016 - The Count of Monte Cristo - A Learned Italian

Episode Transcript

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Chapter sixteen of the Count of MonteCristo by Alexandre Duma. This LibriVox recording
is in the public domain. Chaptersixteen a learned Italian seizing in his arms
the friend so long and ardently desired, Dante almost carried him towards the window

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in order to obtain a better viewof his features by the aid of the
imperfect light that struggled through the grating. He was a man of small stature,
with hair blanched rather by suffering andsorrow than by age. He had
a deep set, penetrating eye almostburied beneath, a thick gray eyebrow,
and a long and still black beardreaching down to his breast. His thin

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face deeply furrowed by care, andthe bold outline of his strongly marked features,
betokened a man more accustomed to exercisehis mental faculties than his physical strength.
Large drops of perspiration were now standingon his brow, while the garments
that hung about him were so raggedthat one could only guess at the pattern

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upon which they had originally been fashioned. The stranger might have numbered sixty or
sixty five years, but a certainbriskness and appearance of vigor in his movements
made it probable that he was agedmore from captivity than the course of time.
He received the enthusiastic greeting of hisyoung acquaintance with evident pleasure, as

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though his chilled affections were rekindled andinvigorated by his contact with one so warm
and ardent. He thanked him withgrateful cordiality for his kindly welcome, although
he must, at that moment havebeen suffering bitterly to find another dungeon where
he had fondly reckoned on discovering ameans of regaining his liberty. Let us

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first see, said he, whetherit is forcible to remove other traces of
my entrance here? Our future tranquilitydepends upon our jailers being entirely ignorant of
it. Advancing to the opening,he stooped and raised the stone easily in
spite of its weight, Then fittingit into its place, he said,

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you removed this stone very carelessly.But I suppose that you had no tools
are to aid you? Why,exclaimed Dantes with astonishment, do you possess
any I made myself some, andyou be the exception of a file.
I have all that unnecessary A cheeselpincers and a lever. Oh, how

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I should like to see those productsof your industry and patience. Well,
in the first place, here ismy chesel, so saying, he displayed
a sharp, strong blade with ahandle made of beech wood. And with
what did you contrive to make that, inquired Dantes, with one of the
clamps of my bedstead. And thisvery tool has sufficed me to hollow out

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the road by which I came eithera distance of about fifty feet. Fifty
feet, responded Dantes, almost terrified. Do not speak so loud, young
man, don't speak so loud.It frequently occurs in a state prison like
this that persons are stationed outside atthe doors of the cells, purposely to

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overhear the conversation of the prisoners.But they believe I am shut up alone
here. That makes no difference.And you say that you dug your way
a distance of fifty feet to gethere, I do. That is about
the distance that separates your chamber frommine. Only unfortunately I did not curve

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right, for want of the necessarygeometrical instruments to calculate my scale of proportion.
Instead of taking an ellipses of fortyfeet, I made it fifty.
I expect it as I told you, to reach the outer wall, pierce
through it, and throw myself intothe sea. I have, however,

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kept along the corridor in which yourchamber opens, instead of going beneath it.
My labor is all in vain,for I find that the corridor looks
into a courtyard filled with soldiers.That's true, said Dantes. But the
corridor you speak of only bounds oneside of my cell. There are three

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others. Do you know anything oftheir situation? This one is built against
the solid rock, and it wouldtake ten experienced miners, duly furnished with
the requisite tools, as many yearsto perforate it. This adjoins the lower
part of the Governor's apartments, andwere we to work our way through,

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we should only get into some lockup cellars, where we must necessarily be
recaptured. The fourth and last sideof your he said, faces on faces
un stop a minute, now,where does it face? The wall of
which he spoke was the one inwhich was fixed the loophole by which light
was admitted to the chamber. Thisloophole, which gradually diminished in size as

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it approached the outside, to anopening through which a child could not have
passed, was for better security,furnished with three iron bars, so as
to quiet all apprehensions, even inthe mind of the most suspicious jailer,
as to the possibility of a prisoner'sescape. As the stranger asked the question,
he dragged the table beneath the window. Claim up, said he to

