CHAPTER XXXVII
CARMEN
In a magnificently furnished house in the Rue de Rivoli sat Carmen, thehandsome daughter of the bank director Larsagny. She was pensivelygazing at the carpet, and from time to time uttered a low sigh.
"Aha, bah!" she muttered; "he shall tell me all."
She rang a silver bell, and immediately after a maid appeared.
"Where is Monsieur de Larsagny?"
"In his office."
"Since when?"
"Since eight o'clock."
"And what time is it now?"
"Ten."
"Good. Tell Jean to serve breakfast here in my boudoir, and then go andtell Monsieur de Larsagny that I await him."
A quarter of an hour later the banker appeared in the boudoir.
He ate so greedily that Carmen impatiently exclaimed:
"Are you not yet satisfied?"
"Really, I have a good appetite this morning," nodded Larsagny.
"Do you know how your phenomenal appetite appears to me?" asked Carmen,laughing.
"No. What do you mean?"
"Well, I mean that you must have been starving at one time, and sincethen you always feel greedy."
Larsagny shuddered and his brow contracted.
"Do not speak of such things; I cannot bear it," he said, with a frown.
"Why not? Not every one comes to the world as a millionnaire. I, forinstance, as a child, have suffered more than once from hunger, and--"
"Carmen, be silent," said the banker, sternly; "you'll spoil my appetiteif you talk so."
"I should think your appetite would be stilled by this time. What youhave already eaten would have fed an army."
Larsagny did not answer. He was busy eating an Edam cheese, and notuntil all the plates were empty did lie lay his knife and fork on thetable, and, breathing more freely, say:
"So, now I can stand it for a little while."
Carmen rang the bell. The table was cleared off, and as soon as theservant had brought the cigarettes and cigars, the girl motioned to himto leave.
Carmen lighted a cigarette, and, leaning back in her chair, said:
"I have something important to say to you."
"What is it?" asked Larsagny.
"Oh! different things," replied Carmen.
"About money? Do not be timid."
"It is not about money, but about an information."
"An information?" asked the banker.
"Yes."
"Really, Carmen, you are speaking in riddles to-day--"
"Which you will, I hope, solve for me," interrupted the young lady,dryly. "In the first place, what is the meaning of your giganticappetite?"
"Ah! that's very simple; I am hungry."
"That isn't it. I have seen a great many hungry people. In fact, I haveoften suffered from hunger when mother had no money to buy bread."
"Carmen, how often have I told you that I do not like thesereminiscences?"
"Why not? Take an example from me, and tell me a little of your past."
"Enough--enough!" cried Larsagny, growing pale.
"Answer my questions, and then you shall have quiet."
"Carmen, you are bothering yourself and me unnecessarily. I give you theassurance--"
"As if your assurances had the slightest value for me," interruptedCarmen.
Larsagny smiled in a sickly fashion.
"Carmen, you are childish," he said. "I should think you ought to haveknown enough of me by this time to--"
"To be able to hate you thoroughly. You have cheated me of my youth andinnocence."
"Carmen, for God's sake, not so loud! Suppose some one heard you?" criedthe banker, anxiously.
"What do I care? You are a baron, live in Florence, and have a goodhousekeeper, whose only joy is her eighteen-year-old daughter. One nightthe mother is away. The baron uses the opportunity to take advantage ofthe young girl. When the mother returns the next day and learns thetruth, she becomes so frightened that she falls dead on the spot. Theunhappy girl tries to throw herself into the river, but is preventedfrom doing so, and finally becomes the mistress of the villain."
"Carmen!"
"Yes, yes, I know I am no better than you. Monsieur de Larsagny, tell mewhy you do not make me your wife?"
"My God, because--"
"Well? Why do you pause? Do you know what I believe? You are a marriedman with a dreadful past!"
"Carmen, you are doing me an injury."
"Ha! ha! If I do you a wrong, I am at the most too easy with you."
"Carmen, what is the matter with you?" exclaimed Larsagny, in despair."Only yesterday you were so affectionate, and now--"
"Bah! Yesterday is yesterday, and to-day is to-day. Either I find outfrom you who you really are, or--"
"Or?"
"Or I shall find out myself, and should I discover that you havecommitted some unpunished crime, I shall denounce you, even though youtake revenge upon me for it."
Larsagny had sprung up, and looking at Carmen in amazement, hestammered:
"You--would--dare--to do--that?"
"Yes. And if you look at yourself in the glass, you will see that mywildest declarations are far behind the reality. Your answer shines inevery color."
"Listen to me, Carmen," said the banker, in a tender voice. "It is timeyou dropped the subject. I am not an Adonis, and as you have rightlysuspected, I have seen a great deal and gone through many troubles, butin spite of all that--"
"Well, in spite of all that?"
"I do not deserve your unjust accusations. Can you, for instance,reproach me for the hunger which bothers me continually?"
"No, only I should like to learn the cause."
"The cause?" repeated Larsagny.
"Yes."
"Then listen. I will tell you everything, even though you should laughat me. Years ago I was travelling in Italy, and as I had a large sum ofmoney in my pocket, I was attacked by robbers. The wretches locked me ina cell and let me starve. One day I asked for food, and to mock me theymade the bandit who guarded me eat his meal in my presence.
"'Can I get a meal here?' I asked of the bandit, who was swallowing somepeas.
"'Is your excellency hungry?' asked the fellow (his name was Peppino) insurprise.
"I was angry.
"'What!' I exclaimed in a rage, 'since twenty-four hours I have noteaten a thing, and you ask me if I am hungry.'
"'Then you wish to eat?'
"'Yes, at once, if it is possible.'
"'If you pay for it.'
"'I will pay what you ask,' I cried.
"'What do you wish?'
