Edmond Dantès
in a few seconds stood among the trees. As he paused the figure of a man
emerged from behind a huge fragment of rock and thus hailed him:
"Are you the Count of Monte-Cristo?"
"I am," was the firm reply.
"And are you alone, as I recommended?"
"Entirely alone. Now, if you have finished your questions, pray who are
you?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Merely for form's sake."
"Well, then, I am Benedetto."
"Of course. As it was too dark for me to distinguish your features, I
simply wanted to identify you. Now, state your business as briefly as
possible."
"I escaped from Toulon long ago, and, after wandering all over Europe,
settled in Athens, where I remained until a week since, when the result
of a difficulty compelled me to quit the city."
"An assassination?"
"Yes, an assassination!"
Monte-Cristo shuddered to hear the cold-blooded villain talk so calmly
of his foul crime, but, conquering his aversion, he said between his
teeth:
"Proceed."
"I fled from Athens under cover of the night and the next morning hired
a fisherman to bring me here in his boat, thinking that the island was
inhabited only by a few poverty-stricken wretches who gained a scanty
subsistence from the sea. On my arrival I was filled with terror at
beholding your magnificent palace, which I was told belonged to a great
lord. I naturally imagined that no one could inhabit such a dwelling
save some high official of the Greek Government, and, without making
further inquiries, again secured the services of the fisherman, who took
me to the neighboring Island of Kylo. There I was in safety, for I fell
in with a band of stout-hearted men, of whom I eventually became the
chief."
"Bandits, no doubt!"
"Yes, bandits, if you will, but valiant men all the same. We prospered
exceedingly and imagined that our career could be continued with
impunity as long as we might desire; in this, however, we were sadly
mistaken, for one fatal night the Greek soldiery suddenly descended upon
us and hemmed us in on every side ere we were aware of their presence.
We fought none the less desperately on that account, and in the
sanguinary conflict all my companions were slain. I was grievously
wounded and left for dead, but the following day managed to crawl to the
beach and contrived to be conveyed hither, having learned by accident
that the great lord of the Island of Salmis was no other than my old
friend of happier days, the Count of Monte-Cristo, in short, yourself.
Now, you know my story. I am a fugitive here as in France, and need your
aid to enable me to escape."
"You want money?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"A million of francs!"
"Man!" cried Monte-Cristo, breathless with astonishment at Benedetto's
audacious demand, "you are out of your senses! I will give you a
thousand francs, but not a sou more!"
"Beware how you trifle with a desperate man!" hissed Benedetto.
"What have I to fear?" said Monte-Cristo, calmly. "You are alone."
"I am not alone, Count of Monte-Cristo; my stout-hearted friends of the
Island of Kylo are with me, and ready to support my demand!"
"Then you lied to me; your story was a base fabrication."
"Partly, Count; but enough of this--I want the million of francs; it is
a small sum for you to spare an old friend, who did you as much service
as Prince Andrea Cavalcanti! Are you going to give me the money?"
"I am not!" replied Monte-Cristo, drawing his revolver from his belt and
cocking it.
"Ho! ho!" laughed Benedetto, mockingly, "that's your game, is it? Again
I tell you to beware how you trifle with a desperate man!"
At the repetition of this phrase, as if it had been a preconcerted
signal, a dozen stalwart figures started up from the darkness and
surrounded Monte-Cristo, who instantly discharged his weapon right and
left among them. Several of the bandits fell, pierced by the balls, and
Benedetto, with a loud oath, leaped at the Count's throat, brandishing a
long, keen-bladed dagger above his head.
Raising his empty revolver, Monte-Cristo with a hand of iron struck his
on-coming assailant full in the face, stretching him instantly at his
feet; but scarcely had he accomplished this when three of the bandits
sprang upon him and hurled him to the earth beside Benedetto.
"Now," cried one of the miscreants with a frightful curse, at the same
time placing the muzzle of a pistol at the Count's temple, "now, my
lord of Salmis, your time has come!"
As he was about to fire, there arose a tremendous shout, and, headed by
Ali, who swung aloft a Turkish yataghan, the entire force of
Monte-Cristo's servants, armed to the teeth, swept down upon the
astonished bandits. At the same instant a pistol-shot rang out, and the
man who had threatened to take the Count's life fell to the ground a
corpse. As Monte-Cristo regained his feet he saw Esperance standing a
short distance away, the smoking weapon with which he had just killed
his father's would-be murderer still clenched in his boyish hand. The
struggle that ensued was of short duration, for the bandits, finding
themselves outnumbered, speedily fled to their boats, leaving their
wounded comrades behind them.
When the Count realized that Esperance, his beloved son, had saved him
from death, he rushed to the heroic lad, took him in his arms and bore
him beyond the reach of danger; this done, he returned to aid Ali and
the servants, but they were already victors and in full possession of
the field.
A search was made for the body of Benedetto, but it had disappeared.
CHAPTER III.
THE CONFLAGRATION.
As the Count of Monte-Cristo, Esperance, Ali and the servants approached
the palace on their return from the struggle with the bandits in the
almond grove, their ears were suddenly saluted by loud cries of terror.
