M. and Madame de Villefort found on their return that theCount of Monte Cristo, who had come to visit them in theirabsence, had been ushered into the drawing-room, and wasstill awaiting them there. Madame de Villefort, who had notyet sufficiently recovered from her late emotion to allow ofher entertaining visitors so immediately, retired to herbedroom, while the procureur, who could better depend uponhimself, proceeded at once to the salon. Although M. deVillefort flattered himself that, to all outward view, hehad completely masked the feelings which were passing in hismind, he did not know that the cloud was still lowering onhis brow, so much so that the count, whose smile wasradiant, immediately noticed his sombre and thoughtful air."Ma foi," said Monte Cristo, after the first complimentswere over, "what is the matter with you, M. de Villefort?Have I arrived at the moment when you were drawing up anindictment for a capital crime?" Villefort tried to smile."No, count," he replied, "I am the only victim in this case.It is I who lose my cause, and it is ill-luck, obstinacy,and folly which have caused it to be decided against me."

"To what do you refer?" said Monte Cristo with well-feignedinterest. "Have you really met with some great misfortune?"

"Oh, no, monsieur," said Villefort with a bitter smile; "itis only a loss of money which I have sustained - nothingworth mentioning, I assure you."

"True," said Monte Cristo, "the loss of a sum of moneybecomes almost immaterial with a fortune such as youpossess, and to one of your philosophic spirit."

"It is not so much the loss of the money that vexes me,"said Villefort, "though, after all, 900,000 francs are worthregretting; but I am the more annoyed with this fate,chance, or whatever you please to call the power which hasdestroyed my hopes and my fortune, and may blast theprospects of my child also, as it is all occasioned by anold man relapsed into second childhood."

"What do you say?" said the count; "900,000 francs? It isindeed a sum which might be regretted even by a philosopher.And who is the cause of all this annoyance?"

"My father, as I told you."

"M. Noirtier? But I thought you told me he had becomeentirely paralyzed, and that all his faculties werecompletely destroyed?"

"Yes, his bodily faculties, for he can neither move norspeak, nevertheless he thinks, acts, and wills in the mannerI have described. I left him about five minutes ago, and heis now occupied in dictating his will to two notaries."

"But to do this he must have spoken?"

"He has done better than that - he has made himselfunderstood."

"How was such a thing possible?"

"By the help of his eyes, which are still full of life, and,as you perceive, possess the power of inflicting mortalinjury."

"My dear," said Madame de Villefort, who had just enteredthe room, "perhaps you exaggerate the evil."

"Good-morning, madame," said the count, bowing. Madame deVillefort acknowledged the salutation with one of her mostgracious smiles. "What is this that M. de Villefort has beentelling me?" demanded Monte Cristo "and whatincomprehensible misfortune" -

"Incomprehensible is not the word," interrupted theprocureur, shrugging his shoulders. "It is an old man'scaprice."

"And is there no means of making him revoke his decision?"

"Yes," said Madame de Villefort; "and it is still entirelyin the power of my husband to cause the will, which is nowin prejudice of Valentine, to be altered in her favor." Thecount, who perceived that M. and Madame de Villefort werebeginning to speak in parables, appeared to pay no attentionto the conversation, and feigned to be busily engaged inwatching Edward, who was mischievously pouring some ink intothe bird's water-glass. "My dear," said Villefort, in answerto his wife, "you know I have never been accustomed to playthe patriarch in my family, nor have I ever considered thatthe fate of a universe was to be decided by my nod.Nevertheless, it is necessary that my will should berespected in my family, and that the folly of an old man andthe caprice of a child should not be allowed to overturn aproject which I have entertained for so many years. TheBaron d'Epinay was my friend, as you know, and an alliancewith his son is the most suitable thing that could possiblybe arranged."

"Do you think," said Madame de Villefort, "that Valentine isin league with him? She has always been opposed to thismarriage, and I should not be at all surprised if what wehave just seen and heard is nothing but the execution of aplan concerted between them."

"Madame," said Villefort, "believe me, a fortune of 900,000francs is not so easily renounced."

"She could, nevertheless, make up her mind to renounce theworld, sir, since it is only about a year ago that sheherself proposed entering a convent."

"Never mind," replied Villefort; "I say that this marriageshall be consummated."

