Some days after this meeting, Albert de Morcerf visited theCount of Monte Cristo at his house in the Champs Elysees,which had already assumed that palace-like appearance whichthe count's princely fortune enabled him to give even to hismost temporary residences. He came to renew the thanks ofMadame Danglars which had been already conveyed to the countthrough the medium of a letter, signed "Baronne Danglars,nee Hermine de Servieux." Albert was accompanied by LucienDebray, who, joining in his friend's conversation, addedsome passing compliments, the source of which the count'stalent for finesse easily enabled him to guess. He wasconvinced that Lucien's visit was due to a double feeling ofcuriosity, the larger half of which sentiment emanated fromthe Rue de la Chaussee d'Antin. In short, Madame Danglars,not being able personally to examine in detail the domesticeconomy and household arrangements of a man who gave awayhorses worth 30,000 francs and who went to the opera with aGreek slave wearing diamonds to the amount of a million ofmoney, had deputed those eyes, by which she was accustomedto see, to give her a faithful account of the mode of lifeof this incomprehensible person. But the count did notappear to suspect that there could be the slightestconnection between Lucien's visit and the curiosity of thebaroness.

"You are in constant communication with the Baron Danglars?"the count inquired of Albert de Morcerf.

"Yes, count, you know what I told you?"

"All remains the same, then, in that quarter?"

"It is more than ever a settled thing," said Lucien, - and,considering that this remark was all that he was at thattime called upon to make, he adjusted the glass to his eye,and biting the top of his gold headed cane, began to makethe tour of the apartment, examining the arms and thepictures.

"Ah," said Monte Cristo "I did not expect that the affairwould be so promptly concluded."

"Oh, things take their course without our assistance. Whilewe are forgetting them, they are falling into theirappointed order; and when, again, our attention is directedto them, we are surprised at the progress they have madetowards the proposed end. My father and M. Danglars servedtogether in Spain, my father in the army and M. Danglars inthe commissariat department. It was there that my father,ruined by the revolution, and M. Danglars, who never hadpossessed any patrimony, both laid the foundations of theirdifferent fortunes."

"Yes," said Monte Cristo "I think M. Danglars mentioned thatin a visit which I paid him; and," continued he, casting aside-glance at Lucien, who was turning over the leaves of analbum, "Mademoiselle Eugenie is pretty - I think I rememberthat to be her name."

"Very pretty, or rather, very beautiful," replied Albert,"but of that style of beauty which I do not appreciate; I aman ungrateful fellow."

"You speak as if you were already her husband."

"Ah," returned Albert, in his turn looking around to seewhat Lucien was doing.

"Really," said Monte Cristo, lowering his voice, "you do notappear to me to be very enthusiastic on the subject of thismarriage."

"Mademoiselle Danglars is too rich for me," replied Morcerf,"and that frightens me."

"Bah," exclaimed Monte Cristo, "that's a fine reason togive. Are you not rich yourself?"

"My father's income is about 50,000 francs per annum; and hewill give me, perhaps, ten or twelve thousand when I marry."

"That, perhaps, might not be considered a large sum, inParis especially," said the count; "but everything does notdepend on wealth, and it is a fine thing to have a goodname, and to occupy a high station in society. Your name iscelebrated, your position magnificent; and then the Comte deMorcerf is a soldier, and it is pleasing to see theintegrity of a Bayard united to the poverty of a Duguesclin;disinterestedness is the brightest ray in which a noblesword can shine. As for me, I consider the union withMademoiselle Danglars a most suitable one; she will enrichyou, and you will ennoble her." Albert shook his head, andlooked thoughtful. "There is still something else," said he.

"I confess," observed Monte Cristo, "that I have somedifficulty in comprehending your objection to a young ladywho is both rich and beautiful."

"Oh," said Morcerf, "this repugnance, if repugnance it maybe called, is not all on my side."

"Whence can it arise, then? for you told me your fatherdesired the marriage."

"It is my mother who dissents; she has a clear andpenetrating judgment, and does not smile on the proposedunion. I cannot account for it, but she seems to entertainsome prejudice against the Danglars."

