In the meanwhile the hours passed, if not rapidly, at least tolerably.Faria, as we have said, without having recovered the use of his hand and foot, had regained all the clearness of his understanding, and had gradually, besides the moral instructions we have detailed, taught his youthful companion the patient and sublime duty of a prisoner, who learns to make something from nothing.They were thus perpetually employed, -- Faria, that he might not see himself grow old;Dantes, for fear of recalling the almost extinct past which now only floated in his memory like a distant light wandering in the night.So life went on for them as it does for those who are not victims of misfortune and whose activities glide along mechanically and tranquilly beneath the eye of providence.
But beneath this superficial calm there were in the heart of the young man, and perhaps in that of the old man, many repressed desires, many stifled sighs, which found vent when Faria was left alone, and when Edmond returned to his cell.
One night Edmond awoke suddenly, believing that he heard some one calling him.He opened his eyes upon utter darkness.His name, or rather a plaintive voice which essayed to pronounce his name, reached him.He sat up in bed and a cold sweat broke out upon his brow.Undoubtedly the call came from Faria's dungeon."Alas," murmured Edmond;"can it be?"
He moved his bed, drew up the stone, rushed into the passage, and reached the opposite extremity; the secret entrance was open.By the light of the wretched and wavering lamp, of which we have spoken, Dantes saw the old man, pale, but yet erect, clinging to the bedstead.His features were writhing with those horrible symptoms which he already knew, and which had so seriously alarmed him when he saw them for the first time.
"Alas, my dear friend," said Faria in a resigned tone, "you understand, do you not, and I need not attempt to explain to you?"Edmond uttered a cry of agony, and, quite out of his senses, rushed towards the door, exclaiming, "Help, help!" Faria had just sufficient strength to restrain him.
"Silence," he said, "or you are lost.We must now only think of you, my dear friend, and so act as to render your captivity supportable or your flight possible.It would require years to do again what I have done here, and the results would be instantly destroyed if our jailers knew we had communicated with each other.Besides, be assured, my dear Edmond, the dungeon I am about to leave will not long remain empty; some other unfortunate being will soon take my place, and to him you will appear like an angel of salvation.Perhaps he will be young, strong, and enduring, like yourself, and will aid you in your escape, while I have been but a hindrance.You will no longer have half a dead body tied to you as a drag to all your movements.At length providence has done something for you; he restores to you more than he takes away, and it was time I should die."Edmond could only clasp his hands and exclaim, "Oh, my friend, my friend, speak not thus!" and then resuming all his presence of mind, which had for a moment staggered under this blow, and his strength, which had failed at the words of the old man, he said, "Oh, I have saved you once, and Iwill save you a second time!" And raising the foot of the bed, he drew out the phial, still a third filled with the red liquor.
"See," he exclaimed, "there remains still some of the magic draught.Quick, quick! tell me what I must do this time; are there any fresh instructions? Speak, my friend; I listen.""There is not a hope," replied Faria, shaking his head, "but no matter; God wills it that man whom he has created, and in whose heart he has so profoundly rooted the love of life, should do all in his power to preserve that existence, which, however painful it may be, is yet always so dear.""Oh, yes, yes!" exclaimed Dantes; "and I tell you that Iwill save you yet."
"Well, then, try.The cold gains upon me.I feel the blood flowing towards my brain.These horrible chills, which make my teeth chatter and seem to dislocate my bones, begin to pervade my whole frame; in five minutes the malady will reach its height, and in a quarter of an hour there will be nothing left of me but a corpse.""Oh!" exclaimed Dantes, his heart wrung with anguish.
"Do as you did before, only do not wait so long, all the springs of life are now exhausted in me, and death," he continued, looking at his paralyzed arm and leg, "has but half its work to do.If, after having made me swallow twelve drops instead of ten, you see that I do not recover, then pour the rest down my throat.Now lift me on my bed, for Ican no longer support myself."
Edmond took the old man in his arms, and laid him on the bed.
"And now, my dear friend," said Faria, "sole consolation of my wretched existence, -- you whom heaven gave me somewhat late, but still gave me, a priceless gift, and for which Iam most grateful, -- at the moment of separating from you forever, I wish you all the happiness and all the prosperity you so well deserve.My son, I bless thee!" The young man cast himself on his knees, leaning his head against the old man's bed.
"Listen, now, to what I say in this my dying moment.The treasure of the Spadas exists.God grants me the boon of vision unrestricted by time or space.I see it in the depths of the inner cavern.My eyes pierce the inmost recesses of the earth, and are dazzled at the sight of so much riches.
If you do escape, remember that the poor abbe, whom all the world called mad, was not so.Hasten to Monte Cristo --avail yourself of the fortune -- for you have indeed suffered long enough." A violent convulsion attacked the old man.Dantes raised his head and saw Faria's eyes injected with blood.It seemed as if a flow of blood had ascended from the chest to the head.