o followed him, collecting his thoughts.
Bertuccio remained standing before him.

Chapter 44. The Vendetta.

"At what point shall I begin my story, your excellency?" asked
Bertuccio.

"Where you please," returned Monte Cristo, "since I know nothing at all
of it."

"I thought the Abbe Busoni had told your excellency."

"Some particulars, doubtless, but that is seven or eight years ago, and
I have forgotten them."

"Then I can speak without fear of tiring your excellency."

"Go on, M. Bertuccio; you will supply the want of the evening papers."

"The story begins in 1815."

"Ah," said Monte Cristo, "1815 is not yesterday."

"No, monsieur, and yet I recollect all things as clearly as if they had
happened but then. I had a brother, an elder brother, who was in the
service of the emperor; he had become lieutenant in a regiment composed
entirely of Corsicans. This brother was my only friend; we became
orphans--I at five, he at eighteen. He brought me up as if I had been
his son, and in 1814 he married. When the emperor returned from the
Island of Elba, my brother instantly joined the army, was slightly
wounded at Waterloo, and retired with the army beyond the Loire."

"But that is the history of the Hundred Days, M. Bertuccio," said the
count; "unless I am mistaken, it has been already written."

"Excuse me, excellency, but these details are necessary, and you
promised to be patient."

"Go on; I will keep my word."

"One day we received a letter. I should tell you that we lived in the
little village of Rogliano, at the extremity of Cape Corso. This letter
was from my brother. He told us that the army was disbanded, and that he
should return by Chateauroux, Clermont-Ferrand, Le Puy, and Nimes; and,
if I had any money, he prayed me to leave it for him at Nimes, with an
inn-keeper with whom I had dealings."

"In the smuggling line?" said Monte Cristo.

"Eh, your excellency? Every one must live."

"Certainly; go on."

"I loved my brother tenderly, as I told your excellency, and I resolved
not to send the money, but to take it to him myself. I possessed a
thousand francs. I left five hundred with Assunta, my sister-in-law, and
with the other five hundred I set off for Nimes. It was easy to do so,
and as I had my boat and a lading to take in at sea, everything favored
my project. But, after we had taken in our cargo, the wind became
contrary, so that we were four or five days without being able to enter
t