"Ah," said the count, in a somewhat forced tone, "that maybe easily explained; the Comtesse de Morcerf, who isaristocracy and refinement itself, does not relish the ideaof being allied by your marriage with one of ignoble birth;that is natural enough."

"I do not know if that is her reason," said Albert, "but onething I do know, that if this marriage be consummated, itwill render her quite miserable. There was to have been ameeting six weeks ago in order to talk over and settle theaffair; but I had such a sudden attack of indisposition" -

"Real?" interrupted the count, smiling.

"Oh, real enough, from anxiety doubtless, - at any ratethey postponed the matter for two months. There is no hurry,you know. I am not yet twenty-one, and Eugenie is onlyseventeen; but the two months expire next week. It must bedone. My dear count, you cannot imagine now my mind isharassed. How happy you are in being exempt from all this!"

"Well, and why should not you be free, too? What preventsyou from being so?"

"Oh, it will be too great a disappointment to my father if Ido not marry Mademoiselle Danglars."

"Marry her then," said the count, with a significant shrugof the shoulders.

"Yes," replied Morcerf, "but that will plunge my mother intopositive grief."

"Then do not marry her," said the count.

"Well, I shall see. I will try and think over what is thebest thing to be done; you will give me your advice, willyou not, and if possible extricate me from my unpleasantposition? I think, rather than give pain to my dear mother,I would run the risk of offending the count." Monte Cristoturned away; he seemed moved by this last remark. "Ah," saidhe to Debray, who had thrown himself into an easy-chair atthe farthest extremity of the salon, and who held a pencilin his right hand and an account book in his left, "what areyou doing there? Are you making a sketch after Poussin?"

"Oh, no," was the tranquil response; "I am too fond of artto attempt anything of that sort. I am doing a little sum inarithmetic."

"In arithmetic?"

"Yes; I am calculating - by the way, Morcerf, thatindirectly concerns you - I am calculating what the houseof Danglars must have gained by the last rise in Haitibonds; from 206 they have risen to 409 in three days, andthe prudent banker had purchased at 206; therefore he musthave made 300,000 livres."

"That is not his biggest scoop," said Morcerf; "did he notmake a million in Spaniards this last year?"

"My dear fellow," said Lucien, "here is the Count of MonteCristo, who will say to you, as the Italians do, -

"`Danaro e santita,Meta della meta.'*

"Money and sanctity,Each in a moiety.

"When they tell me such things, I only shrug my shouldersand say nothing."

"But you were speaking of Haitians?" said Monte Cristo.

"Ah, Haitians, - that is quite another thing! Haitians arethe ecarte of French stock-jobbing. We may like bouillotte,delight in whist, be enraptured with boston, and yet growtired of them all; but we always come back to ecarte - itis not only a game, it is a hors-d'oeuvre! M. Danglars soldyesterday at 405, and pockets 300,000 francs. Had he butwaited till to-day, the price would have fallen to 205, andinstead of gaining 300,000 francs, he would have lost 20 or25,000."

"And what has caused the sudden fall from 409 to 206?" askedMonte Cristo. "I am profoundly ignorant of all thesestock-jobbing intrigues."

"Because," said Albert, laughing, "one piece of news followsanother, and there is often great dissimilarity betweenthem."

"Ah," said the count, "I see that M. Danglars is accustomedto play at gaining or losing 300,000 francs in a day; hemust be enormously rich."

"It is not he who plays!" exclaimed Lucien; "it is MadameDanglars: she is indeed daring."

"But you who are a reasonable being, Lucien, and who knowhow little dependence is to be placed on the news, since youare at the fountain-head, surely you ought to prevent it,"said Morcerf, with a smile.

"How can I, if her husband fails in controlling her?" askedLucien; "you know the character of the baroness - no onehas any influence with her, and she does precisely what shepleases."

"Ah, if I were in your place" - said Albert.

"Well?"

"I would reform her; it would be rendering a service to herfuture son-in-law."

