Chapter 195: Chapter 195

Haydée looked up suddenly, as if his voice had woken her from a dream, and resumed her story.

"It was around four in the afternoon. Although it was bright and sunny outside, we were wrapped in the complete darkness of the cavern. Only one light burned there, looking like a lone star in a black sky, Selim’s burning lance.

My mother was a Christian, and she prayed. Selim occasionally repeated, ’God is great!’ But my mother still had some hope. Coming down, she thought she’d recognized the French officer who’d been sent to negotiate, the one my father trusted so much. She knew that French soldiers were naturally honorable and generous.

She moved toward the stairs and listened. ’They’re getting closer,’ she said. ’Maybe they’re bringing peace and freedom!’

’What do you fear, Vasiliki?’ Selim said, his voice gentle yet proud. ’If they don’t bring peace, we’ll give them war. If they don’t bring life, we’ll give them death.’ He adjusted the flame on his lance with a dramatic gesture.

But I was just a little kid, and I was terrified by his fearless courage. It seemed both savage and senseless to me. I recoiled in horror thinking about the awful death by fire that probably waited for us.

My mother felt the same way, I could feel her trembling. ’Mama, mama,’ I cried, ’are they really going to kill us?’ My voice made all the servants cry and pray even louder.

’My child,’ Vasiliki whispered, ’may God save you from ever wanting the death you fear so much today!’ Then she quietly asked Selim what his orders were.

’If the master sends his dagger, it means the Sultan refuses to pardon him, and I’ll light the powder,’ Selim explained. ’If he sends his ring instead, it means he’s pardoned, and I’ll put out the fuse.’

’My friend,’ my mother said, ’when your master’s orders arrive, if it’s the dagger, please, kill us mercifully with that same dagger rather than letting us die in that horrible explosion.’

’Yes, Vasiliki,’ Selim replied calmly.

Suddenly we heard loud shouts, cries of joy! The French officer’s name echoed everywhere among our warriors. Clearly, he’d brought the Sultan’s answer, and it was good news!"

"Do you remember the Frenchman’s name?" Albert asked, ready to help her recall.

Monte Cristo signaled him to stay silent.

"I don’t remember," Haydée said. "The noise got louder. Footsteps approached, coming down the stairs toward the cavern. Selim readied his lance. Soon a figure appeared in the gray twilight at the cave entrance.

’Who are you?’ Selim called. ’Don’t come any closer!’

’Long live the Sultan!’ the figure shouted. ’He grants full pardon to Ali! Not only sparing his life but restoring his wealth and position!’

My mother cried out with joy and hugged me tight. ’Wait,’ Selim said as she moved to leave. ’I haven’t received the ring yet.’ ’Oh, you’re right,’ my mother said. She dropped to her knees, holding me up toward heaven as if trying to lift me to God himself while she prayed."

For the second time, Haydée stopped, overcome by emotion. Sweat beaded on her pale forehead, and her voice seemed barely able to continue, her throat and lips so dry. Monte Cristo poured some iced water into a glass and handed it to her, saying with gentle authority, "Courage."

Haydée dried her eyes and continued.

"By then, our eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough to recognize the messenger, a friend of my father’s. Selim recognized him too, but the brave young man only knew one duty: to obey orders.

’Who sent you?’ Selim asked. ’I come from our master, Ali Tepelini.’ ’If you really come from Ali, then you know what you’re supposed to give me?’ ’Yes, and I bring his ring.’

The messenger raised his hand high to show the ring. But it was too far away, and there wasn’t enough light for Selim to see clearly. ’I can’t see what you’re holding,’ Selim said.

’Come closer then,’ the messenger suggested, ’or I’ll come to you.’ ’Neither,’ the young soldier replied. ’Put the object in that ray of light over there and step back while I examine it.’ ’Fine,’ said the messenger. He placed the token where Selim indicated and stepped back.

Our hearts were pounding! It did look like a ring. But was it really my father’s? That was the question. Selim, still holding his lit lance, walked toward the opening. Using the faint light from outside, he picked up the token.

’It’s real,’ he said, kissing it. ’It’s my master’s ring!’ He threw down his lance and stamped out the flame.

The messenger shouted with joy and clapped. At that signal, four enemy soldiers suddenly burst in, and Selim fell, stabbed five times. Each man had struck him separately. Drunk on their crime but still pale with fear, they searched the cavern to make sure there was no fire, then started rolling around on the bags of gold like animals.

In that moment, my mother grabbed me and ran through secret passages only we knew about. We reached a hidden staircase in the fortress where complete chaos had erupted. The lower rooms were filled with the enemy commander’s troops, our enemies.

