About two-thirds of the way along the Faubourg Saint-Honore,and in the rear of one of the most imposing mansions in thisrich neighborhood, where the various houses vie with eachother for elegance of design and magnificence ofconstruction, extended a large garden, where thewide-spreading chestnut-trees raised their heads high abovethe walls in a solid rampart, and with the coming of everyspring scattered a shower of delicate pink and whiteblossoms into the large stone vases that stood upon the twosquare pilasters of a curiously wrought iron gate, thatdated from the time of Louis XII. This noble entrance,however, in spite of its striking appearance and thegraceful effect of the geraniums planted in the two vases,as they waved their variegated leaves in the wind andcharmed the eye with their scarlet bloom, had fallen intoutter disuse. The proprietors of the mansion had many yearsbefore thought it best to confine themselves to thepossession of the house itself, with its thickly plantedcourt-yard, opening into the Faubourg Saint-Honore, and tothe garden shut in by this gate, which formerly communicatedwith a fine kitchen-garden of about an acre. For the demonof speculation drew a line, or in other words projected astreet, at the farther side of the kitchen-garden. Thestreet was laid out, a name was chosen and posted up on aniron plate, but before construction was begun, it occurredto the possessor of the property that a handsome sum mightbe obtained for the ground then devoted to fruits andvegetables, by building along the line of the proposedstreet, and so making it a branch of communication with theFaubourg Saint-Honore itself, one of the most importantthoroughfares in the city of Paris.

In matters of speculation, however, though "man proposes,""money disposes." From some such difficulty the newly namedstreet died almost in birth, and the purchaser of thekitchen-garden, having paid a high price for it, and beingquite unable to find any one willing to take his bargain offhis hands without a considerable loss, yet still clinging tothe belief that at some future day he should obtain a sumfor it that would repay him, not only for his past outlay,but also the interest upon the capital locked up in his newacquisition, contented himself with letting the groundtemporarily to some market-gardeners, at a yearly rental of500 francs. And so, as we have said, the iron gate leadinginto the kitchen-garden had been closed up and left to therust, which bade fair before long to eat off its hinges,while to prevent the ignoble glances of the diggers anddelvers of the ground from presuming to sully thearistocratic enclosure belonging to the mansion, the gatehad been boarded up to a height of six feet. True, theplanks were not so closely adjusted but that a hasty peepmight be obtained through their interstices; but the strictdecorum and rigid propriety of the inhabitants of the houseleft no grounds for apprehending that advantage would betaken of that circumstance.

Horticulture seemed, however, to have been abandoned in thedeserted kitchen-garden; and where cabbages, carrots,radishes, pease, and melons had once flourished, a scantycrop of lucerne alone bore evidence of its being deemedworthy of cultivation. A small, low door gave egress fromthe walled space we have been describing into the projectedstreet, the ground having been abandoned as unproductive byits various renters, and had now fallen so completely ingeneral estimation as to return not even the one-half percent it had originally paid. Towards the house thechestnut-trees we have before mentioned rose high above thewall, without in any way affecting the growth of otherluxuriant shrubs and flowers that eagerly dressed forward tofill up the vacant spaces, as though asserting their rightto enjoy the boon of light and air. At one corner, where thefoliage became so thick as almost to shut out day, a largestone bench and sundry rustic seats indicated that thissheltered spot was either in general favor or particular useby some inhabitant of the house, which was faintlydiscernible through the dense mass of verdure that partiallyconcealed it, though situated but a hundred paces off.

Whoever had selected this retired portion of the grounds asthe boundary of a walk, or as a place for meditation, wasabundantly justified in the choice by the absence of allglare, the cool, refreshing shade, the screen it affordedfrom the scorching rays of the sun, that found no entrancethere even during the burning days of hottest summer, theincessant and melodious warbling of birds, and the entireremoval from either the noise of the street or the bustle ofthe mansion. On the evening of one of the warmest daysspring had yet bestowed on the inhabitants of Paris, mightbe seen negligently thrown upon the stone bench, a book, aparasol, and a work-basket, from which hung a partlyembroidered cambric handkerchief, while at a little distancefrom these articles was a young woman, standing close to theiron gate, endeavoring to discern something on the otherside by means of the openings in the planks, - theearnestness of her attitude and the fixed gaze with whichshe seemed to seek the object of her wishes, proving howmuch her feelings were interested in the matter. At thatinstant the little side-gate leading from the waste groundto the street was noiselessly opened, and a tall, powerfulyoung man appeared. He was dressed in a common gray blouseand velvet cap, but his carefully arranged hair, beard andmustache, all of the richest and glossiest black, illaccorded with his plebeian attire. After casting a rapidglance around him, in order to assure himself that he wasunobserved, he entered by the small gate, and, carefullyclosing and securing it after him, proceeded with a hurriedstep towards the barrier.

