Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

Chapter 4. Conspiracy (a secret plot)

Danglars (the shipowner's clerk, later a rich banker) followed Edmond (the first name of the young sailor this story follows) and Mercédès (the Catalan girl Dantès is to marry) with his eyes until the two lovers (one who loves) disappeared (to vanish) behind one of the angles (a corner's measure) of Fort Saint Nicolas (a French man's name); then, turning round, he perceived (to see and grasp) Fernand (the Catalan fisherman who loves Mercédès), who had fallen, pale (light in color; whitish) and trembling (shaking finely), into his chair, while Caderousse (a tailor of Marseilles, neighbour to the Dantès family) stammered (to speak with halting breaks) out the words of a drinking-song (a song sung over drink).

“Well, my dear sir,” said Danglars to Fernand, “here is a marriage which does not appear to make everybody happy.”

“It drives me to despair (loss of all hope),” said Fernand.

“Do you, then, love Mercédès?”

“I adore (to love devotedly) her!”

“For long?”

“As long as I have known her—always.”

“And you sit there, tearing (a drop of weeping; to rip) your hair, instead of seeking to remedy (a cure) your condition (condition: social rank — the old sense here); I did not think that was the way of your people.”

“What would you have me do?” said Fernand.

“How do I know? Is it my affair (a matter or piece of business)? I am not in love with Mademoiselle Mercédès; but for you—in the words of the gospel (the word of the Bible), seek, and you shall find.”

“I have found already.”

“What?”

“I would stab (to pierce with a point) the man, but the woman told me that if any misfortune (bad fortune) happened to her betrothed (promised in marriage), she would kill herself.”

“Pooh! Women say those things, but never do them.”

“You do not know Mercédès; what she threatens (to hold out harm) she will do.”

“Idiot (a person of very weak mind)!” muttered (to speak low in the throat) Danglars; “whether she kill herself or not, what matter, provided Dantès (the young sailor this story follows) is not captain?”

“Before Mercédès should die,” replied Fernand, with the accents (the tone of one's speech) of unshaken (not shaken) resolution, “I would die myself!”

“That’s what I call love!” said Caderousse with a voice more tipsy (slightly drunk) than ever. “That’s love, or I don’t know what love is.”

“Come,” said Danglars, “you appear to me a good sort of fellow, and hang me, I should like to help you, but——”

“Yes,” said Caderousse, “but how?”

“My dear fellow,” replied Danglars, “you are three parts drunk; finish the bottle, and you will be completely so. Drink then, and do not meddle (to interfere) with what we are discussing, for that requires all one’s wit (quickness of mind) and cool judgment (the power of judging; a decision).”

“I—drunk!” said Caderousse; “well that’s a good one! I could drink four more such bottles; they are no bigger than cologne (a light sweet smelling water) flasks (a small bottle). Père (father, in French) Pamphile (a French man's name), more wine!”

And Caderousse rattled (a quick knocking noise) his glass upon the table.

“You were saying, sir——” said Fernand, awaiting (to wait for) with great anxiety (gnawing worry) the end of this interrupted (to break in upon) remark (to say; to notice).

“What was I saying? I forget. This drunken (given to drink) Caderousse has made me lose the thread (a spun filament) of my sentence.”

“Drunk, if you like; so much the worse for those who fear wine, for it is because they have bad thoughts which they are afraid the liquor (a liquid; strong drink) will extract (to draw out; also a part taken from a writing) from their hearts;” and Caderousse began to sing the two last lines of a song very popular at the time:

‘Tous (all, in French) les (the, in French) méchants (wicked, in French) sont (are, in French) buveurs (drinker, in French) d’eau (water);

C’est (is — French) bien (well, in French) prouvé (proved, in French) par (the usual level) le déluge (flood, in French).’1

“You said, sir, you would like to help me, but——”

“Yes; but I added, to help you it would be sufficient (enough) that Dantès did not marry (to take as husband or wife) her you love; and the marriage may easily be thwarted (thwarting: blocking), methinks (it seems to me — old form), and yet Dantès need not die.”

“Death alone can separate them,” remarked (to say; to notice) Fernand.