"How would you set about it?"

"Ah, that would be easy enough - I would give her alesson."

"A lesson?"

"Yes. Your position as secretary to the minister rendersyour authority great on the subject of political news; younever open your mouth but the stockbrokers immediatelystenograph your words. Cause her to lose a hundred thousandfrancs, and that would teach her prudence."

"I do not understand," stammered Lucien.

"It is very clear, notwithstanding," replied the young man,with an artlessness wholly free from affectation; "tell hersome fine morning an unheard-of piece of intelligence - some telegraphic despatch, of which you alone are inpossession; for instance, that Henri IV. was seen yesterdayat Gabrielle's. That would boom the market; she will buyheavily, and she will certainly lose when Beauchampannounces the following day, in his gazette, `The reportcirculated by some usually well-informed persons that theking was seen yesterday at Gabrielle's house, is totallywithout foundation. We can positively assert that hismajesty did not quit the Pont-Neuf.'" Lucien half smiled.Monte Cristo, although apparently indifferent, had not lostone word of this conversation, and his penetrating eye hadeven read a hidden secret in the embarrassed manner of thesecretary. This embarrassment had completely escaped Albert,but it caused Lucien to shorten his visit; he was evidentlyill at ease. The count, in taking leave of him, saidsomething in a low voice, to which he answered, "Willingly,count; I accept." The count returned to young Morcerf.

"Do you not think, on reflection," said he to him, "that youhave done wrong in thus speaking of your mother-in-law inthe presence of M. Debray?"

"My dear count," said Morcerf, "I beg of you not to applythat title so prematurely."

"Now, speaking without any exaggeration, is your motherreally so very much averse to this marriage?"

"So much so that the baroness very rarely comes to thehouse, and my mother, has not, I think, visited MadameDanglars twice in her whole life."

"Then," said the count, "I am emboldened to speak openly toyou. M. Danglars is my banker; M. de Villefort hasoverwhelmed me with politeness in return for a service whicha casual piece of good fortune enabled me to render him. Ipredict from all this an avalanche of dinners and routs.Now, in order not to presume on this, and also to bebeforehand with them, I have, if agreeable to you, thoughtof inviting M. and Madame Danglars, and M. and Madame deVillefort, to my country-house at Auteuil. If I were toinvite you and the Count and Countess of Morcerf to thisdinner, I should give it the appearance of being amatrimonial meeting, or at least Madame de Morcerf wouldlook upon the affair in that light, especially if BaronDanglars did me the honor to bring his daughter. In thatcase your mother would hold me in aversion, and I do not atall wish that; on the contrary, I desire to stand high inher esteem."

"Indeed, count," said Morcerf, "I thank you sincerely forhaving used so much candor towards me, and I gratefullyaccept the exclusion which you propose. You say you desiremy mother's good opinion; I assure you it is already yoursto a very unusual extent."

"Do you think so?" said Monte Cristo, with interest.

"Oh, I am sure of it; we talked of you an hour after youleft us the other day. But to return to what we were saying.If my mother could know of this attention on your part - and I will venture to tell her - I am sure that she will bemost grateful to you; it is true that my father will beequally angry." The count laughed. "Well," said he toMorcerf, "but I think your father will not be the only angryone; M. and Madame Danglars will think me a veryill-mannered person. They know that I am intimate with you- that you are, in fact; one of the oldest of my Parisianacquaintances - and they will not find you at my house;they will certainly ask me why I did not invite you. Be sureto provide yourself with some previous engagement whichshall have a semblance of probability, and communicate thefact to me by a line in writing. You know that with bankersnothing but a written document will be valid."

"I will do better than that," said Albert; "my mother iswishing to go to the sea-side - what day is fixed for yourdinner?"

"Saturday."

"This is Tuesday - well, to-morrow evening we leave, andthe day after we shall be at Treport. Really, count, youhave a delightful way of setting people at their ease."

"Indeed, you give me more credit than I deserve; I only wishto do what will be agreeable to you, that is all."