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Dante. The young man obeyed,mounted on the table, and, divining
the wishes of his companion, placedhis back securely against the wall, and
held out both hands. The stranger, whom, as yet Dantes knew only
by the number of his cell sprangup, with an agility by no means
to be expected in a person ofhis ears and light, and steady on

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his feet as a cat or alizard, climbed from the table to the
outstretched hands of Dantes, and fromthem to his shoulders. Then, bending
double for the ceiling of the dungeonprevented him from holding himself erect, he
managed to slip his head between theupper bars of the window, so as
to be able to command a perfectview from top to bottom. An instant

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afterwards, he hastily drew back hishead, saying I thought so, and
sliding from the shoulders of Dantes.As dexterously as he had descended, he
nimbly leapt from the table to theground. What was it that you thought,
asked the young man anxiously, inhis turn, descending from the table,

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The elder prisoner pondered the matter.Yes, said he at length.
It is a soul. This sideof your chamber looks out upon a kind
of open gallery, where patrols arecontinually passing, and sentries keep watch day
and the night. Are you quitesure of that? Certain? I saw

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the soldier's shape and the top ofhis musket that made me draw my in
my head so quickly, for Iwas fearfully he might also see me,
well, inquired Dantes. You perceiveher? Then? The utter impossibility of
escaping through your dungeon, then pursuedthe young man eagerly, then answered the

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elder prisoner, the will of agod be done. And as the old
man slowly pronounced those words, anair of profound resignation spread itself over his
care worn countenance. Dantes gazed onthe man who could thus philosophically resign hopes
so long and ardently, nourished withan astonishment mingled with admiration. Tell me,

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I entreat you who and what youare, said he at length.
Never have I met with so remarkablea person as yourself, willingly answered the
stranger. If indeed you feel anycuriosity respecting one now alas powerless to aid
you in any way, say not, so you can console and support me

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by the strength of your own powerfulmind. Pray, let me know who
you really are. The stranger smileda melancholy smile. Then listen, said
he. I am the Abbe Pharia, and have been imprisoned, as you
know, in this Chateau d'If sincethe year eighteen eleven, previously to which

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I had been confined for three yearsin the fortress of Fenestreel. In the
year eighteen eleven I was transferred toPiedmont in France. It was at this
period I learned that the destiny,which seemed subservient to every wish formed by
Napoleon, had bestowed on him ason named King of Rome, even in

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his cradle. I was very farthen from expecting the change you have just
informed me of, namely that fouryears afterwards this colossus of power would be
overthrown. Then who reigns in Franceat this moment, Napoleon the second,
no Louis eighteenth, the brother ofLouis seventeenth. How inscrutable are the ways

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of providence? For what great andmysterious purpose? As it pleased heaven to
abase the man once so elevated,and raise up him who was so abased
Dantes whole attention was riveted on aman who could thus forget his own misfortunes
while occupying himself with the destinies ofothers. Yes, Yes, continued he

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to will be the same as itwas in England, after Charles the first,
Cromwell, after Cromwell, Charles thesecond, and then James the second,
and then some son in law orrelation, some prince of Orange,
a stadtholder who becomes a king.Then new concessions to the people, then

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a constitution, then liberty. Ah, my friend, said the abbe,
turning towards Dante and surveying him withthe kindling gaze of a prophet. You
are young, you will see allthis come to pass, probably if ever
I get out of prison, true, replied Farria. We are prisoners,

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but I forget this sometimes, andthere are even moments when my mental vision
transports me beyond these walls, andI fancy myself at liberty. But wherefore
are you here? Because in eighteeno seven I dreamed of the very plan
Napoleon tried to realize in eighteen eleven, Because like Machiavelli, I desired to

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alter the political face of Italy,and instead of allowing it to be split
up into a quantity of petty principalities, each held by some weak or tyrannical
ruler, I sought to form onelarge, compact and powerful empire. And
lastly, because I fancied I hadfound my caesar Borgia in a crowned simpleton

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who feigned to enter into my views, only to betray me. It was
the plan of Alexander sixth and Clementseventh. But it will never succeed now,
for they attempted it fruitlessly, andNapoleon was unable to complete his work.
Italy seems fated to misfortune, andthe old man bowed his head.