At the sight of him she expected, though probably not insuch a costume, the young woman started in terror, and wasabout to make a hasty retreat. But the eye of love hadalready seen, even through the narrow chinks of the woodenpalisades, the movement of the white robe, and observed thefluttering of the blue sash. Pressing his lips close to theplanks, he exclaimed, "Don't be alarmed, Valentine - it isI!" Again the timid girl found courage to return to thegate, saying, as she did so, "And why do you come so lateto-day? It is almost dinner-time, and I had to use no littlediplomacy to get rid of my watchful mother-in-law, mytoo-devoted maid, and my troublesome brother, who is alwaysteasing me about coming to work at my embroidery, which I amin a fair way never to get done. So pray excuse yourself aswell as you can for having made me wait, and, after that,tell me why I see you in a dress so singular that at first Idid not recognize you."

"Dearest Valentine," said the young man, "the differencebetween our respective stations makes me fear to offend youby speaking of my love, but yet I cannot find myself in yourpresence without longing to pour forth my soul, and tell youhow fondly I adore you. If it be but to carry away with methe recollection of such sweet moments, I could even thankyou for chiding me, for it leaves me a gleam of hope, thatif you did not expect me (and that indeed would be worsethan vanity to suppose), at least I was in your thoughts.You asked me the cause of my being late, and why I comedisguised. I will candidly explain the reason of both, and Itrust to your goodness to pardon me. I have chosen a trade."

"A trade? Oh, Maximilian, how can you jest at a time when wehave such deep cause for uneasiness?"

"Heaven keep me from jesting with that which is far dearerto me than life itself! But listen to me, Valentine, and Iwill tell you all about it. I became weary of ranging fieldsand scaling walls, and seriously alarmed at the ideasuggested by you, that if caught hovering about here yourfather would very likely have me sent to prison as a thief.That would compromise the honor of the French army, to saynothing of the fact that the continual presence of a captainof Spahis in a place where no warlike projects could besupposed to account for it might well create surprise; so Ihave become a gardener, and, consequently, adopted thecostume of my calling."

"What excessive nonsense you talk, Maximilian!"

"Nonsense? Pray do not call what I consider the wisestaction of my life by such a name. Consider, by becoming agardener I effectually screen our meetings from allsuspicion or danger."

"I beseech of you, Maximilian, to cease trifling, and tellme what you really mean."

"Simply, that having ascertained that the piece of ground onwhich I stand was to let, I made application for it, wasreadily accepted by the proprietor, and am now master ofthis fine crop of lucerne. Think of that, Valentine! Thereis nothing now to prevent my building myself a little hut onmy plantation, and residing not twenty yards from you. Onlyimagine what happiness that would afford me. I can scarcelycontain myself at the bare idea. Such felicity seems aboveall price - as a thing impossible and unattainable. Butwould you believe that I purchase all this delight, joy, andhappiness, for which I would cheerfully have surrendered tenyears of my life, at the small cost of 500 francs per annum,paid quarterly? Henceforth we have nothing to fear. I am onmy own ground, and have an undoubted right to place a ladderagainst the wall, and to look over when I please, withouthaving any apprehensions of being taken off by the police asa suspicious character. I may also enjoy the preciousprivilege of assuring you of my fond, faithful, andunalterable affection, whenever you visit your favoritebower, unless, indeed, it offends your pride to listen toprofessions of love from the lips of a poor workingman, cladin a blouse and cap." A faint cry of mingled pleasure andsurprise escaped from the lips of Valentine, who almostinstantly said, in a saddened tone, as though some enviouscloud darkened the joy which illumined her heart, "Alas, no,Maximilian, this must not be, for many reasons. We shouldpresume too much on our own strength, and, like others,perhaps, be led astray by our blind confidence in eachother's prudence."

"How can you for an instant entertain so unworthy a thought,dear Valentine? Have I not, from the first blessed hour ofour acquaintance, schooled all my words and actions to yoursentiments and ideas? And you have, I am sure, the fullestconfidence in my honor. When you spoke to me of experiencinga vague and indefinite sense of coming danger, I placedmyself blindly and devotedly at your service, asking noother reward than the pleasure of being useful to you; andhave I ever since, by word or look, given you cause ofregret for having selected me from the numbers that wouldwillingly have sacrificed their lives for you? You told me,my dear Valentine, that you were engaged to M. d'Epinay, andthat your father was resolved upon completing the match, andthat from his will there was no appeal, as M. de Villefortwas never known to change a determination once formed. Ikept in the background, as you wished, and waited, not forthe decision of your heart or my own, but hoping thatprovidence would graciously interpose in our behalf, andorder events in our favor. But what cared I for delays ordifficulties, Valentine, as long as you confessed that youloved me, and took pity on me? If you will only repeat thatavowal now and then, I can endure anything."

