第154章

"You agree, do you not, that obtaining a carriage is out of the question?""I do."

"Neither can we procure horses?"

"True; we have offered any sum, but have failed.""Well, now, what do you say to a cart? I dare say such a thing might be had.""Very possibly."

"And a pair of oxen?"

"As easily found as the cart."

"Then you see, my good fellow, with a cart and a couple of oxen our business can be managed.The cart must be tastefully ornamented; and if you and I dress ourselves as Neapolitan reapers, we may get up a striking tableau, after the manner of that splendid picture by Leopold Robert.It would add greatly to the effect if the countess would join us in the costume of a peasant from Puzzoli or Sorrento.Our group would then be quite complete, more especially as the countess is quite beautiful enough to represent a madonna.""Well," said Franz, "this time, Albert, I am bound to give you credit for having hit upon a most capital idea.""And quite a national one, too," replied Albert with gratified pride."A mere masque borrowed from our own festivities.Ha, ha, ye Romans! you thought to make us, unhappy strangers, trot at the heels of your processions, like so many lazzaroni, because no carriages or horses are to be had in your beggarly city.But you don't know us; when we can't have one thing we invent another.""And have you communicated your triumphant idea to anybody?""Only to our host.Upon my return home I sent for him, and Ithen explained to him what I wished to procure.He assured me that nothing would be easier than to furnish all Idesired.One thing I was sorry for; when I bade him have the horns of the oxen gilded, he told me there would not be time, as it would require three days to do that; so you see we must do without this little superfluity.""And where is he now?"

"Who?"

"Our host."

"Gone out in search of our equipage, by to-morrow it might be too late.""Then he will be able to give us an answer to-night.""Oh, I expect him every minute." At this instant the door opened, and the head of Signor Pastrini appeared.

"Permesso?" inquired he.

"Certainly -- certainly," cried Franz."Come in, mine host.""Now, then," asked Albert eagerly, "have you found the desired cart and oxen?""Better than that!" replied Signor Pastrini, with the air of a man perfectly well satisfied with himself.

"Take care, my worthy host," said Albert, "better is a sure enemy to well.""Let your excellencies only leave the matter to me,"returned Signor Pastrini in a tone indicative of unbounded self-confidence.

"But what have you done?" asked Franz."Speak out, there's a worthy fellow.""Your excellencies are aware," responded the landlord, swelling with importance, "that the Count of Monte Cristo is living on the same floor with yourselves!""I should think we did know it," exclaimed Albert, "since it is owing to that circumstance that we are packed into these small rooms, like two poor students in the back streets of Paris.""When, then, the Count of Monte Cristo, hearing of the dilemma in which you are placed, has sent to offer you seats in his carriage and two places at his windows in the Palazzo Rospoli." The friends looked at each other with unutterable surprise.

"But do you think," asked Albert, "that we ought to accept such offers from a perfect stranger?""What sort of person is this Count of Monte Cristo?" asked Franz of his host."A very great nobleman, but whether Maltese or Sicilian I cannot exactly say; but this I know, that he is noble as a Borghese and rich as a gold-mine.""It seems to me," said Franz, speaking in an undertone to Albert, "that if this person merited the high panegyrics of our landlord, he would have conveyed his invitation through another channel, and not permitted it to be brought to us in this unceremonious way.He would have written -- or" --At this instant some one knocked at the door."Come in,"said Franz.A servant, wearing a livery of considerable style and richness, appeared at the threshold, and, placing two cards in the landlord's hands, who forthwith presented them to the two young men, he said, "Please to deliver these, from the Count of Monte Cristo to Viscomte Albert de Morcerf and M.Franz d'Epinay.The Count of Monte Cristo,"continued the servant, "begs these gentlemen's permission to wait upon them as their neighbor, and he will be honored by an intimation of what time they will please to receive him.""Faith, Franz," whispered Albert, "there is not much to find fault with here.""Tell the count," replied Franz, "that we will do ourselves the pleasure of calling on him." The servant bowed and retired.

"That is what I call an elegant mode of attack," said Albert, "You were quite correct in what you said, Signor Pastrini.The Count of Monte Cristo is unquestionably a man of first-rate breeding and knowledge of the world.""Then you accept his offer?" said the host.

"Of course we do," replied Albert."Still, I must own I am sorry to be obliged to give up the cart and the group of reapers -- it would have produced such an effect! And were it not for the windows at the Palazzo Rospoli, by way of recompense for the loss of our beautiful scheme, I don't know but what I should have held on by my original plan.

What say you, Franz?"