Valentine was alone; two other clocks, slower than that ofSaint-Philippe du Roule, struck the hour of midnight fromdifferent directions, and excepting the rumbling of a fewcarriages all was silent. Then Valentine's attention wasengrossed by the clock in her room, which marked theseconds. She began counting them, remarking that they weremuch slower than the beatings of her heart; and still shedoubted, - the inoffensive Valentine could not imagine thatany one should desire her death. Why should they? To whatend? What had she done to excite the malice of an enemy?There was no fear of her falling asleep. One terrible ideapressed upon her mind, - that some one existed in the worldwho had attempted to assassinate her, and who was about toendeavor to do so again. Supposing this person, wearied atthe inefficacy of the poison, should, as Monte Cristointimated, have recourse to steel! - What if the countshould have no time to run to her rescue! - What if herlast moments were approaching, and she should never againsee Morrel! When this terrible chain of ideas presenteditself, Valentine was nearly persuaded to ring the bell, andcall for help. But through the door she fancied she saw theluminous eye of the count - that eye which lived in hermemory, and the recollection overwhelmed her with so muchshame that she asked herself whether any amount of gratitudecould ever repay his adventurous and devoted friendship.

Twenty minutes, twenty tedious minutes, passed thus, thenten more, and at last the clock struck the half-flour. Justthen the sound of finger-nails slightly grating against thedoor of the library informed Valentine that the count wasstill watching, and recommended her to do the same; at thesame time, on the opposite side, that is towards Edward'sroom, Valentine fancied that she heard the creaking of thefloor; she listened attentively, holding her breath till shewas nearly suffocated; the lock turned, and the door slowlyopened. Valentine had raised herself upon her elbow, and hadscarcely time to throw herself down on the bed and shade hereyes with her arm; then, trembling, agitated, and her heartbeating with indescribable terror, she awaited the event.

Some one approached the bed and drew back the curtains.Valentine summoned every effort, and breathed with thatregular respiration which announces tranquil sleep."Valentine!" said a low voice. Still silent: Valentine hadpromised not to awake. Then everything was still, exceptingthat Valentine heard the almost noiseless sound of someliquid being poured into the glass she had just emptied.Then she ventured to open her eyelids, and glance over herextended arm. She saw a woman in a white dressing-gownpouring a liquor from a phial into her glass. During thisshort time Valentine must have held her breath, or moved insome slight degree, for the woman, disturbed, stopped andleaned over the bed, in order the better to ascertainwhether Valentine slept - it was Madame de Villefort.

On recognizing her step-mother, Valentine could not repressa shudder, which caused a vibration in the bed. Madame deVillefort instantly stepped back close to the wall, andthere, shaded by the bed-curtains, she silently andattentively watched the slightest movement of Valentine. Thelatter recollected the terrible caution of Monte Cristo; shefancied that the hand not holding the phial clasped a longsharp knife. Then collecting all her remaining strength, sheforced herself to close her eyes; but this simple operationupon the most delicate organs of our frame, generally soeasy to accomplish, became almost impossible at this moment,so much did curiosity struggle to retain the eyelid open andlearn the truth. Madame de Villefort, however, reassured bythe silence, which was alone disturbed by the regularbreathing of Valentine, again extended her hand, and halfhidden by the curtains succeeded in emptying the contents ofthe phial into the glass. Then she retired so gently thatValentine did not know she had left the room. She onlywitnessed the withdrawal of the arm - the fair round arm ofa woman but twenty-five years old, and who yet spread deatharound her.

It is impossible to describe the sensations experienced byValentine during the minute and a half Madame de Villefortremained in the room. The grating against the library-dooraroused the young girl from the stupor in which she wasplunged, and which almost amounted to insensibility. Sheraised her head with an effort. The noiseless door againturned on its hinges, and the Count of Monte Cristoreappeared. "Well," said he, "do you still doubt?"

"Oh," murmured the young girl.

"Have you seen?"

"Alas!"

"Did you recognize?" Valentine groaned. "Oh, yes;" she said,"I saw, but I cannot believe!"

"Would you rather die, then, and cause Maximilian's death?"

"Oh," repeated the young girl, almost bewildered, "can I notleave the house? - can I not escape?"

"Valentine, the hand which now threatens you will pursue youeverywhere; your servants will be seduced with gold, anddeath will be offered to you disguised in every shape. Youwill find it in the water you drink from the spring, in thefruit you pluck from the tree."

"But did you not say that my kind grandfather's precautionhad neutralized the poison?"

"Yes, but not against a strong dose; the poison will bechanged, and the quantity increased." He took the glass andraised it to his lips. "It is already done," he said;"brucine is no longer employed, but a simple narcotic! I canrecognize the flavor of the alcohol in which it has beendissolved. If you had taken what Madame de Villefort haspoured into your glass, Valentine - Valentine - you wouldhave been doomed!"