"Notwithstanding your father's wishes to the contrary?" saidMadame de Villefort, selecting a new point of attack. "Thatis a serious thing." Monte Cristo, who pretended not to belistening, heard however, every word that was said."Madame," replied Villefort "I can truly say that I havealways entertained a high respect for my father, because, tothe natural feeling of relationship was added theconsciousness of his moral superiority. The name of fatheris sacred in two senses; he should be reverenced as theauthor of our being and as a master whom we ought to obey.But, under the present circumstances, I am justified indoubting the wisdom of an old man who, because he hated thefather, vents his anger on the son. It would be ridiculousin me to regulate my conduct by such caprices. I shall stillcontinue to preserve the same respect toward M. Noirtier; Iwill suffer, without complaint, the pecuniary deprivation towhich he has subjected me; but I shall remain firm in mydetermination, and the world shall see which party hisreason on his side. Consequently I shall marry my daughterto the Baron Franz d'Epinay, because I consider it would bea proper and eligible match for her to make, and, in short,because I choose to bestow my daughter's hand on whomever Iplease."

"What?" said the count, the approbation of whose eyeVillefort had frequently solicited during this speech."What? Do you say that M. Noirtier disinherits Mademoisellede Villefort because she is going to marry M. le Baron Franzd'Epinay?"

"Yes, sir, that is the reason," said Villefort, shrugginghis shoulders.

"The apparent reason, at least," said Madame de Villefort.

"The real reason, madame, I can assure you; I know myfather."

"But I want to know in what way M. d'Epinay can havedispleased your father more than any other person?"

"I believe I know M. Franz d'Epinay," said the count; "is henot the son of General de Quesnel, who was created Barond'Epinay by Charles X.?"

"The same," said Villefort.

"Well, but he is a charming young man, according to myideas."

"He is, which makes me believe that it is only an excuse ofM. Noirtier to prevent his granddaughter marrying; old menare always so selfish in their affection," said Madame deVillefort.

"But," said Monte Cristo "do you not know any cause for thishatred?"

"Ah, ma foi, who is to know?"

"Perhaps it is some political difference?"

"My father and the Baron d'Epinay lived in the stormy timesof which I only saw the ending," said Villefort.

"Was not your father a Bonapartist?" asked Monte Cristo; "Ithink I remember that you told me something of that kind."

"My father has been a Jacobin more than anything else," saidVillefort, carried by his emotion beyond the bounds ofprudence; "and the senator's robe, which Napoleon cast onhis shoulders, only served to disguise the old man withoutin any degree changing him. When my father conspired, it wasnot for the emperor, it was against the Bourbons; for M.Noirtier possessed this peculiarity, he never projected anyUtopian schemes which could never be realized, but strovefor possibilities, and he applied to the realization ofthese possibilities the terrible theories of The Mountain,- theories that never shrank from any means that weredeemed necessary to bring about the desired result."

"Well," said Monte Cristo, "it is just as I thought; it waspolitics which brought Noirtier and M. d'Epinay intopersonal contact. Although General d'Epinay served underNapoleon, did he not still retain royalist sentiments? Andwas he not the person who was assassinated one evening onleaving a Bonapartist meeting to which he had been invitedon the supposition that he favored the cause of theemperor?" Villefort looked at the count almost with terror."Am I mistaken, then?" said Monte Cristo.

"No, sir, the facts were precisely what you have stated,"said Madame de Villefort; "and it was to prevent the renewalof old feuds that M. de Villefort formed the idea of unitingin the bonds of affection the two children of theseinveterate enemies."

"It was a sublime and charitable thought," said MonteCristo, "and the whole world should applaud it. It would benoble to see Mademoiselle Noirtier de Villefort assuming thetitle of Madame Franz d'Epinay." Villefort shuddered andlooked at Monte Cristo as if he wished to read in hiscountenance the real feelings which had dictated the wordshe had just uttered. But the count completely baffled theprocureur, and prevented him from discovering anythingbeneath the never-varying smile he was so constantly in thehabit of assuming. "Although," said Villefort, "it will be aserious thing for Valentine to lose her grandfather'sfortune, I do not think that M. d'Epinay will be frightenedat this pecuniary loss. He will, perhaps, hold me in greateresteem than the money itself, seeing that I sacrificeeverything in order to keep my word with him. Besides, heknows that Valentine is rich in right of her mother, andthat she will, in all probability, inherit the fortune of M.and Madame de Saint-Meran, her mother's parents, who bothlove her tenderly."

