Caderousse and the Priest

Chapter 9

The smugglers welcomed the other boat to Monte Cristo, transferred their cargo of Turkish carpets and received their usual pay—one hundred Francs for each man. Edmond Look his pay like the rest, but he smiled, for the smallest jewel in his handkerchief was worth ten times the entire payment to the crew.
When they anchored back in Leghorn, Edmond told the captain he would not ship out again. The captain offered to double his wages, but Edmond still refused, thanking him courteously. Seeing Jacopo’s unhappy face, Edmond took him aside.
“My rescuer,” he said, “I make you an offer. I need such a man as you—a man who is loyal and can hold his tongue. Will you come to work for me?”
Jacopo brightened instantly. “I would like nothing better. It is true, then, as I suspected, that you are not a sailor.”
“I sailed on this smuggling ship for amusement. But yes, I am a sailor, among many other things. Now, get your belongings and wait for me in the town square.”
Edmond went down a back street to the house of a dealer in precious stones and offered four small diamonds for sale. Though the dealer was accustomed to keeping an ex­pressionless face yet, his eyes sparkled at the fine quality of the stones. He asked no questions as to how a poor sailor happened to own them. He gave Edmond forty thousand Francs and urged him to return any time he had more jewels to sell.
Edmond joined Jacopo in the town square. From that moment on, Jacopo’s amazement grew. First, Edmond ordered him to give all his belongings to the first beggar they met. Then, he led Jacopo into the finest tailoring establishment in Leghorn. Here, Edmond ordered the doors to be shut to others and all the workers to concentrate on himself and Jacopo. At first, the owner was indignant, but his eyes opened wide as Edmond tossed a thousand Francs on a cutting table. He immediately ordered the doors closed.
Within an hour Edmond and Jacopo had been measured for a variety of outfits in the latest fashion and of the finest materials suitable for a gentleman and his personal servant. Edmond ordered them delivered to the Royal Hotel, the largest and fanciest hotel in Leghorn the following morning. The owner’s protests, that this was an impossible demand, were cut short by a shower of more money. As a result, he assured Edmond that his tailors would work through the night without sleep.
Checking into the Royal Hotel proved no more trouble than ordering their clothes. Edmond’s money got instant obedience to his wishes from everyone. He was moved into a set of rooms usually reserved for visiting royalty. Jacopo hardly dared walk on the rugs because they were so soft and beautiful.
Remembering all that Faria had taught him about life among aristocrats, Edmond ordered special dishes prepared and sent to his rooms, along with the finest wines, fruits and cheeses.
When their clothes began to arrive the next morning, Edmond gave his first important order to Jacopo. He was to go to Marseilles and, as inconspicuously as possible, he was to gather information on three people: old Monsieur Dantes, Mercedes and Caderousse, their drunken neighbour. Jacopo left that afternoon with a purse full of money.
Edmond, himself, went to Genoa, where the shipbuilders excelled in trim, fast vessels. As his carriage drove past the bay, Edmond noticed a small yacht being tested. His keen eye appreciated how well the yacht handled, so he stopped and sought out the owner.

The owner, who was watching the tests sadly, was an Englishman. Many months ago he had ordered the yacht built to exacting specifications. Since then, he had lost money in speculations and could not afford to pay the balance due on the ship. Without hesitation, Edmond offered him the full price of the yacht plus twenty thousand Francs beyond. The Englishman was delighted. He signed the yacht over to Edmond immediately.
Edmond found the yacht handled so well, that with his experience he was able to sail her alone. He made one change—he had a closet installed in his bedroom aboard. It ran the length of one wall and from the outside, it appeared to be the wall itself.
After several trial runs, Edmond set course for Monte Cristo, but anchored first at a nearby island. He waited there a day to be sure he wasn’t followed or seen by a passing ship. Then, he moved the yacht to Monte Cristo and dropped anchor in a hidden cove. It took him two days to carry the Spada treasure from the cave and store it in his newly made closet. He finished just in time to return to Leghorn to meet Jacopo.
Jacopo’s news was bad. Edmond’s father had died many years ago. Edmond had expected this, but still his heart turned over to hear it as a certainty. Mercedes had disappeared from Marseilles, and nothing was known about her. But Caderousse still lived there and owned a small roadside inn. Jacopo thought the inn must be a failure because the main road had shifted to another area, and no travellers went by. He gave Edmond the ad­dress, and Edmond set out for Marseilles immediately.
Jacopo had been right about the lack of travellers past Caderousse’s inn. So it was a wonderful surprise to its owner and his wife to see a priest on a fine Hungarian horse corning down the road a few days later.
Long before the priest could hear him, Caderousse was calling, “Welcome, sir, a thousand welcomes!”
The priest stopped. The black of his clerical robe contrasted sharply with the pallor of his handsome face. When he asked for Caderousse by name, it was in a thick Italian accent.
“I am Gaspard Caderousse, Monsieur,” replied the innkeeper, “and my inn is at your service.”
The priest ordered a bottle of Caderousse’s best wine, then announced that he had come on a mission.
“I attended the deathbed of a prisoner named Edmond Dantes. He gave me a ring and asked me to sell it. He wanted the money divided among the five people closest to him in his youth, for he had come to think of them as his best friends. He named his father and you. He also named three men who I have not located yet: Danglars, Villefort and a soldier named Fernand.”
Caderousse’s joy and wonder increased when the priest produced the ring—a huge ruby set in gold.

“But his father is dead,” said Caderousse, “He died of starvation. Monsieur Morrel, who had been Edmond’s friend and employer, found this out too late to save the old man who was too proud to beg. But Morrel paid for his funeral, and it was a fine one.”
Edmond felt such pain at the news of his father’s death by starvation that he had to remain quiet for a few moments. During the silence a sly look came into Caderousse’s eyes. He poured more wine for them both and then said in a decisive manner, “It is wrong that those other three men share in the inheritance. Monsieur Villefort was the Assistant Prosecutor for the King at that time, and it was he who imprisoned Dantes. Monsieur Morrel, the shipowner, and Mercedes, who was to be Dantes’ wife, went often to Villefort to find what they could do to gain Dantes’ release. He always refused to see them. “Is that the action of a close friend? I say it is not!”
The priest nodded in agreement. “And the other two men?” he asked quietly, “What about them?”
Caderousse looked uncomfortable and took more wine to strengthen his resolve. Then he poured out the story of the letter which Danglars had written with his left hand and which Fernand had mailed.
The priest looked at Caderousse severely and uttered, “This is a terrible story, if true. How can you know such a tale?”
Caderousse flushed and said, “I was there.”
“What? You were there and permitted it to happen,” said the priest, shocked.
“Please, believe me; I hardly knew what was going on. I was drunk. I had no real part in it,” babbled Caderousse.
The priest seemed to think it over. “I believe you, Caderousse. And since it is in my power to do as I believe Edmond Dantes would wish, I settle the entire inheritance on you alone.” He gave Caderousse the ruby ring.
Caderousse almost fainted with joy. “Oh, what I have done to deserve this good fortune! Maybe it is to make up for all the bad luck I’ve had in the past. Bless you, Edmond Dantes, wherever you are!”

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