"Ah, Maximilian, that is the very thing that makes you sobold, and which renders me at once so happy and unhappy,that I frequently ask myself whether it is better for me toendure the harshness of my mother-in-law, and her blindpreference for her own child, or to be, as I now am,insensible to any pleasure save such as I find in thesemeetings, so fraught with danger to both."

"I will not admit that word," returned the young man; "it isat once cruel and unjust. Is it possible to find a moresubmissive slave than myself? You have permitted me toconverse with you from time to time, Valentine, butforbidden my ever following you in your walks or elsewhere- have I not obeyed? And since I found means to enter thisenclosure to exchange a few words with you through this gate- to be close to you without really seeing you - have Iever asked so much as to touch the hem of your gown or triedto pass this barrier which is but a trifle to one of myyouth and strength? Never has a complaint or a murmurescaped me. I have been bound by my promises as rigidly asany knight of olden times. Come, come, dearest Valentine,confess that what I say is true, lest I be tempted to callyou unjust."

"It is true," said Valentine, as she passed the end of herslender fingers through a small opening in the planks, andpermitted Maximilian to press his lips to them, "and you area true and faithful friend; but still you acted from motivesof self-interest, my dear Maximilian, for you well knew thatfrom the moment in which you had manifested an oppositespirit all would have been ended between us. You promised tobestow on me the friendly affection of a brother. For I haveno friend but yourself upon earth, who am neglected andforgotten by my father, harassed and persecuted by mymother-in-law, and left to the sole companionship of aparalyzed and speechless old man, whose withered hand can nolonger press mine, and who can speak to me with the eyealone, although there still lingers in his heart the warmesttenderness for his poor grandchild. Oh, how bitter a fate ismine, to serve either as a victim or an enemy to all who arestronger than myself, while my only friend and supporter isa living corpse! Indeed, indeed, Maximilian, I am verymiserable, and if you love me it must be out of pity."

"Valentine," replied the young man, deeply affected, "I willnot say you are all I love in the world, for I dearly prizemy sister and brother-in-law; but my affection for them iscalm and tranquil, in no manner resembling what I feel foryou. When I think of you my heart beats fast, the bloodburns in my veins, and I can hardly breathe; but I solemnlypromise you to restrain all this ardor, this fervor andintensity of feeling, until you yourself shall require me torender them available in serving or assisting you. M. Franzis not expected to return home for a year to come, I amtold; in that time many favorable and unforeseen chances maybefriend us. Let us, then, hope for the best; hope is sosweet a comforter. Meanwhile, Valentine, while reproachingme with selfishness, think a little what you have been to me- the beautiful but cold resemblance of a marble Venus.What promise of future reward have you made me for all thesubmission and obedience I have evinced? - none whatever.What granted me? - scarcely more. You tell me of M. Franzd'Epinay, your betrothed lover, and you shrink from the ideaof being his wife; but tell me, Valentine, is there no othersorrow in your heart? You see me devoted to you, body andsoul, my life and each warm drop that circles round my heartare consecrated to your service; you know full well that myexistence is bound up in yours - that were I to lose you Iwould not outlive the hour of such crushing misery; yet youspeak with calmness of the prospect of your being the wifeof another! Oh, Valentine, were I in your place, and did Ifeel conscious, as you do, of being worshipped, adored, withsuch a love as mine, a hundred times at least should I havepassed my hand between these iron bars, and said, `Take thishand, dearest Maximilian, and believe that, living or dead,I am yours - yours only, and forever!'" The poor girl madeno reply, but her lover could plainly hear her sobs andtears. A rapid change took place in the young man'sfeelings. "Dearest, dearest Valentine," exclaimed he,"forgive me if I have offended you, and forget the words Ispoke if they have unwittingly caused you pain."

"No, Maximilian, I am not offended," answered she, "but doyou not see what a poor, helpless being I am, almost astranger and an outcast in my father's house, where even heis seldom seen; whose will has been thwarted, and spiritsbroken, from the age of ten years, beneath the iron rod sosternly held over me; oppressed, mortified, and persecuted,day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, no person hascared for, even observed my sufferings, nor have I everbreathed one word on the subject save to yourself. Outwardlyand in the eyes of the world, I am surrounded by kindnessand affection; but the reverse is the case. The generalremark is, `Oh, it cannot be expected that one of so stern acharacter as M. Villefort could lavish the tenderness somefathers do on their daughters. What though she has lost herown mother at a tender age, she has had the happiness tofind a second mother in Madame de Villefort.' The world,however, is mistaken; my father abandons me from utterindifference, while my mother-in-law detests me with ahatred so much the more terrible because it is veiledbeneath a continual smile."