“You talk like a noodle (a simpleton), my friend,” said Caderousse; “and here is Danglars, who is a wide-awake (a low hat with a broad brim), clever (quick of mind), deep fellow, who will prove to you that you are wrong. Prove it, Danglars. I have answered for you. Say there is no need why Dantès should die; it would, indeed, be a pity (sorrow for another's pain) he should. Dantès is a good fellow; I like Dantès. Dantès, your health.”

Fernand rose impatiently (with restless eagerness). “Let him run on,” said Danglars, restraining (to hold back) the young man; “drunk as he is, he is not much out in what he says. Absence (being away) severs (to cut apart) as well as death, and if the walls of a prison were between Edmond and Mercédès they would be as effectually (with real effect) separated as if he lay under a tombstone (a grave's stone).”

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“Yes; but one gets out of prison,” said Caderousse, who, with what sense was left him, listened eagerly (with eager keenness) to the conversation, “and when one gets out and one’s name is Edmond Dantès (the young sailor this story begins with), one seeks revenge (repayment of wrong for wrong)——”

“What matters that?” muttered (to speak low in the throat) Fernand.

“And why, I should like to know,” persisted (to keep on stubbornly) Caderousse, “should they put Dantès in prison? he has neither robbed (to take by force), nor killed, nor murdered.”

“Hold your tongue (the mouth's organ; a language)!” said Danglars.

“I won’t hold my tongue (the mouth's organ; a language)!” replied Caderousse; “I say I want to know why they should put Dantès in prison; I like Dantès; Dantès, your health!” and he swallowed (to take down the throat; the swift bird) another glass of wine.

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Danglars saw in the muddled (mixed up and confused) look of the tailor (a maker of clothes) the progress of his intoxication (drunkenness; carried-away joy), and turning towards Fernand, said, “Well, you understand there is no need to kill him.”

“Certainly not, if, as you said just now, you have the means of having Dantès arrested. Have you that means?”

“It is to be found for the searching (looking deeply). But why should I meddle (to interfere) in the matter? it is no affair (a matter or piece of business) of mine.”

“I know not why you meddle (to interfere),” said Fernand, seizing (to grab; take hold) his arm; “but this I know, you have some motive (the moving reason) of personal hatred (deep hate) against Dantès, for he who himself hates is never mistaken in the sentiments (a tender feeling) of others.”

“I! motives (a repeated theme) of hatred (deep hate) against Dantès? None, on my word! I saw you were unhappy (not happy), and your unhappiness (sorrowful state) interested (interest: the spectacle that draws a crowd — the old sense here) me; that’s all; but since you believe I act for my own account, adieu (goodbye, in French), my dear friend, get out of the affair (a matter or piece of business) as best you may;” and Danglars rose as if he meant to depart (to go away).

“No, no,” said Fernand, restraining (to hold back) him, “stay! It is of very little consequence (what follows) to me at the end of the matter whether you have any angry feeling or not against Dantès. I hate him! I confess (to own up; to make confession) it openly (without concealment). Do you find the means, I will execute (to carry out; to put to death) it, provided it is not to kill the man, for Mercédès has declared she will kill herself if Dantès is killed.”

Caderousse, who had let his head drop on the table, now raised it, and looking at Fernand with his dull (not sharp; not bright) and fishy (suspicious) eyes, he said, “Kill Dantès! who talks of killing Dantès? I won’t have him killed—I won’t! He’s my friend, and this morning offered to share his money with me, as I shared mine with him. I won’t have Dantès killed—I won’t!”

“And who has said a word about killing him, muddlehead (a person of confused mind)?” replied Danglars. “We were merely (only) joking; drink to his health,” he added, filling Caderousse’s glass, “and do not interfere (to meddle) with us.”

“Yes, yes, Dantès’ good health!” said Caderousse, emptying his glass, “here’s to his health! his health—hurrah (a cheer)!”

“But the means—the means?” said Fernand.

“Have you not hit (hit: captured exactly — the old sense here) upon any?” asked Danglars.

“No!—you undertook (to take upon oneself) to do so.”

“True,” replied Danglars; “the French have the superiority (standing above others) over the Spaniards, that the Spaniards ruminate (to chew over in thought), while the French invent (to think up new things).”

“Do you invent (to think up new things), then,” said Fernand impatiently (with restless eagerness).