"And who are fully as well worth loving and tending as M.Noirtier," said Madame de Villefort; "besides, they are tocome to Paris in about a month, and Valentine, after theaffront she has received, need not consider it necessary tocontinue to bury herself alive by being shut up with M.Noirtier." The count listened with satisfaction to this taleof wounded self-love and defeated ambition. "But it seems tome," said Monte Cristo, "and I must begin by asking yourpardon for what I am about to say, that if M. Noirtierdisinherits Mademoiselle de Villefort because she is goingto marry a man whose father he detested, he cannot have thesame cause of complaint against this dear Edward."

"True," said Madame de Villefort, with an intonation ofvoice which it is impossible to describe; "is it not unjust- shamefully unjust? Poor Edward is as much M. Noirtier'sgrandchild as Valentine, and yet, if she had not been goingto marry M. Franz, M. Noirtier would have left her all hismoney; and supposing Valentine to be disinherited by hergrandfather, she will still be three times richer than he."The count listened and said no more. "Count," saidVillefort, "we will not entertain you any longer with ourfamily misfortunes. It is true that my patrimony will go toendow charitable institutions, and my father will havedeprived me of my lawful inheritance without any reason fordoing so, but I shall have the satisfaction of knowing thatI have acted like a man of sense and feeling. M. d'Epinay,to whom I had promised the interest of this sum, shallreceive it, even if I endure the most cruel privations."

"However," said Madame de Villefort, returning to the oneidea which incessantly occupied her mind, "perhaps it wouldbe better to explain this unlucky affair to M. d'Epinay, inorder to give him the opportunity of himself renouncing hisclaim to the hand of Mademoiselle de Villefort."

"Ah, that would be a great pity," said Villefort.

"A great pity," said Monte Cristo.

"Undoubtedly," said Villefort, moderating the tones of hisvoice, "a marriage once concerted and then broken off,throws a sort of discredit on a young lady; then again, theold reports, which I was so anxious to put an end to, willinstantly gain ground. No, it will all go well; M. d'Epinay,if he is an honorable man, will consider himself more thanever pledged to Mademoiselle de Villefort, unless he wereactuated by a decided feeling of avarice, but that isimpossible."

"I agree with M. de Villefort," said Monte Cristo, fixinghis eyes on Madame de Villefort; "and if I were sufficientlyintimate with him to allow of giving my advice, I wouldpersuade him, since I have been told M. d'Epinay is comingback, to settle this affair at once beyond all possibilityof revocation. I will answer for the success of a projectwhich will reflect so much honor on M. de Villefort." Theprocureur arose, delighted with the proposition, but hiswife slightly changed color. "Well, that is all that Iwanted, and I will be guided by a counsellor such as youare," said he, extending his hand to Monte Cristo."Therefore let every one here look upon what has passedto-day as if it had not happened, and as though we had neverthought of such a thing as a change in our original plans."

"Sir," said the count, "the world, unjust as it is, will bepleased with your resolution; your friends will be proud ofyou, and M. d'Epinay, even if he took Mademoiselle deVillefort without any dowry, which he will not do, would bedelighted with the idea of entering a family which couldmake such sacrifices in order to keep a promise and fulfil aduty." At the conclusion of these words, the count rose todepart. "Are you going to leave us, count?" said Madame deVillefort.

"I am sorry to say I must do so, madame, I only came toremind you of your promise for Saturday."

"Did you fear that we should forget it?"

"You are very good, madame, but M. de Villefort has so manyimportant and urgent occupations."

"My husband has given me his word, sir," said Madame deVillefort; "you have just seen him resolve to keep it whenhe has everything to lose, and surely there is more reasonfor his doing so where he has everything to gain."

"And," said Villefort, "is it at your house in theChamps-Elysees that you receive your visitors?"

"No," said Monte Cristo, "which is precisely the reasonwhich renders your kindness more meritorious, - it is inthe country."

"In the country?"

"Yes."

"Where is it, then? Near Paris, is it not?"

"Very near, only half a league from the Barriers, - it isat Auteuil."

"At Auteuil?" said Villefort; "true, Madame de Villeforttold me you lived at Auteuil, since it was to your housethat she was taken. And in what part of Auteuil do youreside?"

"Rue de la Fontaine."

"Rue de la Fontaine!" exclaimed Villefort in an agitatedtone; "at what number?"

"No. 28."

"Then," cried Villefort, "was it you who bought M. deSaint-Meran's house!"

"Did it belong to M. de Saint-Meran?" demanded Monte Cristo.

"Yes," replied Madame de Villefort; "and, would you believeit, count" -

"Believe what?"

"You think this house pretty, do you not?"

"I think it charming."

"Well, my husband would never live in it."

