"Permit me to inform you, Count," said he, bowing, "that Ihave received a letter of advice from Thomson & French, of Rome.""I am glad to hear it, baron, -- for I must claim the privilege of addressing you after the manner of your servants.I have acquired the bad habit of calling persons by their titles from living in a country where barons are still barons by right of birth.But as regards the letter of advice, I am charmed to find that it has reached you; that will spare me the troublesome and disagreeable task of coming to you for money myself.You have received a regular letter of advice?""Yes," said Danglars, "but I confess I didn't quite comprehend its meaning.""Indeed?"
"And for that reason I did myself the honor of calling upon you, in order to beg for an explanation.""Go on, monsieur.Here I am, ready to give you any explanation you desire.""Why," said Danglers, "in the letter -- I believe I have it about me" -- here he felt in his breast-pocket -- "yes, here it is.Well, this letter gives the Count of Monte Cristo unlimited credit on our house.""Well, baron, what is there difficult to understand about that?""Merely the term unlimited -- nothing else, certainly.""Is not that word known in France? The people who wrote are Anglo-Germans, you know.""Oh, as for the composition of the letter, there is nothing to be said; but as regards the competency of the document, Icertainly have doubts."
"Is it possible?" asked the count, assuming all air and tone of the utmost simplicity and candor."Is it possible that Thomson & French are not looked upon as safe and solvent bankers? Pray tell me what you think, baron, for I feel uneasy, I can assure you, having some considerable property in their hands.""Thomson & French are perfectly solvent," replied Danglars, with an almost mocking smile: "but the word unlimited, in financial affairs, is so extremely vague.""Is, in fact, unlimited," said Monte Cristo.
"Precisely what I was about to say," cried Danglars."Now what is vague is doubtful; and it was a wise man who said, `when in doubt, keep out.'""Meaning to say," rejoined Monte Cristo, "that however Thomson & French may be inclined to commit acts of imprudence and folly, the Baron Danglars is not disposed to follow their example.""Not at all."
"Plainly enough.Messrs.Thomson & French set no bounds to their engagements while those of M.Danglars have their limits; he is a wise man, according to his own showing.""Monsieur," replied the banker, drawing himself up with a haughty air, "the extent of my resources has never yet been questioned.""It seems, then, reserved for me," said Monte Cristo coldly, "to be the first to do so.""By what right, sir?"
"By right of the objections you have raised, and the explanations you have demanded, which certainly must have some motive."Once more Danglars bit his lips.It was the second time he had been worsted, and this time on his own ground.His forced politeness sat awkwardly upon him, and approached almost to impertinence.Monte Cristo on the contrary, preserved a graceful suavity of demeanor, aided by a certain degree of simplicity he could assume at pleasure, and thus possessed the advantage.
"Well, sir," resumed Danglars, after a brief silence, "Iwill endeavor to make myself understood, by requesting you to inform me for what sum you propose to draw upon me?""Why, truly," replied Monte Cristo, determined not to lose an inch of the ground he had gained, "my reason for desiring an `unlimited' credit was precisely because I did not know how much money I might need."The banker thought the time had come for him to take the upper hand.So throwing himself back in his arm-chair, he said, with an arrogant and purse-proud air, -- "Let me beg of you not to hesitate in naming your wishes; you will then be convinced that the resources of the house of Danglars, however limited, are still equal to meeting the largest demands; and were you even to require a million" --"I beg your pardon," interposed Monte Cristo.
"I said a million," replied Danglars, with the confidence of ignorance.
"But could I do with a million?" retorted the count."My dear sir, if a trifle like that could suffice me, I should never have given myself the trouble of opening an account.Amillion? Excuse my smiling when you speak of a sum I am in the habit of carrying in my pocket-book or dressing-case."And with these words Monte Cristo took from his pocket a small case containing his visiting-cards, and drew forth two orders on the treasury for 500,000 francs each, payable at sight to the bearer.A man like Danglars was wholly inaccessible to any gentler method of correction.The effect of the present revelation was stunning; he trembled and was on the verge of apoplexy.The pupils of his eyes, as he gazed at Monte Cristo dilated horribly.
"Come, come," said Monte Cristo, "confess honestly that you have not perfect confidence in Thomson & French.Iunderstand, and foreseeing that such might be the case, Itook, in spite of my ignorance of affairs, certain precautions.See, here are two similar letters to that you have yourself received; one from the house of Arstein &Eskeles of Vienna, to Baron Rothschild, the other drawn by Baring of London, upon M.Laffitte.Now, sir, you have but to say the word, and I will spare you all uneasiness by presenting my letter of credit to one or other of these two firms." The blow had struck home, and Danglars was entirely vanquished; with a trembling hand he took the two letters from the count, who held them carelessly between finger and thumb, and proceeded to scrutinize the signatures, with a minuteness that the count might have regarded as insulting, had it not suited his present purpose to mislead the banker.