The Count of Monte Cristo

第二十九章 The House of Morrel & Son

Chapter 29, “The House of Morrel & Son,” unfolds entirely within Morrel’s office, where the ship-owner confronts the ruin of his fortunes. Penelon and the surviving crew of the Pharaon arrive to give their account of the wreck and to receive their wages. Once the seamen are dismissed, the clerk from Thomson & French—who has silently witnessed everything—reveals himself to be one of Morrel’s largest creditors and offers an unexpected reprieve. On his way out, the stranger exchanges a cryptic promise with Julie on the staircase, then seeks out Penelon in the courtyard, hinting at further schemes yet to unfold.

Penelon’s Tale of the Wreck

Penelon finishes his account of the wreck, describing how the crew fought to save the Pharaon as the water rose two inches an hour. With five feet of water in the hold and the vessel clearly doomed, Captain Gaumard ordered the men into the boats. The captain himself refused to abandon ship, so Penelon seized him by the waist and threw him into the boat before leaping after him. The deck split with a roar, and within ten minutes the Pharaon plunged forward, spun about, and sank. For three days the eight men drifted without food or drink, even contemplating drawing lots to decide who would feed the rest, before they were spotted and rescued by the La Gironde. A murmur of approval from the seamen confirms Penelon’s tale as truthful.

The Sailor’s Loyalty

Morrel accepts the story as an act of fate, and asks what wages are owed. When the men hesitate to mention money, Morrel presses them, and Penelon admits they are owed three months’ pay. Rather than quibble, Morrel orders his clerk Cocles to pay each man two hundred francs, explaining that in better times he would also have added a bonus, but his remaining money is no longer his own. Penelon confers briefly with his shipmates and returns with a remarkable offer: they will accept only fifty francs for now and wait for the balance.