CHAPTER 1 A Joyous Homecoming
第1章　归航

One day in February 1810, the ship Pharaoh came into the French port of Marseilles.

A man watched it from the harbor.

When he saw the Pharaoh, he got into a small boat and went out to it.

A young, handsome man stood waiting on the Pharaoh.

The older man in the small boat called out to the young man.

"Is it you, Dantes?

What happened to the captain?"

"A very sad thing, Mr. Morrel," answered the young man.

"When our ship was near Civitavecchia, we lost brave Captain Leclere."

"The cargo? Is the cargo safe?" asked the older man.

"Yes, Mr. Morrel. The cargo is safe," replied the young man.

Then he suddenly turned and gave some orders to the men in his crew.

The crew obeyed quickly and well.

"But the poor captain..." said Dantes.

"Yes, yes, tell me about the captain," said Morrel.

"Did he fall overboard?"

"No, sir. He died of a fever a few days after we left Naples."

Dantes said as his eyes watched the crew.

"Now please excuse me, sir.

I have to help the men with the ship.

Please come onboard with Danglars, the business manager will explain the cargo and profit."

Morrel looked at Dantes, and his smile got bigger.

Dantes, though young, was doing a fine job running the ship.

Morrel began to think that maybe he had already found a captain to replace the dead Leclere.

He watched Dantes a little longer, then came onboard the Pharaoh.

Danglars helped him onto the larger ship.

Danglars was a few years older than Dantes.

No one on the ship liked Danglars.

"Welcome back to your ship, Mr. Morrel," Danglars said with a smile.

"I think you will find our business was very good."

"Yes, Danglars, I heard from Dantes the trip went well, except for the poor captain."

Morrel answered, his eyes still watching Dantes.

"Yes, the loss of the captain was terrible," answered Danglars.

"He was a fine captain for you and your company."

"Yes, but it appears young Dantes is doing well," said Morrel.

"Maybe a young man can also make a good captain." Danglars did not like young Dantes.

"Yes, but a young captain can make mistakes.

Because of Dantes, we are late getting home,"

Danglars said with an evil look on his face.

"After the captain died, we didn't come straight to Marseilles.

Instead we went to the island of Elba for a couple of days."

The happy look on Morrel's face suddenly changed.

"Why did you stop at Elba?

Was there a problem with the boat?"

"No, nothing was wrong.

We just stopped and did nothing," answered the clever Danglars.

Morrel left Danglars and called to Dantes.

"Dantes, come here. I need to talk to you."

Dantes came up to Morrel. "What is it, sir?"

"Why did you stop at Elba?" Morrel asked.

"It was the captain's last order," Dantes answered.

"He told me before he died to take a letter to someone on the island."

Morrel got a worried look on his face.

He pulled Dantes closer and spoke softly, so no one could hear.

"Did you meet Napoleon? Did you talk to him?

You know this could be very dangerous!"

"He talked to me. I did not talk to him," Dantes answered.

"Now I need to deliver a letter to Paris."

"What does the letter say?" Morrel asked.

"I do not know," Dantes answered.

"I didn't read it.

I will just take it to Paris, if you give me the time."

"Alright, Dantes. But tell no one about the letter.

It could be dangerous if the King or his men learn of it. Understand?"

Morrel said this quietly, looking around to see if anyone was listening.

Danglars was watching, but was too far away to hear anything.

"Yes, Mr. Morrel," Dantes answered.

Morrel looked at Dantes carefully.

"You are young, but wise.

Dantes, are you busy?

Have dinner with me."

"I'm sorry, sir, but it's been too long since I saw my father.

After meeting my father, there is one other I have to see," Dantes answered.

"Ah, yes, the beautiful Mercedes. I understand," Morrel said with a smile.

"Could I have some time off?" asked Dantes.

"To go to Paris to deliver the letter?" Morrel asked.

"Yes, but also to get married," Dantes answered.

"Mercedes has promised to marry me."

"Congratulations, Dantes!

Of course you can have some time off.

But hurry back... A ship should not be long without her captain," Morrel said with a smile.

"Really, Mr. Morrel? Me? Captain of the Pharaoh?" Dantes was very happy.

"Yes, Dantes. Now, visit your father, see Mercedes, and then come to have dinner with me," Morrel said.

As Dantes left the ship, Danglars watched him walk away.

He heard the last part of the conversation, the part about Dantes being the new captain of the Pharaoh.

The look on Danglars' face was different from Dantes and Morrel's expressions.

He did not look happy.

KEY WORDS

joyous adj. 欢乐的，欢快的

port n. 港口

harbor n. 港口

get into 上（船、车等）

call out to 向……喊

happen v. 发生

lose v. 失去

(lose-lost-lost)

brave adj. 勇敢的

cargo n. 货物

safe adj. 安全的

reply v. 回答

give orders 发号施令

crew n. 全体船员

obey v. 遵守

fall overboard 掉出船外

die of 死于……

fever n. 发烧

leave v. 离开

(leave-left-left)

onboard adv. 在船上

business manager 押运员

explain v. 解释

profit n. 利润

though conj. 尽管

do a fine job 做得很好

run v. 管理

(run-ran-run)

begin v. 开始

(begin-began-begun)

replace v. 代替，顶替

dead adj. 死的

go well 一切顺利

except for 除了……

terrible adj. 糟糕的

company n. 公司

make a mistake 犯错误

because of 因为，由于

evil adj. 邪恶的

straight adv. 直接地

instead adv. 反而

island n. 岛屿

a couple of 几个

change v. 变化，改变

stop v. 逗留

wrong adj. 不正常的

clever adj. 狡猾的

come up to sb. 走到某人面前

tell sb. to do sth. 让某人做某事

take sth. to sb. 给某人带去某物

worried adj. 担心的

pull v. 拉

softly adv. 轻声地

dangerous adj. 危险的

deliver v. 递送

learn of 得知，获悉

understand v. 明白

(understand-understood-understood)

look around 四处查看

see if 看看有没有……

far away 遥远

carefully adv. 仔细地

wise adj. 聪明的

since conj. 自从

get married 结婚

promise to do sth. 答应做某事

marry v. 结婚

Congratulations! 祝贺你！

hurry back 赶回来

without prep. 没有

visit v. 看望

walk away 走开

last adj. 最后的

conversation n. 对话

different from 和……不同

expression n. 表情

One Point Lesson