10 The Roman catacombs

Chapter 10 The Roman catacombs It wasn't the weight of the Count's treasure that made Danglars' arms tremble. It was excitement. He had hoped to become the Count's banker, but now he had a new idea. He would steal the Count's fortune! "Take me to Rome!" he called to his driver. The carriage rode for hours. Danglars dozed and dreamed about how he would spend the Count's treasure. At last they came to a sign pointing to Rome. But the carriage turned in the other direction. "Driver," Danglars called, "we are going the wrong way."

第十章罗马的地下墓穴伯爵的财宝的重量并没有使腾格拉尔的胳膊颤抖。 那是一种兴奋。他曾希望成为伯爵的银行家，但现在他有了一个新想法。 他会偷走伯爵的财产！“带我去罗马！”他对他的车夫喊道。 马车行驶了好几个小时。 腾格拉尔打起盹来，幻想着他将如何花掉伯爵的财宝。 最后，他们来到一个指向罗马的指示牌前。 但是马车却转向了另一个方向。 “车夫，”腾格拉尔喊道，“我们走错路了。”

But the carriage didn't turn. Danglars glimpsed a hooded figure in the driver's seat - a bandit? Had he been kidnapped? The carriage finally stopped and the door creaked open. The hooded man aimed a pistol at Danglars. "Get out," he said. Danglars climbed from the carriage, clutching the Count's treasure. They had reached the Roman catacombs, underground tombs cut deep into the rock. The hooded man pushed Danglars through a dank passage and into a cramped cell. A door slammed shut behind him.

但是马车没有转弯。 腾格拉尔瞥见驾驶座上有个戴着兜帽的人——是个土匪？ 他被绑架了吗？马车终于停了下来，门嘎吱一声开了。 戴兜帽的人拿手枪对准腾格拉尔。 “出去，”他说。腾格拉尔从马车上爬下来，手里抓着伯爵的财宝。 他们来到了罗马的地下墓穴，在岩石深处挖出的地下墓穴。 戴兜帽的人把腾格拉尔推过一条潮湿的通道，进了一间狭窄的牢房。 一扇门在他身后砰地关上了。

Danglars sat in dismal darkness. He didn't understand why the bandit hadn't taken the treasure. After several hours, he banged on the door. "At least bring me some food!" he cried. The door creaked open. The hooded man placed a plate of succulent roast chicken on the floor. Danglars reached for it greedily, but the hooded man raised his pistol. "This meal costs ten diamonds," he said. Danglars hesitated. Ten diamonds was a ridiculous price, but he had no food and plenty of treasure. He threw the man the jewels and pounced on the plate. "But you'll get no more jewels from me!" he warned. Danglars was wrong. He resisted for as long as he could, but eventually his hunger got the better of him. He paid ten emeralds for roast beef, and then fifty rubies just for water. After several days, there were only three diamonds left in the Count's chest. Those jewels were all Danglars had left. Two days passed and he didn't eat. He grew weak and desperately hungry. He sank to his knees, clutching his aching stomach. "Why do you make me suffer?" he pleaded.

腾格拉尔坐在阴暗的黑暗中。 他不明白强盗为什么没有抢走财宝。 几个小时后，他砰砰地敲门。 “至少给我拿点吃的吧！” 门嘎吱一声开了。戴兜帽的人把一盘多汁的烤鸡放在地板上。 腾格拉尔贪婪地伸手去拿，可是那个戴兜帽的人举起了手枪。 “这顿饭花了十颗钻石，”他说。 腾格拉尔犹豫了。十颗钻石是一个荒谬的价格，但他没有食物和足够的宝藏。 他把珠宝扔给那人，然后扑向盘子。 “但你不会再从我这里得到珠宝了！”他警告说。 腾格拉尔错了。他尽可能长时间地抵抗着，但最终还是被饥饿征服了。 他花了十颗祖母绿买烤牛肉，又花了五十颗红宝石买水。 几天后，伯爵的箱子里只剩下三颗钻石了。 腾格拉尔只剩下这些珠宝了。 两天过去了，他没有吃东西。 他变得虚弱，饥肠辘辘。 他跪了下来，抓着疼痛的肚子。 “你为什么要让我受苦？”他恳求道。

The door opened. The hooded man stepped inside the cell. "Suffer?" he said. "There are men who have suffered worse." "No," Danglars groaned, "there are none." "I will show you one," the hooded man replied. Slowly, he peeled back his hood and revealed his face. "The Count of Monte Cristo!" Danglars cried. The Count grabbed Danglars' collar. His eyes were red and wild with rage. "No!" he seethed. "I am the man whose life you ruined twenty years ago. I am Edmond Dantes!" Danglars fell back in horror. He curled up sobbing and shaking. "Now your life is ruined too," said the Count, as he took the last jewels from his chest and strode from the cell. "Fernand," he whispered, "you are next..."

门开了。戴兜帽的人走进牢房。 “受苦？”他说。“有些人遭受过更严重的痛苦。” “没有，”腾格拉尔呻吟道，“没有。” “我给你看一个，”戴兜帽的人回答。 他慢慢地掀开兜帽，露出脸来。 “基督山伯爵！”腾格拉尔哭了。 伯爵抓住腾格拉尔的衣领。 他的眼睛因愤怒而发红。 “不！”他激动地说。“我就是那个20年前被你毁了一生的人。 我就是爱德蒙·唐太斯！”腾格拉尔吓得后退了几步。 他蜷缩起来抽泣着，浑身发抖。 “现在你的生活也毁了，”伯爵说着，从胸前取出最后一件珠宝，大步走出牢房。 “弗尔南多，”他低声说，“下一个是你……”