M. D'Avrigny soon restored the magistrate to consciousness,who had looked like a second corpse in that chamber ofdeath. "Oh, death is in my house!" cried Villefort.

"Say, rather, crime!" replied the doctor.

"M. d'Avrigny," cried Villefort, "I cannot tell you all Ifeel at this moment, - terror, grief, madness."

"Yes," said M. d'Avrigny, with an imposing calmness, "but Ithink it is now time to act. I think it is time to stop thistorrent of mortality. I can no longer bear to be inpossession of these secrets without the hope of seeing thevictims and society generally revenged." Villefort cast agloomy look around him. "In my house," murmured he, "in myhouse!"

"Come, magistrate," said M. d'Avrigny, "show yourself a man;as an interpreter of the law, do honor to your profession bysacrificing your selfish interests to it."

"You make me shudder, doctor. Do you talk of a sacrifice?"

"I do."

"Do you then suspect any one?"

"I suspect no one; death raps at your door - it enters - it goes, not blindfolded, but circumspectly, from room toroom. Well, I follow its course, I track its passage; Iadopt the wisdom of the ancients, and feel my way, for myfriendship for your family and my respect for you are as atwofold bandage over my eyes; well" -

"Oh, speak, speak, doctor; I shall have courage."

"Well, sir, you have in your establishment, or in yourfamily, perhaps, one of the frightful monstrosities of whicheach century produces only one. Locusta and Agrippina,living at the same time, were an exception, and proved thedetermination of providence to effect the entire ruin of theRoman empire, sullied by so many crimes. Brunehilde andFredegonde were the results of the painful struggle ofcivilization in its infancy, when man was learning tocontrol mind, were it even by an emissary from the realms ofdarkness. All these women had been, or were, beautiful. Thesame flower of innocence had flourished, or was stillflourishing, on their brow, that is seen on the brow of theculprit in your house." Villefort shrieked, clasped hishands, and looked at the doctor with a supplicating air. Butthe latter went on without pity: -

"`Seek whom the crime will profit,' says an axiom ofjurisprudence."

"Doctor," cried Villefort, "alas, doctor, how often hasman's justice been deceived by those fatal words. I know notwhy, but I feel that this crime" -

"You acknowledge, then, the existence of the crime?"

"Yes, I see too plainly that it does exist. But it seemsthat it is intended to affect me personally. I fear anattack myself, after all these disasters."

"Oh, man," murmured d'Avrigny, "the most selfish of allanimals, the most personal of all creatures, who believesthe earth turns, the sun shines, and death strikes for himalone, - an ant cursing God from the top of a blade ofgrass! And have those who have lost their lives lostnothing? - M. de Saint-Meran, Madame de Saint-Meran, M.Noirtier" -

"How? M. Noirtier?"

"Yes; think you it was the poor servant's life was coveted?No, no; like Shakespeare's `Polonius,' he died for another.It was Noirtier the lemonade was intended for - it isNoirtier, logically speaking, who drank it. The other drankit only by accident, and, although Barrois is dead, it wasNoirtier whose death was wished for."

"But why did it not kill my father?"

"I told you one evening in the garden after Madame deSaint-Meran's death - because his system is accustomed tothat very poison, and the dose was trifling to him, whichwould be fatal to another; because no one knows, not eventhe assassin, that, for the last twelve months, I have givenM. Noirtier brucine for his paralytic affection, while theassassin is not ignorant, for he has proved that brucine isa violent poison."

"Oh, have pity - have pity!" murmured Villefort, wringinghis hands.

"Follow the culprit's steps; he first kills M. deSaint-Meran" -

"O doctor!"

"I would swear to it; what I heard of his symptoms agreestoo well with what I have seen in the other cases."Villefort ceased to contend; he only groaned. "He firstkills M. de Saint-Meran," repeated the doctor, "then Madamede Saint-Meran, - a double fortune to inherit." Villefortwiped the perspiration from his forehead. "Listenattentively."

"Alas," stammered Villefort, "I do not lose a single word."

"M. Noirtier," resumed M. d'Avrigny in the same pitilesstone, - "M. Noirtier had once made a will against you - against your family - in favor of the poor, in fact; M.Noirtier is spared, because nothing is expected from him.But he has no sooner destroyed his first will and made asecond, than, for fear he should make a third, he is struckdown. The will was made the day before yesterday, I believe;you see there has been no time lost."

"Oh, mercy, M. d'Avrigny!"

"No mercy, sir! The physician has a sacred mission on earth;and to fulfil it he begins at the source of life, and goesdown to the mysterious darkness of the tomb. When crime hasbeen committed, and God, doubtless in anger, turns away hisface, it is for the physician to bring the culprit tojustice."

"Have mercy on my child, sir," murmured Villefort.

"You see it is yourself who have first named her - you, herfather."

"Have pity on Valentine! Listen - it is impossible! I wouldas willingly accuse myself! Valentine, whose heart is pureas a diamond or a lily."

