Eagle’s Glory

After visiting the Bank of Poncena, Edmond Dantès quietly returned to his residence.

Logically speaking, his harvest today far exceeded his expectations, but he was not happy at all and was even a little lost.

He learned about the current situation of Fernand and Mercedes from Mr. Beauvain. In any case, their marriage was considered "happy" in the eyes of outsiders - Fernand transformed into More Count Seff has risen rapidly in the army, and Mercedes has also transformed into a noblewoman, and they recently had a son...

There's no bad news like "your enemy is doing well while you just watch."

He kept asking himself, what does Mercedes think of her current family and current marriage? Can the fiancée who loved him in the past accept his reappearance and his brutal revenge on her husband? At the moment when he can appear in front of her, what attitude should he face her with?

All kinds of thoughts came to him, but he was unable to do anything.

He could pierce other people's chests with a sharp sword, or he could face the sword piercing his own chest calmly, but if he faced Mercedes' sad and crying eyes, he didn't know whether he could hold it.

But no matter what, he must take revenge, even if he is regarded as an enemy by Mercedes, he must take revenge, because the injustice he suffered and the death of his father must be fairly compensated. In a sense, revenge is already his life. The meaning of coming down.

Even if the price is breaking up with Mercedes, he must finish it.

Yes, justice must be served!

His eyes became firm again and he resumed his usual calm pace.

The mansion he currently lives in was found for him by Alice after some selection. It is located at the junction of the 6th and 7th districts, on the edge of the rich area. The mansion itself is not ostentatious and high-profile, which is very suitable for a wealthy foreigner like him. Moreover, the surrounding area is quiet and there are few people to disturb it.

In addition to finding a place to live, Lady Alice helped him hire two servants and a cook, as befitted his status. However, the personal servant who actually attended to his daily life was sent by Alice from her own home.

The servants left by the Marquis of Treville were all veterans who had fought with the general. There was no problem with loyalty and cohesion. Only by placing him beside the count as an adviser in Paris could the general and Alice rest assured.

Edmond Dantès is as welcome as he pleases;

Following Lady Alice's arrangements, all chores were handed over to the personal servants sent by Lady Alice. The others were also professional servants and were accustomed to the eccentricities of various employers, so they strictly followed her instructions. All the orders made his life a lot easier.

Not far from his residence are the Invalides and the Museum, where he sometimes goes for a walk to pass the time and admire the surrounding buildings and scenery.

But today he was mentally exhausted, and when he got home he just wanted to lie down and rest.

But as soon as he reached the bedroom, the personal servant who played the role of butler knocked on his door.

"Sir, the general has come to visit you," he whispered at the door.

Edmond Dantès, who was originally tired, suddenly became energetic and immediately stood up from the bed.

In order to avoid suspicion and reduce the risk of exposure, the general rarely contacted him, let alone visited him. But today he came in person, which meant that there must be something very important.

He was also happy about this - only by devoting all his energy to His Majesty's cause could he forget the pain of the past and the fear of the future.

Soon, he came to the reception room, and General Treville was also taken to the reception room by the servant.

To Edmund's surprise, someone else followed the general.

This man was wearing casual clothes and a top hat on his head. Because the brim of the hat was very low, he couldn't see his face clearly. However, judging from the wrinkles on the lower half of his face and the short hair exposed under the hat, he must be old. .

Edmund instantly understood that this person must be an important figure, and he must be a supporter of the Bonaparte family - otherwise, the general would not have had to bring him here to see him.

However, even if he guessed it, he did not ask, but waited for the general to introduce him.

"Long time no see, General." Edmond Dantès first greeted the Marquis of Treville.

"Long time no see, Count." Marquis Treville nodded to Edmund and said hello, "Are you still getting used to living here?"

"I am very satisfied. Thank you Madam Alice for choosing a good place for me." Edmond Dantès replied, "I am also very satisfied with the convenience that the servant you sent here has provided for my life. He is both professional and alert. It shows that you have a good command of me."

General Treville was immediately proud of being praised by the earl, "You are very flattering. This is what we should do."

Then, he looked at the silent man behind him, and introduced him, "This is the Count of Monte Cristo, the special envoy sent by His Majesty."

Then he introduced the visitor to Edmund, "Count, I want to introduce to you a very important and highly respected person. He once served as the vice president of the Bonapartist Club when the late emperor abdicated. He is not only a passionate warrior with rich struggle experience, but also a calm and pragmatic thinker with profound insight into the French political situation. He is a living legend."

After hearing this exaggerated introduction, Edmond Dantès couldn't help but widen his eyes.

If ordinary people said this, he would just think it was a joke, but he knew that General Treville had a serious and blunt personality and almost never said exaggerated words. And if he introduced a person in such an exaggerated way, it definitely meant that this person was not trivial.

He immediately stood up straight and looked at each other.

"You are exaggerating, General. I am just a survivor." The person said to the other two people in a gentle tone.

Then, he took off his hat and bowed to pay tribute to Edmond Dantès. "My Lord Earl, I'm glad to see you. Please help me convey my tribute to His Majesty!"

Edmund concentrated at once and studied the gentleman carefully.

He looks to be in his early sixties. His hair used to be black, but it is now gray, but his black eyes are still sharp. His face is full of wrinkles, but it can still be vaguely seen that he used to be a beautiful woman. He is a man; and he is tall and strong. For his age, he is quite well maintained. He seems to have great energy and is ready to do big things at any time.

However, at this time, he looked pleasant and showed no signs of aggression.

"This gentleman is the Marquis of Noirtier." The Marquis of Treville formally introduced him to Edmund.

