Chapter 122: Bertuccio’s Vendetta: V
"’Yes,’ the jeweler continued, ’but someone else won’t be as easy as I am or content with the same story. It’s not natural for a man like you to possess such a diamond. They’ll report you to the authorities. You’ll have to find Father Busoni, and priests who give away diamonds worth two thousand gold coins are rare. The law would seize it and put you in prison. If you’re released after three or four months, the ring will be lost, or you’ll receive a fake stone worth three francs instead of a diamond worth 50,000 or maybe 55,000 francs. You must admit one runs considerable risk in purchasing such items.’
Caderousse and his wife looked eagerly at each other.
’No,’ Caderousse said, ’we’re not rich enough to lose 5,000 francs.’
’As you wish, my dear sir,’ the jeweler said. ’However, as you see, I brought you the money in bright coins.’
He pulled from his pocket a handful of gold and held it sparkling before the innkeeper’s dazzled eyes. In his other hand, he held a packet of banknotes.
There was clearly a severe struggle in Caderousse’s mind. The small black case he turned over and over in his hand didn’t seem equal in value to the enormous sum that mesmerized his gaze. He turned toward his wife.
’What do you think?’ he asked in a low voice.
’Let him have it, let him have it,’ she said. ’If he returns to Beaucaire without the diamond, he’ll report us. And as he says, who knows if we’ll ever see Father Busoni again? We’ll probably never see him.’
’Well, then, agreed!’ Caderousse said. ’You can have the diamond for 45,000 francs. But my wife wants a gold chain, and I want a pair of silver buckles.’
The jeweler pulled from his pocket a long flat box containing several samples of the requested items.
’Here,’ he said. ’I’m very straightforward in my dealings, take your choice.’
The woman selected a gold chain worth about five gold coins, and the husband chose a pair of buckles worth perhaps fifteen francs.
’I hope you won’t complain now?’ the jeweler said.
’The priest told me it was worth 50,000 francs,’ Caderousse muttered.
’Come, come, give it to me! What a strange fellow you are,’ the jeweler said, taking the diamond from his hand. ’I’m giving you 45,000 francs, that’s 2,500 in yearly income, a fortune I wish I had myself, and you’re not satisfied!’
’And the forty-five thousand francs?’ Caderousse asked in a hoarse voice. ’Where are they? Come, let’s see them.’
’Here they are,’ the jeweler replied, and he counted out on the table 15,000 francs in gold and 30,000 francs in banknotes.
’Wait while I light the lamp,’ La Carconte said. ’It’s getting dark, and there might be some mistake.’
Indeed, night had fallen during this conversation, and with it came the storm that had been threatening for the last half hour. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but it apparently wasn’t heard by the jeweler, Caderousse, or La Carconte, all three absorbed by the demon of greed. I myself felt a strange fascination at the sight of all this gold and these banknotes. It seemed like I was in a dream, and as always happens in dreams, I felt riveted to the spot.
Caderousse counted and recounted the gold and notes, then handed them to his wife, who counted them again in turn. During this time, the jeweler made the diamond play and sparkle in the lamplight. The gem threw out jets of light that made him oblivious to the lightning flashes, precursors of the storm, that began playing at the windows.
’Well,’ the jeweler asked, ’is the cash all correct?’
’Yes,’ Caderousse said. ’Give me the wallet, La Carconte, and find a bag somewhere.’
La Carconte went to a cupboard and returned with an old leather wallet and a bag. From the wallet she removed some greasy letters and put the banknotes in their place. From the bag she took two or three silver coins, which probably formed the miserable couple’s entire fortune.
’There,’ Caderousse said. ’And now, although you’ve cheated us out of perhaps 10,000 francs, will you have supper with us? I invite you with goodwill.’
’Thank you,’ the jeweler replied, ’but it must be getting late, and I must return to Beaucaire, my wife will be worried.’ He pulled out his watch and exclaimed, ’Good God! Nearly nine o’clock! I won’t get back to Beaucaire before midnight! Good night, my friends. If Father Busoni should happen to return, think of me.’
’In another week you’ll have left Beaucaire,’ Caderousse remarked, ’since the fair ends in a few days.’