Just as my mother was about to push open a small door, we heard my father’s voice, loud and threatening. My mother peeked through a crack in the boards. I found a tiny opening where I could see into the room and what was happening inside.

’What do you want?’ my father demanded of some men holding an official document with gold lettering. ’We’re here to deliver his highness’s decree. See this order?’ one replied. ’I see it,’ said my father. ’Well, read it. He’s demanding your head.’

My father responded with a terrible laugh, more frightening than any threat. Before he even finished laughing, two gunshots rang out. He’d fired them himself, killing two men.

The warriors who’d been prostrated at my father’s feet jumped up and opened fire. The room filled with smoke and flames. At the same instant, shots came from the other side, bullets piercing the boards all around us.

In that moment, my father looked so noble, standing in the middle of flying bullets, sword in hand, face blackened with gunpowder! Even then, he terrified them and made them flee!

’Selim! Selim!’ he shouted. ’Guardian of the fire, do your duty!’ ’Selim is dead,’ a voice answered from what seemed like the depths of the earth, ’and you’re finished, Ali!’

Immediately, an explosion shook everything. The floor where my father stood suddenly tore apart and shattered. The troops were firing from underneath! Three or four warriors fell, their bodies riddled with wounds.

My father roared, dug his fingers into the bullet holes, and ripped up an entire plank. But through that opening, twenty more shots fired up, and flames rushed up like fire from a volcano, quickly consuming the tapestries.

In the middle of all this chaos and terrible screaming, two shots rang out, distinct from all the others, followed by two heart-wrenching shrieks that froze me with terror. Those two shots had mortally wounded my father, and it was him screaming.

But he stayed standing, clinging to a window. My mother tried to force the door open to die with him, but it was locked from inside. All around him, the warriors were dying in convulsions. A few who were only slightly wounded tried to escape by jumping from windows.

Then the entire floor suddenly collapsed. My father fell to one knee, and at that same moment, twenty hands thrust forward with swords, pistols, and daggers, twenty weapons struck at once, and my father disappeared in a whirlwind of fire and smoke created by these demons. It looked like hell itself opening beneath his feet.

I felt myself falling. My mother had fainted."

Haydée’s arms dropped to her sides. She uttered a deep groan while looking at the Count, as if asking whether she’d obeyed his instructions well enough.

Monte Cristo stood and approached her, taking her hand. Speaking in her language, he said gently, "Stay calm, my dear child. Take courage knowing that God punishes traitors."

"That’s a horrifying story," Albert said, terrified by Haydée’s paleness. "I’m sorry now for being so cruel and thoughtless in asking you to tell it."

"It’s nothing," Monte Cristo said. He patted the young woman’s head. "Haydée is very brave. Sometimes she even finds comfort in sharing her story."

"Because, my lord," Haydée said eagerly, "my suffering reminds me of your kindness." Thɪs chapter is updated by novel_fіre.net

Albert looked at her curiously. She hadn’t yet explained what he most wanted to know, how she’d become the Count’s companion. Haydée saw the same curious expression on both men’s faces.

"When my mother regained consciousness, we were standing before the enemy commander. ’Kill me,’ she said, ’but spare the honor of Ali’s widow.’ ’You need to speak to someone else about that,’ the commander replied.

’Who?’ ’Your new master.’ ’Who is he? Where is he?’ ’Right here.’

The commander pointed to the man who’d contributed most to my father’s death," Haydée said with restrained anger.

"So you became this man’s property?" Albert asked.

"No," Haydée replied. "He didn’t dare keep us. We were sold to slave merchants traveling to the capital. We crossed the entire country and arrived half-dead at the imperial gates.

A crowd had gathered there. They parted to let us through. Suddenly my mother looked closely at something that had attracted everyone’s attention. She let out a piercing scream and collapsed, pointing at a head mounted above the gates. Beneath it was written: ’This is the head of Ali Tepelini, regional ruler.’

I cried bitterly and tried to lift my mother, but she was dead. They took me to the slave market where a wealthy Armenian merchant bought me. He had me educated and trained by various teachers. When I turned thirteen, he sold me to the Sultan."

"And that’s where I purchased her," Monte Cristo said, addressing Albert. "As I told you, I traded an emerald for her, one that matched the emerald I’d made into a box for storing my medicine."

"You are good, you are great, my lord!" Haydée said, kissing the Count’s hand. "I’m so fortunate to belong to such a master!"

Albert sat there, completely overwhelmed by everything he’d heard and witnessed.

"Come now, finish your coffee," Monte Cristo said. "The story is complete."