The Irish Monte Cristo abroad The secrets of the Catacoms
Alexander Robertson
207 pages The Sea and Shore Series N°13, Street & Smith Publishers - 1889 - États-Unis Roman
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Ce récit enchaîne directement sur The Irish Monte
Cristo’s search. O’Connor, sa femme et le
détective chargé de leur protection se sont enfuis en
Europe, poursuivis par les gardiens du trésor inca volé
par le «Monte-Cristo irlandais».
Leur
fuite incessante les mène de Paris à Rome puis à
Istanbul, sans qu’ils parviennent jamais à échapper à
leurs poursuivants plus de quelques jours. Plus que
jamais, O’Connor, tout «Monte-Cristo» qu’il est,
apparaît incapable d’initiative et de réaction. C’est le
détective qui prend totalement en charge sa défense.
L’histoire, absurde, n’a plus l’ombre d’un rapport avec
celle du «vrai» Monte-Cristo. Elle se termine d’ailleurs
en queue-de-poisson, sans que rien ne soit réglé.
Un seul point d’intérêt à signaler: une longue séquence
dans les catacombes de Rome où les tristes héros ont été
faits prisonniers par des brigands romains. Un passage
qui pourrait presque laisser croire que l’auteur a lu le
roman de Dumas – ce qui, d’après le reste du livre, n’a
rien d’évident.
Extrait du chapitre 19 Left in the lurch
So Mr. Grimes returned to the hotel by a roundabout way.
He told the others what arrangements he had made for
flight.
They agreed with him that it was an excellent expedient,
and left the arrangements entirely in his hands.
Mr. Grimes talked of an intended excursion on the morrow
to visit Vesuvius.
He even engaged guides to accompany them, and bought
tickets for the passage.
This was done to blind the eyes of any spy who might be
watching near by.
In the secrecy of their rooms they packed their few
belongings, discarding everything that was apt to be
cumbersome.
Soon all was in readiness.
Mr. Grimes bade all lie down and sleep, as he promised
to awaken them at the proper time.
Thus they were not entirely cheated out of the night's
rest they needed so badly.
It was just two o'clock in the morning when the old
detective softly awoke the rest.
"Time we were moving."
He had made all arrangements.
The entire bill had been settled on the sly, and
everything was in readiness for a secret departure from
the city of Rome.
They made their way quietly to the private entrance.
Mr. Grimes had seen one of the thugs who stopped at the
hotel, seated in the office on guard, and he only hoped
the fellow would stay there.
Once in the open air, he led the way around a corner
where a vehicle was in waiting.
Into this they climbed.
It was rather rough this leaving city after city in such
a hurried way, but the exigency of the case was
manifest.
Those thugs were bent on avenging the insult that had
been offered their race by the men who had dis-covered
and secured the hidden treasure buried by the old Incas,
and sacredly guarded by them from that time down to the
present.
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