Well, I will live, if you promise me still to hope; and if you grant me the care of your future prospects, you will redouble my strength.Then I will go to the governor of Algeria; he has a royal heart, and is essentially a soldier;I will tell him my gloomy story.I will beg him to turn his eyes now and then towards me, and if he keep his word and interest himself for me, in six months I shall be an officer, or dead.If I am an officer, your fortune is certain, for I shall have money enough for both, and, moreover, a name we shall both be proud of, since it will be our own.If I am killed -- well then mother, you can also die, and there will be an end of our misfortunes.""It is well," replied Mercedes, with her eloquent glance;"you are right, my love; let us prove to those who are watching our actions that we are worthy of compassion.""But let us not yield to gloomy apprehensions," said the young man; "I assure you we are, or rather we shall be, very happy.You are a woman at once full of spirit and resignation; I have become simple in my tastes, and am without passion, I hope.Once in service, I shall be rich --once in M.Dantes' house, you will be at rest.Let us strive, I beseech you, -- let us strive to be cheerful.""Yes, let us strive, for you ought to live, and to be happy, Albert.""And so our division is made, mother," said the young man, affecting ease of mind."We can now part; come, I shall engage your passage.""And you, my dear boy?"
"I shall stay here for a few days longer; we must accustom ourselves to parting.I want recommendations and some information relative to Africa.I will join you again at Marseilles.""Well, be it so -- let us part," said Mercedes, folding around her shoulders the only shawl she had taken away, and which accidentally happened to be a valuable black cashmere.
Albert gathered up his papers hastily, rang the bell to pay the thirty francs he owed to the landlord, and offering his arm to his mother, they descended the stairs.Some one was walking down before them, and this person, hearing the rustling of a silk dress, turned around."Debray!" muttered Albert.
"You, Morcerf?" replied the secretary, resting on the stairs.Curiosity had vanquished the desire of preserving his incognito, and he was recognized.It was, indeed, strange in this unknown spot to find the young man whose misfortunes had made so much noise in Paris.
"Morcerf!" repeated Debray.Then noticing in the dim light the still youthful and veiled figure of Madame de Morcerf:
-- "Pardon me," he added with a smile, "I leave you, Albert." Albert understood his thoughts."Mother," he said, turning towards Mercedes, "this is M.Debray, secretary of the minister for the interior, once a friend of mine.""How once?" stammered Debray; "what do you mean?""I say so, M.Debray, because I have no friends now, and Iought not to have any.I thank you for having recognized me, sir." Debray stepped forward, and cordially pressed the hand of his interlocutor."Believe me, dear Albert," he said, with all the emotion he was capable of feeling, -- "believe me, I feel deeply for your misfortunes, and if in any way Ican serve you, I am yours."
"Thank you, sir," said Albert, smiling."In the midst of our misfortunes, we are still rich enough not to require assistance from any one.We are leaving Paris, and when our journey is paid, we shall have 5,000 francs left." The blood mounted to the temples of Debray, who held a million in his pocket-book, and unimaginative as he was he could not help reflecting that the same house had contained two women, one of whom, justly dishonored, had left it poor with 1,500,000francs under her cloak, while the other, unjustly stricken, but sublime in her misfortune, was yet rich with a few deniers.This parallel disturbed his usual politeness, the philosophy he witnessed appalled him, he muttered a few words of general civility and ran down-stairs.
That day the minister's clerks and the subordinates had a great deal to put up with from his ill-humor.But that same night, he found himself the possessor of a fine house, situated on the Boulevard de la Madeleine, and an income of 50,000 livres.The next day, just as Debray was signing the deed, that is about five o'clock in the afternoon, Madame de Morcerf, after having affectionately embraced her son, entered the coupe of the diligence, which closed upon her.Aman was hidden in Lafitte's banking-house, behind one of the little arched windows which are placed above each desk; he saw Mercedes enter the diligence, and he also saw Albert withdraw.Then he passed his hand across his forehead, which was clouded with doubt."Alas," he exclaimed, "how can Irestore the happiness I have taken away from these poor innocent creatures? God help me!"
