Evening Voyage to Monte Cristo
As evening falls around six o’clock, an opal-colored light bathes the Mediterranean as the heat of day gives way to a gentle breeze carrying the scent of plants and sea. A graceful, swan-like yacht glides swiftly across the calm waters, lit by a setting sun whose rays dance on every wave. At the prow stands a tall, dark-complexioned man with a melancholy expression, gazing ahead at a dark, cone-shaped mass of land rising from the sea.
Identifying Monte Cristo Island
The melancholic traveller asks the captain if the dark, conical landform before them is Monte Cristo. The captain confirms they have reached the island. The traveller repeats the phrase with profound sadness, calling it “the haven,” and falls into reverie. His inner state is betrayed by a sad smile, more revealing than tears would be.
Anchoring and Shore Landing
A flash of light and the sound of firearms from shore serve as a landing signal. The captain offers a loaded carbine, which the traveller raises and fires into the air in response. Within ten minutes the yacht anchors about a hundred fathoms from a small natural harbor. The traveller refuses the comfort of a cushioned seat in the gig and stands with arms crossed, remaining indifferent to the crew’s offer to carry him ashore on their shoulders. He wades through the water to reach dry land about thirty strides away, despite the pilot’s worry that the master will be displeased.
Morrel Meets the Count
On shore in the darkness, a hand rests on the traveller’s shoulder and a familiar voice greets him: “Good-evening, Maximilian; you are punctual, thank you!” It is the Count of Monte Cristo, who welcomes Morrel warmly and notes that he is drenched. Morrel, in an almost joyful accent, presses the Count’s hand with both of his own. The Count notes that the sailors who brought Morrel have already departed without payment or a word, and explains with a smile that he has arranged free access to the island. Morrel observes that the Count is laughing—a marked contrast to his demeanor in Paris.
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