CHAPTER XXIX.
ZULEIKA GOES TO M. DANTES.
M. Dantes was sitting alone in his library, busily engaged in reading afavorite work on the subject of political economy, and from time to timemaking copious notes. It was after midnight, and the vast mansion on theRue du Helder was as silent as the tomb; the lamp on the Deputy's tableburned brightly, but a large metallic shade concentrated the light andreflected it upon the table, so that the other portions of the apartmentwere shrouded in almost complete darkness.
As M. Dantes read a shadow suddenly fell on the page of his book, andquickly looking up he saw his daughter Zuleika standing beside him;tears were in her eyes and a look of melancholy rested upon hercountenance.
"Why child," said her father, in a startled tone, "what is the matterwith you? You are weeping and seem very sad. Has anything happened toyoung Massetti?"
"Not that I am aware of, papa," answered Zuleika, in a low voice. "But,nevertheless, it is of him I wish to speak."
M. Dantes pushed his book from him, motioned his daughter to a seat andprepared to listen as she did not begin at once, but seemed tohesitate, he said, kindly:
"I am waiting, little one; proceed."
Thus encouraged, Zuleika summoned up all her strength and, with downcasteyes, commenced:
"Papa," said she, "in the first place let me assure you that this is nomere lovers' quarrel, but a matter of the utmost importance that demandsimmediate action."
M. Dantes knitted his brows.
"Has the Viscount been guilty of any impropriety toward you?" he asked,fiercely.
"No, papa, not toward me, but I fear he may have been guilty ofimpropriety, or, at least, of indiscretion, with regard to another inthe past."
"A woman, no doubt."
"Yes, papa, a woman--a Roman peasant."
"I heard of some such thing while you were at the convent school inRome, but dismissed it as a slander."
"There may, however, be some truth in it."
"But, now I recollect, Giovanni's name was not associated with thescandal; it was a mere inference on my part that connected him with theyouthful member of the Roman aristocracy mentioned by the gossips."
"Perhaps I am unjust, papa, in reviving your suspicions, but Giovanni'sstrange behavior when I asked him the cause of his quarrel withEsperance and of the continued coldness between them, forced me to thinkthere was something wrong."
"His quarrel with Esperance? Ah! now I remember, there was a quarrel,but I imagined it was settled, and that their relations were altogetherfriendly."
"They are enemies, papa, or seem to be, and that is not all--Esperanceaccuses Giovanni of having been guilty of some infamous deed."
"You have spoken to Esperance then on the subject?"
"Yes, papa."
"And what did he say?"
"He dealt in vague denunciations, and positively refused to give me anydefinite information."
"That is singular."
"But what is still more so is that both Giovanni and Esperance seembound by some fearful oath not to disclose the dread secret in theirpossession."
"Bound by an oath?"
"Yes, papa; but why both of them should have been so bound, unless theywere accomplices, I cannot see; I even went so far as to accuseEsperance of complicity, whereupon he grew as white as chalk andprotested his entire innocence, and in his confusion uttered the name ofLuigi Vampa."
"Zuleika, Zuleika, you certainly misunderstood your brother; he couldnot have mentioned the name of that man! Do you know who this LuigiVampa is?"
"Perfectly, papa; Luigi Vampa is a notorious Roman brigand."
"Exactly, my child, and therefore could not possibly have had anydealings either with the Viscount or Esperance."
"But I am sure of the name, nevertheless. Esperance said Luigi Vampa."
M. Dantes was evidently startled; he arose to his feet and paced thelibrary excitedly. Zuleika had expected this, and hence was notsurprised. At last her father resumed his seat, and when he again camewithin reach of the lamp's rays she saw that his visage was even morepallid than usual and that he was not a little agitated. She waited forhim to speak, and in a few seconds he did so.
"Zuleika," said he, in a tone of decision, "I will see both the Viscountand my son in regard to this matter, for now that Luigi Vampa seems tohave had a share in it, close investigation is imperatively demanded."
"You may interrogate them, papa, but I am convinced in advance that youwill derive no information from either of them. The strange power thatholds sway over them you cannot break, but there is one thing you cando."