“Waiter (a table servant),” said Danglars, “pen (the writing tool), ink (writing fluid), and paper.”

“Pen (the writing tool), ink (writing fluid), and paper,” muttered (to speak low in the throat) Fernand.

“Yes; I am a supercargo (an officer in charge of a ship's cargo); pen (the writing tool), ink (writing fluid), and paper are my tools, and without my tools I am fit for nothing.”

“Pen (the writing tool), ink (writing fluid), and paper, then,” called Fernand loudly (with loud voice).

“There’s what you want on that table,” said the waiter (a table servant).

“Bring them here.” The waiter (a table servant) did as he was desired.

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“When one thinks,” said Caderousse, letting his hand drop on the paper, “there is here wherewithal (the means needed) to kill a man more sure than if we waited at the corner of a wood to assassinate (assassinated: murdered treacherously) him! I have always had more dread (deep fear) of a pen (the writing tool), a bottle of ink (writing fluid), and a sheet (a broad thin layer) of paper, than of a sword (the long blade weapon) or pistol (the small hand gun).”

“The fellow is not so drunk as he appears to be,” said Danglars. “Give him some more wine, Fernand.” Fernand filled Caderousse’s glass, who, like the confirmed toper (one who drinks strong drink often) he was, lifted his hand from the paper and seized (to grab; take hold) the glass.

The Catalan (of Catalonia in Spain; also the fishing village near Marseilles) watched him until Caderousse, almost overcome (to conquer; overpowered) by this fresh assault (a violent attack) on his senses (the body's five ways of knowing; good judgment), rested, or rather dropped, his glass upon the table.

“Well!” resumed (to take up again) the Catalan, as he saw the final glimmer (to shine faintly) of Caderousse’s reason vanishing (to disappear) before the last glass of wine.

“Well, then, I should say, for instance,” resumed (to take up again) Danglars, “that if after a voyage (a journey) such as Dantès has just made, in which he touched at the Island of Elba (the island where Napoleon was first sent), someone were to denounce (denouncing: crying out against) him to the king’s procureur (the public prosecutor, in French) as a Bonapartist (a supporter of Napoleon) agent——”

“I will denounce (denouncing: crying out against) him!” exclaimed (to cry out) the young man hastily (in a hurry).

“Yes, but they will make you then sign your declaration (a formal announcing), and confront (to face) you with him you have denounced (denouncing: crying out against); I will supply you with the means of supporting your accusation (a charge brought against someone), for I know the fact well. But Dantès cannot remain forever in prison, and one day or other he will leave it, and the day when he comes out, woe (deep sorrow) betide (to happen to) him who was the cause of his incarceration (the shutting up in prison)!”

“Oh, I should wish nothing better than that he would come and seek a quarrel (an angry dispute) with me.”

“Yes, and Mercédès! Mercédès, who will detest (to hate deeply) you if you have only the misfortune (bad fortune) to scratch (to mark with something sharp) the skin of her dearly (at great cost; with deep love) beloved (dearly loved) Edmond!”

“True!” said Fernand.

“No, no,” continued Danglars; “if we resolve (to decide firmly) on such a step, it would be much better to take, as I now do, this pen (the writing tool), dip (to lower briefly into) it into this ink (writing fluid), and write with the left hand (that the writing may not be recognized) the denunciation (a public charge against someone) we propose (to offer; to offer marriage).” And Danglars, uniting (to join into one) practice with theory, wrote with his left hand, and in a writing reversed (the opposite; a defeat) from his usual style, and totally unlike it, the following lines, which he handed to Fernand, and which Fernand read in an undertone (a lowered voice):

“The honorable (worthy of honor), the king’s attorney, is informed (to give knowledge to) by a friend of the throne (the ruler's seat) and religion, that one Edmond Dantès, mate of the ship Pharaon (the name of Morrel's ship), arrived this morning from Smyrna, after having touched at Naples and Porto-Ferrajo (the chief town of Elba), has been intrusted (entrusted: given into the care of) by Murat (a marshal of Napoleon who became a king) with a letter for the usurper (one who seizes a throne without right), and by the usurper (one who seizes a throne without right) with a letter for the Bonapartist committee in Paris. Proof of this crime will be found on arresting him, for the letter will be found upon him, or at his father’s, or in his cabin (a room aboard a ship) on board the Pharaon.”