"Hate you, sweet Valentine," exclaimed the young man; "howis it possible for any one to do that?"

"Alas," replied the weeping girl, "I am obliged to own thatmy mother-in-law's aversion to me arises from a very naturalsource - her overweening love for her own child, my brotherEdward."

"But why should it?"

"I do not know; but, though unwilling to introduce moneymatters into our present conversation, I will just say thismuch - that her extreme dislike to me has its origin there;and I much fear she envies me the fortune I enjoy in rightof my mother, and which will be more than doubled at thedeath of M. and Mme. de Saint-Meran, whose sole heiress Iam. Madame de Villefort has nothing of her own, and hates mefor being so richly endowed. Alas, how gladly would Iexchange the half of this wealth for the happiness of atleast sharing my father's love. God knows, I would prefersacrificing the whole, so that it would obtain me a happyand affectionate home."

"Poor Valentine!"

"I seem to myself as though living a life of bondage, yet atthe same time am so conscious of my own weakness that I fearto break the restraint in which I am held, lest I fallutterly helpless. Then, too, my father is not a person whoseorders may be infringed with impunity; protected as he is byhis high position and firmly established reputation fortalent and unswerving integrity, no one could oppose him; heis all-powerful even with the king; he would crush you at aword. Dear Maximilian, believe me when I assure you that ifI do not attempt to resist my father's commands it is moreon your account than my own."

"But why, Valentine, do you persist in anticipating theworst, - why picture so gloomy a future?"

"Because I judge it from the past."

"Still, consider that although I may not be, strictlyspeaking, what is termed an illustrious match for you, I am,for many reasons, not altogether so much beneath youralliance. The days when such distinctions were so nicelyweighed and considered no longer exist in France, and thefirst families of the monarchy have intermarried with thoseof the empire. The aristocracy of the lance has allieditself with the nobility of the cannon. Now I belong to thislast-named class; and certainly my prospects of militarypreferment are most encouraging as well as certain. Myfortune, though small, is free and unfettered, and thememory of my late father is respected in our country,Valentine, as that of the most upright and honorablemerchant of the city; I say our country, because you wereborn not far from Marseilles."

"Don't speak of Marseilles, I beg of you, Maximilian; thatone word brings back my mother to my recollection - myangel mother, who died too soon for myself and all who knewher; but who, after watching over her child during the briefperiod allotted to her in this world, now, I fondly hope,watches from her home in heaven. Oh, if my mother were stillliving, there would be nothing to fear, Maximilian, for Iwould tell her that I loved you, and she would protect us."

"I fear, Valentine," replied the lover, "that were sheliving I should never have had the happiness of knowing you;you would then have been too happy to have stooped from yourgrandeur to bestow a thought on me."

"Now it is you who are unjust, Maximilian," cried Valentine;"but there is one thing I wish to know."

"And what is that?" inquired the young man, perceiving thatValentine hesitated.

"Tell me truly, Maximilian, whether in former days, when ourfathers dwelt at Marseilles, there was ever anymisunderstanding between them?"

"Not that I am aware of," replied the young man, "unless,indeed, any ill-feeling might have arisen from their beingof opposite parties - your father was, as you know, azealous partisan of the Bourbons, while mine was whollydevoted to the emperor; there could not possibly be anyother difference between them. But why do you ask?"

"I will tell you," replied the young girl, "for it is butright you should know. Well, on the day when yourappointment as an officer of the Legion of honor wasannounced in the papers, we were all sitting with mygrandfather, M. Noirtier; M. Danglars was there also - yourecollect M. Danglars, do you not, Maximilian, the banker,whose horses ran away with my mother-in-law and littlebrother, and very nearly killed them? While the rest of thecompany were discussing the approaching marriage ofMademoiselle Danglars, I was reading the paper to mygrandfather; but when I came to the paragraph about you,although I had done nothing else but read it over to myselfall the morning (you know you had told me all about it theprevious evening), I felt so happy, and yet so nervous, atthe idea of speaking your name aloud, and before so manypeople, that I really think I should have passed it over,but for the fear that my doing so might create suspicions asto the cause of my silence; so I summoned up all my courage,and read it as firmly and as steadily as I could."

"Dear Valentine!"

