"In 1807, a month before I was arrested, and a fortnight after the death of the Count of Spada, on the 25th of December (you will see presently how the date became fixed in my memory), I was reading, for the thousandth time, the papers I was arranging, for the palace was sold to a stranger, and I was going to leave Rome and settle at Florence, intending to take with me twelve thousand francs Ipossessed, my library, and the famous breviary, when, tired with my constant labor at the same thing, and overcome by a heavy dinner I had eaten, my head dropped on my hands, and Ifell asleep about three o'clock in the afternoon.I awoke as the clock was striking six.I raised my head; I was in utter darkness.I rang for a light, but as no one came, Idetermined to find one for myself.It was indeed but anticipating the simple manners which I should soon be under the necessity of adopting.I took a wax-candle in one hand, and with the other groped about for a piece of paper (my match-box being empty), with which I proposed to get a light from the small flame still playing on the embers.Fearing, however, to make use of any valuable piece of paper, Ihesitated for a moment, then recollected that I had seen in the famous breviary, which was on the table beside me, an old paper quite yellow with age, and which had served as a marker for centuries, kept there by the request of the heirs.I felt for it, found it, twisted it up together, and putting it into the expiring flame, set light to it.
"But beneath my fingers, as if by magic, in proportion as the fire ascended, I saw yellowish characters appear on the paper.I grasped it in my hand, put out the flame as quickly as I could, lighted my taper in the fire itself, and opened the crumpled paper with inexpressible emotion, recognizing, when I had done so, that these characters had been traced in mysterious and sympathetic ink, only appearing when exposed to the fire; nearly one-third of the paper had been consumed by the flame.It was that paper you read this morning; read it again, Dantes, and then I will complete for you the incomplete words and unconnected sense."Faria, with an air of triumph, offered the paper to Dantes, who this time read the following words, traced with an ink of a reddish color resembling rust: --"This 25th day of April, 1498, be...
Alexander VI., and fearing that not...
he may desire to become my heir, and re...
and Bentivoglio, who were poisoned,...
my sole heir, that I have bu...
and has visited with me, that is, in...
Island of Monte Cristo, all I poss...
jewels, diamonds, gems; that I alone...
may amount to nearly two mil...
will find on raising the twentieth ro...
creek to the east in a right line.Two open...
in these caves; the treasure is in the furthest a...
which treasure I bequeath and leave en...
as my sole heir.
"25th April, 1498.
"Caes...
"And now," said the abbe, "read this other paper;" and he presented to Dantes a second leaf with fragments of lines written on it, which Edmond read as follows: --"...ing invited to dine by his Holiness...content with making me pay for my hat,...serves for me the fate of Cardinals Caprara...I declare to my nephew, Guido Spada...ried in a place he knows...the caves of the small...essed of ingots, gold, money,...know of the existence of this treasure, which...lions of Roman crowns, and which he...ck from the small...ings have been made...ngle in the second;...tire to him...ar Spada."
