, "do you not see how pale she is? Do you not see how she suffers?"
Haidée answered with a heartrending expression, "Why should he understand this, my sister? He is my master, and I am his slave; he has the right to notice nothing."
The count shuddered at the tones of a voice which penetrated the inmost recesses of his heart; his eyes met those of the young girl and he could not bear their brilliancy. "Oh, heavens," exclaimed Monte Cristo, "can my suspicions be correct? Haidée, would it please you not to leave me?"
"I am young," gently replied Haidée; "I love the life you have made so sweet to me, and I should be sorry to die."
"You mean, then, that if I leave you, Haidée"--
"I should die; yes, my lord."
"Do you then love me?"
"Oh, Valentine, he asks if I love him. Valentine, tell him if you love Maximilian." The count felt his heart dilate and throb; he opened his arms, and Haidée, uttering a cry, sprang into them. "Oh, yes," she cried, "I do love you! I love you as one loves a father, brother, husband! I love you as my life, for you are the best, the noblest of created beings!"
"Let it be, then, as you wish, sweet angel; God has sustained me in my struggle with my enemies, and has given me this reward; he will not let me end my triumph in suffering; I wished to punish myself, but he has pardoned me. Love me then, Haidée! Who knows? perhaps your love will make me forget all that I do not wish to remember."
"What do you mean, my lord?"
"I mean that one word from you has enlightened me more than twenty years of slow experience; I have but you in the world, Haidée; through you I again take hold on life, through you I shall suffer, through you rejoice."
"Do you hear him, Valentine?" exclaimed Haidée; "he says that through me he will suffer--through me, who would yield my life for his." The count withdrew for a moment. "Have I discovered the truth?" he said; "but whether it be for recompense or punishment, I accept my fate. Come, Haidée, come!" and throwing his arm around the young girl's waist, he pressed the hand of Valentine, and disappeared.
An hour had nearly passed, during which Valentine, breathless and motionless, watched steadfastly over Morrel. At length she felt his heart beat, a faint breath played upon his lips, a slight shudder, announcing the return of life, passed through the young man's frame. At length his eyes opened, but they were at first fixed and expressionless; then sight returned, and with it feeling and grief. "Oh," he cried, in an accent of despair, "the count has deceived me; I am yet living; "and extending his hand towards the table, he seized a knife.
"Dearest," exclaimed Valentine, with her adorable smile, "awake, and look at me!" Morrel uttered a loud exclamation, and frantic, doubtful, dazzled, as though by a celestial vision, he fell upon his knees.
The next morning at daybreak, Valentine and Morrel were walking arm-in-arm on the sea-shore, Valentine relating how Monte Cristo had appeared in her room, explained everything, revealed the crime, and, finally, how he had saved her life by enabling her to simulate death. They had found the door of the grotto opened, and gone forth; on the azure dome of heaven still glittered a few remaining stars. Morrel soon perceived a man standing among the rocks, apparently awaiting a sign from them to advance, and pointed him out to Valentine. "Ah, it is Jacopo," she said, "the captain of the yacht; "and she beckoned him towards them.
"Do you wish to speak to us?" asked Morrel.
"I have a letter to give you from the count."
"From the count!" murmured the two young people.
"Yes; read it." Morrel opened the letter, and read:--
"MY DEAR MAXIMILIAN,--
"There is a felucca for you at anchor. Jacopo will carry you to Leghorn, where Monsieur Noirtier awaits his granddaughter, whom he wishes to bless before you lead her to the altar. All that is in this grotto, my friend, my house in the Champs Elysées, and my Chateau at Tréport, are the marriage gifts bestowed by Edmond Dantès upon the son of his old master, Morrel. Mademoiselle de Villefort will share them with you; for I entreat her to give to the poor the immense fortune reverting to her from her father, now a madman, and her brother who died last September with his mother. Tell the angel who will watch over your future destiny, Morrel, to pray sometimes for a man, who like Satan thought himself for an instant equal to God, but who now acknowledges with Christian humility that God alone possesses supreme power and infinite wisdom. Perhaps those prayers may soften the remorse he feels in his heart. As for you, Morrel, this is the secret of my conduct towards you. There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, Morrel, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of living.
"Live, then, and be happy, beloved children of my heart, and never forget that until the day when God shall deign to reveal the future to man, all human wisdom is summed up in these two words,--'Wait and hope.' Your friend,
"EDMOND DANTèS, COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO."
During the perusal of this letter, which informed Valentine for the first time of the madness of her father and the death of her brother, she became pale, a heavy sigh escaped from her bosom, and tears, not the less painful because they were silent, ran down her cheeks; her happiness cost her very dear. Morrel looked around uneasily. "But," he said, "the count's generosity is too overwhelming; Valentine will be satisfied with my humble fortune. Where is the count, friend? Lead me to him." Jacopo pointed towards the horizon. "What do you mean?" asked Valentine. "Where is the count?--where is Haidée?"
"Look!" said Jacopo.
The eyes of both were fixed upon the spot indicated by the sailor, and on the blue line separating the sky from the Mediterranean Sea, they perceived a large white sail. "Gone," said Morrel; "gone!--adieu, my friend--adieu, my father!"
"Gone," murmured Valentine; "adieu, my sweet Haidée--adieu, my sister!"
"Who can say whether we shall ever see them again?" said Morrel with tearful eyes.
"Darling," replied Valentine, "has not the count just told us that all human wisdom is summed up in two words?--'Wait and hope.'"
?<The End>