We will leave Danglars struggling with the demon of hatred,and endeavoring to insinuate in the ear of the shipownersome evil suspicions against his comrade, and follow Dantes,who, after having traversed La Canebiere, took the Rue deNoailles, and entering a small house, on the left of theAllees de Meillan, rapidly ascended four flights of a darkstaircase, holding the baluster with one hand, while withthe other he repressed the beatings of his heart, and pausedbefore a half-open door, from which he could see the wholeof a small room.

This room was occupied by Dantes' father. The news of thearrival of the Pharaon had not yet reached the old man, who,mounted on a chair, was amusing himself by training withtrembling hand the nasturtiums and sprays of clematis thatclambered over the trellis at his window. Suddenly, he feltan arm thrown around his body, and a well-known voice behindhim exclaimed, "Father - dear father!"

The old man uttered a cry, and turned round; then, seeinghis son, he fell into his arms, pale and trembling.

"What ails you, my dearest father? Are you ill?" inquiredthe young man, much alarmed.

"No, no, my dear Edmond - my boy - my son! - no; but Idid not expect you; and joy, the surprise of seeing you sosuddenly - Ah, I feel as if I were going to die."

"Come, come, cheer up, my dear father! 'Tis I - really I!They say joy never hurts, and so I came to you without anywarning. Come now, do smile, instead of looking at me sosolemnly. Here I am back again, and we are going to behappy."

"Yes, yes, my boy, so we will - so we will," replied theold man; "but how shall we be happy? Shall you never leaveme again? Come, tell me all the good fortune that hasbefallen you."

"God forgive me," said the young man, "for rejoicing athappiness derived from the misery of others, but, Heavenknows, I did not seek this good fortune; it has happened,and I really cannot pretend to lament it. The good CaptainLeclere is dead, father, and it is probable that, with theaid of M. Morrel, I shall have his place. Do you understand,father? Only imagine me a captain at twenty, with a hundredlouis pay, and a share in the profits! Is this not more thana poor sailor like me could have hoped for?"

"Yes, my dear boy," replied the old man, "it is veryfortunate."

"Well, then, with the first money I touch, I mean you tohave a small house, with a garden in which to plantclematis, nasturtiums, and honeysuckle. But what ails you,father? Are you not well?"

"'Tis nothing, nothing; it will soon pass away" - and as hesaid so the old man's strength failed him, and he fellbackwards.

"Come, come," said the young man, "a glass of wine, father,will revive you. Where do you keep your wine?"

"No, no; thanks. You need not look for it; I do not wantit," said the old man.

"Yes, yes, father, tell me where it is," and he opened twoor three cupboards.

"It is no use," said the old man, "there is no wine."

"What, no wine?" said Dantes, turning pale, and lookingalternately at the hollow cheeks of the old man and theempty cupboards. "What, no wine? Have you wanted money,father?"

"I want nothing now that I have you," said the old man.

"Yet," stammered Dantes, wiping the perspiration from hisbrow, - "yet I gave you two hundred francs when I left,three months ago."

"Yes, yes, Edmond, that is true, but you forgot at that timea little debt to our neighbor, Caderousse. He reminded me ofit, telling me if I did not pay for you, he would be paid byM. Morrel; and so, you see, lest he might do you an injury"-

"Well?"

"Why, I paid him."

"But," cried Dantes, "it was a hundred and forty francs Iowed Caderousse."

"Yes," stammered the old man.

"And you paid him out of the two hundred francs I left you?"

The old man nodded.

"So that you have lived for three months on sixty francs,"muttered Edmond.

"You know how little I require," said the old man.

"Heaven pardon me," cried Edmond, falling on his kneesbefore his father.

"What are you doing?"

"You have wounded me to the heart."

"Never mind it, for I see you once more," said the old man;"and now it's all over - everything is all right again."

"Yes, here I am," said the young man, "with a promisingfuture and a little money. Here, father, here!" he said,"take this - take it, and send for something immediately."And he emptied his pockets on the table, the contentsconsisting of a dozen gold pieces, five or six five-francpieces, and some smaller coin. The countenance of old Dantesbrightened.

