Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 3).djvu/265

Rh will, or by chance, voluntarily or involuntarily, interfere with me in my career. It is generally the case that what we most ardently desire is as ardently withheld from us by those who wish to obtain it, or from whom we attempt to snatch it. Thus, the greater number of a man's errors come before him disguised under the specious form of necessity; then, after error has been committed in a moment of excitement, of delirium, or of fear, we see that we might have avoided and escaped it. The means we might have used, which we in our blindness could not see, then seem simple and easy, and we say, 'Why did I not do this, instead of that!' Women, on the contrary, are rarely tormented with remorse; for the decision does not come from you; your misfortunes are generally imposed upon you, and your faults the result of others' crimes."

"In any case, sir, you will allow," replied Madame Danglars, "that, even if the fault were alone mine, I last night received a severe punishment for it."

"Poor thing!" said Villefort, pressing her hand, "it was too severe for your strength, for you were twice overwhelmed, and yet"

"Well!"

"Well, I must tell you. Collect all your courage, for you have not yet heard all!"

"Ah!" exclaimed Madame Danglars, alarmed, "what is there more to hear!"

"You only look back to the past; and it is, indeed, bad enough. Well, picture to yourself a future more gloomy still certainly frightful, perhaps sanguinary!"

The baroness knew how calm Villefort naturally was, and his present excitement frightened her so much that she opened her mouth to scream, but the sound died in her throat.

"How has this terrible past been recalled?" cried Villefort; "how is it that it has escaped from the depths of the tomb and the recesses of our hearts, where it was buried, to visit us now like a phantom, whitening our cheeks and flushing our brows with shame?"

"Alas!" said Hermine, "doubtless it is chance!"

"Chance!" replied Villefort; "no, no, madame, there is no such thing as chance!"

"Oh, yes; has not a fatal chance revealed all this? Was it not by chance the Count of Monte-Cristo bought this house? Was it not by chance he caused the earth to be dug! Is it not by chance that the unfortunate child was disinterred under the trees? That poor innocent offspring of mine, which I never even kissed, but for whom I wept many, many tears. Ah, my heart clung to the count when he mentioned the dear remains found beneath the flowers."