Haydée looked up suddenly, as if his voice had woken her from a dream, and resud 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 so 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 fla on his lance with a dramatic gesture.
But I was just a little kid, and I was terrified by his fearless courage. It seed both savage and senseless to . I recoiled in horror thinking about the awful death by fire that probably waited for us.
My mother felt the sa 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 ans the Sultan refuses to pardon him, and I’ll light the powder,’ Selim explained. ’If he sends his ring instead, it ans 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 rcifully with that sa 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 na echoed everywhere among our warriors. Clearly, he’d brought the Sultan’s answer, and it was good news!"
"Do you rember the Frenchman’s na?" Albert asked, ready to help her recall.
Monte Cristo signaled him to stay silent.
"I don’t rember," 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 co 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 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 up toward heaven as if trying to lift to God himself while she prayed."
For the second ti, Haydée stopped, overco by emotion. Sweat beaded on her pale forehead, and her voice seed barely able to continue, her throat and lips so dry. Monte Cristo poured so 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 ssenger, 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 co from our master, Ali Tepelini.’ ’If you really co from Ali, then you know what you’re supposed to give ?’ ’Yes, and I bring his ring.’
The ssenger 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.
’Co closer then,’ the ssenger suggested, ’or I’ll co 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 ssenger. 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 fla.
The ssenger shouted with joy and clapped. At that signal, four enemy soldiers suddenly burst in, and Selim fell, stabbed five tis. Each man had struck him separately. Drunk on their cri 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 mont, my mother grabbed 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 so n holding an official docunt 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 n.
The warriors who’d been prostrated at my father’s feet jumped up and opened fire. The room filled with smoke and flas. At the sa instant, shots ca from the other side, bullets piercing the boards all around us.
In that mont, 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 seed like the depths of the earth, ’and you’re finished, Ali!’
Imdiately, 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 flas 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 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 sa mont, 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. Sotis she even finds comfort in sharing her story."
"Because, my lord," Haydée said eagerly, "my suffering reminds of your kindness."
Albert looked at her curiously. She hadn’t yet explained what he most wanted to know, how she’d beco the Count’s companion. Haydée saw the sa curious expression on both n’s faces.
"When my mother regained consciousness, we were standing before the enemy commander. ’Kill ,’ she said, ’but spare the honor of Ali’s widow.’ ’You need to speak to soone 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 beca this man’s property?" Albert asked.
"No," Haydée replied. "He didn’t dare keep us. We were sold to slave rchants 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 sothing 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 to the slave market where a wealthy Arnian rchant bought . He had educated and trained by various teachers. When I turned thirteen, he sold to the Sultan."
"And that’s where I purchased her," Monte Cristo said, addressing Albert. "As I told you, I traded an erald for her, one that matched the erald I’d made into a box for storing my dicine."
"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 overwheld by everything he’d heard and witnessed.
"Co now, finish your coffee," Monte Cristo said. "The story is complete."
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