"When shall you send your invitations?"

"This very day."

"Well, I will immediately call on M. Danglars, and tell himthat my mother and myself must leave Paris to-morrow. I havenot seen you, consequently I know nothing of your dinner."

"How foolish you are! Have you forgotten that M. Debray hasjust seen you at my house?"

"Ah, true,"

"Fix it this way. I have seen you, and invited you withoutany ceremony, when you instantly answered that it would beimpossible for you to accept, as you were going to Treport."

"Well, then, that is settled; but you will come and call onmy mother before to-morrow?"

"Before to-morrow? - that will be a difficult matter toarrange, besides, I shall just be in the way of all thepreparations for departure."

"Well, you can do better. You were only a charming manbefore, but, if you accede to my proposal, you will beadorable."

"What must I do to attain such sublimity?"

"You are to-day free as air - come and dine with me; weshall be a small party - only yourself, my mother, and I.You have scarcely seen my mother; you shall have anopportunity of observing her more closely. She is aremarkable woman, and I only regret that there does notexist another like her, about twenty years younger; in thatcase, I assure you, there would very soon be a Countess andViscountess of Morcerf. As to my father, you will not seehim; he is officially engaged, and dines with the chiefreferendary. We will talk over our travels; and you, whohave seen the whole world, will relate your adventures - you shall tell us the history of the beautiful Greek who waswith you the other night at the Opera, and whom you callyour slave, and yet treat like a princess. We will talkItalian and Spanish. Come, accept my invitation, and mymother will thank you."

"A thousand thanks," said the count, "your invitation ismost gracious, and I regret exceedingly that it is not in mypower to accept it. I am not so much at liberty as yousuppose; on the contrary, I have a most importantengagement."

"Ah, take care, you were teaching me just now how, in caseof an invitation to dinner, one might creditably make anexcuse. I require the proof of a pre-engagement. I am not abanker, like M. Danglars, but I am quite as incredulous ashe is."

"I am going to give you a proof," replied the count, and herang the bell.

"Humph," said Morcerf, "this is the second time you haverefused to dine with my mother; it is evident that you wishto avoid her." Monte Cristo started. "Oh, you do not meanthat," said he; "besides, here comes the confirmation of myassertion." Baptistin entered, and remained standing at thedoor. "I had no previous knowledge of your visit, had I?"

"Indeed, you are such an extraordinary person, that I wouldnot answer for it."

"At all events, I could not guess that you would invite meto dinner."

"Probably not."

"Well, listen, Baptistin, what did I tell you this morningwhen I called you into my laboratory?"

"To close the door against visitors as soon as the clockstruck five," replied the valet.

"What then?"

"Ah, my dear count," said Albert.

"No, no, I wish to do away with that mysterious reputationthat you have given me, my dear viscount; it is tiresome tobe always acting Manfred. I wish my life to be free andopen. Go on, Baptistin."

"Then to admit no one except Major Bartolomeo Cavalcanti andhis son."

"You hear - Major Bartolomeo Cavalcanti - a man who ranksamongst the most ancient nobility of Italy, whose name Dantehas celebrated in the tenth canto of `The Inferno,' youremember it, do you not? Then there is his son, Andrea, acharming young man, about your own age, viscount, bearingthe same title as yourself, and who is making his entry intothe Parisian world, aided by his father's millions. Themajor will bring his son with him this evening, the contino,as we say in Italy; he confides him to my care. If he proveshimself worthy of it, I will do what I can to advance hisinterests. You will assist me in the work, will you not?"

"Most undoubtedly. This Major Cavalcanti is an old friend ofyours, then?"

"By no means. He is a perfect nobleman, very polite, modest,and agreeable, such as may be found constantly in Italy,descendants of very ancient families. I have met him severaltimes at Florence, Bologna and Lucca, and he has nowcommunicated to me the fact of his arrival in Paris. Theacquaintances one makes in travelling have a sort of claimon one; they everywhere expect to receive the same attentionwhich you once paid them by chance, as though the civilitiesof a passing hour were likely to awaken any lasting interestin favor of the man in whose society you may happen to bethrown in the course of your journey. This good MajorCavalcanti is come to take a second view of Paris, which heonly saw in passing through in the time of the Empire, whenhe was on his way to Moscow. I shall give him a good dinner,he will confide his son to my care, I will promise to watchover him, I shall let him follow in whatever path his follymay lead him, and then I shall have done my part."

