LITMIR.BIZ

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be no progress—now, Edmond, let us see the invoices.

      EDMOND

      Hold on, here right now is Mr. Danglars, your accountant, who is just leaving his cabin and who will give you all the receipts you could want. As for me, Mr. Morel, with your permission, I need to oversee the anchoring and put the boat in ship-shape.

      MOREL

      Go, my friend, go.

      (Edmond goes off.)

      MOREL

      (aside)

      There’s a worthy and honest young man. If he doesn’t prosper, there is no justice in heaven.

      DANGLARS

      An irreparable misfortune, sir, that is the word. Where will we find his like again? An old sailor like him—admirably suited to be entrusted with the interests of a firm as important as yours.

      MOREL

      I believe you exaggerate, Danglars, not the loss we have suffered, but the difficulty we will have in repairing it. There’s no necessity to be an old sailor, you see, to know his job—and we have Dantès, who does his without the need to consult anyone.

      DANGLARS

      (with irritation)

      Yes, yes, he’s young—and he doesn’t doubt himself—still, hardly had Captain Leclere died than he took command of the Pharaoh and cost us a day and a half at Elba instead of returning directly to Marseille.

      MOREL

      As to taking command of the boat, that was his duty as Chief Mate and he was right to do so. But as for wasting a day and a half at Elba—he was wrong unless the ship needed repairs.

      DANGLARS

      The boat was as well as I am and as I hope you are, Mr. Morel. And the day and a half was lost from pure caprice, for the pleasure of going ashore.

      MOREL

      You are certain?

      DANGLARS

      By Jove, I am!

      MOREL

      (turning)

      Dantès! Come here, if you would.

      EDMOND

      Pardon, Monsieur Morel, I will be with you in a moment.

      (ordering)

      Lower the flag to half mast. Put the flagstaff down. Cross the yards.

      DANGLARS

      You see, he already thinks he is captain, my word of honor.

      MOREL

      It’s all but done.

      DANGLARS

      Yes, save for your signature, Mr. Morel.

      MOREL

      Damnation, why shouldn’t I let him have the position? He’s young, I am aware, but despite his youth, he appears to me to be very experienced in his job.

      DANGLARS

      You find him so?

      (Edmond comes in.)

      EDMOND

      There—now that the ship is anchored here, I am all yours. You called me, I believe?

      MOREL

      Yes, my friend. I wanted to ask you why you stopped at the Isle of Elba?

      EDMOND

      I myself do not know, sir.

      MOREL

      What—you don’t know?

      EDMOND

      Yes, it was to complete the list of recommendations of Captain Leclere who, dying, gave me a package for the Grand Marshal.

      MOREL

      You saw him, Edmond?

      EDMOND

      Who?

      MOREL

      The Grand Marshal.

      EDMOND

      Yes.

      MOREL

      Hush! And how is the Emperor?

      EDMOND

      Very well, sire, so far as I could judge by my eyes.

      MOREL

      You saw the Emperor, too?

      EDMOND

      He came to the home of the Marshal while I was there.

      MOREL

      And you spoke with him, Dantès?

      EDMOND

      Say rather he spoke to me, sir.

      MOREL

      What did he say to you?

      EDMOND

      He asked me some questions about the ship from the time of its departure from Marseille, the route it took and the cargo it carried. I think that if it had been empty and if I had been the master of this boat, his intention was to buy it, but I told him I was simply second in command and the boat belonged to the Morels of Marseille, “Oh, oh! The Morels,” he said, “I know them. They are owners from father to son, and there was a Morel who served in the same regiment with me while I was in garrison at Valence.”

      MOREL

      By God, that’s true, Dantès! That Morel—it was my Uncle Policar, who has since become Captain. Edmond, you will tell my Uncle that the Emperor remembered him and you will see him cry, the old grumbler. Come, come, you have done well to follow the instructions of Captain Leclere. But, if it became known you had spoken to the Emperor that could compromise you.

      EDMOND

      How could it compromise me, sir? I don’t know even what I brought, and the Emperor only questioned me in a way he would anyone. But pardon, here comes the customs officer who’s making everything go helter-skelter, as he usually does. You will excuse me, won’t you?

      MOREL

      Go ahead, go ahead.

      EDMOND

      Wait, gentlemen! Wait!

      (Edmond goes to the customs officers.)

      DANGLARS

      (approaching)

      Well, Mr. Morel, he gave you good reasons for his stop at Porto Ferraio, it appears?

      MOREL

      Excellent ones, my dear, Mr. Danglars.

      EDMOND

      Ah! So much the better! It’s always unfortunate to have a comrade who doesn’t know his duty.

      MOREL

      Dantès knows his, Danglars, and it was Captain Leclere who ordered this release.

      DANGLARS

      Apropos of Captain Leclere, didn’t he give you a letter from him?

      MOREL

      Who? Dantès?

      DANGLARS

      Yes.

      MOREL

      For me? No, was there one?

      DANGLARS

      I thought when he was dying, besides the package, the Captain had given him a letter and I thought the letter was for you.

      MOREL

      Besides the package.

      DANGLARS

      The one Dantès took to Porto Ferraio.

      MOREL

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