"But," exclaimed the young girl, "why am I thus pursued?"

"Why? - are you so kind - so good - so unsuspicious ofill, that you cannot understand, Valentine?"

"No, I have never injured her."

"But you are rich, Valentine; you have 200,000 livres ayear, and you prevent her son from enjoying these 200,000livres."

"How so? The fortune is not her gift, but is inherited frommy relations."

"Certainly; and that is why M. and Madame de Saint-Meranhave died; that is why M. Noirtier was sentenced the day hemade you his heir; that is why you, in your turn, are to die- it is because your father would inherit your property,and your brother, his only son, succeed to his."

"Edward? Poor child! Are all these crimes committed on hisaccount?"

"Ah, then you at length understand?"

"Heaven grant that this may not be visited upon him!"

"Valentine, you are an angel!"

"But why is my grandfather allowed to live?"

"It was considered, that you dead, the fortune wouldnaturally revert to your brother, unless he weredisinherited; and besides, the crime appearing useless, itwould be folly to commit it."

"And is it possible that this frightful combination ofcrimes has been invented by a woman?"

"Do you recollect in the arbor of the Hotel des Postes, atPerugia, seeing a man in a brown cloak, whom your stepmotherwas questioning upon aqua tofana? Well, ever since then, theinfernal project has been ripening in her brain."

"Ah, then, indeed, sir," said the sweet girl, bathed intears, "I see that I am condemned to die!"

"No, Valentine, for I have foreseen all their plots; no,your enemy is conquered since we know her, and you willlive, Valentine - live to be happy yourself, and to conferhappiness upon a noble heart; but to insure this you mustrely on me."

"Command me, sir - what am I to do?"

"You must blindly take what I give you."

"Alas, were it only for my own sake, I should prefer todie!"

"You must not confide in any one - not even in yourfather."

"My father is not engaged in this fearful plot, is he, sir?"asked Valentine, clasping her hands.

"No; and yet your father, a man accustomed to judicialaccusations, ought to have known that all these deaths havenot happened naturally; it is he who should have watchedover you - he should have occupied my place - he shouldhave emptied that glass - he should have risen against theassassin. Spectre against spectre!" he murmured in a lowvoice, as he concluded his sentence.

"Sir," said Valentine, "I will do all I can to live. forthere are two beings whose existence depends upon mine - mygrandfather and Maximilian."

"I will watch over them as I have over you."

"Well, sir, do as you will with me;" and then she added, ina low voice, "oh, heavens, what will befall me?"

"Whatever may happen, Valentine, do not be alarmed; thoughyou suffer; though you lose sight, hearing, consciousness,fear nothing; though you should awake and be ignorant whereyou are, still do not fear; even though you should findyourself in a sepulchral vault or coffin. Reassure yourself,then, and say to yourself: `At this moment, a friend, afather, who lives for my happiness and that of Maximilian,watches over me!'"

"Alas, alas, what a fearful extremity!"

"Valentine, would you rather denounce your stepmother?"

"I would rather die a hundred times - oh, yes, die!"

"No, you will not die; but will you promise me, whateverhappens, that you will not complain, but hope?"

"I will think of Maximilian!"

"You are my own darling child, Valentine! I alone can saveyou, and I will." Valentine in the extremity of her terrorjoined her hands, - for she felt that the moment hadarrived to ask for courage, - and began to pray, and whileuttering little more than incoherent words, she forgot thather white shoulders had no other covering than her longhair, and that the pulsations of her heart could he seenthrough the lace of her nightdress. Monte Cristo gently laidhis hand on the young girl's arm, drew the velvet coverletclose to her throat, and said with a paternal smile, - "Mychild, believe in my devotion to you as you believe in thegoodness of providence and the love of Maximilian."

Then he drew from his waistcoat-pocket the little emeraldbox, raised the golden lid, and took from it a pastilleabout the size of a pea, which he placed in her hand. Shetook it, and looked attentively on the count; there was anexpression on the face of her intrepid protector whichcommanded her veneration. She evidently interrogated him byher look. "Yes," said he. Valentine carried the pastille toher mouth, and swallowed it. "And now, my dear child, adieufor the present. I will try and gain a little sleep, for youare saved."

"Go," said Valentine, "whatever happens, I promise you notto fear."

Monte Cristo for some time kept his eyes fixed on the younggirl, who gradually fell asleep, yielding to the effects ofthe narcotic the count had given her. Then he took theglass, emptied three parts of the contents in the fireplace,that it might be supposed Valentine had taken it, andreplaced it on the table; then he disappeared, afterthrowing a farewell glance on Valentine, who slept with theconfidence and innocence of an angel.