"Certainly; I see you are a model Mentor," said Albert"Good-by, we shall return on Sunday. By the way, I havereceived news of Franz."

"Have you? Is he still amusing himself in Italy?"

"I believe so; however, he regrets your absence extremely .He says you were the sun of Rome, and that without you allappears dark and cloudy; I do not know if he does not evengo so far as to say that it rains."

"His opinion of me is altered for the better, then?"

"No, he still persists in looking upon you as the mostincomprehensible and mysterious of beings."

"He is a charming young man," said Monte Cristo "and I felta lively interest in him the very first evening of myintroduction, when I met him in search of a supper, andprevailed upon him to accept a portion of mine. He is, Ithink, the son of General d'Epinay?"

"He is."

"The same who was so shamefully assassinated in 1815?"

"By the Bonapartists."

"Yes. Really I like him extremely; is there not also amatrimonial engagement contemplated for him?"

"Yes, he is to marry Mademoiselle de Villefort."

"Indeed?"

"And you know I am to marry Mademoiselle Danglars," saidAlbert, laughing.

"You smile."

"Yes."

"Why do you do so?"

"I smile because there appears to me to be about as muchinclination for the consummation of the engagement inquestion as there is for my own. But really, my dear count,we are talking as much of women as they do of us; it isunpardonable." Albert rose.

"Are you going?"

"Really, that is a good idea! - two hours have I beenboring you to death with my company, and then you, with thegreatest politeness, ask me if I am going. Indeed, count,you are the most polished man in the world. And yourservants, too, how very well behaved they are; there isquite a style about them. Monsieur Baptistin especially; Icould never get such a man as that. My servants seem toimitate those you sometimes see in a play, who, because theyhave only a word or two to say, aquit themselves in the mostawkward manner possible. Therefore, if you part with M.Baptistin, give me the refusal of him."

"By all means."

"That is not all; give my compliments to your illustriousLuccanese, Cavalcante of the Cavalcanti; and if by anychance he should be wishing to establish his son, find him awife very rich, very noble on her mother's side at least,and a baroness in right of her father, I will help you inthe search."

"Ah, ha; you will do as much as that, will you?"

"Yes."

"Well, really, nothing is certain in this world."

"Oh, count, what a service you might render me! I shouldlike you a hundred times better if, by your intervention, Icould manage to remain a bachelor, even were it only for tenyears."

"Nothing is impossible," gravely replied Monte Cristo; andtaking leave of Albert, he returned into the house, andstruck the gong three times. Bertuccio appeared. "MonsieurBertuccio, you understand that I intend entertaining companyon Saturday at Auteuil." Bertuccio slightly started. "Ishall require your services to see that all be properlyarranged. It is a beautiful house, or at all events may bemade so."

"There must be a good deal done before it can deserve thattitle, your excellency, for the tapestried hangings are veryold."

"Let them all be taken away and changed, then, with theexception of the sleeping-chamber which is hung with reddamask; you will leave that exactly as it is." Bertucciobowed. "You will not touch the garden either; as to theyard, you may do what you please with it; I should preferthat being altered beyond all recognition."

"I will do everything in my power to carry out your wishes,your excellency. I should be glad, however, to receive yourexcellency's commands concerning the dinner."

"Really, my dear M. Bertuccio," said the count, "since youhave been in Paris, you have become quite nervous, andapparently out of your element; you no longer seem tounderstand me."

"But surely your excellency will be so good as to inform mewhom you are expecting to receive?"

"I do not yet know myself, neither is it necessary that youshould do so. `Lucullus dines with Lucullus,' that is quitesufficient." Bertuccio bowed, and left the room.