as I am doing, and write upon it, 'To M, le Procureur Royal,' and all would be settled."
And Danglars wrote the address as he spoke.
"Yes, all would be settled!" exclaimed Caderousse, who, by a last effort of intellect, had followed the reading of the letter, and instinctively comprehended all the misery which such a denunciation must entail. "Yes, and all that would be settled: only it will be an infamous deed"; and he stretched out his hand to reach the letter.
"Moreover," said Danglars, taking it from beyond his reach, "and as what I say and do is merely in jest, and as I, amongst the first and foremost, should be sorry if anything happened to Dantès—the worthy Dantès — look here!" And taking the letter, he squeezed it up in his hands and threw it into a corner of the arbor.
"All right!" said Caderousse. "Dantès is my friend, and I won't have him ill-used."
"And who thinks of using him ill? Certainly neither I nor Fernand!" said Danglars, rising and looking at the young man, who still remained seated, but whose sidelong looks were fixed on the denunciatory sheet of paper flung into the corner.
"In this case," replied Caderousse," let's have some more wine. I wish to drink to the health of Edmond and the lovely Mercédès."
"You have had too much already, drunkard," said Danglars; "and if you continue, you will be compelled to sleep here, because unable to stand on your legs."
"I?" said Caderousse, rising with all the fatuous dignity of a drunken man, "I can't keep on my legs! Why, I'll bet a wager I go up into the belfry of the Accoules, and without staggering, too!"
"Well, done!" said Danglars, "I'll take your bet; but to-morrow — to-day it is time to return. Give me your arm, and let us go."
"Very well, let us go," said Caderousse; "but I don't want your arm at all. Come, Fernand, won't you return to Marseilles with us?"
"No," said Fernand;" I shall return to the Catalans."
"You're wrong. Come with us to Marseilles — come along."
"I have nothing to do at Marseilles, I don't want to go there."
"What do you mean? you will not? Well, just as you like, my prince; there's liberty for all the world. Come along, Danglars, and let the young gentleman return to the Catalans if he chooses."
Danglars took advantage of Caderousse's temper at the moment, to take him off toward Marseilles, only to give Fernand a shorter and easier road. In place of returning by the quay of the Reve Neuve, he returned by the Porte Saint Victor.
Caderousse followed, staggering, and holding on by his arm.
