Page:The Count of Monte-Cristo (1887 Volume 4).djvu/68

50 Palicares had remained on the shore of the lake; kneeling on the lowest of the marble steps, and making a rampart of the three others, in case of pursuit. Our bark flew like the wind. 'Why does the boat go so fast?' asked I of my mother.

"'Silence, child! Hush! we are flying.' I did not understand. Why should my father fly?―he, the all-powerful―he, before whom others were accustomed to fly―he, who had taken for his device―

"It was indeed a flight which my father was trying to effect. I have been told since that the garrison of the castle of Janina, fatigued with long service"

Here Haydée cast a significant glance at Monte-Cristo, whose eyes had been riveted on her countenance during the whole course of her narrative. The young girl then continued slowly, like a person who is either inventing or suppressing some feature of the history which he is relating.

"You were saying, signora," said Albert, who was paying the most implicit attention to the recital, "that the garrison of Janina, fatigued with long service"

"Had treated with the Seraskier Kourchid, who had been sent by the sultan to seize my father. It was then that Ali Tebelin took the resolution of retiring, after having sent to the sultan a French officer in whom he reposed great confidence, to the asylum which he had long before prepared for himself, and which he called Kataphygion, or the refuge."

"And this officer," asked Albert, "do you remember his name, signora?"

Monte-Cristo exchanged a rapid glance with the young girl, which was quite unperceived by Albert.

"No," said she, "I do not remember it just at this moment; but if it should occur to me presently, I will tell you."

Albert was on the point of pronouncing his father's name, when Monte-Cristo gently held up his finger in token of reproach; the young man recollected his vow, and was silent.

"It was toward this kiosk that we were rowing. A ground-floor, ornamented with arabesques, bathing its terraces in the water, and another floor, looking on the lake, was all which was visible to the eye. But beneath the ground-floor, stretching out into the island, was a large subterraneous cavern, to which my mother, myself, and the women were conducted. In this place were together 60,000 purses and 200 barrels; the purses contained 25,000,000 of money in gold, and the barrels were filled with 30,000 pounds of gun-powder.