"Whom does this belong to?" he inquired.

"To me, to you, to us! Take it; buy some provisions; behappy, and to-morrow we shall have more."

"Gently, gently," said the old man, with a smile; "and byyour leave I will use your purse moderately, for they wouldsay, if they saw me buy too many things at a time, that Ihad been obliged to await your return, in order to be ableto purchase them."

"Do as you please; but, first of all, pray have a servant,father. I will not have you left alone so long. I have somesmuggled coffee and most capital tobacco, in a small chestin the hold, which you shall have to-morrow. But, hush, herecomes somebody."

"'Tis Caderousse, who has heard of your arrival, and nodoubt comes to congratulate you on your fortunate return."

"Ah, lips that say one thing, while the heart thinksanother," murmured Edmond. "But, never mind, he is aneighbor who has done us a service on a time, so he'swelcome."

As Edmond paused, the black and bearded head of Caderousseappeared at the door. He was a man of twenty-five or six,and held a piece of cloth, which, being a tailor, he wasabout to make into a coat-lining.

"What, is it you, Edmond, back again?" said he, with a broadMarseillaise accent, and a grin that displayed hisivory-white teeth.

"Yes, as you see, neighbor Caderousse; and ready to beagreeable to you in any and every way," replied Dantes, butill-concealing his coldness under this cloak of civility.

"Thanks - thanks; but, fortunately, I do not want foranything; and it chances that at times there are others whohave need of me." Dantes made a gesture. "I do not allude toyou, my boy. No! - no! I lent you money, and you returnedit; that's like good neighbors, and we are quits."

"We are never quits with those who oblige us," was Dantes'reply; "for when we do not owe them money, we owe themgratitude."

"What's the use of mentioning that? What is done is done.Let us talk of your happy return, my boy. I had gone on thequay to match a piece of mulberry cloth, when I met friendDanglars. `You at Marseilles?' - `Yes,' says he.

"`I thought you were at Smyrna.' - `I was; but am now backagain.'

"`And where is the dear boy, our little Edmond?'

"`Why, with his father, no doubt,' replied Danglars. And soI came," added Caderousse, "as fast as I could to have thepleasure of shaking hands with a friend."

"Worthy Caderousse!" said the old man, "he is so muchattached to us."

"Yes, to be sure I am. I love and esteem you, because honestfolks are so rare. But it seems you have come back rich, myboy," continued the tailor, looking askance at the handfulof gold and silver which Dantes had thrown on the table.

The young man remarked the greedy glance which shone in thedark eyes of his neighbor. "Eh," he said, negligently. "thismoney is not mine. I was expressing to my father my fearsthat he had wanted many things in my absence, and toconvince me he emptied his purse on the table. Come, father"added Dantes, "put this money back in your box - unlessneighbor Caderousse wants anything, and in that case it isat his service."

"No, my boy, no," said Caderousse. "I am not in any want,thank God, my living is suited to my means. Keep your money- keep it, I say; - one never has too much; - but, at thesame time, my boy, I am as much obliged by your offer as ifI took advantage of it."

"It was offered with good will," said Dantes.

"No doubt, my boy; no doubt. Well, you stand well with M.Morrel I hear, - you insinuating dog, you!"

"M. Morrel has always been exceedingly kind to me," repliedDantes.

"Then you were wrong to refuse to dine with him."

"What, did you refuse to dine with him?" said old Dantes;"and did he invite you to dine?"

"Yes, my dear father," replied Edmond, smiling at hisfather's astonishment at the excessive honor paid to hisson.

"And why did you refuse, my son?" inquired the old man.

"That I might the sooner see you again, my dear father,"replied the young man. "I was most anxious to see you."

"But it must have vexed M. Morrel, good, worthy man," saidCaderousse. "And when you are looking forward to be captain,it was wrong to annoy the owner."

"But I explained to him the cause of my refusal," repliedDantes, "and I hope he fully understood it."

"Yes, but to be captain one must do a little flattery toone's patrons."

"I hope to be captain without that," said Dantes.

"So much the better - so much the better! Nothing will givegreater pleasure to all your old friends; and I know onedown there behind the Saint Nicolas citadel who will not besorry to hear it."

