The Count of Monte Cristo, Part One. Александр Дюма
You know how little I need.
EDMOND
Oh, my God, my God, pardon me.
DANTÈS
What’s wrong with you?
EDMOND
Oh, my poor Father, you have broken my heart.
DANTÈS
(smiling)
Bah! You are here! Now everything is forgotten because everything is fine.
EDMOND
Yes, I am here with a good future and a little money. Here, take, take.
(he tosses his money on the table)
And send right away to get something.
DANTÈS
Send for what?
EDMOND
Why for you? Come here, Father, take, take! Buy some provisions. Be happy, poor Father. Tomorrow there will be more.
DANTÈS
Easy, easy! With your permission, I will employ your purse moderately. People will think if they see me buy many things at once that I was forced to wait for your return to buy them.
EDMOND
Do as you wish, Father, but before all else, get someone to serve you. I have down there in the depth of the hold some excellent coffee and contraband tobacco for you—you will have some tomorrow. It comes from Smyrna, but hush, someone is here.
DANTÈS
Hey, it’s Caderousse who will have heard of your arrival and who wishes to congratulate you on your safe return.
EDMOND
Good! Still some lips say one thing while the heart says another. But—no matter—he’s a neighbor who has helped us in the past—let him be welcome.
CADEROUSSE
Eh? You’ve come back, little one?
EDMOND
As you see, neighbor Caderousse, and ready to be agreeable to you in whatever may be.
CADEROUSSE
Thanks, thanks, I have no need of anything—and rather others sometimes have need of me. I don’t say that to you, boy—I already have ready some money you returned me—that was done between neighbors and we are quits.
EDMOND
Due is never quits with those who have obliged you, for when you no longer owe them money, you still owe them thanks.
CADEROUSSE
What’s the good of speaking of it? What is past is past. Let’s speak of your happy return, boy. I had gone to the port to look for some chestnut clothe when I met friend Danglars. “You at Marseille,” I asked him, “Eh, yes, all the same,” he replied. “I could be there, but I’ve returned.” “And Edmond?” I thought of you right away. “Where is the little fellow? “But with his father, doubtless.” And I came straight here to have the pleasure of shaking the hand of a friend!
EDMOND
This good Caderousse! He loves us so much.
CADEROUSSE
Certainly I love you, and esteem you even more. Considering honest men are rare. But it appears that you are returning rich.
EDMOND
Ah! This money isn’t mine, neighbor—it is my father’s. I was expressing the fear that he lacked something during my absence and to reassure me, he opened his purse. Come, Father, put your money in the moneybox unless neighbor Caderousse has need of it, in which case it is completely at his service.
CADEROUSSE
Not at all, boy, I don’t need anything, and thank God the state nourishes its help. Keep your money, keep it, one never has too much!
EDMOND
It was with good intention.
CADEROUSSE
I have no doubt of that. Well, there you are in good with, Mr. Morel, lucky dog that you are.
EDMOND
Mr. Morel has always been good to me.
CADEROUSSE
In that case, you were wrong to refuse to dine with him.
DANTÈS
What—you refused to dine with him? He had invited you to dinner then?
EDMOND
Yes, Father.
DANTÈS
And why did you refuse, boy?
EDMOND
To return home to you sooner. I was in a hurry to see you.
CADEROUSSE
I know someone down there behind Fort St. Nicholas who won’t be upset that you will be captain.
DANTÈS
Mercédès, right?
EDMOND
Yes, Father—and with your permission now that I have seen you, Father, now that I know you are well, I ask your permission to pay a visit to the Catalans.
DANTÈS
Go, my child, go—and may God bless you in your wife as God has blessed me in a son!
CADEROUSSE
Never mind, never mind. You would do well to hurry.
EDMOND
Why?
CADEROUSSE
Because Mercédès is a pretty girl, and pretty girls do not lack admirers—her especially. They follow her by the dozen—but you are going to be captain, to you she will give preference.
EDMOND
Which means that if I were not—
CADEROUSSE
Eh! Eh!
EDMOND
Come, come, neighbor, I have a better opinion than you of women in general and of Mercédès in particular—and I am convinced that, captain or not, she will remain faithful to me.
CADEROUSSE
So much the better! So much the better! When one is going to marry it is always good to have faith. But never mind, believe me, little fellow, don’t lose any time in announcing your arrival.
EDMOND
I am going.
DANTÈS
And I, I will accompany you to La Cannebierre—I want to part with you only at the last possible moment.
CADEROUSSE
I must ask your permission to stay here an instant, Father Dantès. This devil Carconte bored no doubt, that I didn’t return, left in her turn—and she has taken the key—so that I am locked out.
DANTÈS
Stay, neighbor, stay. You know you are at home here.
CADEROUSSE
Thanks.
EDMOND
Come, Father.
CADEROUSSE
Give my best to Mercédès, little fellow.
EDMOND
I will add them to those I am going to give her.
DANTÈS
When you leave, lock the door.
CADEROUSSE