"No pity, procureur; the crime is fragrant. Mademoiselleherself packed all the medicines which were sent to M. deSaint-Meran; and M. de Saint-Meran is dead. Mademoiselle deVillefort prepared all the cooling draughts which Madame deSaint-Meran took, and Madame de Saint-Meran is dead.Mademoiselle de Villefort took from the hands of Barrois,who was sent out, the lemonade which M. Noirtier had everymorning, and he has escaped by a miracle. Mademoiselle deVillefort is the culprit - she is the poisoner! To you, asthe king's attorney, I denounce Mademoiselle de Villefort,do your duty."

"Doctor, I resist no longer - I can no longer defend myself- I believe you; but, for pity's sake, spare my life, myhonor!"

"M. de Villefort," replied the doctor, with increasedvehemence, "there are occasions when I dispense with allfoolish human circumspection. If your daughter had committedonly one crime, and I saw her meditating another, I wouldsay `Warn her, punish her, let her pass the remainder of herlife in a convent, weeping and praying.' If she hadcommitted two crimes, I would say, `Here, M. de Villefort,is a poison that the prisoner is not acquainted with, - onethat has no known antidote, quick as thought, rapid aslightning, mortal as the thunderbolt; give her that poison,recommending her soul to God, and save your honor and yourlife, for it is yours she aims at; and I can picture herapproaching your pillow with her hypocritical smiles and hersweet exhortations. Woe to you, M. de Villefort, if you donot strike first!' This is what I would say had she onlykilled two persons but she has seen three deaths, - hascontemplated three murdered persons, - has knelt by threecorpses! To the scaffold with the poisoner - to thescaffold! Do you talk of your honor? Do what I tell you, andimmortality awaits you!"

Villefort fell on his knees. "Listen," said he; "I have notthe strength of mind you have, or rather that which youwould not have, if instead of my daughter Valentine yourdaughter Madeleine were concerned." The doctor turned pale."Doctor, every son of woman is born to suffer and to die; Iam content to suffer and to await death."

"Beware," said M. d'Avrigny, "it may come slowly; you willsee it approach after having struck your father, your wife,perhaps your son."

Villefort, suffocating, pressed the doctor's arm. "Listen,"cried he; "pity me - help me! No, my daughter is notguilty. If you drag us both before a tribunal I will stillsay, `No, my daughter is not guilty; - there is no crime inmy house. I will not acknowledge a crime in my house; forwhen crime enters a dwelling, it is like death - it doesnot come alone.' Listen. What does it signify to you if I ammurdered? Are you my friend? Are you a man? Have you aheart? No, you are a physician! Well, I tell you I will notdrag my daughter before a tribunal, and give her up to theexecutioner! The bare idea would kill me - would drive melike a madman to dig my heart out with my finger-nails! Andif you were mistaken, doctor - if it were not my daughter- if I should come one day, pale as a spectre, and say toyou, `Assassin, you have killed my child!' - hold - ifthat should happen, although I am a Christian, M. d'Avrigny,I should kill myself."

"Well," said the doctor, after a moment's silence, "I willwait." Villefort looked at him as if he had doubted hiswords. "Only," continued M. d'Avrigny, with a slow andsolemn tone, "if any one falls ill in your house, if youfeel yourself attacked, do not send for me, for I will comeno more. I will consent to share this dreadful secret withyou, but I will not allow shame and remorse to grow andincrease in my conscience, as crime and misery will in yourhouse."

"Then you abandon me, doctor?"

"Yes, for I can follow you no farther, and I only stop atthe foot of the scaffold. Some further discovery will bemade, which will bring this dreadful tragedy to a close.Adieu."

"I entreat you, doctor!"

"All the horrors that disturb my thoughts make your houseodious and fatal. Adieu, sir."

"One word - one single word more, doctor! You go, leavingme in all the horror of my situation, after increasing it bywhat you have revealed to me. But what will be reported ofthe sudden death of the poor old servant?"

"True," said M. d'Avrigny; "we will return." The doctor wentout first, followed by M. de Villefort. The terrifiedservants were on the stairs and in the passage where thedoctor would pass. "Sir," said d'Avrigny to Villefort, soloud that all might hear, "poor Barrois has led toosedentary a life of late; accustomed formerly to ride onhorseback, or in the carriage, to the four corners ofEurope, the monotonous walk around that arm-chair has killedhim - his blood has thickened. He was stout, had a short,thick neck; he was attacked with apoplexy, and I was calledin too late. By the way," added he in a low tone, "take careto throw away that cup of syrup of violets in the ashes."

The doctor, without shaking hands with Villefort, withoutadding a word to what he had said, went out, amid the tearsand lamentations of the whole household. The same eveningall Villefort's servants, who had assembled in the kitchen,and had a long consultation, came to tell Madame deVillefort that they wished to leave. No entreaty, noproposition of increased wages, could induce them to remain;to every argument they replied, "We must go, for death is inthis house." They all left, in spite of prayers andentreaties, testifying their regret at leaving so good amaster and mistress, and especially Mademoiselle Valentine,so good, so kind, and so gentle. Villefort looked atValentine as they said this. She was in tears, and, strangeas it was, in spite of the emotions he felt at the sight ofthese tears, he looked also at Madame de Villefort, and itappeared to him as if a slight gloomy smile had passed overher thin lips, like a meteor seen passing inauspiciouslybetween two clouds in a stormy sky.