"Well, would you believe it? directly my father caught thesound of your name he turned round quite hastily, and, likea poor silly thing, I was so persuaded that every one mustbe as much affected as myself by the utterance of your name,that I was not surprised to see my father start, and almosttremble; but I even thought (though that surely must havebeen a mistake) that M. Danglars trembled too."

"`Morrel, Morrel,' cried my father, `stop a bit;' thenknitting his brows into a deep frown, he added, `surely thiscannot be one of the Morrel family who lived at Marseilles,and gave us so much trouble from their violent Bonapartism- I mean about the year 1815.' - `Yes,' replied M.Danglars, `I believe he is the son of the old shipowner.'"

"Indeed," answered Maximilian; "and what did your father saythen, Valentine?"

"Oh, such a dreadful thing, that I don't dare to tell you."

"Always tell me everything," said Maximilian with a smile.

"`Ah,' continued my father, still frowning, `their idolizedemperor treated these madmen as they deserved; he calledthem `food for powder,' which was precisely all they weregood for; and I am delighted to see that the presentgovernment have adopted this salutary principle with all itspristine vigor; if Algiers were good for nothing but tofurnish the means of carrying so admirable an idea intopractice, it would be an acquisition well worthy ofstruggling to obtain. Though it certainly does cost Francesomewhat dear to assert her rights in that uncivilizedcountry.'"

"Brutal politics, I must confess." said Maximilian; "butdon't attach any serious importance, dear, to what yourfather said. My father was not a bit behind yours in thatsort of talk. `Why,' said he, `does not the emperor, who hasdevised so many clever and efficient modes of improving theart of war, organize a regiment of lawyers, judges and legalpractitioners, sending them in the hottest fire the enemycould maintain, and using them to save better men?' You see,my dear, that for picturesque expression and generosity ofspirit there is not much to choose between the language ofeither party. But what did M. Danglars say to this outburston the part of the procureur?"

"Oh, he laughed, and in that singular manner so peculiar tohimself - half-malicious, half-ferocious; he almostimmediately got up and took his leave; then, for the firsttime, I observed the agitation of my grandfather, and I musttell you, Maximilian, that I am the only person capable ofdiscerning emotion in his paralyzed frame. And I suspectedthat the conversation that had been carried on in hispresence (for they always say and do what they like beforethe dear old man, without the smallest regard for hisfeelings) had made a strong impression on his mind; for,naturally enough, it must have pained him to hear theemperor he so devotedly loved and served spoken of in thatdepreciating manner."

"The name of M. Noirtier," interposed Maximilian, "iscelebrated throughout Europe; he was a statesman of highstanding, and you may or may not know, Valentine, that hetook a leading part in every Bonapartist conspiracy set onfoot during the restoration of the Bourbons."

"Oh, I have often heard whispers of things that seem to memost strange - the father a Bonapartist, the son aRoyalist; what can have been the reason of so singular adifference in parties and politics? But to resume my story;I turned towards my grandfather, as though to question himas to the cause of his emotion; he looked expressively atthe newspaper I had been reading. `What is the matter, deargrandfather?' said I, `are you pleased?' He gave me a signin the affirmative. `With what my father said just now?' Hereturned a sign in the negative. `Perhaps you liked what M.Danglars said?' Another sign in the negative. `Oh, then, youwere glad to hear that M. Morrel (I didn't dare to sayMaximilian) had been made an officer of the Legion ofHonor?' He signified assent; only think of the poor oldman's being so pleased to think that you, who were a perfectstranger to him, had been made an officer of the Legion ofHonor! Perhaps it was a mere whim on his part, for he isfalling, they say, into second childhood, but I love him forshowing so much interest in you."

"How singular," murmured Maximilian; "your father hates me,while your grandfather, on the contrary - What strangefeelings are aroused by politics."

"Hush," cried Valentine, suddenly; "some one is coming!"Maximilian leaped at one bound into his crop of lucerne,which he began to pull up in the most ruthless way, underthe pretext of being occupied in weeding it.

"Mademoiselle, mademoiselle!" exclaimed a voice from behindthe trees. "Madame is searching for you everywhere; there isa visitor in the drawing-room."

"A visitor?" inquired Valentine, much agitated; "who is it?"

"Some grand personage - a prince I believe they said - theCount of Monte Cristo."

"I will come directly," cried Valentine aloud. The name ofMonte Cristo sent an electric shock through the young man onthe other side of the iron gate, to whom Valentine's "I amcoming" was the customary signal of farewell. "Now, then,"said Maximilian, leaning on the handle of his spade, "Iwould give a good deal to know how it comes about that theCount of Monte Cristo is acquainted with M. de Villefort."