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Tante could not understand a man riskinghis life for such matters. Napoleon certainly
he knew something of inasmuch as hehad seen and spoken with him. But
of clementless seventh and Alexander the sixthhe knew nothing, are you not?
He asked the priest, who herein Chateau d'If is generally thought to be

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ill mad? You mean, don'tyou? I did not like to say
so, answered Dantes, smiling well, then resumed faria with a bitter smile.
Let me answer your question in fullby acknowledging that I am the poor,
mad prisoner of the Chateau d'If formany years permitted to amuse the different

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visitors with what he said to bemy insanity, and in all probability I
should be promoted to the honor ofmaking sport for the children, if such
innocent beings could be found in anabode devoted like this to suffering and despair.
Dantes remained for a short time,mute and motionless. At length,

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he said, then you abond allhope of escape. I perceive its utter
impossibility, and I consider it impiousto attempt that which the Almighty evidently does
not approve. Nay, but donot be discouraged. Would it not be
expecting too much to hope to succeedat your first attempt? Why not try

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to find an opening in another directionfrom that which has so unfortunately failed alas
it shows how little notion you canhave. All it has cost me to
effect a purpose so unexpectedly frustrated thatyou talk of beginning over again in the
first place, I was four yearsmaking the tools I possess, and have

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been two years as scraping and diggingout earth hard as granite itself. Then
what toil and fatigue has it notbeen to remove huge a stones I should
once have deemed the possible to loosenwhole days have I passed in these titanic
efforts? Considering my labor well repaid? If by night time I had contrived

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to carry away a square inch ofthis hard bound cement changed by ages into
a substance unyielding as the stones themselves, then to conceal the mass of earth
and the rubbish I dug up.I was compelled to break through a staircase
and throw the fruits of my laborinto the hollow part of it. But

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the well is now so completely chokedup that I scarcely think it would be
possible to add another handful of dustwithout leading to discovery. Consider also that
I fully believed I had accomplished theend aim of my undertaking for which I
so exactly husband did my strength asto make it just hold out to the

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termination of my enterprise. And nowat the moment when when I reckoned upon
success, my hopes and forever dashedfrom me, no I repeat again that
nothing will induce me to renew attempts. Evidently, at variance with the Almighty's
pleasure, Dante held down his headthat the other might not see how joy

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at the thought of having a companionoutweighed the sympathy he felt for the failure
of the Abbe's plans. The Abbesank upon Edmond's bed, while Edmund himself
remained standing. Escape had never onceoccurred to him. There are, indeed,
some things which appear so impossible thatthe mind does not dwell on them.

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For an instant to undermine the groundfor fifty feet, to devote three
years to a labor which, ifsuccessful, would conduct you to a precipice
overhanging the sea, to plunge intothe waves from the height of fifty sixty
perhaps one hundred feet, at therisk of being dashed to pieces against the
rocks. Should you have been fortunateenough to have escaped the fire of the

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sentinels, and even supposing all theseperils past, then to have to swim
for your life a distance of atleast three miles ere you could reach the
shore were difficulties so startling and formidablethat Dante had never even dreamed of such
a scheme, resigning himself rather todeath. But the sight of an old

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man clinging to life with so desperatea courage gave a fresh turn to his
ideas and inspired him with new courage. Another, older and less strong than
he had attempted what he had nothad sufficient resolution to undertake, and had
failed only because of an error incalculation. This same person, with almost

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incredible patience and perseverance, had contrivedto provide himself with tools requisite for so
unparalleled an attempt. Another had doneall this, Why then, was it
impossible to Dantes Paria had dug hisway through fifty feet, Dantes would dig
a hundred faria at the age offifty, had devoted three years to the

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task. He, who was buthalf as old, would sacrifice six pharia.
A priest and savant had not shrunkfrom the idea of risking his life
by trying to swim a distance ofthree miles to one of the islands dorm
ratuneaud or Lemaire. Should a hardysailor, an experienced diver like himself shrink