"Mercedes?" said the old man.

"Yes, my dear father, and with your permission, now I haveseen you, and know you are well and have all you require, Iwill ask your consent to go and pay a visit to theCatalans."

"Go, my dear boy," said old Dantes: "and heaven bless you inyour wife, as it has blessed me in my son!"

"His wife!" said Caderousse; "why, how fast you go on,father Dantes; she is not his wife yet, as it seems to me."

"So, but according to all probability she soon will be,"replied Edmond.

"Yes - yes," said Caderousse; "but you were right to returnas soon as possible, my boy."

"And why?"

"Because Mercedes is a very fine girl, and fine girls neverlack followers; she particularly has them by dozens."

"Really?" answered Edmond, with a smile which had in ittraces of slight uneasiness.

"Ah, yes," continued Caderousse, "and capital offers, too;but you know, you will be captain, and who could refuse youthen?"

"Meaning to say," replied Dantes, with a smile which butill-concealed his trouble, "that if I were not a captain" -

"Eh - eh!" said Caderousse, shaking his head.

"Come, come," said the sailor, "I have a better opinion thanyou of women in general, and of Mercedes in particular; andI am certain that, captain or not, she will remain everfaithful to me."

"So much the better - so much the better," said Caderousse."When one is going to be married, there is nothing likeimplicit confidence; but never mind that, my boy, - go andannounce your arrival, and let her know all your hopes andprospects."

"I will go directly," was Edmond's reply; and, embracing hisfather, and nodding to Caderousse, he left the apartment.

Caderousse lingered for a moment, then taking leave of oldDantes, he went downstairs to rejoin Danglars, who awaitedhim at the corner of the Rue Senac.

"Well," said Danglars, "did you see him?"

"I have just left him," answered Caderousse.

"Did he allude to his hope of being captain?"

"He spoke of it as a thing already decided."

"Indeed!" said Danglars, "he is in too much hurry, itappears to me."

"Why, it seems M. Morrel has promised him the thing."

"So that he is quite elated about it?"

"Why, yes, he is actually insolent over the matter - hasalready offered me his patronage, as if he were a grandpersonage, and proffered me a loan of money, as though hewere a banker."

"Which you refused?"

"Most assuredly; although I might easily have accepted it,for it was I who put into his hands the first silver he everearned; but now M. Dantes has no longer any occasion forassistance - he is about to become a captain."

"Pooh!" said Danglars, "he is not one yet."

"Ma foi, it will be as well if he is not," answeredCaderousse; "for if he should be, there will be really nospeaking to him."

"If we choose," replied Danglars, "he will remain what heis; and perhaps become even less than he is."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing - I was speaking to myself. And is he still inlove with the Catalane?"

"Over head and ears; but, unless I am much mistaken, therewill be a storm in that quarter."

"Explain yourself."

"Why should I?"

"It is more important than you think, perhaps. You do notlike Dantes?"

"I never like upstarts."

"Then tell me all you know about the Catalane."

"I know nothing for certain; only I have seen things whichinduce me to believe, as I told you, that the future captainwill find some annoyance in the vicinity of the VieillesInfirmeries."

"What have you seen? - come, tell me!"

"Well, every time I have seen Mercedes come into the cityshe has been accompanied by a tall, strapping, black-eyedCatalan, with a red complexion, brown skin, and fierce air,whom she calls cousin."

"Really; and you think this cousin pays her attentions?"

"I only suppose so. What else can a strapping chap oftwenty-one mean with a fine wench of seventeen?"

"And you say that Dantes has gone to the Catalans?"

"He went before I came down."

"Let us go the same way; we will stop at La Reserve, and wecan drink a glass of La Malgue, whilst we wait for news."

"Come along," said Caderousse; "but you pay the score."

"Of course," replied Danglars; and going quickly to thedesignated place, they called for a bottle of wine, and twoglasses.

Pere Pamphile had seen Dantes pass not ten minutes before;and assured that he was at the Catalans, they sat down underthe budding foliage of the planes and sycamores, in thebranches of which the birds were singing their welcome toone of the first days of spring.