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Alexandre Dumas: The Count of Monte CristoChapter 84: Beauchamp. (continued)"What I have done, Albert. I reasoned thus -- money, time, and fatigue are nothing compared with the reputation and interests of a whole family; probabilities will not suffice, only facts will justify a deadly combat with a friend. If I strike with the sword, or discharge the contents of a pistol at man with whom, for three years, I have been on terms of intimacy, I must, at least, know why I do so; I must meet him with a heart at ease, and that quiet conscience which a man needs when his own arm must save his life." "Well," said Morcerf, impatiently, "what does all this mean?" "It means that I have just returned from Yanina." "From Yanina?" "Yes." "Impossible!" "Here is my passport; examine the visa -- Geneva, Milan, Venice, Trieste, Delvino, Yanina. Will you believe the government of a republic, a kingdom, and an empire?" Albert cast his eyes on the passport, then raised them in astonishment to Beauchamp. "You have been to Yanina?" said he. "Albert, had you been a stranger, a foreigner, a simple lord, like that Englishman who came to demand satisfaction three or four months since, and whom I killed to get rid of, I should not have taken this trouble; but I thought this mark of consideration due to you. I took a week to go, another to return, four days of quarantine, and forty-eight hours to stay there; that makes three weeks. I returned last night, and here I am." "What circumlocution! How long you are before you tell me what I most wish to know?" "Because, in truth, Albert" -- "You hesitate?" "Yes, -- I fear." "You fear to acknowledge that your correspondent his deceived you? Oh, no self-love, Beauchamp. Acknowledge it, Beauchamp; your courage cannot be doubted." This is page 1049 of 1374. [Mark this Page] Mark any page to add this title to Your Bookshelf. (1 / 10 books on shelf) Buy a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo at Amazon.com
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