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from a similar task, Should hewho had so often, for mere amusement's
sake plunge to the bottom of thesea to fetch up the bright coral branch
hesitate to entertain the same project?He could do it in an hour?
And how many times had he,for pure pastime continued in the water for
more than twice as long? Atonce, Dantes resolved to follow the brave

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example of his energetic companion, andto remember that what has once been done
may be done again. After continuingsome time in profound meditation, the young
man suddenly exclaimed, I have foundwhat you are in search of. Farrier
started, have you? Indeed,cried he raising his head with quick anxiety.

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Pray, let me know what itis. You have discovered. The
corridor through which you have bored yourway from the cell you occupy here extends
in the same direction as the outergallery, does it not? It does,
and is not above fifteen feet fromit. About that? Well,

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then I will tell you what wemust do. We must pierce through the
corridor by forming a side opening aboutthe middle, as it were the top
part of a cross. This timeyou will lay your plans more accurately.
We shall get out into the galleryyou have described, kill the sentinel who
guards it, and make our escape. All we require to ensue your success

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is courage, and that you possessand strength which I am not deficient in.
As for patience, you have abundantlyproved yours. You shall now see
me prove mine one instant, mydear friend, replied the Abbe. It
is clear you do not understand thenature of the courage with which I am
endowed, and what use I intendmaking of my strength. As for patience,

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I consider that I have abundantly exercisedthat in beginning every morning the task
of the night before, and everynight renewing the task of the day.
But then, a young man,and I pray of you to give me
your full attention. Then I thoughtI could not be doing anything displeasing to
the Almighty in trying to set aninnocent being at liberty, one who had

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committed no offense and merited not condemnation. And have your notions changed, asked
Dantes, with much surprise, doyou think yourself more guilty in making the
attempt since you have encountered me.No neither do I wish to incur guilt.
Hitherto I have fancied myself merely wagingwar against circumstances, not men.

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I have thought it no sin tobore through a wall or destroy a staircase.
But I cannot so easily persuade myselfto pierce a heart or take away
alife a slight movement to surprise escapedDantes. Is it possible, said he,
that where your liberty is at stake, you can allow any such scruple

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to deter you from obtaining it.Tell me, replied Farria. What has
hindered you from knocking down your galerwith a piece of wood torn from your
bedstead, dressing yourself in his clothes, and endeavoring to escape? Simply the
fact that the idea never occurred tome, answered Dantes, Because, said

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the old man, the natural repugnanceto the commission of such a crime prevented
you from thinking of it. Andso it ever is, because in simple
and allowable things, our natural instinctskeep us from deviating from the strict line
of duty. The tiger whose natureteaches him to delight in shedding blood needs

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but the sense of smell to showhim when his prey is within his reach,
And by following this instinct he isenabled to measure the leap necessary to
permit him to spraying on his victim. But man on the contrary laws the
idea of blood, it is notalone that the laws of social life inspire
him with a shrinking dread of takinglife his natural construction and physiological formation.

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Dantes was confused and silent at thisexplanation of the thoughts which had unconsciously been
working in his mind, or rathersoul. For there are two distinct sorts
of ideas, those that proceed fromthe head and those that emanate from the
heart. Seen some my in prisonmeant, said Farrier, I have thought

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over all the most celebrated cases ofescape on a rare court. They have
rarely been a successful. Those thathave been accrowned with full success have been
long meditated upon and carefully arranged,such for instance, as the escape of
the Duc de Beaufort from the Chateaude Vancennes, that of the Abbe de

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Beauquois from four le Vec of Latudfrom the Bastille. Then there are those
for which chance sometimes affords opportunity,and those are the best of all.
Let us therefore wait patiently for somefavorable moment, and when it presents itself,
profit by it, Ah, saidDantes, you might well endure the

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tedious delay. You were constantly employedin the task you set yourself, and
when weary with toil, you hadyour hopes to refresh and encourage you.
I assure you, replied the oldman. I did not turn to that
source for recreation or support. Whatdid you do then, I wrote,

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or studied? Oh you then permittedthe use of pens, ink and paper?
Oh no, answered the abbe.I had anon, But what I
made for myself you made paper,pens and ink. Yes, Dantes gazed
with admiration, but he had somedifficulty in believing. Fario saw this.

