"What a bad calculator you are!" exclaimed Danglars, calling to his assistance all his philosophy and dissimulation. "I have made money at the same time by speculations which have succeeded. I have made up for the loss of blood by nutrition. I lost a battle in Spain, I have been defeated in Trieste, but my naval army in India will have taken some galleons, and my Mexican pioneers will have discovered some mine."
"Very good! very good! But the wound remains, and will re-open at the first loss."
"No! for I am only embarked in certainties," replied Danglars, with the air of a mountebank sounding out his own praises; "to involve me, three governments must crumble to dust."
"Well! such things have been!"
"That there should be a famine!"
"Recollect the seven fat and the seven lean kine."
"Or, that the sea should become dry, as in the days of Pharaoh; and even then my vessels would become caravans."
"So much the better, I congratulate you, my dear M. Danglars," said Monte-Cristo; "I see I was deceived, and that you belong to the class of second-rate fortunes."
"I think I may aspire to that honor," said Danglars with a smile, which reminded Monte-Cristo of one of those sickly moons which bad artists are so fond of daubing into their pictures of ruins; "but, while we are speaking of business," he added, pleased to find an opportunity of changing the subject, "tell me what I am to do for M. Cavalcanti."
"Give him money, if he is recommended to you, and the recommendation seems good."
"Excellent! he presented himself this morning with a bond of forty thousand francs, payable at sight, on you, signed by Busoni, and returned by you to me, with your indorsement; of course, I immediately counted him over the forty bank-notes."
Monte-Cristo nodded his head in token of assent.
"But that is not all," continued Danglars; "he has opened an account with my house for his son."
"May I ask how much he allows the young man?"
"Five thousand francs per month."
"Sixty thousand francs per year! I thought I was right in believing that Cavalcanti to be a stingy fellow. How can a young man live upon five thousand francs a month?"
"But you understand that if the young man should want a few thousands more"