They came from the library and thither Monte-Cristo hurried, followed by
his son. On the floor in the centre of the apartment Haydee lay in a
swoon, and bending over her mother was Zuleika, screaming and wringing
her little hands. The Count raised his wife and placed her upon a divan,
while Esperance brought a water-jar and bathed her temples with its
cool, refreshing contents, Zuleika meanwhile holding her mother's hands
and sobbing violently.
At last Haydee recovered consciousness, and opening her eyes gazed
wildly around her; seeing her husband, Esperance and Zuleika safe beside
her, she uttered a faint sigh of relief. It was several moments longer
before she could speak; then she exclaimed in a tremulous voice:
"Oh! my lord, did you meet that terrible man?"
"What man, Haydee?" asked the Count. "Do you mean Benedetto?"
"I do not know his name; I never saw him before," answered Haydee; "but
his face was all battered and bleeding; on his uncovered head the locks
were matted and unkempt, and his garments were torn as if in wrenching
his way through a thicket of tangled briers."
"Benedetto, it was Benedetto!" cried Monte-Cristo. "You do not mean to
say he was here, in this room?"
"He was here and only a short time ago," replied Haydee, with a shudder.
"I was standing at the window with Zuleika when he rushed by me like a
whirlwind, and going to your secretary endeavored to open it, but in
vain; then with a cry of rage he ran to the window, leaped out into the
darkness and was gone! I know nothing further, for as he vanished I fell
to the floor in a swoon."
Monte-Cristo touched a bell and almost immediately Ali stood bowing
before him, as calm and unmoved as though nothing unusual had occurred.
"Ali," said the Count, "post all the servants within and without the
palace, and let the strictest watch be kept until dawn. The chief of the
bandits, who is no other than the former Prince Cavalcanti, was here in
our absence and must yet be hovering in the vicinity. See that he does
not effect another entrance, as his purpose is robbery if not murder!"
Ali signified by his eloquent pantomime that he had already taken it
upon himself to station the servants as his master directed, and that it
would be utterly impossible for any one to approach the palace without
being seen and seized.
As the faithful Nubian turned to retire, Monte-Cristo noticed that his
right hand was bandaged as if wounded, and inquired whether he had been
hurt in the conflict with the bandits. Ali explained that a dagger
thrust had cut his palm, but that the wound had been properly cared for
and would soon heal.
When the Count and his family were once more alone together, Haydee
threw herself at her husband's feet and humbly demanded pardon.
"What have you done to require pardon?" asked Monte-Cristo, in
astonishment. "Speak, but I forgive you beforehand.'
"Oh! my lord," said Haydee, still maintaining her kneeling posture
despite her husband's efforts to raise her, "oh! my lord, I have been
guilty of a despicable act, but my love for you and fears for your
safety must be my excuse. You left the letter you received so strangely
this morning lying upon your secretary. I opened it and hurriedly made
myself acquainted with its contents, for I had a premonition that some
terrible danger threatened you. Oh! my lord, pardon, pardon!"
Monte-Cristo raised her to her feet, and imprinted a kiss upon her
pallid brow.
"So then, it is to you, Haydee, that I owe my timely rescue from the
hands of Benedetto and his band of cut-throats! Had you committed even a
much more serious fault than peeping into my correspondence, that would
be more than sufficient to secure my full forgiveness. But do you know
that Esperance shot and killed the miscreant who held his pistol to my
temple and was about to blow out my brains?"
"Esperance?" said Haydee in bewilderment. "Did he not remain behind with
Zuleika and myself?"
"No, mamma," said the boy, holding his head proudly erect. "I could not
remain behind. I knew papa was in danger, and, taking a pistol that I
had seen Ali load this morning from the cabinet of fire-arms, I followed
the servants, arriving at the almond grove just in time."
Haydee ran to her son, and, taking him in her arms, pressed him fondly
to her heart, kissing him again and again.
"Oh! Esperance," she cried, "had I known you were in the midst of those
bloodthirsty cut-throats I should have died of terror! But you have
saved your father's life, my son, and I bless you for it!"
"He is a little hero," said Monte-Cristo, impressively.
Zuleika had thrown herself upon the divan, and, utterly worn out by the
excitement through which she had passed, was already wrapped in a deep
slumber. The Count, Haydee and Esperance, however, could not resign
themselves to sleep, and when the gray light of dawn appeared in the
eastern sky, they were still in the library and still watching.
Benedetto had not been seen again, and a diligent search of the entire
island, made by Ali and the servants, failed to reveal even the
slightest trace of him. He had evidently succeeded in finding some
fisherman's skiff and in it had made his escape.
This view of the case was confirmed a few hours later, when old Alexis
came to the palace and informed Monte-Cristo that his smack had vanished
during the night, having, in all probability, been carried off by
thieves.
"I knew," said the fisherman, "that the Island of Kylo was infested by
bandits, but I had no idea they would venture here. Now, however, I
thought I had better put you on your guard."
"I am much indebted to you, Alexis," said the Count; then, slipping a
purse of money into his hand, he added: "Take that and provide yourself
with a new boat."
Alexis touched his cap, bowed and was about to withdraw when
Monte-Cristo said to him, assuming a careless tone:
"By the way, my good fellow, have you ever chanced to meet any of the
bandits you mentioned?"
"Often, Excellency," replied Alexis.