"Indeed?" returned Monte Cristo, "that is a prejudice onyour part, M. de Villefort, for which I am quite at a lossto account."

"I do not like Auteuil, sir," said the procureur, making anevident effort to appear calm.

"But I hope you will not carry your antipathy so far as todeprive me of the pleasure of your company, sir," said MonteCristo.

"No, count, - I hope - I assure you I shall do my best,"stammered Villefort.

"Oh," said Monte Cristo, "I allow of no excuse. On Saturday,at six o'clock. I shall be expecting you, and if you fail tocome, I shall think - for how do I know to the contrary? - that this house, which his remained uninhabited for twentyyears, must have some gloomy tradition or dreadful legendconnected with it."

"I will come, count, - I will be sure to come," saidVillefort eagerly.

"Thank you," said Monte Cristo; "now you must permit me totake my leave of you."

"You said before that you were obliged to leave us,monsieur," said Madame de Villefort, "and you were about totell us why when your attention was called to some othersubject."

"Indeed madame," said Monte Cristo: "I scarcely know if Idare tell you where I am going."

"Nonsense; say on."

"Well, then, it is to see a thing on which I have sometimesmused for hours together."

"What is it?"

"A telegraph. So now I have told my secret."

"A telegraph?" repeated Madame de Villefort.

"Yes, a telegraph. I had often seen one placed at the end ofa road on a hillock, and in the light of the sun its blackarms, bending in every direction, always reminded me of theclaws of an immense beetle, and I assure you it was neverwithout emotion that I gazed on it, for I could not helpthinking how wonderful it was that these various signsshould be made to cleave the air with such precision as toconvey to the distance of three hundred leagues the ideasand wishes of a man sitting at a table at one end of theline to another man similarly placed at the oppositeextremity, and all this effected by a simple act of volitionon the part of the sender of the message. I began to thinkof genii, sylphs, gnomes, in short, of all the ministers ofthe occult sciences, until I laughed aloud at the freaks ofmy own imagination. Now, it never occurred to me to wish fora nearer inspection of these large insects, with their longblack claws, for I always feared to find under their stonewings some little human genius fagged to death with cabals,factions, and government intrigues. But one fine day Ilearned that the mover of this telegraph was only a poorwretch, hired for twelve hundred francs a year, and employedall day, not in studying the heavens like an astronomer, orin gazing on the water like an angler, or even in enjoyingthe privilege of observing the country around him, but allhis monotonous life was passed in watching hiswhite-bellied, black-clawed fellow insect, four or fiveleagues distant from him. At length I felt a desire to studythis living chrysalis more closely, and to endeavor tounderstand the secret part played by these insect-actorswhen they occupy themselves simply with pulling differentpieces of string."

"And are you going there?"

"I am."

"What telegraph do you intend visiting? that of the homedepartment, or of the observatory?"

"Oh, no; I should find there people who would force me tounderstand things of which I would prefer to remainignorant, and who would try to explain to me, in spite ofmyself, a mystery which even they do not understand. Ma foi,I should wish to keep my illusions concerning insectsunimpaired; it is quite enough to have those dissipatedwhich I had formed of my fellow-creatures. I shall,therefore, not visit either of these telegraphs, but one inthe open country where I shall find a good-naturedsimpleton, who knows no more than the machine he is employedto work."

"You are a singular man," said Villefort.

"What line would you advise me to study?"

"The one that is most in use just at this time."

"The Spanish one, you mean, I suppose?"

"Yes; should you like a letter to the minister that theymight explain to you" -

"No," said Monte Cristo; "since, as I told you before, I donot wish to comprehend it. The moment I understand it therewill no longer exist a telegraph for me; it will he nothingmore than a sign from M. Duchatel, or from M. Montalivet,transmitted to the prefect of Bayonne, mystified by twoGreek words, tele, graphein. It is the insect with blackclaws, and the awful word which I wish to retain in myimagination in all its purity and all its importance."

"Go then; for in the course of two hours it will be dark,and you will not be able to see anything."

"Ma foi, you frighten me. Which is the nearest way?Bayonne?"

"Yes; the road to Bayonne."

"And afterwards the road to Chatillon?"

"Yes."

"By the tower of Montlhery, you mean?"

"Yes."

"Thank you. Good-by. On Saturday I will tell you myimpressions concerning the telegraph." At the door the countwas met by the two notaries, who had just completed the actwhich was to disinherit Valentine, and who were leavingunder the conviction of having done a thing which could notfail of redounding considerably to their credit.