’True, but that makes no difference. Write to me in Paris, to Monsieur Joannes, at the Palais Royal, Pierre Arcade, Number 45. I’ll make the journey specifically to see him if it’s worthwhile.’
At that moment, there was a tremendous clap of thunder accompanied by a lightning flash so vivid it completely eclipsed the lamplight.
’Look here,’ Caderousse exclaimed. ’You can’t think of going out in weather like this.’
’Oh, I’m not afraid of thunder,’ the jeweler said.
’And then there are robbers,’ La Carconte added. ’The road is never very safe during fair time.’
’Oh, as for robbers,’ Joannes said, pulling from his pocket a pair of small pistols loaded to the muzzle, ’here’s something for them. These dogs bark and bite at the same time. They’re for the first two who have a craving for your diamond, Friend Caderousse.’
Caderousse and his wife exchanged another meaningful look. It seemed they were both struck at the same time by some horrible thought.
’Well, then, safe travels,’ Caderousse said.
’Thanks,’ the jeweler replied. He took his cane, which he’d placed against an old cupboard, and left. The moment he opened the door, such a gust of wind came in that the lamp nearly went out.
’Oh,’ he said, ’this is lovely weather, and I have two leagues to travel in such a storm.’
’Stay,’ Caderousse said. ’You can sleep here.’
’Yes, do stay,’ La Carconte added in a trembling voice. ’We’ll take good care of you.’
’No, I must sleep at Beaucaire. So, once more, good night.’
Caderousse slowly followed him to the threshold.
’I can see neither heaven nor earth,’ the jeweler said from outside the door. ’Do I turn right or left?’
’To the right,’ Caderousse said. ’You can’t go wrong, the road is bordered by trees on both sides.’
’Good, all right,’ a voice said, almost lost in the distance.
’Close the door,’ La Carconte said. ’I don’t like open doors when it’s thundering.’
’Especially when there’s money in the house, eh?’ Caderousse answered, double-locking the door.
He came into the room, went to the cupboard, took out the bag and wallet, and both began, for the third time, to count their gold and banknotes. I’d never seen such an expression of greed as the flickering lamp revealed on those two faces. The woman especially was hideous. Her usual feverish trembling was intensified, her face had become deathly pale, and her eyes resembled burning coals.
’Why,’ she asked in a hoarse voice, ’did you invite him to sleep here tonight?’
’Why?’ Caderousse said with a shudder. ’So he wouldn’t have the trouble of returning to Beaucaire.’
’Ah,’ the woman responded with an indescribable expression. ’I thought it was for something else.’
’Woman, woman, why do you have such ideas?’ Caderousse cried. ’Or if you have them, why don’t you keep them to yourself?’
’Well,’ La Carconte said after a moment’s pause, ’you’re not a man.’
’What do you mean?’ Caderousse asked.
’If you’d been a man, you wouldn’t have let him leave here.’
’Woman!’
’Or else he shouldn’t reach Beaucaire.’
’Woman!’
’The road curves, he has to follow it, but alongside the canal there’s a shorter path.’
’Woman! You offend God. There, listen!’
At that moment, there was a tremendous peal of thunder while vivid lightning illuminated the room. The thunder, rolling away in the distance, seemed to withdraw unwillingly from the cursed dwelling.
’Mercy!’ Caderousse said, crossing himself.
At the same moment, amid the terrifying silence that usually follows a thunderclap, they heard knocking at the door. Caderousse and his wife started and looked at each other in horror.
’Who’s there?’ Caderousse cried, rising and gathering the gold and notes scattered across the table, which he covered with both hands.
’It’s me!’ a voice shouted.
’And who are you?’
’Why, for heaven’s sake! Joannes, the jeweler.’
’Well, and you said I offended God,’ La Carconte said with a horrible smile. ’God is sending him back again.’
Caderousse sank pale and breathless into his chair. La Carconte, on the contrary, stood up. Going with a firm step toward the door, she opened it, saying, ’Come in, dear Monsieur Joannes.’
’My word,’ the jeweler said, drenched with rain, ’I’m not destined to return to Beaucaire tonight. The shortest follies are best, my dear Caderousse. You offered me hospitality, and I accept. I’ve returned to sleep under your friendly roof.’
Caderousse stammered something while wiping away the sweat that sprang to his brow. La Carconte double-locked the door behind the jeweler."