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When you pay me of ease itin my cell, my young friend said
he. I will show you anentire work, the fruits of the thoughts
and the reflections of my whole life, many of them meditated over in the
shades of the Colosseum at Rome,at the foot of Saint Mark's Colombe at
Venice, and on the borders ofthe Arno at Florence, little imagining at

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the time that they would be arrangedin order within the walls of the Chateau
d'If. The work I speak ofis called a treatise on the Possibility of
a General Monarchy in Italy, andwill make one large quarto volume, And
on what have you written? Allthis? On two of my shirts?

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I invented a preparation that makes linenas smooth and as easy to write on
as parchment. You are then achemist somewhat. I know Lavoisier and was
the intimate friend of Cabani. Butfor such a work you must have needed
books, had you any? Ihad nearly five thousand volumes in my library

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at Rome, But after reading themover many times, I found out that
with one hundred and fifty well chosenbooks, a man possesses, if not
a complete summary of all human knowledge, at least all that a man need
really know. I devoted three yearsof my life to reading and studying these
one hundred and fifty volumes till Iknew them nearly by heart, so that

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since I have been in prison,a very slight effort of memory has enabled
me to recall their contents as readilyas though the pages were opened before me.
I could recite you the whole ofThucidides, Xenophon, Plutarch, Titus,
Livius, Tacitus, Strada, Gernandes, Dante, Montaigne, Shakespeare,

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Spinoza, Machiavelli, and Bossuet.I am only the most important. You
are dubs acquainted with a variety oflanguages, so as to have been able
to read all these. Yes,I speak five of the modern tongues,
that is to say, German,French, Italian, English, and Spanish.

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By the aid of ancient Greek,I learned modern Greek. I don't
speak it so well as I couldwish, but I am still trying to
improve myself. Improve yourself, repeatedDantes. Why how can you manage to
do so? Why? I madea vocabulary of the words I knew,

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turned returned, and arranged them soas to enable me to express my thoughts
through the medium. I know nearlyone thousand words, which is all that
is absolutely necessary, although I believethere are nearly one hundred thousand in the
dictionaries. I cannot hope to bevery fluent, but I certainly should have
no difficulty in explaining my wants andwishes, and that would be quite as

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much as I should ever require.Stronger grew the wonder of Dante, who
almost fancied it had to do withone gifted with supernatural powers, still hoping
to find some imperfection which might bringhim down to a level with human beings.
He added, then, if youwere not furnished with pens, how

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did you manage to write the wordyou speak of? I made some excellent
ones which would be universally preferred toall others. If once known, you
are aware what huge whitings are servedus on megre days. Well, I
selected the cartilages of the heads ofthese fecees, and you can scarcely imagine

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the delight with which I welcomed thearrival of each Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
as affording me the means of increasingmy stock of pens. For I will
freely confess that my historical labors havebeen my greatest solace and relief. While
retracing the past, I forgot present, and traversing at will the path of

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history, I cease to remember thatI am myself a prisoner. But the
ink, said Dantes, of whatdid you make your ink. There was
formerly a pireplace in my dungeon,replied Faria, but it was closed up
long ere I became an occupant ofthis prison. Still it must have been

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many years in use, for itwas thickly covered with a coating of soot.
This soot I dissolved in a portionof the wine brought to me every
Sunday. And I assure you abetter ink cannot be desired. For very
important notes for which closer attention isrequired. I prayed to one of my

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fingers and wrote with my own blood. And when asked Dantes, may I
see all this whenever you please,replied the Abbe. Oh, then let
it meet directly, exclaimed the youngman. Follow me, then said the
Abbe, as he re entered thesubterranean passage in which he soon disappeared,

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followed by Dantes. End of Chaptersixteen.