Chapter 63: The Secrets of the Cave: III
Now all he had to do was use the iron tip of the pickaxe to pull the stones toward him one by one. The opening was already large enough for him to enter, but by waiting, he could still cling to hope and delay the certainty of disappointment.
Finally, after renewed hesitation, Edmond entered the second chamber.
The second chamber was lower and gloomier than the first. The air, which could only enter through the newly formed opening, had the stale smell that Edmond was surprised he hadn’t noticed in the outer cavern. He waited to let fresh air replace the stagnant atmosphere, then continued forward.
To the left of the opening was a dark, deep corner. But to Edmond’s well-trained eyes, there was no real darkness. He looked around this second chamber, like the first, it appeared empty. If the treasure existed, it was buried in that corner.
The moment had finally arrived. Two feet of earth removed, and Edmond’s fate would be decided. He advanced toward the corner and, summoning all his resolution, attacked the ground with his pickaxe.
On the fifth or sixth blow, the pickaxe struck against something metallic. No funeral bell, no alarm had ever produced a greater effect on a listener. If Edmond had found nothing, he couldn’t have turned more deathly pale. He struck his pickaxe into the earth again and met the same resistance, but not the same sound.
"It’s a wooden chest bound with iron," he muttered to himself.
At that moment, a shadow passed quickly across the opening. Edmond grabbed his rifle, leaped through the opening, and ran up the stairs. A wild goat had wandered past the mouth of the cave and was grazing nearby. This would have been a perfect opportunity to secure his dinner, but Edmond was afraid the sound of his rifle might attract unwanted attention.
He thought for a moment, then cut a branch from a resinous tree and lit it from the fire where the smugglers had prepared their breakfast earlier. He descended with this makeshift torch, wanting to see everything clearly.
He approached the hole he had dug, and now, with the aid of the torchlight, confirmed that his pickaxe had indeed struck iron and wood. He planted his torch in the ground and resumed his work.
Within minutes, he had cleared a space three feet long by two feet wide. Edmond could now see an oak chest bound with cut steel. In the middle of the lid, engraved on a silver plate that was still untarnished, were the coat of arms of the Spada family: a sword standing upright on an oval shield, topped by a cardinal’s hat. Edmond easily recognized the design, Faria had drawn it for him so many times.
There was no longer any doubt. The treasure was here. No one would have gone to such trouble to conceal an empty chest. In moments, he had cleared away every remaining obstacle. He could see the lock placed between two padlocks, and the two handles at each end, all carved with the artistry of an era when craftsmanship made even common metals precious.
Edmond grasped the handles and tried to lift the chest, it was impossible. He attempted to open it, but both lock and padlocks were secure. These faithful guardians seemed unwilling to surrender their trust.
Edmond inserted the sharp end of the pickaxe between the chest and the lid, and pressing with all his force on the handle, burst open the fastenings. The hinges gave way in turn and fell, still clutching fragments of wood in their grasp. The chest was open.
Edmond was seized with vertigo. He loaded his rifle and laid it beside him. Then he closed his eyes the way children do so they can see more stars in the brilliant night of their imagination than are visible in the actual sky. When he reopened them, he stood motionless with amazement.
Three compartments divided the chest. In the first blazed piles of golden coins. In the second were arranged bars of unrefined gold that had nothing attractive about them except their immense value. In the third, Edmond grasped handfuls of diamonds, pearls, and rubies that sounded like hail against glass as they fell through his fingers.
After touching, feeling, and examining these treasures, Edmond rushed through the caverns like a man possessed. He leaped onto a rock from which he could see the ocean. He was alone. Alone with these countless, unimaginable riches! Was he awake, or was this just a dream?
He wanted to gaze upon his gold, yet he didn’t have the strength. For a moment he held his head in his hands as if to keep his senses from abandoning him, then ran wildly about the rocks, terrifying the wild goats and scaring the seabirds with his mad cries and gestures.
Then he returned, still unable to believe the evidence of his senses, and rushed back into the cave to find himself once again before this mine of gold and jewels. This time he fell to his knees and, clasping his hands desperately, uttered a prayer that only God could understand.
Gradually he became calmer and happier as he began to truly realize his incredible fortune. He set himself to work counting his wealth. There were a thousand gold ingots, each weighing between four and six pounds. Then he stacked up twenty-five thousand gold coins, each worth a considerable sum and bearing the images of ancient rulers. And he saw that the compartment wasn’t even half empty.
He measured out ten double handfuls of pearls, diamonds, and other gems, many of which had been set by master craftsmen and were worth far more than their raw materials alone. As daylight began to fade and fearing discovery in the cavern, Edmond left it with his rifle in hand.
A piece of hardtack and a small quantity of rum made up his supper, and he managed a few hours of sleep while lying guard over the cave entrance.
It was a night of joy and terror, the kind that this man of overwhelming emotions had experienced only a few times in his extraordinary life.