"As I went away a purse fell at my feet -- it contained five and twenty louis; I raised my head quickly, and saw Mercedes, who at once shut the blind.""And M.de Villefort?" asked the abbe.
"Oh, he never was a friend of mine, I did not know him, and I had nothing to ask of him.""Do you not know what became of him, and the share he had in Edmond's misfortunes?""No; I only know that some time after Edmond's arrest, he married Mademoiselle de Saint-Meran, and soon after left Marseilles; no doubt he has been as lucky as the rest; no doubt he is as rich as Danglars, as high in station as Fernand.I only, as you see, have remained poor, wretched, and forgotten.""You are mistaken, my friend," replied the abbe; "God may seem sometimes to forget for a time, while his justice reposes, but there always comes a moment when he remembers -- and behold -- a proof!" As he spoke, the abbe took the diamond from his pocket, and giving it to Caderousse, said, -- "Here, my friend, take this diamond, it is yours.""What, for me only?" cried Caderousse, "ah, sir, do not jest with me!""This diamond was to have been shared among his friends.
Edmond had one friend only, and thus it cannot be divided.
Take the diamond, then, and sell it; it is worth fifty thousand francs, and I repeat my wish that this sum may suffice to release you from your wretchedness.""Oh, sir," said Caderousse, putting out one hand timidly, and with the other wiping away the perspiration which bedewed his brow, -- "Oh, sir, do not make a jest of the happiness or despair of a man.""I know what happiness and what despair are, and I never make a jest of such feelings.Take it, then, but in exchange -- "Caderousse, who touched the diamond, withdrew his hand.The abbe smiled."In exchange," he continued, "give me the red silk purse that M.Morrel left on old Dantes' chimney-piece, and which you tell me is still in your hands." Caderousse, more and more astonished, went toward a large oaken cupboard, opened it, and gave the abbe a long purse of faded red silk, round which were two copper runners that had once been gilt.The abbe took it, and in return gave Caderousse the diamond.
"Oh, you are a man of God, sir," cried Caderousse; "for no one knew that Edmond had given you this diamond, and you might have kept it.""Which," said the abbe to himself, "you would have done."The abbe rose, took his hat and gloves."Well," he said, "all you have told me is perfectly true, then, and I may believe it in every particular.""See, sir," replied Caderousse, "in this corner is a crucifix in holy wood -- here on this shelf is my wife's testament; open this book, and I will swear upon it with my hand on the crucifix.I will swear to you by my soul's salvation, my faith as a Christian, I have told everything to you as it occurred, and as the recording angel will tell it to the ear of God at the day of the last judgment!""'Tis well," said the abbe, convinced by his manner and tone that Caderousse spoke the truth."'Tis well, and may this money profit you! Adieu; I go far from men who thus so bitterly injure each other." The abbe with difficulty got away from the enthusiastic thanks of Caderousse, opened the door himself, got out and mounted his horse, once more saluted the innkeeper, who kept uttering his loud farewells, and then returned by the road he had travelled in coming.
When Caderousse turned around, he saw behind him La Carconte, paler and trembling more than ever."Is, then, all that I have heard really true?" she inquired.
"What? That he has given the diamond to us only?" inquired Caderousse, half bewildered with joy; "yes, nothing more true! See, here it is." The woman gazed at it a moment, and then said, in a gloomy voice, "Suppose it's false?"Caderousse started and turned pale."False!" he muttered.
"False! Why should that man give me a false diamond?""To get your secret without paying for it, you blockhead!"Caderousse remained for a moment aghast under the weight of such an idea."Oh!" he said, taking up his hat, which he placed on the red handkerchief tied round his head, "we will soon find out.""In what way?"
"Why, the fair is on at Beaucaire, there are always jewellers from Paris there, and I will show it to them.Look after the house, wife, and I shall be back in two hours,"and Caderousse left the house in haste, and ran rapidly in the direction opposite to that which the priest had taken.
"Fifty thousand francs!" muttered La Carconte when left alone; "it is a large sum of money, but it is not a fortune."