“Very good,” resumed (to take up again) Danglars; “now your revenge (repayment of wrong for wrong) looks like common sense, for in no way can it revert (to turn back to) to yourself, and the matter will thus work its own way; there is nothing to do now but fold (to bend over on itself) the letter as I am doing, and write upon it, ‘To the king’s attorney,’ and that’s all settled (to fix in place; to bring to rest).” And Danglars wrote the address as he spoke.

“Yes, and that’s all settled (to fix in place; to bring to rest)!” exclaimed (to cry out) Caderousse, who, by a last effort of intellect (the thinking mind), had followed the reading of the letter, and instinctively (by inborn instinct) comprehended (to understand) all the misery (deep unhappiness) which such a denunciation (a public charge against someone) must entail (to carry with it). “Yes, and that’s all settled (to fix in place; to bring to rest); only it will be an infamous (famous for something bad) shame;” and he stretched (to draw out) out his hand to reach the letter.

“Yes,” said Danglars, taking it from beyond his reach; “and as what I say and do is merely (only) in jest (a joke), and I, amongst (among) the first and foremost (first of all), should be sorry if anything happened to Dantès—the worthy (deserving) Dantès—look here!” And taking the letter, he squeezed (to press hard) it up in his hands and threw it into a corner of the arbor (arbors: shaded garden walks).

“All right!” said Caderousse. “Dantès is my friend, and I won’t have him ill-used (badly treated).”

“And who thinks of using (use: habit; custom — the old sense here) him ill? Certainly neither I nor Fernand,” said Danglars, rising and looking at the young man, who still remained seated, but whose eye was fixed on the denunciatory (making a public charge) sheet (a broad thin layer) of paper flung (to throw with force) into the corner.

“In this case,” replied Caderousse, “let’s have some more wine. I wish to drink to the health of Edmond and the lovely Mercédès.”

“You have had too much already, drunkard (one always drunk),” said Danglars; “and if you continue, you will be compelled (to force) to sleep here, because unable to stand on your legs.”

“I?” said Caderousse, rising with all the offended (hurt in feelings) dignity (noble worth) of a drunken (given to drink) man, “I can’t keep on my legs? Why, I’ll wager (a bet) I can go up into the belfry (a bell tower) of the Accoules (a quarter and church of Marseilles), and without staggering (walking unsteadily), too!”

“Done!” said Danglars, “I’ll take your bet; but tomorrow—today it is time to return. Give me your arm, and let us go.”

“Very well, let us go,” said Caderousse; “but I don’t want your arm at all. Come, Fernand, won’t you return to Marseilles with us?”

“No,” said Fernand; “I shall return to the Catalans (the fishing village of Catalans near Marseilles).”

“You’re wrong. Come with us to Marseilles—come along.”

“I will not.”

“What do you mean? you will not? Well, just as you like, my prince; there’s liberty (freedom) for all the world. Come along, Danglars, and let the young gentleman (a man of good birth and manners) return to the Catalans if he chooses.”

Danglars took advantage of Caderousse’s temper (one's disposition; anger) at the moment, to take him off towards Marseilles by the Porte (the government of the Turkish sultan) Saint-Victor (a Paris street name), staggering (walking unsteadily) as he went.

When they had advanced about twenty yards, Danglars looked back and saw Fernand stoop (to bend down), pick up the crumpled (crushed into wrinkles) paper, and putting it into his pocket (the sewn-in pouch) then rush (to move with violent haste) out of the arbor (arbors: shaded garden walks) towards Pillon (a French family name).

“Well,” said Caderousse, “why, what a lie he told! He said he was going to the Catalans, and he is going to the city. Hallo (hello), Fernand! You are coming, my boy!”

“Oh, you don’t see straight,” said Danglars; “he’s gone right by the road to the Vieilles (old, in French, used in street names) Infirmeries (the rooms where the sick are tended, in French).”

“Well,” said Caderousse, “I should have sworn that he turned to the right—how treacherous (not to be trusted; dangerous) wine is!”

“Come, come,” said Danglars to himself, “now the thing is at work and it will effect its purpose unassisted (with no help).”