"'Anything, a chicken or a partridge.'
"'Good. Let us say a chicken.'
"'But have you a cook here?'
"'Certainly,' nodded the bandit, and, raising his voice, he cried: 'Achicken for the gentleman.'
"Ten minutes later a chicken was brought in by a waiter in a frock suit.For a moment I thought I was in the Cafe de Paris.
"I ate the chicken with my eyes, and asked for a knife and fork. Peppinogave them to me, but just as I was about to attack the chicken, he heldmy hand and said:
"'Pardon me, your excellency, but we get paid here before things areeaten.'
"I looked at him in astonishment.
"'What does the chicken cost?' I asked.
"'Five thousand louis d'ors, or one hundred thousand francs.'
"'Are you crazy? One hundred thousand francs for a chicken?'
"'Your excellency is not aware how hard it is to get chickens in thisneighborhood.'"
"Well, and how did the matter end?" asked Carmen.
"I sent the chicken back, and asked for a piece of bread. It was broughtto me by Battista, another bandit, on a silver salver.
"'How dear is the bread?' I asked, trembling.
"'One hundred thousand francs.'
"'What! A piece of bread one hundred thousand francs?' I cried inamazement.
"'One hundred thousand francs.'
&n
bsp; "'But you asked no more for the chicken?'
"'Prices here are fixed,' replied Peppino; 'pay and you can eat.'
"'But with what should I pay?' I cried in desperation; 'the money I havewith me--'
"'Is your whole fortune,' interrupted Peppino. 'You have five millionand fifty thousand francs in your portfolio in drafts, and you can getfifty chickens and a half for it.'
"I was astounded. The robbers knew exactly how much money I had, and Isaw I had either to pay or to starve.
"'Will I be able to eat in silence?' I asked, 'if I pay?'
"'Certainly.'
"'Good, then bring me some writing materials.'
"I wrote out a draft on Rome for one hundred thousand francs, andreceived the chicken."
"What was their motive?" asked Carmen.
"Merely to plunder and blackmail me."
"Then they demanded more?" asked Carmen.
"Oh, no. After I had eaten the chicken, I felt thirsty. I called Peppinaand told him.
"'You wish to drink something?' he asked.
"'Yes. I am dying with thirst.'
"'I am very sorry to hear it. The wine this year is very bad and verydear.'
"'Then bring me water,' I cried.
"'Oh, water is still dearer.'
"'Then give me a glass of wine.'
"'We only sell by the bottle.'
"'Then bring me a bottle of Orreto.'
"'Directly.'
"'And the wine costs?'
"'Twenty-five thousand francs per bottle.'
"'Swindler! Robber!' I cried, beside myself.
"'Do not talk so loud, master might hear you.'
"'I don't care. Who is your master?'
"'Luigi Vampa.'
"'Can I speak to him?'
"'Yes.'
"Peppino went away, and two minutes later a slimly built, fine-lookingman, with dark hair and eyes, stood before me!
"'You want to speak to me?' he asked, politely.
"'Are you the chief of the people who brought me here?' I said.
"'Yes.'
"'What ransom do you wish of me?'
"'Only the five million francs you possess.'
"'Take my life,' I cried, 'but leave me my money.'
"'Your death wouldn't do us any good,' replied the bandit, 'but yourmoney would.'
"'Take a million then?'
"'No.'
"'Two?'
"'No.'
"'Three?'
"'No.'
"'Four?'
"'We leave haggling to usurers.'
"'Then take everything from me and kill me!' I cried in despair.
"'We do not wish to do that.'
"'And suppose I die of hunger?'
"'Then we are not responsible for that.'
"'Keep your wine and I will keep my money.'
"'Just as you please,' laughed Vampa, and went away.
"Two days later I asked for food. A fine dinner was served. I paid amillion and stilled my hunger. This continued three days longer, andwhen I finally counted the contents of my portfolio, I found I had onlyfifty thousand francs left. I considered what I should do with this sum,and fell asleep over my plans. When I awoke, I was on the road to Rome.When I suddenly looked at myself in a mirror I found to my horror thatmy hair had turned gray. Since that time I have always feared that Iwould never have sufficient to eat; and now you know the cause of myravenous appetite."
"Yet I cannot understand why they should have wanted to torture you so.It must have been an act of revenge," said Carmen.
"You are mistaken," replied Larsagny, "I fear no one and every oneesteems me; I--"
"One moment," interrupted Carmen, as she looked fixedly at the banker."Why did you get frightened at the _soiree_ recently, when the servantannounced the Vicomte of Monte-Cristo? I thought you feared no one,baron?"
Larsagny stared at the young girl as if she had been a spectre. Carmencontinued:
"I have not finished yet. In the evening I stood on the terrace andheard these words:
"'Monsieur de Larsagny, take care you do not learn my name too soon.'"
"Ah, you are spying on me," cried Larsagny angrily; "have a care or--"
"I do not fear you," said Carmen, calmly; "I will be the first to urgeyour punishment, if some suspicious circumstance should arise and--"
"Be silent, wretched creature!" cried Larsagny angrily, "be silent,or--"
He grasped a knife and rushed upon Carmen. The latter stared at him insuch a way that he dropped the weapon and stammered:
"Carmen, you will drive me crazy!"
At this moment the door opened, and the servant brought in a card whichhe handed to Larsagny.
"The gentleman is waiting in the parlor," he said; "will the baronreceive him?"
Before Larsagny could throw a look at the card, Carmen had grasped it.
"Signor Fagiano," she read aloud, and as the banker with trembling voicesaid he would be down, she nodded to the servant to go away, and thenmockingly said:
"Signor Fagiano has no doubt come to tell the baron his name. Good luckto him!"
The Son of Monte-Cristo, Volume II Page 38