"What is that, Zuleika?"
"Write to Luigi Vampa!"
"Write to Vampa? Why should I do that?"
"Because I feel assured that he is in possession of the full details ofthe terrible secret, whatever it may be, and will communicate them toyou if you ask him to do so."
M. Dantes gazed at his daughter curiously.
"What makes you think I have such influence over this Roman brigand?"he asked, sharply.
"Oh! papa, do not be angry with me!" cried Zuleika; "but I have heardhow Vampa released the Viscount de Morcerf at your simple solicitationwithout a single franc of ransom, though he had previously demanded avery large amount from the unfortunate man as the price of his liberty.I have heard this, and the natural inference I drew was that, if thebrigand chief went so far as to surrender his prey to you, he wouldcertainly answer your letter and tell you all he knew about the matterthat so closely concerns my happiness and Esperance's good name."
"I am not angry with you, my child," replied the Deputy, in a mildertone, "for I know how deeply you have this affair at heart. I will writeto Luigi Vampa as you desire, this very night, and in two weeks at thefurthest his answer may be expected, but to-morrow I will talk withEsperance and then will question the Viscount. Rest assured that thismatter shall be sifted to the bottom. I know the extent of your love forGiovanni Massetti; I also feel confident that I am not deceived in him,and that he will be amply able to prove himself entirely worthy of yourhand. I have seen too much of men, Zuleika, and studied them too deeply,to be deceived in reading character."
"Oh! thank you, thank you ever so much, papa, both for your promise, andyour kind, encouraging words. I, too, have full faith in Giovanni, butstill I cannot rest satisfied until his record is entirely andconclusively cleared. No one must have the power to breathe even asuspicion against the good name of your daughter's husband!"
"Spoken like a girl of spirit!" said M. Dantes, his eyes sparkling withenthusiasm and admiration. "Now leave me, and I will write to Vampa."
Zuleika kissed her father and quitted the library with a much lighterheart than she had entered it.
M. Dantes, by the exercise of his iron will, had managed to controlhimself in her presence, but now that she had gone he gave free courseto his emotions. For a full hour he sat leaning on his writing-table,his frame convulsed with anguish, and his mind filled with sadforebodings. He did not for an instant doubt that both Esperance and theViscount could clear themselves from any criminal or dishonorablecharge, if they would consent to open their lips, but their silence andZuleika's belief that they were bound by some fearful oath gave himgreat uneasiness. Besides, his son had mentioned Luigi Vampa's name, andthe thought that the young man was involved in some complication withthe Roman bandit sent a chill to his heart. He was convinced thatwhatever had occurred had been merely the result of the folly andheadlong disposition of youth, but this was scarcely a consolation, forhe well knew to what length young men sometimes allowed themselves to becarried, especially in what they considered a love-affair.
In addition, the more he thought of the half-forgotten Roman scandal,the more clearly its particulars returned to him. He remembered that ayoung and handsome peasant girl had been mysteriously abducted, and thateventually she had been brought back to her home by one of the shepherdsknown to be in league with Luigi Vampa and his band. She asserted thatshe had been carried off to
the bandits' haunt by her youthful lover,who had passed for a peasant lad, but was in reality a nobleman. Thiswas all M. Dantes could distinctly recall, though he was certain he hadheard other details that had slipped his memory. At the period of theabduction, he now remembered, both Esperance and the Viscount weretemporarily absent from Rome; then followed their return and the quarrelthat had almost resulted in a duel, but had suddenly been patched upwithout apparent reason. Had Esperance and the Viscount been concernedin the abduction? That was a question that only they or Luigi Vampacould answer, and it was evident the young men would not speak. Vampathen must be made to speak for them; that was the sole course left topursue, for the peasant girl had disappeared immediately after herreturn, and her whereabouts were a mystery.
M. Dantes drew writing materials before him and wrote his letter to thebrigand chief; it was brief, but to the point. When it was finished, itbore the signature, "Edmond Dantes, Count of Monte-Cristo." The Deputyplaced it in the drawer of his table to go by mail the followingmorning, having first folded and sealed it. "Thomson and French, Rome,"was the direction it bore.