第224章

"That when my coachman was about to harness the horses to my carriage, he discovered that they had been removed from the stables without his knowledge.I desire to know what is the meaning of this?""Be kind enough, madame, to listen to me," said Danglars.

"Oh, yes; I will listen, monsieur, for I am most curious to hear what explanation you will give.These two gentlemen shall decide between us; but, first, I will state the case to them.Gentlemen," continued the baroness, "among the ten horses in the stables of Baron Danglars, are two that belong exclusively to me -- a pair of the handsomest and most spirited creatures to be found in Paris.But to you, at least, M.Debray, I need not give a further description, because to you my beautiful pair of dappled grays were well known.Well, I had promised Madame de Villefort the loan of my carriage to drive to-morrow to the Bois; but when my coachman goes to fetch the grays from the stables they are gone -- positively gone.No doubt M.Danglars has sacrificed them to the selfish consideration of gaining some thousands of paltry francs.Oh, what a detestable crew they are, these mercenary speculators!""Madame," replied Danglars, "the horses were not sufficiently quiet for you; they were scarcely four years old, and they made me extremely uneasy on your account.""Nonsense," retorted the baroness; "you could not have entertained any alarm on the subject, because you are perfectly well aware that I have had for a month in my service the very best coachman in Paris.But, perhaps, you have disposed of the coachman as well as the horses?""My dear love, pray do not say any more about them, and Ipromise you another pair exactly like them in appearance, only more quiet and steady." The baroness shrugged her shoulders with an air of ineffable contempt, while her husband, affecting not to observe this unconjugal gesture, turned towards Monte Cristo and said, -- "Upon my word, count, I am quite sorry not to have met you sooner.You are setting up an establishment, of course?""Why, yes," replied the count.

"I should have liked to have made you the offer of these horses.I have almost given them away, as it is; but, as Ibefore said, I was anxious to get rid of them upon any terms.They were only fit for a young man.""I am much obliged by your kind intentions towards me," said Monte Cristo; "but this morning I purchased a very excellent pair of carriage-horses, and I do not think they were dear.

There they are.Come, M.Debray, you are a connoisseur, Ibelieve, let me have your opinion upon them." As Debray walked towards the window, Danglars approached his wife."Icould not tell you before others," said he in a low tone, "the reason of my parting with the horses; but a most enormous price was offered me this morning for them.Some madman or fool, bent upon ruining himself as fast as he can, actually sent his steward to me to purchase them at any cost; and the fact is, I have gained 16,000 francs by the sale of them.Come, don't look so angry, and you shall have 4,000 francs of the money to do what you like with, and Eugenie shall have 2,000.There, what do you think now of the affair? Wasn't I right to part with the horses?" Madame Danglars surveyed her husband with a look of withering contempt.

"Great heavens?" suddenly exclaimed Debray.

"What is it?" asked the baroness.

"I cannot be mistaken; there are your horses! The very animals we were speaking of, harnessed to the count's carriage!""My dappled grays?" demanded the baroness, springing to the window."'Tis indeed they!" said she.Danglars looked absolutely stupefied."How very singular," cried Monte Cristo with well-feigned astonishment.

"I cannot believe it," murmured the banker.Madame Danglars whispered a few words in the ear of Debray, who approached Monte Cristo, saying, "The baroness wishes to know what you paid her husband for the horses.""I scarcely know," replied the count; "it was a little surprise prepared for me by my steward, and cost me -- well, somewhere about 30,000 francs." Debray conveyed the count's reply to the baroness.Poor Danglars looked so crest-fallen and discomfited that Monte Cristo assumed a pitying air towards him."See," said the count, "how very ungrateful women are.Your kind attention, in providing for the safety of the baroness by disposing of the horses, does not seem to have made the least impression on her.But so it is; a woman will often, from mere wilfulness, prefer that which is dangerous to that which is safe.Therefore, in my opinion, my dear baron, the best and easiest way is to leave them to their fancies, and allow them to act as they please, and then, if any mischief follows, why, at least, they have no one to blame but themselves." Danglars made no reply; he was occupied in anticipations of the coming scene between himself and the baroness, whose frowning brow, like that of Olympic Jove, predicted a storm.Debray, who perceived the gathering clouds, and felt no desire to witness the explosion of Madame Danglars' rage, suddenly recollected an appointment, which compelled him to take his leave; while Monte Cristo, unwilling by prolonging his stay to destroy the advantages he hoped to obtain, made a farewell bow and departed, leaving Danglars to endure the angry reproaches of his wife.