The Marquis of Noirtier?

Edmond Dantès searched his memory, and it seemed that he had never heard of this person - but strangely, he had a vague impression in his mind.

Could it be that you have heard of this person from His Majesty or others before?

Edmund didn't have time to wonder. From the title of Marquis of Noirtier, he already knew the weight of the other party, so he didn't dare to neglect at all, and immediately greeted the other party.

"Nice to meet you, Your Majesty the Marquis," he said, extending his hand.

And Noirtier was not polite, and immediately reached out to hold Edmund's hand.

He exerted great force, as if he was not a sixty-year-old man, and Edmund naturally did not flinch. He stood upright like a soldier being reviewed by a general.

"Good! You are a man of backbone." The Marquis of Noirtier nodded with satisfaction, and then let go of his hand, "I have heard some news about you. I know that you are a warrior, but everything is different. Seeing is believing, and I feel relieved after seeing you today - there are successors to our group, and it is great that His Majesty has outstanding talents around him to assist him!"

In just a few words, he revealed his expectations for Edmond and his loyalty to the Bonaparte family's business. Edmond Dantès couldn't help but be quite moved.

"We are in urgent need of prestigious and capable elites like you to contribute to our cause, and I am here for this purpose."

After exchanging pleasantries, the three of them sat down together.

"I think you don't know me very well, because His Majesty was brought to Austria since he was a child. He has been isolated from France for too long, so he cannot be too familiar with the affairs of the previous generation." Although the Marquis of Noirtier was because of His face was flushed with excitement, but he still spoke calmly, "Please allow me to introduce myself briefly - before the Great Revolution, I was a hereditary aristocrat, but I agreed with the ideals of the Enlightenment, so I once devoted myself to the revolution. , I stood on the side of the Third Estate in the struggle of 1789, and later I enthusiastically cheered the birth of the Republic; however... some radical and tragic bloody events that followed made me gradually become more and more dissatisfied with the out-of-control revolution. I was a little wary of the cause, so I joined the Girondins and opposed the radical ideas of the Montagnards. I opposed the execution of Louis XVI - although I did not like this traitor; I did not like Robespierre and Jacobin. Party members, and they wanted to execute me, so I had to escape from Paris to avoid their pursuit.

On the way to escape, I witnessed riots and massacres taking place in various places. I was worried but could do nothing. After the Thermidor coup, the Jacobins were guillotined, but the subsequent Directory was corrupt and incompetent, leaving France Falling into a precarious situation! Fortunately, at that time, God gave us Napoleon. He gave us order and prosperity, and led us to the pinnacle of national honor with victory after victory! When he reestablished the French order, he recruited me, and I immediately threw myself into his service. To this day, I feel honored to serve him. I contributed all my intelligence and energy to the empire. Watching it reach its peak. "

"Yes, the Marquis of Noirtier was one of the core figures of the Senate at the time, and served as the inspector of provincial governors, making an indelible contribution to restoring order in various places." The Marquis of Treville interjected, "However, his greatest contribution came during the Hundred Days Dynasty in 1815 - at that time he led an underground organization in Paris and made significant contributions to taking over Paris and maintaining order in Paris after His Majesty's restoration."

"It's just a negligible contribution." The Marquis of Noirtier shook his head, seeming a little sad, "I have tried my best to resurrect the empire, but in the end I could only watch it fall again under the blow of fate. Completely wiped out! This made me so sad, and my mental state has not been very good since then... Fortunately, fate has favored us again after all! We have a new, energetic and resourceful leader! The fortune of the Bonaparte family remains!”

Because of his excitement, the Marquis Noirtier's eyes seemed to be filled with blood, glowing with a frightening light, "One day, we will be able to sort out all the regrettable and heart-wrenching tragedies that happened before! Robert Neither the guillotine of Speer nor the fleur-de-lis of Bourbon could bring peace to this country; only we can lead it forward.”

"You are absolutely right." Edmond Dantès listened leisurely and fascinated, and couldn't help but knock the table lightly, echoing the other person's statement.

Then, Edmond Dantès continued to chat with the other party and asked about some past events.

After all, Edmond was just a young sailor, and later he was imprisoned for more than ten years. He knew almost nothing about the French superstructure and political life - but the Marquis of Noirtier was different. He had always been active in the center of politics. , participated in or witnessed almost every major event in those years, it was simply a living history of those thirty years.

He also had a very friendly attitude towards Edmund, telling him almost everything, and even carefully explaining to him some of the inside stories of the year.

What impressed Edmund the most was his calm and gentle demeanor, his demeanor of "never getting discouraged even though he was in trouble". At first glance, he was a man who was doing great things.

"I once met the king, and I once chatted and laughed with Robespierre. I also received his medal when the late emperor was alive. I have seen the glory and destruction of the kingdom, and also witnessed the glory and destruction of the republic and the empire. , there are not many things in the world that can surprise me." The Marquis of Noirtier smiled and said to Edmund with a little pride, "However, I can't defeat time after all. The future belongs to young people like you after all. One generation, Earl. I only hope that while I am still alive, I can use my remaining experience as your reference and witness your Majesty’s victory... In this way, I will die without regrets."

"Your Majesty told me that this day will definitely come, and it won't be very late." Edmond Dantès said quickly, "Your Majesty, your Majesty also needs elders like you to advise us and comfort us. Everyone, please take care of yourself."

"I will live peacefully until the day I see Your Majesty, don't worry." The Marquis of Noirtier replied with a smile, "Count, where are you from?"

"Marseille." Edmond Dantes blurted out.